I love this book! I loved getting Madinia's story, I love her sass and she is one strong FMC!
The multiple POVs was so good. I was drawn to the characters and was invested in this book from start to finish!
I loved the tropes,
🩷rivals to lovers
🩷forced proximity
🩷one bed
🩷'who did this to you'?
🩷magic
🩷battles
And more!

The audiobook is brilliant. The voice is perfect and it was so easy to be lost in the story! I loved it so much!

This book is a spinoff from The Kingdom of Lies series (which was a solid 5-star read for me), but you don’t need to have read it to dive into this one.

The story follows Madinia, our fierce and no-nonsense FMC, who has sworn to protect a powerful grimoire from the ruthless fae who would do anything to claim its power. She alone knows where it’s hidden—and that makes her a target.

Enter Calysian, our swoon-worthy MMC, who’s chasing something he can’t quite remember. But deep down, he knows that helping Madinia might be the key to finding it.

Neither of them trusts easily. There’s tension, sparks, and an undeniable pull between them as secrets unravel and betrayals cut deep. This book will keep you on edge, guessing until the very last page—and craving more.

Stacia Stark fans prepare yourselves, she has done it again. It’s time to make room in your heart for a new romance, one with so much yearning you will be crumbling one chapter in for our fiery FMC and down bad dark daddy MMC! Medenia IS BACK and sassier than ever, and even more powerful too. If you thought she came into her power in Kingdom of Lies, Stacia Stark said HOLD MY BEER!

The plot was clearly painstakingly paced to perfection. As with all Stacia books, you are given the right amount of time to fully understand the world, the stakes and become wholeheartedly invested without feeling like you were bogged down with details of the world and complex magic systems. She walks the fine line of building an intricate world and letting you truly feel like it’s alive, without ever feeling like you’ve been dropped into an overly complicated world bogged down by detail. I think her ability to properly pace out information is so key here! It’s also perfectly crafted in a way both new to the world readers can understand it, and lovers of KOL won’t feel like we are being re-fed a bunch of information we already know. I really loved the choice Stacia made here for a plot device to deliver this information, so smart! This results in a beautifully crafted adventure that will undoubtedly have both new and old fans absolutely engrossed! As a die hard fan, I certainly was!

Madinia’s story was everything I had hoped for, this tough as nails FMC has always had my heart, and I ended my last Stacia review with all the hope that our girl Madinia would be next. So, I went into this with so much hope and anticipation, and I was floored, truly floored. Her journey made me feel seen in ways I never could have expected, and I absolutely LOVED peeling back all of her layers. The complexity we see here, and growth is both beautiful and haunting. The range we see with Madinia is what made it truly special for me! She’s always been so much more that the exterior she wears like armor. Spending more time in her thoughts has been such an incredible joy, and I cannot wait to see where this all heads next.

Our MMC Calysian, oh how I longed to get into his head and oh boy did Stacia serve! One of my favorite things about Stacia’s writing is she knows how to write yearning, longing, and a down bad man who is conflicted by his own darkness. It’s absolutely delicious and will leave you feral for this brooding man who is truly able to match the ferocity of Madinia. I absolutely dare you to not fall for this man in chapter one, because it’s impossible!

This was my most anticipated read of the year and I will call it, this will be my favorite book of the year. It’s complex, honest, and filled with the kind of raw emotional journey that is exactly the reason why I read this genre. The tension we are given is exactly what makes me clear my schedule and forgo sleep every time I pick up a Stacia Stark book. I am floored by her ability to still shock me, and leave me begging for more! This was a complete triumph and some of Stacia’s best work, and all I want is to read it all over again!

Now on to the audio, what can I say, my dream duo for this came to freakin SERVE! And serve they did! We’re back with Tim Paige and Meg Sylvan which was so lovely as someone who hoped we’d get the matching voice we’re used to for Madinia from KOL audio. Meg’s voice for her is truly unmatched and she’s spent several books voicing her so she has her down perfectly. I absolutely devoured this audio with zero notes. It’s like stepping through a portal into your favorite world and saying, I AM BACK! What a smart choice this was! Tim Paige also brought us another stellar performance as Calysian and I loved all of the humor he brings to side characters. The range of these two seasoned narrators make this audio the peak of why audiobooks are just such an unmatched medium!

Thank you to Stacia Stark for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book is EVERYTHING we want and more! An enchanting and enthralling masterpiece of seduction, darkness and of course power! The pacing, writing and story are all top tier romantasy! The dynamic between the MCs is tension filled and juicy! ALL THE STARS!

The audiobook is perfection! The narration was dynamic and made me feel sucked into the story! Thank you for this ALC!

This Vicious Dream by Stacia Stark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶

What I loved:
🥀 Madinia & Calysian
🥀 feminine rage
🥀 end twist

Audio review: The narrators are the same as the Kingdom of Lies series. I both love and hate this. I dislike that Calysian's voice is the same as Lorian's. However, I love Meg Sylvan's voice for Madinia. She did a great Madinia in KoL, and she was just as great here. Overall, both of these narrators are phenomenal, so audiobook listeners are in for a treat!

This was everything I wanted it to be and more. I loved Madinia in Kingdom of Lies, and I loved her even more here. The feminine rage was on point. Madinia and Calysian were incredible leads. The pacing was perfection and addicting. I couldn't put this down if I wanted to. And I very much didn't want to.

Madinia was a striking character. I loved her POV. She was unapologetically ruthless, and I lived for it. Like when she made that plan to escape Calysian?! It was so devious and had me cackling! She made poor Calysian work the entire novel, and it was highly entertaining. Their banter was phenomenal. These two complemented each other perfectly and had such great chemistry. I couldn't get enough of them together. I had high expectations for them because of the prior series, and their relationship lived up to every single expectation.

This novel was set in a whole new land than the KoL series, and the ways in which Stark built this world and grew the magic system was captivating. I loved seeing new creatures and towns. The history of the new land added so much depth to the story. The new villains were perfect, and the identity reveal at the end! Stark wove so many good threads into this story, and I am dying to see how they play out in the next book.

I am actually blown away by that ending and the twists. I'm truly shocked. I did not see the twist with Madinia's history coming, and I loved every bit of it. Stark wove all these new elements together seamlessly. Every bit of the end hit so hard. Every time I think about it, a new aspect jumps out at me and blows my mind. So many of the twists were subtly hinted at throughout the novel, and I still didn't see them coming. The writing was brilliant. That cliffhanger was brutal!

The only thing I disliked was how much Madinia and Calysian pushed each other away. They frequently had my heart hurting for them. It left me frustrated. I truly feel that if they had just 2 scenes that ended without them pushing the other away, I would be happy. Or even some apologies! They both said awful things to each other, and in the whole book, only one apology was ever given. As is, I think the next book has a lot of ground to cover with the development of their relationship.

If you loved the Kingdom of Lies series, this is a must-read. Madinia and Calysian are compelling characters, and they stole my heart. The world and history were so well-written. Plus, the cameos! The end set up the next book impeccably. I need the next book asap! I cannot wait to see how everything plays out!

YES! That is the whole review… YESYESYES

Is this a fantastic fantasy book? YES!
Is this a heart clenching emotional book? YES
Is this a spicy book? YES
Is this a book with a one of a kind spectacular romance? YES!!!!!!

I adore this book so much and I absolutely cannot wait until book 2!! The depth of the characters is amazing. The author really brought these characters and their flaws and strengths to life through her words. This is a 10/10 must read!!!

I listened to the audiobook and I can’t recommend it enough. If you are wanting to choose your next great romantasy listen then This Vicious Dream is for you!!!

The narrators were casted perfectly and their performances deserve a round of applause 👏👏👏👏

First, thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC.

I am giving this book three stars (even though I haven’t finished it). I will definitely be reading this e-book, but I have to DNF the audiobook. It comes down to the male narrator. This novel has dual narration. Meg Sylvan performance brings life to Madinia’s character (even though some words are emphasized with sultry tone that doesn’t feel quite appropriate), but Tim Paige’s performance feels more appropriate for a Louis L’Amour book or a David Baldacci. It’s very western in its style. It was reminiscent of listening to Hondo or Chick Bowdrie, not fitting for Calysian. His voice breaks the narrative flow.

I’m 30% in and really enjoying Stark’s writing. I think the inclusion of the maiden in the tower was a fun nod to fairy tales. The premise is intriguing and I can’t wait to see how it ends.

3.5⭐️ Revenge and betrayal take center stage in This Vicious Dream. It’s one backstab and angry argument after another. The plot in the grander scale of the series is appealing but this story became predictable and repetitive. Action packed in places and slow and grueling in others.

I absolutely DEVOURED Stacia Stark's This Vicious Dream! It was so easy to get back into this world - and I loved that Madinia got her own story. She was so intriguing and I LOVED Calysian in the Kingdom of Lies series. Madinia has sworn to protect a grimoire with her life - and Calysian will stop at nothing to get it.

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
One bed.... and one horse (obviously!)
Slow burn
Touch her and die
Animal sidekicks

Stark's worldbuilding is excellent - It was like coming home and I was so, so happy. Warning - it does on a cliffhanger and I need that second book immediately, please!!

Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige did a phenomenal job with the narration - the pitch, speed, ability to play multiple characters was all so perfect.
I am so grateful to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the Advanced Lister Copy - this was so good.

As soon as I saw a new audio arc from Stacia Stark, I immediately requested it without reading the synopsis because I love her books I was excited to learn it was a spinoff series featuring Madinia and Calysian! I really love their chemistry and can't wait to continue this story! The Narrators were great and easy to listen to!

I really enjoyed This Vicious Dream. The audiobook production was great—well-paced and immersive. I normally listen at 1.0x speed, but I found myself bumping it up to 1.2x.

let me preface this with saying I have not read any of Stacia Stark's other books, but now look forward to reading them all.

A personal (and slightly eerie) surprise was hearing my name in the story—even if it’s spelled differently. RIP Shana.

The plot kept me engaged, and I’m definitely invested enough to continue with Book 2. That said, the male main character had some definite Gaston energy (overly cocky I will save you vibes)—he was a bit hard to like at times. Still, I’m intrigued to see how his arc develops, especially with the unfolding storyline involving the Gods.
Overall, I’d rate it 4 stars. It is a solid start to the series with a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.

Oopsy poopsies

Totally didn't realize that was a spin off of another series, so I was pretty confused and missing so much context and backstory. Overall I enjoyed This Vicious Dream despite that, but definitely would have liked this better had I read her previous work.

Let me start by saying - I didn't know this book was a spin-off of Kingdom of Lies, so understandably I was SO confused at first. I had no idea what was happening or how the world worked, but we eventually got somewhere, and I enjoyed it! I'm going to have to go back and read the main series!

Madinia and Calysian are so HOT! I love a strong FMC and MMC who will burn the world for her. The found family and the plot twist toward the end were so good.

This audiobook was so good - Tim Paige and Meg Sylvan totally killed it. Excited for more!

🎧 / 4⭐️

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this early in exchange for my honest opinions! #ThisViciousDream #NetGalley

This Vicious Dream by Stacia Stark is an absolute must read! This book not only deserves all the glory but more.
This fantasy is easy to read, not a very complicated word building, is kept to a simple but engaging world. With a complexity that comes more from the dynamic of the past.
We have a very feisty and fierce FMC, Madinia that easily won my heart as a strong and independent FMC, she is complex and layered that hides under a very brass personality. She easily became one of my favorite FMC of this year.
The MMC, Cas is as interesting, protective, possessive, devoted and stubborn. At the beginning CAs is fueled by the desire of remembering his past and the vengeance for his weakness. But the more we get to know him the more we realize that he is a very complex character, battling emotions and trauma and have obv an extremely sweet side of him.
The dynamic and slow burn between this two is absolutely delicious! Together they create the most beautiful fireworks show and atmosphere!
There is a cliffhanger! Oh man, Stacia, why??? Why are you trying to kill me? I just simply can't wait for the next book.
Audiobook: narrated by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige, in dual narration style, both dousing an excellent job. As usual I wish it was a duet, but I do understand sometimes is more difficult for that to happen.
I love this book so much and I can't thank you enough for this ALC Stacia, your team and NetGalley for this wonderful adventure into a world that I can't wait to dive back in with the second book and as well with the previous series! Thank you very much!

This Vicious Dream is a spin off following Madinia from The Kingdom of Lies series. I do recommend that series be read first so that you don't accidentally spoil yourself. We also see characters from that series and it would be helpful to have that foundation.

I was so excited to read Madinia's story. She was one of my favorites in KOL and it did not disappoint.

It picks up right where A Queen this Fierce and Deadly picks up. I love the journey/quest to different areas to find the grimoires. I loved how everything unfolded. I honestly had no idea what to expect and that ending just completely surprised me and I cannot wait for book 2!


Reluctant allies
Forced proximity
One bed
She saves herself
Feminine rage
Who did this to you


Thank you @nerdfam for the eARC and Netgalley for the ALC. The audiobook is narrated by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige. The same narrators for A Kingdom of Lies.

Have you read the Kingdom of Lies series yet? It's one of my favorite series. "The Vicious Dream" is a spinoff of the series following Madinia and Calysian. I was lucky enough to receive an ALC of this and it was absolutely amazing. It can be read as a standalone, but it really is a lot better to read after the you finish the series.

Madinia and Calysian are forced to work together to find the grimoire. The banter and spice between these two characters is perfection. The story was interesting and easy to follow. I honestly cannot say anything bad about the series, I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ALC. This is my honest opinion.

I read this as a standalone and I don't recommend it. I feel like there was too much context missing between the characters to invest and enjoy the story. Overall it was fine but I'd read her other works before picking this series up.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (I wish I could rate it more)
🌶️.5

Holy. Forking. Shirt....
This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and Stacia really nailed it!
From showing us more depth about Madinia; who she is and where she came from, to Calysian and all his interesting quirks and backstory, and the way she was able to knit the two stories of this world together. For fans of KOL we get some updates from some of our favourite characters as well!
I absolutely didn't expect the storyline that Stacia brought us on... But I LOVED that! I am here for the road she decided to take these two down! To say I screamed several times reading this book... is an understatement hahahaha (I am sure if anyone had the cameras rolling for my work they may have gone deaf)
If ever you have read a Stacia book and thought " Hmm, I wonder what an amazing author levelling up would look like.." This, this is what it looks like!
I consumed this book half/half! I did the first half as an eARC and the second half as an ALC!
Tim Paige and Meg Sylvan do the narration and.... DAMN... These two together are my new favourite pair. The range Meg has for every character that I just sink into each view and know exactly who is talking because she adds such depth to their character! && Tim, well sir there are a couple phrases I wouldn't mind having you say to me, mmmmmmm ;)
Waiting for book two is gonna SUCK!

Perfect for those who enjoy;
🥀 Fantasy/Romance
🥀 Rivals to lovers to ...
🥀 Fae/Hybrid/Humans/Gods
🥀 Ancient Feud
🥀 Hidden Identities
🥀 Touch her & ☠️

Thank you SO MUCH netgalley for this ALC! I started it immediately after getting that approval and I LOVED it!! If you read A Court This Cruel and Lovely you'll absolutely love Madinia's story. I'm a sucker for a Death God and Calysian was everything a girl could dream of 😍 I can't wait to see book 2 after that ending 👀 the downside of reading books early is that i have to wait even longer for the next book 😭 if Stacia wants to send book 2 along to me I won't say a word 🫣 I'll absolutely be purchasing this for the event in September to have Stacia sign 😍😍 so grateful to authors and this community for trusting me with their babies ❤️

A little over three years after the events of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly, Madinia and Calysian meet again. Calysian is looking for the grimmoir Madinia fled with and hid, and she now needs to get it back before the Queen of an enemy nation gets her hands on it and wreaks havoc on the lands. Calysian convinces Madinia to work with him to retrieve the grimmoire, but they are both planning to double-cross each other and get to the grimmoire first… That is, if they survive long enough to get to the grimmoire because the Queen’s soldiers and her top witch are hunting them, and their time is running out.

This is a quick and engaging read, and we are thrown into the action from the very first chapter. The world-building is kept simple in this book because it builds upon what we knew from the previous series, hence why I recommend reading the Kingdom of Lies series first. There are mentions of the history of the land, the war fought, and the magic system, but it is not that elaborated since we know all of it from the previous series. Having read the Kingdom of Lies, I appreciated that the author did not spend pages repeating what had already been explained in the previous books, but it can make it a little confusing for someone who hasn’t read the previous series.

Madinia was one of my favorite characters in Kingdom of Lies. I liked how complex and layered she was, and how she hid everything she felt under her sneer and prickly personality. I was also curious about Calysian and what could develop between them. From the moment they first met in the Kingdom of Lies series, it was clear that there was potential for more between them, and it was also obvious that their path would cross again when Madinia left at the end of the final book of the series.

Knowing Madinia’s past allowed me to appreciate her growth in this book even more. She has always been a strong and driven character. Feisty and fierce, with unrelenting loyalty, but she is now scarred by what happened to her in the past 3 years, and she is realizing that being alone is not everything she thought it would be. She is thirsty for her revenge, but she also yearns for friendship and meaningful relationships after those 3 years spent isolated and deprived of human interactions. I like that while she is changed because of the traumatic events that happened to her, she still has her inner fire, and she is still a fearsome character, but she also shows more vulnerability in this book, which will, hopefully, allow her to finally let in the people who care about her.

It was funny to see how Cal tried to bully Madinia into doing what he wanted. The poor guy had no chance, he was so out of his depth with her, and I adore how she would put him back in his place whenever he tried to order him around. Finally learning more about Calysian’s past and his identity was satisfying, because I had so many questions about him while reading the previous series!

The relationship between Madinia and Calysian is a slow-burn, but I would not call it a romance yet. They are both physically attracted to the other, and Calysian is attracted by Madinia’s fierce personality too, but while he makes no secret that he wants her, she tries her best to resist him… Until she doesn't anymore. I liked that she was wary of him and didn’t give in to him simply because he was gorgeous and she knew him from before, but the whole “this is just for one night and can’t ever happen again” happening again and again made me roll my eyes. While I enjoy some spice in the books I read, in this case, I find that the spice almost overshadowed the plot near the end. Not because there was an over-abundance of spice, but because it seemed that the last few interactions Madinia and Calysian had always revolved around, or ended up with sex... But that part is probably me being picky and not being in the mood for intense smut at the moment...

The narrators did a great job with this book. I received an e-copy from the author and an audiobook arc from NetGalley, so I jumped between both formats, but both narrators (Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige) were compelling and kept me hooked into the story.

The book ends on a twist that I didn’t see coming, and a mild cliffhanger that makes me eager to get my hands on the second book as soon as possible! If you enjoyed The Kingdom of Lies series and you were a fan of Madinia, you will love this first instalment in the Kingdom of Death series for sure!