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inkdrinkers's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Elise Callisto might be my favorite of the Twisted Sister heroines so far.
When Elise's brother dies mysteriously at Aurora Academy, everyone blames it on a new fae drug making its rounds called killblaze. But Elise knows her brother would never take a drug that would risk his chance at a better life for both of them, and she knows she'll have to infiltrate the academy and find out which of the four kings that reside there are the reason her family is fractured and her brother is dead.
Maybe I am just wholeheartedly sold on the Twisted Sisters, but I have to say, I really liked this. I knew absolutely nothing going into this book, only that it was a reverse harem with a NA spin and set in the same world as Zodiac Academy. The characters you get introduced to in this book are Elise, who is looking for her brother's murderer by way of investigating the four most powerful fae at Aurora Academy: Dante, Gabriel, Leon, and Ryder. This story starts out in a much darker tone than Zodiac Academy and I'm glad I delved into it without much knowledge because I just let the story ebb and tug me where it was going to go.
Are these the pinnacle of literature? Absolutely not. But I firmly believe that anyone can enjoy books, regardless of the merit of their stories as long as you root for the characters. And I did find myself rooting for Elise - I love her, I love her scrappy energy, her sometimes childish views of the world and revenge, and her moments where she gets lost in each of the men she's investigating and the things she's slowly discovering at her time at Aurora. The ending is one I've come to expect - the last 30% of all Twisted Sister's books seem to be, "let's lay a brick on the gas throttle and see where it takes us" and as an avid fan of fanfic from years past, I really love the way they don't let up and don't let too many secrets slip out in the narrative. It's fun, and I had a good time and I want to know more.
I'm eagerly about to dive into the next book in this series. Not only because I've been doing a ZA/Solaria read but because I want to know what happens to Elise and I want her to have her happy ending - and okay, maybe I want to see the giant lion lose his shit again.
Content Warnings: sexual content (starts around 30% in, continues throughout in suggestive scenarios, no RH is present in this first book), dubious consent / sexual harassment (a character can make others see visions and they're often sexual in nature, know your own limits, but it personally didn't bother me), blood, violence, gang violence (the main secondary plot is between two gangs in Aurora Academy and their ties to the greater world of Solaria, no guns are used, only knives, fangs, and claws), grief (Elise is struggling with her grief for her brother in the entirety of this book), & probably more, this isn't an exhaustive list but it's a start!
When Elise's brother dies mysteriously at Aurora Academy, everyone blames it on a new fae drug making its rounds called killblaze. But Elise knows her brother would never take a drug that would risk his chance at a better life for both of them, and she knows she'll have to infiltrate the academy and find out which of the four kings that reside there are the reason her family is fractured and her brother is dead.
Maybe I am just wholeheartedly sold on the Twisted Sisters, but I have to say, I really liked this. I knew absolutely nothing going into this book, only that it was a reverse harem with a NA spin and set in the same world as Zodiac Academy. The characters you get introduced to in this book are Elise, who is looking for her brother's murderer by way of investigating the four most powerful fae at Aurora Academy: Dante, Gabriel, Leon, and Ryder. This story starts out in a much darker tone than Zodiac Academy and I'm glad I delved into it without much knowledge because I just let the story ebb and tug me where it was going to go.
Are these the pinnacle of literature? Absolutely not. But I firmly believe that anyone can enjoy books, regardless of the merit of their stories as long as you root for the characters. And I did find myself rooting for Elise - I love her, I love her scrappy energy, her sometimes childish views of the world and revenge, and her moments where she gets lost in each of the men she's investigating and the things she's slowly discovering at her time at Aurora. The ending is one I've come to expect - the last 30% of all Twisted Sister's books seem to be, "let's lay a brick on the gas throttle and see where it takes us" and as an avid fan of fanfic from years past, I really love the way they don't let up and don't let too many secrets slip out in the narrative. It's fun, and I had a good time and I want to know more.
I'm eagerly about to dive into the next book in this series. Not only because I've been doing a ZA/Solaria read but because I want to know what happens to Elise and I want her to have her happy ending - and okay, maybe I want to see the giant lion lose his shit again.
Content Warnings: sexual content (starts around 30% in, continues throughout in suggestive scenarios, no RH is present in this first book), dubious consent / sexual harassment (a character can make others see visions and they're often sexual in nature, know your own limits, but it personally didn't bother me), blood, violence, gang violence (the main secondary plot is between two gangs in Aurora Academy and their ties to the greater world of Solaria, no guns are used, only knives, fangs, and claws), grief (Elise is struggling with her grief for her brother in the entirety of this book), & probably more, this isn't an exhaustive list but it's a start!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual harassment
katvou's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War
azapolya's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
lisavfelo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse
nikitanavalkar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
So I’m back on my zodiac BS. The sisters have done the unthinkable and made me want to binge all their series set in the ZA world, and I started with the Ruthless boys because of the strong connections with the present day ZA kids. It’s a reverse harem series as is widely known, so I was a bit apprehensive but I like the characters I’d met and it’s complete so why not. Right off the bat, it feels like Veronica Mars meets the zodiac world, and I was here for it. Although it does feel like we got only about a quarter of a first season, since we don’t get too far in solving the mystery, and it ends rather abruptly. The pacing is not quite as brutal like the ZA books and it did drag a little due to the flashbacks etc, but I was hooked regardless.
The authors seem to have a knack for writing these strong boss arse females and Elise is yet another example. A vampire and true predator, she can hold her own against the worst of them. And does. She has the Aurora boys wrapped around her little finger, and she’s out for blood. Her grief and coping mechanisms are handled especially well, fueling her thirst for vengeance. I’m still making up my mind about her, but she just feels like a heroine who can eventually handle being in a relationship with 4 intense alpha males, all at once. It ain’t easy being partner to one of these alphaholes, let alone 4, and you need ovaries of steel for it. Literally and figuratively.
Speaking of the a-holes, Gabriel is my favorite, for obvious reasons, even though he is rather a different person from the one I know and love. Dragon Dante and Leo the Lion are close, and I just can’t seem to care about Ryder yet, even with some backstory. I don’t know how balanced or otherwise this romantic dynamic is going to end up being, but I like that all 4 of them appeal to different parts of her personality and serve a different purpose in her healing. Ryder is the Dom (this is all me guessing we don’t know yet) or the one who helps her deal with her pain in his own effed up way. On the flip side, Leon is the Joker (for the lack of a better term), the one who brings her the joy she’s so lacking. Dante is the Protector, the big bad one who wants her safe at all times (okay when he’s not the one messing with her). Gabriel is the…well he’s something obvious when you read it, but I also feel like he’s more and I haven’t pinpointed it yet. Let’s call him the Lover for now.
All this and more will probably change once secrets start coming to light, and this isn’t a bully romance per se, but I have a feeling things are about to blow up soon. Because just when you think these guys aren’t as bad or insane as the ZA guys, stuff goes down and you realize they’re all complete psychos as well.
The authors seem to have a knack for writing these strong boss arse females and Elise is yet another example. A vampire and true predator, she can hold her own against the worst of them. And does. She has the Aurora boys wrapped around her little finger, and she’s out for blood. Her grief and coping mechanisms are handled especially well, fueling her thirst for vengeance. I’m still making up my mind about her, but she just feels like a heroine who can eventually handle being in a relationship with 4 intense alpha males, all at once. It ain’t easy being partner to one of these alphaholes, let alone 4, and you need ovaries of steel for it. Literally and figuratively.
Speaking of the a-holes, Gabriel is my favorite, for obvious reasons, even though he is rather a different person from the one I know and love. Dragon Dante and Leo the Lion are close, and I just can’t seem to care about Ryder yet, even with some backstory. I don’t know how balanced or otherwise this romantic dynamic is going to end up being, but I like that all 4 of them appeal to different parts of her personality and serve a different purpose in her healing. Ryder is the Dom (this is all me guessing we don’t know yet) or the one who helps her deal with her pain in his own effed up way. On the flip side, Leon is the Joker (for the lack of a better term), the one who brings her the joy she’s so lacking. Dante is the Protector, the big bad one who wants her safe at all times (okay when he’s not the one messing with her). Gabriel is the…well he’s something obvious when you read it, but I also feel like he’s more and I haven’t pinpointed it yet. Let’s call him the Lover for now.
All this and more will probably change once secrets start coming to light, and this isn’t a bully romance per se, but I have a feeling things are about to blow up soon. Because just when you think these guys aren’t as bad or insane as the ZA guys, stuff goes down and you realize they’re all complete psychos as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, and Murder
readwithelle's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Torture and Abandonment
One of the MCs (Ryder) cuts himself on the thumb with a razor blade to help him focus/hone his powers (he feeds on pain).kat1105's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, and Kidnapping
finnickdeservedbetter's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
Truly the worst book I've ever read in my entire life. It's literally just a dumpster fire of misogyny. I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. If someone offered me a trillion dollars and immorality to read another book from this author...I would spit in their face. Which is what this author did to me with this waste of brain of cells. I wouldn't wish this book on my worst enemy. I would sooner stab myself in the eye than recommend this to anyone.
the .25 is for the brother's POV only
the .25 is for the brother's POV only
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Confinement, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting