Sometimes, we lose ourselves in the devastation of love. But sometimes, we find ourselves there, too.ROMEAvery Capulet. The forbidden fruit. The apple of her Daddy’s eye. The newly-minted Queen of California’s criminal underworld. And now, the missing girl nobody can find. I know where she is, though. Kneeling before me, tears spilling from her eyes as the last bit of her dignity bleeds from her. spilling from her eyes as the last bit of her dignity bleeds from her.
I don’t want the pound of flesh that the girl who betrayed me delivers, but I don’t have a choice.
Avery Capulet. Moaning underneath me, as pain merges with pleasure, skin to skin as we do what we can to survive. In the dark, in the wild, we’re like animals. I try not to love her. I try so damn hard.
But the war waged inside my heart was won a long time ago, by a girl who should have known better than to trust a man like me.
AVERY
Rome Montague. The boy from my past. The man in my nightmares. The dark, secret lover who makes me feel things I never knew I could feel.Love and pain can both drive you insane. I fight, and I fight, until all I can do is surrender. Be pulled under. Submit, until I barely recognize myself.
Rome Montague. When he looks at me, I forget the lies that destroyed our past. When he makes me come apart underneath his touch, I forget where we are, and that a faceless enemy pulls our strings like marionettes.
The outside world beckons bright, teasing us with mirages of safety and respite.
But the light of day is a cruel lie.
Because once we find a way out of the dark, we both realize that our nightmare has only just begun.
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The most shocking of endings I have ever read in my life is sitting in the back of this book patiently while the rest of the world goes up in flames! What in the world just happened?! My mind is blown to pieces!! I am having a hard time coming around those turn of events…I just can’t.
Avery and Rome, the favorite love story. Having gone through something so traumatic together forged a bond no one can replace. Fighting for survival seems to be their daily routine. Whether to live or die, that is the question. No one should have to go through what these two went through. And to not know who is behind it all makes it that much more harder. But is knowledge better than the unknown? That is the toughest question Rome and Avery have to answer for themselves.
Talk about trauma and triggers… Lili has a gift for tearing her readers souls to shred. But she really does come through in the end, though not in the most clean and sane ways.
I have read her Gypsy Brothers series and loved it, even through all the dark layers of it. I was super excited to realize that my favorite cop was integrated in this story! Elliot is the freaking sun that shines in even the most darkest of places. Glad to see he is thriving again.
But back to this story, I cannot believe that cliffhanger. It really came out of left field. I did not expect it…well I sort of expected half of that truth but not the whole truth. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. I am still on the edge of my seat even after reading this. Way too good and definitely a must read!
I’ve got this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Truth be said. I couldn’t really remember what the first book was about, because I have read it a long while ago and also in between read so many books.
I did remember, that there was kidnapping, torture, pain and rape.
Now when I started reading this book it kind of started whereI thought it would, but we also got a tiny bit of recapitulation of the first book which helped tremendously. (Usually I hate it but in this one, I needed it).
I can pleasantly say that this book had a lot of thoughts in it. And the first thing that I truly liked was that the main characters were held in kind of like a prison, not for a few days but actually for six weeks, which usually we get rarely. Mostly the main characters or character stay in this for like a week and then they are scarred for the rest of their lives, you know. Like it kind of feels like the authors don’t really want to come up with a lot of ideas as to what can happen in “Hell”, but I can pleasantly say that Lili St. Germain thought of this exceptionally well. Usually I don’t think I would be too interested to read characters stuck in “Hell” for so long, but she made it interesting and painful and you could truly sympathise with the characters.
There were parts in the book that I liked more than the others, but they were also parts which I didn’t really like, but that depends on each and everyone of us because, you know, we are different.
The storyline of this book is exceptional and it is truly worth waiting such a long time for the second book. I can honestly say that Lili St. Germain had this plot in her head for so long and played with it, so that the way she wrote it was amazing.
I don’t know if I mentioned this in my previous review, but I loved how this was an interpretation of Romeo and Juliet in a new scary light. At least I think it was or is. Truthfully I love this version so much more. It’s more our kind of century or like probably more like my style, but either way haven’t read the original book.
Along the way we find out or we think we found out, who that is or why and by the end of the book I was shocked to the core. I was left speechless and I am just praying that it all goes out right, like I truly hope that this book has a happy ending, because otherwise I think I will come up to Ms./Mrs. Lily and just scream my nerves at her and demand a REWRITE!!!
At the end of my review, I would like to say that this book is really darker and if you’re not up to it, you should read it. It gets darker than the previous one and you have to prepare yourself for it. Other than that you have to read it! The wait was 100% worth it and I’m recommending this book to everyone who can handle the dark side!
Also the ENDING??? What the actual EFF???? LIKE HOW?????
“Things that shouldn’t be able to logically coexist, but then, we shouldn’t be able to coexist, and here we are. A Montague and a Capulet. A rich girl and a poor boy. A sheltered, spoiled princess and a tattooed drug dealer.”
Dark, don’t jump in this pond if you have triggers. With that said, it held my attention, they are incredibly steamy, yet some of it put me off. It just became more outlandish as it went on, but I love the connection they have, the obstacles they face, and the breadcrumbs that were left as the story unraveled. Really exciting at the end, left with a jaw dropper that I hope comes soon.
“Everything about you turns me on. But it doesn’t just turn me on, Avery. It sets me on fire.”
This book has been a long time coming! Vengeful Queen is book 2 in the Violent Kingdom series by Lili St. Germaine. It is a dark, modern day, mafia twist on Romeo and Juliet. And it is fantastic.
Rome Montague and Avery Capulet were taken by a serial killer in book 1. Vengeful Queen picks up seamlessly, with a quick recap to help refresh the reader. Their connection is undeniable. Their feelings are so strong, passionate love and hate.
This is a dark, gritty and disturbing story. It is fraught with secrets, lies, and betrayals. It is also a story of burning, all consuming love. A lovers to enemies to lovers story. Author Lili St. Germain pushes the limits once again. There is brutality in this story. There are trigger warnings.
Rome and Avery have been through so much in their young lives. While reading, there were such crazy, jaw dropping, unexpected plot twists, I felt like I was on a high speed rollercoaster ride. And it’s not over yet. Vengeful Queen ends in a cliffhanger. It all comes together in book 3, Violent Reign, which releases soon. And I cannot wait!!!
A Ferocious Story that will Irrevocably Alter Your Soul…
As I wrote in my Sadt Cookie 2020 Year in Review article, I had been impatiently waiting for this book. Had been ever so surely, bit by tiny bit losing my mind waiting day after day for this second installment of Lili St. Germain’s “Violent Kingdom” series; the sadistically bent re-telling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet complete with twists and turns worthy of a horror movie. And FINALLY “Vengeful Queen” is here! And good Gods does she NOT disappoint in this next chapter of her captivating take on the story of Avery Capulet and Rome Montague.
As with the first book, “Vicious Prince”, you are immediately plunged into a story so ferocious it will cut your soul slowly and deeply. Beginning almost immediately where the first installment left off, Germain instantly reminds you of the life and death dilemma both Avery and Rome find themselves in. Then she torturously proceeds for the first ten chapters to remind you of the deranged madness that is Avery’s existence. How she is surrounded by enemies at every turn. Enemies that mean to bring her to heel using her love for Rome as a weapon against her, casting him as the villain despite him being just as much a victim as Avery. Forcing her to witness him being bent into unfathomable positions of violence designed to lead others to the false belief that he is the man behind the devil’s mask, when in fact the truth is so much darker, darker than even she could foresee despite being a Capulet and bottle fed treachery from birth.
You will be unable to stifle the gasp that breaks from your lips as you realize no single individual in Avery’s life, outside of Rome, is as they appear to be; not her father, not her aunt or uncle, not her cousin, her friends, the police, priests, and everyday citizens around her, not, one, single, person. She is trapped on all sides by enemies moving in, crushing her under the weight of their greed, their delusions of grandeur, of false senses of duty and propriety, by their very psychopathy. It is a horror you will be plunged into deeply, sinking deeper and deeper until you almost suffocate from the emotional depravity of it all.
This is a story so ominous, violent and unhinged in nature it will wrap around you like a serpent and grip you in its steely hold from start to finish. And just when you think you can bear no more and may need to look away, the author will break open a vein of sweetness between Rome and Avery so pure, a life line of love so fierce it will not bend, will not bow to the evil bombarding it, and because of it you will push on despite your unease. As here again, Germain provides a tiny seed of hope throughout, one that although badly battered and bruised, perseveres and continues to flicker a dim but constant light. But even with this bit of light this book will challenge your senses. It is this not for the faint of heart; this story will twist your gut violently and make you writhe uncomfortably in your seat. Here, once again, Germain writes something so emotionally complex, so brilliantly alarming; it will be your undoing if you are at all weak of mind or heart. Here she once again thrusts you into a plot so alarming, so ghastly, you will find yourself gazing mindlessly off into the darkness asking aloud how the main characters could possibly survive all that is around them. And just when you think you can endure no more, this one will push you even further emotionally.
Avery’s plight will challenge you to the very edge of reason as you try and understand how something so twisted and irrevocably life altering could even come into being. It will alter the very fabric of how you view family, what it means to be family, and whether or not it is ever really safe to trust anyone beyond yourself…
And so begins the maddening wait for the third and final book! A wait I am unsure I can endure as I am desperate to know how it all ends; filled to bursting with the uninhibited need to know the who’s, the how’s, and the why’s of it all.
This is one truly twisted emotional charged storylines.
Such betrayal suspense and heartbreak for Avery Capulet the life not her own. Dictated by mafia family who simply see her as a pawn to control.
Rome Montague the man she has loved most of her life never seems to be able to protect her or keep her out of harms way.
A beautifully written tragic love story.
Holy Moly what a nail biter!! Phew!! Such an adrenaline rush!! Needing more!! Lili St. Germain takes you on a wild and chaotic ride!! A modern day fairy tale with lots of angst!! Fantastic story!!
Vengeful Queen was an emotional roller coaster of a read. It was rage inducing. There were so many characters I wanted to enact violence upon but even through all of that my eyes stayed glued to the page. I can’t wait to read the conclusion. I recommend this book. It’s dark and messed up but I enjoyed it.
Copy provided by author
Lili St Germain has me truly speechless. There are honeslty not enough words that would accurately describe how much I loved this book. It was dark, twisted, and plot twists that will leave you questioning everything.
The story picks up right where we left at the end of Vicious Prince, grabbing your attention AND your heart immediately. I don’t want to say much more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything.
I will say that Rome and Avery have quickly risen on my list of favorite characters. They continued to shock me at every turn. I’m desperately in need of book 3, I need answers. This going down as one of my first top reads of 2021!
*** Be warned this book contains lots of triggers.
Holy mindfuck Batman…so dark, so twisted, so damn good!
We had to wait a long time for Avery and Rome’s nightmare to continue, to find out how much more they could endure at the hands of a madman, but wow, was it ever worth that wait!
The brutality of what they went through is not for the faint of heart, at times it was horrifying to read. The need to know how this was going to play out and what would become of them drove me to keep reading (I was actually anxious!). Along with all the physical pain, the psychological pain was just as intense. The one bright spot was that they managed to heal the hate between them, but would it do any good?!
Just like Romeo and Juliet, Rome and Avery’s story continues to be tragic and heartbreaking, and I’ll be rocking in a corner until I can read the conclusion, Violent Reign, in the must read Violent Kingdom Trilogy.
After I did a re read of the first book, Vicious Prince, I dived right into this one. Man, I’ve missed her words. Welcome back Lili!
Everything about you turns me on. But it doesn’t just turn me on, Avery. It sets me on fire.”
The pace of this book was so much more on point. I really liked the first book, but the pace of that one was a bit fast for what I would have liked. Avery and Rome’s chemistry was still there, I’m very thrilled for that, it was one of my favorite things about the first book. I love dark romance books, they are probably my favorite genre out of all romance books. They just seem to draw me in more and have that ability to make me feel like I escaped for just a bit while reading. This book is a dark romance story, yeah there may be “triggers” for those that have them, but I just love this book for being what it was meant to be and not getting watered down.
Thank you Lili for giving me the first book that has held my attention in a long time. I didn’t have to push myself even though I liked the book, this one held it with no problem. I’m so glad to see you back, you have been missed.
Its been a while in the making but so worth the wait! There were some area’s where I couldn’t remember what had happened in book one but the author does a good job of recapping parts as the story progresses. The story a modern day telling of Romeo and Juliet combines the well known tale with a modern day twist full of the darkness, blood and shocking secrets I’ve come to expect from this author. Some twists I fist pump the air when I find out I was right whilst others have left me open mouthed as I scream WAIT! WHAT?! In true Lili fashion she hasn’t lost the ability to hit a plot twist clean out of the ball park!
So many heart stopping moments and the path to true love never runs smooth. None more so that the destiny of Rome and Avery just when you think cupid has prevailed once more Lili has other ideas. These are two very tortured characters and Lili hasn’t finished with them yet!
VENGEFUL QUEEN is a dark, thrilling masterpiece studded with raw emotion. I am obsessed with Rome Montague!!
Lili St. Germain is back and dare I say she is BETTER THAN EVER! Vengeful Queen was 3 years in the making and I am here to say that it does not disappoint. Holy moly I was swept away almost immediately as we pick up right where we left off in Vicious Prince as Avery Capulet’s world is turned on its proverbial head and nothing can ever be the same again.
St. Germain does not hold back as we witness the brutality that is thrust upon Avery and the boy she once loved as their lives endure endless days and weeks of a harsh brutality. Rome Montague is the surprise of the story as he wages his own battle for survival and yet will stop at nothing to make sure Avery stays alert and strong. There is so much at play as the heir apparent to the Capulet business and fortune rides on Avery’s very being and whether or not she is strong enough to stave off those who want to destroy not only her body but her spirit as well.
The spark of life that is the realization that no matter what had transpired in the past between Rome and Avery, that there is still that love that no amount of darkness can extinguish is its own miracle of sorts. Their minds may be deprived of awareness of what is around them during their uneasy and unsettled time together, but their hearts knew better. Despite all the anguish and despair, Rome and Avery are forever tethered and that glorious realization only makes them stronger.
I loved watching as Avery became the Capulet her ailing father would be wildly proud of. There is clearly a new version of her after that fateful 25th birthday party and my hope is that this Avery can manage to find the balance she needs to live the life she wants. Of course, there are plenty of evil detours in the forms of the many well-written and detestable characters and I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what sort of mayhem they would thrust upon her next. Sure it was hard to watch and my stomach was in knots throughout. But like that car wreck on the side of the road, there is that insatiable need to look and once you do, you’re not turning away.
This story is intense and complicated and extremely addictive. Loyalty is put to the test and surprises abound as seemingly perfectly executed plans of revenge and control unravel in the most unexpected of ways. I am in awe of St. Germain’s ability to tie all the loose ends together in a way that the reader can easily follow along when there are a multitude of moving parts.
We are far from over as book 3, Violent Reign, will be here in February. I can only imagine what St. Germain has in store for us as the conclusion to this trilogy will undoubtedly throw me for a loop, albeit a truly enjoyable one, once more.
If I could give Vengeful Queen 10 stars, I would. My mind is still spinning and for this reader, there is nothing better. A must read, this book is twisted perfection!
Hail to the Queen!
Avery Capulet is back and she’s back with a vengeance!
Who she’s after, and why is what makes this story truly haunting, exciting and captivating. Avery rises above the ashes and became the fierce and feared Queen worthy of her family name! In book one for me she seemed 1-dimensional, in this installment she matured, she developed into a strong woman unafraid to struggle and fight for what she deserved.
This story picks up right after the ending in book 1.
Fast paced, well written dark, and twisted I couldn’t put this book down. There was a certain detective from another of this author’s series which gave this story an added dimension of likability. There were some parts of this story that were not very believable especially a certain scene in a particularly health care facility.
However, this is Avery’s story and her coming to the realization of certain things in her life that were not what they appeared.
Who her family, friends and foes are take on a whole new meaning. The hiding, the plotting, the lengths she’ll go to discover the biggest secret of her life made this book amazeballs.
Her character developed into a strong, raw, and unapologetic. I loved her strength and her insight into making certain realizations and owning her shortcomings.
I really loved this book, the writing was strong, and gripping. I love how this author creates female heros! And book 3 cannot arrive fast enough.
It had been such a long time since book one, that I had to re read it to remember it. That is why I didn’t give it 5 stars. I understand delays happen but my time is precious and I hope the next installment arrives sooner than later.
HELLO DARKNESS!! I absolutely devoured this book, after the long wait it was definitely worth it, so don’t be put off. Luckily Vengeful Queen picks straight up in a way that refreshes your memory. It dives straight back into the terrifying situation the characters found themselves in at the end of book 1, as if anyone could forget that bombshell.
Their story doesn’t get any easier as Avery and Rome drag us further into their twisted violent world. It’s messed up, dark and delicious mind fuxkery at its very best. This Author knows how to deliver the shock factor in the most disturbing way, she never holds back and my Dark side loves and thanks her for it.
There were a few surprises I didn’t expect in this story which were awesome, I was giddy with excitement. This book had all the craziness, the violence and the depravity I look for in a suspenseful dark read. It ticked all my boxes and I loved every minute.
I have to say I have my eye on Father Mateo, he is one very interesting priest that’s for sure. I need more of him.
I can’t wait for Violent Reign because in true Lili style she has left us with another mind blowing cliffhanger that will leave your head spinning, your heart pumping and your butt clenching.
I read the first book Vicious Prince two and half years ago, so I didn’t remember a lot of what happened between Rome and Avery in that book. So I made sure to check the highlights and scroll through the book to refresh my memories. I was excited to get back to the world Lili created for the Violent Kingdom series. Lili is one of my favorite dark romance authors so I was certain that she would deliver a great book. Vengeful Queen picks up where we left off and Rome and Avery are in the hands of a psychotic killer. It was very difficult to see how this monster broke the two main characters down day by day. A lot of horrific and evil things were done, and it really broke my heart. While Rome and Avery are enemies, you see them grow closer together in captivity. They try to motivate each other to hold on and not give up.
“Everything about you turns me on. But it doesn’t just turn me on, Avery. It sets me on fire.”
First of all I loved that the author took her time in this book. If I remember correctly I found the previous book a bit too fast paced and wished it was longer. She totally delivered in this book and set the mood for each part of the book. I was fully hooked to the story and intrigued to see what would happen next. There were a couple of twists, which I am used to from this author. I had my theories about certain things but I have to say that Lili did an incredible job in throwing me off the scent. There is a lot going on but it never felt too much. I loved seeing the characters grow. Especially Avery went through a transformation and I admired her determination. This book was dark, sexy, romantic and suspenseful. I saw a couple of things coming but the ending definitely has me super excited to get my hands on the last book in this series.
5+++ stars
Oh heaven above, the wait was definitely worth it, this second book in the Violent Kingdom series is sensational. I loved Vicious Prince, book one, but this story is even better. This continues on from where book one finishes and the excitement, drama and action is magnified with everything that happens. I won’t spoil anything but suffice to say the first sentence hooks you in and you are encapsulated into the world of Montagues and Capulets until the very last word.
Avery Capulet goes through so much in this story that if you didn’t like her before you couldn’t help but feel for her now, Rome as well. There were times when I simply wanted to whisk both characters away, out of the book to keep them safe. That’s how wonderful the writing is-you become so wrapped up in the story and the characters that you feel a part of it. You experience each emotion with and for the characters, and that’s the full gambit that a whole room full of people could feel.
Did I guess who the baddies were? Yes, however, I questioned that continually and it certainly didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the story. There are a lot of twists and turns making things extremely interesting and keeping you on the edge of your seat.
I can not recommend this book enough and so far it is my top read for the year. I am looking forward to the next book with just as much anticipation that it will be of the same high quality writing as this book.
THE REVIEW FOR THE BOOK: VENGEFUL QUEEN
GENRE: DARK ROMANCE.
AUTHOR: LILI ST. GERMAIN.
TROPE: KIDNAPPED HEROINE, SURVIVAL, VENGEANCE, SUSPENSE, NON CON…
TYPE: BOOK #2 IN THE VIOLENT KINGDOM SERIES.
POV: FIRST PERSON: MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVE.
MY RATING: 4.5 STARS.
This is the second installation in the violent kingdom series staring Rome Montague and Avery Catapult….( Reminds you of Romeo and Juliet..doesn’t it.)
But this story is far more in the dark corner with more struggle and shattering experience. But for a dark Romance lover like me…it was finding treasure at the end of the Rainbow.
Avery Catapult, our queen, and Rome Montague, fallen Prince, are still stuck together…surviving in hell and being forced to hurt eachother by a horrible man behind the mask. Every breath of her longs for surviving and avenging her agony and people she lost in this twisted game of their kidnapper… and She will yet it…
First they both need to find the identity of the masked man.
Rome and Avery…they love eachother…their love is innocent yet tainted by the tragic taken place in the past…
This book was such a frustrating ride for me ( in a wonderful way.)…like you can’t guess what’s happening and even the survival of the main characters are a BIG question mark.
I will have to say that this book have the more brutal cliffhanger than the first one…but I am surviving…barely.
I will recommend this book to every dark Romance lover in search of a book to get absorbed in!!!
Well, this one if for you guyss…you will be hooked with this author’s work.
I’ve been waiting forever for this book and omg it was so worth the wait. This book will having you guessing who is actually behind every horrendous thing that happen to Avery and once it’s revealed, your mind will be blown. Rome, omg I absolutely love Rome. Rome and Avery are absolutely perfect together and I just can’t get enough of them together. I need the next book ASAP especially how this book ended. Truly a 5 star read that will blow your mind.