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A review by nikitanavalkar
Dark Fae by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
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