This Vicious Dream

Kingdom of Death, Book 1

By: Stacia Stark

Narrated by: Meg Sylvan, Tim Paige

Once, I helped save a kingdom.

Now, I’m trapped in a prison of thorns and nightmares.

My crime? Knowing the location of a power that could reshape the world—a grimoire I swore to protect with my life.

That secret is the only thing keeping me alive while my captors wait for me to break.

Until he arrives.

Beautiful. Ruthless. Dark, inscrutable eyes. A dangerously wicked grin.

But he’s not here to rescue me. He wants the grimoire for himself–and he’ll destroy anyone who stands in his way. My only choice is a fragile, temporary alliance with a man I can never trust.

Because there’s more at stake than just a stolen grimoire or an ancient grudge.

And behind his mask of effortless allure, he’s hiding something far more dangerous than a thirst for power.

Something that could destroy us all.

©2025 Stacia Stark (P)2025 Dreamscape Media

4.5 Stars

This is one of those things that I felt really stupid about. The fact that I did not realize that this was a spin off of another series (The Kingdom of Lies) that I really, really liked. In fact, it took me WAY too long to realize that these were characters that I already knew, in a world that I had already read 4 books about. See, I definitely had a reason to feel not smart. To be fair though, none of this is mentioned in the summary - so there is that.

Anywho, after a brilliant light bulb went off in my head and I thought, "Oh, THAT Madinia!" I then had to take a minute and remember exactly where things left off in the other series and I was good to go. Does this mean that you need to have already read the previous series? I don't think so. There was enough of the past sprinkled into the story to help even me remember certain things, so I think this could be read as a new entry to this new series. But, you are missing out if you haven't read KoL - it was a good one.

Okay, enough of that. In this book, we are re-introduced to FMC Madinia Farrow. When we meet her, she is being held captive and has been held for 3 years. She has these new and interesting powers that we are told she is "borrowing" - from who, we don't yet know. When we meet her, she is on her way to escaping and hopefully getting vengeance on the people who tortured her and kept her paralyzed for all this time.

We then meet MMC Calysian. He apparently has been wandering around the continent for centuries looking for something, he is not exactly sure what, but he just knows that something is "missing" and has been lost - and that something is the key to remembering who he is. He has an AMAZING horse named Fox who is one of the stars of the show. He is full of personality and I adored him.

Needless to say, the newly escaped Madinia is looking for the "grimoire" that she previously hid that is now the thing that EVERYBODY is trying to find. She realizes that she has to find it before anyone else because it will grant enormous powers to the person who has it.

It just so happens that the thing that Calysian is looking for is....yep, you guessed it...the same grimoire and this kicks off the tension filled "will they, won't they" back and forth between the FMC Madinia and the MMC Calysian.

This book has drama and action. It is filled with tons of magic and some crazy histories of a battle between the old gods and how the events of that battle are affecting the current happenings.

As usual, it ends with a cliffhanger - ugh. Fortunately, it isn't as bad as some of the prior cliffhangers in this KoL series.

Madinia’s Story

It’s so incredibly good, can’t believe I have to wait so long for next book!!

Swoon

The banter is top tier and begins immediately. I enjoyed the book a lot. Did the audio for a reread and liked it even more. Ends on a cliffhanger and am anxiously awaiting the next.

Loved Madinia's Story

I honestly could have died when this book announcement was released!! Getting to go back into the World of Kingdom of Lies, but this time to see Madinia’s Story!! I have been waiting for months (but it feels like forever) to be able to get my hands on this book and finally read it!! And I loved every second of it!

If you do not remember, Madinia was a crucial character in the Kingdom of Lies series that Stacia created!! She was always a character I loved, and I could not wait to be able to jump into this book!
My reviews are always a little different, because I truly do not like to put any type of spoilers in my reviews!! And that is a personal preference, because I would not want to ruin anything within the story for anyone else. I love that is Dual POV, as well!! Do you have to read the Kingdom of Lies series to be able to read This Vicious Dream? NO, the world building is fantastic, and this can be read as a standalone. But having all of the knowledge of Madinia’s background definitely made reading this more enjoyable.

We are meeting Madinia after the events of the Kingdom of Lies series. So it does feel like a continuation, but from another character’s point of view (WHICH I LOVED). Madinia is fiery, fierce, and deadly all on her own accord!! We are catching up with Madinia three years after the events of the ending of Kingdom of Lies, and much as happened to our poor girl. Madinia had originally fled with the grimorie and hid it from anyone who wanted to use it!! Especially for anything that they had fought so hard to change.

Calysian was also introduced in the Kingdom of Lies Series. A man with hidden secrets, unknown power, and a little amnesia (Yes, he doesn't remember some of why he is on the continent). We start to peel back the layers that is Calysian during their travels, including his secrets and him wanting the grimorie, and why. His hidden alternative motives come to light and have taken everyone off guard!

Together, Madinia and Caysian spend a good portion of the book not trusting each other further than they could throw each other. But you can feel that spark, that connection, something undeniable that they both feel, and try and fight for as long as they possibly can. Because in their eyes, they are each other's enemy. They spend a great portion of the book trying to outmaneuver each other and figure out what each other's true motives are. But somehow they still come together for some intimate moments, emotions and feelings get high(which is something Madinia is not used to). But too many things happen, that by the end of the book you are ready to start kicking some character butt too!

Lots of twists and turns happen along the way, and you may even see a favorite character or two from The Kingdom of Lies Series!! I truly enjoyed this read, and am so happy it is a duology and can not wait to read the next book, because that cliffhanger sucks!! But Stacia does like to torture us with her cliffhangers!

I do have an ARC of this book, but I read it after the book was released, so this is not an ARC review!

I did listen to the Audio version of the book, and I just loved it!! They continued to use the same narrators that they used with the Kingdom of Lies series, which just made it feel like I was coming home! The book was paced well, and the emotion felt from the narrators was amazing!!

Amazing story

I really liked the Kingdom of Lies series but this new book continues the story and is even better!!! The FMC is relatable the morally grey God/man is delicious great pacing and good twists.