They like their women barren in more ways than one, void of the bits that make them anything other than an object of male desire. A woman doesn’t need her faculties, or her body in one piece to open her legs. Dark, brutal, and punishing – this is the world Dell was brought up in. Nothing more than a Lesser Fae female, owned by a master who sells her body to the highest bidder and takes what’s … what’s left for himself. She’s been through it all. She’s witnessed it all. She’s survived it all … so far.
Dell unwittingly binds herself to the Sun Gods – four primal, territorial High Fae males who have a taste for power, pain, and pleasure. But they want more from her than she initially expected.
They can read, control and govern her body. They can see through her lies, sense the secrets she’s been cowering from for years. For Dell, the only thing worse than trying to survive the darkness, is the prospect of being dragged back into the light.
This is book one in the four-part Spawn of Darkness series – 38,500 words written from Dell’s perspective. It is a slow burn, reverse harem romance with sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language, sex slavery, explicit sexual content and violence – particularly as the series progresses. It contains subjective content which some readers will find triggering. Intended for an audience aged eighteen years and over.
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I don’t know what I expected but it wasn’t this. This story was so much more. Dell is sassy and cynical. She’s jaded and strong. Though life has epically failed her repeatedly, she maintains a constant witty approach on life with a heavy side of sarcasm. I love it. She’s not broken though she has every reason to be. Even when surrounded by four very handsome God’s, she remains herself and that means she relies on herself and doesn’t turn whiny or needy. A wonderful change. I can’t wait for the next book.
This book took me on an emotional ride. O really felt for her and her situatiin. Her inner monologues are hilarious and yet so sad at the same time since to me they seem to come from a place of pain. The title of my review basically sums up the MFC for me. Dell is a little crazy which I can totally understand! And the men who come into her life are clearly so much more than she thinks and is ready to accept. I’m desperate to find out what happens next and will be reading the second book immediately. The fact that I felt so much for these characters is a testament to the author’s skill. Highly recommended for those who like their books with triggers.
This was my first time dipping my pinky toe into the whole “dark” subgenre of RH. I didn’t know if it was going to be too much for me, if I could handle it, or if it would straight up scare the bejizzles out of me and make me run and hide.
Happy to report that after the first chapter, I straight up canon balled into this bitch.
IT. IS. SO. GOOD!
I loved the world building, character building, the inner vagina conversations (like, whoa don’t get me started on THAT hilarity!) I loved it all. Except that it ended and I couldn’t read more of the story.
This is the kind of story that doesn’t have you reading the first half of the book to build up the character history or the world around them. It doesn’t hold your hand and guide you through the inner workings of the characters lives.
It shoves you into their lives from the beginning. I don’t like being pushed, I mean, who does? But in this case..push me again S.A. Parker! Push me agaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!
Now with saying that, I also need you to know that you’re not going to be thrown into their lives with a whole “what the eff is going on? I don’t know what’s going on!” the author does a phenomenal job of giving you just the right amount of background information without drowning you in it.
Freaking high five to her because it’s not easy to do that! From my reading experience anyway!
SO! If you are 1) new to the whole “dark” subgenre of RH (or any main genre), give this a try. PLEASE! 2) if you want to laugh and squirm in delight, give this a try. PLEASE! 3) ….just freaking read this okay?
I’m conflicted by this book. This was recommended to me by the wonderful Mila Sin, so I thought it was worth a shot even though it’s a shade darker than when I normally read. I don’t think I was in the right headspace to fully enjoy it though.
The world is dark, so very dark. Women are seen as no better than cattle and raped on the regular and just have to deal with it. I think what got me so down besides the dark topic, was that the world-building was too slow. I wanted the Sun Gods to give us more information about what the before times were like and a glimmer of hope that we could get there again. I’m sure the rest of the series will tackle this topic and expand it.
There’s definitely a good story in here and lots of places SA can take it! I’ve read some more reviews and people love Dell’s journey, you just have to commit some time to get there.
The FMC!
Dell is a highly flawed and traumatized heroine. She’s been through so much in a world that’s so broken. We meet her right as she’s about to throw herself off of a cliff. Instead, she somehow summons the four Sun Gods who make a bargain with her in exchange for more power. She has a constant dialogue with her vagina, which is hilarious and over the top!
I think what bothers me about her at least in book 1 is that she’s just plodding along (fair enough because her life is crap) but I want some type of character development and ideally coming to grips with her trama. Again I think this will be explored more in the series, but for the first book, it’s slow.
The Guys!
Day, Night, Dawn and Dusk – we only get a small taste of all the guys here in book 1 but oh boy are they intriguing. They’ve been alive for ages and are jaded by the whole thing – plus with their powers dwindling they are just looking for a way forward. Each has their own personality and quirks.
The Smut!
Not much smut in here as it’s a slowww burn, and she has to get over her trauma, but there are tastes of what’s to come.
Dell has been abused for most of her life ,and she’s had enough, But then she meets the 4 sun gods, and things change – this is a slow burn RH, told from Dell’s POV – I kind of wish we had some of the guys POVs. Dell has an inner strength, but she is also broken. I love her inner dialogue, although at times it’s heart breaking. The story draws you in, and thankfully this is a completed series, so I’m off to read book 2! 🙂
This is an Amazing start to series I absolutely love it
A tokens worth
A savage delicate delicacy
This is S.A.Parkers first book published and in the series and for the love of all things holy woman you have got me hook line and sinker! and oh boy what a start! I feel a little dirty, a little turned on.. I cried with laughter I held my breath and now.. I might want to kidnap the author to get my next hit!
I guarantee you will find yourself enthralled in this book and if not the book the characters!
But let’s not pretend there is anything gentle about this book except for its name.. ATW is delicate enough that it walks a dark twisted line filled with WTF moments that will have you laughing until it hurts..
So hold on to your panties!!.. if you wear them..
If you like dark, twisted and sexy.. ATW will blow you… away 😉
Dell is a beautifully tortured, sexy and sarcastic Lesser Fae MC who you will fall in absolute awe of her strength and foul-mouthed comebacks..
The Guys of ATW are cocky! more than little arrogant! And so sexy it’s like staring into the sun itself.. they are 4 High Fae Males after all.. Dell finds herself tied to these Males and she would like that in more ways than one!.. The ties that bind these characters is where the story really begins.. and it won’t be a gentle ride… not that dell would expect anything less.. she knows what it’s like to live in a savage unforgiving world.. but with pain comes change it either makes you! or breaks you! what path will our MC take..
So strap in, strap up and strap on if you must.. and welcome to the shit show..
Please be warned..
*this book may contain Triggers for some but please just take a chance as it is so well balanced you will find that through the pain there is a badass sassy mouthed horn dog who has learned she is no ones bitch!
Side note for S.A.Parker
Congrats on being a F##king writing ninja!! Just popping up and bam taking me by surprise i can’t wait to see what your future books have install for us all! x
This book absolutely broke me. I cried seeing how poorly women were treated. It shattered my heart. Dell may be broken but she is still strong and piecing herself back together. The sun gods are something else and I’m so excited to see more of what it in store for them and Dell.