NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Trigger warnings: Rape, imbalance in power, dubious consent, and violence.

This book is a prequel that gives a glimpse into vampires and werewolf relations. The sex scenes are super steamy and are not for the faint at heart. This book took longer to read because it pushed my boundaries and thoughts.

NetGalley received: Unfortunately it took me a second to finish this, but when I did…. Was so easy to get into the world and story. Very intriguing characters! It did take a bit to grasp but once you’re in you’re in!

I made the grave mistake of requesting this novel without reading the premise or anything associated. Not my flavor of book at all, so I shall refrain from comment.

Too long, storyline was meh, more smut that story.
There is an audience for this book, but it’s not me.

Love prequels! Vampires in charge, wolves not, a bit of bandage and a good bit of spice! Prequel to Plug and Claim, which has has a new title, but easy to find. For those that like the spice and the vamps and wolves, a must read.

Unfortunately I didn’t complete this book and did end up DNFing

I really couldn’t as much as I was trying, the flow wasn’t right and the story dragged it felt all forced.

Sorry

This was the second book I’ve read by Darcy Fayton and just like the other, this one is spicyyyyyy!

Obviously, readers need to be aware of the trigger warnings that are generously listed before the book begins, as some events may be very triggering for readers since this is in fact a dark romance with a VERY morally grey MMC.

I am not too experienced in the realm of dark romance books. This was probably only be second or third book that would be considered dark romance, so the content can be a bit jarring at times and a bit heavy, BUT I did really enjoy it. In the end, the morally grey character ends up having some very redeeming qualities and it definitely saves him in the end.

I thought that the beginning of the book seemed really slow and then the end of the book zipped by. The first 3/4 of the book only takes place over one 24 hour period, but it feels like days have gone by and then the last 1/4 happens over like 2 months so the timing of it felt a little bit off. At times I felt like the fact that both Arlen’s POV and Susie’s would overlap and they would tell the exact same event just from their own perspective was a little bit overused.

In general, I thought this was an enjoyable read! Thanks for the eARC!

Vampires in charge, werewolves as pets.
In this world, the lower creatures are nothing but toys for the reigning vampires. And they are used as such.
Susie knows this, and lives with it, even if she doesn't accept it, trying her best to fight for the weaker wolves around her. Even going so far as to offer herself up to the headmaster of her school when he comes to find a toy for the night.
Arken, taking this step for the first time, is in dire need of blood. And can't resist the temptation of the brave little wolf offering herself to him. This is all consensual, surely.
Or not, because she doesn't have a choice.

The whole consensual / not consensual play in this story is interesting. Obviously, it is not consensual when she has no other choice but to say yes. He, however, thinks he is giving her this choice, not realizing that it is his being, his position alone that is taking this choice from her.
Damn, usually things like this are irredeemable, but.
The way Arken deals with it, the way Susie sees him....
The two of them are amazing, and I want more.

This story is hot, romantic, full of longing, of trauma, active, fresh and old. Hurt/comfort is like, THE trope here. Sure, you need to have the stomach for the highly rapey society here, but below... a power dynamic that is just delicious to dismantle, and a society that badly needs an overhaul.

The only thing that bothered me was the way how a change in POV always had half of the last chapter rehashed, that was somewhat annoying, but it got better later on.

I'm deffinitely diving into the rest of this series.

Words failed me in this one. I read a lot of different romances novels in all various ranges of smut and while the initial idea here is interesting, I struggled with the entire concept once I got into the book. This was especially true of the rape aspect of this book. These wolves CANNOT say no and the vampires do NOT care that they can't consent to the blood drinking.

I enjoy a good dark romance, but I don't think this was done well. I can 100% handle dub/non-con sex scenes if they're done right but nearly ALL of these sex scenes are that way and I shouldn't have to scrunch my face up to read a romance novel.

It was fun and messed up I had a good time. The characters were okay but I just had fun and it was a no brain power book.

A young wolf wants to change the dynamic on campus. Teachers and students have inappropriate relationships but it is very entertaining. This story is different than anything I have read before and not predictable.

I was altogether unprepared for this book! It took me completely by surprise. I’m not sure if it had trigger/content warnings in the description, but it needs them if not. This is definitely not for the faint of heart. This is not a fluffy feel good romance, this is a dark, dirty and violent romance. The differing power dynamics throughout the story were very much taboo. It was an emotional rollercoaster throughout and I was there for it! I had a great time!!

This book had me hooked from the beginning to the very ending. It was worth the nonstop reading I love it. The plot twist I wasn’t expecting was giving me life!!!! I love this book and recommended it too multiple people already.

Wow! Went into this book not knowing anything about it and questioning if it was a book that pull some of my triggers out. It was on the fine line of being a little too much for me with the teachers/age gap and rape/taking advantage but I stuck it out because I really wanted to see where the story line was going. A quick read that I didn’t want to put down and looking forward to the sequel because GOSH the cliff hanger at the end got me, I’m already waiting not so patiently for the next one. Personally for me reading style and enjoyment it was a 3.5 star because it was a bit out of my comfort zone but it was a 4.5 start written and ending to hook you. Thanks for the read and looking forward to the next book.

From the very first page I was hooked! The authors writing is so fluent and in a way feels like you’re there, in this world, witnessing these characters interact. The story was absolutely wonderful, and the intimacy scenes were spicy but with feeling for the most part though there are some scenes that the trigger warnings do cover. This is such a wonderful change, that I didn’t know I needed. I obsessed with the main characters, and this school. I am mad at the author for leaving us with a cliffhanger, done perfectly I might add, because I have no closure. I can’t wait to read more of Arken & Susie’s story, but until then I will definitely be going back and catching up on the other books based in the school. Who knew I needed a spicy, age gap, vampire and wolf shifter romance? The author sure did! Thank you for sharing this wonderful world with me!

My biggest piece of advice before going into this book (and any book with adult/dark themes) is to check the content warnings and make sure you know roughly what you're getting into! There are some scenes in this book that ARE dark and difficult to stomach, but the author is very clear about that beforehand, which I appreciate.

There were some really great spicy scenes in this first book of the duology, and there was a very interesting dynamic between the main characters that I'm not used to seeing done so well.

Guilty pleasure to be honest but I also have to admit that in the middle of the book the author went to a path that I wasn't expecting and didn't appreciate her decision because I think that she had a lot that she could work that wasn't harmful.. interesting topics and paranormal which I like very much and in the hierarchic kinda of thing between vampires and werewolves. There's a lot going on and even if I like it the author also could had been more succinct but that's my personal opinion.. The smut was great

Thank you netgally for the arc in exchange for my honest review. ♡

Pub date: 31st march 2024

Susanna is a 19 year old wolf who is unable to shift. She's stuck halfway, her being in human form but with claws, wolf ears, and a tail. This makes her time at Volmasque Academy much harder. Being a wolf means she's naturally dominated by the vampires. They come, and they go as they please to feed on wolves, among other things. Even her lessons revolve around wolves being submissive. Until the head master, Arken, stumbles across her room and has his way with her. Her time at the academy isn't quite the same after.

I really struggled with this. I did enjoy the story. I liked the plot and the point of it all. It was just unecessarily long. A lot of thoughts were reiterated, and one chapter would be her pov. Then the next was his pov, but the first half was what just happened but from his perspective. I was good seeing each other but just became monotonous reading the same thing twice. This seemed to stop about halfway through.

It ended on a cliffhanger, but I don't think I'll be reading the second. I may in time, but I won't be running for the next when it comes out.

This is a dom/sub, forced proximity, age gap, vamp/wolf, school romance. There are heavy scenes, but the main one is highlighted at the start to warn of its content, and it summarised at the end so you don't have to read it.

🖤

"May I correct you, professor, since it will be my demonstration... but I believe she is my Susanna."

"Play your cards right, and I do believe he would raze the Capital and watch it burn for you."

I recently decided to challenge myself to get out of my fiction reading slump and get inspired by all the bookstagram books that I keep getting recommended. So when I saw Plug and Drain was available to review I decided why not. Warning, this book contain very spicy material (and thus this review will as well). A full list of tropes and trigger warning is on the Goodreads page.

Plug and Drain is a very erotic paranormal fantasy book set in a place very different to our own. Vampires are the ruling class while wolf shifters (werwolves that are not reliant on the moon to shift) and treated basically as sex slaves for the vampires. We are set in Volmasque Academy where once these vampires and wolf shifters turn 18, go to learn to be good pets for the wolf shifters and honestly it was not really explained what the vampires went to this academy for. Here in lies a big problem that I found with this book. Things never felt fully explained.

First of all, we just jump right into this book, letting you know exactly what you are getting yourself in for. While I think I understand Fayton’s idea behind the start of this book being so sexual and nasty (it is because this world is very sexual and nasty. Vampires regularly have sex with the wolf shifters whenever, wherever and however they want), it is honestly just came across as forced. I supposed that is kind of the purpose though since all the wolf shifters are forced to be ‘of service’ to the vampires however they want.

I wish I could tell you more about what this book is about since I swear that every chapter has characters having sex or being forced to have sex in it. That literally is the main focus of this book. Whatever world building and character development happens whenever sex is happening. And the sex is very very descriptive. Now if that is the type of book that you want to read then great I image the other books set in this world would be perfect for you. Personally I like the sexy time to be a side course to story, not the only thing that matters, not that I would call half of what was happening remotely sexy.

The writing style was very good and drew me into wanting to keep reading, which is not something that I have felt from a book in a long time. Unfortunately, while a writing style that I enjoy does not make up for the lack of plot and background that I personally enjoy from my books. While this is a prequel to Fayton’s other Duology, Plug and Claim, it is advertised as a standalone story but I do feel like I would have understood this world better if I had read the other books. Several characters and references which I checked out afterwards were about the previous books but were not fitted into here very well for me who has no prior knowledge of this world.

While I enjoyed it while reading, I cannot say after the fact that I did enjoy it and am not interested in how the second book in this Duology will go.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this eArc in exchange for an open and honest review.

This wasn’t really the story for me. Very istalove, which is not my vibe. It wasn’t quite as dramatic as some others, because a lot happens in such a short amount of time, but it still happened fast.

It does get dark. Explicit on page TW so be sure to check authors TW list. I think it was handled well enough, given the circumstances. Does show symptoms of ptsd later in the story which gives it more believability for the character.

There is a lot of smut. A lot. I’m not opposed to smut but it was a lot.

The story was good. I liked the characters. It wasn’t a bad story by any means, just not one for me personally.