aubrieanne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Grief, Cursing, Drug use, Addiction, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, and Violence
grace28's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
I just want to start by saying Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti wrote my most favourite book series ever Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep and I loved everything about it. So when I was struggling to find a book to read where the writing wasn't a piece of crap they came to mind and let me tell you I'm not disappointed in the slightest. I stopped reading mid-book 3 times over with separate series because I just could not deal with shitty writing and after reading Dark Fae I'm so pleased that there are four more books left for me to devour.
Quick blurb:
Elise has suffered the unimaginable loss of her brother and the worse part is that he was murdered and they ruled it an accidental death. So she set off to Aurora Academy to get the revenge she so helplessly craves. The only hitch is her clue, and it leads her to four gorgeously dangerous men who want her almost as much as she wants her brother's killer.
This book was really well done and thats exactly what I was looking for, the authors never come up short with the spice either even though it's a medium burn for most of them anyway.
I'm really excited to read the second book and I can just focus on the plot and character development instead of unrealistically hoping that the writing would get better in so many other book series I've read.
Overall I rate this book 3.5 stars only because it's the first book and we all know in complex world-building like this that world talks up space that later gets used for the best of scenes and such.
I highly recommend it if you're looking for a strong FMC that doesn't just fall at the feet of the MMCs and that isn't a bully romance for once (even tho I love bully romances).
Quick blurb:
Elise has suffered the unimaginable loss of her brother and the worse part is that he was murdered and they ruled it an accidental death. So she set off to Aurora Academy to get the revenge she so helplessly craves. The only hitch is her clue, and it leads her to four gorgeously dangerous men who want her almost as much as she wants her brother's killer.
This book was really well done and thats exactly what I was looking for, the authors never come up short with the spice either even though it's a medium burn for most of them anyway.
I'm really excited to read the second book and I can just focus on the plot and character development instead of unrealistically hoping that the writing would get better in so many other book series I've read.
Overall I rate this book 3.5 stars only because it's the first book and we all know in complex world-building like this that world talks up space that later gets used for the best of scenes and such.
I highly recommend it if you're looking for a strong FMC that doesn't just fall at the feet of the MMCs and that isn't a bully romance for once (even tho I love bully romances).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Violence, Cursing, Murder, Gore, Torture, Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
kotahlotah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Murder, Bullying, Grief, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Cursing, Death, Violence, and Toxic relationship
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: Violence, Sexual content, Grief, and Blood
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: Grief, Death, Child death, Murder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: War
azapolya's review
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: Classism, Emotional abuse, Death, Blood, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Murder, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Bullying, Drug use, and Violence
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
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: Murder, Drug abuse, and Grief
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: Grief, Death, Violence, Sexual content, Self harm, and Drug use
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: Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, and Kidnapping