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!

Madinia is a woman of thorns. She purposely holds herself apart from others, allowing her rage to fuel her. She's spent the last three years a prisoner in her own body because she refused to give up the location of a dangerous grimoire. Then Calysian arrives, but not to rescue to her but to find the grimoire for himself and restore his memories. Can their fragile alliance survive?

Read if you like:
-Gods, Fae, and Magic
-Feminine Rage
-Reluctant Allies
-Only One Horse/Only One Bed
-Lost Memories

I'm so excited to see Madinia get her own duet! She was one of my favorite characters from the Kingdom of Lies series (along with Asinia and Prisca), and This Vicious Dream is the storyline she deserves. I love all her, thorns and all! And her chemistry with Calysian sizzles. He sees her sharp edges and isn't afraid. He slowly earned her trust and broke down her walls. The ending left me feral for the second book of the duet. I hope these two get their happily ever after.

I really enjoyed This Vicious Dream. Technically, this is the first book of The Kingdom of Death series but it is a spinoff to Stacia Stark’s other series The Kingdom of Lies. I highly recommend reading that series first as I wish I would have. I appreciated that she didn’t spend too much time re-explaining their world and what happened in the previous books; however, I think I would’ve been a little less confused about what exactly was going on.

All that being said… this book is a quick and fun read that started and ended with a bang! There was action throughout and the pace was perfect!! Even though I was immersed in a whole new world with new characters (to me) - I was able to follow along and develop a connection. I loved the banter and spice. I think the storyline was intriguing. I was not expecting the ending and it definitely left me ready to continue to read the rest of the series. I am actually going to read The Kingdom of Lies series to fully appreciate everything this book has to offer and then re-read. I loved Stacia’s writing style. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a wonderful job. 🌹

I would like to thank Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for giving me an ARC (which did not sway my opinions or review).

This Vicious Dream

I haven’t read a book before where both characters start out equally violent . It’s a good combo in a romantasy.

For those who haven’t read Kingdom of Lies (and you should), this is based on Madinia who is taken captive for 3 years and trapped in her body, with only her mind occasionally aware. Her adventures are as epic as can be as she races towards saving their world. When she meets Calysian (a blast from her past) he definitely complicates matters.

This book can be read as a standalone but the references are so much better, and you know more about the MFC if you read Kingdom of Lies first.

I appreciated how the pacing changed throughout the book and the back and forth (will they won’t they) of the main characters.

Thank you Stacia Stark for the ARC, we always need more inns with one bed, sharing a horse, and strong powerful female characters! Love and cannot wait for book 2!

I think this is a spin-off of another series so my TBR stack is going to get bigger. Great story and I love the world building. Good tension between the main characters. You get an enemies to lovers trope. Cliffhanger ending so just now patiently waiting for the next one. Narrators were solid.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a really long time since I have read a book where I still had no idea what was going to happen when I got to the end. I like to think I'm pretty good at figuring out the plot, but this vicious dream by @staciastarkauthor had me second guessing everything until the very end. The plot twists are twisting!!
I had the pleasure of listening to the ALC early and I am so honored that I got to read this story because it was fantastic.
This is a prequel series to the Kingdom of Lies, so if you haven't, I do recommend reading that first.
This story follows madinia who is locked in a tower because she holds the knowledge of an old gods hidden grimoire locations. Upon her escape, she knows that she must find the grimoires before the evil. Royals and any malicious gods who want to destroy the world. This is very much an adventure story, enemies to lovers, and badass FMC.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to the lovely Stacia and Cristina for the physical arc from Apollycon and thank you to @dreamscape_media and @netgalley for the ALC!

Be sure to pick up your copy when it releases, so soon, May 13th!!

My first Stacia Stark book. I will admit I went into this with really high hopes as I’ve heard great things about her other books. While this reads as a standalone, I think it would probably be better to have read the series prior to this to better understand the backstory and magic system. I just couldn’t get into the rhythm of the book. It’s kind of all over the place.

I listened to an ALC and I think that was a big part of why I couldn’t get into or enjoy the book. I do not like the narrators and can’t stand their side character or opposite sex voices. They are terrible. It was very distracting to the storyline and I found myself getting bored very easily. This alone means I most likely won’t go back and listen to A Court this Lovely and Cruel series as those are also narrated by the same narrators.

Thanks to NetGalley and DreamScape Media for the advanced ALC but this one was just not for me.

Stacia!!!!! I absolutely loved loved loved this book!!!

This story picks up a few months after the end of the Kingdom of Lies series. And it immediately is action packed. Madinia is on the run from Queen Vicana’s men. But she is taken by Vicana’s number two and we immediately go into a three year time jump. Madinia has voluntarily gotten rid of her memories to protect the location of the grimoire. I loved Madinia and Calysian in the Kingdom of Lies series and I love them even more in this! The banter is top notch and the slow burn and tension was so good!!! There were so many jaw dropping moments and things I did not see coming!

You don’t necessarily need to read Kingdom of Lies first but I highly recommend it if it’s something you plan on reading eventually !

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️This Vicious Dream by Stacia Stark.

So I just learned from Stacia’s team that they recommend reading Kingdom of Lies first! You don’t have to, but it adds richness to the Kingdom of Death duology that This Vicious Dream is part of. So I’m posting this review not having read that series, but I am still hooked! And now, I must go back and read Kingdom of Lies!

This book was amazing! It had action, romance, mystery, deception, all the things I love!! I don’t know how I’m going to manage waiting for book 2! Ugh!!

You’ll enjoy this book if you like
2 POVs
Who did this to you?
One bed
Forced proximity

The ALC was amazing, I don’t usually listen to fantasy books, but I loved this one via audiobook! It was so interesting to have the dual POVs, and the emotions truly came through!!

WOW! Stacia Stark, are you for real?! This book was amazing! I love the world building, plot, and characters. I listed to the audiobook, and the dual narration was excellent. I enjoyed listening to both narrators, as they truly brought the characters to life. I waited a couple of days to write my review, and I can’t get this book out of my head! I love the dynamic between Madinia and Calysian. I like that they’re both intelligent, witty, and questioning. Neither knows who to trust, and I enjoyed following along as they attempted to figure that out. The whole story (and spice) was great! Now, I need to go back and read the Kingdom of Lies Series, as This Vicious Dream was my introduction to the author (and apparently a spinoff from that series). Again, this book was sooo sooo good! I’m (im)patiently waiting for the next since I was left with my jaw hanging on the floor with that cliffhanger. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

🌶️🌶️
This was my intro to Stacia Stark and what a great intro it was. The mix of darkness, magic, reluctant allies to lovers and power of found family was just so perfectly formulated into this book and I cannot wait for read the second half.

Thank you Stacia Stark, Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an eARC and ALC respectively.

I had every intention of reading Kingdom of Lies before reading this, but I am actually glad I didn't. I will be catching up now that I have read book one of this duet. Stacia Stark herself says you do not need to have read KoL to read this duet. I felt like I was on a more even footing with our FMC Madinia as she had lost her memories and I didn't know her backstory and got to learn with her as they came back to her. Did I mention this book is dark and full of suffering both physical and mental, because it is, but it is also full of love, amazing allies, including an animal companion and swoony spice. Madinia doesn't need MMC Calysian but they make such an interesting team and I hope he gives her the world in book two. The small details, the world building and all the characters are so well written. I loved every moment of this read and am now a certified Stacia Stark fan. A must-read for fans of The Broken Kingdoms. The Fragile Divine and Thezmarr.

The audiobook was narrated by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige and both were amazing. Voices for side characters were different enough to keep track of who was talking and stay immersed. Spicy scenes were perfect.

🥀Witch FMC
⛓️Mysterious MMC
🥀Reluctant Allies To Lovers
⛓️Feminine Rage
🥀Animal Companion
⛓️Found Family
🥀Foreseen Fates
⛓️Dual PoV

"... this universe has laws. I know this in my bones. And one of those laws is that Madinia Farrow is no one's captive. She is no one's victim."

Kingdom of Lies is one of my favourite romantasy series of all time, and when I heard that we were getting our own book for Madinia! And Calysian!?! This story was a dream come true and it did not disappoint. You absolutely do not need to read the Kingdom of Lies series to understand these, but I do think it would help fill in some of the blanks to characters and really give richness to Madinia's backstory.

Stacia is a beautiful writer, and she has crafted such a rich story filled with twists and turns, love and betrayal, and lots of steamy spice. There is banter and fun, and I was laughing out loud at times with some of the witty remarks that would fly back and forth between Madinia and Calysian. These two characters were written so well, and their relationship dynamic and growth (both as individuals and a pair) was authentic and blossomed over the course of their journey. This story follows Madinia in the aftermath of the Eprosian war, on a mission of her own and a journey of self-discovery. She is captured and trapped but manages to escape her prison - though there are many secrets hidden to all that will alter her life forever. The storyline is gripping and dramatic, with action and suspense, and I was hooked on every single word.

This story does end on a cliffhanger, and my jaw dropped, thinking surely this isn't how Stacia is going to leave us 🤣 The narrators really brought this story to life, with so much emotion and vulnerability to really highlight and enhance their stories. They suited the characters perfectly and really emphasised the complexity of Madinia's character in a subtle way, and delivered Calysian's intensity without feeling over the top.

Tropes include:
✨Dual POV
✨One bed
✨Forced proximity
✨Secrets and betrayal
✨Gods and magic
✨Slow-burn, enemies (sorta) to lovers

Thank you so much to Stacia and Dreamscape Media for the early ALC. Stacia will forever be one of my favourite authors, and I'm blessed to have been able to be a part of this before release 💕

This is a spin-off series to Kingdom of Lies, which is still on my TBR, but I decided to dive into This Vicious Dream because the blurb hooked me—and I’m so glad I did. That said, I do think reading Kingdom of Lies first might give more context and depth (can anyone who’s read it confirm?). Still, I had no problem following the writing or the worldbuilding—it was vivid and easy to get into.

We follow Madinia and Calysian (ughhh this man🫠) on a search of grimoire to bring Dark God to full force (or not). They’re two intelligent, wary individuals with conflicting goals and a mutual distrust of others. Watching them try to outmaneuver each other while slowly building mutual respect was addictive. The tension between those two is 🔥

Narration-wise, the audiobook was phenomenal. The voice actors brought so much emotion and nuance to the story, perfectly capturing each character’s vulnerability and fire. I I love dual POV narration. I devoured this book in two days and can’t wait for the second book.

What you will find:

❣️Strong, sassy, independent FMC
❣️Morally gray, possessive (but soft) MMC
❣️“Who did this to you?”
❣️Forced proximity
❣️Sizzling tension


Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice: 3.5🌶️

“If anyone else ever hear you make this sound, I’ll kill them”

If you love morally complex characters, immersive magic, and tension that crackles, This Vicious Dream is a must-read (or listen!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC!

Thank you for the eARC! The narration was sublime. I love the two narrator split and how well they kept the story moving throughout. Wonderful voice acting! Riveting story!

I will admit, I did not know this was a spinoff but I will now be going back and reading (or listening to) the OGs! Medinia is one of my new favorite characters and the spice level was perfect! I finished this book in just under 3 days because I could not put it down! 10/10

Arc Review*

Okay so this was fine, not bad by any means but it just did not wow me like I’d hoped.

The plot was amazing. However, the world-building fell short for me unfortunately.

The setting was just lacking in my opinion, making it difficult to feel fully immersed in the story.

That said, the pacing was okay and the tension between Madenia and Calysian had intrigue and was the main reason I continued reading.

I think if you’re looking for a quick and easy romantic fantasy then you should give this a read. If you’re looking for rich lore or world building you might be left wanting more.

This audiobook absolutely captivated me from start to finish! "This Vicious Dream" marks my introduction to Stacia Stark's writing, and I'm already planning to dive into her backlist. While this story is set in the same world as her Kingdom of Lies series, it stands perfectly well on its own. That said, I suspect readers familiar with the previous series would appreciate the clever Easter eggs woven throughout.

Madinia and Calysian's relationship unfolds with exquisite tension against a richly imagined backdrop. The story moves at a brisk pace, filled with unexpected twists that kept me eagerly listening to discover what would happen next. Stark masterfully employs forced proximity scenarios that create delicious angst and palpable chemistry between the protagonists.

The dual narration by Meg Sylvan and Tim Paige elevates the experience tremendously. Their performances bring distinct personalities to life and enhance the emotional impact of key scenes. Sylvan captures Madinia's complexity with nuance, while Paige delivers Calysian's intensity with compelling conviction.

My single critique concerns the audiobook's production rather than the story itself—the transitions between present-day scenes and memories occasionally lack clear audio cues, which created momentary confusion at certain points.

Overall, "This Vicious Dream" offers an immersive fantasy experience with compelling characters, high-stakes tension, and romance that sizzles. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven fantasy with romantic elements.

Stacia has done it again! This Vicious Dream is a captivating adventure from start to finish. As a fan of the Kingdom of Lies series, I was thrilled to delve into Madinia's story. Her character, introduced in the KoL series, is now given the spotlight she truly deserves.

This Vicious Dream is set in the same world as the Kingdom of Lies series, however, it offers a fresh and unique perspective, getting to see this world through the eyes of someone that sees a darker side of life. Madinia and Calysian are thrust together on an adventure to find important magical grimoires, but they are tracking them for different reasons. As the adventure progresses, the tension and angst between them continues to escalate, creating a compelling slow burn romance that kept me turning page after page.

If you're new to this world, reading the Kingdom of Lies series first is highly recommended to fully appreciate the depth of the characters and the intricate world building. However, This Vicious Dream can also be enjoyed as a standalone series.

This one is a must read, and while it wasn't quite a Kingdom level cliffhanger (thank goodness!), I was left craving more and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book! Thank you to Stacia and team for the ARC of this story, I am eternally grateful. <3

I received an ARC audio of this book from Dreamscape Media over on NetGalley and it was my very first time listening to a smutty book. While I can't say that it was bad, because the narrators did an amazing job, it was certainly an experience that left me feeling a little embarrassed and certain that I'd stick with Audiobooks that paid less mind to the warmth pooling between a woman's legs. Listen, we all do things that we're not proud of when we're as desperate to read a story as I was for this. Madinia was my favorite character from the Kingdom of Lies series and her little tiffs with Calysian practically promised that they'd get their own story so I was over-eager and dove head-first into this audiobook.
With a fast paced plot and a churning tempest of existing chemistry between our main characters, This Vicious Dream kept me engaged and eager to see the story through to its cliffhanger ending. For the most part I think that this first book could be read as a standalone without missing much since even the name-dropping of fan favorite characters felt organic without being cheesy. But nearer to the end when other more important characters to the Kingdom of Lies series are implied as being on the way to join the story, I'm left wondering if this duology SHOULD be read as a standalone.
Madinia is our fiesty red-headed main character who has gone through such physical and emotional hurts that it's a wonder she's still filled with spunk and kindness. Stacia Stark writes those tortuous inner thoughts so well, allowing the trauma to linger in every decision that's made and reminding the reader of Madinia's strength by showing her persistence despite what's in her past and what uncertain future awaits.
Calysian is perhaps one of the most fun male love interests I've read in a while. He carries himself with a suave certainty, aware of his handsome features while also being oblivious to the ways of the humans he encounters. His chapters were some of my favorite to experience because the way he thinks is refreshing and often humorous. He's Madinia's perfect match for wit and charm which made their banter some of the best I've ever had the pleasure of reading.
Their relationship is definitely more physical than emotional at first but I think that's okay. It works out and it's a refreshing change of pace to most other books I've read lately. I'm sure that the second book will cover more of the deeper emotions which had only really just begun to catch on in the third-act of the first. This totally would have been a 5 star book from me if some of those Kingdom of Lies characters didn't infiltrate the story so deeply near the end. I just feel that there will inevitably be a bit of confusion regarding the world and powers that can only be resolved by reading all four books in the other series.

I will preface this review by noting I did not read the Kingdom of Lies series first.
I will also note - I don not think you need to!

I really enjoyed This Vicious Dream. It's very much your typical Romantasy with tropes that are expected.
Medinia and and Calysian have a fun slow-burn relationship with passion, banter, and a bit of spice. Their journey is exciting and interesting.

There are some fun twists and unexpected surprises that kept me engaged and a cliffhanger that will have me impatiently waiting for the next book.

I also enjoyed the narrators , they made it easy to be fully immersed in the story.

Ooo baby I loved this book.

The narrators!!!! Calysian!!! He absolutely killed it. I absolutely loved his voice. It fit the character so well and matched what I had in my head from his appearances in previous books.

This is absolutely without a doubt my favorite Stacia Stark book that I’ve read.

If you haven’t read the Kingdom of Lies series, you might want to read that before this one. You don’t have to, but there’s lot of references to what happens in that series, and this one absolutely makes a lot of sense if you know what happens. Plus, it spoils the other series.

I’ll be honest here: in the Kingdom of Lies series, I wasn’t the biggest Madinia fan. So I went into this book scared. But man I love her now. She’s gone through so much and she doesn’t deserve any of it. Honestly, I want to be Madinia.

Calysian you little snake. My girl Madinia didn’t deserve half the crap you put her through. She deserves better than you. You better have the world’s biggest redemption arc in book two or I’m going to hate you forever.

I was immediately invested on page one of this book. And I stayed engaged throughout. Lately, I’ve been having attention problems when reading and have been reading several books at once, but I didn’t put this one down even once.

Thank you so much to the incredible Stacia Stark for an ARC of this book and NetGalley for an ALC. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by the manner in which I received it. I really just loved this book.