| Title | : | The Phoenix and His Prince (The Monster's Pet, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 232 |
| Publication | : | First published January 27, 2023 |
Trading his body in exchange for more is nothing. There's nothing wrong with wanting power, no matter what Athan says. Elric's soul isn't broken, or dirtied, or rusted. Athan's insistence on "fixing" Elric is nothing but a distraction.
So why is Elric smiling? Why is he enjoying himself? Why does he want to keep touching Athan, even when he doesn't have to? Why does Athan's heat warm those dark corners of himself he'd thought were long gone?
Though The Phoenix and His Prince functions as a standalone, it is best enjoyed after reading The Dragon and His Prince. (Please mind the warnings!)
Content notes: Phoenix is a villain redemption story that contains a scene of attempted sexual assault. For more notes, please look inside or check the authors' websites.
The Phoenix and His Prince (The Monster's Pet, #2) Reviews
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The Phoenix and His Prince was very different from what I was expecting. This story picks up from the last book, so it is recommended to read it first.
I wondered how in the world I would be able to sympathize and care for Elric when I literally wanted him to be eaten alive in the last book. His actions towards his brother….goodness, this man was evil. I was super curious to find out how he could be redeemed.
The way the story handles Elric as a character is amazing. There was no way Elric, especially with Callan breathing down his neck, could see past his lies, greed, and hunger for power. This is where Athan enters! The Phoenix sees through Elric words right into his heart.
This story provides a glimpse into Elric’s past and what led him to become who he is, but it does not excuse his actions. Athan has the patience of a saint and such a forgiving and optimistic outlook. There were times I was like, this fool is actually not okay, and he was going to take down Athan with him at this point.
As the story unravels, you come actually to soften towards Elric. Especially as you see his adoration and love for Athan grows. He was so closed off for so long and distrustful of others (once again, not excusing his actions) that we finally get to see the real Elric without the darkness and blight.
I adored Athan! He was amazingly patient and kind. He was able to see in Elric something that no one could, and while it was a gamble, as he had been burned in the past, he took it. One that worked out in his favour!
This story was not as dark as the last one, so it had a completely different feel. I enjoyed the forced proximity, unique monster parts, and the sex, as always, from these two authors is well-written and hot!
Overall this was a fantastic redemption love story between a prince and his Phoenix! At the start, while I was open-minded seriously wondered how I could even root for Elric; well, it happened!
I’m already excited for the third book! I can’t wait for Callan’s story! -
I wasn't sure Elric could be redeemed considered the events of book 1, but it surprisingly worked here. You can't help but feel sorry for him. I thought his inner thoughts were done pretty well. Surprisingly, I had a little more difficulty connecting with Athan's inner monologue, even though he was the good guy. He got attached to Elric pretty quickly, and despite all the talk about wanting to fix Elric (and there was a lot of that), his initial interest still felt weirdly hollow. In the end, I guess it makes sense once you get to know his character, and he did pair off with Elric pretty well. I liked how the Phoenix thing was incorporated in the story and how the relationship between them grew. There's some fun tropes in there, and I loved all the magic in the sex scenes, and the neediness those authors incorporate so well in them. I do love some sex pollen/desperate magical cum healing.
I'm curious about book 3: now that will be quite a redemption story.
I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily. -
What a glorious story! A clash of dark and light, where it gets very anxious about who will come out as a winner.
In the Dragon and his Prince, Elric was the villain, and still is, but guess what, there’s more behind his thick walls and behavior, it will blow your mind.
Elric wants Athan, the Phoenix, to help him conquer the throne back, his throne. He’s not honest about what happened, he just wants the crown back.
There’s something about Elric, and Athan wants to fix it. His warmth and light could be of help.
Athan is a sight, Elric can’t deny, he wants to use the Phoenix, only this beautiful creature is charming AF, and as they talk and fuck, he could almost forget what his goal was.
Then, there’s Callan, the shadow, he’ll remind him of his goal. His role to Elric is bigger than Athan could expect.
“ I’m full of holes. I’m rusting. I’m giving memories away, even though it never seems to make things better.”
While Athan is the kind, warm, giving creature, Elric is the cold and calculating one, and jealous, yes jealous, he wants all the attention from Athan, little does he know.
On their journey to the kingdom, Elric is focused on the crown and Athan is focused on healing Elric.
Light and darkness, warmth and cold.
What an epic story and an epic end. Super entertaining, it was at times grim and dark, but the warm and lighter moments were the times to recover, because dang, they were necessary!
Such an eventful entertaining story, captivatingly written, and hot, I was completely in a trance while reading! -
It’s a Dark Romance with potential triggering topics!!
TW: a scene of graphic sexual assault between MCs
adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I’m such a sucker for redemption arcs,
if there’s a villain in a series I really want to put him immediately on a reflective journey.
To burn out all the evil (haha)
With this story we focus on Elric, the “would be King” and brother of Larkin. Who had his own (super) dark romance in the Dragon and his Prince.
Elric is hell bent to get what he wants, even if he has to make a deal with a phoenix.
Redemption arc aside, I fell in love with Athan, he was such a sweet sunshine character and I constantly rooted for his success to ‘fix’ Elric!
Elric was such a complex character, it was a pleasure to follow his story.
There were moments, where my heart broke for both of them, but after all the hurt comes comfort✨
Phoenix and his Prince can be read as a Standalone but to understand the full impact of his redemption and if you feel comfortable with all the content infos of the previous book, I can highly recommend to read this first.
(But it’s not necessary!! There are moments, which point out some of the important parts of his villainies)
I loved to read this Dark Romance and wish you all happy reading!!
TW: a scene of graphic sexual assault between MCs -
When I first read The Dragon and His Prince I really disliked Elric and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to see him redeemed. What he did back then was just so terrible I wanted to wring his neck. This book surprised me in a good way however.
I really liked how the story handled Elric's story and his character development. The introduction of Athan who was able to see through Elric and the truth of his heart was really a brilliant move.
We got a look at Elric's past and find out what led to how he became what he was like in book one. His actions were really terrible and it was good to see that they weren't excused. I adored Athan's character! He was very patient and kind. He never gave up on Elric and was able to see something more in the other man. The gamble he took paid off in the end and he got his happy ending.
Overall, this was a wonderful story of love and redemption. I do reading the first book before diving into this one though it can stand alone. Also, please heed the warnings provided.
This would be 4 stars out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this book and I have chosen to publish my fair and honest review. -
I’m glad the authors included a sample chapter for this in book 1 because I didn’t think I was interested in Elric’s redemption story, but the sample changed my mind. The phoenix’s ability to see people’s true character and desire to fix broken things was intriguing and turned Elric into a complex character I could empathize with. His character arc was very well done, and his redemption felt earned.
My only real complaint was that I felt Athan’s thoughts about Elric were repetitive at times—it’s clear from the very beginning that he wants to fix Elric but isn’t sure that will be possible, and I didn’t need him to repeat these thoughts every chapter. But I appreciated the way his thoughts evolved, and how his misgivings only increased over time. The final confrontation wound up being very tense and I feared for Athan despite knowing the story would have a happy ending.
Overall, I thought this was a big improvement over book 1, and the rare villain-redemption story that worked for me.
I received an ARC in exchange for my review. -
What a wonderful reading experience this was. This was just such a fun book.
Brief Summary
Elric’s life is going to shit and he needs the help of a Phoenix to get back the things he lost, so he gets the help of Athan. Athan realizes that Elric is taken over by evil forces and tries to save him from himself. They fall in love in the process.
The set up in this book was so much fun to me. And while I really enjoyed the romance in this one, I also really loved the redemption arc and seeing Athan trying to fix Elric who was slowly turning to the dark side throughout the book, while Athan was trying to bring him to the good side.
My favourite types of books are villain redemption arcs, I absolutely adore them so much. I just love seeing a previously villain character getting put on his knees and having to beg for his redemption and I adored how it was done in this book. I loved how we got to see Elric’s journey trough being evil and how Athan tried everything in his power to bring Elric’s on the good side. I thought that it was so much fun to read about. I was so invested in the redemption arc in this one and I adored every seconds of it.
I ended up falling absolutely in love with Elric and Athan, I just loved them so much and I was so invested in their journey. I just loved all of their interactions and thought that they were such a lovely couple. I adored all of their interactions. They seemed like they cared about each other so much and I loved how you could see that through every interactions that they shared.
This book was just such a wonderful reading experience and I had a lovely time reading this one. I was just so invested in this story and the romance and I just wanted to keep reading it.
I received an arc of this book and this is my honest opinion -
I loved it. It was very different than what I expect, but it surprised me in a positive way. It was an intriguing story. It didn´t go where I thought it would, which was wonderful because it kept me guessing. I’d read the previous book, so I am not good judge on it working as a standalone, there aren´t much spoiler of what happened, so I would guess it is ok to read it before or after the other book in the series. It had a steady pace, a bit slow at times, but worked for me. It was very hard to put it down. I enjoyed so much reading it.
The main characters were fantastic. I liked both of them an also liked Callan. Athan was so interesting. It was amazing trying to see things they way he did. It is beautiful to see someone like him, not exactly perfect, but with so much goodness inside. As much as I loved Athan, Elric was really who wan my heart. It was amazing to see the internal struggle and how he sees himself. The strong emotions that were present in conversations with Athan, were one of the highlights of this experience for me. It was at the same time what bring the dark feeling to the book, but also what gave me warm emotion for what it all end up representing. It was simply beautiful. I was also impressed by the role played by Callan in the story and I end up being very intrigued by him. I hope I get to know more of him in the future.
I general, it was a great book, it could be easily enjoy for readers who like fantasy. -
The Phoenix and His Prince, the second installment of Adara Wolf and R. Phoenix’s The Monster’s Pet series is out! Technically you could read this story as a standalone, but you’ll definitely enjoy it more if you read
The Dragon and His Prince first.
When we meet Prince Elric in The Dragon and His Prince, oh boy, is he despicable! He does some horrible things to his family to ensure his unobstructed bid for the throne. I’d never have believed I would find myself rooting for this demon of a man, but when you discover the dark forces at work, you’ll end up rooting for Eric’s happily ever after as well.
Athan is absolutely adorable! A mystical, magical creature as the ideal book boyfriend? Yep! The phoenix is so down to Earth, and such a free spirit. (Of course his bedroom skills do hold a fair bit of appeal as well LOL.) Athan’s positive, upbeat, hopeful nature kept me smiling through the whole novel.
There are some wonderful messages in The Phoenix and His Prince. The fact that everyone has a story, and deserves a chance at redemption, is first and foremost. But I really enjoyed how the authors play with the concept of memories. As Athan states, “...how much of yourself can you lose before you aren’t yourself?” He’s so right, our memories shape everything about who we are.
Adara Wolf and R. Phoenix have created an incredible world here. These books are beautifully written, extremely clever, and fun to read. The authors have promised Callan is getting his story told next in The Shade and His Thief. Knowing how beautifully Adara Wolf and R. Phoenix crafted Prince Elric’s tale to gain our sympathy, I can barely wait to find out what dark presence in Callan’s life made this shade so shady!
a copy of The Phoenix and His Prince was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own -
The Phoenix and His Prince is the second book in The Monster’s Pet series. I’d definitely recommend reading it after the first book in the series as this one takes off immediately following the first. Elric was such a horrid person in the first book. But apparently he can be redeemed although it took me a bit to warm up to him. I freakin loved Athan from the start! So much patience. This ended up being a fantastic redemption story and I’m so glad I grabbed a copy to read. Well written with captivating pacing that sucked me right into the story.
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DNF @ 58%.
I liked the BL vibes of the first book, and dragon treasure. This has neither the BL vibes (at least not at this point), and a Phoenix with a swirly dick just ain’t doing it for me. At this point, it’s been mostly walking and a few magic dickings. I not really interested enough to stick around to see Elric have all his rust buffed out. -
Im not normally a .5 reviewer but this one is a 3.5 for me.
I always love a redemption story.
I wouldn’t say this was a grumpy x sunshine but more of a grumpy x hot as hell and he knows it. I loved the dynamic between our two MCs, they both had their own personality’s and ideals which were shown throughout the book and when they were together it was a scorcher (and not only because of the Phoenix). I loved the idea that Athan tinkered with things and always saw the best in not only his crafts but the people around him which led us to see a completely different side of Elric from the first book.
I will say though that I didn’t like the redemption and I don’t know if I can like Elric… The crimes are so much worse than the actual “redemption”. I was hoping it would be a little like Ariana Nash’s ‘The Black Prince but I was instead confused by the motivations of Elric and the real back ground seemed not enough of an excuse for the despicable actions taken. I think if the stocks hadn’t happened in the first book it would have been better and more understandable. I think the first half was a lot better because of this but the second half more stagnated because we were kind of told the reasons and there was a little bit of suffering but definitely not enough in my opinion.
Saying this, I thought how Callan’s manipulations being intertwined with the taking of memories that lack importance was so interesting. How even the most trivial of memories creates who we are and how we see the world was amazing. This is enhanced through the descriptions of rust and sludge the more Elric embraces the evil (for want of a better word) aspects of his personality. I can’t tell if this was metaphorical or not but I still thought it was a clever way to describe his inner turmoil and how repulsive his actions have been.
I will read the next book as I really enjoyed the first one in this series - even with everything that happened (a real hurt/comfort story in my opinion) but I can’t say I will be going back to this one because I feel Elric wasn’t really redeemed in my eyes especially with the final few scenes at the alter (please read trigger warnings).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A 3.5 stars from me. -
Do I think you can read this on it's own? Probably and still like it. Would it be better if you read the one before? Most definitely. I think you need to come in hating Elric as much as he hates himself in order to get the most enjoyment out of his redemption story. Elric has done plenty of awful things, but why I think this one is better than Larkin's story is that there's a greater emotional risk with this one. I enjoyed Larkin's story, don't get me wrong, but Elric is fully aware of the terrible things he's done and on top of that he has to choose to sacrifice himself for love. Which is a big deal since he's not had a very good model of that in his life.
There's more uncovering of Callan's deal with Elric and it was really well done to see how the memories that were taken shifted Elric's emotional state in very subtle ways. This one still fits the dark themes, and it is heavy at times, but overall the ending was amazing.
Athan was an incredibly deep character. I loved how he wanted to "fix" things and people without an expected return. How memories and emotions were more important to him than material things. It's definitely in direct contrast to Elric's motivations in a way. I think that their relationship evolved in a very natural way and while it looked like they wouldn't work, they each bring something that the other was lacking.
While we do wrap up Elric and Athan's story, we get a bit of a tease for what's left. I am absolutely here for this series and can't wait to read the next one! -
Ah, Elric. I admit I came into this book skeptical about his potential redemption narrative, after his actions in the previous story in the series (side note for readers, while this story can stand alone, it’s not a bad idea to check out the previous book first, if you haven’t already. You’ll get context on characters, world building, and also, plenty of heat and an interesting story). Overall, however, I must confess that I was won over, and more quickly than expected, by how Elric, with Athan at his side, evolves over the course of this story. Athan is, in many ways, too good to be true– patience, care, and kindness embodied– and while usually a character that incredibly selfless and *good* might be too much for me (no, I would prefer not to think too deeply about what that might say about me) in this case, I think, it really worked. Their connection is interesting, they compliment each other nicely ( Elric desperately needs a reality check and some redemption and Elric has that covered). It also should be said that there’s plenty of creatively imagined, vividly written steam in this story, so they’ve got that going for them as well. 4.5 stars.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. -
Elric will do anything to regain his throne from his brother and his brother’s dragon. But to do that he will need help from Athan, a phoenix. When he meets Athan, Athan declares that Elric has rust and is broken. Athan wants to help fix him but Elric feels that he does not need fixing. He is not rusting nor is he broken, no matter what Athan says. Athan does see something in Elric that makes him want to save him. Elric search for ways to regain his power may drive Athan away. He is not sure why that causes him pain.
As a phoenix, Athan uses his heat to try and eliminate some of the dark Elric contains inside him. He finds himself falling for Elric and is not sure he will survive if Elric turns to the dark. Elric has not told Athan the full truth of what he has done to his brother and his family. He hides it inside and tries to twist the truth to suit his needs. Athan does have a lot of work to do if he is to save Elric.
The Phoenix and His Prince was just as intense as The Dragon and His Prince but in different ways. Elric is a villain in need of redemption but it was unsure how that could ever be accomplished. There is more than one twist in this story that will have you on the edge of your seat. Hang on tight as this one will take you on quite a ride. -
The Phoenix and his prince is the second book in the series but I think that it can be read as a standalone. Elric plays a big role in the first book but the important events are explained.
I enjoyed the first book a lot but it's extremely dark so if you want to just read the second you won't be lost.
I loved Athan, the Phoenix, so very much. He was mysterious and interesting and so very kind. I loved how he didn't give up on Elric and how he helped and encouraged everyone he met.
Elric was the villain in the first book. He's really not a good person but I love reading about villains, especially if they have a good redemption storyline. What Elric did was unforgivable but Athan thought he was worth saving and even though I couldn't understand it at first the authors made believe it. The ending was very satisfying.
I also really liked the setting. The road trip and forced proximity are both favorite tropes.
And lastly I'm very intrigued by Callan. I'd like to know his story and I'm excited that the next book is about him.
If you are in the mood for a monster romance with a good redemption story I would recommend The Phoenix and his prince. -
DNF at 80% for now. This book made me realize that I do not like villain redemption stories. I can see where the author is going with Elric's story. There is some good in him, enough to keep you wanting to see if he'll change and Athan is such a sweetheart that you want to root for them to get together. But my god do I not like Elric. He's pretty much the same as he was in the last book: ambitious, greedy, and prideful and he never really seems to get over his faults. I'm at 80% and he is still like that. I expected a smoother character development arc but instead, it was sporadic and choppy and I'm starting to suspect that he will do an about-face near the end of the book. Another major, more personal, problem is that I hold grudges. I think I'll never like Elric, no matter how much he changes. Especially after what he did to his brother in the last book. Anyway, this just isn't for me but if you like redemption stories there might be something here for you.
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We now get Elric’s redemption story. He was so horrible in the first book of this series that you would think he wasn’t ever going to turn to good. But in this book we learn a whole lot of backstory that explains if not excuses his actions. This is a marvelous follow up to The Dragon and His Prince that actually got me liking Elric which I didn’t think I ever would. I liked how the authors wrote Athan, the phoenix’s character so that he wasn’t just a two dimensional “good” character. He also has some backstory that comes out and has a history with some of the other characters in the book. His part of the story could easily have become just about him as a supernatural creature and him saving people.
This was a fast paced novel that I sat down and zoomed through and I was left with a good feeling at the end.
I was given a copy of this book by the authors and this is my honest review -
Surprisingly wholesome for these authors, but a well-written story of redemption and love. It was probably good that I had some distance from the last book, because Elric was the villain in that one and since it had been a while since I read it, I was able to meet Elric on his own terms. I thought that the authors did a great job of explaining his character without excusing his actions completely. We just get a fuller picture of all the forces at play.
My one complaint is that I went in wanting dubcon deliciousness and lots of kink. I was hoping for more darkness than this so I was disappointed about that. The book got slow in the middle, but picked up towards the end and was a sweet, heart-breaking romance that does turn into a HEA. If anything, I ended the book wanting more!
**I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review** -
The Phoenix and His Prince is the second book in The Monster’s Pet series. This book can be read as a standalone, but it does pick up right where book 1 ended. I loved book 1, so I highly suggest reading it, but it does have some triggers that aren’t for everyone.
Talk about a redemption arc! I was convinced that I could never like Elric – especially after how he treated his brother Larkin in the first book – but the authors did a fantastic job with his character growth and development. Athan, the phoenix, was love at first sight for me. I loved his determination, his patience, and I really enjoyed watching him fall in love with Elric. I think only a phoenix – a symbol of rebirth and regrowth – could have been the perfect partner for Elric. Also, the sex scenes were super hot – exactly what I have come to expect from this writing duo. -
I truly enjoyed this book which is the story of Elric (would be king) and Athan, the phoenix he meets with the hopes to kill a dragon and get this kingdom back. However, Athan can see beyond the lies and deception and he wants to help Elric see beyond his greed and desire for power. Will love win at the end?
I do recommend to read the first book in the series as I think the story makes more sense and you get to see who Elric really is and what he has done in the past to keep the throne and his kingdom (which is not very good things).
This is a villain redemption story which I don't usually read but the authors got me invested in the story and the ultimate outcome between these two.
Can't wait for book three! -
Rocky road to redemption
Elric was not a character that I liked in the previous book.
He's cold, selfish and power hungry.
He incurs the help of Athan, a phoenix in order to wrest control of the kingdom from his brother.
As they make their way to their destination, we get to know Elric better.
He has his reasons for his behavior and Athan is able to help him change his ways.
Elric has never had someone care for him as a friend or partner other than for his position and Athan truly cares for him.
The connection between them was instantaneous and scorching hot.
I really enjoyed the animosity and snarky banter between Athan and Callan.
I can't wait to see how the author's redeem Callan. -
What a departure from book 1
This was a bit different from book 1. There were a few parts in book 1 that made me hurry through those pages. This book still has some dark parts but they were much more palatable and hopefully readers/dissenters of book 1 will give this one a shot.
I loved Athan, the phoenix, so much, he was a ball of light in the darkness that is Elric's life. As others reviewers stated, I didn't think there was any way shape or form that I would become a supporter of Elric and here I am, rooting for him.
I can't wait to see what happens next in this series. I have a feeling I know who's up next.
