The Pawn and The Puppet (The Pawn and The Puppet series) Paperback – April 1, 2022

Before I start my review please make sure to check the trigger warnings before coming into this book because it will deal with a lot of dark themes. But if you can handle all the darker intricacies of this book I promise the payoff will be well worth it because it was absolutely off the charts amazing. The fact that this was a debut blows my mind because within like 5 chapters I was immediately drawn in.The story begins with Skylenna fulfilling a promise to her sister and interviewing for Emerald Lake Asylum. Her sister had forewarned her beforehand of the cruel treatments that patients at this asylum and the staff that administer and allow it. Her goal is to prove the use of these "treatments" are not needed and there are better ways to manage the patients.Skylenna upon arrival is warned away from patient 13, murderous, genius, vicious, someone everyone is terrified off, except for her. I loved Skylenna throughout this whole book, her point of view was very wholesome and refreshing. She's different from the naive FMC's who make stupid choices, in some cases she is naive but she's also vulnerable and strong. I really enjoyed her as a person and can't wait to see her growth in this series.Now...let's talk about our main man Dessin... oh this man is hot. Before we even meet him everything is set up so mysteriously that you're on the edge of your seat WAITING to meet him and he does not disappoint. The way that he speaks, his body language, everything is important and I was soaking it all up. He just has a presence and oh my god the more you learn about him the more you love him and oh boy is there a lot to learn about him still (if you know you know).I ended up highlighting so much throughout this book and after that ending I still feel that need to go back and reread because I know there are things I missed. The author did a stellar job with this story and I cannot wait to explore more about both of these characters and a few choice side characters that ended up really pulling at my heartstrings with their stories. The writing is intricate and lyrical and really adds to the tone and theme of the story making it all the better. This story hurt, I cried, but everything has a reason and this is a story where you can tell how big the plans for the series are. A MUST READ.

B O O K R E V I E W| swipe | share | save |Overall Opinion:I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The relationship between Skylenna and Dessin is very intriguing. Dessin is an individual with DID and Skylenna is a worker at the asylum where he resides. Their relationship unfolds with her time spent there. Dessin’s character is extremely intriguing to me. When he disassociates I find him more and more fascinating. By that… I mean that I just have so many more questions about his character and each identity he has. I also love the dystopian vibe that it gives the reader. The asylum had me on the edge of my seat! Every time we went back to it I couldn’t put the book down! This story is filled with empathy and emotions. I feel that the writer did a good job of research ahead of time. I definitely encourage any potential reader to read every trigger warning ahead of time as this book dives into many dark topics.Brief Storyline:The Emerald Lake Asylum is not a place most desire to go. Nineteen year old, Skylenna, however, made a promise that she must keep. Once hired, she only has one purpose—prove to the council that barbaric treatments, such as waterboarding, scalding baths, and beatings, are no longer the answer. But that all takes pause when she meets the source of terror in the asylum. A patient with a split personality—on one side, he’s the bloodthirsty genius, Dessin. On the other, a hidden persona that is buried deep in his subconscious.When Dessin is caught in an attempted cell break, he faces execution if Skylenna can’t bring out his core personality and reveal his humanity. She has ninety days to save his life, and the only way to do that is to let him consume her into his world of moves, counter-moves, and master puppeteering.With each passing day, their bond deepens, a forbidden attraction forming against her best judgments. Little by little, Skylenna uncovers the sinister secrets of his past that turned him into the monster everyone else fears. And Dessin proves to have one weakness despite the terrifying, indestructible persona he presents to the world: her. Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements. Check trigger warnings before reading It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series. Trigger Warnings (misrepresentation and some triggers will be corrected in the revised edition): gratuitous violence, depression, suicide, torture, domestic violence, eating disorders, hallucinations, misogyny, poisoning, sexual assault, pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, death of a loved one, child abuse, decapitation, female oppression, hostage situation, body shaming, panic attacks, incest, rape, child sexual assault, emotional trauma, child sex traffickingCharacter Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5Spice level:.5/5Descriptive spice scenes:There were a few flirtatious scenes that gave a slow burn vibe.Closure:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5Audiobook Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5Audiobook Thoughts:This is a duet narration. The narrators portrayed the characters perfectly! The timing in between sentences flowed just right. The banter between the characters sounded natural. I really enjoyed the experience it gave to the listener.

Definitely a dark read but the story had me intrigued. Different than anything else I’ve ever read. Reason for 4 stars is it kinda lost me on the whole mythical creature thing. I didn’t really see how that fit into this at all. Could’ve done without.

loved it! Finished it in a day and I intend to devour the three that follow. I also plan to purchase the physical copies so I can proudly display them in book trophy form! Can't wait to learn more about Skylenna and meet more alters.

I read this in literally a day, it’s so well written, with powerful imagery and high stakes. Starting the second one now!!!