4.0 AVERAGE

dark funny tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

DNF @ 88%

I just couldn't take anymore of this it has put me in a book slump. I tried it, and it seemed good at first, but it is just dragging on. As this is the first book of five, I skimmed the reviews of the other four to see if it gets better, AND it seems it doesn't and still drags. I'm glad I didn't keep torturing myself.

Meh not the best. But still entertaining enough to hold my interest...

All the men are just the same. Apart from Leon - but the others I could barely tell apart and it was all very similar to the ZA dynamic. I appreciate it is all the same "universe", but would have been nice to have had something a bit different.

And if I had to read "vampire speed" one more time, I was gonna chuck my kindle out the window.

Absolutely addicting... I was reluctant to start this because I was so into the Zodiac Academy series and I didn't want to pause to read these even though it was recommended but wow I'm glad I did. Never a dull moment. Love the murder mystery aspect. Love the characters. 10/10
dark funny sad medium-paced

eryn_04's review

5.0
dark funny mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I decided to start the zodiac series from the beginning with Ruthless Boys!
I love the concept of zodiacs being a ruling force and having a direct impact on your life and magic. I am a Gemini, and I love all things related to astrology, so this series definitely piqued my interest.
I am fairly new to rating things, so maybe I have rated this book too high, but I genuinely enjoyed every second of reading it!

Quick Blurb of the Book: RH/Why Choose
Elise Callisto is on the hunt for the truth about what happened to her brother. Not convinced his death was a suicide, she infiltrates the school he attended when he died, determined to find the person responsible for his death and bring them to justice. Her 4 main suspects are the 4 kings of the school - each ruthless and dark in their own intriguing ways. Bringing one of them to justice may be harder than she thought.

My Opinions (Spoiler Free):
I LOVE ELISE. Talk about a femme fatale with a sense of humor and an incapability to take orders from anyone. When I say, I want a strong FMC... ELISE is who I mean. She is a vampire and is absolutely unapologetic in how she lives her life. She has an affinity for breaking the rules and pushing the buttons of the most powerful and fearsome men she encounters. She is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her brother, and she doesn't care what it costs her. This kind of morbid, carefree vibe allows her to do whatever she wants without fear of consequences. This is such a powerful selling point to me because I love a character who loves someone with such reckless abandon that she is willing to put everything on the line. In this case, that person is her brother. In the same vein, because she is so reckless in her care for herself, it allows these seemingly callous and heartless boys to show a different side. Despite what the world thinks of them and what they may think of themselves, she is something they are not willing to sacrifice or let be hurt, not even by herself.

The dynamic between each character is MAGNETIC. I love that they each have their own ways of connecting with our FMC, Elise. Not to mention, each boy is so well fleshed out -- their backstories and motivations, their connections with each other and the world, their individual voices and phrases.

Another thing I love is that while we are investigating alongside Elise, we also get glimpses into her brother Gareth's life in the months leading up to his death. Very neat!

Okay, now for the things I didn't like so much:
There is a lot of cringey dialogue here and there, but it wasn't bad enough to turn me off of the book—it honestly made me love the characters more. However, I can see how, if this had been refined slightly, it could have made a big difference in the tone of the book.

And the only other thing I can think of is the references to our media in a supposed fantasy world. This is explained away because a character does reference a movie thats just been imported from the mortal realm -- So i guess that makes up for it, but it definitely takes you out of the book once in a while.

BUT I LOVE IT WITH MY WHOLE HEART, SO I DON'T CARE AT ALL ABOUT THE BAD!

I gave this book a 4/5 because I enjoyed it so much and instantly fell in love with the characters, the plot, and the mystery. I read it in one sitting and had no urge to stop for even a second. It's not a 5/5 because it's not the greatest book ever or even the best-written book by FAR, but it is fun and entertaining.
Spice is a 10/5, marvelous, no notes.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND
flint_em's profile picture

flint_em's review

4.0

Yuuuup. I’m enjoying this one just as much as ZA! 

j4wright's review

4.0
adventurous dark medium-paced
juliecathrine's profile picture

juliecathrine's review

2.0

Ren og skær litterært skrald - men skal læse den næste asap