The Umbra King
Vincula Realm
Romantic Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, New Adult & College Fantasy
Independently published
September 18, 2022
Paperback, Audiobook, and E-Reader
412
The morally grey don’t want redemption. They want retribution.
After the brutal murder of her twin sister, Aurora “Rory” Raven spends years forging herself into a ruthless vigilante killer.
She never gave up her search for the man who killed her sister, but when she is convicted of thirteen murders and sentenced to five-hundred years in Vincula, the prison realm, she knows her sister’s death will never be avenged.
After arriving in Vincula, Aurora discovers her opportunity for retribution is closer than she thought.
Caius is the notorious Umbra King, ruler of Vincula, King of the Monsters, and the thing nightmares are made of. After being locked in his own realm for a crime he didn’t commit, his only focus has been revenge.
But when Aurora drops into his throne room, representing everything he despises, they begin a game of cat and mouse, and before long, their hatred turns into something else.
Circumstances draw them together, but revenge might tear them apart.
The Umbra King is book 1 in the Vincula Realm Duology and ends on a cliffhanger.
Not suitable for those under 18. TW can be found in the book or on the author's website.
The Umbra King is a tale of revenge, with morally grey characters and brutal consequences, with a splash of fated mates and witty banter.
The Umbra King was my first read of 2025, and I devoured it in a single day. I stayed up until 2 am because it was just that good. The plot was different, the characters are complex, even the side characters, and I couldn’t guess what was coming next. And you know I love a morally grey female!
Our FMC, Aurora, aka Rory, is a feisty serial killer looking for revenge for the death of her twin sister. When she is caught for all of her unaliving, she is sentenced to the prison realm, Vincula. She is about to give up her hope for revenge when she lands in the throne room of the man she saw kill her sister. The reader is thrust into Rory’s journey for revenge and survival in the new realm.
The MC, King Caius, is a mysterious, grumpy, shadow daddy! His hatred for Rory was immediate, and it was hard to believe they would ever get along, let alone become lovers. I disliked him in the beginning due to the way he treated our girl, Rory. However, he made up for it later on with his shadows and his possessive nature.
“The next time someone lays a finger on you, their death belongs to me.”
Here’s another quote in case you didn’t believe me when I said he’s possessive.
“I would set this entire realm ablaze to keep you safe, and if you think I’m bluffing, you haven’t been paying attention.”
While the book ends on heartbreaking and rather shocking cliffhanger, book 2 is already out. Luckily, it’s a duology, so you will be able to learn how it ends in no time.
A Morally Grey FMC Looking For Revenge
Overall
5
I am a Libra, who advocates for rescue animals, loves to buy people gifts, travels as often as possible, and has an OBSESSION with special edition books. It all started with HP, Holly Black, and Cassandra Clare and has ended with a personality made up entirely of Romantasy and Dark Romance stories. I am married with 2 dogs and a grumpy cat. I love shiny things, glitter, gems, and foiled covers with metallic edges. I’m a proud feminist but also like my husband to put gas in the car. Lastly, and most importantly, I’m always down to get Greek food, attend a book con, go on a trip, or make new book besties.
