Review: Lies at St. Joseph's Academy by M.V. Ellis

Lies at St. Joseph's Academy by M.V. Ellis

Series: The Fallen #2

Publication date: April 29th, 2021
Pages: 320

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

DNF Percentage: 60% (page 180)

Synopsis:

The Fallen

Fierce. Feared. Always revered.

Five guys on a mission to tear me to the ground.

Three guys I can't escape--they make my heart pound.

I'm a moth to a flame of their white-hot fire.

But they're divided by secrets, lies, and raging desire.

Our paths are crossed. Our fate is sealed.

Our gaping wounds are yet to be healed.

Even as they try to break me, I won't give in.

So in the end, will the truth come out, or will lies win?

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Review:

I feel that I gave the series a fair shake. Even when I contemplating DNFing the first book I carried on. I don't entirely regret my decision because there were some interesting parts within the story, but the overwhelming cringe of the series won out in the end. I couldn't find any sort of connection with any of the male leads. I felt like they were all unworthy of the female main character and the reason for their animosity seemed paper thin. It felt like the author needed a hook for the reason behind the bullying and it was gasping at straws. All the evidence Zeph needed to prove that Blake wasn't behind the mysterious text messages should have been realized when he received a text at the exact time he was sitting in the hall of the dorm talking to her. At that point the bullying should have come to end and yet it only got worse and worse as time went on. I also couldn't understand why Blake kept giving them a pass on the things they did to her. They would hurt her and humiliate her so she would declare she was done with them and never wanted to see them again, only to then bump into them and immediately fall into bed with them. None of that made any sense and I like my books to at least be a little logical.

In the second book of the series we delve a little deeper into the backstory of Zeph's sister as well as Blake's mom mysteriously disappearing. The final straw for me came in the event that Blake had a dream that completely depicted a scene that would explain everything as to why her mother up and disappeared on her without a trace. But this was never talked about until at 60% of the second book? Add to that the fact that one of the guys who was seemingly all over her suddenly decides to hook up with one of catty women who are also trying to run her out of the school? Nah. No thanks. 

This series felt very pieced together and trying to adhere to a genre that the author may not be completely comfortable with or experienced in. I could be wrong but that was the general vibe. There wasn't enough balance between the good and the bad to make it seem like any of the men are redeemable or that the female protagonist is any different than her mother who was also being abused before her disappearance. I wanted to like the series, and I gave it the best I could but, I had to cut my losses. It wasn't for me. But, give it a read and see if you feel differently.

Review: Sins at St. Joseph's Academy by M.V. Ellis

 

Sins at St. Joseph's Academy by M.V. Ellis

Series: The Fallen #1

Publication date: January 29th, 2021

Pages: 282

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

St. Joseph's Academy

Prestigious. Religious. Rotten as Hell.

As soon as I set foot in that place, my dream ticket turned into my worst nightmare.

I don't know if I can survive, or even make it out alive.

Because of them.

The Fallen

Beautiful. Brutal. Wicked as sin.

Five guys with the power of ten, and a burning desire to take me down.

They rule the school with cast iron fists, and stone cold hearts.

But the more they push me away, the more our destinies intertwine.

We're thrown together by chance, bound by circumstance, and held by desire.

Our story is one of lies, revenge, blackmail, and blood.

The Fallen won't be stopped, but nor will I.

So in the end, will the mighty be fallen?

Sins at St. Joseph's Academy is a full new adult romance with bully/enemies-to-lovers/love-hate themes, any may contain triggers for some readers. It is not a standalone, but the first in a running series. This is a reverse harem novel, meaning the main character has more than one love interest.

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Review:

I won't lie, I queued up this review to make it a DNF but was pressured by my friend to keep reading. I even flipped a coin to decide whether I should continue on or not. The first quarter of the book was incredibly hard to get through. There was terminology that was fitting for Australian setting but I am really unsure if the setting was meant to be Australian or the author just had a slip. That is another problem I found is that there is either too much detail or not enough. I have no idea what ethnicity any of the characters are nor have a clear image of them in my head. The description of them is very bare bones. It makes me unable to truly involve myself in the story to enjoy it further. On the other hand there was one situation where the FMC stood in the door of the classroom waiting to take a seat for ten full pages. She was too busy describing her life history and the boy she interacted with (which still didn't pain an accurate picture of the guy). I was done after the 24% mark. But, I decided to keep going and I am still not entirely convinced I should have, however there were some intrigue that kept me reading.

I wanted to see how the main characters interacted together at first as they got closer to each other. This was good in some ways but it was hard to really find much redeemable about the male characters. They all just seem to be tools. I don't really think Blake needs any of them. She could probably find someone else who actually is worth her time instead of wasting her time with them. Although I do find Thunder and Tyce to be moderately adorable. So, there were some good points.

Blake was a bit confusing for me. She was shy and demure one minute and then living it up the next. She's crying her eyes out about someone because she was treated like a slut then turns around and sleeps with someone else. I am on the cusp of liking her as I watch her start to come into her own but I hope that she becomes a more firm character and not kind of waffle back and forth.

I plan to read the rest of the series to see how it shapes up and whether I can stick with it but I am worried. 

Review: Poison Throne by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Poison Throne by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Series: Royals of Arbon Academy #3

Publication date: July 17th, 2020

Pages: 298

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

They're waiting for you.

Those four words should have been a warning.

They should have filled Violet with dread.

But she was so focused on Rafe's disappearance, she forgot.

The resistance was supposed to be fighting for a better world. A group of freedom fighters formed during the Monarch War, pushing back against laws that would see everyone enslaved. For a while there, they gave hope. But with power comes corruption.

The Society has been quietly amassing the strength and backing to become a real threat, and not everyone wants to use the power for good.

In a world torn apart by the death of monarchs, new leaders rise.

Violet dives headfirst into the viper's nest with one singular goal: rescue the stolen prince who possesses half her heart. With the unwavering support of Jordan at her side, Violet knows she can face whatever the resistance throws at them. Even if she was the intended target all along.

Keep your friends close.

Keep your enemies closer.

Never forget the betrayals of the past.

The end of an era is here.

Available at:

Review:

I am starting to wonder if Violet is ever going to get a break from the drama that surrounds her life. Even when she is at the precipice of getting free of one enemy she is suddenly scooped up by another who is apparently the biggest baddie of them all. There is never any time for her to relax and just try to live a normal life. But what does she really expect with getting close to two of the most powerful monarch heirs? However, even if she hadn't had them she was destined to play a pivotal role in the future of the world. No pressure. I think as far as heroines go, Violet is one that I find the more appealing. She doesn't break down at every bad thing that happens. She doesn't beg, grovel, or manipulate maliciously. She is genuine in everything she does unless she is trying to assuage some grand evil plan for either her uterus or the world's people. I was happily surprised by her strength throughout the entirety of the book. Even when she broke down she allowed herself only a small window to submit to the pain before she picked herself back up. I idolize her. 

This book in the series was very much plot driven which I love for a final book. It was not only focused on Violet getting things straightened out with her love triangle but also on the overall political future of the dystopian world. I did enjoy seeing all the espionage and scheming that went into it as well as he overall message that a world that only gave power to a few political families and nobody else would face anarchy most definitely. It was interesting to see how the new ways were shaped closely to what the old ways so it wasn't as drastic a difference anymore. Switzerland, New America, and Australasia being the power trio was wild to watch unfold. 

I think the series overall was unlike anything I had seen before and that is a bold compliment from me I read a lot. I loved the characters. I loved the world building. I loved the drama. I loved the message at the end. I loved it all. Also if this ever became less fiction and more reality, sign me up for moving to Switzerland. Their royal family seem like they'd be top tier (as well as drop dead gorgeous).

Review: Playboy Princes by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Playboy Princes by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Series: Royals of Arbon Academy #2

Publication date: April 16th, 2020

Pages: 249

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

She's my last chance.

Those four words echo in Violet Spencer's mind, tugging at her curiosity even as rage builds within her.

Arbon Academy was supposed to be a bright new start. An opportunity for greatness, and something an orphan girl could only dream of. For a while there, it seemed to be exactly that. But Violet's bright future is suddenly looking dim.

Arbon Academy and Prince Alex are nothing but a facade. A trap. In a sinister world of ballgowns and backstabbing, of perfumes and politics, of indulgent parties and illegal sword fights, Violet now faces the biggest challenge of all. Recovering her shattered heart from the prince who crushed it.

Supported by her new friends. Violent wants to make Alex feel the pain of his betrayal. Prince Rafe wants nothing more than to help make that happen, but things aren't always so straightforward.

Don't break tradition.

Don't let them know you know.

Don't lose your heart... again.

These rules will keep Violet alive. But at what cost?

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Review:

I cannot begin to fathom how Violet ends up in so many sticky situations with the royals. I am still confused as to what they all seem to be going feral over, but if she wasn't the hottest attraction for all the royals then there wouldn't be so much drama and angst to contend with. She finds out that her boyfriend is a slimy two-timing asshole who was only using her to further his political agenda and do what mommy an daddy told him to. He was the stereotypical psychopath who could lay on the charm and then pull the mask off to show the evil that lurked underneath. I have never grown to hate a character so quickly as I did with Alex. I had already been on the fence about him, but the verdict is in now: guilty, of being a total douche canoe. 

Violet jumped from being smothered by an evil ex into the protective arms of two of he crown princes of the world. How she managed that I will never know. But they are not content with sitting idly by and letting her ex blackmail her into involving herself with him to the point of nullifying the break-up. The wheels are set in motion and the cogs start to turn as the Scooby Squad start to try to uncover what is really going on with the princess ballot and how Alex seemed to play a role in it. It will take the might of the two biggest countries to find a way free of Violet's new shackles. 

In this love triangle I am not entirely sure which of the guys I would prefer Violet to be with. She said it perfectly. They are two sides of the same coin that makes up who she is. Rafe is the dark, mysterious, troubled man who will reward her bloodlust and push her to do even worse. He is the devil on her shoulder. And the angel comes in the form of the New American heir who the typical golden retriever boyfriend who speaks to the person Violet is when the violence inside her isn't all-consuming. I think I will always love a bad boy so Rafe is a smidge higher on my scale than Jordan but it's a close one.

I think that this second installment carried the story effortlessly. That there were no blips in the reading that made me go "wait a damned minute". It was effortless and I am still wondering where it is all going to go between the political tightrope walks and even the rebellion resistance throwing their hats into the ring to be a thorn in the monarchies' sides. The only I have is that it still feels like the authors are trying to decide whether to make this a completely why choose book or if they want to have Violet choose in the end. I don't think I could stomach if she had to leave either of the men she has become close to and I am worried for the final book in the series to begin.

Review: Princess Ballot by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Princess Ballot by Jaymin Eve & Tate James

Series: Royal of Arbon Academy #1

Publication date: December 26th, 2019

Pages: 294
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

You have been chosen.

Those four words change Violet Spencer's whole life, when against staggering odds, she's selected in the "princess ballot."

Arbon Academy is affectionately known as the school for Royals. Only the rich, powerful, or heir to a throne gain entry... except for the one scholarship student accepted every five years. It's a worldwide lottery, and one that Violet entered without giving it any serious thought.

But the media got it wrong and Arbon Academy is much more than a simple college for future leaders. It's a dark world of politics, intrigue, and dangerous guys who will stop at nothing to get their own way. Despite her best efforts at remaining off the radar, Violet finds herself a pawn between two of the most powerful monarchies in the world.

Prince Rafe of the Switzerlands and Prince Alex of the Australasias are bitter enemies both on the soccer field and in the political arena. Monarchies rule the world now, and every waking breath is a competition for the princes. 

Control the ball.

Control the world.

Control Violet.

Whether it's through love or hate, someone will ultimately win.

*This is book one in a dark college romance It includes a-hole princes, nasty princesses, and one chick who will take none of their shit, all the while doing her best to make it out alive. HEA guaranteed. Eventually. 17+.

Available at:

Review:

Violet was born into a world that had restructured a lot over the years. War was waged and countries were split or merged. All of them were placed under a monarchy based government of kings, queens, as well as princes and princesses. As if that wasn't enough to deal with Violet is also an orphan and has been raised poor or homeless her entire life. Until she was told she won the princess ballot. Within the parameters of her reward she was gifted a scholarship to the most illustrious college that housed all the worlds princes and princesses of the world. It sounded too good to be true, doesn't it? That is what Violet felt too. She was weary but at the same time, she couldn't afford to pass up on an opportunity this great for her future. When she gets there she is in a world she had no idea how to navigate, but along the way she makes some friends that seem to take her under their wing. But are they really her friends because as the saying goes, you should never trust the royals.

Violet was an interesting character. I think I resonated with her a bit in the way she chose to fight back verbally at certain times and bide her time in others. She was able to navigate the royals treacherous waters skillfully and was a spitfire. She was called every name under the book and it only made her shrug. I have never seen such a self-assured character. It was refreshing that she wasn't a wilted flower through the whole book any time someone was mean to her. 

Rafe caught my eye and my heart from the beginning. Who isn't a sucker for the bad boy Prince of the Switzerlands? He was cruel and arrogant with Violet which made me want to strangle him but I noticed it was always very calculated. He tried to push her away at certain times and not just because he wanted to be as far away from her as possible. He was very hot or cold but it seemed to work for him all the same.

I did not like the fact that it seems like every single character in this universe seems to have a thing for Violet. A few, sure, but it seems like she's trying to combat affections from everyone. That made it a little gimmicky. I am hoping maybe there is something in later books that denotes why she may be so irresistible to the royals but  I somehow doubt it. 

I enjoyed the book and look forward to the second even if I am a bit confused as to whether this book is a reverse harem or not. It says it's not but then it feels like it is. I guess for readers, go into it prepared for both scenarios depending on your preferences.