The Black Rose Chronicles: Deceit and Lies

The world painted in this book, now overtaken by paranormals, is fascinating. I was captivated by Rose’s backstory, and intrigued by her interactions with Cassius. I read this story as part of the Immortal Hunger anthology.

FABULOUSLY ENTERTAINING !!!
Title: Deceit and Lies
Series: The Black Rose Chronicles
Designation: Book One of Series, Full-Length, NOT A STANDALONE, Cliffhanger Ahead, Re-Release of Series Originally Published in 2015
Author: A.K. Michaels
My Rating: FIVE SPECTACULAR STARS*****
A.K. Michaels has dazzled readers with yet another spectacular series and what a sparkler it is! Deceit and Lies is the first installment in her recently revamped series, The Black Rose Chronicles, and Ava totally rocked my world – again! Please be forewarned, this release is part of an ongoing series and is NOT a standalone read. And just for the record, folks, it does include one heck of a cliffhanger, and I can hardly wait for the release of Book Two! Now we have that out of the way, let’s talk some specifics. The book is exciting, unique, interesting and well crafted. It grabbed my attention right out of the gate and held my interest from the first page till the last. The dialogue is smart, well executed and flows effortlessly. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the third person with multiple points of view, five and counting, but all are clearly defined by chapter. Most authors stick with one, maybe two if they’re feeling adventurous, but three or more is a lot of work, especially if it’s done well and Ava does it without missing a beat! I find that it not only adds to the depth and complexity of the story but to a greater understanding of the characters as well. And speaking of the characters, they are quite simply magnificent. I would describe them as fascinating, captivating, intriguing, well developed, and engaging. And did I say sexy? No? Well, they are sexy as sin. *swoon* Heck, even the villain is hot – and I do mean that quite literally since he is a demon, after all. But all joking aside, the characters literally explode from the page, demand your undivided attention, capture your heart, and hold you prisoner from beginning to end. Michaels skillfully combines these elements into a superbly crafted paranormal romance filled to the brim with danger, drama, adventure, suspense, intrigue, deceit, heartbreak, passion, and romance. There are dark elements and some violence, but there’s also a small smattering of humor included that provides a little comic relief. So, what didn’t I like about this book? Not a darn thing! I loved it!

Our story begins with Rose Marie O’Connell, a wolf/witch hybrid, living in a future dystopian world that has been devastated and ravaged by a war between the species. Luxuries and prosperity no longer exist and supernatural beings roam freely without fear. Very few places have any sort of law enforcement and crime, chaos, and destruction reign over most of the world where men can be anything from a Wolf to a Fallen Angel with every species in between – except witches. Witches have been hunted to near extinction and the only witch, other than her now-deceased mother, Rose has ever met is Seth, her protector, mentor, savior, and lover. Seth, a friend of her father, took her into his home when she was only eight and gave her shelter, guidance, safety, and love for the last twenty years. But he has also given her another gift – he has trained her to defend herself, and now she has become a legendary, hard-as-nails, deadly assassin known as ‘The Black Rose’, one so successful she now can name her own price for a job. Rose works mostly for The Council, a group based in Washington in what used to be the White House consisting of members of almost every species, who attempt to maintain some order. Unfortunately, with very few resources, there’s little they can do other than the elimination of the occasional bad guy, which is where Rose comes into play. Rose, however, is very selective when choosing her assignments. She will only accept a contract for someone she has vetted herself and determined to be guilty of the crimes for which he has been accused. And once she accepts a job, there is no reprieve; she dispatches them to their death swiftly and without remorse. But Rose walks a very fine line between life and death. She is half witch which she must keep concealed at all times. If her secret were ever to be revealed, she would be in danger of being the one hunted – by the Witch Hunters, the same group who murdered her Mother and the reason she can have no contact with her father, Wolf-Shifter Brendan O’Connell. Rose lives a lonely existence with Seth being the only man she trusts and loves. But it’s never enough to fill the emptiness inside her heart and soul. She always feels desperate to find something or someone else – a release from her self imposed prison of control. But little does Rose know that fate has much in store for ‘The Black Rose’. She has a destiny to fulfill; the future of humanity and the peace of the world may very well rest on her small shoulders. Unfortunately for Rose, there are forces in play that seek to stop and destroy her because of a misinterpreted prophecy. There are two other men involved in Rose’s life and future. The first is Vampire Cassius Allarde, the newly elected High Duke and leader of the Vampires, who wishes to restore peace, order, and prosperity to not only the Vampire race but also to every species across the world as well. The second is the Demon Basilius who is Head of the Council. His only goals are power and prosperity for himself and ensuring his position as leader of the world. Unfortunately, in order for Basilius to accomplish his objective, he must destroy the one man standing in his way, Cassius Allarde. And this is where Rose enters the life of these two powerful adversaries. Basilius contracts Rose to kill Cassius. But he’s a good guy, right? At least, everything Rose turns up in her investigation of Cassius Allarde indicates he is. Nonetheless, Basilius wants him dead, but he can’t afford to do it himself and certainly not under the purview of The Council. Basilius lies to Rose about Cassius’ true intentions and persuades her to accept the job, but Basilius never anticipated Rose’s determination to learn the truth and the unfortunate unfolding of certain events, allowing Rose to not only meet her handsome target but also get to know him – intimately. Oh my! Now three men desire Rose but all for different reasons. Two men care deeply for Rose, one desiring her heart, love, and acceptance with another desiring her love, happiness, and safety, but a third desires only her body, skill, services, and unquestioned loyalty. But whom will she choose and how will her decision affect the future? No spoilers from me but I will say this…Beautiful, deadly Wolf/Witch hybrid assassin-check! Handsome, sexy Vampire-check! Handsome male Witch protector and savior-check! Sadistic, maniacal Demon-check! Vampires, Demons, Wolves, Witches, Fairies, Witch Hunters, and a Chinese God-check! Danger, death, drama, destruction, suspense, intrigue, adventure, a ravaged dystopian world, immoral depraved villains, and evil machinations galore-check! Heated attraction, fiery passion, explosive chemistry, heartbreaking angst, a light sprinkle of BDSM, a large helping of romance, and some steamy dreamy sex-you bet! That and a whole lot more! Whew! What a mouthful! Captivating, compelling sexy and most definitely entertaining! Oh my goodness! I can hardly wait for Book Two!
°°Although I do not own this version of Deceit and Lies, I did purchase the entire series when it was first published in 2015. And I LOVED it!