Pretty Monsters

Pretty Monsters Trilogy, Book 1

By: Kimberly Carrillo

Narrated by: Nathaniel Gray, Phillipa Miller

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Welcome to Devil’s Crossing.

Here monsters don’t hide in the shadows. They aren’t made of myth and magic either. Normal men are the things that go bump in the night, and I am the most dangerous of them all.

I am vengeance wrapped in a pretty package, but you can call me Sin, everyone else does. I’m a ghost made of flesh and blood. Legally, I don’t exist. Sold into slavery as a child, I exist as nothing more than a weapon, bringing death where the boss of our underground syndicate directs me.

Until the night Raven walks into the moonlight. She haunts me with her innocent beauty, showing me the life I’ll never have. One where blood isn’t caked under my nails, and hiding bodies wasn’t one of the top skills on my resume.

She shouldn’t be here. She’s too pure for the evil in this house, but she belongs here more than I do. After all, she’s the princess, and this is her father’s kingdom. He stole my identity, my future, and someday he’ll take my life.

Before he does, I’ll take something from him. Her.

I might be bad for her, but her father’s world is worse. I’m exactly who she needs to escape it.

Unless I break her first.

This is a dark romance. Please check my website for the TW: kimberlycarrilloauthor.com

©2020 Kimberly Carrillo (P)2024 Pink Flamingo Productions

Absolutely gripping...

This was a fun, fast-paced, dark read that absolutely gripped me from start to finish, and as I write this, I’m dying for the next book. I’m so glad I took a chance on this author—this was funny.

Captivity.
Trafficking.
Leads & their friends on the run / in hiding.
Best friend’s sister / brother’s best friend.
Found family vibes.
B0ndage.
Broken hero.
V0yeurism.
Edging.
SO MUCH crime - the worst kinds / all the things.
Extortion.
Corruption.

Overall:
A fun, sometimes-suspense-y read. Would read more from this author. 4 stars.


🎧Audio:
As far as audio performances go, this one is top-notch with two incredible narrators who perform the book, rather than just dictating it. Different characters have different voices and it really brings the book to life. Perfect overall sound quality as well. 🦩5 stars.

Cliffhanger

I was sucked into this audio and I have to say I am surprised I loved it as much as I did. Morally gray characters who are trying to survive because no-one escapes this world alive. This book has action from chapter one to the very end. I am talking plot twist among plot twist and I was there for it. I need to know what happens next!

Pretty Monsters

Okay Kimberly, I see you boo. This book is a great start to a series, and there are so many secrets and surprises in this 1st book alone. I was like WHAT the heck just happened. But that ending was cray cray. If I had to wait for the 2nd book I would have been so mad. but I'm glad I get to start book 2. the narrator's did such an amazing job too. trust me you are going to love this book.

So Good

This is the first book in the Pretty Monsters Trilogy. This is the story of Sin and Raven and oh my what a story it is. Once you pick this book up you will not be laying it down. Sin when he was young was stolen away from his family. He was so horribly abused and forced to be trained as an Sassanian. Damien Blackborne has tormented him his entire life. However his only friend is Damien's son Lucien. I don't think he was aware that Damien had a daughter until the night he meets her and is knocked off his feet with how beautiful she is. She has been made to go to boarding schools and away from her family to hide her away from the world her father is in. To say she has a lonely life would be an understatement and it really broke my heart for both of them. Neither of them has really had a choice ever in how their life would be. However don't let that fool you. The girl is never to be underestimated. She is really smart a whole lot jaded and dangerous.
To say that I couldn't stand Damien might be the understatement. He is vile and deals in horrible things that would be nightmares to most of us. When it is revealed his plan to marry Raven off to a man who is maybe equally as horrible as her father, the road trip to escape begins for Sin, Raven and Lucien. guys I could not put this book down. I loved these characters so much. It is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is so much tension in this book that you can feel it oozing off the pages. You do not want to miss this book.

Fun, fast paced Dark Romance with spice

I really enjoyed this, it was a bit hard for me to get into the story but once I did I was hooked! This is a super dark romance so check Tw. I’ve never listened to either narrator before but they did an amazing job and really brought these characters to life! Can’t wait for the next book and will definitely be listening to more books by these narrators!

Dark Romance

Sin was bought as a child and molded into a deadly ghost. Along with Lucien Blackthorne they take care of whatever Lucien’s father Damien who is running for governor wants including killing. Raven Lucien’s sister is to be wed off to further Damien’s political goals. However, neither Sin nor Lucien agree and know that the guy she is promised to will hurt her. They both take her and the three are on the run. The attraction between Sin and Raven is electric and Sin will do anything to keep her safe.

Pretty Monsters

Great story!

An epic tale of forbidden love. The unfeeling assassin and the sheltered princess. Such a slow burn in the best way possible!

Pretty Monsters

This is the first book in the Pretty Monsters trilogy. This is my first Kimberly Carrillo book. This is a dark serial unaliver romance. Raven has been forced to come back home by her father. He is going to marry her off to make a deal this a horrible man. Sin is the trained assassin that is forced to do Raven father’s difficult tasks. Sin has been trained side by side with Lucien, Raven’s brother. Sin has never experienced normal feels until he saw Raven. Raven, Sin and Lucien run and try to escape everything that is about to come their way. This book ends on a cliffhanger. I can’t wait for the next book! Phillipa Miller and Nathaniel Grey did a great job narrating this book.

Dark and Steamy with Plenty of Plot

5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️
4/5 🎧

This was such an intense and fascinating story. I was expecting a lot more spice and for it to be less plot, but Pretty Monsters is so much more than filthy dark romance. The mystery, friendships and action had me eating it up alongside Sin and Raven's love story.

I really love Sin. He has such a dark and mysterious past and I am loving watching him grow more comfortable with Raven. Meanwhile, she's so okay with giving up control to make him comfy and ayyeee *fans self* that voyeur scene was so hot.

The cliffhanger had my jaw dropping and I can't wait until part two is released in audio so I can jump back in.

The audio was great. I've never listened to Nathaniel Gray or Phillipa Miller before, but I'm excited to listen to them again. I wish this was a duet as I love their same gender voices more than their opposite ones, but it didn't take away from the story and this was still a fantastic listen.

A crazy antihero ride with tons of danger...

A crazy antihero ride with tons of danger and suspense and twist upon twist. I usually have decent ideas of how things may pan out, but I was nowhere in the ball park with so many of the twists and turns and out of left field curve balls this story kept tossing. It was an amazing tangled web weaved that kept me enthralled. Sin was such a complicated, tortured man struggling with the world he was forced to take part in. And Raven was the perfect woman to smooth some rough edges and begin healing some wounds. Terrific narration bringing the crazy world to life. And that shock and awe twist bomb at the end leaving readers with a ridiculous cliffhanger. I just sat there for few unable to believe that's how it ended.