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The Rat King
Marry the king. Fall in love. Break the curse. Sounds easy, right? Then I see him...
Let me rewind.
Once, I believed the planes between the witches' and warlock's realms were separated by happenstance, like some sort of cosmic yin-yang. I was woefully naïve back then.
The summer of my twenty-fourth birthday the head of our coven made me a proposition. A seventeen-year peace deal is ending, and they must deliver a witch-bride to the warlock king in the parallel plane within six months' time.
I am slated to be that witch.
My latent witch gene makes me the perfect candidate. Besides, I dropped out of theater school midway through and bartending in a Miami nightclub is already getting old. This I could do.
Not only would I be keeping the peace between our planes, but I'd also be queen and it was just another role after all. What could go wrong?
When Nighval, the warlock in question, comes to collect me, his size and the pure power radiating off him is staggering. And his features are two clicks away from being too severe, but I can work with it. Who am I kidding? I want to work with it.
Then I learn the truth about the curse and discover this powerful man isn't who is set to become my husband. It's his pasty, well-meaning brother.
Bad things come in threes, right? I know this, still I am not prepared for what comes next.
The Rat King is a standalone darkish fantasy romance Beauty and the Beast retelling suitable for an adult audience. You can expect spice that builds throughout with a HEA payoff at the end. Readers should be aware of the following: language, violence, and attempted SA. Perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco, Elise Kova and Raven Kennedy.
Let me rewind.
Once, I believed the planes between the witches' and warlock's realms were separated by happenstance, like some sort of cosmic yin-yang. I was woefully naïve back then.
The summer of my twenty-fourth birthday the head of our coven made me a proposition. A seventeen-year peace deal is ending, and they must deliver a witch-bride to the warlock king in the parallel plane within six months' time.
I am slated to be that witch.
My latent witch gene makes me the perfect candidate. Besides, I dropped out of theater school midway through and bartending in a Miami nightclub is already getting old. This I could do.
Not only would I be keeping the peace between our planes, but I'd also be queen and it was just another role after all. What could go wrong?
When Nighval, the warlock in question, comes to collect me, his size and the pure power radiating off him is staggering. And his features are two clicks away from being too severe, but I can work with it. Who am I kidding? I want to work with it.
Then I learn the truth about the curse and discover this powerful man isn't who is set to become my husband. It's his pasty, well-meaning brother.
Bad things come in threes, right? I know this, still I am not prepared for what comes next.
The Rat King is a standalone darkish fantasy romance Beauty and the Beast retelling suitable for an adult audience. You can expect spice that builds throughout with a HEA payoff at the end. Readers should be aware of the following: language, violence, and attempted SA. Perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco, Elise Kova and Raven Kennedy.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2022
98 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer M. Waldrop
8 books46 followersJENNIFER writes stories that explore the human experience — searching for clarity in the chaos, meaning in the unexpected, and connection through the characters we come to love. Her work spans from lush fantasy romance to quirky speculative fiction, all rooted in emotional truth, hidden layers, and a touch of the unexpected. Whether she’s exploring love, death, or the weird magic in between, she’s here for readers who crave stories that surprise, resonate, and stay with you long after the final page.
When she’s not writing, you might find her whipping together her favorite dark chocolate mousse, lost in the minutia of one of her excel spreadsheets, or power walking a beach in front of her house in the Turks and Caicos.
When she’s not writing, you might find her whipping together her favorite dark chocolate mousse, lost in the minutia of one of her excel spreadsheets, or power walking a beach in front of her house in the Turks and Caicos.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 30, 2024
1.5 stars
Nothing about this story is good nor does it, at any time, make sense.
The personalities of the characters change constantly. Every obstacle presented is resolved within a few paragraphs with no real effort or change from the characters. Things that should be deeply disturbing are no biggie, okie dokie artichoke. Pretty sure unknowingly having sex for a month straight with a ratman who just looks like a giant rat would be traumatizing once you became aware of it.
This book definitely deserves to be on the "books that never should have been written" list. It is so, so very bad.
Nothing about this story is good nor does it, at any time, make sense.
The personalities of the characters change constantly. Every obstacle presented is resolved within a few paragraphs with no real effort or change from the characters. Things that should be deeply disturbing are no biggie, okie dokie artichoke. Pretty sure unknowingly having sex for a month straight with a ratman who just looks like a giant rat would be traumatizing once you became aware of it.
This book definitely deserves to be on the "books that never should have been written" list. It is so, so very bad.
November 12, 2022
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 3
Wow ok, there is certainly a lot to unpack here....and bare with me this review will kinda be all over the place 😅
This was kinda a mess. But a fun mess, if that makes sense? It's a beauty and the beast retelling where the king/prince and the entire kingdom are cursed to be literally half-rat half people; whiskers, fur, buck teeth, claws, ears and all. (oh, but no tail thank goodness)
This book is divided up into three parts each with their own separate story. Personally, I would have like to have more detail and deeper characters and I think it would've flowed better as 3 separate books. The characters and dialogue fell flat and seemed to float around surface level. The dialogue felt very middle grade and reminded me of the cut and dry dialogue from a chapter book.
I'll be honest, part one was kinda hard to read. There was a lot of cringey stuff going on and I truly didn't know if it was supposed to be serious or satire. (also, if you have a phobia of mice or rats this DEFINITELY isn't for you) You have to make a lot of assumptions to piece things together about the world building and there are quite a few continuity errors.
Nighval was an enjoyable character and I liked him from the very beginning. I loved that he was this big broody dude that also struggled with confidence and self esteem. I was really confused when he chose to give Avery the pill to forget him/change her perception of his appearance because she already liked him at that point! She knew what he looked like and still found him attractive, and he even planned on not being physical with her until the next reprieve anyways, so what was the point in erasing all her good memories of their relationship thus far? just to change the way he looks to her? It made zero sense to me.
I really liked Avery's sense for fashion and makeup and I liked that Nighval and Jetta encouraged her to dress them and do Jetta's makeup. I also liked all the pop culture references! They definitely helped me visualize things.
I absolutely loved that Nighval used all our favorite tropes to win Avery over. It was almost comical because Avery knew it too 😂 and she totally rolled with it. What didn't really makes sense was that she knew he was trying to win her over to break the curse so I would've expected her to be skeptical of his genuineness but she was totally happy with it 🤷🏻♀️ to each their own I guess.
Simply put, this was a wild ride. Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? Also no. I think it had the potential to be super good, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.
Wow ok, there is certainly a lot to unpack here....and bare with me this review will kinda be all over the place 😅
This was kinda a mess. But a fun mess, if that makes sense? It's a beauty and the beast retelling where the king/prince and the entire kingdom are cursed to be literally half-rat half people; whiskers, fur, buck teeth, claws, ears and all. (oh, but no tail thank goodness)
This book is divided up into three parts each with their own separate story. Personally, I would have like to have more detail and deeper characters and I think it would've flowed better as 3 separate books. The characters and dialogue fell flat and seemed to float around surface level. The dialogue felt very middle grade and reminded me of the cut and dry dialogue from a chapter book.
I'll be honest, part one was kinda hard to read. There was a lot of cringey stuff going on and I truly didn't know if it was supposed to be serious or satire. (also, if you have a phobia of mice or rats this DEFINITELY isn't for you) You have to make a lot of assumptions to piece things together about the world building and there are quite a few continuity errors.
Nighval was an enjoyable character and I liked him from the very beginning. I loved that he was this big broody dude that also struggled with confidence and self esteem. I was really confused when he chose to give Avery the pill to forget him/change her perception of his appearance because she already liked him at that point! She knew what he looked like and still found him attractive, and he even planned on not being physical with her until the next reprieve anyways, so what was the point in erasing all her good memories of their relationship thus far? just to change the way he looks to her? It made zero sense to me.
I really liked Avery's sense for fashion and makeup and I liked that Nighval and Jetta encouraged her to dress them and do Jetta's makeup. I also liked all the pop culture references! They definitely helped me visualize things.
I absolutely loved that Nighval used all our favorite tropes to win Avery over. It was almost comical because Avery knew it too 😂 and she totally rolled with it. What didn't really makes sense was that she knew he was trying to win her over to break the curse so I would've expected her to be skeptical of his genuineness but she was totally happy with it 🤷🏻♀️ to each their own I guess.
Simply put, this was a wild ride. Did I love it? No. Did I hate it? Also no. I think it had the potential to be super good, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2023
Found this through some ads on instagram and decided to try it. The concept piqued my interest, and I have a long history joking about my love of "rat men" so it seemed like it might be worthwhile.
I'll start off by saying that, for about 390 pages of story, it did feel like a full story that was decently fleshed out with a good amount of conflicts to see resolved. A lot of indie books often feel so scant and without any weight to the stakes that it's not gratifying to read, so this book having more of that full, complete quality was quite welcome.
Overall, however, a lot of things just didn't click with me personally.
I found Avery to be a bit bratty and she rubbed me the wrong way. Like, her immediate, vehement jealousy towards Jetta, and subsequently how Jetta needed to be a lesbian in order to be cleared as not a threat, made me roll my eyes. She was also kinda superficial, but then the book is like "no actually Avery is so great" which felt like the narrative was at odds with itself on her character; telling us one thing and showing us another. Then the descriptions of things like "his male scent" and "he was so very male" and "he made me feel female" was really odd to me--why are we gendering smells and needing people to make us feel like our gender.
On the subject of words, the modern slang was jarring to read--the author used words like "unalive" and "simp" when there are more universal and, dare I say, literary equals that would sound better. I just find that it easily dates a book to include these kinds of things because in another five years, it's likely these will fall out of fashion the way slang of the 2010's largely has. And, of course, in any fantasy, even when the heroine is from present day, the immersion is just better without the use of trendy slang words reminding you of the world awaiting you outside the pages of the book.
As with most indie titles, I noticed several errors; like the misuse of "demurrer" (an archaic synonym for "objection") to mean "demurer" (more demure) alongside missing/misplaced commas and several typos. It was nothing too egregious, so it didn't really detract from its readability.
Regarding the plot, some of the conflicts felt a little pointless when all is said and done.
Like, Xavier as a plot device felt moot because, outside of being a really mild roadblock in Avery and Nighval's relationship, his inclusion had very little effect, so everything involving him had little impact.
I feel like the same results could have been achieved with other plot points and devices, especially since the solution to "Xavier is keeping the lovebirds apart how will they ever be together when he's king and Avery is married to him?" was to
Like, it felt messily rushed and had bad vibes--like, I feel as if the author both wanted me to hate Xavier but also forgive him because he sucked, but not that much? It was strange. In my opinion, Xavier and Nighval having a rivalry that was soothed when Xavier willingly steps down for the sake of his kingdom and brother after experiencing some growth would have had more impact and made Xavier have a better arc and purpose in the story, if he needed to be included. What we got was... devoid of any depth and felt contrived. A missed opportunity, really.
As for the erotic content, it was fine, but I find Avery being so adverse to the rat features weird considering how often she was turned on by "primal" and "animalistic" things, like literally being chased and hunted through the woods by a man. Like, that's sexy, being chased down and fucked in the woods, but you're ready to vomit at the sight of some fur and big teeth? Okay.
Oh, and, Avery regarding her running away from Nighval after he tampered with her memories for the sake of manipulating her into a romantic relationship and marriage as equal in terms of how severe of a betrayal the two actions are is just... so frustrating. Like, Nighval was let off pretty easily for doing something that affected her memories of him to manipulate her.
Even though the context of the story was "I just don't have time to make you love me the right way" that isn't really an adequate justification for how much of a violation to Avery's autonomy it is to mess with her memories in order to usher her to a desired goal through deliberate manipulation. It's like a severe form of magical gaslighting that I did not enjoy. I don't think there was anything in the narrative that really articulated why what he did was wrong, which I feel was a lacking quality to the conflict. It's important to understand WHY something was bad, not just say that it is, because failing to explain it sacrifices an opportunity for thought provocation and emotional depth.
Finally, the ending was... really abrupt. It cut off after a bath, of all things, and without an epilogue or any kind of like, wrap-up kind of scene or statement. Just "I liked bathing my wife. I'll be sure to make many happy memories with her." I was taken aback when I flipped a page and it was a preview for another of the author's books.
I don't particularly have any strong feelings against this book, like it's no where near as bad as a lot of other books I've read, but I ultimately finish it with lukewarm feelings and don't think I'd be keen to read it ever again.
I'll start off by saying that, for about 390 pages of story, it did feel like a full story that was decently fleshed out with a good amount of conflicts to see resolved. A lot of indie books often feel so scant and without any weight to the stakes that it's not gratifying to read, so this book having more of that full, complete quality was quite welcome.
Overall, however, a lot of things just didn't click with me personally.
I found Avery to be a bit bratty and she rubbed me the wrong way. Like, her immediate, vehement jealousy towards Jetta, and subsequently how Jetta needed to be a lesbian in order to be cleared as not a threat, made me roll my eyes. She was also kinda superficial, but then the book is like "no actually Avery is so great" which felt like the narrative was at odds with itself on her character; telling us one thing and showing us another. Then the descriptions of things like "his male scent" and "he was so very male" and "he made me feel female" was really odd to me--why are we gendering smells and needing people to make us feel like our gender.
On the subject of words, the modern slang was jarring to read--the author used words like "unalive" and "simp" when there are more universal and, dare I say, literary equals that would sound better. I just find that it easily dates a book to include these kinds of things because in another five years, it's likely these will fall out of fashion the way slang of the 2010's largely has. And, of course, in any fantasy, even when the heroine is from present day, the immersion is just better without the use of trendy slang words reminding you of the world awaiting you outside the pages of the book.
As with most indie titles, I noticed several errors; like the misuse of "demurrer" (an archaic synonym for "objection") to mean "demurer" (more demure) alongside missing/misplaced commas and several typos. It was nothing too egregious, so it didn't really detract from its readability.
Regarding the plot, some of the conflicts felt a little pointless when all is said and done.
Like, Xavier as a plot device felt moot because, outside of being a really mild roadblock in Avery and Nighval's relationship, his inclusion had very little effect, so everything involving him had little impact.
I feel like the same results could have been achieved with other plot points and devices, especially since the solution to "Xavier is keeping the lovebirds apart how will they ever be together when he's king and Avery is married to him?" was to
Like, it felt messily rushed and had bad vibes--like, I feel as if the author both wanted me to hate Xavier but also forgive him because he sucked, but not that much? It was strange. In my opinion, Xavier and Nighval having a rivalry that was soothed when Xavier willingly steps down for the sake of his kingdom and brother after experiencing some growth would have had more impact and made Xavier have a better arc and purpose in the story, if he needed to be included. What we got was... devoid of any depth and felt contrived. A missed opportunity, really.
As for the erotic content, it was fine, but I find Avery being so adverse to the rat features weird considering how often she was turned on by "primal" and "animalistic" things, like literally being chased and hunted through the woods by a man. Like, that's sexy, being chased down and fucked in the woods, but you're ready to vomit at the sight of some fur and big teeth? Okay.
Oh, and, Avery regarding her running away from Nighval after he tampered with her memories for the sake of manipulating her into a romantic relationship and marriage as equal in terms of how severe of a betrayal the two actions are is just... so frustrating. Like, Nighval was let off pretty easily for doing something that affected her memories of him to manipulate her.
Even though the context of the story was "I just don't have time to make you love me the right way" that isn't really an adequate justification for how much of a violation to Avery's autonomy it is to mess with her memories in order to usher her to a desired goal through deliberate manipulation. It's like a severe form of magical gaslighting that I did not enjoy. I don't think there was anything in the narrative that really articulated why what he did was wrong, which I feel was a lacking quality to the conflict. It's important to understand WHY something was bad, not just say that it is, because failing to explain it sacrifices an opportunity for thought provocation and emotional depth.
Finally, the ending was... really abrupt. It cut off after a bath, of all things, and without an epilogue or any kind of like, wrap-up kind of scene or statement. Just "I liked bathing my wife. I'll be sure to make many happy memories with her." I was taken aback when I flipped a page and it was a preview for another of the author's books.
I don't particularly have any strong feelings against this book, like it's no where near as bad as a lot of other books I've read, but I ultimately finish it with lukewarm feelings and don't think I'd be keen to read it ever again.
January 5, 2023
2 stars
This novel was kind of a mess. I think it wanted to be a retelling, but couldn't decide exactly what story it wanted to emulate. It was a little bit beauty and the beast, little bit sleeping beauty. The ending was a little abrupt also.
This novel was kind of a mess. I think it wanted to be a retelling, but couldn't decide exactly what story it wanted to emulate. It was a little bit beauty and the beast, little bit sleeping beauty. The ending was a little abrupt also.
December 29, 2022
Ok, but not really
This was so frustrating to read. Avery is an idiot. Xavier was a selfish prick. Nighval was a wimp. The story was drawn out so much that it became a flavorless watery soup. The editing was mostly solid until the third part, where there were several instances of missing words in sentences.
This was so frustrating to read. Avery is an idiot. Xavier was a selfish prick. Nighval was a wimp. The story was drawn out so much that it became a flavorless watery soup. The editing was mostly solid until the third part, where there were several instances of missing words in sentences.
July 5, 2025
⭐ 1/5 stars
🌶️ ?/5 chili peppers (DNF at 41%)
I received a free copy of this audiobook via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Many thanks to the author and her team for providing it.
I was initially intrigued by the premise—an arranged magical marriage between realms to maintain a witch/warlock alliance? Sign me up! And I really do appreciate how much heart, time, and effort authors pour into their work, which is why I never take it lightly when I say... this one just didn’t work for me.
What I liked:
I actually enjoyed that Avery, the main character, wasn’t resentful of her arranged marriage. She was willing—happy, even—to do her duty for her coven and keep peace between their worlds. It was a refreshing change from the usual “I’ll do anything to escape this fate” trope. Plus, she saw the perks: she’d get to be queen. I liked that optimism and sense of responsibility.
Where things unraveled for me (mild spoilers):
Once Avery arrives in the warlock plane and meets Xavier (her future husband) and his older brother Nighval, things get complicated fast—but not in a way that felt believable to me. Xavier is trying to break a curse affecting his people, and although he genuinely attempts to woo Avery, she just isn’t into him. Fair enough. But then Xavier hooks up with someone else and pressures Avery to consummate the marriage, which sets off a tragic and avoidable chain of events. It felt like a communication breakdown for the sake of drama. Xavier’s eventual death, while not excused, felt unnecessary and preventable.
Avery is imprisoned for his death, and Nighval rescues her... despite knowing she killed his brother. His emotional recovery from this felt far too quick and easy, considering the gravity of what happened. Then, after a month in prison and witnessing public executions, Avery starts worrying about her makeup—and that was the final straw for me. I put the book down right then and there.
The characters’ reactions didn’t feel emotionally grounded or consistent, and while I was morbidly curious about how the story would end, I couldn’t justify pushing through just to say I finished it.
TL;DR: A promising premise with a refreshingly dutiful heroine, but ultimately let down by unconvincing character choices, rushed emotional development, and moments that pulled me completely out of the story.
🌶️ ?/5 chili peppers (DNF at 41%)
I received a free copy of this audiobook via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Many thanks to the author and her team for providing it.
I was initially intrigued by the premise—an arranged magical marriage between realms to maintain a witch/warlock alliance? Sign me up! And I really do appreciate how much heart, time, and effort authors pour into their work, which is why I never take it lightly when I say... this one just didn’t work for me.
What I liked:
I actually enjoyed that Avery, the main character, wasn’t resentful of her arranged marriage. She was willing—happy, even—to do her duty for her coven and keep peace between their worlds. It was a refreshing change from the usual “I’ll do anything to escape this fate” trope. Plus, she saw the perks: she’d get to be queen. I liked that optimism and sense of responsibility.
Where things unraveled for me (mild spoilers):
Once Avery arrives in the warlock plane and meets Xavier (her future husband) and his older brother Nighval, things get complicated fast—but not in a way that felt believable to me. Xavier is trying to break a curse affecting his people, and although he genuinely attempts to woo Avery, she just isn’t into him. Fair enough. But then Xavier hooks up with someone else and pressures Avery to consummate the marriage, which sets off a tragic and avoidable chain of events. It felt like a communication breakdown for the sake of drama. Xavier’s eventual death, while not excused, felt unnecessary and preventable.
Avery is imprisoned for his death, and Nighval rescues her... despite knowing she killed his brother. His emotional recovery from this felt far too quick and easy, considering the gravity of what happened. Then, after a month in prison and witnessing public executions, Avery starts worrying about her makeup—and that was the final straw for me. I put the book down right then and there.
The characters’ reactions didn’t feel emotionally grounded or consistent, and while I was morbidly curious about how the story would end, I couldn’t justify pushing through just to say I finished it.
TL;DR: A promising premise with a refreshingly dutiful heroine, but ultimately let down by unconvincing character choices, rushed emotional development, and moments that pulled me completely out of the story.
September 21, 2024
This book started off weird but switched gears and caught my interest shortly after the beginning. It had a lot of potential but I feel it needed more editing and more planning. It read like a debut that should've been 2 books but ended up being 1 with things in it that should've been removed. Individually the various parts of the plot were enjoyable but together it ended up being a little all over the place and ended feeling unfinished. It wasn't a bad read but I can't say I'd recommend it
November 12, 2022
I needed The Rat King in my life! This book will have you questioning the decisions the mc makes through out the story. Nighval will have you wanting to be chased by your very own rat man.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling with witches and warlocks and of course all the Rat people.
The Rat King will have you staying up all night to see what happens next! A must read for all fantasy romance lovers.
A Beauty and the Beast retelling with witches and warlocks and of course all the Rat people.
The Rat King will have you staying up all night to see what happens next! A must read for all fantasy romance lovers.
November 21, 2022
honestly, the beginning was super interesting, the issues were weird and different but still in line with the beauty and the beast theme. However, a few things stopped me from completely loving it. One is the Beastiality. And I know people will say he was a human in animal form but the female MC didn't know he was a rat, he glamoured himself to look human and had sex with her as a rat. That is not okay in the least. She makes that choice while aware that's one thing but she didn't. Two is how easily the kingdom accepted her murder of the previous king. And third how he wipes her memory to start over. she deserves to know everything they have been through. It turned very toxic in the end.
November 21, 2022
DNF I got around twenty pages in and couldn’t stop eye rolling with how the heroine talks it was like a twelve year old was speaking. I just couldn’t get into the book at all unfortunately
November 21, 2022
The Rat King had me hooked while reading it, and has not relinquished its hold days after finishing it. Memories of specific lines or scenes continue to pop into my mind, and I have a feeling that I’ll reread certain sections many times over. I loved the setting, in a world with warlocks and castles and carriages. It felt enchanting and magical. I also loved that the book gives us dual perspectives, providing insight into different characters' thought patterns and motivations. It heightened the experience for me.
The characters were interesting; whether or not they were likeable *people*, they all made for good *fictional characters*. Some, of course, I liked more or less than others. I loved, loved, loved Nighval. He's physically strong, magically powerful, oozes authority, is cunning and clever, and can still be an absolute puppy. I'm forlorn about the fact that he is neither real nor mine.
The overall plot was entertaining and I was desperate for a positive resolution to the conflicts. Some parts were fun, some dark, some spicy, some romantic, and some utterly frustrating. One glaring problem with the story is that the characters all somehow failed to see an obvious potential solution to their problem early on. It’s first proposed way later than it should have occurred to anyone and it realistically should have then been considered by all parties at that time at the very least. That’s just one of the times that the characters’ decisions, feelings, or actions were unbelievable and served only to cause heartbreak and push more conflict into the plot, which really wasn’t necessary and didn’t feel genuine. Even with explanation of characters’ motivations, I wasn’t always convinced that they made sense or justified their behavior. The really good sections could have still been accomplished without the contrived separation events, so at those times I was disappointed with the characters and frustrated at having to endure the emotional turmoil on their behalf. Those aspects of the story had a strongly negative influence on my enjoyment of the book; but the parts that I loved, I loved greatly enough that my overall opinion of the story is still quite positive. I’m sure that many readers love the angst and tension built up from the very situations that I abhor, so I say all of this with the awareness that it’s largely personal preference.
My favorite section of the book is when the FMC, Avery, is subjected to calculated and swoon-worthy wooing for weeks on end. This has ruined mortal men for me, for quite some time. My favorite scene from the whole book is probably a particularly steamy one that has such captivating intimacy, I fell right in love. With a fictional man. Not the first time, and won’t be the last. I actually tend to shy away from romance-focused stories because of how disappointing they make real life, but I’m glad to have experienced this one.
The story is not all romance, of course. The curse is complex when you consider the motivation behind it. It's not a simple "someone was evil and cursed people for the fun of it"; there's a depth to it, and I find it compelling to flip the story and consider the perspective of the villain. Not that I'm siding with the bad guy, at all; I just enjoy looking at conflicts from all sides, and I felt that this story lends itself to that reflection. It’s interesting getting to know more about the witch who spun the curse.
The writing needs a heavy hand of professional editing, but I’m not sure that will happen since it’s already a finished copy. It didn’t detract much from the telling of the story, but was noticeable throughout. Aside from the editing needs, I felt this was written well, especially that the dialogue mostly felt realistic. Even when there were times of more formal/antiquated language that was suited to the setting, it flowed and felt natural. This enhanced the immersion because it wasn't like reading, it was like being involved in a real conversation.
Writing this review has been quite difficult because the complaints that I shared earlier deeply bothered me while reading and for the first few days after. That caused a war inside me as to how I could authentically and helpfully present my thoughts, because despite my adverse reactions to certain aspects, as a whole I loved this book and really want to recommend it to other readers. I think it’s very much worth reading if you typically enjoy dark romance.
The characters were interesting; whether or not they were likeable *people*, they all made for good *fictional characters*. Some, of course, I liked more or less than others. I loved, loved, loved Nighval. He's physically strong, magically powerful, oozes authority, is cunning and clever, and can still be an absolute puppy. I'm forlorn about the fact that he is neither real nor mine.
The overall plot was entertaining and I was desperate for a positive resolution to the conflicts. Some parts were fun, some dark, some spicy, some romantic, and some utterly frustrating. One glaring problem with the story is that the characters all somehow failed to see an obvious potential solution to their problem early on. It’s first proposed way later than it should have occurred to anyone and it realistically should have then been considered by all parties at that time at the very least. That’s just one of the times that the characters’ decisions, feelings, or actions were unbelievable and served only to cause heartbreak and push more conflict into the plot, which really wasn’t necessary and didn’t feel genuine. Even with explanation of characters’ motivations, I wasn’t always convinced that they made sense or justified their behavior. The really good sections could have still been accomplished without the contrived separation events, so at those times I was disappointed with the characters and frustrated at having to endure the emotional turmoil on their behalf. Those aspects of the story had a strongly negative influence on my enjoyment of the book; but the parts that I loved, I loved greatly enough that my overall opinion of the story is still quite positive. I’m sure that many readers love the angst and tension built up from the very situations that I abhor, so I say all of this with the awareness that it’s largely personal preference.
My favorite section of the book is when the FMC, Avery, is subjected to calculated and swoon-worthy wooing for weeks on end. This has ruined mortal men for me, for quite some time. My favorite scene from the whole book is probably a particularly steamy one that has such captivating intimacy, I fell right in love. With a fictional man. Not the first time, and won’t be the last. I actually tend to shy away from romance-focused stories because of how disappointing they make real life, but I’m glad to have experienced this one.
The story is not all romance, of course. The curse is complex when you consider the motivation behind it. It's not a simple "someone was evil and cursed people for the fun of it"; there's a depth to it, and I find it compelling to flip the story and consider the perspective of the villain. Not that I'm siding with the bad guy, at all; I just enjoy looking at conflicts from all sides, and I felt that this story lends itself to that reflection. It’s interesting getting to know more about the witch who spun the curse.
The writing needs a heavy hand of professional editing, but I’m not sure that will happen since it’s already a finished copy. It didn’t detract much from the telling of the story, but was noticeable throughout. Aside from the editing needs, I felt this was written well, especially that the dialogue mostly felt realistic. Even when there were times of more formal/antiquated language that was suited to the setting, it flowed and felt natural. This enhanced the immersion because it wasn't like reading, it was like being involved in a real conversation.
Writing this review has been quite difficult because the complaints that I shared earlier deeply bothered me while reading and for the first few days after. That caused a war inside me as to how I could authentically and helpfully present my thoughts, because despite my adverse reactions to certain aspects, as a whole I loved this book and really want to recommend it to other readers. I think it’s very much worth reading if you typically enjoy dark romance.
March 6, 2023
i'm only giving three stars because Nighval is *chefs kiss*
almost everyone else in this book just sucks.
1) Xavier is creepy as hell. the author did perfectly to describe what it's like for girls when they get the complete and utter ick about a dude. skin crawlies all over bcs yuck at everything about him. he didn't even go out with a satisfying end. the author seemed scared to commit to making mans a full blown rapey git, but after ramping him up as a Nice Guy™️ & throwing an affair into the mix, it's like what was the point if not to make us loathe him? might as well nail the coffin shut. but no??? homie literally assaults what's her face and after he gets shanked (and rightfully so) now we have to... feel bad? because he didn't mean it? and apologized with his final breath?? definitely not. either give him a redemption arc or make him a true villain. just a waste of time putting him in there at all, really.
2) Avery is not a likable fmc. maybe it's because i read about way more ridiculous humanoid beasts finding love with the typical female human, but her aversion to the rat people, especially Nighval just really grated my mf nerves. yeah rats are freaky af and it would be traumatizing to have a rat man hit on you at a bar but home girl is a witch. they're cursed. it's not like she got teleported to a swamp and this was just the race of creatures she was stuck with. they were quite literally suffering and completely embarrassed by the state of their bodies. but miss Nars orgasm had the audacity to sling non stop judgment at them. even during the reprieve she had stuff to say about their regular human appearance like the girl was brazen asf for what?? ITS A CURSE, BENCH. EXCUSE TF OUTTA THEM.
3) i saw nothing wrong with Nighval snatching girl's memories right out her head and glamouring himself to her so she would be softer towards him. she had 0 home training and was constantly being rude about the way everyone looked, absolutely i would have drugged her too just so i wouldn't have to hear it anymore. mans spent 19 years being rejected and talked shit to the same exact way she spent most of the book doing and i was supposed to feel bad her that he sexed her while he was in rat form? because i didn't. i wanted more emotional desperation out of her for acting like a spoiled child when everyone else had it way worse than she ever did.
4) cornball central at the amount of modern references that were made. name dropping sephora and makeup brands, using zoomer slang, talking about outfits and how she would've worn them at the club... bffr. i understand it's meant to be contemporary to make a marked contrast between the plane she was on and the one she ended up in, but it was nothing but eye rolls from me. it's giving Corporations On Twitter Trying To Fit In With The Youngfolk and i wasn't about it. all it did was make Avery seem empty headed and self centered because she had the nerve to act impatient or bemused when they didn't understand smth she said.
5) Nighval was truly the saving grace this book needed to keep me reading. his earnestness to prove himself to Avery, his vulnerability and the guilt that he was riddled with after betraying her sense of trust and popping that pill in her mouth was just too gd endearing. his restrained desire for her and self admitted obsession is always my fav part in any romance. he didn't deserve to be treated like a monster and it pissed me off how often Avery made him feel bad when he was the biggest victim out of everyone. i was in complete support of that pill bcs she was too stupid to appreciate what was in front of her all cos A CURSEEEEEEEE. i'm never going to not be mad about that fr. shordy was all set to doom a realm just bcs she didn't wanna admit Nigh was serving even as a rat man.
i loved it as much as i hated it. if the chemistry wasn't so intense bcs of Nigh, i would have DNF for sure. but he really does make the entire book and he's going down as one of my fav mmc regardless of how i felt about the others. cheers
almost everyone else in this book just sucks.
1) Xavier is creepy as hell. the author did perfectly to describe what it's like for girls when they get the complete and utter ick about a dude. skin crawlies all over bcs yuck at everything about him. he didn't even go out with a satisfying end. the author seemed scared to commit to making mans a full blown rapey git, but after ramping him up as a Nice Guy™️ & throwing an affair into the mix, it's like what was the point if not to make us loathe him? might as well nail the coffin shut. but no??? homie literally assaults what's her face and after he gets shanked (and rightfully so) now we have to... feel bad? because he didn't mean it? and apologized with his final breath?? definitely not. either give him a redemption arc or make him a true villain. just a waste of time putting him in there at all, really.
2) Avery is not a likable fmc. maybe it's because i read about way more ridiculous humanoid beasts finding love with the typical female human, but her aversion to the rat people, especially Nighval just really grated my mf nerves. yeah rats are freaky af and it would be traumatizing to have a rat man hit on you at a bar but home girl is a witch. they're cursed. it's not like she got teleported to a swamp and this was just the race of creatures she was stuck with. they were quite literally suffering and completely embarrassed by the state of their bodies. but miss Nars orgasm had the audacity to sling non stop judgment at them. even during the reprieve she had stuff to say about their regular human appearance like the girl was brazen asf for what?? ITS A CURSE, BENCH. EXCUSE TF OUTTA THEM.
3) i saw nothing wrong with Nighval snatching girl's memories right out her head and glamouring himself to her so she would be softer towards him. she had 0 home training and was constantly being rude about the way everyone looked, absolutely i would have drugged her too just so i wouldn't have to hear it anymore. mans spent 19 years being rejected and talked shit to the same exact way she spent most of the book doing and i was supposed to feel bad her that he sexed her while he was in rat form? because i didn't. i wanted more emotional desperation out of her for acting like a spoiled child when everyone else had it way worse than she ever did.
4) cornball central at the amount of modern references that were made. name dropping sephora and makeup brands, using zoomer slang, talking about outfits and how she would've worn them at the club... bffr. i understand it's meant to be contemporary to make a marked contrast between the plane she was on and the one she ended up in, but it was nothing but eye rolls from me. it's giving Corporations On Twitter Trying To Fit In With The Youngfolk and i wasn't about it. all it did was make Avery seem empty headed and self centered because she had the nerve to act impatient or bemused when they didn't understand smth she said.
5) Nighval was truly the saving grace this book needed to keep me reading. his earnestness to prove himself to Avery, his vulnerability and the guilt that he was riddled with after betraying her sense of trust and popping that pill in her mouth was just too gd endearing. his restrained desire for her and self admitted obsession is always my fav part in any romance. he didn't deserve to be treated like a monster and it pissed me off how often Avery made him feel bad when he was the biggest victim out of everyone. i was in complete support of that pill bcs she was too stupid to appreciate what was in front of her all cos A CURSEEEEEEEE. i'm never going to not be mad about that fr. shordy was all set to doom a realm just bcs she didn't wanna admit Nigh was serving even as a rat man.
i loved it as much as i hated it. if the chemistry wasn't so intense bcs of Nigh, i would have DNF for sure. but he really does make the entire book and he's going down as one of my fav mmc regardless of how i felt about the others. cheers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2023
The one thing I loved about this book was Nighval, as much as I really wanted to love the story as a whole, considering the bone structure was good, but everything that makes it whole wasn't all there other than the basis story that was given. Given each author has their faults, and things they are good at. I can't say I very much liked Avery, because after she knew what she was getting into once Xavier told her exactly how the curse came to be and what it would take to break it, she then proceeds to have a heartbroken/betrayed fit because Nighval used the magic pill to help them fall in love, but there was already something there before the pill. And even when she took the pill there was an understanding between them even if she didn't remember till the curse was broken. So I can't exactly feel like Nighval betrayed her when he told her exactly what he was doing, and what the pill itself would do. I do like the shift between Avery and Nighval from chapter to chapter, mainly because I really loved reading the story from Nighval's perspective. A few things I didn't understand was that if Nighval didn't want to have any dealings with his mother and wanted her dead. Then what I don't understand is why she ended up helping him in the first place to make a pill to make everything easier for them to fall in love and to break the curse. Honestly you could tell there was something there between Nighval and Avery in the beginning, and I feel like the magic pill his mother gave him was a fix all to push the story forward so that they would fall in love faster with the help of magic. You would think that a curse couldn't be hindered or helped in any way considering its a curse, but that's just my thoughts on it. All turned out well in the end with their happily ever after, but I can't say it was a favorite book regardless of enjoying it. I give props to anyone who can put themselves out there and finish a story, but I feel like the characters needed more building and the plane the story revolved around was widely left out which would of been great to use as a strong asset with the story. All around I can't give the book a low rating because I did enjoy it, but I do think there are a few things that could be worked on. All in all the book gets a 3 star rating considering my above statements, because I'll be honest I wasn't feeling Avery's character. Then again you can't always love all the characters in a book, that's just a given.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
OH MY WOW!!
That was one of the best fantasy stories I’ve read all year!! If you’re looking for a slow burn, enemies to lovers, powerful, possessive alpha male main character, that is matched by an equally powerful, strong-willed female main character, twisty topsy turvey semi-nutcracker retelling then this is absolutely the novel for you!!
After a witch cursed their entire plane, the warlocks demand a witch bride to break the curse. After 17 years of brides and failed attempts at breaking the curse, they’ve reached their final witch bride. As well as their last chance to break the curse before it turns from an inconvenience to a permanent situation. And therefore the weight of the worlds falls firmly on Avery’s shoulders. Avery is a strong willed, powerful, confident witch who unfortunately has latent genes and therefore no magic, making her the perfect candidate to sacrifice to the warlocks. Because while Avery believes she’s going into this arranged marriage with all the cards laid out for her there are secrets being kept on both sides. In steps Nighval, ex-king and brother to the current king, and Avery’s “golden retriever” arranged marriage husband. A man who is determined to make Avery love him and help him break the curse all at the same time… that is of course as long as there’s no hidden motives. While a love should be blossoming between Avery and her Arranged there’s just something about Nighval the exiled king that draws her attention, and peeks her interest. When things take a nose dive into treason territory though, a whole new future opens up to Avery and a whole new slew of choices must be made! And if you want to know what choices Avery makes, then you must purchase this novel!! You absolutely won’t regret it!!
HAPPY READING!!! 📖
That was one of the best fantasy stories I’ve read all year!! If you’re looking for a slow burn, enemies to lovers, powerful, possessive alpha male main character, that is matched by an equally powerful, strong-willed female main character, twisty topsy turvey semi-nutcracker retelling then this is absolutely the novel for you!!
After a witch cursed their entire plane, the warlocks demand a witch bride to break the curse. After 17 years of brides and failed attempts at breaking the curse, they’ve reached their final witch bride. As well as their last chance to break the curse before it turns from an inconvenience to a permanent situation. And therefore the weight of the worlds falls firmly on Avery’s shoulders. Avery is a strong willed, powerful, confident witch who unfortunately has latent genes and therefore no magic, making her the perfect candidate to sacrifice to the warlocks. Because while Avery believes she’s going into this arranged marriage with all the cards laid out for her there are secrets being kept on both sides. In steps Nighval, ex-king and brother to the current king, and Avery’s “golden retriever” arranged marriage husband. A man who is determined to make Avery love him and help him break the curse all at the same time… that is of course as long as there’s no hidden motives. While a love should be blossoming between Avery and her Arranged there’s just something about Nighval the exiled king that draws her attention, and peeks her interest. When things take a nose dive into treason territory though, a whole new future opens up to Avery and a whole new slew of choices must be made! And if you want to know what choices Avery makes, then you must purchase this novel!! You absolutely won’t regret it!!
HAPPY READING!!! 📖
Want to read
December 12, 2022Cover Blurb:
Marry the king. Fall in love. Break the curse. Sounds easy, right? Then I see him…
Let me rewind.
Once, I believed the planes between the witches’ and warlock’s realms were separated by happenstance, like some sort of cosmic yin-yang. I was woefully naïve back then.
The summer of my twenty-fourth birthday the head of our coven made me a proposition. A seventeen-year peace deal is ending, and they must deliver a witch-bride to the warlock king in the parallel plane within six months’ time.
I am slated to be that witch.
My latent witch gene makes me the perfect candidate. Besides, I dropped out of theater school midway through and bartending in a Miami nightclub is already getting old. This I could do.
Not only would I be keeping the peace between our planes, but I’d also be queen and it was just another role after all. What could go wrong?
When Nighval, the warlock in question, comes to collect me, his size and the pure power radiating off him is staggering. And his features are two clicks away from being too severe, but I can work with it. Who am I kidding? I want to work with it.
Then I learn the truth about the curse and discover this powerful man isn’t who is set to become my husband. It’s his pasty, well-meaning brother.
Bad things come in threes, right? I know this, still I am not prepared for what comes next.
The Rat King is a standalone darkish fantasy romance Beauty and the Beast retelling suitable for an adult audience. You can expect spice that builds throughout with a HEA payoff at the end. Readers should be aware of the following: language, violence, and attempted SA. Perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco, Elise Kova and Raven Kennedy.
Marry the king. Fall in love. Break the curse. Sounds easy, right? Then I see him…
Let me rewind.
Once, I believed the planes between the witches’ and warlock’s realms were separated by happenstance, like some sort of cosmic yin-yang. I was woefully naïve back then.
The summer of my twenty-fourth birthday the head of our coven made me a proposition. A seventeen-year peace deal is ending, and they must deliver a witch-bride to the warlock king in the parallel plane within six months’ time.
I am slated to be that witch.
My latent witch gene makes me the perfect candidate. Besides, I dropped out of theater school midway through and bartending in a Miami nightclub is already getting old. This I could do.
Not only would I be keeping the peace between our planes, but I’d also be queen and it was just another role after all. What could go wrong?
When Nighval, the warlock in question, comes to collect me, his size and the pure power radiating off him is staggering. And his features are two clicks away from being too severe, but I can work with it. Who am I kidding? I want to work with it.
Then I learn the truth about the curse and discover this powerful man isn’t who is set to become my husband. It’s his pasty, well-meaning brother.
Bad things come in threes, right? I know this, still I am not prepared for what comes next.
The Rat King is a standalone darkish fantasy romance Beauty and the Beast retelling suitable for an adult audience. You can expect spice that builds throughout with a HEA payoff at the end. Readers should be aware of the following: language, violence, and attempted SA. Perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco, Elise Kova and Raven Kennedy.
November 18, 2022
Avery & Nighval
*
When love is needed to break a curse but the man you need to fall in love with is a rat.
*
Avery is a witch with a dormant witch gene; since she has no powers she's been chosen to travel to another plane to become queen. When she arrives she realises her coven did not prepare her for this and skipped a lot of information. But she is determined to do what she came to do and break the curse.
Nighval stood down from being king after 17 years of rejection. But when another witch arrives – to marry his brother – he regrets giving up. He is a dark and formidable ruler. It makes my heart squeeze knowing how much he suffered and felt unloved; it makes a person bitter after so many let downs.
While Xavier gives Avery the ick in human and rat form, his older brother doesn't and she secretly wishes he'd be the one to marry her. I do believe she'd fall in love with him withouth magic he uses on her. Because he loves so purely, and would do anything for her.
This was one of the few paranormal books I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first I wasn't sure what to expect – because rats - and was a bit surprised and disgusted but loved it at the same time. Nigh is an amazing character; there is depth to him that makes you want to crawl in the book and cuddle him. Especially knowing what his mother is like.
*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*
When love is needed to break a curse but the man you need to fall in love with is a rat.
*
Avery is a witch with a dormant witch gene; since she has no powers she's been chosen to travel to another plane to become queen. When she arrives she realises her coven did not prepare her for this and skipped a lot of information. But she is determined to do what she came to do and break the curse.
Nighval stood down from being king after 17 years of rejection. But when another witch arrives – to marry his brother – he regrets giving up. He is a dark and formidable ruler. It makes my heart squeeze knowing how much he suffered and felt unloved; it makes a person bitter after so many let downs.
While Xavier gives Avery the ick in human and rat form, his older brother doesn't and she secretly wishes he'd be the one to marry her. I do believe she'd fall in love with him withouth magic he uses on her. Because he loves so purely, and would do anything for her.
This was one of the few paranormal books I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At first I wasn't sure what to expect – because rats - and was a bit surprised and disgusted but loved it at the same time. Nigh is an amazing character; there is depth to him that makes you want to crawl in the book and cuddle him. Especially knowing what his mother is like.
*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2022
I need more of Avery and Nighval!!
I love that this books was broken up into three parts since ethe story definitely felt like it was told that way. Through most of the first part it moved along at pretty gradual pace but then at the end of Part 1 Waldrop smacks up with the dark fantasy tropes!!
I also love that our FMC Avery is a girly girl. She loves her makeup, her slip dresses and never gives off the vibe of “I’m NoT LiKe OtHeR GiRls”, which THANK GOD!!
Our MMC Nighval, is our typical but never stale brooding dark haired misunderstood villian. All this man wants is to succeed at winning a woman’s heart and trusting her enough to give her his own. I’m not used to villainous MMCs being insecure and vulnerable so that was very refreshing and I loved him even more for it!!!
I only rated it 4/5 due to the amount of typos and grammatical errors. Once I’d sent them over to the author she updates her files right away. However, I own the physical copy with the previous errors but I’m choosing to looks at it as my own special first edition.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who falls for the morally grey and mysterious villain, someone who loves Beauty and the Beast retellings, and/or anyone who is a girly girl who wishes to see themselves represented in the fantasy genre.
I love that this books was broken up into three parts since ethe story definitely felt like it was told that way. Through most of the first part it moved along at pretty gradual pace but then at the end of Part 1 Waldrop smacks up with the dark fantasy tropes!!
I also love that our FMC Avery is a girly girl. She loves her makeup, her slip dresses and never gives off the vibe of “I’m NoT LiKe OtHeR GiRls”, which THANK GOD!!
Our MMC Nighval, is our typical but never stale brooding dark haired misunderstood villian. All this man wants is to succeed at winning a woman’s heart and trusting her enough to give her his own. I’m not used to villainous MMCs being insecure and vulnerable so that was very refreshing and I loved him even more for it!!!
I only rated it 4/5 due to the amount of typos and grammatical errors. Once I’d sent them over to the author she updates her files right away. However, I own the physical copy with the previous errors but I’m choosing to looks at it as my own special first edition.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who falls for the morally grey and mysterious villain, someone who loves Beauty and the Beast retellings, and/or anyone who is a girly girl who wishes to see themselves represented in the fantasy genre.
November 10, 2022
🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀/5
First off, wowza! @authorjmwaldrop has the incredible talent of making me totally happy and loving things while simultaneously being completely and utterly disgusted. And if you don’t understand that feeling, then you need to read TRK, particularly Part Two, and you’ll be part of the weirded out but turned on at the same time team. It’s a vibe 😂
Secondly, this story is so dark and gritty but somehow so sensual and heartbreaking. And I freaking loved everything about it!
I thoroughly enjoyed the character development between both Nighval and Avery, and I loved watching their story together play out, while watching them both experience the hardships of their current predicaments separately too.
This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which I loved right from the get go. However, I was blown away by how inventive and modern the story was. It was a breath of fresh air in some moments and cringeworthy, violent moments at other times. And honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any less!
You would love this book if you enjoy:
🐀Strong FMC
🐀Ruthless but lovable MMC
🐀Beauty and the Beast retellings
🐀Flawed but relatable characters
🐀Royal court intrigue and politics
🐀Spice
🐀Dark romances
First off, wowza! @authorjmwaldrop has the incredible talent of making me totally happy and loving things while simultaneously being completely and utterly disgusted. And if you don’t understand that feeling, then you need to read TRK, particularly Part Two, and you’ll be part of the weirded out but turned on at the same time team. It’s a vibe 😂
Secondly, this story is so dark and gritty but somehow so sensual and heartbreaking. And I freaking loved everything about it!
I thoroughly enjoyed the character development between both Nighval and Avery, and I loved watching their story together play out, while watching them both experience the hardships of their current predicaments separately too.
This story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which I loved right from the get go. However, I was blown away by how inventive and modern the story was. It was a breath of fresh air in some moments and cringeworthy, violent moments at other times. And honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any less!
You would love this book if you enjoy:
🐀Strong FMC
🐀Ruthless but lovable MMC
🐀Beauty and the Beast retellings
🐀Flawed but relatable characters
🐀Royal court intrigue and politics
🐀Spice
🐀Dark romances
March 10, 2023
This is a mess, an absolute mess. But in a train wreck way, like you just can't look away from it. Sentences don't make sense. The plot doesn't really make sense because it's just jumping around all over the place.
It's supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast type retelling, the point of the curse is to find someone who can love the beast...while he's a beast. HOWEVER, Nigh gives Avery a pill that makes her forget he's a beast to speed up the love process. And it works. But then she remembers everything, they hurt each other, find their way back together, fall apart again, come back together in this endless and honestly boring way that just makes no sense.
Each time something tears them apart, it takes two sentences before it's all fixed, even though they've done nothing to actually resolve the issue. And then it just ends. Just done, no more.
It was entertaining enough to keep going, I liked Nigh and Avery. I wish there was more introduction to the characters, more character building, I guess. I wish there was a bit more world building, more problem solvin, and adventure.
It's supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast type retelling, the point of the curse is to find someone who can love the beast...while he's a beast. HOWEVER, Nigh gives Avery a pill that makes her forget he's a beast to speed up the love process. And it works. But then she remembers everything, they hurt each other, find their way back together, fall apart again, come back together in this endless and honestly boring way that just makes no sense.
Each time something tears them apart, it takes two sentences before it's all fixed, even though they've done nothing to actually resolve the issue. And then it just ends. Just done, no more.
It was entertaining enough to keep going, I liked Nigh and Avery. I wish there was more introduction to the characters, more character building, I guess. I wish there was a bit more world building, more problem solvin, and adventure.
October 24, 2022
The book starts and ends strong and even leaves you wanting more! The story between the main leads was genuinely refreshing when it comes to romance novels. The author did a wonderful job of portraying the emotions of the characters in a way that made sense for the gravity of the situations they were in. It is important to remember that this is a dark romance so some of the events of the book could be a little too much for some but I felt they were handled appropriately for the most part and they never felt out of place or like they were added simply to add more stakes to game.
All on all I would have happily read another 10 chapters of this and still wanted more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
All on all I would have happily read another 10 chapters of this and still wanted more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 19, 2022
Love this! Not sure whether it’s a retelling of Nutcraker (Rat king) or Beauty and the Beast (more likely) but the author takes us on a riveting journey through YA fantasy nirvana with witches, warlocks, and rat people and curses. Yeah actually writing this it was totally B&theB. But sooo much better as Nighval and Avery are written as relatable characters.
Our hero is quite the alpha male and Avery holds her own as the best female characters do - which is also why I think (and hope) this book hits the best sellers list as the story, characters and mix are spot on trend for what YA readers are hunting for right now. Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Our hero is quite the alpha male and Avery holds her own as the best female characters do - which is also why I think (and hope) this book hits the best sellers list as the story, characters and mix are spot on trend for what YA readers are hunting for right now. Loved it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 11, 2022
Excellent story. It had me enthralled, and I couldn't get it out of my mind for days while reading it and even for days after.
There were some minor issues I had with it, like it needed a heavy hand of professional editing (it had more errors in it than most ARCs I've read) and there were some behaviors of characters that didn't make any sense at all, given the previous activities they'd undertaken. Those parts were shoehorned in just to elongate the story and cause extra drama, but they could have been left out or improved upon and told just as much of a gripping tale. Because overall, this is a very gripping book.
If not for what I detailed in that last paragraph, I'd give this 5 stars.
There were some minor issues I had with it, like it needed a heavy hand of professional editing (it had more errors in it than most ARCs I've read) and there were some behaviors of characters that didn't make any sense at all, given the previous activities they'd undertaken. Those parts were shoehorned in just to elongate the story and cause extra drama, but they could have been left out or improved upon and told just as much of a gripping tale. Because overall, this is a very gripping book.
If not for what I detailed in that last paragraph, I'd give this 5 stars.
November 3, 2022
When I saw the title The Rat King, I thought the book was going to be a retelling of The Nutcracker and I quickly added it to my wishlist. I realized that was not the case but after reading the blurb I was still interested. This is actually a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I found it really inventive! I enjoyed the world Ms. Waldrop created. The writing was fantastic. Avery was very real, slightly flawed but perfectly relatable. I was intrigued with Nighval from the moment we meet him. The story kept me entranced!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 26, 2023
This book could have been good but honestly everything with Xavier was a waste of time. Like it’s not even a major plot point. The rape scene was more graphic than it needed to be. Then there are weird time jumps randomly when I wish it would be elaborated on. And scenes that droned on forever over nothing. Avery was a huge brat she was going to just grin and bare Xavier’s mess but like the pill this was a dick move it wasn’t as grave as she made it out to be like the pill honestly made zero sense she was already in lust with him 2.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2023
This was definitely a very interesting read.
It was highly addictive, with so many layers.
I knew I was going to love Avery and Nighval's
slow burn, their chemistry was pretty undeniable
from the very beginning. Was surprised at how
much I liked and enjoyed this book. So the whole
cursed kingdom thing might just throw some people
off, but you get passed it real quick. You stop picturing
the cursed for what they look like, and imagine them for
who they are. I would love to see more of this world and
some of it's side characters. This will definitely be on my
re-read list.
It was highly addictive, with so many layers.
I knew I was going to love Avery and Nighval's
slow burn, their chemistry was pretty undeniable
from the very beginning. Was surprised at how
much I liked and enjoyed this book. So the whole
cursed kingdom thing might just throw some people
off, but you get passed it real quick. You stop picturing
the cursed for what they look like, and imagine them for
who they are. I would love to see more of this world and
some of it's side characters. This will definitely be on my
re-read list.
July 12, 2024
This was actually a lot better than I was expecting it to be!
Woman is given to a cursed king in order to break the curse on his people that makes them all rat people (except for one night a month on the full moon). She must fall in love with him to do that… but which brother will she fall for to break the curse?!?!
It was obvious what brother she was gonna end up with from the start, but I did not see the twisted path this would take to get there… magic, murders, conniving rat people, psycho witch mommy, beheadings, magical coma, so many turns!
🌶️🌶️/5
Woman is given to a cursed king in order to break the curse on his people that makes them all rat people (except for one night a month on the full moon). She must fall in love with him to do that… but which brother will she fall for to break the curse?!?!
It was obvious what brother she was gonna end up with from the start, but I did not see the twisted path this would take to get there… magic, murders, conniving rat people, psycho witch mommy, beheadings, magical coma, so many turns!
🌶️🌶️/5
July 16, 2025
This is a wonderful retelling of beauty and the beast with a twist. Ava was born into a witch family with no magical powers. She agrees to travel to a different realm to marry the kind. What follows is a captivating story of deceit, trickery and finding your true love regardless of what they look like. The rat king is under a curse. I like how the author talks about the curse in clues. Happy ever after ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 17, 2025
I had seen this several time scrolling through and I have always been a Beauty and the Beast fan. I thought this would be right up my ally. At first I will not lie, I was rethinking everything with reading this, but I continued anyway and parts were a bit confusing and odd but then again it went with the nature of the book. Listening to it more. I actually came to enjoy it. Avery is a relatable character though the two kings made me wonder. All in all it was an enjoyable read. For me anyway!
November 13, 2022
I liked the story, and the chemistry between the two main characters. I struggled a little with how beastly the love interest was, but the main character seemed to like it so, good for her. Still, it was a little tough to read since I wasn't fond of the power dynamics in their relationship, but the relationship and the story were both well developed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 17, 2022
I throughly enjoyed this entire book. Everytime you think you know what will happen next you actually don't. Everytime you think you understand a character you actually don't. Everytime you think you know exactly how the book is going to end you actually don't. I don't usually try to think ahead when I read I let it all just happen, but with all the curveballs that I was thrown it was really fun to try and figure out what would happen next.
Will definitely be rereading this!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Will definitely be rereading this!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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