The Never King (Vicious Lost Boys Book 1)

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Well, a different breed of men get brought here,’ Krund muttered. ‘A thief would get his hand severed at the wrist. A common murderer beheaded. Us? We were of value to someone on the outside and so we were spared immediate death.’ She peered out between the old stone spires towards the tip of the void that marked the limits of the island. Two hundred feet the other side of the drop was firm land, which could be accessed by one of three stone bridges – or levitation if one knew the right methods. She didn’t. The sisters did not teach those skills until near the end of a young witch’s education.

Hell’s Keep. An apt moniker. More so than its official designation, Citadel Thirty-Six. The grey, high, fortress-like walls were built into the third highest peak of the Silkspire Mountains, two thousand feet up from one of the long-abandoned merchant routes out of the eastern kingdoms. Well away from the home comforts of Stravimon. This was a place to send only the most hardened and dangerous criminals. Those too deadly to imprison in any normal gaol – but too important or useful to have killed. No one had ever escaped. I was a lawyer working on behalf of a Stravir duke. Suffice to say I became engrossed in things I ought not to have become engrossed in. But life can be cruel – no point in being angry about it, is there? I have accepted my lot in life. And I’m still alive, aren’t I? But I’m tired, stranger. I could do with a rest and some time alone with your gifts.’ Something wailed like a banshee’s scream and a torchbearer’s light in the distance was extinguished.Why can you not do what is a simple task for a sister of your advanced learning?’ Yvindris’s words were neither soft nor harsh, just the same emotionless monotone that most of the old matrons used with her. Only Birgitta was any different. I won’t spoil what happens in the series (for the most part), but there are some more changes to the original tale. Landril shook his head. ‘You don’t understand. He is committing genocide – thousands of our own people have been killed. Good Stravir are no more.’ A blue mist settled, glowing ethereally in the gibbous moon. The people looked like ghosts within the gloom. Men and women from young to old, each one covered in mud and woad and furs – he could barely recognize any of them. There were five men in their shared cell, but it was still spacious. Xavir had come to an agreement with one of the guards in exchange for this particular place.

From her sleeve Yvindris produced a pale-blue witchstone and handed it to Elysia, before gesturing with a crooked finger towards the fountain. ‘With this water elemental, I want you to stop the flow today. Do not do anything with it. Merely stop it. See if you remembered the lines of text from yesterday.’ Don’t get me wrong, if you want spice this book is way more focused on that than the plot. There’s no true development of the relationships. It goes from “we’re not sleeping with you” to “you sleep with no one else” in a heartbeat. But in a “you’re our whore and we’ll do whatever we want with you” kind of way. This is where my main problem comes from for the book. I don’t like degrading language during sex scenes. Some people like it, but I don’t. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the series outside of that. I couldn’t set these books down as I read them. The plot of each is a little all over the place, but each book focuses on a specific aspect. Here’s the overview of each book without giving too many spoilers: You’re wrong.’ Landril’s words were fierce, but his tone was fearful. ‘You were in the Solar Cohort. And now you dwell with animals.’ Even the mighty oak believes she is strong until a man comes along with an ax to chop her down.” “Is that you then? Do you have an ax?” “All men are born with an ax in their hands, Darling. To take the measure of a man, you just have to pay attention to how he wields it.” As power shifts on the island and shadows are claimed, all five of us have to let go of who we were, if we have any chance of becoming who we are destined to be. Book DetailsElysia’s heart sank; she had hoped Birgitta might instruct her today. She at least enjoyed the lessons with her. Trope(s)/Element(s): Dark Retelling of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys; Reverse Harem; Enemies to Lovers; Touch Her and I’ll ‘Unalive’ You; Morally Grey Male Characters I’m stronger than you think,” I tell him. “Even the mighty oak believes she is strong until a man comes along with an ax to chop her down.” “Is that you then? Do you have an ax?” “All men are born with an ax in their hands, Darling. To take the measure of a man, you just have to pay attention to how he wields it.”

I thought Peter Pan was a myth and Neverland a fairytale. A story spun by my mother who had lost her mind a long time ago. But things are not all full of magic and sunlight on the island. There’s something darker and more sinister haunting the forest. Of course, Peter Pan, Vane, Kas and Bash, they’re all familiar with war. But war isn’t easy when love is on the line. I am Stravir!’ he sobbed, looking around him in anguish at the innocent villagers who had met such a grisly end. ‘We are all Stravir . . .’ Each male character you either love or hate. The twins I liked. Their curiosity got them in trouble, though. One Lost Boy in this book went a little too far. (No spoiling here) Peter Pan and Vane are ones that you hate at first, especially Vane, until you get to know them more, and I want to know these two more. I love some morally grey male characters, and Nikki St. Crowe wrote these characters well. Maybe too well. I can’t afford to add any more book boyfriends to my list. My husband is getting jealous.

The water in the pool began to bubble, not become still, and steam started rising from the surface. The stone fish started shaking erratically.

A gentle nod. Landril lifted his sleeve to show the exposed ‘X’ upon his upper arm. The permanent mark of a prisoner. As their feet whispered along the ancient stone, there came the chatter of women’s voices from hidden alcoves, utterances of prayer or readings of arcane texts. Lore was being passed on from generation to generation of sisters. The book learning was what she liked the least – Elysia preferred to be out in the forests with Birgitta. That, inevitably, meant many of the other sisters accused her of being stupid. The Vicious Lost Boys by Nikki St. Crowe is a dark reimaging of Peter Pan and Wendy. This series has four books in total in the main series, though there is going to be a spin-off book in the future. This review is going to focus solely on the main series. These books are fairly short reads, so you can easily read each of them in one sitting. They do have an enemy-to-lover and reverse harem vibe to them, as well as darker undertones. If those aren’t your vibe, then this series isn’t for you. The Never King The most brutal of the cleansing started last summer, when there were harvest festivals and offerings for the Goddess, but the seeds had been planted long before.’She wants Neverland and she’ll stop at nothing to have it. Including destroying anyone who stands in her way, even her own flesh and blood. Book Details She clutched the stone in her right hand, surprised by its weight and density, and calmed her heartbeat.