Bullseye

“Like a butterfly, she is so beautiful, but all I want to do is tear off her wings.”

Wow. Just.. wow.

I always come into a Monica James book with an open mind because she has continuously screwed with my head every single time I finish one of her books. Bullseye is no different. I am completely and thoroughly mind blown.

“I’m an undeserving, vile monster.”

Bullseye is dark, dangerous, gritty, and gruesome. There are no rainbows and butterflies in this story. There are no good guys. Just a bad man with a vengeance.

Bull lives and breathes through his revenge and he will get it, whether he lives or dies once it’s met isn’t the issue. He won’t stop. He refuses to.

“Her touch both subdues and provokes my demons all in the same breath.”

I am in LOVE with Lily. She is FIRE. Her personality is one that I love. She bows down to NOBODY. She refuses to lay down and take it. Her wit and her mouth fuel Bull’s fire and his burn for pain.

Monica always leaves me wanting more after I finish a Sorry. Even if there is a happy ending. Bullseye has no happy ending. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. It’s dark with no end in sight.

“His darkness dances with mine.”

But even the villains deserve to have their story told.

I hope you guys love Bull as much as I do. I’m ready for more Monica! When’s book two coming?

Raw. Gritty. Passionate. Spellbinding. Unique. I could go on and on with the first word that comes to mind when I think of Bullseye by Monica James. You have a story that is circled around revenge but also this stunning part of where that someone who wants your dark and your torture and cover them with it. That magnetic draw between Bull and Lily is evident right from the start. But the draw between them is so much more and honestly it is jaw dropping. The darkness that is within Bull is from such a heartbreaking place. While he feels he is the monster, he is really the one that destroys the monsters, even though he doesn’t see it that way. Lily is such a fighter. Especially with everything that was thrown at her. How she fights to survive for not just herself. She has a fire within her that makes you root for her the whole time.
The one thing I can say about this story is that the flow and concept will wrap you up and completely engulf you into the world that James has created. You want to claw your way farther into the story to get more of the details while the twists and the wow moments hit you so hard. This book is absolutely stunning. I need the second book. James has a gift with words and everyone needs to experience the worlds she creates!

Once again, I’m left speechless.
In fact, I don’t think I could form a coherent thought right now, even if you paid me a few million. So… this review might take me a while.

Ok, let’s go.

2019 was the year I got introduced to dark romance: I immediately got hooked.
Monica James was the one to pop this metaphorical cherry of mine, like a boss – or should I say – she was the one who kicked down the door and sauntered in like she owned the place. And she did this three consecutive times: each book from the “All The Pretty Things Trilogy” is a stake through my heart, a punch to the gut, a kick in the shin… you get the point.
It destroyed me every single time and I still craved more.

Needless to say that every dark read after that would inevitably be compared to its predecessor simply because that was my only point of reference. And mind you, the comparisons were never about styles of writing or overall quality: they were purely based of “fuckedupness”. Yes, I just made a word up, deal with it.

How messed up can it get?
How hot and filthy and wrong and primal and mind-altering… how low and twisted, how much depravity can you handle? It’s never enough.

Thankfully, I’ve yet to become jaded, considering each dark book I read still leaves me slack-jawed.
I just don’t know when the unintentional draw of parallels will seize.

All that being said, if I now tell you my mind was still very much attached to Saint and that I kept juxtaposing him and Bull, you might understand my better and maybe even forgive my transgression.

Bull and Saint share similarities but that’s not the point.
An oversight on my part led me to predict that glimpses of Bull would be few and far between for the first couple of chapters and that he would be a conundrum, because that was my experience with Saint.
The thing is, that wasn’t Saint’s story to tell, it was Willow’s and how their paths eventually crossed. He was mysterious and unreable because that was Willow’s point of view.

This is Bull’s story, through and through.
He’s the one guiding you through his life and the circumstances that triggered all the main events.
Only then, and because life is cruel as all f-ck, Lily’s path crosses Bull’s. And everything goes kaboom.

Lily’s also a lot different from Willow and I’m loving the dichotomy. Unlike with Willow, you don’t get to witness Lily’s life drastically take a turn for the worse because when you meet her, her luck has been dealt a long time ago; she’s been rolling with the punches.

She immediately recognized the danger to her sanity, of the man that entered her life, but she didn’t care and took the bull by the horns – no pun intended.
She saw him and unapologetically took what she wanted; all the warnings sirens be damned.

I’m loving the explosive dynamic and electrifying chemistry between the two of them and it only can lead to one outcome: me, internally screaming and rocking maniacally back and forth in a corner until book 2 arrives. Oh, and some really interesting scenes and plot twists for our characters. You thought I was about to spill some knowledge, spoilers or predictive considerations? Ah, got you.

As I mentioned previously, Bull and Saint share similar traits, one of them for sure: no matter how wrong and misguided their actions might be, they do what they need to do, and they do it out of love, which makes them better people than they realise or might want to acknowledge. It makes them flawed. It makes them human.

After reading the last chapter, I can only hope for the best. Or the worst.
Who am I kidding? I’m relishing at the thought of a pissed off, brutal, uncaring Bull and all that entails, because now you really provoked the beast.
And who else is ready to see Lily kick some MF ass? I know I am.

In conclusion: Monica James, you freaking rock. You totally and completely knocked it out of the park, again.
Now, don’t you dare make You-Know-Who a redeemable character. If anyone can do it, it’s you, but I’m don’t think I’m ready to fall like that. You’ve been warned.

And I guess, now we wait.

Think dark and dangerous. Think mind games bordering on insanity. Think hotness reaching nuclear explosion level. And Bullseye by Monica James is all of the above and the some more. Get your seat belts on because this is going to be one raw, depraved and outright sinister ride.

Cody Bishop aka Bullseye is finally free after twelve years of hell in prison. And his only aim is taking revenge on his brother’s killers. Jail life has transformed him into a tattoed monstrosity with demons haunting his mind and rage fuelling his body. But he did not know a certain brunette ballet dancer with innocent face, pure soul and deviant heart will throw all his plans away. The story takes sick twists and turns and finally leave you at the cliffhanger of century. Those last few pages made me want to throttle the author!

Cody Bishop or Bullseye is a complicated character. He is scary, cold and ruthless. He is a killer but only for his own mission. And I found his darkness fascinating and so charming. Because darkness, when well written, can claim my heart and soul. And Monica James did that. He is so cold and cruel and merciless but you will see glimpses of a golden heart. But make no mistake, he is a bad bad boy. Tigerlily or Lily is attracted to his distorted way of connecting. Her life is a mess. Single mother without support. Barely making any money by teaching ballet and stripping. But she refuses to go down. And it’s astonishing that she still wanted to be Bull’s friend. Their lives have been intertwined since years but they will face the devastating consequences now. They will be torn apart even before they come at terms with their feelings. There is something oddly endearing and enlightening in the violent and bloody ways their body and souls connect. I am completely engrossed and I cannot wait to see where they go from this destruction.

Monica James has delivered an impeccably written dark romance in Bullseye. The broken and perfectly imperfect characters. The jaw dropping, breathtaking and captivating story line. All kinds of explosive, dirty and intense feelings. And an unputdownable dark romance is born.

Received ARC for honest review

Seriously… seriously? Monica James!!! What have you been eating?? You are on FIRE!!!! I just don’t know how you do it! Your stories are just getting better and better. Every book I’m like… there’s no way she can top this. But I’m wrong. So very wrong. Because you completely blew this one out of the park. It was beyond amazing! Just everything about it was on point. The alpha, the intensity, the suspense! Wow! Plus, that ending! O.M.G!!! I CAN NOT WAIT!!! I just KNOW you are going to follow that up with something epic! I am going to be dying.. dying while I wait for book 2 in April!!! Anyone looking for a scorned brother looking for revenge… Bullseye is a MUST!!!

-Review by Juls

BULLSEYE by Monica James is the First book in The Monsters Within Duet Series. This starts the story of Bull ‘Cody’ and Lilly ‘Tiger’. Bull is out and looking for revenge for what happened to his family. Set to destroy and work toward his revenge he doesn’t have time or want for a women that could slow down his goal. Lilly is a single mother on hard times having to do a job as a stripper to make ends meat. She meets Bull who she knows she needs to stay away from but neither are able to stop their feelings for long. This book does end with a cliffhanger to set us up for the next installment in this duet.

Her hero was nothing but a coward and thus her fairytale came to an end, and her dreams shattered.

The love of his brother brought him to his knees and his life to a standstill.

But now it’s time to stand tall, take hold of the reigns, and own destiny.

A slow building read of survival and revenge.

So much anger, and hatred desperate for a release. His darkness is carved into the bones of him, and used not only as a tool but as a form of protection too. The boy he was died when the world he knew ended.

He’s not your average bad boy that’s for sure! he’s a man with a plan, who’s hellbent on executing it no matter what.

She’s never going to be where she wanted to be and even though she’s not at peace with her life she accepts it for what it is.

But within her is a fire that’s beautiful especially when it flares up!

She’s very much like her name a ferocious beast one second but full of grace like a flower in the wind the next moment.

They share a heart that’s a shade of darkness but is that enough?

I didnt love him, but I dont think I’m meant to, but at the same time I didn’t hate him. I’m pretty much sat on the fence about my feelings, and I’m not entirely sure what it will take to change that.

It’s taken me quite a while to read this, alot longer than most reads this size because I couldn’t concentrate and what I was reading I wasnt taking in.

I found I had to reread quite a few segments but overall it’s a good solid start to the duet.

Holy!!!! Monica James strikes again!!! I thought I knew what I was getting myself into but oh man! I knew nothing! Bullseye is an epic, bloody, twisted masterpiece! With a cliffhanger that’ll leave your jaw on the floor!

I had to read this book in one sitting because I was intrigued by it, it sucked me in and it was incredible, this author has become one of my favorites when it comes to dark books!

Bullseye est le premier tome de la duologie The Monsters Within. Il s’agit d’une dark romance que Monica James nous offre avec brio. La tension monte au fil des pages et nous allons nous régaler avec cette entrée en matière particulièrement succulente. J’avais senti quelques éléments et à présent j’ai hâte de découvrir la suite fin avril.

Tigerlily est le nom de scène de Lilian Hope, une jeune mère célibataire qui met tout en oeuvre afin de garder sa vie sur les rails. Elle élève donc seul son fils Jordy qui est lui même confronté à quelques difficultés et qui a cruellement besoin de présence masculine dans sa vie. Pour leur permettre de garder la tête hors de l’eau, travailler dans le studio de danse d’Avery Everland ne suffit pas et elle exerce un autre type de danse dans le club de Lotus , le Pink Oysters. On sent que la danse aurait pu lui offrir une grande carrière car si elle avait eu les moyens financiers de poursuivre ses études, elle aurait pu aller à Juliard et vivre de son art. Quand elle danse , elle transcende tout ce qu’elle touche et quand Bull va entrer dans sa vie, elle va tenter de découvrir ce qui se cache derrière ses apparences de rustre. Lily est une jeune femme que j’ai adoré découvrir car elle ne recule devant rien et elle a survécu aux épreuves malgré les obstacles de la vie. La solitude fait donc partie de son quotidien car elle se refuse à ouvrir de nouveau son coeur à quiconque. Non seulement Michael le père de l’enfant l’a laissé tomber pendant sa grossesse mais son frère Christopher, son pilier, a lieu aussi disparu. Sans parents, sans amis et sans proches, elle ne peut compter que sur elle même pour aller de l’avant.

C’est d’ailleurs ce qu’elle a toujours fait et c’est donc troublée qu’elle veut faire la connaissance de notre héros. Il y a quelque chose qui l’attire chez elle et malgré des mots durs , des gestes contradictoires, elle n’a pas peur de lui. Tout le monde cache des secrets et des squelettes dans le placard mais elle a aussi du courage en elle pour tenter de tisser un lien avec lui. Quand une tragédie touche une personne qui lui est proche, elle est de nouveau obligée de prendre des décisions dramatiques. Elle va devoir entrer dans l’antre du diable mais si elle le fait c’est pour protéger et sauver ceux qu’elle aime. Le destin semble prendre un malin plaisir à introduire sans cesse le danger autour d’elle mais jamais elle ne reculera devant l’adversité. Elle voit en Bull comme personne n’a jamais vu en lui et il y a une certaine réciprocité entre eux car il la regarde comme un être humain à part entière et non comme un simple morceau de chair fraîche. J’ai adoré l’intrigue la concernant et elle est forcément embriquée dans celle de notre héros. Elle a toujours vécu dans les ténèbres et cela n’est pas prêt de changer.

Bull est un héros que j’ai également adoré. Nous le découvrons jeune homme avec une certaine identité et nous le retrouvons une douzaine d’années plus tard complètement métamorphosé. Il a survécu au pire et il est prêt à réaliser sa vengeance. Elle a pu fermenter en prison et on comprendra quelle est désormais sa mission. Devenu adulte, rien ne pourra se mettre sur son chemin et il sera prêt à tout pour réaliser ce qu’il a prévu. L’évolution est flagrante et bien qu’il pense être un monstre, il saura montrer des signes d’humanité. Il va protéger et sauver Lily de bien des situations mais comme il aime le répéter il n’est pas un prince charmant qui va sauver la demoiselle en détresse car il a du sang sur les mains et il en aura encore et de plus, Lily n’a pas besoin d’être sauvée. Il saura tomber sur une bonne personne au bon moment car Lotus lui fera une confiance aveugle et lui donnera une espèce de seconde chance. J’ai d’ailleurs beaucoup aimé ce personnage car elle dénote parmi les personnes évoluant normalement dans ce milieu. Elle est humaine et traite ses employés avec respect. Elle met tout en oeuvre pour leur offrir une vie digne de ce nom. A sa manière, elle sera un peu comme Avery, une figure maternelle pour nos deux héros.

Son plan en apparence si simple pourrait voler en éclat car Lily va susciter des émotions en lui, chose qu’il n’avait plus ressenti depuis des tas d’années. Elle le poussera , à sa manière , dans ses retranchements et ils seront comme deux aimants qui ne peuvent qu’être attirés l’un envers l’autre. Il aura beau nier l’évidence, elle déclenche quelque chose en lui . Il tentera vainement de la repousser en la blessant mais leur attirance pourrait prendre le dessus. Il devra faire attention à bien naviguer entre deux flots car son contrôleur judiciaire, Franca Brown , ne lui fera aucun cadeau. Je me pose d’ailleurs quelques questions à son sujet et je me demande si Monica James ne nous cacherait pas un autre élément de l’intrigue. Une chose est sûre , il ne retournera pas en prison avant d’avoir payé la dette qu’il doit à cette personne proche qu’il vénérait tant. L’intrigue va donc s’installer au fil des pages et des chapitres et nous happer dans notre lecture. On va s’attacher à ces deux héros et cette fin est tout juste incroyable.

Bref, si vous lisez en VO, je vous encourage vivement à découvrir cette histoire qui va vous bluffer, vous happer et vous entraîner au coeur d’une intrigue palpitante. Monica James nous offre une nouvelle fois une romance sombre comme on les adore. Elle maîtrise ce genre à la perfection et nous offre un premier tome qui nous donne forcément envie de découvrir la suite et la fin de ce qui promet d’être épique.