A review by monismmreviews
Alter Arlo by Nordika Night

4.0

Well, this book was a complete mindf*ckery. I've never read anything like this before and I'm having a difficult time writing a review that doesn't give anything away. So really … just hold on to your seats! Very dark and incredibly unique, the story has an ‘end of the world’ feel to it. All the main characters (and there are a good number of them) are struggling just to stay alive in small human settlements where most everything is dirty: the living conditions, the people, and their thoughts. It is impossible to figure out who could be trusted. Halfway through the book I still had no idea about the characters’ true intentions. Allegiances changed at a moment's notice, bringing heartbreak with them. The first two MCs you meet are Cadoc and Zaden. They watch out for each other only because of their shared tragic history … while hating to be in each other life for the same reason. War is coming, each settlement wants something from the others and their leaders are at each others' throats. To survive, Cadoc and Zaden must trust each other while they both try to rely on the new people in their lives. Adding to the circle of characters, are a germophobic but brilliant inventor, a mercenary feared by all, a ‘shadow’ who talks in riddles, and a kidnapped girl. Nordika masterfully twisted their stories together til the shocking end. Pay careful attention to the TWs, this story is DARK and I don’t use that word lightly.
TW (might contains spoilers):

Spoiler

This is an MM dark romance with a touch of MF sprinkled in. Psychological themes, dub-con, non-con, captive situations, violence, harmful thoughts, drug use, drinking, smoking, blood, abuse, mental health, grief, traumatic past.