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jhuggy18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shassler82's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars... IDK.. this was a mess for me. I couldn't wait for brooding Vaughn Spencer but not like this.
jenniferkaos's review against another edition
5.0
"But if we were silver, Vaughn Spencer was gold. If we were good, he was brilliant. And when we shone? He gleamed with the force of a thousand suns, charring everything around him"
Lenora and Vaughn have known each other since they were kids. At 12, Lenora saw something she shouldn't involving Vaughn. The two attended Carlisle Prep School, which was an institute for art. As we previously seen from the series previous books, Vaughn has returned to the states and attend All Saint High. Eventually Lenora makes her way to the same school. Vaughn makes it his mission to tear Lenora down and keep his secret hidden. But Lenora isn't the same girl he once knew. Will she put up a fight?
I have to say that I was excited to dive into this book. Vaughn always intrigued me when I read the previous book. He was quiet and kept to himself, but girls seemed to drop to their knees for him. It was like their self-worth went out the door when he was around. In the beginning he was very crude, a little too crude at time. And through being crude, he guarded himself by choosing "the least intimate way to be intimate with girls".
Lenora has walls of her own that are up in the beginning. When she arrives to ASH, she traded her blonde locks for black dye in an attempt to keep herself guarded. Fortunately her family are safely behind those walls. This is apparent when the queen bees of the school bully her sister. Lenora doesn't take it lightly. That's for sure.
The transformation these two characters go through is amazing! Chapter by chapter a piece of the wall is chipped away. And the two can't seem to stay away from each other. L.J did not skimp on the shock factor. Just when you think everything has finally calmed down, she throws a wrench in to stir things up again. Don't get me started on the twists in this book. I can't count how many times I had to remember to close my mouth!
And finally when you learn what Lenora saw, you WILL be stunned.
Lenora and Vaughn have known each other since they were kids. At 12, Lenora saw something she shouldn't involving Vaughn. The two attended Carlisle Prep School, which was an institute for art. As we previously seen from the series previous books, Vaughn has returned to the states and attend All Saint High. Eventually Lenora makes her way to the same school. Vaughn makes it his mission to tear Lenora down and keep his secret hidden. But Lenora isn't the same girl he once knew. Will she put up a fight?
I have to say that I was excited to dive into this book. Vaughn always intrigued me when I read the previous book. He was quiet and kept to himself, but girls seemed to drop to their knees for him. It was like their self-worth went out the door when he was around. In the beginning he was very crude, a little too crude at time. And through being crude, he guarded himself by choosing "the least intimate way to be intimate with girls".
Lenora has walls of her own that are up in the beginning. When she arrives to ASH, she traded her blonde locks for black dye in an attempt to keep herself guarded. Fortunately her family are safely behind those walls. This is apparent when the queen bees of the school bully her sister. Lenora doesn't take it lightly. That's for sure.
The transformation these two characters go through is amazing! Chapter by chapter a piece of the wall is chipped away. And the two can't seem to stay away from each other. L.J did not skimp on the shock factor. Just when you think everything has finally calmed down, she throws a wrench in to stir things up again. Don't get me started on the twists in this book. I can't count how many times I had to remember to close my mouth!
And finally when you learn what Lenora saw, you WILL be stunned.
shebookmarks's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Not me Extremely conflicted between 4 and 5 stars
But this was so good holy!!! The tension, the revenge, VAUGHN. The only reason i am unsure about the 5 stars is that i don't have that "i will definitely reread this" which i always have with 5 star reads😫
But i ordered the whole series as paperpack and will definitely read the rest 🫣 yet another book to the tbr........
But this was so good holy!!! The tension, the revenge, VAUGHN. The only reason i am unsure about the 5 stars is that i don't have that "i will definitely reread this" which i always have with 5 star reads😫
But i ordered the whole series as paperpack and will definitely read the rest 🫣 yet another book to the tbr........
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Pedophilia
Penetration with chisel (MMC with FMC) Blood play minor cheating (FMC revenge with her best friend while MMC is handcuffed and has to watch)efecaulfield's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This one broke me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
_sylviareads_'s review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ANGRY STARS FOR THIS ONE
I'll start by stating that this book deals with the sensitive subject some may find triggering but for me, it was just a sad and devastating fact that explains why Vaughn is so very different from other heroes in this series. But I wouldn't categorize this book as dark read. For me, it was just a great book filled with a lot of angst and little heavy, with a theme of enemies-to-lovers.
The beginning of this book was a bit shaky for me. I had a hard time connecting with Vaughn and Lenora. But at 30% the action became more and more interesting and heroes more intriguing. And at the end, L. J. Shen just stole my heart by giving me an unbelievably beautiful ending. This perfect culmination contains a beautiful bond between father and son. It was even more beautiful because this bond was between Vicious and Vaughn, the most beautiful fuck-up jerk hero that I will never forget. And of course to read about how love overcomes life-consuming hatred was just icing on the cake. I love it.
I'll start by stating that this book deals with the sensitive subject some may find triggering but for me, it was just a sad and devastating fact that explains why Vaughn is so very different from other heroes in this series. But I wouldn't categorize this book as dark read. For me, it was just a great book filled with a lot of angst and little heavy, with a theme of enemies-to-lovers.
The beginning of this book was a bit shaky for me. I had a hard time connecting with Vaughn and Lenora. But at 30% the action became more and more interesting and heroes more intriguing. And at the end, L. J. Shen just stole my heart by giving me an unbelievably beautiful ending. This perfect culmination contains a beautiful bond between father and son. It was even more beautiful because this bond was between Vicious and Vaughn, the most beautiful fuck-up jerk hero that I will never forget. And of course to read about how love overcomes life-consuming hatred was just icing on the cake. I love it.
lesleyt's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
know_it_all52's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
Nothing about this book is original, so many same beats from Vicious are here.
Him being a bully but in love with her, her being a artist with sister that is softer then her and her knowing his dark secret....I can go on and on.
There sex scene are ridiculous it was like reading vampire book and that part with chisel...LJ stop.
Best part was Vicious POV and his stuff with Emilia and Vaughn.
Vaughn and Leonora should have been rivals to lovers but anyways.
I liked Leonora and Poppy relationship and her friendship with Rafferty Pope hopefully we get his book with Poppy.
I want Hunter love interest to be Bianca so bad, I'm excited for his book.
Him being a bully but in love with her, her being a artist with sister that is softer then her and her knowing his dark secret....I can go on and on.
There sex scene are ridiculous it was like reading vampire book and that part with chisel...LJ stop.
Best part was Vicious POV and his stuff with Emilia and Vaughn.
Vaughn and Leonora should have been rivals to lovers but anyways.
I liked Leonora and Poppy relationship and her friendship with Rafferty Pope hopefully we get his book with Poppy.
I want Hunter love interest to be Bianca so bad, I'm excited for his book.
suedas_books's review
4.0
(Somehow I feel like 3.8 stars for this book is appropriate but I just didn’t wanna see three stars in my rating soooo…)
I think nothing is harder than rating L.J. Shens books.
They sometimes give off weird vibes or the scene seems a bit off but then the next one kinda balances that out completely. I’ve never seen any kind of character development like Vaugn Spencers‘. The way both protagonists grew from their pain and with the help of each other makes this a really special couple in my eyes.
They often got really annoying especially on Vaughns‘ side but I still somehow absolutely fell in love with their love.
I don’t know what exactly I should say about this book. If you like dark academia, slightly kinky Wattpad romances with a dark twist this is 100% your book to read. (Then again I’ve never read a dark academia book but they are going to school in an old castle in England so that seems pretty close right?)
I think nothing is harder than rating L.J. Shens books.
They sometimes give off weird vibes or the scene seems a bit off but then the next one kinda balances that out completely. I’ve never seen any kind of character development like Vaugn Spencers‘. The way both protagonists grew from their pain and with the help of each other makes this a really special couple in my eyes.
They often got really annoying especially on Vaughns‘ side but I still somehow absolutely fell in love with their love.
I don’t know what exactly I should say about this book. If you like dark academia, slightly kinky Wattpad romances with a dark twist this is 100% your book to read. (Then again I’ve never read a dark academia book but they are going to school in an old castle in England so that seems pretty close right?)