mels_reading_log's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use
cozybec's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Savage Fae picks up where we left off with Dark Fae. Elise Callisto is deep into her investigation into the sudden death of her brother, Gareth, and unfortunately a large part of the investigation deals with her growing closeness to all four kings of Aurora Academy: Leon, Dante, Ryder, and Gabriel. With personal feelings warring with new information come to light, the lines begin to blur between friend, foe, and something more.
My frantic texts after I finished this book: "HELP I JUST FINISHED SAVAGE FAE. I'M SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER." friends: "HOW YA FEELING" me: "NOT GREAT BESTIES" I believe this could serve as my five star review, but as I'm a benevolent reviewer, I'll give you a run down of all my screaming in a concise a manner as I can manage.
FIRSTLY, let's talk about Elise and how she's my favorite character in the entire world. Barring none, I love this woman more than I think I've loved any book characters in a really long time. Not only does she absolutely have no moral hinderance to beating people up in bathrooms and snooping to get the information she needs - but the raw scenes in this novel legitimately had me crying for twenty minutes at a time. I had to put my book down. I had to go take a shower until I stopped crying. I do not know what the sisters put in these books, but whatever they did just absolutely cut me to the quick. I adore the way the grief is handled in this series, Elise's struggles with Gareth's death feel so raw and real that I found myself brought to tears multiple times. I'm seeking compensation for future therapy sessions.
SECONDLY, I was struck so dumb by the ending of this book I was flabbergasted, I was tongue-tied, I was unable to type and told said friends, "I'm about to write the slopsloppiest five star review" and you know what, here it is, in all it's slopsloppiest glory. I don't think I can ever recover from the men in this series. LEON? Absolutely enthralled by this giant protective lion himbo man. DANTE? Whisper sweet nothings to me in Italian you absolutely wonderful dragon man. RYDER??? I don't even want to begin to UNPACK my love for this twisted basilisk pent up on rage and pain, again, my therapist probably needs a therapist. And finally, sweet, horrifically back and forth GABRIEL who in one second makes me want to throw punches and the next swoon into his big tattooed arms. I'm down bad, I can't function.
This is the point where I should string a sentence together and tell you why this is five stars, and to be totally transparent it comes down to the fact I feel like this is one of the best grief representations I've personally found in fiction in a while. There's a reason I sobbed for twenty minutes after one scene and had to take a break - there's also a sincere reason I love the way that Elise is written. She's not weak for her grief, but she's also reminded that feeling it doesn't make her any less strong than she's proven time and time again. It's like running a finger over a scar and feeling a jolt like it's never fully going to heal and I love that this book with the silly half-shirtless man on the cover can do that to me.
That is all, I'm going to start Vicious Fae and I guess scream at you all when that one's done.
Content warnings: sexual content (throughout in various forms, visions, and a very steamy locker room scene), violence, gore, and gang violence warning (this is present throughout but very prominent 80% onward), bullying (poor Eugene), parental emotional abuse, implied assault/rape (*see below), alcohol use, drug addiction, sex work, and again, probably more, but I'd say the writing took the content from the first book and turned the dial up.
*SEE BELOW: There is a repeated situation that is consensual but implied to be non-consensual by multiple characters. There is an element of coercion and authority that plays into the messy nature of this relationship and while it was hinted in the first book, you get explicit scenes showing it's dubiously consensual nature in this book. If this is a problem for you, please tread with caution. The scenes are between a student and teacher.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
katvou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, and War
frankieclc's review
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Confinement and Child abuse
nikitanavalkar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
As much as I want to keep reading this series because the sisters put Killblaze in their books, I’m rather frustrated by the pacing of these books. Because as soon as a Gareth flashback pops up or I have to be in a pov I don’t care about, it takes me a little out of the story and I just want to get to the point. Which I know, in a 5 book series is a long time coming. Unlike ZA where I’m interested in all the little world and family building things and the little tangents, here I’m hyper focused on Veronica, I mean, Elise getting her revenge and her men, in no particular order. I know, all in good time.
While I am on board the RH train (more or less), I’m still the most invested in Elise and Gabriel and their clandestine trysts, and we get the least of those in this book? Or that’s what it felt like. More can’t live with you or without you magnetism please. Yes, E and Leo are adorably s3xy and all grumpy sunshiney, and Dante and her have some wholesome + steamy moments (I mean, that club scene for the love of stars 🥵), and even Ryder and E have their moments, I have history with Gabriel plus come on, that pull between them? Because I may scoff at fated mates, but I am helpless against their power over me. I know, the hypocrisy. Also fine, I have serious ZA bias. Even if poor Gabe is very vaguely interesting if we only base it on what we know from this series. Going back to Ryder, theoretically he should be the most intriguing of them all, with his darkness and now the hints of his horrific past and his powers and that sadomasochistic streak, with a hidden gooey center. I mean, dude not so secretly loves Lion King! Like Leon and Dante are the fun and relatively sweet ones with hidden dark sides, Ryder is the opposite. Then why is he so boring? Idk I don’t get it either.
Even with my Gabrielise obsession, I am enjoying Elise’s vastly different relationships with her men, and honestly it’s inspired that at least two of them are actual mortal enemies which is going to present problems for a while but also raises the stakes. And it is so refreshing to see the girl claiming the guys as “mine” for once. Own that power, Elise. Although I do wish they would all just talk to each other and avoid frustrating catastrophes. Then again, where would be the fun in that. But I miss my type A, mega bougie rich, power hungry, powerful ZA babies okay. I keep hoping for more ZA crumbs like a junkie and apparently they get to go there in the next book? Here for it.
Graphic: Grief and Violence
reads_all_the_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
its_j's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Stalking, and Sexual content
kat1105's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Torture
villainxorigin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Is this book even steamier than the first? YES.
I love Peckham & Valenti's vivid imagination and worldbuilding, as well as their uncanny sense of humor. It's so refreshing when a fantasy book can have me laughing out loud by myself reading. I also love that I'm learning a lil' Italian thanks to Dante. Usually with RH is that there's always one guy I'm not very wild about, but honestly, I love all four of these guys - I don't blame Elise for not being able to choose. Well, that and I guess one of them did very likely kill her brother. Guess I better go get book 3 to figure out who!
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Stalking, and Grief