Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, #2) by Caroline Peckham


Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, #2)
Title : Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, #2)
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : 513
Publication : First published December 6, 2019

There is an alternate cover edition for this ASIN
here.


There's more to my brother's murder than I realised...

Shadows in the halls, mysteries lurking around every corner.

Whoever killed him is covering their tracks well.

And now I'm walking a dangerous line between getting close to the four kings for information and wanting to crawl deeper under their skin for my own desires.

I can't trust anyone.

I can't let my guard down.

And I must keep the urges of my body separate from my heart.

But I'm starting to break all of my own rules.

I just hope I'm not falling for my brother's killer.


Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, #2) Reviews


  • Phuong ✯

    – 2 stars

    The hunt for Lance Orion crumbs continues and here's the meal in 500 pages:

    I'd love to see their Airsentry, Lance Orion, on his ass," Dante said excitedly. "I'm gonna make sure I'm as good as him when we play them.

    I should have just search Orion's name, read that one sentence and then go. But no, instead I wake up every single day and chose reading books til the end. 😭

    🧛🏻‍♀️ Elise Callisto 🧛🏻‍♀️
    "That I'll do whatever it takes to bring down the person who took my brother from me. I'll give anything, sacrifice anything. So if it takes every piece of me, my freedom, my future, my life and my soul then that's what it takes. I don't care. I've just got to get justice for him."

    GIRL- WHERE???! WHEN??!! I'm still waiting. Almost 1000 pages into this series and Elise has made z e r o progress on finding the person who murdered her brother. The only sacrifice she made was fucking a couple of guys and getting close to some of them. Let's pray for her soul that this sacrifice didn't took too much. 🙏

    🦅 Gabriel Nox 🦅
    "By the stars, Gabriel. I'm sick of your mood swings. You're a merry-go-round and i'm getting off the ride now. If oyu have feelings for me, you should just own them because honestly it's kind of pathetic that you can't."

    PREACH SIS.
    I'd never hire Elise to solve ANYTHING, but her assessment of Gabriel is on point. This guy man this fucking guy. I'm so disappointed. Gabriel got the Zodiac Academy bonus in book one even though he was an asshole with his hot-n-cold attitude I tried to ignored it, cause I have a soft spot for him, but ehhh not anymore as far as this series concerns. Gabriel was soooo annoying. He doesn't know what he wants, he is so obsessed with Elise being his Elysian Mate and wanting to break that bond, but then acts like the biggest pussy when he sees Elise around the other guys. BROO please just shut the fuck up, sit in a chamber and look at visions of the future will you, cause that's the only thing you good for right now. 🤡

    (@ Zodiac Academy Gabriel: I love you bestie, but I don't know your past self. That man doesn't exist.)

    🐍 Ryder Draconis 🐍
    "Fuck you, Ryder," I snarled. "I'm so over this."

    That's actually me @ Ryder and this whole book. His weird talk about pain and lust was a little better in this book, but other than that still don't really care about him.
    "I just don't understand why you fought so hard against what we had but you have no problem jumping into bed with that fucking hakuna matasshole," Ryder snapped as I dropped into my seat.

    I'm sorry, but I NEEEDED to include this quote, because the Lion King reference was killing me!! 😂😂 On one hand I think "what the hell is this and what did I do to deserve this", but on the other hand I have to applaud these authors. They never fail to come up with the dumbest references, hashtags, Faebook comments etc. and I respect that dedication to their art. 😌

    🐉 Dante Oscura 🐉
    "Hai la forza di tutte le stelle e lo spirito di un guerriero, amore mio. Non hai bisogno di nessuno. Neanche tua madre. Ma tu hai me."

    The fact that this is the only quote I have highlighted about Dante is pretty telling. Also that quote is not even about him, but what he says to Elise and I have only highlighted it, because I had to show it to my sister so she could translate it for me. 🤡 Two books in and my feelings for Dante still haven't changed. Don't like him, don't dislike him, will just remember him as the guy who speaks Italian all the time and someone who interrups my reading flow, cause I either have to run to Google translate to see what he's saying or ask other people.

    🦁 Leon Night 🦁
    "You should never think of yourself as not good enough, Leo," I breathed, cupping his cheek in my hands. "You're on of the best people I know."

    Wouldn't go as far to say he is one of the best people I know, but he is for sure the best character in this series so far and even that is not the greatest compliment since everyone else is annoying, punchable or both. 🥴

    Leon is slowly winning me over. I'm still going to make fun of the fact that he has "Mindys" who would literally wipe his ass for him so he wouldn't have to move his fingers. But his inability to get anything done, like how he needed several tries, at least 10 minutes, to make Elise buttered toast got to me. He was so proud of that toast lmao help. 😭🤚Also when he tried to make her a sandwich, but put cheese, green peppers and hot sauce on it dkdkdksk adios this guy is a danger to society. 💀

    And then there are times when he brings Elise back to introduce to his family and all they do is fawn about his older brother Roary and he feels inadequate and i'm like "aw noo baby, you can't even put butter on toast properly, but that's totally okay, cause your brother can't do shit either, you're both equally useless 🥺👉👈" so yeah Leon is def my favorite character.

    Conclusion

    This is a cry for help.

    There is no progress in the plot, the majority of the guys are getting on my nerves and the only relationship that is worth mentioning is Elise x Leon. Also i'm still starved for Orion crumbs, but at least I know they are coming in the next book, finally. 😭

    ┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑
    RUTHLESS BOYS (where tho) OF THE ZODIAC SERIES

    #1 Dark Fae – 2.25 stars
    #2 Savage (🤡) Fae – 2 stars
    #3 Vicious Fae – 2.75 stars
    #4 Broken Fae – i still don't know who Gareth's murderer is 🤡
    #5 Warrior Fae – might as well read this one 🤡
    ┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙

  • SK

    3.5 stars 🌟

    A brilliant end to the book but I can't overlook some of the things that didn't work out for me. The plot twist concerning Felix though did not surprise me much, I was expecting that.

    Starting off with the original plot, Elise is carefree and unfocused. She is not looking as much in to the killer as I would like, instead investing a lot of time in preserving her harem. The smut is good, it's hot and the chemistry is sizzling. But it's a lot of it and not too much of the plot.

    Leon and Ryder easily carried this book for me. While Dante is great I would like for him to take charge more often. I look forward to seeing how Dante and Ryder will figure out the stupid pact they made. I like seeing Elise as an empowered MC but this one just made it seem like she was being slightly bossy🙈
    I want to see more of Gabriel. Hopefully in the third one there's some progress between him and Elise.

    Gareth was being Gareth but I did find his POV to be slightly interesting compared to Dark Fae.

    Manifesting Lance Orion for the next book. Gimme some Lance😩😭

    Overall, it was a decent read. I did enjoy a lot of parts in this one especially the spice and the drama👀

    Moving on to the next one with high expectations...and continuing to manifest Lance Orion😀

  • Lucie V.

    ✅ Characters
    ✅ Relationship development
    ✅ Smut
    ✅ Reverse-harem
    ✅ Angst
    ✅ Multiple POVs
    ✅ Pace
    ✅ Gang war
    ✅🆗 Plot / Investigation
    ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of death, torture and drug abuse

    And unbalanced didn’t really cover it with me. Hell, it was probably one of the better diagnosis I could have been branded with. Obsessive. Vengeful. Shattered. Psychotic. Broken. I could be given enough labels to fill a short book.


    The story picks up where the first book ends, with Elise being saved from the crazy cult in the woods by Gabriel. On top of trying to find her brother's murderer, Elise now needs to figure out who is the cult master, and if there is a connection between them and the death of Gareth.

    This book is very entertaining, and I read it pretty quickly despite being over 500 pages, but the fact that it focuses more on the relationships, and that there is less action than in the first book prevented the plot from really moving forward. After reading over 500 pages, we are still pretty much at the same point as we were at the end of the first book when it comes to Elise's investigation. Sure, there is a new lead and a new suspect, but I still feel that the plot did not progress much for such a long book...

    The whole gang war becomes more serious though at the end of the book, and I like that because it means that the next book will not only focus on Elise's investigation. I want to know who killed Gareth, but I was starting to get a little tired of just reading about her trying to spy on people while juggling with the 4 kings. The fact that the gangs are more violent will add tension, and there is a secondary plotline developing about the gangs and their scheming.

    “Aren’t you going to ask why I decided to beat the shit out of some asshole in a men’s room?” I asked. Ryder’s lips twitched in the barest hint of a smile. “Do you need a reason?”


    Elise is still a badass. I love how she stands by her beliefs, and she is not afraid to tell people off or to let Leo know that she will never be happy being with just one man. She is determined and strong-willed, but we can also see a more caring side of her in this book. I admit that some moments made me want to slap her, she trusts some people a little too easily for someone so used to relying on no one but herself, but at the same time, it added angst to the book, so I am really not complaining.

    “You know, relying on other people from time to time isn’t the worst thing in the world,” he teased.
    “Well, everyone I’ve ever relied on has either lied, left or died. So I don’t make that mistake anymore,” I said simply, climbing off of him and out of the bed.


    There are darker parts in this book, and the first half is particularly angsty, and I LOVED IT. I want more angst and conflicted feelings! I like how Elise didn't just fall head over heels for the guys. She tried to resist them, but at the same time, she realizes that it's stronger than her, and her connection with Leon, Ryder, Dante, and Gabriel just seems to be inevitable even though it's not something she wanted or something she thought she needed.

    Maybe I was more fucked up than I thought. Like one of those kidnap victims who got Stockholm Syndrome and fell for their captors. Except my brand of crazy probably didn’t have a name. I doubted there were many people who had gone undercover to try and find their brother’s killer and then started to feel things for all four of their main suspects.


    I like that Elise has a different relationship with each of the 4 love interests, and they each progress in a different way and at a different pace, but at the same time they are kinda all interconnected. Now I am just anxiously waiting for Elise to finally be honest with them about who she really is, and why she enrolled at the Academy. I think they all need this honesty and conversation for their relationships to get more emotional. The sexual tension and smut are already there, now we just need a little more feelings and sweetness.

    “Immune to Charisma, unwilling to feed you and a natural born thief, wherever did you find this little treasure, Leon?” Reginald asked, seeming amused by our display.
    “She just strolled right into my life like some kind of goddess of chaos,” Leon said, his eyes on me.


    Leo is more present in this book than he was in the previous one, and I really like how he is relying less on Mindys, and he is trying to do things by himself. It makes me love him more, and add to that his sense of humor, lightness, charisma (even though Elise is immune), and good looks? He's definitely a catch and Elise better make sure that she keeps him. Their relationship seems so easy and funny and light, and I think Elise really needs those few carefree moments (and the spicy moments too) she gets with him.

    I am also very happy to see that there might be a hint of something between Dante and Leo... Leo hints a few times that Dante might be interested in him, and he seems open to the idea of sharing Elise. I know this series is a RH with a very slow burn, but I am also hoping for a throuple situation or even some MM in the next books, that would be awesome.

    Dante and Leon pranking each other are so adorable. I also like that we saw more of Dante in this book and that we saw more layers to him. He seemed like a shallow alpha-male typical character in the first book, but we can see with this book that there is more to him, and he does have a few cuter moments with Elise. He's becoming more likable and relatable as the series progresses.

    “I like you like this, bloody and broken and bleeding from the inside and out. There’s something so pure about you like this. So real,” he said as his fingers pressed against my skull more firmly, a shot of pain feeding his power a moment before his healing magic took it away again.


    Smiling wasn’t something I allowed myself to indulge in often, but around her it was difficult not to give in to it. Not that I’d let her see when I could help it. Smiling was a weakness. And if Elise realised I had those, she’d probably cast me aside. I had a reputation and that was what most girls were attracted to about me. Because in all honesty, I didn’t have much else going for me when you dug beneath that.


    Ryder got even more complex in this book, and I adore him! He slowly expands his emotional range and gains more depth, and he's a really interesting character, and I think his relationship with Elise might be my favorite so far. Elise and he are clearly drawn to each other, but they are drawn to the other because of their flaws and rough edges. They are both broken, they can see past each other's masks, and they just fully accept each other, flaws and scars and all, no judgment, and I love that.

    “I feel like shit and my room is full of loud assholes, will you rescue me?” I begged, not even caring about the fact that I sounded desperate.
    (…)
    “Elise isn’t here,” Leon said cheerily as he stood in the doorway even though they could both see me.


    Someone caught me by the belt and yanked me backwards. My ass hit the ground and I turned to find Ryder standing there with a smirk on his face.
    “I was really fucking tempted for a Scar – Mufasa moment right then,” he said and I stared at him, unable to process the fact Ryder fucking Draconis had just saved my neck.
    “What changed your mind?” I got to my feet, brushing off the seat of my pants and stuffing the coin into my pocket.
    “Mufasa didn’t hang off that cliff by his ass.” Ryder shrugged and started to walk away.
    “You wanna watch The Lion King with me sometime? It’s clearly your favourite!” I called after him, but he ignored me, heading past the library and slowing as he approached someone in the shadows.


    The interactions between the 4 kings are becoming more complex than simply "friends" or "enemies", and I am really curious to see how Ryder and Dante will be able to tolerate each other (if such a thing is possible). I am also curious about the place that Gabriel will have in their group dynamic because he does not interact with any of them, except Elise, and even that is rare.

    Talking about Gabriel, where the f*ck was he?! He's present in the first part of the book, and his relationship with Elise is an angst-fest, but then he just disappears into the background. He's still at the Academy, but we see him only a few times, until the end when he seems to be willing to spend more time with Elise. I understand why he wants to keep her away from him, but I really liked him in the first book, and I want to see more of him, so he better gets his head out of his ass and shows Elise that she can trust him and rely on him. I really like that she is more honest with him and that his relationship with her is different because he knows more about her than the others do, but it's not enough. I want more of them together.

    I was left in the wake of Hurricane Elise once again.




    Dark Fae ⭐⭐⭐⭐



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  • Redhead Haze

    Genre: high fantasy, romance
    Tropes: magic academy, enemies to lovers, gang wars, tangled love situation, tentative RH
    Series: Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac #2
    Cliffhanger: Yes
    Spice: 5/5 🌶
    Rating: 5 ⭐

    This series is my guilty pleasure.

    “You’d put yourself at risk for him?”
    “I’d do the same for you.”


    I liked this book even more than the first one, even though there was clearly less action here and more romance. Things are still more of a love-pentagon (you know what,  a star also has five points, so let's go with love-star, since triangle clearly doesn't cover it and every one of them is a little star anyway), even though you can see this leaning into RH territory.

    “Elise, just come back to our room,” Dante demanded.
    “I only want to talk to you,” Gabriel added, glaring at me. 
    “You wanna talk to these two butt munchers, little monster?” Leon asked casually.
    “No,” I groaned. “I just want sleep.”
    “You heard the lady,” Leon said as he swung the door shut.


    As far as the plot goes, Elise finds out more hints about her brother's death, there are some gang fights and the love situation tangles and untangles. Some deals are struck, some secrets are out, there's some betrayal and some spice. The outcome? I have no clue. It's kind of annoying that we still don't know who the killer was, but with a new suspect in play my entire suspicion is on them. But at least there was plenty of romance.

    》》Favorite Scenes《《

    🧛‍♀️🐍 Elise calling Ryder when she stumbled in one of his gang bars
    🐍🦁 Ryder obsessively referencing Disney's Lion King
    🦁👯🏼‍♀️ The Mindys falling all over Leon to do stuff for him
    🦁🪥 Leon asking Elise as a favor to hairbrush his hair

    "I arranged his super fluffed pillows behind me against the head of his bed as I sat up and Leon looked at me seriously as he handed over a hairbrush."

    🐍🐲 Ryer striking a deal with Dante that none of them can have Elise, leaving them both frustrated and pleased at the same time
    🐲🦁 Dante's friendship with Leon
    🧛‍♀️🕵🏻‍♂️♏ Gabriel’s PI figuring some things out
    🦁🧛‍♀️ Leon taking Elise home to meet his parents with Roary, his brother, showing up unannounced and trying to steal his spotlight only to get a strong dose of what crossing Elise means

    "I was gonna present Elise as mine mine mine tonight. Okay not all mine. But a little bit mine."

    🚗🗝 the car theft - this was simply golden
    🐍🐲🧛‍♀️ the gang fight at the end

    》》Characters and Relationships《《

    "Inferno swept into the room, his eyes seeking out my girl in an instant. I was getting challenged left, right and centre for Elise and it got my back up. Especially when Nox walked into the room and sought her out too. I bared my teeth, my hackles rising as the Lion King walked in too."

    I liked the way we had chapters from different POVs, getting to see into the heads and through the eyes of Elise, Dante, Ryder, Leon, Gabriel and Gareth. It offered a very nice way of understanding the characters and their relationships and it just made me fall more in love with them.

    🧛‍♀️🐲  Elise and Dante

    I looked into his dark eyes and smirked. “Do you trust me now then?”
    “Even less than before,” he replied. 
    “Why?”
    “Because I think if I gave you my trust, you’d use it to steal my heart and once it was yours you’d never give it back.”


    Well, he's definitely under her skin. And she's under his. But, because of a specific and detailed deal Dante has struck with Ryder, their contact is kind of limited. Not that they can't find way to bend the rules *wink* (especially when a Nemean Lion comes into play).

    “Sometimes I wonder how it is that you manage to see so much of me,” Dante said slowly. 
    “It’s because I’m looking, Dante. Not at a gang leader or Storm Dragon or an Alpha. I’m looking at you.”


    I also liked the new layer added to Dante. He seemed more shallow in the first book, but here he actually forms a connection with Elise and they do share some really nice moments across the book.

    🧛‍♀️🐍  Elise and Ryder

    “Aren’t you going to ask why I decided to beat the shit out of some asshole in a men’s room?” I asked.
    Ryder’s lips twitched in the barest hint of a smile. “Do you need a reason?”


    I like the way they accept all the broken parts of each other, no judgment in sight. They are clearly drawn to one another but, just like in Dante's case, the magical deal stops them from being to touchy touchy.

    "My emotional spectrum was having a pissing meltdown. I didn’t feel pain or lust right then. But the airy feeling in my stomach wasn’t something I had a label for. If I had to name it though, I’d call it cloudfuckery."

    Ryder got more complex and I definitely enjoyed the new depths of his character and his new range of emotions. He and Elise start forming a bond and theirs is definitely the most intriguing of all four of them.

    🧛‍♀️🦁  Elise and Leon

    “Immune to Charisma, unwilling to feed you and a natural born thief, wherever did you find this little treasure, Leon?” Reginald asked, seeming amused by our display. 
    “She just strolled right into my life like some kind of goddess of chaos,” Leon said, his eyes on me.


    I loved them. Soooooo soooooo much. Their relationship is by far the easiest one and it brings some light and joy, tons of amusement and sheer cuteness. I thought Nox was going to by my favorite, but I think Leo the Lion might be stealing that spot.

    "Leon Night was becoming my new addiction. He was joy and laughter and sunshine and even though I couldn’t offer him the world, I decided not to overthink offering him anything else."

    Some of my favorite scenes were with them, the visit to his family taking things to the next level and aghhh, I don’t even have words. Just lots of love for them.

    🧛‍♀️♏  Elise and Gabriel

    “Elise, I’ll always come for you when you’re in trouble but-” I inhaled as she reached my waistband, battling every desire in my body as I tried to force out the end of that sentence. “But we can’t be together.” I practically choked on the words.
    She half rolled her eyes then slumped back onto the pillows. “By the stars, Gabriel. I’m sick of your mood swings. You’re a merry-go-round and I’m getting off the ride now."


    Angst. The best way to describe this thing going on with them. Angst, angst, angst and more angst. I understand why he keeps her away but it simply doesn't feel good enough for me and I am not sure how I feel about this hot and cold game.

    “Just because it would be better for you if you weren’t mine doesn’t mean I like seeing you becoming someone else’s. I haven’t thought of another woman since the stars brought you to me, you consume my desires.”

    With the PI coming to light with some info, their relationship definitely took an interesting turn, bringing a level of honesty Elise can't afford with the other Kings. And I liked that as it singled them out somehow.

    》》Conclusion《《

    I'm still entranced with the world created by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti and I think their novels are my new obsession. Zodiac Academy is by far my favorite, but I like this series enough to rate it five stars, even though it's not a masterpiece, just because it gave me all the feels and I was unable to put the book down. Plus, I really loved the guys and the way each one was unique and intriguing. So let's just call this my guilty pleasure.

    “I’d catch you if you fell,” I said quietly.
    “I know,” she said, her fingers curling around the edge of the bricks. “But I won’t fall.”
    “Even angels fall,” I pointed out, quoting her tattoo.
    “Lucky I’m no angel then,” she said stiffly.

  • Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥

    4.5

    Loving this series! This author duo is one of my favorite finds of 2020!

  • ellie

    Elise’s constant need for male validation makes me wanna gouge my eyeballs out with a spork.

    like girly has ONE JOB and it’s to figure out whole killed her brother... but instead spends the duration of two whole books flirting with and fucking all of the suspects. and it’s not even a cunning, calculated move on her part, to use sex to manipulate them. instead she legit just fucks them on rotation and still knows next to nothing about her brother’s death.

    absolutely brilliant, Elise. you’re doing a grand job, babes!!<3

    i just hate how the narrative frames her as this untouchable bad bitch, when it reality, she’s actually really fucking dumb, lmao.

  • sandeep

    4.5/5 Stars

    "You'd put yourself at risk for him?"
    "I'd do the same for you."

    Elise Callisto is still hunting for her brother's killer but she realises there is more to the murder than she thought. The academy is filled with shadows and mysteries lurking around every corner and Elise must watch her back and not let her guard down. Elise is walking a dangerous line between getting close to the four kings for information and wanting to crawl deeper under their skin for her own desires. She can't trust anyone and must keep the urges of her body separate from her heart but she is starting to break all her own rules.

    ⤷ I felt like not much happened in this book and the plot was a bit slow until the end, but the fact we don't have to wait long for the next release makes up for it!

    ⤷ One thing I really like about this series so far is that all the men are completely different. Their appearances and personalities aren't similar which isn't very common in other RH books I've read. Each of them are their own individual character and these authors have done a great job of establishing their own stories!

    ⤷ Ryder is still my favorite of all four of the kings. He's the most interesting one to read about as he such is such a complicated character. Ryder is so cruel and cold, yet he has the most heartwarming moments with Elise which I adore!

    ⤷ We got to see Elise spend more time with each of the kings individually which was so much fun to read about and rare compared to other RH books!

    ⤷ Hopefully, the next book is more focused on the murder of Elise's brother as there are still so many unanswered questions! Also, Elise developing a female friendship even though it makes sense she hasn't made any friends based on why she is at the academy and her personality but it would be nice to see!

    "But I won't fall."
    "Even angels fall."
    "Lucky I'm no angel then."

    This book was more enjoyable than the last one! I would definitely recommend!

    Thank you, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, for providing a copy of this book for an honest review! :)

  • Aoife - Bookish_Babbling

    Not as addictive a read as the
    ZA series, but helps scratch the itch while waiting for the next book 🙃

    Leon the friendly Lion is carrying this series for me so far. The Disney references he pulls from others and general air of levity his cat’like behaviour & interactions bring to an otherwise macho & moody testosterone fest are welcome…Altho the deal struck between Dante & Ryder each thinking they one'upped the other but really only screwed themselves was priceless and I'm glad to see Elise playing on this as they did not think to include her in their "decision" ffs 🙄 I hope she tortures them in the best ways going forward 😈

    The murder mystery storyline continues to uncover snippets here and there through the present and flashback chapters hinting at reveals to come. I’ll read the third book because I’ve heard rumours of the school exchange for baby Orio page time – hopefully this’ll help pull the Gabby from the future books out of his shell as he was the reason I reached for this series to begin with – but had not banked on this emo version!
    Will see where I fall after that if I see the course on this series or not…it just doesn’t grab my attention in the same way as the twins series so we will see what happens 🤷

  • Marguerite (M)

    Rating: three thousands stars

    Once upon a time, a tiny vampire dropped like a bomb in the life of four powerful Fae. They called her Angel of Vengeance, and she would be their doom.


    Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Savage Fae was even better than the first book. We keep diving into Elise's life as she tries to find her brother's killer and toys with ruthless bastards, and boy, if it isn't delicious.

    If Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac is a reverse harem, it reads more like a love polygon at the moment. The boys men males creatures swoon-worthy-overly-scary book boyfriends are as different as they come and are not programmed to play as a team. Gabriel is a loner, Ryder and Dante are mortal enemies and Leon is used to be the only male of his pride. But they have one thing is common, they want Elise and Fate keep bringing them together as much as keeping them apart.


    The book is as much about Elise's vengeance than her love life or the deadly feud between Ryder's and Dante's family. It is bloody, it is terrifying and the road for an happily ever after is not going to be seen anytime soon. Because if Ryder and Dante hates each other, Elise might never forgive them when she learns they all have something to do with her brother's death.

  • Penny

    2.5 stars ✨

    i kept thinking about whether to round up or down, but i liked it significantly less than the previous one, so...

    🌺 dante and leon >>>>>>>> ryder and gabriel. they're not even playing in the same league.
    🌺 could gareth's plot move ANY slower?? 😩
    🌺 i liked elise's boat scene with dante & when they conjure up a storm, when she goes to meet leon's family and even her little date with ryder was cute. the rest just made this feel like a filler book :/

    good news is: orion is coming in book 3 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

  • Valkyrie ✨

    Oh man these book are like candy, they are highly addictive.

    I’m loving Elise’s relationship with each guy in her harem. Each one is evolving at a different pace and things never stop being interesting. The evolution for each couple makes sense and it’s so well done, I’m loving how everything has a domino effect in the other relationships as well.

    I’m also loving the relationship among the four men, I’m even shipping some of them together and I’m crossing all my fingers for some mm in the next books, pretty please 🙏🏻

    The mystery and intrigue is making me read faster, I just need to know who this King person is!!!

    I can’t wait for Elise to open up to all of them and for things to get emotionally charged because the connection is going to kill me so good ❤️

  • Redhead Haze

    Genre: high fantasy, romance
    Tropes: magic academy, enemies to lovers, gang wars, tangled love situation, tentative RH
    Series: Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac #2
    Cliffhanger: Yes
    Spice: 5/5 🌶
    Rating: 5 ⭐

    This series is my guilty pleasure.

    “You’d put yourself at risk for him?”
    “I’d do the same for you.”


    I liked this book even more than the first one, even though there was clearly less action here and more romance. Things are still more of a love-pentagon (you know what,  a star also has five points, so let's go with love-star, since triangle clearly doesn't cover it and every one of them is a little star anyway), even though you can see this leaning into RH territory.

    “Elise, just come back to our room,” Dante demanded.
    “I only want to talk to you,” Gabriel added, glaring at me. 
    “You wanna talk to these two butt munchers, little monster?” Leon asked casually.
    “No,” I groaned. “I just want sleep.”
    “You heard the lady,” Leon said as he swung the door shut.


    As far as the plot goes, Elise finds out more hints about her brother's death, there are some gang fights and the love situation tangles and untangles. Some deals are struck, some secrets are out, there's some betrayal and some spice. The outcome? I have no clue. It's kind of annoying that we still don't know who the killer was, but with a new suspect in play my entire suspicion is on them. But at least there was plenty of romance.

    》》Favorite Scenes《《

    🧛‍♀️🐍 Elise calling Ryder when she stumbled in one of his gang bars
    🐍🦁 Ryder obsessively referencing Disney's Lion King
    🦁👯🏼‍♀️ The Mindys falling all over Leon to do stuff for him
    🦁🪥 Leon asking Elise as a favor to hairbrush his hair

    "I arranged his super fluffed pillows behind me against the head of his bed as I sat up and Leon looked at me seriously as he handed over a hairbrush."

    🐍🐲 Ryer striking a deal with Dante that none of them can have Elise, leaving them both frustrated and pleased at the same time
    🐲🦁 Dante's friendship with Leon
    🧛‍♀️🕵🏻‍♂️♏ Gabriel’s PI figuring some things out
    🦁🧛‍♀️ Leon taking Elise home to meet his parents with Roary, his brother, showing up unannounced and trying to steal his spotlight only to get a strong dose of what crossing Elise means

    "I was gonna present Elise as mine mine mine tonight. Okay not all mine. But a little bit mine."

    🚗🗝 the car theft - this was simply golden
    🐍🐲🧛‍♀️ the gang fight at the end

    》》Characters and Relationships《《

    "Inferno swept into the room, his eyes seeking out my girl in an instant. I was getting challenged left, right and centre for Elise and it got my back up. Especially when Nox walked into the room and sought her out too. I bared my teeth, my hackles rising as the Lion King walked in too."

    I liked the way we had chapters from different POVs, getting to see into the heads and through the eyes of Elise, Dante, Ryder, Leon, Gabriel and Gareth. It offered a very nice way of understanding the characters and their relationships and it just made me fall more in love with them.

    🧛‍♀️🐲  Elise and Dante

    I looked into his dark eyes and smirked. “Do you trust me now then?”
    “Even less than before,” he replied. 
    “Why?”
    “Because I think if I gave you my trust, you’d use it to steal my heart and once it was yours you’d never give it back.”


    Well, he's definitely under her skin. And she's under his. But, because of a specific and detailed deal Dante has struck with Ryder, their contact is kind of limited. Not that they can't find way to bend the rules *wink* (especially when a Nemean Lion comes into play).

    “Sometimes I wonder how it is that you manage to see so much of me,” Dante said slowly. 
    “It’s because I’m looking, Dante. Not at a gang leader or Storm Dragon or an Alpha. I’m looking at you.”


    I also liked the new layer added to Dante. He seemed more shallow in the first book, but here he actually forms a connection with Elise and they do share some really nice moments across the book.

    🧛‍♀️🐍  Elise and Ryder

    “Aren’t you going to ask why I decided to beat the shit out of some asshole in a men’s room?” I asked.
    Ryder’s lips twitched in the barest hint of a smile. “Do you need a reason?”


    I like the way they accept all the broken parts of each other, no judgment in sight. They are clearly drawn to one another but, just like in Dante's case, the magical deal stops them from being to touchy touchy.

    "My emotional spectrum was having a pissing meltdown. I didn’t feel pain or lust right then. But the airy feeling in my stomach wasn’t something I had a label for. If I had to name it though, I’d call it cloudfuckery."

    Ryder got more complex and I definitely enjoyed the new depths of his character and his new range of emotions. He and Elise start forming a bond and theirs is definitely the most intriguing of all four of them.

    🧛‍♀️🦁  Elise and Leon

    “Immune to Charisma, unwilling to feed you and a natural born thief, wherever did you find this little treasure, Leon?” Reginald asked, seeming amused by our display. 
    “She just strolled right into my life like some kind of goddess of chaos,” Leon said, his eyes on me.


    I loved them. Soooooo soooooo much. Their relationship is by far the easiest one and it brings some light and joy, tons of amusement and sheer cuteness. I thought Nox was going to by my favorite, but I think Leo the Lion might be stealing that spot.

    "Leon Night was becoming my new addiction. He was joy and laughter and sunshine and even though I couldn’t offer him the world, I decided not to overthink offering him anything else."

    Some of my favorite scenes were with them, the visit to his family taking things to the next level and aghhh, I don’t even have words. Just lots of love for them.

    🧛‍♀️♏  Elise and Gabriel

    “Elise, I’ll always come for you when you’re in trouble but-” I inhaled as she reached my waistband, battling every desire in my body as I tried to force out the end of that sentence. “But we can’t be together.” I practically choked on the words.
    She half rolled her eyes then slumped back onto the pillows. “By the stars, Gabriel. I’m sick of your mood swings. You’re a merry-go-round and I’m getting off the ride now."


    Angst. The best way to describe this thing going on with them. Angst, angst, angst and more angst. I understand why he keeps her away but it simply doesn't feel good enough for me and I am not sure how I feel about this hot and cold game.

    “Just because it would be better for you if you weren’t mine doesn’t mean I like seeing you becoming someone else’s. I haven’t thought of another woman since the stars brought you to me, you consume my desires.”

    With the PI coming to light with some info, their relationship definitely took an interesting turn, bringing a level of honesty Elise can't afford with the other Kings. And I liked that as it singled them out somehow.

    》》Conclusion《《

    I'm still entranced with the world created by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti and I think their novels are my new obsession. Zodiac Academy is by far my favorite, but I like this series enough to rate it five stars, even though it's not a masterpiece, just because it gave me all the feels and I was unable to put the book down. Plus, I really loved the guys and the way each one was unique and intriguing. So let's just call this my guilty pleasure.

    “I’d catch you if you fell,” I said quietly.
    “I know,” she said, her fingers curling around the edge of the bricks. “But I won’t fall.”
    “Even angels fall,” I pointed out, quoting her tattoo.
    “Lucky I’m no angel then,” she said stiffly.

  • Namera [The Literary Invertebrate]

    After a lot of soul-searching, I think I'm going to have to call it a day with this book.

    It started out strong but my interest faded after a while. These authors' style consists of writing very long, character-driven books; it works beautifully for series like Zodiac Academy, where the plot is slow-burn and you don't feel any urgency over taking time to get to know the characters.

    This series, however, hinges on a murder plot. Narratives like that shouldn't be dragged out for too long, because it makes it seem like the heroine isn't as invested in solving her brother's murder as she should be and it dials down the urgency you, as the reader, should be feeling.

    I'm leaving this book unrated because I have no technical concerns and really, they're great writers. I look forward to their next books. This series just isn't working for me.


    [Blog] -
    [Bookstagram]


     photo c l i m b C2A0e v e r y C2A0m o u n t a i n 2_zpsykn9gbgr.png

  • Milo (if lost, return to any conveniently hot mmc)

    4,5 stars!

    This was once again much better than the first book.
    Where i was skimming through Garrett’s chapters in the first one, I actually enjoyed them in this one. For sure because we got another side of the boys.

    When we’re already on the subject of the boys; how am i supposed to choose a favourite??!?!!?

    Ryder, my baby is so broken😩 but so ready to be healed by Elise UGH
    Also the deal was FUCKING STUPID HAHAHA

    Dante😩 i love u so much u thunder dragon

    Leon had peak character development when he started doing things for elise, sorry that was the cutest shit ever.

    To quote elise: “stop giving me whiplash gabriel” and i agree. He’s still my dark gloomy little boy tho.

    anyways, no lance orion in this one. if the next one doesn’t have him i will RIOT.

    enjoy ur day, i’m gonna eat churros and cry because of grey’s anatomy

  • V.

    [ second read — series order ]

    Leon Night 🦁 and Ryder Draconis 🐍

    That's it. That's my second review.

    - - - - - - - - - - - -

    [ first read — publication order ]

    How do these books offer so much yet so little? 😅 left me throwing my phone across the room with a mixture of feelings NEEDING to dive into the book!

    Alas, I'm following the publication order so 🙃 jumping back into Zodiac Academy (yay and nay)

    *cue the character emojis!*

    Even though I've looked up a few spoilers (because I'm a masochist who used to read the last page of books), Savage Fae has got me spiralling with what I think I know, and what I suspect I know...

    lol the point is, I'm questioning every mf in the series 😆

    In general, I felt like the book mostly progressed with Elise' 🧛‍♀️ relationships with the guys, while Gareth's 🦄 storyline kind of remained the same but thickened up with context.

    Plenty of entertaining and cute moments with Leon 🦁 in Savage Fae and a nice amount of information in regards to his Order and family.

    Finding out more about Ryder 🐍 and what makes him tick, I liked how we were able to gain a deeper look into the gang wars between him and Dante 🐉

    (Gabriel 🦅 I still don't like you lol I'm sorry)

    P.S. Eugene Dipper! Ya better not end up as an evil character because I will lose it HAHA even though your character has all the adequate reasons to become one lol

    .
    .
    .

    4 stars ⭐️
    Dark Fae

  • Alaina

    Savage Fae is the second installment of the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series. It was chaotic for most of this book but I honestly couldn't put it down. The drama, romance, and tons of delicious betrayal hints came my way and I ate it all up. Heck, I even wanted more.

    Mostly because I really dislike, possibly loathe, three people right now. Moving a bit to a couple more people but after this one I can say it's 3 at the minimum. Bryce, Cindy, and Felix all need to go. I don't really care how they go but I need them gone. Dead and gone. Forever. I'm tired of these assholes roaming this world and not dealing with the consequences I think they should be dealt with.

    Other than that, I'm kind of happy a certain someone didn't die but I also have so many freaking questions right now. I probably should have wrote them all down but eh - details. I'm dying to know what is going to happen in the next book so I'm just not going to do anything else for the day. I just want to finish this series and get all the answers and revenge that I want.

  • Sara

    I want to be the filing to a Leon/Ryder sandwich.

    IDK what they put in these books, but I am addicted.

  • Danique van Dijk

    Ahem. Alexa, play Revolution by the Score.

    “Tears don’t make you weak, my little angel,” I said and more tears fell as I called her that name like it meant something to her. “It’s brave to cry over what you’ve lost. It means you feel it, it means it meant something, and it means you don’t shy away from those emotions even when they hurt the most.”


    👑 The story👑
    The story picks up where the last one left off; Elise got drugged and was taken to the woods, but saved by Gabriel. She's now in his care and she wants to find out who the people in the woods were and honestly, what the hell is going on.

    I guess you can't really say that she discovered much in this book. I loved that she was in Lunar territory, and Ryder had to come rescue her. I loved that so damn much, but I honestly just love that guy way too much. Besides that, there were some events in this book that I adored, but I'll discuss those in the character descriptions. Last but not least, I need to talk about that ending. I still don't think the cliffhangers are as bad as the cliffhangers from ZA - thank the stars - but this one was quite good. Anyway, can't wait to find out what'll happen next.

    I must say I'm really confused about where the story will go. Every single one of the guys is so great, but I really don't understand; will the book not end as a reverse harem? If so, I don't know if I'll want to keep reading, because I really love all of the guys - except Gabriel at this point oops, I just don't get why he's acting like such a jerk - and I want them all to end up with Elise.

    👑 The characters👑
    🧛‍♀️Elise🧛‍♀️
    Song choice: Hard to Kill by Beth Crowley
    This girl is still so damn great. She's trying to discover more about her brother, but she's not really discovering a lot of things. Honestly, if there wouldn't be Gareth chapters, I would've forgot about the reason she's in that school at all XD I hate how she just believed Sal without question, Besides that, she's slowly falling for the guys, which isn't something she wants/needs/expected. Hehehe.

    🐍Ryder🐍
    Song choice: Twisted by MISSIO
    Shit, I can cry over this guy. He's slowly, SLOWLY, opening up to Elise, and I love it so much. Damn, he's even smiling! I laughed so hard when he We slowly got to learn more about his past with Mariella, but also at the school - The fighting scene in the bathroom was probably one of my favorite scenes, since he didn't even question why on earth Elise was fighting in the first place, he was immediately like 'oh do you want me to kill him?', without any problem. Why don't guys do that IRL anymore? I loved the fact that she took a picture of him with a bunny filter, I need that picture so damn badly. I laughed so hard when she made it his background and he didn't know how to change it back XD I just love how he acts all tough and badass, but he's really just a lil baby - a lil baby snake. Such a cutie. I just really like the development of their relationship, and how Ryder is slowly realizing that there are more emotions. The date with the ice cream was so cute, especially because it was from his perspective; he's such a happy baby. His horoscope had me crying so damn hard, it keeps predicting him to tingle in some way XD I love how mad it makes him ahahah. I also keep comparing him to the basilisk from Harry Potter lol, but then a little cute one. I know he's all badass and scary but he's so cute XD
    “You’re so uptight, Ryder. Don’t you ever just enjoy stuff?”
    “I enjoy you,” I said, immediately cursing myself for letting the words slip out, but her eyes brightened like they’d made her happy. And that felt good. Too fucking good.


    🦁Leon/Mufasa🦁
    Song choice: Lost on You by LP
    I loved Leon so much, and although Ryder can never fall from his number 1 position in my head, Leon is so damn close. He's really funny, and I love him so much. He's slowly learning to take care of someone else - instead of everyone doing stuff for him - and although it's not really in his nature to do that, he's really enjoying it. I love how much he messes up, but he's still trying. Damn, I love this guy. And the way he was searching for the person who was stalking Elise, and then went all crazy Lion on them, I'm laughing so damn hard. His interactions with Ryder were so damn funny to me. The way Ryder keeps calling him Mufasa is so funny, I really need them to watch the Lion King together XD

    The development of his relationship with Elise was really good in this book. There were just so many cute scenes in this book between Elise and Leon, I love how they're now realizing how great he is (or well at least his father does lol, Roary is definitely mad). I would really like to see Leon go back home after this, to see how Roary will react lol. Also - seriously, Roary for a lion? Who roars? I can't with these people, Leo the Lion and Roary the Lion?
    He could have the Mantorghini. He could even have my father’s respect and my mothers’ position as their favourite. But he could not fucking have my girl.


    🌩️Dante🌩️
    Song choice: Electricity by Dua Lipa
    We definitely got some hot scenes with Dante in this one, I love how they both realized it afterwards too, they were all smug thinking that no one could touch Elise, and then they were like wait no one can touch Elise, oh shit. Ahahaha, can't wait for that deal to be lifted XD The mystery about what on earth happend between all of them and Gareth is killing me. I'm guessing Dante figured out that Gareth was working for Ryder, and Ryder figured out that he was working for Dante, but I don't know what they did to him when they found out. I feel like Dante slept with Cindy Lou or something to get back at Gareth, but I really don't know. I feel like Ryder would've killed him, but I'm 100% sure that he didn't. Okay, maybe 99.9%.

    Besides that, we got to see a little more of his family, and I definitely already dislike Felix. Please die already. I feel like Dante will have to kill him at some point - probably when Felix figures out that Elise killed his son and he wants to take revenge. Can't wait to see how he'll end up with Lionel's dragon guild - he got an invite in this book. And Rosalie made an appearance! Immediately made me think of Caleb and Seth eheh.
    “Now hurry up and get the feeling back into every muscle in your damn body.”
    “I think my dick’s working again, can you check?” I croaked.


    🦇Gabriel🦇
    Song choice: Lonely by Justin Bieber
    Honestly, Gabriel is really annoying to me at this point. I don't understand why he's being so damn difficult about everything. Seriously, if you had a vision about you being mates; then you know you can't change it, now can you?! For fucks sake, I don't get why he's denying it so hard and pushing her away, we all know what it's like to be Star Crossed lovers yes I'm crying over ZA again and he himself said that he wouldn't want that. Then what the hell do you want?! Argh, he annoys me. Besides that, it's really anticlimactic that ZA spoiled so many of the answers to the questions of his past, I already know who Falling Star is, who his parents are, who he'll end up with and how he'll unlock his gifts. That makes the Gabriel chapters so much less fun, he's just an annoying character to me right now :( I hate how he Seriously, this guy is so hot and cold every second, my psychologist self is thinking that he has a multiple personality disorder. Lol, I'm not even kidding.
    What I did like about him was how he But I really don't understand why he would lie to her again, just tell her what happend with Gareth and then she can get over it, because now she's imagening all kinds of stuff - which is probably worse than the actual things that happend. Hm.
    “I’d catch you if you fell,” I said quietly.
    “I know,” she said, her fingers curling around the edge of the bricks.


    👑 Overall conclusion👑
    No surprise that I loved this book again, since I absolutely shredded this book. The characters are just so great, and I'm falling so hard for Leon and Ryder. Really, the dirty mind on these people is so good. I need to see more of Dante, and Gabriel needs to get over himself and not be so annoying. I'm really confused about where the story is going, but I do hope it'll end up in reverse harem - although I don't understand how that would work if Gabriel is indeed her mate. Can't wait!

  • Stephanie (Teacups & Tropes)

    3/5 ⭐️
    3/5 🌶

    This one was definitely better for me than the first one. We got more about how each of the Kings may (or may not) have been responsible for Gareth’s death. And their personalities are really coming through!

    Leon - Dude is HILARIOUS. But he also uses his humour to deflect how hurt and inferior he feels. The way his family treats him in relation to Roary hurt me

    Ryder - It’s still not 100% clear what he went through, but shit. Ryder is just GUH. He needs to be loved.

    Dante - WHAT A HUNK. That strip tease tho? And the scene with him, Leon, and Elise in the showers. 🤤

    Gabriel - At least someone now knows who Elise really is! I want to know what Gabriel did to Gareth SO BAD.

    I’ve heard the next book ends in one hell of a cliffhanger so 🙃😂

  • Lauren

    I’ve read two books and nothing has really happened? I absolutely love ZA so I was hoping to love this series more.

    I’m enjoying it but I don’t love the characters as much as I thought I would.

    Leon is hilarious. I love Dante.

    Elise is a badass but she also is kind of dense?

    Hopefully the next few books are better.

  • Bex (Beckie Bookworm)




    I’m really enjoying this series so far it’s so imaginative and I have lots of questions that need answering like yesterday. This builds momentum pushing the storyline further still as Elise pushes for answers regarding her brother's demise. There are definitely secrets still waiting to be revealed concerning all of the kings and their involvement in Gareth’s life and death.

    Elise gets closer to all her obsessions here especially Leo and Dante they really took centre stage and the chemistry here was explosive. Gabriel is also having a change of heart when it comes to Elise he also manages to uncover some of her secrets but there is obviously something he feels great shame for and it definitely involves Elise’s brother. Then there’s Ryder he’s a tough one so determined to push away anything soft and show zero weakness in his path of personal vengeance he understands pain all too well and will go to any length to achieve his goals. But here he does manage to lower his guard slightly but only for the girl, he can’t stay away from showing a sliver of something that’s totally foreign to him that only she manages to bring forth. This is still only at a medium burn in regards to some of the characters but there’s so much tension and anticipation in the air.

    This had action and passion and intrigue I love the fact it’s set in a magical school. Also, the unique aspect of these fae creatures is really appealed. I am especially loving Leo he’s bloody adorable and he and Dante make such a great tag team but I am hoping we do get much more Ryder and Gabriel in the next instalment to even things out. The finale here was explosive and I’m excited to see what happens next. War is definitely coming that for sure and I’m anticipating how this unfolds especially in regards to Elise’s kings.

    Untitled design

    Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm

    https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/

    www.beckiebookworm.com

  • ThianeJansen

    Listen I’m on the hunt for Lance Orion crumbs and so far my appetite hasn’t been fully met- but let me tell you I’m already obsessed with this series.

    These dual pov’s are just everything. Even more impressive than book one, even more secrets coming to the light, more steamy scenes, and more Fae! What more can a girl ask for?

    Words of the day:
    Callisto Syndrome
    -falling for four murder suspects


    ✨Thoughts✨
    🤌🏻Damn Noxy and his rollercoaster of mood-swings and emotions. Like I get it, but I don’t? You feel me.
    🤌🏻Leon for the win in this book. Elise combing his hair was the cutest scene ever.
    🤌🏻Dante’s strip show scene was the high-light of this book no one can convince me otherwise.
    🤌🏻Ryder. What can I say? Most intriguing. So much I want to know about his past and why he is the way he is. He is absolutely not morally grey. He is morally pitch dark and as always the villain is doing it for me.
    🤌🏻Elise is just having the damn time of her life. The envy
    🤌🏻Gareth’s murder mystery got 20 times more interesting
    🤌🏻I have a feeling Noxy will know who did it soon, and I don’t think I’m ready..
    🤌🏻Felix is giving me big Lionel vibes. Assholes.



    “Because I think if I gave you my trust, you’d use it to steal my heart and once it was yours you’d never give it back.”

  • Jess The Bookworm

    3.5 stars
    Elise is slowly (very slowly) learning more about her deceased brother's time at Aurora Academy, his involvement with the gangs, his secret hidden things. What she doesn't know is: who is the "King" that is responsible for his death?

    Her four initial suspects, Leon, Dante, Gabriel and Ryder, are all capable of being bloodthirsty killers, but the more she falls for them individually, the more she is unsure about what happened to her brother.

    Having read Zodiac Academy, I obviously know who Elise ends up with. I think my main problem with this story is that I cannot figure out why all these hot alpha males are so into Elise, and don't really care about the fact that she's told them that she won't ever be exclusive with anyone. But that aside, it is a fun story. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with Leon in this book. I'm still the most intrigued by Ryder, so I'm hoping for more of him in book 3.

  • Ashton Reads

    This book was a bit more interesting than book 1, tho I still can’t stand half of her men. The gang war stuff is 🙄 and I’d rather focus on Leon and Gabriel. Still really curious to know wtf happened to Gareth tho!

  • dasha (manon’s version)

    Everything is good but I need action, it’s soooo long and nothing happens, idk man

  • Kimbers_library

    I am literally reading these so slow because I never want them to end. that is all. Ryder is bae. :p Will write a better review eventually. haha!

    RTC

  • ❤️ Nanda ❤️

    I'm definitely taking a break from not only this series, but this universe...
    I'll read at least another book right now to clean up my mood, cause I've been binging them all for almost two weeks now, and this one dragged like hell.
    It felt like nothing happened at all in more than 500 pages!

    I still like almost all of the characters anyway, so I'll be back soon... Hopefully to some good stuff.

  • Vicki

    My review for the second book in this series is basically the same as my review for the first: fan-fic quality writing technically speaking, an addictive story line and fun characters, interesting romance (reverse harem, with some in-harem jealousies, which is totally my jam).

    It is much less of a slog to get through than the Zodiac Academy series (same authors, same world, that one is not an RH series), and though the details in that series do help with the lack of details in this one, I am grateful for the way having less makes this one more enjoyable to read. Together with the unique-ish ways they've come up with to delay full physical *action* between some of the players, that has me rounding this second book up.
    3.5-3.75 ⭐️

  • ☽ mira

    3⭐️

    “She was the sun and I was the moon, the two of us forever cycling through night and day as we tried to evade one another, but eternally chasing the other too.”


    i'm not vibing with this series. i'm only continuing because of the kings. i love them all. i just don't like elise. she's very annoying.

    nothing happened in this book, it was exactly like the first one. its like i don't hate this series but i don't love it either. its just ehh.

  • TheBookPlatypus

    “I couldn’t risk making any more mistakes that would draw the wrong attention to me. Because I was still sure there was a killer in the school. I just had to find out who they were before they caught up to me. And I was beginning to think they already might be getting close.”

    Obviously from that cliffhanger in book one, some dark shit is going on at this school.
    Sacrificing students anyone?!
    But why? Who’s the mastermind behind it all?
    Does this have a connection to Elise’s brother Gareth’s death?

    We have some huge revelations when it comes to the four boys and how one or all have a part in Gareths death.
    As Elise try to get closer to solving the mystery behind her brother, she hast to deal with a mass division of the two biggest gangs. Only she’s attached to these bad boys in a way that is destiny.
    “Because I had to admit that the closer I got to the Kings, the harder it became to shield my heart from them. “

    -

    Despite the mystery and drama, this series is packed full of heat. I mean, the harem isn’t established by any means but the sex is scorching between Elise and the boys individually.. and maybe some third party watching.
    Que that shower scene. 🔥

    And because this is Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, we cannot forget the humor. There are a ton of laugh out loud moments. Which is really what makes these authors some of my favorites.

    “Oh, well, I’ve got a Storm Dragon and a Basilisk on tap. AKA electric ecstasy and fuck-hot milkshake. You couldn’t taste better than them.”

    We get to know more of the backgrounds of each player in the game. I am absolutely in love with Leon the lion shifter. I love his prideful and heart on his sleeve character. He’s my bae.

    The ending of this book was seriously heart thumping and incredibly thrilling full of action and betrayal. I was very happy to see some questions answered. But now i’m curious on how this harem is going to stop “the bad guys”.
    Work together? Kill each-other first?
    I’m excited to head over to start book three!