Author: Devyn Sinclair

Series: Dragons of Viria

First Published: 30 August 2025

“Why do you believe you are no strong when your entire world has been turned upside down and you’re still standing?” 

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Devyn for sending a copy my way!

This is a sequel; I will try and keep my review as spoiler free as possible but just be wary if you haven’t read the first book, Beautiful Beasts. 

My enemies tried to destroy me, but I survived. They will fear what’s left of me.

I have been betrayed by both humans and dragons.

When fire didn’t kill me, my enemies threw me from a cliff and walked away. They thought ending my life would be easy.

They were wrong.

And I haven’t survived this long to run from a fight.

With my mates taken and tortured, every day that passes means I’m running out of time. But I will get them back. No matter what it takes, even if it destroys my soul.

The humans claim I’m a traitor. I’ve turned my back on my own people and have sided with beasts. They believe the dragons are monsters who want nothing more than to burn the world to the ground.

Once again, they’re wrong.

The monster they should fear is me

I have been waiting for Exquisite Monster for what feels like forever. I devoured this. Oh, these cliffhanger endings might be the end of me! I know I should have expected it since there is one more book in this series, but boy, did it get me! I reread the last pages repeatedly to ensure I missed nothing.

I will remain vague concerning plot details to avoid spoilers. I have so many questions about what’s coming up in the third book. Thankfully, we pick up right where Beautiful Beast leaves off. Lena is separated from the dragon heirs—Endre, Zovai and Sirrus. I will say that if you have only read Devyn’s omegaverse, this story is darker in tone, which makes sense, as we have a brewing war between humans and dragons. Each side wished to eradicate their rivals. The head of the human side, King Andaros, is truly a psycho, who seems to enjoy the torture he’s inflicting on Endre, Zovai and Sirrus. I cannot wait to see how Andaros and the dragon elders are defeated because they deserve everything coming their way. We get introduced to a group of new characters who help Lena and the guys in their budding rebellion. Through their aid, we learn a lot about the world. We see that the tales both human kings and the elders have told their subjects may be propaganda to fuel hatred and help further their war efforts.

My heart breaks for Lena. She’s ripped from her mates after just bonding with them and left for dead. An unlikely ally provides her sanctuary and reluctantly offers to help train her. She spends her days anxious about being separated from her mates and feeling helpless and frustrated that she is powerless to change anything. All this, while working to memorise complex and powerful potions and going through rigorous weapons training. For her whole life, she’s been a pawn in someone else’s game and doesn’t feel that she has any agency. Through this ruthless training, Lena claws back her sense of power. She’s ready to burn the world down to protect those she loves, which I love to see.

Endre, Zovai and Sirrus were captured by Andaros following the betrayal cliffhanger in Beautiful Beast. They are kept chained and drugged so Andaros can harvest their fire. Thankfully, despite being separated, they can communicate mentally. It grants them the ability to try to strategise their escape and allows them to support each other through their trauma. I appreciate how Devyn shows how hard it is to stay mentally strong when everything feels hopeless. It was done beautifully.

I was cheering when they reunited. Poor Lena is newly bonded but doesn’t understand the mechanics of the bond, so she couldn’t tell if Endre, Zovai and Sirrus were alive. Thankfully, the heirs could tell that Lena was alive—and they assumed relatively safe — which brought them solace during their captivity. I loved the quiet moments they had to reconnect after the trials they’d been through. It was equal parts sweet and steamy.

Vari is the real MVP. I adore this little dragon with his hoard of one coin so much. He refuses to leave Lena’s side, even if staying with her could mean death. I love how Vari helped Lena during her training by collecting items for potions and providing comfort when she needed it. I especially love his training sessions with Sirrus as he prepares to be by Lena’s side in upcoming battles. This little dragon owns my heart and soul!

Excuse my vague gushing about this story, but know I loved every second. I am beyond excited to see what’s up next for Lena, Endre, Zovai and Sirrus. I am 100% sure there will be some heartbreak before getting that sweet, sweet HEA. If you love your romantasy with a side of dragon shifters, fated mates, brewing war, political intrigue and why choose romance dynamic, you need to pick up Dragons of Viria.

Warning: the cliffhanger endings will cause you some pain and have your mind whirling with questions, but it’s so worth it.