Tragic and Twisted fell in love…
Ave Satanas, something wicked this way comes.It’s time for the reckoning to begin.Enter the Devil’s Playground wary where you tread, for demons are lurking with trickery up their sleeves.Here good and bad cease to exist, and not all will make it to the end.The price of freedom will be revealed only after bloodshed and rapture. A claiming of one and purging of … rapture.
A claiming of one and purging of others.
That audio recording played exactly three minutes before the crash.
It was a riddle, a warning, and a promise. But they didn’t know that until it was too late.
Now stranded with two friends and a group of apprehensive strangers, Liliana Serpine must decide who and who not to trust as she navigates her way through Hell in the form of an opulent city.
There’s one person who stands out among the others.
He has a gorgeous face and a darkly enigmatic aura. Being drawn to him is inevitable, but staying by his side becomes a necessity for survival.
When secrets start being revealed in blood, everything changes. From dabbling in the taboo, being tempted by the forbidden, and falling in lust with the carnage.
For those that make it out of this alive, they’ll never be the same people they once were.
Warning
Devil’s Playground is a dark new adult (not high school) series. There are graphic situations and content some readers may find objective. If you need fluff and sweet romance, this is not the series for you. Periculum is a precursor for Maleficium and reveals the lead-up to the events in that book. The remaining books in the series are standalones.
more
“We’re all full of hellish intent , demons wrapped in pretty packages. The more beautiful someone is , the more vicious those demons tend to be . “
“Fuck your demons before they fuck you . “
These two quotes are my favorite quotes of this book !
This book was such a mind fuck , Natalie Bennett definitely knows how to bring life to my little black heart ! Ciaran and Liliana are definitely runners up for becoming my favorite characters that Natalie has created to date and what can I say I have a soft spot for the wicked and twisted and truly fucked up ! I’m not going to go into what this book is about or give any spoilers away , this is a book you need to go into blind . This book was like watching a horror movie , I think so anyways , it knows how to invoke terror and have you biting your nails hanging on to the edge of your seat turning page after page trying to figure out just what the hell is going on ! Definite 5 dark and twisted stars from me for this one and a definite must read if your a fan of this author you are not going to want to miss out on this one !
*** I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book ***
“When secrets start being revealed in blood, everything changes. From dabbling in the taboo, being tempted by the forbidden, and falling in lust with the carnage.
For those that make it out of this alive, they’ll never be the same people they once were.”
Fluff and sweet romance; nope, never from the great Bennett! And, I absolutely love it!
Bennett challenges her readers to jump off the cliff, because her writing is usually (maybe always) on the edge! She keeps me guessing, cringing, intense. I need a heating pad on my shoulders after reading to smooth the knots!!!
If you want intense darkness, check this out. Dark readers will not be disappointed!
I received an advanced reader copy, and this is my honest and voluntary review.”
10 bloody stars
“We’re all full of hellish intent, demons wrapped in pretty packages. The more beautiful someone is, the more vicious those demons tend to be.”
This series may actually give the Badlands a run for the most psychotic cast members.
I loved every bloody moment!!
This was like the fun house at the fair
Each turn presented you with a new hurdle
Mirrors that twisted reality
Rooms that became cages fraught with trepidation
Tunnels that turned you in circles –
denying you any footing until your stomach was a touch queasy
and your reality a bit skewed
This was Periculum – I do not know how else to sum up how it affected me
I am a big fan of Bennett’s work
Her ability to get my heart pumping
To make my stomach clench
To break my mind just a touch
And she did that with Periculum
“That’s what you are, my perfect puppet.”
“When I tug on your strings, you come to life.”
Lilliana and her friends were headed home –
back to being nothing more than the expensive bobbles that would unite and adorn another generation of “families” – so not telling (said in a sing-song voice)
What they didn’t expect was the pit stop that would alter their reality.
The price?
Just a life, or two. Why not make it three?
From the get, Lilliana was not that easily swayed to just follow along. Being a sheep was never her forte.
But alas our little rebellious lad caught the eye of one Ciaran, that devilishly handsome man, who was dead set on being her Sheppard.
Who could say no to that?
My heart is still beating erratically
WTH just happened
This ends on a cliff hanger folks but the next in series is just around the corner
Periculum ARC Review
Natalie Bennett has created a demented and wonderfully twisted game of survival of the fittest. This book had me hooked from the first moment their bus veered off course. Liliana, Gracelyn, Mel are 3 very strong women from what seems to be very well to do families. The girls were on vacation when they stepped aboard the fateful bus that led them to The Devil’s Playground. Lana, Gracie, and Mel will do anything to make sure the other survives and makes it out alive. Ciaran, Maverick, Charon, & Kyrous are 4 very mysterious, yet violent men that seem to understand better than anyone what this game is they are playing. It seems that very shortly the men have chosen their own women to protect from the three and I wonder if we will get stories for each of these possible couples. Ciaran makes it obvious that no one will touch Liliana and if they do they won’t be alive much longer. There is lots of mystery surrounding how Ciaran seems to know so much about Liliana and also protecting her and making sure she survives. The game seems to be survival but the question is do you really want to survive. This game is full of evil clowns, madmen on Motorcycles, masked villains and every once in a while the group gets a reprieve. The question is if you were a part of this game would you want a reprieve or would you just want to keep going? I have lots of ideas as to where this story is going and can’t wait for the next book to explain my theories. One question I have is there any reason Ciaran has a Leviathan Cross tattooed on himself……..is there a Savages link there? Natalie has once again made you fall for her amazing characters and even if they are a little on the psycho side you still root for them. She will make you almost question how would you react if you were in the same situation.
Fantastic madness! I was memorizing right from the start and couldn’t put it down until the WTF ending. One of the crazy best from the fertile mind of this fabulous author. No one does mindfeek like Natalie Bennett and this story is map cap madness, brutal games and it wouldn’t be a Natalie story without a hot hard romance. Terrific characters in the three besties, Liliana aka Lana, Melantha and Gracelyn, and the four hot hunks, Ciaran, Maverick, Kyrous and Charon. Loads of mystery as this group, with a few other folks, are abducted and land in the Devil’s Playground. As the group is forced to run for their lives the players start pairing off. Lana is draw to Ciaran and he’s determined to keep her alive. But there seemed to be more to him and his attraction than the sizzling chemistry and carnal desires. There’s a forbidden element to their hotness. The gruesome games ramp up and the players are picked off in horrific ways. This is a quick read with several cringeworthy moments as the group is run through the gauntlet of madness and killing games to end with more questions than answers. Who are the families? What are Lana’s demons? What or who is Periculum? Why is it tattooed on Ciaran’s arm? I can’t wait for the next installment for the answers. Loved it!
Periculum (Devil’s Playground #1) by Natalie Bennett
5 STARS
Priculum is my first read from author Natalie Bennett. It is the first book from the Devil’s Playground series.
I had my sights on this author for such a long time. I knew she wrote doark, but damnnnn…. I was blown away.
Loving this book, is putting it lightly. I am obsessed right now.
I didn’t knew what to expect. The plot of the story, the writing, all flawless, perfection. Even tho I had my theories, they wore blown away.
An unique story, with uniques characters, a crazy ride to no end.
I am obsessed and addicted to this author from now on. I keep asking myself why the hell did I wait so long to read her.
E P I C mindblowing & mindf@ck
This is one thrilling ride from start to finish it has left me wanting more,It’s dark it dangerous It will grab you from the start! it is every thing and more you can expect in this authors books, with so much going on you just can’t help but turn the pages to find out what is happening I have so many questions I sure will be answered in book 2. Great characters. who will make it out of the devils playground alive. I highly recommend this book and if you are a fan of this authors books you DO NOT want to miss this one.
Absolutely love this new world this author has made.. This is definitely one of a kind Gorey, twisted and awesome!!! Jump in if you dare!!!!
What did I just read??!! I mean what in the actual bleep did I read lol. If you want puppies and rainbows close this book and run to your nearest corner quickly! If you love beyond dark, intense, gore and lots of other depraved things sit back with your favorite blankie (cause you’ll need the comfort lol) and enjoy. I can’t even put a description to this book other then it’s like if Hostel, Saw & Rob Zombie had a baby it would be this book and that cliffhanger has me dying!!
What in the What??? Did I just read? This book was insane! I loved it and I need more! Periculum was intense and crazy addictive! The story grabs you from the start and you’re done for! It was so freaking good! I was sucked into this bizarre and terrifying storyline and never wanted it to end! Periculum is unlike anything I’ve read before! It’s new and exciting and horrifying! But I couldn’t stop reading! This book is dark and depraved, it’s very detailed in an awesomely grotesque kind of way! Definitely not for the light readers, this kind of dark is on a whole different level. I was intrigued and curious! It really plays on your mind! And it has a very horror movie feel! I would be watching through my fingers! I instantly thought it was a terrifying cross between That creepy abandoned town in The Hills Have Eyes movie, with the sick and twisted bits of the movie Saw and Wax House. I loved the characters, Lana and Ciaran are intense and I loved their teamwork under stress. The girls and guys are very interesting, I’m hoping there is more going on there! Easily the most interesting and Thrilling book I’ve read this year! That twisted, ending slapped me in the face like a mac truck! What am I supposed to do with my life now! lol, This book went in a completely different direction than I was anticipating. Ahhh! I can’t get over how phenomenal it was! I’m hooked, and ready for the next installment. I received an arc in exchange for an honest review
Everytime I finish a book by Natalie I always wonder how she comes up with her ideas and her characters and this one is no exception. A dark and dangerous theme runs throughout the story it is a fast paced read that from the start I couldn’t put down. It is like reading a mix up of the magical mystery tour and fright night with scary hot guys in charge. Am I sure what exactly is going on, no I’m not but I loved it and have so many questions that I need answered in book two.
Woah this one was fabulous.
This is up there with my favourite of this authors work to date.
Depravity and darkness are this author’s middle name and I always appreciate what emerges from her twisted brain and this time around she really does bring the goods.
It’s as usual unpredictable and wild and weirdly unique with such a strangely compelling quality overshadowing the whole carnival of insanity.
This managed to pull me right into the delirium almost instantly and despite having no clue half the time just what the actual crack was I kept turning those pages unable to put this baby down.
So after the shuttle bus takes a wrong turn on the way to the airport Liliana and her friends find themselves facing games and mayhem, dancing to the whims of some unknown entity.
Also along for the show is Ciaran and his crew and some randoms also from the shuttle-bus.
This takes us on a journey down a bizarre Rabbitt-hole which was equally as surreal as it was vicious.
Red-herrings and misdirections abound especially from Ciarans camp as this strange entourage make their way through this nightmare city leaving death and disaster in there wake, their numbers dwindling along the way.
So I have questions that need answers here.
Who are the families?
What is actually the FUCK going on?
Why does Ciaran act like he knows Liliana but she has no recollection of him?
This makes especially addictive reading almost slow burn but with such smouldering intensity and what this has in spades is absolute chemistry.
This one had an almost purge feel to it and I could so see this one playing on the big screen.
Come and play in the devil’s playground if you dare.
Bloody loved this one a whole lot it was totally unique and the finale left me wanting the next bit like right now.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Periculum (Devil’s Playground #1)
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
http://www.beckiebookworm.com
What a thrilling ride! I think what I liked best about this book was that it seems like a new voice for the author. Was there shock and drama? Yes! But not to the extreme of some previous books. The way it is done works well for this story. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems like a new tone for the author and it’s fun to read!
The book does end on a cliffhanger and ohmygoodness I need to know what is going to happen now! The book sets up the world and a bit of the story, but it seems like the majority of the true action will happen in the next book(s). I am really looking forward to learning about Liliana and Ciaran’s history.
Heroine: 5 (I like a levelheaded girl with a bit of crazy)
hero: 4 (he’s soooo secretive, I want to know everything now!)
Heat: 4 (takes a while to get there)
Chemistry: 3.5
Plot: 4.5
I love everything that Natalie writes, and I am so excited to dive into this story further! It feels like it is going to be one fun adventure, with some horror, thrills, and romance along the way.
5 Stars for this bizarre and chilling Prequel
“We’re all full of hellish intent, demons wrapped in pretty packages. The more beautiful someone is, the more vicious those demons tend to be.”
There’s really not much I can say without giving away spoilers. Try your best to go into this one blind.
For the dark hearts out there, you’ll enjoy the twisted characters and the deadly game their trapped in. It’s one big mystery that conjures fear and a sense of morbid curiosity.
This is a prequel for what looks like an insane world featuring wealthy and psychotic families. This was a dark tease of what’s to come in Bennett’s new Devil’s Playground: Unus series and I’m dying for more! Ugh, the wait for Maleficium is going to kill me, this left me with so many questions. I need the rest of Ciaran and Liliana’s story.
“Natalie is a genius!!! I’m so in love with Periculum! Unique, breathtaking, hallucinating and so magnificent!! I don’t have the right words to describe the greatness of what I just read! OMG! Natalie writing skills are impressive! She has a thing with words that keeps you on the edge from start to the end. And THAT END!!! I need to know what’s gonna happen so yes it ends on a cliffhanger! I don’t want to give you any spoiler because you must experience this new dark romance full of mystery, twists, turns and murder!!! Ciaran… he was such a mystery and a whole new level of craziness and it was fabulous. His connection with Lana was a mystery. Protective toward her and willing to sacrifice everyone for her. Their chemistry was wow! Unpredictable, dark, mind-blowing, captivating and so intriguing. Each chapter was better than the previous one and I wanted it to never end. I’m still processing this bizarre? Story. Trust me, you need to read it and immerse yourself in the Devil’s playground… if you dare.”
Umm ok. There was a LOT I wasn’t expecting in this book! That is why I love Natalie’s writing! She keeps you on the edge of your seat and up all night reading to the very end. I literally felt like I was in a twilight zone! This book is full of morbid mystery. It is dark, twisted, everything you love about Natalie’s stories. Liliana and Ciaran together….Didn’t see that coming!
“F*** your demons before they f*** you” this is now my new favorite quote!
So many questions I have. I loved the plot twist, the teaser for Maleficium. This is exactly what my dark heart loves! I need book 2 now!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
Ave Satanas, something wicked this way comes. It’s time for the reckoning to begin. Enter the Devil’s Playground wary where you tread, for demons are lurking with trickery up their sleeves. Here goo and bad cease to exist, and not all will make it to the end. The price of freedom will be revealed only after bloodshed and rapture. A claiming of the one and purging of the others. That audio recording played exactly three minutes before the crash. It was a riddle, a warning, and a promise. But they didn’t know that until it was too late. Now stranded with two friends and a group of apprehensive strangers Liliana Serpine must decide who and who not to trust as they navigate their way through hell in the form of an opulent city. There’s one person who stand out among the others. He’s got a gorgeous face and darkly enigmatic aura. Being drawn to him is inevitable but staying by his side becomes necessary to survive. When secrets start being revealed in blood, everything changes. From dabbling in the taboo being tempted by the forbidden and falling in lust with the carnage. For those that make it out of this alive, they’ll never be the same people they once were.
Welcome the to the first book in the Devil’s Playground Series. This is a dark book and you are going to want to read this boo before the second one comes out so you can dive right in. This book is crazy. So many twists and turn. This is about a group of girlfriends who have been on a girls trip and are now they are on the shuttle on the way to the airport. However before they get on the shuttle Lana gets the eeriest text message ever but then just kind of ignores it. Once they are one the shuttle they meet four boys and one is beyond hot to Lana. However a shut down road and detour end them up in a shuttle crash a bunch of riddles in a city that is in the middle of nowhere and the purging begins. This book and dark and dirty and will have you reading it without putting it down. This one had me on the edge of my seat. So many things you will never ever see coming. I can not wait to get the second book in my hands to see what else happens.
This is the 1st in a new series and what a unique and twisted journey this gifted author is taking us on! Lana and her two best friends are going on a road trip and instead of the bus taking them to the airport they find themselves taking a detour and the bus crashes in the middle off nowhere. Was this an accident or deliberate? No spoilers: this is a must read in you love dark and twisted tales, then you will not be disappointed with this story. This is a well written story which is dark, twisted, unpredictable and with secrets and mystery. I cannot wait to read #2!!
First of all, this book is an actual mind fuck. Second, what did I just read????? I’m not remotely over the story! I don’t even know if I’ll ever be. I seriously need the next book right now. I need to find out more!
“We’re all full of hellish intent, demons wrapped in pretty packages. The more beautiful someone is, the more vicious those demons tend to be.”
This story is really creepy. I couldn’t read the book at night…The uncertainty of what was coming next kept me at the edge of my seat. The plot was so masterfully written that I was right there with the characters. I felt the suspense and I was making assumptions of my own about everything that was happening. It gave me a horror movie vibe, and I can’t watch them at night either!
“I wished for normal but craved the unstable, wanted the filthy and depraved.”
The characters complimented the plot beautifully. We only get Liliana’s POV, so her thoughts are the only ones we have. She’s messed up. She’s been living with her demons for very long but learned to keep her crazy hidden. However, the situation that they are in, brings her demons out to play. From the start it’s clear that she’s not fazed by death, it’s like she’s emotionally dead. The only people she cares about is her best friends.
“A little fear would never satisfy me, puppet. I prefer copious amounts of terror.”
Ciaran is a whole different kind of crazy. He showed a weird interest for her since everything started. He and his friends seem to know more than the others. He isn’t fazed by death either. Him and Liliana are both so detached, that they are perfectly matched. It’s like their demons recognize each other. His unapologetically behavior just adds to his mysterious personality.
I won’t even try to behave like I understood what happened! I finished the book minutes ago. I needed to put my thoughts down right away. The story is swirling in my mind still. I feel the need to read the book again! The cliffhanger, I was left with just gives more questions to be answered. More than once, while I was reading the book, I questioned how Natalie Bennett writes these stories; I really want to find out how! She never disappoints and always delivers a book that’s promised to be as twisted as it can get!!!!!
Periculum is book one in the Devil’s Playground series. It was a twisted and dark read. I was hooked from the beginning trying to figure out what was going on. I really liked it. I loved Liliana. And Ciaran, yes please. Looking forward to reading book two!