The King

Kid porn....Grown man wanting to have sex with a 15 year girl.

Seriously! A 15 year girl and an older man??? I kept waiting for the story to jump a few years like it jumped from her being 7 to 15. because maybe....maybe it might not bother me. But for some to say they have "chemistry" and so on is why I think it's all fake reviews. The fact that the age is brought up so many times makes me think this book is for f*cking pedophiles! I HATE wasting money on crap like this!

I was on the edge throughout reading the King. Penny and Damon have a relationship that is unique and dark. I am excited and can't wait to read the Queen.

The begining starts with The Prince short story of the past and continues in the present with events occuring between Damon and Penny parallel to The End Game series. I am not sure why this was kept seperate other than the intricacies of keeping mutiple storylines moving forward within the same book or maybe it was written seperately after the fact because Damon is such a powerful figure needing his own story. He is a King. My heart truly aches for these two and I look forward to their conclusion in The Queen. No one deserves the transformation from Pawn to Queen as much as Penny does.

Wow that was well worth the wait! First off, perfect ending. I don't think it could have been more perfect or fit Scout and Easton better. If you've read the first book and know how it ended well this one starts with all the chaos and it doesn't let up. Scout shows more of her soft side in this novel, that depends more on Easton. Their chemistry is still melt the pages hot as before but there is a stronger bond now. I'm extremely jealous of their love because it's completely swoon worthy! This novel test their relationship at every turn shows just how great the perfect love can be.

Dark. Gritty. Raw. That is this book. Damon Scott is the bad man. Not to be confused with bad boy. He's bad, but his father is worse. A monster. And the only light that Damon ever had in his life was Penny. She was a glimmer of hope in a bleak, abusive world. A world that has the potential to ruin, just like Damon could ruin Penny, but only after she's already suffered a fate that could be categorized as worse than death, and come back from it. THE KING is a push and pull of ruin. One minute I was aching for Penny, the next Damon, and back and forth, and back and forth like a ping pong match with no favorable odds of anyone winning. I'm left flummoxed. I don't know if these two shattered souls can fix each other, or if they can fix themselves, but one thing Skye Warren is incredibly gifted at is showing the reader the hope in a truly irreparably broken person. And she's most certainly laid the ground work for Damon and Penny to come out on the other side of this with their sanity somewhat intact, and their heart full of the only kind of love they can give. It won't be perfect, it won't be pretty, but it will be hauntingly beautiful and very much them. This book is one of those books that left be feeling off-kilter. Not in a bad way, just in a, I need Penny and Damon to find some independent and coupled closure, and just be a peace. A peace neither of them have ever quite felt, but I think they're finding it in one another. And I hope they take it full force and build an impenetrable castle so the ugly can no longer get in. THE KING consumed my thoughts, pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I call that a marker of a well-written and well-orchestrated book. So I can confidently say I absolutely suggest this book, though I do suggest reading the ENDGAME series first, even though it's not required as this is the beginning of Penny and Damon's story. Happy Reading! *ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Skye Warren wrecked me with the Endgame Series and she did it again with The King, the first book in the Masterpiece Duet. Damon and Penny’s history is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking. Penny’s life is very far from easy, she never had a normal family life and her genius mind, her only hope to achieve more for her future, ends up attracting the wrong kind of attention. And she’s only a seven year old. That’s when she meets Damon… Damon is the son of a criminal, his dad, Jonathan Scott, is a ruthless sociopath and Damon’s on the run when he meets Penny. Their lives entwine and soon Damon chooses to make an ultimate sacrifice to save “baby genius” from a terrible fate: falling in his dad’s hands. The story fast forwards: Penny’s now working at a dinner, trying to keep her dad from gambling but sometimes life comes full circle… And suddenly Penny is in danger of falling in Jonathan Scott’s hands again. What exactly are the odds that Damon can save her again? This may sound odd but I really loved how Penny and Damon met, she’s a child and he’s a young boy but they met exactly when they needed each other. Their connection as two damaged souls is so heartbreaking. Trust me, it’s amazingly perfect. I loved both Damon and Penny, their strengths, their weaknesses and especially how Penny’s resilience is truly inspiring. Even though The King can be read as a standalone, it is a spin-off of the Endgame series so I would highly recommend that you read that series first, it’s definitely worth it! Dark, gritty, powerful, angsty, deeply compelling with complex characters, fantastic writing, a perfect pace and a cliffhanger from hell! Mind blowing! I loved every word of The King and now I just don’t how am I going to survive until September for The Queen’s release.

I've been meaning to read the Endgame trilogy and haven't had a chance. After having my mind blown with this one, I'll certainly be making the time. The King is beautifully written and at times, absolutely heart-wrenching. Penny's story sucked me in from the very first page and didn't let go. From practically raising herself to going to great lengths to save her father, this young girl's tale becomes intertwined with Damon's, and while he's not exactly a good guy, you can't help but love him. I can't wait to see where their story goes.

…and I thought her Endgame series was epic! I have a new favorite by Ms. Warren!! I think I might have a new favorite series by Skye Warren. And that’s saying something, because I absolutely loved Gabriel and Avery’s story, and didn’t even care that much about Damon Scott … until that last part of the third book, where we got a glimpse of a different side to loan shark Damon Scott. A beautiful but haunting tale – dark, intense and incredible emotional – that is THE KING. The storytelling, the plot, the twists and secrets are delivered in such a brilliant way that will leave you breathless. The first few pages which were also released as a free prologue beforehand give us a glimpse into the childhood of Penny, an innocent yet undeniably clever girl from the bad side of town, who has to hide her mathematical geniality from certain people. She is only six years old when she meets Damon who is a teenager at this point, pretty damaged and messed-up himself. They share an instant connection and despite him knowing her for such a short time only, he is willing to sacrifice everything for her… Fast forward almost ten years, and Penny, thanks to her father’s gambling addiction, has once again hit rock bottom and is out of options. And once again she meets Damon. Damon still is fighting their pull toward one another – she is only a teenager after all –, but his sense to protect her predominates and it seems like there’s no cost too high for him to set her free… These two characters couldn’t come from more different backgrounds, yet they share so many similarities that keep drawing them together: They are both flawed and damaged, both paying dearly for their parent’s sins and mistakes – both puppeteers to an evil man pulling all the strings in the background: a manipulator at his best – a master chess player so to speak. And what this person puts both Damon in his childhood and now Penny through is horrendous beyond belief. We might be spared the gruesome details, but that doesn’t make it that much easier to read. Penny’s fate will tear you up: it is gut- and heart-wrenching and yet you will find yourself admiring her strength. And Damon? He is a tortured and complex soul that is always surrounded by an air of mystery, trapped in an infinite loop of a past he seems not able to break free of. One of those (anti-)heroes you don’t know whether you should fall for him or hate him. THE KING is a gripping and powerful tale of survival, sacrifice and – even if only underlying but not to ignore or forget – love. I loved every word of it and CANNOT wait for THE QUEEN!!

Penny was dealt a crappy hand in life, the daughter of a compulsive gambler. She's always trying to clean up her dads mess until he gets in bed with the wrong bad guy. Damon does what he can for Penny but mistakes are mad and Penny pays the price! I enjoyed reading Penny and Damon's first book!! Some tough stuff to read but definitely worth the read! So excited for The Queen!! ARC generously provided by author for honest review