The highly anticipated conclusion of the Hell Night Series. Emo’s story.Death. Destruction. Pain. A soulless void. It’s his life. It’s his reality.Emo doesn’t feel. Anything. His soul is dark and filled with hatred. People in the small town of Malus watch him with fear, with reverence. Exactly the way he prefers it.Guilt surrounds him, caging him in an ominous past he refuses to let go. Can’t let … refuses to let go. Can’t let go. His past is responsible for the shell of the man who now exists. He doesn’t know any other way to survive.]
The woman who haunts his dreams is his only salvation. He’s hurt her over and over again. He didn’t have a choice.
The key he holds on to, the one he uses to carve into his flesh, is the key to his hell. It’s his reminder of the pain he’s suffered and inflicted.
Will there be retribution? Can Emo be saved? Or is he destined to live in this dark hell he’s surrounded himself in for the rest of his life?
DISCLAIMER: Intended for readers 18 years and older do to adult language, dark and harsh situations, and sexual content.
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Rating: 4.5 Stars
Emo is just one more child that had to deal with Hell Night. If you haven’t read the series then stop, turn around and go to the beginning. So that you to truly understand what these children had to endure, you have to start with book one. One thing is for sure; all these stories will touch your heart. Emo’s story was the toughest one for me and in part that’s due to how he feels about himself and how he goes about dealing with his pain. He literally wears his pain, which adds the aspect of realism to his story.
In order to really get to know him, you need to make sure that you’ve read Bitter Sweet Hell. J.W. will give you his perception of Emo and that will help you understand him here. Someone from their childhood is Rella. Rella shows that sometimes it can be very hard to go back home. She also shows how hard it can be to stop the nightmares when you’ve lived them for so long. Between Rella’s and Emo’s story, this could be why I felt that this was the hardest to read.
You have to figure that if this was that hard to read it must have been even harder to write. That could also be why this is the last book in the series. If you personally have had some childhood trauma, this may be a trigger for you. I liked the fact that they were all like the phoenix and able to rise out of the ashes. They were able to rise above a horrendous event and use that fire to help others. Some things may feel very dark but light can be found at the end of that tunnel. They are the ones that need to find some sort of happiness the most.
If you’ve made it to the end you’ll want to make sure to read the note from the author. It’s one that gives you a little bit about the writing of this series. She also gave me confirmation that for the first time I actually got something right. It also means that I’m going to have to follow her closely so that I don’t miss a thing.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Holy cow, I know I have said this before but this series is not for the faint of heart. If you have any triggers this is not the series for you. This is the fourth and final book of the series, and while I’m sad to see this series complete, I loved how it ends. Emo… he might possibly have had it the worst of the four of them. The horrible acts that he was forced to endure as well as perform have haunted Emo. Now as an adult he strives to make sure that what happened to doesn’t happen again, while at the same time trying to deal with the overwhelming pain he feels. When Rella comes back into their lives, Emo’s guilt for the pain he knows he caused her chokes him to the point where he is unsure as to how he will ever face her again. But what throws Emo for more of a twist is that Rella doesn’t hold him responsible. How can two broken people get over the past and live a somewhat “normal” life?
This was such a good ending to the series. I’m not even sure how Alex Grayson had this story in her head, but it was amazing and it plays out perfectly. This story has kept me hanging on the edge of my seat and I could not get enough! I give this 5 stars.
Talk about a mic drop! I’m still excited, pissed, and ecstatic that Rella is alive. Yes, I meant it in that order. But I’m wrong…I’m not excited, pissed, and ecstatic that she’s alive, I’m excited, pissed, and ecstatic that Alex Grayson was evil enough to hide it from us for so long! Poor Emo! As much as I love Trouble, JW, and Judge, broken bleeding Emo has always been my secret favorite. What can I say, I love the tragic ones!
Key to Hell is definitely tragic but it’s not a tragedy. Does that make sense!?! Everyone that has gotten this far in the series knows Hell Night is beyond evil. The tragic things that tainted the lives of all these people are tragic but Key to Hell isn’t a tragedy, it’s a beginning. It’s Emo’s chance to find a way out of the darkness with the only person that could ever being him light. His Rella.
Like Emo, Rella is a mess. Emotionally, physically, and mentally a mess. Who can blame her?! Life hasn’t been easy, kind, or even safe. It’s going to take more than trust to unlock the torture in her mind. Good thing Emo is adept at using keys.
Key to Hell is the end of a series but if you read closely Alex offers us a window before she closed this door. If you love the vigilante justice, I have a feeling you are going to devour the next series too.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Very disturbing. I was not able to finish this book. The depravity and vile sickness of human capability was too much.
Could never get involved in this book
I’ve sat for an hour trying to piece words together to write a review that would do this book justice. Nothing I say will ever be enough!
Key to Hell is the final book in the Hell Nights series and the author has absolutely saved the best until last.
I always knew Emo’s book would be a tough read. It was dark, it was raw and it was heartbreaking.
By the end of the book, I was a bundle of emotions yet crying with happiness that these men, and especially Rella, got the closure and peace they deserve.
Absolutely amazing book, and a perfect ending to this series.
I’m emotionally wrecked. Destroyed. But captivated. This is RAW, INTENSE, GRITTY
“Holy fucking shit!! This book was so deliciously f-cked-up. It’s dark, twisted and raw on so many levels but still I could NOT stop reading it!!! I’m dying! Dying!!! Alex Grayson once again creates another masterpiece!. Key to Hell is an emotional ride that will leave you begging for more. Absolutely CAPTIVATED!
Alex Grayson is the BEST! She is the QUEEN. All I can say is that the darkness level of this story is at a the subject matter is raw.
Emo has now found a special place in my heart. I LOVE THIS MAN so deeply that he makes my soul ache!
It’s an unforgettable read that I loved from start to finish! I was addicted to this book since the first pages.
Ms. Grayson has left me on cloud number nine. My mind is still far away. Alex Grayson ends the epic ride in the final installment of the Hell Night Series without disappointment – leaving me with tears in my eyes and heart in my throat.
The writing style is seriously phenomenal and mezmerizing!!! It was captivating, rich, vivid, descriptiv The story flowed beautifully, the dialogue was effortless and the plot was beyond gripping.
This book lured me in and tied me up and I loved every moment of it. The story behind the pages of this book is it’s gritty and crude and created to ignite raw, uninhibited emotions that will leave you feeling exhausted…
My thoughts are swirling around after finishing it… the read wasn’t easy, it is heartbreaking Such pain- When I read Emo thoughts I had to put down the book & collect myself. Each page was a twist to my heart and something inside me died painfully slowly, reading about what he went through will destroy you.
This book was her most raw and gritty book yet. There were parts of the book where I was just in shock at what was happening. The HOLY SHIT moments you can imagine! It’s one of those books that is going to be difficult for a lot of people to read because of the content.
The characters and scenes are flawless. The kill scenes are gruesome so proceed with caution. The suspense is off the charts.
It is going directly to my top list of favourite reads in 2019. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all the dark romance lovers and all readers who love rough and mind-blowing romances. This story is definitely a thousand star read.
This book! Omg, this book was the perfect ending to this series. Emo and Rella broke my heart. I physically hurt reading their story. I wanted revenge and I wanted it bad. The plot was fast paced and kept ke glued to my Kindle. And I loved how all of the characters have been so intertwined in every page of this series. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Alex Grayson’s writing and I will definitely be reading more.
This book, as well as the whole Series, for that matter, are part Dark and Twisted, part Redemptive and Emotional. The characters are flawed and complex, and although their journey is not a pleasant one, it is worth the sacrifice at the end. Definitely beware of triggers for those who can’t handle abuse, but for those who can, it is a very engrossing, original, and entertaining. 5 Stars!
Holy Hell! I went into this book knowing it would destroy me so much worse than the others, and I was so right. I knew from the start Emo’s story would be gut wrenching. He always seemed like the guy who had it the hardest and was still carrying all of the past with him. At the end of Judge From Hell Rella comes back and I knew right then I may not survive this book.
Emo has carried not only his hurt and pain but also Rella’s for all of his life. He has never been able to forgive himself or forget what happened to Rella. Not that he would forget but he just holds that extra weight from what his father made him to do Rella. The guilt on his shoulders because he feels like he never put up a fight when his father made him do things to Rella is heartbreaking. He knew if he did those things to her she would be hurt less than if his father did, everyone seems to understand that but him. The hurt he inflicts on himself is just awful.
Rella, Trouble’s sister and the one person other than Emo that Emo’s father seemed to want to cause pain and was obsessed with as a child. For 24 years she has been gone and no one knew she was still alive. Judge, Trouble, Emo, and JW all thought she died all those years ago, they attended her funeral. Rella’s pain didn’t stop when she left Sweet Haven, if anything it got worse. She was given to a couple who continued to torture her, but unlike in Sweet Haven when it only happen once a month, they did it everyday.
Rella and Emo are the most damaged and broken couple of the series. Everyone has suffered in horrific ways, I feel like the guys always suffered the worst, considering what happened to them as children and the years of abuse they actually suffered. But Rella was right in the thick of it with them, so much so she tried to kill herself to take away the pain. Little did she know it would get no better, her nightmare would become so much more.
Before I go any farther I really would like to say how much I loved the scene with Grace when she leaves. You know she was such an important part of Emo’s life, helping him in ways she wasn’t ok with. There was a time when I thought for sure Grace would end up with him, but as soon as Rella showed back up I knew they would never be together. I think even before that, you knew she loved him and just couldn’t keep doing what he was asking her to do. And he never loved her, not the way she needed or he loved Rella, even if just in memory.
I love how all the characters and stories are intertwined together. You don’t lose a character because they are not the main focus of the story. Each person and each scene adds to the depth of the book.
Key To Hell was the perfect ending for this gut wrenching, heartbreaking, series! Emo and Rella are just absolutely perfect! And I love the leadway for the next series!
I give all the stars to Alex Grayson, Key To Hell, and The Hell Night Series!
I was not planning on reading Emo, due to him self harming and how it would trigger me. I changed my mind when I read the end of Judge of Hell and Rella appeared. She was supposed to have died 20 years ago, by her own hand. Yet, she survived, how? I wanted to know what happened, where had she gone, etc..? And why did Emo, self harm himself with a key? There were questions I had, so read I did. And I’m glad I did, I wasn’t triggered, due to how Ms. Grayson wrote about self harming and why it’s done. Emo, has a few shocks of his own that come to light. Sometimes you have to battle the beast in order to be able to heal and move forward.
The final book in the Hell Night Series is one heck of a page turner although not an easy read. I would highly advise those with certain triggers to read this book with caution. This is Emo and Rella’s story and the most challenging of the four stories as it stays with the reader after it is done. It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the series in order to completely understand the characters and the background of the series. They all thought Rella was dead so when the brothers realize how wrong they were it hit worse than a ton of bricks, especially for Emo. His guilt of what has befallen Rella knows no bounds particularly when he finds out what happened to her after she left Sweet Haven. The depth to these characters seems to be endless and the emotion the author pulls out feels like a knife to the heart for the reader. The strength of character that is portrayed throughout this storyline is nothing short of miraculous after everything that they have endured, just showing the resiliency of the human spirit to get through even the most heinous conditions. Highly charged, this storyline is poignantly beautiful as these two seemingly broken characters are able to find solace and contentment in each other.
I volunteered to read an advance copy of this book.
The best finish I could ever have imagined.
“I hope like hell my father doesn’t wake up before the police leave. And Rella’s suffering and her death will be avenged in the most brutal way possible.”
And redemption was indeed sought in the most brutal way I that I didn’t see coming. I freaking loved it, and, if I ever meet Alex Grayson, I want to heap praises upon her head for having the talent and the bravery to write this series.
I doubt I can even do justice to the power of Ms Greyson’s writing with any review that I’ll come up with. No synopsis from me either, just my pure thoughts and feelings on this, the final book. Let me be clear, you have to start at the beginning. It is the only way to understand and appreciate these characters, get to know them and understand what they have been through. To do anything else is a dis-service to you as the reader, and to them for all of their suffering.
As I read through Judge Of Hell, the third book, my heart broke for Emo and his lost love for Rella, even though they’d been only kids. I wondered the significance of the key he used as a weapon against himself, and that ending where Rella finally shows up. I knew his book was going to be the kicker!
For Rella, Hell continued on for many more years.
And she had so much to overcome. The simplest of innocent touches that we take for granted, are massive and heart-rending break-throughs. Each one, a miracle in it’s own right. I cried with joy and sorrow each time I read a tender moment of touch as Rella fought to overcome her demons. And even as Emo blamed himself for her pain and suffering, she knew his had been so much worse. And I tell you true, they were a difficult read at times.
Alex Grayson broke my heart with this series. How can you not admire an author of this calibre and the massive job she undertook to create these characters, put them through the unthinkable, and have us cheering in victory for each act of grisly revenge??
She has absolutely served her characters well, and done the best by them in creating a book that invokes almost every emotion that a reader can feel on a journey through a series such as this. This is my series of the year, and Key To Hell is the icing on the cake. It deserves more than a measly 5 stars.
This was a very dark and gritty story, and was a little tough getting through. There were what may be triggers for some people. To say I enjoyed the journey of Rella and Emo seems wrong with all the bad things, violence, and pain, but it was their journey, how they worked through some of their issues to be there for each other. My heart hurt for all they went through and how they found their HEA. The support of all the secondary characters went a long way to making this an easier read.
I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
Where is the super size button?! The one you want to press when you want to give waaaaaay more than Five Stars?!! Because this book, this series has been way more that five stars!!
I finished this book about an hour ago and I couldn’t go straight to review because I literally could not formulate words, I am not even sure I can do it justice now!
This book took everything from me, if you have read this series, you know that Emo’s story is going to be the hardest to get through! And it is! Lord, I cried, like ugly cried. I am not sure there was much let up to be honest but I wouldn’t have it any other way. What a heartbreakingly, gutwrenching, beautiful end to this series!
Wow what can I say about this book. Well I can say alex saved the best for last. This book tugged at every emotion I have. Some time I felt like I know how the characters are feeling. I knew emo story was going to be great even with there hunted past but with everything emo and rella went through it showed how love and trust can shine throw the darkest days. Number one read for 2019 and I highly recommend to everyone
This book is my heart, my soul, and every breath in my body. Key to Hell ripped my heart out, but Alex Grayson put it back together, piece by beautiful piece.
I am so thankful that we were finally given Emo’s story. He has endured so much pain in blaming himself for the circumstances surrounding Rella. Even though he had no control over them, he has always blamed himself. Self-inflicting harm to help ease his pain, nothing will do, unless he had his Rella, for she is his heart.
You will find yourself crying and crying over again. This book hits you smack dab in the heart. You will also find joy. Alex Grayson definitely takes you on a roller coaster of a ride, but she always happens to give you a happily ever after. This is exactly why she is one of my very top favorite authors. Every page is descriptive and meaningful and makes you feel one with the characters. Key to Hell is bittersweet. I am so unbelievably happy to read Emo’s story, but I am so sad that this series is over. It’s a beautiful series and one that will stay with me forever.
Emo’s story…
Ripped my heart right from my chest and left my soul bleeding at my feet.
Emo has always held a special spot in my heart. He loves the deepest. His emotions are closest to the surface and he knows no way to express them. He knows pain and loss and that is all he believes he is worth.
Deep down Emo knows he is not responsible, but knowing and accepting are two very different things.
Rella was kept in the darkness the longest. Betrayed repeatedly.
After her “rescue” she found solace in the blade in knowing the control was hers.
She finally found a semblance of peace in a prison of her own making.
Left broken and alone she finally reaches out for help.
A chance to heal the wounds. To be whole again.
Her story broke me.
Grace ~ I truly think her soul matches her name.
Through this series, we have been given glimpses of the hell they endured. We have watched as each one traveled from the darkness. We were there when they found their slice of Heaven.
We witnessed as justice was dispatched, as wounds were healed and hearts were mended.
This was not an easy journey, it featured glimpses of life’s real monsters.
The author makes no apologies.
There is no candy coating.
At times even I had found myself looking away.
But the final destination was worth the journey.
This book was absolutely the greatest way to end the series… I couldn’t imagine a better way for this series. Emo and Rella’s story is not for the faint of heart. It truly shows that there can be strength through tragedy. It wasn’t all that I thought the story would be. Rella and Emo both went through such tragedy that it could only bring them that much closer. It was fated that the two of them healed each other considering they started the tragedy together. I LOVED the ending of this series!!
June ’19 Favorite
I’ve finished the book yesterday and I’m still both mind-blown and sad. Emo’s story was might be my favorite from the series, since I loved his darkness a little bit more than the others. I’m so sad to see this series come to an end. The story plot is dark and disturbing for times, however it got me sucked from the first book and gripped me tight till the end!!
Emo is the most tormented and haunted from all of them. For him Hell’s night wasn’t just once a month, his father abused him every day. Even after all these years, the past has him engulfed in its darkness and has a really strong hold on him. His life is shook when Rella comes back alive. She was his companion on that awful night and he’s really guilty for having to hurt her. Rella’s resurface messes up with everyone’s heads, especially Trouble and Emo’s. Trouble can’t believe his sister is alive. However, years of abused left her feeling scared of people’s touch.
I couldn’t wrap my head around everything Rella went through in the past years. My heart hurt for her, for not being able to open up to them at first. This story is one of vengeance, healing and freedom from the past. Rella and Emo are perfect for each other, two broken people making each other whole. The author couldn’t give us a more amazing conclusion to this series. The epilogue truly warmed my heart and gave me the closure I needed for these loving characters!!!