Carnage

Carnage was one of my most anticipated reads in Shantel Tessier’s Lords universe, and it absolutely delivered. After meeting the Spade Brothers briefly in The Sinner and The Sacrifice, I couldn’t wait to see what kind of chaos, loyalty, and darkness surrounded them and this book gives us all of that and more. It’s easily one of the most emotionally intense stories in the entire series. What I loved most is how Carnage is structured into two distinct parts: before and after Saint officially becomes a Spade Brother. That shift between Part One and Part Two changes everything. The difference in Saint’s character across those sections is striking. Before he’s a mix of rebellion and chaos, and after, he’s colder, more calculated, and haunted by everything he’s lost and everything he’s become. Watching that transformation play out makes the story feel deeper and more layered than I expected from a dark romance. Ashton’s story, though, is the emotional heartbeat of this book. It’s heavy, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Please check your trigger warnings before diving in. Ashton’s journey involves sexual assault, both off-page and on-page. The first assault is revealed when she discovers she’s pregnant, while the second happens later in the story and is deeply painful to read. Tessier handles it with care, but it’s raw and brutal, making Ashton’s strength and resilience all the more powerful. Saint and Ashton’s relationship is born out of chaos and pain, but what develops between them is something fierce, consuming, and complex. Saint’s anger when Ashton runs from him is palpable, you can feel his fury jump off the page. But that rage isn’t just about control or pride; it’s rooted in his obsession, his need for power, and his desperate instinct to protect her from the same darkness he’s part of. Ashton, on the other hand, runs not out of defiance, but survival. With the help of another Spade Brother, she escapes to protect herself and the baby growing inside her. Her choices are impossible, yet understandable, and that moral grayness makes her one of the most human characters in the series. Adding to the emotional weight is the fact that Ashton is the sister of a missing Spade Brother. A thread that ties back to the mystery surrounding the deaths of Saint’s father and the previous generation of Spade Brothers. It adds a whole extra layer of intrigue and danger to an already explosive story. Like every Shantel Tessier novel, Carnage doesn’t hold back on the smut. It’s scorching, possessive, and filled with that signature power-play dynamic. But what really stood out to me this time was how the heat was matched by genuine storytelling. The tension, the violence, the lust, all of it is woven into a plot that’s as gripping as it is emotional. By the time I reached the end, I was breathless. Carnage is darker, heavier, and more brutal than the books before it, but it’s also more personal. Saint and Ashton’s journey is messy and painful, yet it’s filled with moments of redemption and trust that hit harder than I expected. If you’ve been following the Lords and thought you’d seen it all, trust me, Carnage takes things to a whole new level. It’s not just about darkness for shock value; it’s about what happens when two broken souls collide and somehow find a way to keep surviving. Shantel Tessier continues to prove why she reigns as one of the best in dark romance. This book isn’t just hot, it’s haunting, emotional, and completely unforgettable.

What an emotional roller coaster! This book so wild and i loveddddd it! Only reason why i didn’t read it in one sitting is because it was 3am and realized i had work in the morning 😂 Carnage is that type of book you’re willing to sacrifice sleep over. Ashtyn and Saint had great chemistry and i’m glad that they are together. She really needed a man who is a protector. She had a lot of conflicting emotions within herself and i think because of her trauma, she runs when things are too much. I truly loved the banter in the book with the other spade brothers. It’s made me so excited for their books. The spice to plot ratio was great. There were a lot of action and twists that kept me intrigued as a reader. Looking forward to the next book!

The Lords series by Shantel Tessier (The Ritual, The Sinner, The Sacrifice, Sabotage, Carnage, and Madness) is a relentless descent into the shadows of power, privilege, and psychological torment at Barrington University. At the heart of the series is the Lords, a secret society that operates with a chilling code: loyalty is absolute, and betrayal is punishable by death. Initiation rites are brutal, often requiring acts of violence or even murder as a blood oath for entry. These rituals are not only tests of strength and devotion, but also serve as psychological crucibles, stripping away innocence and binding members to a life of secrecy and moral compromise. The darkness of the series is most apparent in its unflinching exploration of abuse and manipulation. Tessier does not shy away from depicting graphic violence, sexual coercion, and the psychological games that define the Lords’ world. Characters are frequently forced into situations where their agency is stripped away, and survival depends on their ability to navigate a web of lies, blackmail, and shifting alliances. Relationships in the Lords series are fraught with toxicity and blurred boundaries. The books explore forbidden desires, possessive love, and the fine line between devotion and obsession. While some characters are portrayed as morally grey, acting out of love or past trauma, others are depicted as irredeemably toxic, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable even within the dark romance genre. The psychological toll on both characters and readers is significant. The series is replete with trigger warnings for graphic violence, sexual content, and themes of non-consent, bondage, and even rape. Many readers have noted the need to pause due to the overwhelming intensity and degrading scenarios depicted, particularly in the earlier books. Tessier’s writing does not merely titillate; it confronts and unsettles, forcing readers to grapple with the darkness at the core of her characters and their world. Despite, or perhaps because of-its darkness, the Lords series is undeniably compelling. Tessier balances the brutality with moments of humanity, making readers root for characters who are deeply flawed, sometimes even monstrous. The series is filled with plot twists, betrayals, and high-stakes confrontations, ensuring that the tension never lets up. Even as the characters are dragged through hell, there are glimmers of loyalty, sacrifice, and love that provide a measure of hope amidst the depravity. The Lords series is not for the faint of heart. It is a journey through the darkest corridors of privilege, power, and desire, where every victory comes at a steep price, and redemption is always uncertain. Tessier’s ability to weave together violence, psychological complexity, and raw emotion sets this series apart as a standout in the dark romance genre; one that will haunt readers long after the final page.

Carnage plunges you head first into the darkest corners of the Lords universe and refuses to let go, this is Spade Brother after all. Shantel Tessier delivers an unapologetically brutal story with layers of obsession, power and that twisted devotion you expect, both exhilarated and uneasy in equal measure. This Spade brother's story is Saint Carter and he is everything you could hope for and more. This book is a thrilling journey with unexpected twists that left me gapping. This book had me really feeling love, hate and everything in between for Saint and Ashtyn.. was a definite favourite. The writing grips you from the start and the momentum never lets up from start to finish. That said and fair warning: this is very dark. If you’re comfortable with borderline unhinged power plays, extreme dominance/submission themes and moral ambiguity at every turn then you’ll find an intriguing ride. If you prefer romance thats lighter or more consensual and straightforward then this might test your limits.

Carnage By: Shantel Tessier There are a number of things that one can say about Carnage. This book had solid story lines, yes, lines with an (s) because there were several story lines going on throughout this book, each story line was connected to the other and the connections were strong! They grew which gave the characters many openings to grow and in some cases to show how we think we know everything about them, but in reality we know very little until all is revealed at the end. This is what I look for in a book a solid story line that can take you on a journey and in the end you may agree with all that has happened or you may not, but your journey has been one of reading and watching each character. Readers find out the difference between the LORDS and being a LORD and a SPADE BROTHER……BIG DIFFERENCE! One of the things that drew me into Carnage was the romance, the love story between Saint and Ashtyn. I know it’s a dark romance, but frankly sometimes a strong romance can make the dark fade and bring the entire story to the forefront. In Carnage, the author managed to not just let the “dark” have it’s way, but in many cases she ripped the bandage off and reminded readers that this isn’t just one story it is the culmination of several and the crossing over of others. That is the next thing that puts my review at a 5 star level. For long time readers it was exciting to see old friends. I love that in a book, when you need answers you may have to walk back a series or two. I knew from the beginning that this was going to be like a hunt, when I read this line in Chapter Two “Let’s just say one day I might need a favor.” I had a gut feeling what we readers were working towards….and DAMN it was very rewarding when it was over! A strong storyline and strong characters made this a 5 star read for me. It is important that before you start reading you read the trigger warnings found inside the book.

Ich liebe die Lords Reihe!

Den var i väldigt bra form när jag fick den.

Heb carnage op mijn. Kindle gelezen maarja wou de serie ook compleet hebben in de boeken dus heb hem toch nog besteld maar who ik hou echt van deze serie