King of Corium

Corium University, Book 1

By: C. Hallman

Narrated by: Zara Eden, Connor Brown

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

She came here for protection, but that’s the last thing she's going to find.

Welcome to Corium University, where the most dangerous criminals in the world send their offspring. Assassins, mafia leaders, arms dealers, and art thieves—you name it, this college houses them. Nothing can touch us here.

The only rule: No one can die. I knew she would be here.

Aspen was my enemy in every shape of the word. A liar, a thief. I wanted revenge for my family, revenge against her father. I knew the rules. Knew I couldn’t kill her, but I could hurt her. I could make her wish she never came to Corium. She wasn’t made for this place.

If she thought the university was the only nightmare she would have to face, she was wrong. I was the king, and this was my kingdom.

King of Corium is a new adult, enemies-to-lovers, dark romance that contains dark themes, including dub-con, and non-con. It is not a stand-alone novel.

©2021 Bleeding Heart Press (P)2022 Pink Flamingo Productions

So good!!

Wow this book is so good and the cliffy!! Lord have Mercy!!! Zara & Connor did and amazing job at narrating

Gripping. A one-siting listen.

A school for criminals … as in … it teaches people how to be better criminals. What a brilliant concept for fiction. I was hooked from the start.

Highlights / tropes hit:

👑Dubcon / non-con.
👑Bullies—entire university, staff included worth of bullies.
👑Virgin heroine.
👑Billionaires.
👑Criminals.
👑Fast-burn.
👑A very strong-willed FMC.
👑Lots of people to love to hate.
👑A mystery throughout.
👑Mortal enemies to lovers.
👑Hate-f***ing.
👑Alternating first-person POVs.
👑Suspense, specifically at the end.


This book ends on a wicked cliffhanger—and it’s totally cool because the next 2 are available.
Could not put it down./

4 stars.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*A big of the ‘dirty talk’ could be cheesy at times. And “ropes of c**” always makes me cringe—if it’s ropes, he should really get that checked. But mostly it was hot and well done.

*Loved when the heroine was found reading Pretty Little Savage!


Audio:
👑Features dual narrators.
👑High-quality production, overall. No extraneous sounds, etc.

Terrible female narration

The story is great as always by these authors, but someone needs to tell the female narrator that she's reading a novel, not slam poetry. I'll be listening to the rest of this story via TTS thanks to her. The robotic voice of my TTS is preferable to whatever she's doing.

King of Corium

King of Corium is the first book in the Corium University Trilogy. This book is told from dual points of view by Quinton and Aspen.

Both Quinten and Aspen go to Corium University. An underground school where criminals send their kids to learn to become better criminals. Aspen's father is arrested for being a rat, and now everyone at school treats Aspen as a rat. She is bullied daily, and the staff treats Aspen like scum.

Quinton is one of the ring leaders torturing Aspen daily, but as the torture goes on he realizes he can bribe her to get what she wants and she can get things she needs like food and blankets. However, as he's bribing her he starts to develop feelings for her.

Quinton is trying to figure out his own answers to things that have happened in the past. Aspen's mother keeps telling her she is safer at Corium, even though she is being bullied. What happens when Quinton finds something that belongs to his sister? Can Aspen stay safe at the school or will she try to leave?

So much happens in this book, and I can't wait to see what happens between Aspen and Quinton in the next book!

Awesome

I love and have always looked forward to books by these talented authors. I always know I’ll be in for a treat that will keep me hooked and reading until the very end. AudiobookObsessionsReviewer & PinkFlamingoProductions

Life's Curve Balls

A school that teaches criminal offspring to be better criminals? Yeah, nothing good can come of this. 🤪

Quinton Rossi and Aspen Mather became enemies due to the actions of her father, but they test the bounds of their animosity at Corium University, where she barely exists to those around her. I hate that she is treated as persona non grata for the actions of another, and I love that at least one other person feels the same.

This is dark, with non-consent events, brutality, and more, but I really liked it. OK, so I didn't like the cliffhanger, but who does? 🤔 I can't wait to see what's in store for this unlikely couple and those that have betrayed them.

I received an author's copy of the audio book. The narrators are Connor Brown and Zara Eden. This was my first time listening to either, and both were great.

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 4.5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.5x

Q&A

Quinton and Aspen are addictive. Enemies who are drawn to each other but won’t admit it. One who needs the other to feel control and one who needs the other for protection.

Narrating is good female narrator takes a little getting used to but otherwise is good.

Arghhhhh

This is the first book I've read/listened to by J.L. Beck and C. Hallman. It is DARK. Possibly the darkest I've read/listened to so far. My heart broke for Aspen. I cried for her. I cannot get over what I've just heard. Quinton has a L-O-N-G way to go to earn my trust? Respect? Heart? Can I get over this beginning to get there? He did waver about how he and the others treated Aspen, somewhat. But let's face it. He raped Aspen. Because this is fantasy, I'll put it in a little box and set it aside for now. The rest of the storyline has me intrigued. I'm dying for answers. And that cliffhanger!!! It was brutal. The wait for the next audiobooks is painful. Trying to decide if I want to go read them first!

I want to add that at first, I almost turned the audiobook off thinking I was about to listen to a copycat story. I was grumbling in my head that I couldn't believe how close this was to another series I've read. But it's NOT. Not really. It became all it's own shorty after it started. Glad I stuck with it.

Conner Brown and Zara Eden are excellent narrators. They were perfect for this book. Their performances made this audiobook roll like a movie in my head. So easy to listen to for longer periods of time!!

#PinkFlamingoProductions
#AudiobookObsessionReviewer

Dark and twisty 🖤🖤🖤

I'm not usually one for bully romance, but this one had a really interesting story. These are new to me authors but I enjoyed the characters even though I struggled with some of their actions (I feel the story could have been a little clearer in spots) but overall I liked the development and I really enjoyed the narration. I'm looking forward to continuing this series 😍🔥😍🔥

couldn't put it down

the first book is amazing. I love both the narrators voices. I couldn't put the book down.