Darkmourn Universe - Ben Alderson's Gay Retellings

I never would have thought that the gay retelling of our favorite classics is exactly what the doctor ordered, but who am I kidding? This is totally on-brand for me. Reminiscent of another series based on retellings that I absolutely devoured last year, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, the Darkmourn Universe stands apart from the rest with its spice, queer elements, and its gothic atmosphere of the universe it is set in. Even more specifically, it is the morally gray hotties that raise this series higher into my ultimate favorites list. Ben Alderson has accomplished something special with how he has crafted the love between these characters by presenting elements of stories we are already familiar with in a unique way!

Although these books can be read as stand-alones, I strongly suggest reading them together and in order. As someone who accidentally started reading them out of order, it just enhances the experience of each one. I'm glad I went back and read the first one before devouring the latest release. So I’ll cover them in order of release with a small spice rating from 1 to 5 stars as I attempt to pull you into the Darkmourn Universe with me.

Lord of the Eternal Night

Spice: ☆☆ Inspired by Beauty and the Beast

Witches are a dying race. As the last of their kind born with magic, Jak is the last fighting chance they have at survival. Fueled with confidence and the overbearing pressure from his coven to succeed in his task, he enters his mortal enemy’s castle. To seduce him, of course. Except, nothing goes as planned as Marius, our blood thirsty beast, and the source of hatred and fear for all from the coven, proves to be more than just a monster. Forbidden feelings arise as lust overtakes the two, as the night one of them must die draws closer. In the end, death may prove to be inevitable.

Jak and Marius’s relationship is steamy and reckless, all weighted with the foreboding reminder that they will be the end of each other one way or another. I thoroughly enjoyed reading as Marius’s character developed and Jak began thinking for himself. Both of their changes lead them to tangle together within the bedsheets after endless teasing.

King of the Immortal Tithe

Spice: ☆☆☆☆ Inspired by Hades X Persephone

Tithe is a city closed off from the vampires that run rampant across the world. Yet our main character Arlo is constantly at death’s door with a sickness he desperately tries to hide from his younger sister, his only remaining family. Although Arlo is constantly fighting against his early demise, he finds that death has come to meet him personally, in the form of the elf prince, Faenir. Faenir has a curse of his own that has led to him spending a life of eternity alone and hated due to his deadly touch. However, when he comes to Tithe for the choosing, he finds someone immune to his touch that instantly turns his world upside down.

In this book, I feel like the author definitely kicked the spice up a notch and I was living for it! Possibly considering the circumstances of Faenir’s condition, which has left him starved for physical contact, the desperation was palatable. And let me tell you, I ate. I loved how Faenir crumbled at Arlo’s touch and how lovingly devoted he was toward his human lover. The combination of extra spicy scenes and fateful sweet romance really set this one apart for me.

Alpha of Mortal Flesh

Spice: ☆☆☆☆ Inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

Flashing forward into the future from the previous book’s setting, we are greeted with a new world, new rules, and new characters. Rhory, a witch in hiding, is living with a dark and painful secret. His husband, the man who took over Rhory’s father’s legacy as the Head of the Crimson Guard, is nothing but an abusive monster. But who could predict that an actual monster would be the one to save Rhory. The mysterious creature, Calix, a shadowed memory from Rhory’s, past enters the field and completely derails Rhory’s life in the best and worst ways. This story also has multiple flashbacks from varying perspectives that give us insight to many characters’ back stories as this complex plot starts to unwind itself. More than just spice and love, this story offered an excellent plot, a touch of mystery, and so many deep emotions of pain, suffering, and loss.

I literally bought this book yesterday and finished it in a single sitting. RIP my sleep schedule. I loved the slow burn I felt between Calix and Rhory! The build-up and crazy tension had me squealing like a schoolgirl when things FINALLY happened. I had chills during some of the sexy scenes because these two both have spicy little mouths. However, I will say that this book may be a bit hard to swallow for those triggered by abusive relationships, as there are explicit descriptions of abuse, manipulation, and suicidal thoughts. But it is raw, beautiful, and inspiring as we see Rhory rise up and find the tender love between him and Calix.

But that’s not all. Ben Alderson recently announced that there will be a 4th edition in this series based on The Little Mermaid. Although this classic has never been a favorite of mine, I absolutely cannot wait for next year when it is released! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of Ben Alderson’s work while I anxiously await the next installment of the Darkmourn Universe series.

If you’ve read this series already, let me know which one is your favorite in the comments! Arlo and Faenir’s story currently has my heart in a vice grip, but who's to say that won’t change with the next book!