I was feared.Respected.Worshiped.But all of that changed when the impossible happened—I fell in love. Only those feelings weren’t reciprocated, because who could love a monster like me?My empire crumbled. People died. I went from being a victorious leader to lurking in the shadows, planning revenge on my half-brother who now reigns in my place.An orphanage is where I find sanctuary, but when she … where I find sanctuary, but when she walks into my world and evokes a yearning I thought long dead, my demons are awakened and want what they can’t have—her. Sooner or later, I knew I’d need to feed the darkness inside me.
Mayhem, power, and control course through my veins. I will use them to regain my crown, my throne, and then claim her, despite what solemn vows she might’ve made.
I will break them…and her.
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One day I saw that here in Poland was published book called “Bad Saint” by Monica James. I startled to read it and got pulled so much into the story that I had to buy other two books in the series on Amazon same day. I was lost to this story, characters and Monica’s writing. There was that one particular character who I hated in book one and he appeared for like last few pages, in book two I hated him less and less until book three where he become my favourite anti hero and stole my heart. Yup now I even prefer him more than Saint (believe I was surprised too). And that’s of course Aleksiej Popov. So when I found out that he will get his own dylogy spin off I couldn’t be more happy. And oh what a spin off it was. Pure perfection that made you fell in love in Alek even more and want to punch few people sooo hard. But I won’t tell you much cause I don’t want to spoil anything to you. Believe me when I say this story is best if you would go blind to reading it.
Alek lost everything for love and I mean here everything. His enormous empire was destroyed but bullets, explosions and betrayal in just one fatal night. But since that Alek had changed. Don’t get me wrong he is still ruthless killer and calculating criminal who you don’t want to cross but apparently he also has a heart which no one expected especially Alek himself. Will it weaken him especially since he tries to rebuilt his empire
and at the same time get revenge on people who would love to see him dead or at least suffer and I mean her his half brother and his mother. But what will happen when revenge won’t be the most important thing and how much Alek can sacrifice to help people who trusted him even in his dark times? Will it be an ultimate sacrifice?
And that’s when I stop cause I don’t want to spoil anything major for you to fully appreciate this story that is one dark roller coaster when many things turn to be not what they’re suppose to.
This story is an epic ride full of darkness and depravity, violence and passion and here Monica James did what I think was impossible in “Bad Saint” because she redeemed the ultimate villain that we knew. And that’s really hard thing to do.
And for the end of my opinion one good advice since it’s a spin off for All The Pretty Thing trilogy it’s wise to read trilogy first and spin off later cause than you will understand where Alek is coming from and whole dynamic between some characters and you won’t spoil yourself great pleasure of reading great books. Believe me you will thank me later. And for me it was definitely a huge must read and I am counting my days for the book two release cause that’s just brutal to end book like that and it made even more impatient. Can’t wait and whole story is definitely my huge recommendation.
5 STARS
I am in absolute awe of part one of All The Pretty Things Spin-off!!! Monica James has done it again! Aleksei is everything you hoped he would be and then some. The perfect anti-hero with a story filled with suspense and darkness that will keep you hooked and wanting more! The Devil’s Crown by Monica James is a freaking EPIC read that will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!
Monica James is an author that you will continuously pick up her books, devour them, and then wonder how you’re going to move onto another book. She does darkness and cliffhangers like a pro. Her words will hit you deep and have you continuously picking your jaw up off the floor.
This series is a spinoff of All The Pretty Things which is highly recommend to read previous to this book, but you don’t have to. All of her stuff I recommend so go get it now!!
Aleksei is getting his story after how the last series ended! Their story is dark, hard, taboo, and totally over the top! It is one you don’t want to miss and will leave you begging for more than you’ve ever begged!
Just go buy this book. 10+ stars, darkness and taboo – what more does a person need in romance?!?
Выдающийся, феноменальный, душераздирающий, безупречный, изменяться
While reading, researching, and blogging, there have been some authors that have just hit my ‘I will forever love them and will one click without hesitation list’. Monica James is one of those authors for me. Her ability to weave a tale together from multiple viewpoints is amazing. She leads you into this false sense of security making you think that you know what is going to happen and then…THWACK, welcome to the twists, turns, and unexpected plot twist.
What I love absolutely the most about TDC is the anti-hero, Aleksei, and super heroine, Bella. It is refreshing to see the role reversal between them, yet when needed, Alek is still that kick butt alpha ready to take charge and Bella glides into the walls as not to be seen.
I will be the first to say (since I was in the minority) that I did not really like Aleksei in the previous books but was definitely curious how this unpleasant guy would turn over a new leaf. All I can say is, do not doubt Monica James and her crown. If she wants you to like a character, she knows how to turn he/she into your best friend. I honestly admit, every grumble and built up negative emotion to him previously, made me think, ‘how could I have been so wrong about this guy’?
Now keep in mind, it is dark, a dark romance. Be thoughtful of this and go in with an open mind. Monica will make you love her and her characters!!
*not responsible for wrong or misquoted Russian*
It is Aleksei’s turn to get what he deserved. If you’ve read Saint and Willow’s story, I’m pretty sure you hate Aleksei. But you’re going to have a change of heart once you read this one. I never thought Monica could top All The Pretty Things Trilogy, but I was proven wrong!
My heart literally broke for Alek. He lost everything after what happened, he lost his power, his kingdom. He lives in hiding, just waiting to bring down Serg and claim his power again. Alek has shown how compassionate he is in this one, how he can be a human despite everything he has done in the past.
Seriously, once again I’m speechless on how amazing Monica’s writing is and I’m still reeling over what I’ve read. I have no words to describe how amazing this book is. Now, I’m wondering how can I wait that long for Part Two?
Sinful and strong, just like the devil’s crown. This story is about a perfect damaged man, who used to be a king. A king I learned to hate. But you know what they say? From hate to love is just a small step. Dare to take it?
The devil’s crown is going to show you the once upon a time unbreakable, heartless Alek Popov fallen in the ashes. But is then you’ll see the magnitude of this man. A man everyone used to fear and to obey to. Now is time for him to deal with all his sins. Reading his story you’ll hate and love him again and again. Because that’s Alek. He makes people feel.
And that’s when he will own your mind and soul. And you’ll asked for more. Because it’s forbidden, is dangerous, it can get everything from you and let you broken, and you’ll still beg for more.
Now, you’ll judge Alek , I’m sure, is inevitable, so it won’t be easy to “fall for his charms”, because you’ll already be under his spill and have no idea, till is going to be too late;)
The plot is made by sins, and you’ll be aware of it from the very first moment. It will consume your spirit, and feed your heart at the same time. That’s a lot of twists hidden everywhere in this story, the unpredictability is heartbreaking and it will take your breath away. But live it, feel it deep inside. That’s all alek’s asking for. A man like him never ask for a second chance, he build it with his bare hands.another thing you’d love, if you already are familiar with Monica’s previous series, is that you’ll meet some of the characters you loved so much: Saint and Willow. I loved those two with all my heart.
What’s about the heroine? Well, she will surprise you for her strength. She’s far from perfect. She has her own story to reveal and demons to kick, she’s like just like her favorite perfume. It may seem poison, but is something else, is like fire on gasoline. Risky to get closer, but life-changing if you do that. She comes with that kind of double impact.
Find out what happened when they collied…
So Twisted, Sizzling Hot, & Romantic…….
Aleksei Popov, do you hate him? Do you love him?
I have to be honest, I went into this book prepared to hate him! You understand what I mean if you’ve read Willow & Saint’s story! So if you haven’t do yourself a favor & go get & read it, Bad Saint, Fallen Saint, Forever Saint, & then come back & read The Devil’s Crown. You won’t be disappointed!
So on with my review lol
Alek is an incredible anti-hero. He had me hooked from the first chapter & I refused to let go. He’s bad, but not so bad, he has so many twist & turns in his character, that you find yourself thinking WTF did he just do? His heartbreak broke my heart. I won’t say anymore because believe me you need to read this book!
I also have to say that I loved Saint so much, that I didn’t think Alek, would win me over. I don’t have enough words to describe how much I came to adored, love, & sympathize with him. He became a totally a different man, but still so ruthless. The wayAlek loved was so very touching.
Monica James wrote an outstanding book! If I could I would have given this story ten stars!! I CAN NOT wait for part two!!
Side note: Sorry if my thoughts are all scattered, I wrote this right after finishing because I didn’t want to forget how I was feeling.
Wow, wow!!!
This story is off the hook. Monica James has giving us suspense, twists, darkness and romance… what!!!!
From beginning to end, I was transported to Aleks world, his internal battles, to his war to reign again.
The darkness pulled me in and seduced me into the world of this man, is not letting me go. I need more.
This story is twisted to the very end and don’t even get me stared on Sister Arabella, my goodness is gonna get intense and hot up in here.
This is a spin-off story of All the Pretty things, which I highly recommend to read first because you get more of the story of what happened to Aleksei and why. I loved that trilogy and now I’m loving this story.
Be careful, this story is not for the faint of heart and the cliffy is brutal, but is so worth it.
5 twisted stars
Gobsmacked, mind blown, destroyed, captivated, addicted, these words don’t even touch the sides of how I’m feeling after finishing The Devils Crown, part one by Monica James. This book will take you to places unexpected.
I’m buzzing. Every time I tried to put it down to do life, I found myself picking it back up eager for more.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the perfect mix of dark romance, action packed and ready to tear you apart in the best of ways.
If this is only the beginning I can’t wait to see what’s next.
This is a dark romance and comes highly recommended.
Deserves more than 5 stars. WOW! I was literally at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. Every villian have a story to share and Alek’s is one you do not want to miss. Monica did such a PHENOMENAL job. This is probably my favorite from Monica. The twist and turns got me speechless. Don’t get me started with the steamy scenes. u2063
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I can’t tell you how many times I got teary eyes. (I was at work reading. Didn’t want to get caught. ) I LOVED Saint too much to care for Alek, but Alek won me over. Words can’t describe how much I came to adored and loved him. He was totally a different man, but still freaking ruthless. The way how Alek love was so touching. It was definitely a dark read, but somehow I don’t think it’s as dark as All the Pretty Things Trilogy. I’m not gonna go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything. JUST KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO PICKUP THIS BOOK. I NEED BOOK 2 RIGHT NOW!!!
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Where do I even begin with this book. First I loved it! This book was action packed and took many twists and turns! I was hooked from the beginning. I had to force myself to put it down and go to sleep. If you are into dark romances you won’t want to miss this one. Monica does a great job getting you so invested with people who normally you would find unredeemable and make you root for them. This book also gave me some feels! September needs to get here fast because I neeeeeed book two now!! I would absolutely recommend this book!!
Received an arc for an honest opinion.
DENISE’S DREAMY REVIEW
“I was once feared, respected, among this land for being ruthless and cruel. But they haven’t seen anything yet. Love hurts, and now, it’s my turn to hurt love.”
The Devil’s Crown is a spin off from Monica James’ All The Pretty Things Trilogy and let me tell you, SHE. DOES. NOT. DISAPPOINT. Dark romance is this writers’ calling and I’m so glad to have discovered her books! To say I’m blown away is an understatement!!!
WOW. WOW. WOW.
James’ really knows how to make you FLOVE a villain and I can’t tell you how much I fell MORE in love with Alek!! I learned to love him in the ATPTT, but now with his own books, I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE. There was so much more to his character than I ever thought possible!
I honestly thought this story was going to be told one way, but of course, in true Monica James fashion, she was able to turn my whole world upside down! I could NOT stop turning the pages because I needed to know EVERYTHING that was going to happen next. The plot was on point, the pace of this book was absolute perfection with just the right amount of drama and HEAT!!!
Our heroine, Arabella, was definitely a surprise for me! Just when I thought MAYBE I figured her out, I was wrong. Alek has truly met his match in her.
“I never saw her coming. She blind sided me in the best possible way.”
YOU NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIFE.
If you’re into dark, twisted, gritty, intricate, steamy, and epic story and romance… pick up this book and thank me later! You won’t regret it!
FIVE dreamy and sinful stars:
4-1/2 Stars!
This book was crazy. First off it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book completely in the viewpoint of the male. It was a very nice change!
Secondly this book is wickedly hot!! Like whew I can’t wait to see what the second book brings us!
I hadn’t read the series that this book spins off of but you can’t still follow along really well, you just don’t know the deep connections between each character. Also I’m at the lake with really crap cell service so I didn’t have a dictionary for all the Russian which I think is a must for this read!
I had a hunch about the ending but I was still pleasantly surprised by some of the events. This book is dark but not black heart dark which I liked.
Can’t wait for book two!
Holy fucking hell… I’m not sure where to begin.
Firstly, this is a spin-off to All The Pretty Things Trilogy and best read after that series, in my opinion.
I knew going into this book that it was going to ruin me and ruin me it did… In all the best ways! I am a sucker for dark romances. It’s a g0-to obsession for me and this was ALL THE THINGS when it comes to dark romances. It had everything I love about the sub-genre. It was dark, twisted, full of mystery and suspense, and had my mind on complete overdrive and my spine shivering.
I’ve loved Aleksei Popov from the start and his story is one that’s been highly anticipated for me and it met every expectation, if anything, it excelled from my expectations. I was completely blindsided and did not see half the shit that happened coming. I won’t dive in deep, but I will say that Ella and Aleksei chemistry is off the charts and their story will have you bent out of shape, your mind on overdrive, your jaw hitting the floor more times than you can count and your heart pounding out of your chest. Aleksei Popov is a monster, a man to be feared and he is feared by many, but what Monica delivers within these pages will shock the hell out of you in all the best ways!
Once again, Monica James, you’ve gone and outdid yourself and delivered an outstanding, all-consuming, twisted, completely depraved and mind-fuckingly beautiful start to what I know will be an EPIC love story. Your ability to paint a picture in my heads with your words blows my mind. The Devil’s Crown is an example of everything I love about this sub-genre. I am excited and scared shitless to see what you have up your sleeve for part two!
5+++++ STARS!!!
I really wish I could rate this book way more than 5 stars, Monica just left me speechless wanting more and not wanting this series to ever end. The Devil’s Crown was nothing like I thought, I was left breathless and so in love with this world.
Alek isn’t’ your usual guy, he isn’t a good guy, but he is someone who is learning how to feel, and he is learning that he does in fact have a humanity. He is used to getting what he is after and sometimes that isn’t a good thing.
Alek is after taking back what he believes belongs to him, what he wasn’t expecting was for Arabella to come into his life. Now he is after more than he thought. I loved the suspense and the thrill, I didn’t know what was going to happen or what Alek would do next. This book was one I could not put down at all. Monica has outdone herself. I don’t want to spoil anything so I will say this, PICK THIS BOOK UP NOW!!! You will be obsessed just like I am.
What is it like going back to a place that left you feeling haunted? Monica James wrote All The Pretty Things Trilogy in a way that was nerve-wracking, intense and haunting for the readers just as it was for the characters.
Now we are back and it’s Alek’s story and the emotions come back full force. This is a character that I despised when he made his first appearance. Here I am now, ecstatic that he is getting his story! Crazy, right?
Aleksei Popov was once on top and controlling everything but now he’s at his lowest. His goal is to take down the person who knocked him off his pedestal. But he can’t do it alone. And thus starts another series of events only Aleksei Popov is able to find himself in.
If you’ve read Monica’s work before, then you know nothing is ever easy in her stories.
“This is all my fault. My karma has finally caught up to me. It’s time I paid for the sins of my past. ”
Where my heart was in my throat with Saint and Willow, Alek’s story was more … somber and reflective. The shock factor is still there just in a different way. This was such an emotional read!
For all the Saint and Willow fans, this is a must read. It will open up wounds that you thought were healed in Forever My Saint but it’s so worth it!
Don’t read the spoilers – it’s better to go in blind and question everything and everyone.
I can’t wait to see what happens in part two!
Alek, Alek, Alek a fallen villan becomes an adored anti-hero and redemption never tasted so sweet. Aleksi Popov is the bad guy, for all intents and purposes. “You’re a villain… who has a heart. And what woman doesn’t want to try to fix a bad man?” I mean- she’s not wrong. We all love a bad boy and Alek is one of the best I have read.
Alek is an unexpected hero, he has done horrible, deplorable things, but he has the heart of a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie. It gets him into trouble as he is trying to find his new balance as the fallen ruler of the Russian underworld. I have read many anti-hero books, but this book not only has an anti-hero but also what I would consider an anti-heroine. For most of the book I didn’t feel like I could trust any of the females in the story and wasn’t sure who our heroine was. This added a level of suspense that kept the pages turning quickly. For that reason I am going to keep the mystery alive, but let me just say Alek definitely meets his match.
This book is exciting and complicated and suspenseful and violent. It does come with a trigger warning but I am not easily triggered and was not negatively affected by the topics discussed. They were definitely necessary for this storyline and the dark depraved underworld that Monica James has created. Like all things there is balance though and the orphanage, the sisters who work there and a little girl named Irina help you see who Alek truly is.
This book follows the All the Pretty things trilogy by Monica James and I do recommend reading that series first. Then you should dive straight into this duet (Book 2 coming soon).
I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review
This book, a spin-off of the All the Pretty Things trilogy, follows the “villain” of the original trilogy, Aleksei. Alek intrigued me from the moment he first arrived and I was supposed to hate him. The more I learned, the more I just wanted to hug him and let him know that he deserves love!
I absolutely adored this book, and I adored Aleksei. He is such a complex character, but he has grown and become the good guy he could always be. I loved how interwoven all the characters were which made for lots of sticky situations and complicated interactions.
The heroine was also incredible and so kickass. It takes a strong woman to bring The Aleksei Popov to his knees and she did it without even trying. I can’t wait to see more of these two in part 2 and I can’t wait for their happy ending!
Similar to the All the Pretty Things trilogy, this book is fun and addictive and easy to consume despite many of the dark themes. It’s a bit like a soap opera with all of the dramatics, but you’ll grow to love the characters so much because of moral grayness. I highly, highly recommend if you love villains with a heart of gold and women who can bring those villains to their knees!
Monica James absolutely outdid herself and deserves a standing ovation for The Devil’s Crown Part 1!! Alek is everything you want in a bad boy! Full of depraved sexy scenes that will leave you begging for forgiveness! A complete tangles and twisted web that you will die to be a part of!!! The ending is completely unexpected and will leave you breathless for days!!! I need part 2 immediately!!!
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This book was everything I asked for and more.
Aleksei Popov is as bad as a man can be. He did unredeemable things and hurt a lot of innocent people. Wherever he goes pain and death fallows along.
He once was the man who ruled with an iron fist, now he is forced to hide in the shadows. His only purpose is killing his half-brother and mother for taking everything away from him.
After loving the only woman who did not love him back, he did not expect to be able to form a connection with another one. Until he laid eyes on Sister Arabella. An American who transferred to help the sisters with the children. Now he will not only seek vengeance but built a kingdom for his new queen.
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Monica James has a way to make the perfect anti-hero of all times. To say I love Alek would be an understatement. I FUCKING ADORE HIM!!!
It’s true he did very bad things but he is redeemable. He has a big heart and he is doing his best to help the people he cares about and seek forgiveness for his deeds.
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This was EPIC!! I honestly don’t know what i’m gonna do with myself now. The wait is gonna kill me.