As someone who doesn't listen to many audiobooks but is trying to get more into it, I loved This Vicious Dream!

This was my first Stacia Stark book so I had no prior knowledge of the world or characters but I never felt as though I was confused or that important things were left out. In terms of the audiobook, I really liked the narrators and thought that they did a great job bringing Madinia and Calysian to life. I love that it was a dual narration because I felt as though that really helped to immerse me into the POVs of the two main characters.

I loved Madinia as an FMC and thought she was a fantastic example of a strong female lead. Her history was very intriguing and lead to a lot of mystery regarding her as a character. I was rooting for her the entire time and felt like her actions and motivations were reasonable given her circumstances. Calysian was also great and I absolutely loved his push and pull with Madinia and experiencing his conflicting emotions. I loved the romance between them and it absolutely delivers with the brooding, tension, and spice!

The plot of the story was great and, though complex, never felt unnecessary or too complicated. There were twists and turns that kept me hooked the entire time! After listening to This Vicious Dream, I'm definitely interested in reading the Kingdom of Lies series, as well as reading the continuation of this series as it comes out!

This was a fun escape from reality! This book is set in the same world as the kingdom of lies series. I have read the other series, but I do think this series could stand on its own. The writing was solid. The narration was great! Megan Sylvan and Tim Paige dud a great job bringing this one to life. This one was a solid 4 stars. The world building was good. I loved that Medinia got her own story. The development between her and Calysian was great! Good character growth and emotion. A solid story! . I received this book from Drewmscape Media and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I will preface this review by stating that I really liked the Kingdom of Lies series and Medinia as a character. I know she can be kind of a brat and a bit polarizing, but I appreciate her boldness. She is willing to take risks and do dangerous things to help certain people (her friends) and the world as a whole, but she’s also not interested in needlessly endangering herself for glory. Her courage is tempered by calculation and logical choices (most of the time). It’s been a little while since I finished KoL, but from what I recall, Medinia set sail on her own to get the grimoire far away from evil hands. This Vicious Dream opens up with Medinia trapped in a prison and missing some memories. A character from her past shows up to save her, only to find that she has already saved herself. They embark on a journey to find the grimoire, however, it is uncertain whether he can be trusted. I really enjoyed the character growth and Medinia’s determination. She’s rough around the edges, guarded, and definitely very sassy.

Much like Medinia, I spent most of the story trying to decide if I liked or trusted Calysian. I am not 100% sold on their chemistry together but I thought the progression of building trust was well-done. I did listen to this as an audiobook and the narrators did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. The personalities really shone through and both characters came off as prickly yet likeable, whereas this type of dialogue can sometimes come off a bit flat on the page.

Overall, I really enjoyed this audiobook and will definitely be continuing the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Stacia Stark, & Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rating: 4.5 stars, rounded down to 4

Madinia was a favorite of mine in the Kingdom of Lies series and I loved getting her POV and full story in This Vicious Dream! I do wish I'd done a reread of Kingdom of Lies prior to starting this as there were some references to things that I vaguely remembered but not with enough detail to actually place the easter eggs.

Madinia continues to be so strong and entirely unapologetic about it. Can’t wait to continue her story in the next one!

The overall audio quality was good. I wish this was a duet rather than dual as I really struggled with how drastically the voices were when being voiced by the male vs. female narrator.

I love getting Madinia's story!! I wish it had a summary of what happened in Kingdom of Lies and what her part was in it all. Also a some sort of snippet of the other characters that come in to play that were in the other series. I remember them, but vaguely. I understand that its not necessary to read the Kingdom of Lies series first, but I really do think it would have helped jumping back in to this world. The narrators were fantastic! Loved this story and can't wait to see what happens in her next book :)

4 Stars, 2 Spicy

I didn't realize this was a spin-off story following a support character from a longer series so I was a little bit confused at times when it was written like I should know about these past events it mentioned and the pre-existing history between Madinia and the main antagonist. But I wasn't so lost and confused that I couldn't follow the story. I was able to get the gist of what happened in the past and follow the plot of Madinia and Calysian's story. I did enjoy their story so far and I will read book 2 whenever it is out on audiobook. I liked the author and the taste of her world she created enough that I want to go back and read the original series as well. I think this might have been a 5 star read for me if I had more of that history and investment in the characters and the struggles they have been through.

The narrators were great. I enjoyed them and the unique voices they had for the characters. My only negative comment is that the feel of Madinia's character between the two narrators felt like 2 totally different characters. The tone and vocal mannerisms the female narrator used were completely different (and far more fitting to the character) than the way the male narrator voiced her. He made her sound far more meek and insecure than the character is from the female perspective, so I found that took me out of the story a bit. I think they should have collabed a bit more on that character to get a consistent feel between POVs. But otherwise I enjoyed them and found the voices very fitting to all the other characters.

***I received a audio book from the publisher through Netgalley and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!***

I read the Kingdome of Lies series by her and loved it, so I had high hopes for this when it was announced. That being said, when i saw it come up on NG as an audio version, I knew I had to grab it 🙂

The audio part was fantastic, it was dual narration, and I loved both. Both male and female voice and accents were so great to listen to. They really, really transported you into the story.

The book itself was also super fun. you don’t have to have read Kingdom of Lies to read this, but it certainly helps expand the world. Not to mention it’s also really good.

I really enjoyed getting to know Madinia more. She was so feisty, spunky and funny but also knew when to tap out or throw a punch.

The same for Calysian, man that guy was funny. I really enjoyed his POVs and laughed out loud a lot, but also some of hid dialogue made me cringe at bit at times. Just a bit too much for me (personally) at times, but for the most part I loved him.

I loved them and their banter and antics together just as much. the times they tried to outsmart each other was hilarious.

On a sidenote, not gonna lie but the beginning, the tower, the rescue, gave me a little “Tangled” vibes. And I was here for it <3

Overall great book and as mentioned before the audio version is awesome. I can’t wait for book two .

I give it 4★

Set in the same world as Stacia Stark's Kingdom of Lies, This Vicious Dream is the first in the Kingdom of Death duology. We meet Madinia and Calysian and are treated to a great duet narration for the audiobook by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige. Starting off with some Rapunzel vibes as Madinia has been imprisoned in a tower surrounded by thorns as she refused to give up the knowledge of a grimoire sought by those who would take its power. Madinia is rescued by Calysian and together they form a temporary alliance as they both work to restore their memories.

I enjoy Stacia Stark's writing quite a bit and who doesn't love a morally grey MMC with a saucy FMC? On the other hand, I had trouble with world building and didn't get a great sense of place. There were references to the characters being different sport of beings, but I wasn't completely sure how that influenced interactions and the general world. I also didn't get a great sense of why everyone lost memories and what would have happened within the world to start that.

I did enjoy the narration quite a bit, but my one gripe is that when Madinia had flashbacks, it was really hard to tell as a listener since there wasn't much indication so all of a sudden you'd be in a different timeline than you started in.

Overall, if you want a fun read you can escape in, this would definitely be for you - it didn't quite work for me, but I for sure see the appeal! Thanks so much to Dreamscape Media and to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

I love where the story picked up from A Kingdom of Lies Series where we follow Madinia now. Last we saw of her she took to the sea with Daharak and her crew.

And I really love that the continuation from A Queen This Fierce and Deadly with a side character from the series. It was great to pick up and immediately be back in that same world (even so much later and on a different continent). The feelings of being able to dive back into a world you loved dearly are like no other. I’m a happy camper:)

This Vicious Dream was a great intro into Madinia‘s life and what’s been happening with her over the last few years. We catch up to her and get to really find out what Madinia is all about. Although we know she was the total firey;) badass with a hardened ‚take no shit‘ personality in Kingdom of lies, Im glad to see that that doesn’t change. Strong FMCs that really can hold their own are the best!! And Madinia is 100% that girl! But getting that glimpse previously of her soft spots given all the horrible things she’s endured… I wasn’t sure she’d still have that side of her left, I’m glad to see she still keeps in touch with the soft side when it really comes down to it. Although she does still have that vulnerability we do see it waver in this book, her walls are built so high up. Understandably so. It was great getting to see Madinias more boldened personality tackle this journey.

Madinia along the way runs into Calysian who we met previously as well. And well he’s every bit of the mysterious no jokes kind of guy he was then. I was loving the back and forth between Madinia and Calysian in the book it had an annoyed to be around each other to a will they won’t they vibe going on. Those reluctant relationships where two people are in a forced proximity are great. I love those tropes so this was right up my alley.

Omg I also loved to hear about some characters we have grown to love from Kingdom of Lies! But also know that the book is written to make it feel as though you are not losing anything from the story if you haven’t read the previous series. Which I also appreciated for those that want to read this without having to read a whole series first. (I do think it ruins quite a bit if you haven’t read Kingdom of lies and want to go back and read later though.. that’s up to you though). However, if you are like me and have read the other series… it is awesome because I love long series with interconnected series branching off and I’m stoked to see where this one ends up!!! :):)

I would like to thank Stacia Stark for allowing me to read this book early!!! The audiobook was great:)

Stacia never dissapoints! This has been one of my favorite reads of the year!! I loved Madinia throughout the Kingdom of Lies series and it was so great to see more of her story.

Can you imagine being trapped in your own body - conscious - for three years?!
🌶️🌶️
Madinia bides her time while being held prisoner by Kyldare, gathering dark power from a grimoire she has sworn to protect. After three years waiting for the day she’ll have enough power to kill Kyldare, then enters Calysian.
The pair form a reluctant alliance to serve their own ends, and hopefully the realm won’t suffer for it 😅
I listened to the audio for this book and I thought both narrators did a great job! The female narrator was on point, but to be honest I would have liked a deeper/growlier narration for Calysian given his ✨background✨ but it didn’t take too much away from his chapters.
The author recommends reading the Kingdom of Lies series before this one, and as someone who did NOT read KoL first I can confirm that is the smart move 😂 I don’t think it made this story any less great, but it definitely would have been more impactful if I had that background.
Overall I’d still recommend this to anyone that loves:

🗡️ Enemies to Lovers 👏🏻
🗡️ Fated mates
🗡️ Forced proximity
🗡️ Slow burn

Wow, this was such a fun book. I listened to the audio, the narrators did an amazing job, they really captured the characters.

I was hooked from the beginning. I loved how the relationship progressed between the main characters, and the twists and turned they took.

I really can not wait for the next book now and I am excited to see where the story takes Madinia next.

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted eARC!

This book was a lovely read, I particularly enjoyed the descriptive language used in it, and how well everything was always explained from everything to clothes to the smells that could be smelt. It felt I credibly immersive which I absolutely adored.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishing company for allowing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What an amazing edition to this world created by Stacia stark! Madinia and Calysian are in for a wild ride in book 2. I am excited to see how our queen and king come to help! Stacis stark is an auto read for me ✨

Oh boyyyyy. Just when I thought the Kingdom of Lies series couldn’t be topped, Stacia Stark comes swinging with This Vicious Dream—and absolutely nails it.

Set in the same world as Kingdom of Lies, this story follows Madinia on a tense journey across the land, hunting a dark grimoire while being relentlessly pursued by a shadowy stranger.

The Narration: I listened while reading the ebook, and was completely entranced. Told in dual POV, the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing Madinia and Calysian to life. Their tone, pacing, and emotional delivery were spot on—and their chemistry? Chef’s kiss. I felt everything—the tension, the stakes, and yes, there were even giggles and feet-kicking moments.

The Story: Stacia masterfully expands the world she built in Kingdom of Lies. I went in thinking I understood the dynamics between fae, hybrids, humans, and powers—but nope. There are gods in this world, and they are not playing nice.

While This Vicious Dream can absolutely be read without Kingdom of Lies, having that background made it all the richer. Familiar faces and established lore made the twists hit even harder.

Speaking of twists—Stacia had me guessing wrong the entire time. The reveals? Jaw-dropping. The tea? Scalding. I need more, immediately.

The Characters: Madinia Farrow is layered perfection. Initially cold, unfeeling, and fiercely independent, she slowly reveals a deeply emotional core. Watching her history unfold—and seeing Calysian peel back those layers—was both heartbreaking and beautiful.

Final Thoughts: This book was so freaking good. I already want to reread it, and I honestly don’t know what to do with myself now that it’s over.

Thank you Stacia and Dreamscape Media for my ARC and ALC of this book. This is my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️/🌶️🫑
This book is set in the same world as Kingdom of Lies (A Court This Cruel and Lovely), but in a far off kingdom 3 years later.

Medinia manages to get access to the dark power of the grimoire and escape the tower at the same time someone from her past shows up.

Together they search for the grimoire she hid. But he needs it for another purpose. As they get closer to the hiding place, they are being tracked by the queen’s troops and an evil witch, all while he begins to loose his humanity to the dark power of the Grimoire

There are actually 3 grimiores, he must find all 3, and Medinia must get to them first to prevent another war; a war between the gods.
🔥
I enjoyed it a lot. There is a major twist at the end that was very unexpected.
🔥
I think it is helpful to read Kingdom of Lies series first. A few characters show up in this series and it obviously has spoilers to how the other series ends. A lot won’t make sense if you haven’t read KoLies.
🔥
This is the same narrators for the audiobook as the Kingdom of Lies series.

Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the ARC and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

This is book one in a spinoff series of Kingdom of Lies, which explains a lot because I thought it was a brand new series and I thought the worldbuilding was a little light. It didn’t bother me that much, I have a high tolerance for being lightly confused, and would vastly prefer to learn the world as the book goes along than to have a lot of infodumpy exposition.

This Vicious Dream starts strong and the plot never lets up, there is constant action and twists and turns, which makes it really bingeable. We got a lot of time with the lovers having will they / won’t they moments, sharing beds and body heat, but with solid tension about why they shouldn’t be together. I love romantasy books that read like romances!

The audiobook was good, but the tone was very serious which sometimes is hard for me to stay focused on. I like my narration to be a little faster with more dynamic tone changes. However, this narration style matches the tone of the book, so many readers may enjoy it.

I’m hoping to go back and read Kingdom of Lies now, and I think I might enjoy this one even more once I know all of the context!

This Vicious Dream
By Stacia Stark

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another incredible book from the amazing Stacia Stark. I was sucked in from chapter 1 and was hooked until the very end. With flawless world building, superb character depth and a plot that flows effortlessly, this book is a journey you want to be on. Madinia is entrusted with guarding an ancient grimoire, when she awakens with virtually no memories on a strange continent Madinia has only one choice; trust the handsome dark stranger. We’re flung into a wild hunt around a strange new continent in search of these dark powerful grimoires with burning tension and chemistry between Madinia and Calysian, all we can do it watch the story unfold. I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Wow. Truly wow 🤯 Stacia has done it again with Madinia’s story. I absolutely LOVED A Court This Cruel and Lovely… BUT THIS BOOK!!! Aghhhhh! I want book #2 like… NOW!

I love that you already know Madinia from A Kingdom of Lies series. So you already have a great backstory of her. I mean.. who doesn’t wanna grow up and be a bad bitch like Madinia?! She knows how to manipulate, looks down her nose that would make the biggest men second guess their actions, and if that doesn’t work?? She’ll burn you with her fire magic. 🔥🔥

I also like thats we briefly meet Calysian in the Kingdom of Lies series. He’s much more mysterious and I enjoyed getting to hear his story.

I will say, I did listen to the Kingdom of Lies series through audiobook and LOVED them. This was no different!! They kept the same narrators and I am sooooo happy they did. I love Meg’s voice as Madinia. The audiobook was perfection 🤌🏼

Audiobook review, narrated by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige.
I loved this audiobook. Meg Sylvan had the silkiest voice in the world, so I can't wait to listen to more of her work!
Here's me not realising the FMC Madinia was a character in the Kingdom of Lies series, which I have still to read!
But I don't think I lost anything, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the romance, and I can't wait to see how this series continues. Stacia Stark is becoming a must read author.