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A review by lionellepmuls
King of Hollywood by Fae Quin
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"The dominos had fallen. The results were in..." 4,5 Stars
ARC Read: 19/08/2024
I received this ebook for free from the author & GRR and I'm leaving this review of my own accord. Thank you, Fae Quin for this gift. 🥰
What to expect from this book? 🤔
❤️🔥 Adult MM Paranormal Romance 🥵💦
👉 Small Town Next-Door Neighbor 📬📦
👉 Opposites Attract 🧲
🤌 Size Difference
😘🐨 Mutual Insta-Crush
🚨 Stalking & Possessiveness & Obsessive Behavior As A Love Language 📸
☀️💼👉 A Grumpy Businessperson, Oblivious, Rule Sticker Himbo Of A Murderer 🍕
&
🧢🕶📽👉 An Adorable, Cute, Old Hollywood Actor, Teaser Of A Vampire⚰️🩸
🙌 Demi Sexual & Romantic Rep
🥵 Slow Burn (👉 It's Worth The Wait, Believe Me)
😳 A Horny Virgin Praise Slut Top x A Bossy Power Bottom That Bites 👀
✨️Mysterious Gothic House In The Neighborhood Movie Vibes With Murder Meet Cute 🔭
🔪Dark Hilarious Antics & Cute Dates 🪦
🧶Cat & Crochet Lover
🩸Finally As U Can Expect In A Vampire Book: Biting, Blood Kink & Some Primal Play 🩸
👀👀 I apologize for the extended trope list but nobody could contain me 🤗 (and emoji usage)
Series: Tales From The Tarot #5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
This book was super cute and hilarious, despite how murdery, stalkery and darkish and deliciously unhinged Marshall and Felix's relationship was.
Even though it’s a slow burn (and we didn’t get a warring) —something that usually turns me off— I found myself enjoying it. The slow pacing was done surprisingly well, mainly because the dates between Marshall and Felix were precious, funny and just cozy.
When the story hits around 60% 😳, it gets seriously hot, spicy, and bloodier than before. I ATE IT UP. 🥵
Genre/Trope:Adult/MM Romance/Slow Burn/Size Difference/Opposites Attract/Queer First Times/V Card/Cranky Nature/Sun Kissed Spirit/Ace Rep/Paranormal/Fantasy/Sweet Tooth/Vampire/Age Gap/Angel Or Demon/Beast Glamour/Not Too Much Darkness/Mild BDSM/Bite Isn't Enough/Mystery/ Suspense/Dark Comedy/LGTBQIA Plus/New Authors/Off Grid Attraction/ Possessive Mc Or Caveperson/Oblivious Mess/Ximbo/Bimbo/Aesthetic Romance/Pet Lovers/Very Tempting Neighbor/ARC
Content/Trigger Warnings:Manipulation, Graphic Murder, Serial Murder, Accidental Death, Body Disposal, Felching, Mild BDSM, Mild Sadomasochism, Mild Body Horror, Temporary Animal Endangerment, Blood Drinking & Play, Consensual Stalking, Dark Humor
Plot: 5/5
POV: 1
Main Characters:
5/5 – Marshall Ward, Nicknames: Mar-Mar, 38yo human, cranky, grumpy, rule-sticker, planner, possessive, obsessive, murderer, stalker, demisexual, demiromantic, businessperson, hates neighbors, sober;
5/5 – Felix Finley, vampire, cat lover, serious crocheter, kind, funny, lonely, old Hollywood actor, bossy, fast, nightwalker, tiny, beautiful cutie;
Marshall’s hatred for everyone and almost everything, except for Felix, is just chef’s kiss. He’s such a grump, and I love it.
He’s completely OBSESSED with Felix. I’m talking full-on, certifiable, unhinged obsession, complete with collages, stalking, and cameras.
I also adore the cute little nicknames Marshall comes up with for Felix. They’re all in his head, of course—he never actually says them out loud:
“My chivalrous little gremlin.”
“My rabid little chihuahua man.”
heheheh, he’s so funny. 😄
At around 38%, I found myself thinking: “Come on, Marshall, you’re smarter than this! Have you never heard of basic vampire rules? Are you that oblivious? You’re lucky I find it hilarious. 😆 You’re such a Ximbo (aka himbo/bimbo but neutral)!
Really, it was the most obvious suspicion, leading to the only logical conclusion… Felix is an adorable vampire!
BTW the vampire traits in this book are very much like the ones in Twilight: no breathing, looks like porcelain skin, cold touch, no eating, shadows under the eyes, statue-like stillness, eye color changes, super speed, and strength.
Felix was adorable, between shyness and bursts of confidence, he’s was building up trust with Marshall to be himself.
It was beautiful how he cherished Marshall’s quirks and antics, all while trying (and failing) to hide the fact that he was a vampire.
I love the fact that he was always crocheting and his admiration for stars!
Tarot Card: The Emperor
I don’t know much about Tarot, just bits and pieces from what my sibling tells me.
I expected it to play a bigger role in the story, but it didn’t come up as much as I thought it would. Sure, they mentioned tarot cards, but they were just a set lying around in Felix’s house. It felt like a missed opportunity.
For example, it would’ve been fun if Felix had been reading the cards, and Marshall, doing his usual sneaky thing, was hiding in the bushes taking pictures.
Imagine if Felix lifted The Emperor card right as Marshall snapped a photo—perfect for his collage.
Or maybe something involving Felix’s cats stealing the cards, specifically The Emperor card. That would’ve been hilarious.
Also, I was expecting more scenes (not just flashbacks) from when they were in the Magic Shop and met The Owner. A friend of mine, who’s read the previous books in the Tales From The Tarot series, mentioned that in those, the MCs had interactions with The Owner, and that they would do a reading and the card would be the theme card of the book.
But here, all we got was an old poster of the card in Felix’s mess of a house.
I was expecting more focus on Tarot and The Owner. 🤗
Side Characters: 5/5
Oh, Barry, Barry, Barry... What are we going to do with you? Marshall hates you so much, and I’m with him – you’re insufferable!
But really, Fae Quin did a great job making Barry's moments hilarious. There’s so much entertainment in this story, especially with all the creative and insulting nicknames Marshall has for Barry!
Winnie & Marshall’s sibling moments were super cute and funny.
The most hilarious thing is that Winnie has this uncanny sixth sense, knowing exactly when to call Marshall at the most embarrassing moments or when he’s on the verge of a meltdown.
Does she help him? Of course not! She just teases and mocks him a lot. 😆
Ahhhhh, the cats... I do love cats! And these two were hilarious.
Marshall was so adamant about hating them until he realized that Felix’s life included Dolly and Tiffany, he had to figure out a plan to get used to them.
Those moments were some of the funniest in the book!
Humor: High Focus
Angst: Low Focus
Steam Level: 5/5
Romance: High Focus
Cheating?No
Cons:The only thing I didn't need was the specifics on the food. My favorite kinds of books are the ones that don't describe the food the characters are eating in every scene, or at least only once or twice. It's not just because I'm vegan—I respect everyone's choices—but I also don't think it's necessary to define a character's lifestyle or personality by their food preferences. That's why I don't read chef or food-related books. That being said, I don't think Marshall's very specific, supposedly boring and plain, food choices were necessary. The detailed descriptions didn’t add much to the story, if the food had been described vaguely it would have had the same effect.
In my opinion, oatmeal would have been perfect.
As Holt says in B99, "Love, it sustains you. It’s like oatmeal." This quote would have been a great fit for this couple…Just saying…
The Ending: 5/5
HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger?HEA
The epilogue, the end was amazing.
Even though we didn’t get Felix’s POV. 😗
*throws a tantrum*
Don’t get me wrong—this book was awesome 👌—but we could’ve, AT LEAST, had Felix’s POV in the epilogue!!!
…
Felix's emotions were all over the place, and there were so many conversations, backstories that were hinted at but never fully answered, especially about his past. It felt like some threads were left hanging.
I get that explaining everything would probably require a full-length book, but it still felt like something was missing.
If I had to point out a few things:
🐱 It took me about 10% of the book to get fully immersed in the story, but that’s probably just me being impatient due to insomnia. So that was total a ME thing.
😿 I really missed Felix’s POV. Without his perspective, the story felt a bit unfinished.
Considering how much Marshall spirals in his thoughts, we would have had space for a few chapters, or even just a glimpse of Felix’s input—especially in the epilogue.
By then, Felix had moved on from his past, thanks to Marshall, who made him feel seen, loved, and no longer alone. Felix would’ve been focused on the present, and his POV there would have been perfect. 👌
😽 Marshall’s tendency to overthink and walk in circles fits his personality as a planner and indecisive person (which I totally relate to), but sometimes it dragged on a bit.
The constant back-and-forth inner monologues occasionally took me out of the interactions between the MCs or the story.
It could’ve been trimmed down a bit, but it didn’t ruin the book for me. Just another ME thing, specifically bc it’s a slow burn.
😸But honestly, despite these things, I loved the book and would 100% recommend it! 😻😻😻
Favorite character?Marshall
Would I read more of this author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Will I read this again in the future? Yes
This is my 1st book by Fae Quin.
Enjoyment: 4,5/5
Tales From The Tarot Series:
💙4.King Of Hollywood - 4,5 stars💙
💜5.My Minotaur Daddy by Laura Lascarso - 40% DNF For Now💜
🖤6.Across Space And Time by Kit Barrie - 10% DNF Forever🖤
❤7.Chariot Of Souls by Morgan Mason - 3 stars❤
💚8.The Nephilim’s Touch by Morgan Lysand - 4 stars💚
🧡9.By Rude Strength by K.L. Hiers - 4 stars🧡
💛10.Found In Obscurity by A.M. Rose - 2,5 stars💛
💜14.Death Song by B. Ripley - 42% DNF For Now💜
💛17.Camelot's Tower by Brooke Matthews - 5+++ stars💛
💚18.A Highland Gargoyle's Lucky Star by Chloe Archer - 4 stars💚
💙19.Trust In The Moon by Delaney Rain - 4 stars💙
💜20.Raising The Sun by Eryn Hawk - 4 stars💜
!! I don't equate fiction stories to real life. It's a matter of personal taste and what you are willing or want to tolerate in the books you read. We all have different opinions and preferences when it comes to the kind of books we enjoy, so it's important to respect and remember that it's just a book!!
Hope this review was helpful.
Click Here:
To See My Goodreads Review
To See My BookBub Review
To See All My Reviews On StoryGraph
To See All My Socials
ARC Read: 19/08/2024
I received this ebook for free from the author & GRR and I'm leaving this review of my own accord. Thank you, Fae Quin for this gift. 🥰
What to expect from this book? 🤔
❤️🔥 Adult MM Paranormal Romance 🥵💦
👉 Small Town Next-Door Neighbor 📬📦
👉 Opposites Attract 🧲
🤌 Size Difference
😘🐨 Mutual Insta-Crush
🚨 Stalking & Possessiveness & Obsessive Behavior As A Love Language 📸
☀️💼👉 A Grumpy Businessperson, Oblivious, Rule Sticker Himbo Of A Murderer 🍕
&
🧢🕶📽👉 An Adorable, Cute, Old Hollywood Actor, Teaser Of A Vampire⚰️🩸
🙌 Demi Sexual & Romantic Rep
🥵 Slow Burn (👉 It's Worth The Wait, Believe Me)
😳 A Horny Virgin Praise Slut Top x A Bossy Power Bottom That Bites 👀
✨️Mysterious Gothic House In The Neighborhood Movie Vibes With Murder Meet Cute 🔭
🔪Dark Hilarious Antics & Cute Dates 🪦
🧶Cat & Crochet Lover
🩸Finally As U Can Expect In A Vampire Book: Biting, Blood Kink & Some Primal Play 🩸
👀👀 I apologize for the extended trope list but nobody could contain me 🤗 (and emoji usage)
Series: Tales From The Tarot #5
Cover: 5/5
Story: 5/5
This book was super cute and hilarious, despite how murdery, stalkery and darkish and deliciously unhinged Marshall and Felix's relationship was.
Even though it’s a slow burn (and we didn’t get a warring) —something that usually turns me off— I found myself enjoying it. The slow pacing was done surprisingly well, mainly because the dates between Marshall and Felix were precious, funny and just cozy.
When the story hits around 60% 😳, it gets seriously hot, spicy, and bloodier than before. I ATE IT UP. 🥵
Genre/Trope:Adult/MM Romance/Slow Burn/Size Difference/Opposites Attract/Queer First Times/V Card/Cranky Nature/Sun Kissed Spirit/Ace Rep/Paranormal/Fantasy/Sweet Tooth/Vampire/Age Gap/Angel Or Demon/Beast Glamour/Not Too Much Darkness/Mild BDSM/Bite Isn't Enough/Mystery/ Suspense/Dark Comedy/LGTBQIA Plus/New Authors/Off Grid Attraction/ Possessive Mc Or Caveperson/Oblivious Mess/Ximbo/Bimbo/Aesthetic Romance/Pet Lovers/Very Tempting Neighbor/ARC
Content/Trigger Warnings:
Plot: 5/5
POV: 1
Main Characters:
5/5 – Marshall Ward, Nicknames: Mar-Mar, 38yo human, cranky, grumpy, rule-sticker, planner, possessive, obsessive, murderer, stalker, demisexual, demiromantic, businessperson, hates neighbors, sober;
5/5 – Felix Finley, vampire, cat lover, serious crocheter, kind, funny, lonely, old Hollywood actor, bossy, fast, nightwalker, tiny, beautiful cutie;
Marshall’s hatred for everyone and almost everything, except for Felix, is just chef’s kiss. He’s such a grump, and I love it.
He’s completely OBSESSED with Felix. I’m talking full-on, certifiable, unhinged obsession, complete with collages, stalking, and cameras.
I also adore the cute little nicknames Marshall comes up with for Felix. They’re all in his head, of course—he never actually says them out loud:
“My chivalrous little gremlin.”
“My rabid little chihuahua man.”
heheheh, he’s so funny. 😄
At around 38%, I found myself thinking: “Come on, Marshall, you’re smarter than this! Have you never heard of basic vampire rules? Are you that oblivious? You’re lucky I find it hilarious. 😆 You’re such a Ximbo (aka himbo/bimbo but neutral)!
Really, it was the most obvious suspicion, leading to the only logical conclusion… Felix is an adorable vampire!
BTW the vampire traits in this book are very much like the ones in Twilight: no breathing, looks like porcelain skin, cold touch, no eating, shadows under the eyes, statue-like stillness, eye color changes, super speed, and strength.
Felix was adorable, between shyness and bursts of confidence, he’s was building up trust with Marshall to be himself.
It was beautiful how he cherished Marshall’s quirks and antics, all while trying (and failing) to hide the fact that he was a vampire.
I love the fact that he was always crocheting and his admiration for stars!
Tarot Card: The Emperor
I don’t know much about Tarot, just bits and pieces from what my sibling tells me.
I expected it to play a bigger role in the story, but it didn’t come up as much as I thought it would. Sure, they mentioned tarot cards, but they were just a set lying around in Felix’s house. It felt like a missed opportunity.
For example, it would’ve been fun if Felix had been reading the cards, and Marshall, doing his usual sneaky thing, was hiding in the bushes taking pictures.
Imagine if Felix lifted The Emperor card right as Marshall snapped a photo—perfect for his collage.
Or maybe something involving Felix’s cats stealing the cards, specifically The Emperor card. That would’ve been hilarious.
Also, I was expecting more scenes (not just flashbacks) from when they were in the Magic Shop and met The Owner. A friend of mine, who’s read the previous books in the Tales From The Tarot series, mentioned that in those, the MCs had interactions with The Owner, and that they would do a reading and the card would be the theme card of the book.
But here, all we got was an old poster of the card in Felix’s mess of a house.
I was expecting more focus on Tarot and The Owner. 🤗
Side Characters: 5/5
Oh, Barry, Barry, Barry... What are we going to do with you? Marshall hates you so much, and I’m with him – you’re insufferable!
But really, Fae Quin did a great job making Barry's moments hilarious. There’s so much entertainment in this story, especially with all the creative and insulting nicknames Marshall has for Barry!
Winnie & Marshall’s sibling moments were super cute and funny.
The most hilarious thing is that Winnie has this uncanny sixth sense, knowing exactly when to call Marshall at the most embarrassing moments or when he’s on the verge of a meltdown.
Does she help him? Of course not! She just teases and mocks him a lot. 😆
Ahhhhh, the cats... I do love cats! And these two were hilarious.
Marshall was so adamant about hating them until he realized that Felix’s life included Dolly and Tiffany, he had to figure out a plan to get used to them.
Those moments were some of the funniest in the book!
Humor: High Focus
Angst: Low Focus
Steam Level: 5/5
Romance: High Focus
Cheating?
Cons:The only thing I didn't need was the specifics on the food. My favorite kinds of books are the ones that don't describe the food the characters are eating in every scene, or at least only once or twice. It's not just because I'm vegan—I respect everyone's choices—but I also don't think it's necessary to define a character's lifestyle or personality by their food preferences. That's why I don't read chef or food-related books. That being said, I don't think Marshall's very specific, supposedly boring and plain, food choices were necessary. The detailed descriptions didn’t add much to the story, if the food had been described vaguely it would have had the same effect.
In my opinion, oatmeal would have been perfect.
As Holt says in B99, "Love, it sustains you. It’s like oatmeal." This quote would have been a great fit for this couple…Just saying…
The Ending: 5/5
HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger?
The epilogue, the end was amazing.
Even though we didn’t get Felix’s POV. 😗
*throws a tantrum*
Don’t get me wrong—this book was awesome 👌—but we could’ve, AT LEAST, had Felix’s POV in the epilogue!!!
…
Felix's emotions were all over the place, and there were so many conversations, backstories that were hinted at but never fully answered, especially about his past. It felt like some threads were left hanging.
I get that explaining everything would probably require a full-length book, but it still felt like something was missing.
If I had to point out a few things:
🐱 It took me about 10% of the book to get fully immersed in the story, but that’s probably just me being impatient due to insomnia. So that was total a ME thing.
😿 I really missed Felix’s POV. Without his perspective, the story felt a bit unfinished.
Considering how much Marshall spirals in his thoughts, we would have had space for a few chapters, or even just a glimpse of Felix’s input—especially in the epilogue.
By then, Felix had moved on from his past, thanks to Marshall, who made him feel seen, loved, and no longer alone. Felix would’ve been focused on the present, and his POV there would have been perfect. 👌
😽 Marshall’s tendency to overthink and walk in circles fits his personality as a planner and indecisive person (which I totally relate to), but sometimes it dragged on a bit.
The constant back-and-forth inner monologues occasionally took me out of the interactions between the MCs or the story.
It could’ve been trimmed down a bit, but it didn’t ruin the book for me. Just another ME thing, specifically bc it’s a slow burn.
😸But honestly, despite these things, I loved the book and would 100% recommend it! 😻😻😻
Favorite character?
Would I read more of this author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Will I read this again in the future? Yes
This is my 1st book by Fae Quin.
Enjoyment: 4,5/5
Tales From The Tarot Series:
💙4.
💜5.
🖤6.
❤7.
💚8.
🧡9.
💛10.
💜14.
💛17.
💚18.
💙19.
💜20.
!! I don't equate fiction stories to real life. It's a matter of personal taste and what you are willing or want to tolerate in the books you read. We all have different opinions and preferences when it comes to the kind of books we enjoy, so it's important to respect and remember that it's just a book!!
Hope this review was helpful.
Click Here:
To See My Goodreads Review
To See My BookBub Review
To See All My Reviews On StoryGraph
To See All My Socials