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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
5.0
Look, my friends will tell you that I always fall for the good guys. For the sweet guys. For the Matt Donovans. I want the boy next door. However, I can assure you that I also like a touch of arrogance and it seems that when there is a psychotic layer that I can understand and appreciate I'm a goner too. I'm a little sad that this isn't one of May's finished series. Waiting for the next one is gonna be quite hard, although this cliffhanger wasn't as terrible as the previous one.
What I liked about this book is that May took her time to have her characters deal with the aftermath of everything that has happened. I can imagine that some people prefer a little more action and are not a huge fan of our main characters spending so many chapters apart, but I loved all those raw and rough emotions. I loved how they were all dealing with grief and trauma and family in their own way. I loved how every character was forced to bare their soul for us.
And yes, that does mean that the plot is progressing only slowly, but I really don't mind. I like that this story is building and burning so slowly. It feels like what I'm reading is real, realistic. Most girls don't get over guys lying to them so easily, not even if they love her very much and did it to protect her. And most guys are not enthusiast about sharing their one true love with their best friends, not even if they love her very much and only want her to be happy.
And although the plot was progressing slowly, there was that constant tension throughout the book. We knew at some point something would happen. We knew that the danger wasn't gone. We especially knew because May did leave some reminders for us along the way. And this game and story clearly has very high stakes and a lot of people involved. We got very few answers in this book, we got a lot of new questions and I got a little more addicted.
What I liked about this book is that May took her time to have her characters deal with the aftermath of everything that has happened. I can imagine that some people prefer a little more action and are not a huge fan of our main characters spending so many chapters apart, but I loved all those raw and rough emotions. I loved how they were all dealing with grief and trauma and family in their own way. I loved how every character was forced to bare their soul for us.
And yes, that does mean that the plot is progressing only slowly, but I really don't mind. I like that this story is building and burning so slowly. It feels like what I'm reading is real, realistic. Most girls don't get over guys lying to them so easily, not even if they love her very much and did it to protect her. And most guys are not enthusiast about sharing their one true love with their best friends, not even if they love her very much and only want her to be happy.
And although the plot was progressing slowly, there was that constant tension throughout the book. We knew at some point something would happen. We knew that the danger wasn't gone. We especially knew because May did leave some reminders for us along the way. And this game and story clearly has very high stakes and a lot of people involved. We got very few answers in this book, we got a lot of new questions and I got a little more addicted.
all_dai_reads's review
Idk this is the one where there is a cult or something and the girl goes through ritual and has to do things
sigridoost's review
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
matson's review
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
This was hard to get through. If you skip all the angsty inner monologues you could probably condense this book down to 50 pages. Also, I don't read RH books to have 0 smut in the first one, and literally one single scene 60% in the second. I get this is a slow burn but COME ON. She hasn't even kissed two of the guys yet!
greek_myth5's review
4.0
Ok wow...
So this book was...I'm not sure I have the words right now. First yay for Ellie as she starts to come into her own. Second yay for the guys somewhat coming to terms with glaringly obvious. I say somewhat cause it's just occurring to them that they may have to share...smh...
Now boo for the cliffhanger. Oh it wasn't the last line, if it had Bern that then I agree on the 5 rating. No it was right before that...
Seriously though great read with lots of twists.
So this book was...I'm not sure I have the words right now. First yay for Ellie as she starts to come into her own. Second yay for the guys somewhat coming to terms with glaringly obvious. I say somewhat cause it's just occurring to them that they may have to share...smh...
Now boo for the cliffhanger. Oh it wasn't the last line, if it had Bern that then I agree on the 5 rating. No it was right before that...
Seriously though great read with lots of twists.
jamie_cruz's review
4.0
AHHHHH
I love this series. I love how obsessed the guys are. I love Ellie because she’s GROWING, and she’s not one to hold on resentment towards the guys or vice versa. They make human errors, but it’s normal especially with them being teenagers. I can’t wait until everyone comes to realization that they need each other more than they knew. Deep down all the guys know how this will end with them sharing Ellie, but it’s still cute how they are possessive with her. I want them all to be happy
I love this series. I love how obsessed the guys are. I love Ellie because she’s GROWING, and she’s not one to hold on resentment towards the guys or vice versa. They make human errors, but it’s normal especially with them being teenagers. I can’t wait until everyone comes to realization that they need each other more than they knew. Deep down all the guys know how this will end with them sharing Ellie, but it’s still cute how they are possessive with her. I want them all to be happy
sierra_savors_stories's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Death, Gore, and Torture
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, and Kidnapping
snowflake86's review
5.0
Grrrr...holy cliffhanger...
This is the second book in the Kings of Grove academy series....a slow burn reverse harem. Must say not sure where this series was going for a bit there. Slow burn and reverse harem aren't normally tropes you find together bit it works here.
The characters are believable for their age and I need to know what happens..
This is the second book in the Kings of Grove academy series....a slow burn reverse harem. Must say not sure where this series was going for a bit there. Slow burn and reverse harem aren't normally tropes you find together bit it works here.
The characters are believable for their age and I need to know what happens..
bookswithdes's review
3.0
Reeling from the aftereffects of the first book, Ellie is trying to figure out who she is now and how she's dealing with her trauma from all the information she learned and experienced from POP. In this book, we got to see Ellie transform from an innocent, naive girl to someone who starts standing up for herself and becomes more independent and stronger. Her relationship with the guys changes ever since the information she found out in the first book. She starts to pull away from the guys and the guys give her space until she's ready. After she's ready to reconcile with them, they tell her EVERYTHING, and she becomes 10x closer to them than she was before. Other than this, there isn't much plot, but the ending sets up for the plot to continue in the next book.
Favorite quotes/scenes:
-"She represents everything I want for myself. Light. Happiness. Peace. Yes...Peace. Serenity. Tranquility. She encompasses all those terms, and then some. Being with her banishes some of the shadows that have made themselves home in my eyes. I don't fell as beastly anymore when she's staring at me with awe fascination, a look I never want to see dissipate from her gaze." (Landon)
-"Maybe I can convince Zane to kidnap them with me so we can create matching friendship bracelets out of the skin of our enemies and then plan a murder together. Murder always makes them happy." (Beckett)
-"Maybe I've always known that she doesn't belong at just one man. Hell, she doesn't belong to any man. We belong to her—and once I made that distinction in my head, the rest of the puzzle pieces fell into place. A girl like her deserves to be worshipped and revered, and the best way to do that is to give her a goddamn harem. " (Beckett)
-"I don't like anyone's attention being on my girl except for mine. And maybe Landon's. Okay, Dominic's as well. And sometimes Beckett's. And Ryker, because he pulls of 'moody asshole with a heart of gold' so well. But that's it. I'm putting my foot down on five." (Zane)
-"How can I tell her that I don't just care about her, but love her more than anything in this whole entire world? It's a twisted type of love, because I'm a twisted man, but it's the only pure thing I have in my life...But the love I feel for her? The way she can bring me to my knees with a single word? It's so fucking beautiful, that I could get weepy." (Ryker)
-"I've never claimed to be a good man, but Ellie? She sees something in me, something in all of us, that the rest of the world fails to notice. While the students of Grove Academy see nothing but beasts and monsters, she sees five broken souls capable of being saved. I don't even know if I want saving, but I do know that I need the light she provides. It banished some of the shadows in my soul, making the world a little brighter." (Dominic)
Favorite quotes/scenes:
-"She represents everything I want for myself. Light. Happiness. Peace. Yes...Peace. Serenity. Tranquility. She encompasses all those terms, and then some. Being with her banishes some of the shadows that have made themselves home in my eyes. I don't fell as beastly anymore when she's staring at me with awe fascination, a look I never want to see dissipate from her gaze." (Landon)
-"Maybe I can convince Zane to kidnap them with me so we can create matching friendship bracelets out of the skin of our enemies and then plan a murder together. Murder always makes them happy." (Beckett)
-"Maybe I've always known that she doesn't belong at just one man. Hell, she doesn't belong to any man. We belong to her—and once I made that distinction in my head, the rest of the puzzle pieces fell into place. A girl like her deserves to be worshipped and revered, and the best way to do that is to give her a goddamn harem. " (Beckett)
-"I don't like anyone's attention being on my girl except for mine. And maybe Landon's. Okay, Dominic's as well. And sometimes Beckett's. And Ryker, because he pulls of 'moody asshole with a heart of gold' so well. But that's it. I'm putting my foot down on five." (Zane)
-"How can I tell her that I don't just care about her, but love her more than anything in this whole entire world? It's a twisted type of love, because I'm a twisted man, but it's the only pure thing I have in my life...But the love I feel for her? The way she can bring me to my knees with a single word? It's so fucking beautiful, that I could get weepy." (Ryker)
-"I've never claimed to be a good man, but Ellie? She sees something in me, something in all of us, that the rest of the world fails to notice. While the students of Grove Academy see nothing but beasts and monsters, she sees five broken souls capable of being saved. I don't even know if I want saving, but I do know that I need the light she provides. It banished some of the shadows in my soul, making the world a little brighter." (Dominic)