Caroline Peckham

Susanne Valenti

The King will fall. While I continue my hunt for the King who killed my brother, I have to try not to fall for the vicious boys who could be responsible for his death. But as my investigation leads me down a dangerous road and answers seem closer than ever before, I'm whisked away from Aurora Academy with the four Kings. Someone wants us to visit the elite school, Zodiac Academy, and it looks like they're not giving us a choice.

Vicious Fae

Leon realising Gabriel didn't hate him (Loc 9629)

Jess

I'd just won the Elise's Harem Boys Bingo.

Leon after Dante brought him back to life (Loc 9600)

The fuss they were making over me meant I'd definitely almost badassed my way outta this life, and shit if I wasn't over the moon about staying here.

Elise to Nightshade upon being caught. Made me giggle. (Loc 8916)

"Fuck you, you shrivelled old ball sack," I snarled, swinging my fist at her.

I started laughing again. That crazy, creepy psycho laugh which went all mwahahaha.

Ryder about Elise when they went to dance (Loc 7419)

She could have led me anywhere right then and I would have followed. To swim in an alligator-infested swamp, to jump off a cliff, to a children's fucking puppet show. Wherever it was, I'd be all in.

Dante's POV when Elise is in that pink gown (Loc 6467)

"Sei più bella del sole," I breathed in awe.

"You look like the angel you are, Elise," Gabriel said.

"Fuck me on a toadstool," Leon sighed. "You look gorgeous, little monster."

Ryder made a strained noise, sweeping a hand over his closely cropped hair.

She was the sweetest, darkest thing I'd ever known. And I needed her like the sun needed to shine.

I didn't think there was anything in this world that could frighten me. But I'd just discovered my biggest fucking phobia ever. Losing her.

Leon's thoughts as Dante threatens Greyshine to let Leon attend Zodiac Academy's Pitball tour. (Loc 3329)

Sometimes she looked so sad it made me want to carve out my heart and swap it with hers so I could bear her pain for her. But never around me.

"Ti amo, Elise," Dante said in a low voice, interrupting me. "You can trust me. I'd sooner die than hurt you."

My anger dissolved in an instant because it was her.

emily

“You said that your tattoos all have meanings. Will you tell me about them?" My fingers moved to kiss a pair of flaming Phoenixes who were flying together with a Harpy over his hip.

"Did you cheat on me?" Laini asked in a voice dripping with acid. Fire sparked to life in her fin- gertips and the gathered students sucked in a collective breath in alarm. It was strictly forbidden to use Elemental magic inside the library, especially fire magic, for obvious reasons.

just a bit but i think you’d like seth <3

It was also why they were grooming their most powerful offspring to take their places when they were gone. They had literally controlled every aspect of their kids conception to plan their star signs, Orders and power levels. They had created four little replicas of themselves, each as powerful as each other so they'd never turn against one another. It was messed up if you asked me. And my guess was those kids were fucked in the head.

I nearly fell asleep again as I settled into watching Mindy brew the most dull potion in the world. Why can't we make something that blows up for once? Just one time I wanna watch something explode, is that really so much to ask?

Not that I knew what having a brother or sister felt like. But I could imagine I'd tried to protect them in any way I possibly could.

Most Mates, upon meeting, are drawn to each other irrevocably and tend not to fight these feelings. However, if they do, Kismet suggests the path is rockier and could lead to a decision of being Star Crossed if one or both sides of the couple continue to fail their tests. 

Being with Leon felt like sitting in the rays of the sun on a summer's day and I had no intention of giving him up any time soon. If ever.

Katie Roberts

So while plot wise I think this one is better. There is just something missing for this series. I’m noticing I don’t have the same level of investment with the first three book in this series than I did in ZA. I don’t know if it’s the characters or the overall plot. I know these character come into play in future books in the series but it’s taking a lot for me to get through these. I have to be honest too for those who have finished the book the character at end with the FMC we’ll say in the stars, yeah I honestly find him annoying. I don’t know if it’s because the narrator is having to doing five ddifferent guys and he got the short end of the stick or what but I just haven’t enjoyed him. Then what happened at the end happened and and that isn’t helping me feel invested in the series. I can go further into it but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m going to stop there. 

Priscilla Stanfield

4/5⭐️ • 3/5🌶️

So while plot wise I think this one is better. There is just something missing for this series. I’m noticing I don’t have the same level of investment with the first three book in this series than I did in ZA. I don’t know if it’s the characters or the overall plot. I know these character come into play in future books in the series but it’s taking a lot for me to get through these. I have to be honest too for those who have finished the book the character at end with the FMC we’ll say in the stars, yeah I honestly find him annoying. I don’t know if it’s because the narrator is having to doing five ddifferent guys and he got the short end of the stick or what but I just haven’t enjoyed him. Then what happened at the end happened and and that isn’t helping me feel invested in the series. I can go further into it but I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m going to stop there. 

These books have a lot in them that is unnecessary and I felt as though for the majority of it I was reading the same story as the first two books in terms of the main characters (all want Elise, she can’t choose so carries on sleeping/ a relationship with all of them). I get it’s a slow burn but when it becomes repetitive then it stops becoming interesting 

The main part that pulled the star rating up again was the plot line of Nightshade and the King. I also really liked the crossover with the young heirs from ZA having read the first 3 of those books before jumping to this series 

The last 100 pages though!! This made up for the other 500 pages because we finally got somewhere in the story! The plot twist of Leon and Elise becoming mates I didn’t see coming and I felt so bad for Dante in particular because he’s my favourite King 

I have a feeling Gabriel will be a mate with one of the vega twins because of all his visions and I would be very happy if I was right 

Holly Lake

These books have a lot in them that is unnecessary and I felt as though for the majority of it I was reading the same story as the first two books in terms of the main characters (all want Elise, she can’t choose so carries on sleeping/ a relationship with all of them). I get it’s a slow burn but when it becomes repetitive then it stops becoming interesting 

The main part that pulled the star rating up again was the plot line of Nightshade and the King. I also really liked the crossover with the young heirs from ZA having read the first 3 of those books before jumping to this series 

The last 100 pages though!! This made up for the other 500 pages because we finally got somewhere in the story! The plot twist of Leon and Elise becoming mates I didn’t see coming and I felt so bad for Dante in particular because he’s my favourite King 

I have a feeling Gabriel will be a mate with one of the vega twins because of all his visions and I would be very happy if I was right 

loren

AAAAHHH QUE DOLORRRR !!! 😭😭😭😭😭

Nouran Hazem

4.5 ⭐️
I REFUSE THAT ENDING I HATE THE STARS DAMN IT 
But we got so much Lance and I’m obsessed with him and seeing the reason why they call each other Noxy and Orio was iconic!! 
Honestly I’m having a hard time getting into the plot it’s all over the place hope it gets more interesting..

Nouran

the heirs can’t even catch a break in THIS series 😭😭

Natalie Noble

I’ve never read reverse harem, so I don’t know if the genre just isn’t for me or if this one just sucks?

I’m just going to take a moment to focus on the love pentagram (pentagon? nah pentagram seems more appropriate). Maybe I don’t understand polyamory but there’s clearly a power imbalance in most of the relationships happening here. 

Leon is the only one that genuinely is ok with the harem and maybe that’s because lions have multiple mates? I mean usually it’s the male with multiple mates but close enough. 

Dante seems to enjoy sharing with Leon but still hates the idea of the other two despite the ‘deal’ being broken. And the conversation with Lionel made it sound like he wants a traditional marriage so he eventually would like Elise all to himself.

Ryder is tolerating it but I feel like it’s because he thinks he doesn’t deserve more and not because he’s actually ok with it. Which just makes my heart break for him.

Gabriel is straight up not ok with it.

Elise doesn’t want to be ‘caged’ or be anyones possession but she sure as shit is possessive of “her kings”. She’s allowed to have 4 guys but god forbid someone else shows interest in one of them. Maybe that’s what reverse harem is, as opposed to polyamory, but I hate it. It might be better if her relationships weren’t shoved in each other’s faces all the time but she basically has no respect for any of their boundaries and actively uses the guys against each other sometimes.

I find myself hoping she’ll just choose one to end the cycle of emotional abuse. End of RH rant. 

RH aside Elise is still a shitty main character. Her two brain cells only have the capacity to think about sex, and then occasionally she remembers she had a brother who died. I’m not entirely convinced Elise feels anything other than lust and anger. Maybe she should get a version of Ryder’s knuckle tattoos? For as much as she claims to be on this mission to solve Gareth’s murder that plot is probably 5% of this book 

Leon. What makes Leon a ‘king’? Ryder and Dante have their gangs and Gabriel has two elements in a city where that doesn’t happen. What does Leon have? He’s pitball captain? Lions are king of the jungle? I don’t know I’m just not understanding what makes him a king. Is he sometimes funny? Yes. But I still don’t care. He steals and has stuff done for him and it makes me not like him. 

Dante. I can’t stand the constant Italian. It means I have to translate things so I know what’s being said but also it gives me the ick. Most people I know are bilingual and none of them just randomly shove their second language into conversation. His gang is falling apart and for what? What do the gangs even truly represent in this series besides a plot device for creating rivalry?

Ryder. Baby. The X tattoo. The Lion King. Sesame Street. Tongue Ring. Edging. Rose necklace. Neck breaking. Heartbreaking past that gives him the depth every other character in this series is missing. You deserve so much better than Elise! Also can we bring back more of the basilisk visions and strawberry icecream. The ending makes me concerned for him and I just wish we could have had him and Elise alone after the deal was broken cause 🥵

Gabriel. Noxy. I adore him but he doesn’t fit in this story and I think the authors know that because he barely gets any attention once again. He clearly doesn’t want to be in a Harem, so set him free. Please. And give us more Noxy/Orio.

Rikke Neverdal

this was so so good!!! The ending left me in shock.. even though I would have been more shocked if I hadn’t read zodiac academy first😩 
This series has become my new obsessed because god it’s good

Vicious Fae

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