Week 38 Reviews: Desperate Measures, Learn My Lesson, A Worthy Opponent, The Beast, The Sea Witch, Queen Takes Rose, Wicked Villains Shorts

From Goodreads:

My Savior… Or My Ruin?

One night, and my entire life went up in flames. All because of him. Jafar. As my world burned down around me, he offered me a choice. Walk away with nothing but my freedom… Or rise to his challenge and win my fortune back.

I bargained.

I lost.

Now Jafar owns me, and even as my mind rails against his rules, my body loves the punishments he deals out when I break them.

But a gilded cage is still a prison, I'll do anything to obtain my freedom.

Even betray the man I’m falling for. 

From Goodreads:

A single night with Meg and I'm willing to do anything to save her from Hades, the man holding her captive, victim to his every whim.

A bargain with the devil himself seems a small price to pay in order for Meg to go free… Until I learn that she's exactly where she wants to be.

She's Queen to Hades's King.

And I’m the fool that walked right into their trap.

The same fool who desires them both as much as I hate them. I can't resist Meg's touch—or stop from being drawn to Hades's dark desires. By the time I realize just how deep a game he's playing, it may be too late…

For all of us. 

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time I was a girl who believed in love and happily ever afters.

Now the only thing I believe in is revenge.

Unfortunately for me, there's only one man willing to help me. Hook. I should have known it wouldn't be out of the goodness of his heart. He doesn't have one. No, Hook wants his ring on my finger and me on my knees before him—and he won't take no for an answer.

I'm willing to pay any price in order to bring Pan down…even if it means I lose my soul in the bargain.

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time, I fell in love with two men. Their feelings for me were matched only by their hatred for each other.

Gaeton, with his brash charm and casual cruelty.

Beast, his lust equal to his penchant for violence.

Being with them was sinful and perfect in different ways. In the end, I couldn't choose, and I lost them both.

Now, my sisters have tasked me with securing our power base, no matter the cost. I will do anything for my family—even if it means agreeing to the terms set by Gaeton and Beast.

The three of us. Together. But only for as long as it takes me to choose one of them once and for all.

When playing games of power, happily ever after isn't a priority. Not even for me.

Especially not for me. 

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time, I fell in love with two men. Their feelings for me were matched only by their hatred for each other.

Gaeton, with his brash charm and casual cruelty.

Beast, his lust equal to his penchant for violence.

Being with them was sinful and perfect in different ways. In the end, I couldn't choose, and I lost them both.

Now, my sisters have tasked me with securing our power base, no matter the cost. I will do anything for my family—even if it means agreeing to the terms set by Gaeton and Beast.

The three of us. Together. But only for as long as it takes me to choose one of them once and for all.

When playing games of power, happily ever after isn't a priority. Not even for me.

Especially not for me. 

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time, I met a man who stole my heart.

In my desperation to reunite with him, I have nowhere to turn but the Sea Witch. Ursa is as beautiful as she is dangerous, and the one person my father warned me never to let close. But she's all crimson lips and pretty lies, and I'm convinced despite my fear.

It's a simple enough plan, if not for the faint of heart. An auction to sell the one thing I possess of any value—myself. The money will free Alaric and then we can finally be together.

Except nothing is simple at all.

Ursa is playing at games I can only begin to comprehend. And Alaric? The man I thought I loved might be just as much a villain as the woman I can't help but be drawn to.

When playing in the darkest depths of love and lust, it will be everything I can do not to drown.

From Goodreads: 

Once upon a time I made a deal with the devil. It turns out I like playing in the dark. Over the years, I've become someone I'm proud of, someone dangerous.

I'll never be as dangerous as Malone, though. She's one of the most feared leaders in Carver City, and her reputation is more than earned. Years ago, we had a single night together and she's ignored me ever since.

Imagine my surprise to discover she's scheduled me for the final two weeks of my contract. Maybe I should be afraid. Everyone else fears Malone. Instead, all I feel is anticipation. It's time to balance the scales, once and for all.

The villains aren't the only ones in Carver City a person should be wary of crossing.

Sometimes the prettiest flower hides the deadliest poison…

From Goodreads:

Return to the world of Carver City a series of check-ins with your favorite characters as they navigate their hard-earned happily-ever-afters and enjoy their lives together.

Join Jasmine for her first winter solstice with Jafar. Attend the public scene that announces Hades and Meg's relationship with Hercules. Play Seven Minutes in Heaven with Isabelle, her men…and Aurora.

This book contains sixteen check-ins with various characters, previously available only to either newsletter subscribers or Patreon subscribers. 

My Review:
I binge read this series, and it was such a fantastic feeling! Which is why I'm making some changes, but that's another topic that you'll see the day after this posts. But I had such a great time diving into this smutty world, and I can't wait to explore it further!

I've been seeing this series, most often Desperate Measures, and I have enjoyed Katee Robert's earlier works (not that I can find them on her website anymore though Goodreads tells me she is the same author for both series!) And the idea of retelling the Disney tales, but with the villains as the love interest, or in some case, one of the love interests, was pretty fascinating!

I found the throuples books more interesting to read, because there were more relationship plots. If I had to rank the full length books from most to least favourite, it would have to be Learn My Lesson, The Beast, The Sea Witch, Queen Takes Rose, A Worthy Opponent, Desperate Measures. 

Some of these stories, I thoroughly enjoyed, like Learn My Lesson was really excellent. But I didn't really enjoy Desperate Measures that much. Jafar had basically no backstory, why he wanted this power. Or even their history together, we just knew that they fantasized about each other. 

But all in all, this was a pretty fantastic series and I can't wait to read the spin off one (with Beast's former lover as the star in book 3 that is yet to come out, as well as the family that Alaric sent money to, I'm pretty sure, which is why they can beat the challenges or whatever happens, that causes Malone's brother and niece to become handfasted to those various brothers! And to see if Neon Gods is set in the same world...

Author: Katee Robert
Series: Wicked Villains #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 
Read: September 19th, 19th, 19th, 19th, 19th, 19th, 19th, 2021
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and they're 2021 Retelling Reading Challenge Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Books, and Queen Takes Rose is a End of Series 2021 Book!
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC
Published: May 28th 2019, October 29th 2019, February 23rd 2020, May 10th 2020, September 7th 2020, November 10th 2020, December 1st 2020

Desperate Measures: 

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Learn My Lesson :

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

A Worthy Opponent:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

 

The Beast:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Sea Witch:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Queen Takes Rose:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Wicked Villains Shorts:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars