Cute but Creepy

Verfallen Asylum #2

by Beatrix Hollow

I've come to wreak vengeance on the man that killed my parents. My own little brother—an abomination, a snake in the nest.

I'm Hazel Fury—a phoenix, a killer—and I'm not leaving this insane asylum until Basil is in a body bag. Someone has to do it and that someone will be me.

Bring on your friends, little brother. Bring on death and mayhem—there's no stopping a phoenix. Nothing but you.

I'll do whatever it takes. Even if that means using a few of the other inmates. A snake worse than you, a trickster you can't outmaneuver, and even the big man himself—Dr. Stein.

And don't worry about being lonely in Hell...I'll send your friends there with you.Author This book features the point of view of a new cast of characters. However, Cute but Psycho's characters are heavily featured.

Genres: Dark Romance, Paranormal, Why Choose, Paranormal Romance, M M F, Monster Romance, Fantasy

ebook

First published February 20, 2024

Reviews

[witchy_book_babe · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL. OF. THE. STARS. x ♾️!!


I am so grateful to have received the ARC of Cute but Creepy, otherwise I think I may have sat on this for a while and that would have been an utter tragedy. I loveddddd Cute but Psycho and honestly did not think I would be as captivated with this next installment...

Beatrix Hollow truly, truly outdid herself with Cute but Creepy
This book made me freaking cackle out loud, there was even a point in the book where I had the mad giggles and my husband gave me an eyeroll. The pure insanity and madness balanced with heartwarming moments, HOTHOTHOT scenes, plus an incredibly solid plot blew my mind. Beatrix is a master at her craft in my opinion. I don't personally know anyone who is doing what she is doing AT THIS LEVEL. I am so impressed and thankful to have this type of book exist. And grateful to have read it.

Cute but Creepy felt so organically right from the start. It was as if no time had passed from leaving Verfallen Asylum from the previous installment. Hazel Fury (FMC) was an utter delight! She was madness personified and I want to be BFF's with her . Gonzo (MMC1) was p e r f e c t l y executed! I loved how Beatrix drew out the mystery with both Gonzo and Stein (MMC2). Which leads me to Stein (MMC2), I loved his story and how it unraveled so slowly that when the big reveal came, I was taken completely by surprise.

Ultimately, the plot was solid. The characters were solid. The final chapter was solid. And the Epilogue had me a little teary from having to say goodbye to these characters. To me, this is one of Beatrix Hollow's best works and her at the top of her game.

[Tatiane Aguirres Nogueira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!!

This was sooo good! I need book 3 asap!!! It started off slower than book 1, but around 30% in everything started to come together and it was very exciting!

If you're looking for a monster romance with no plot whatsoever, this book is not for you. Beatrix tied up all the plots very neatly since Cute but psycho, nothing was by chance. I think every couple of chapters I discovered something unexpected, it was delightfully surprising until the end!

This time the story is about Baz's sister, a phoenix, who goes to the asylum to kill him in revenge for the m*rder of their parents. And if you think Bree is insane, wait until you meet Hazel! I loved this character so much, she doesn't stop having insecurities because she's a badass k*ller. Which makes the character much more human and believable.

I loved seeing Bree and her guys from someone else's point of view, their interactions were delightful! And discovering the real story of the asylum was very satisfying, I didn't see this plot coming, even though it had been there since the first book.

I highly recommend this book! It's perfect for fall/halloween reading. Just remember this is a sequel and you need to read Cut but psycho first.

[Nastia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Because I’m a pyromaniac.” His dark eyes dragged me in. “That fight… you were the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen… and the most terrifying.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
What a fun read.
This book is following adventures of Hazel (sister of Baz, basilisk from Cute but psycho). She is convinced she needs to destroy and assassinate her brother and she will be happy, unfortunately for her she was lured to the asylum by two men. First is a doctor who experiments on a patients, and second is a patient who kinda wants Hazel to perish.

And this story was a cute and fun, with sexy times ofc. Together with Hazel we are learning to trust, learning to forget the past and trauma, learning how to accept our feelings. Such an emotional read full of rage, angst, helplessness and curiosity, and everything was mixed so well.

Most of all i loved main characters, they were unique, with amazing personalities and abilities. Therapy sessions? Chief’s kiss 💋

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC copy in exchange for a fair review*

There are very few horror writers that I follow, and Beatrix is one of them. No offense to the genre, but it's just not typically my cup if tea. I say all this because, that just shows how much I like this authors writing. She makes me laugh, while simultaneously grossing me out and making me question my taste in book boyfriends(Baz).
Cute and Creepy was a fun horror/ dark romance Halloween read! I was tickled and disturbed by the first book in this series Cute but Psycho, but this sequel does a great job of keeping us guessing on what the true monster of the asylum is. I could not stop thinking about how much the description of Dr. Stien, reminded me of Alucard from the anime Hellsing. I liked Hazel's back story, but for someone who is supposed to be a bad ass assassin, she is extremely easy to trick, and is terrible at throwing knives. Hazel is the vehicle to drive the story forward, and give us a reason to learn more of the background of all the other characters, both new and old... but especially Baz. I did enjoy the interactions between the 2 groups. And Beatrix does a great job of giving all of the male leads different personalities. I was never confused about who was talking, and she didn't make each group have a copy paste version of the male love interests in the 2nd group.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book like my last meal. While I did absolutely love it, it in no way replaces the special hold book one has on my cold dark heart. The heroine, hell all the characters are batshit crazy and I loved every minute of it. You def need to read the first one before diving in, mostly so you have a better understanding of the characters, their connections and most importantly how the asylum works. And works is stretching it considering it's a supernatural asylum where multiple deaths a day are normal and the experiments can literally change who and what you are. Luckily for the heroine she's a phoenix and basically 99% untouchable as she'll just come right back to life. Pretty crazy how it all goes down but what a fun and wild ride this was. Did feel rather short to me but I always want more. I'm more curious how the series will go on seeing how this ended. Cannot wait!!!

[AshleyReadsSmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I was nervous going into this due to how much I hateddddd Dr. Stein after Cute But Psycho. Yet, somehow the author humanized him here 😭 (well, as much as you *can* humanize him lol) and I totally loved Gonzo

𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘: 🌶️🌶️
𝗛𝗘𝗔/𝗛𝗙𝗡: 💖
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: Series
𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: Verfallen Asylum #2
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: Dual narration

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: MMF
𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗣: 🏳️‍🌈
𝗪𝗛𝗬-𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗘: ✅ + 🏳️‍🌈⚔️
𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Hazel, Gonzo & Dr Stein (Zero)

𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
♥︎ paranormal • monster romance
♥︎ why choose ♡ MMF
♥︎ asylum for supernatural killers
♥︎ forced proximity
♥︎ hidden identity
♥︎ mating / mates
♥︎ immortal(ish) assassin fmc 🐦‍🔥
♥︎ mad scientist mmc 👨🏻‍🔬
♥︎ trickster shifter mmc 🤹🏻‍♂️

𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦:
♥︎ med play(ish)
♥︎ knotting
♥︎ tentacle play

⚠ This is the sequel to Cute But Psycho — be sure to read prior!

[Lilith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody is crazy!

The ending felt too easy a win for me but overall, I really enjoyed this.

Editing to add that I'd recommend this series, although short, as a (filthy/naughty) pallet cleanser for someone who has been reading in monotony.

I do enjoy how Beatrix writes her FMCs. Crazy but not a pushover. Crazy as hell but not weak. Crazier than most but not pitiful under any circumstances.

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so thrilled that Beatrix Hollow picked me as one of her ARC readers for this book!! I loved the first one, and this one did not disappoint!! Instead of Bree, Baz, Nemo, and Dr. Orson's POV it follows Hazel, Gonzo and Dr. Stein, but dont worry, we "see" some of everyone. I really loved that Beatrix included a "memory jogger section" at the beginning of the book to help me remember where we left off at in Cute but Psycho, I think authors should do that more often when their books are spaced out😅 I couldn't get enough and am already ready for another! I want to keep reading Hazel's story just as much as Bree's! So much got revealed in this book, especially about Dr. Stein. Can't wait for Spring of 2025!

[Meggy (M.Reads 🫶🏻) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series!

This one was definitely cute but creepy 😍 and I enjoyed it so much! I love how these stories were crafted— the whole asylum & characters in general were weird and odd but I devoured it all. It was so interesting to see this side of Stein— and to REALLY see who he was and how he was. I pictured him in the first book TOTALLY different and whew 😮‍💨 Hazel really brought out the freak in that man and I LOVEDDD it. The ending was also a shock to me..? Like I didn’t expect that and I feel a little sad about it.

Overall this series was so so good! I need moreee!! Definitely will check out other books by this author from now on 🙌🏻 5 stars for all the books combined!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC. I fell in love with the cast of characters in the first book, Cute but Psycho. I had so much fun reading about Bree and her men in the asylum that when given this book, I dove right in. Hazel Fury, the sister of one of the inmates in the asylum gets herself admitted in order to kill her brother. Nothing goes as planned however and it’s crazy fun to watch it all unfold. I fell in love with this cast of characters just as much as I did in the first book. I love how the author wove the original characters into the story without taking the focus off of the new people. Dr. Stein’s backstory is very interesting and one I would like to explore more. Gonzo - would love to know more about how he evaded his assassin for so long and how he ended up in the asylum. Such a fun story with the perfect amount of spice and action. Eagerly awaiting the next book!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

CUTE BUT CREEPY
Verfallen Asylum #2
Beatrix Hollow

Book Two in the Verfallen Asylum trilogy has Hazel the Viper assassin being committed to the Asylum to fulfill the role of k.i.lling her brother Baz who is a basilisk.

Like what the heck was this? Well I didn’t see this going in the direction it did. We have Zero giving orgasms in the name of therapy 😆. A trickster who finds himself being tricked. And an asylum full of zombies and the whole place is going mad. I did find it fun that everything she had lost or was searching for ends up being in the asylum.

Hazel, Zero and Gonzo do have an ending but I’m excited to go back to Baz and Bree and the original group for book three.

•MMF
•Phoenix Assassin
•Paranormal
•Mates

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back to Verfallen, betches! Did you miss it as much as I did?! Cute but Psycho is what first sparked my love for Beatrix’s writing and I’ve been SO excited to dive back into the madness.

I had zero idea how Hazel’s story would play out at first, but I just knew it was going to be twisted in the best of ways. It’s Verfallen, after all. I was completely captivated with the plot && the spice was filled with tension and depravity. What else could I ask for?!

This is the perfect book to end October with 😈

[Callie Kakascik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Beatrix Hollow writes, and this was no exception. I was lucky to get an Arc for this one and devoured it. I reread the first book just to refresh my brain, and I'm happy I did.

We meet all the characters from book one and Baz's crazy sister, Hazel. She is on a mission to kill him and his "pack" of lovers/friends. To top it off, we learn more about the crazy doctor and a new shifter.

The characters are all developed well and BH's writing is fun. It has that perfect blend of spice and humor. I look forward to more books by her!

4.75

[the_bibliophagist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title is perfect because this is exactly what this book is Cute but Creepy. There are parts where it is funny and there are parts where you say this is sick. I love every minute of it. Baz is still my favorite. I can't wait for book 3.

[Jessica Steed · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟 3.5🌶️
This has become one of my favorite unhinged series and certain characters from this one and last one will live rent free in my head forever! I mean the whole time I'm like WTF am I reading but in the best unhinged possible way. Everybodies crazy and hot.
I wasn't aware that it was going to focus on other characters' POVs and I was worried I wasn't going to like them as much. However, I shouldn't have been because they're awesome. The situations in this book are almost odder than the first book. Don't worry though because the spice is just as hot - sometimes weird but still super hot!
My biggest issue is that I have to wait so long for the next one!!!! I need it now like stat.
As a super side note this series has now become a good portion of my personality. I'm going to need more of you to read it so we can talk about it!!!

[Lizs.book.nook ||Elizabeth|| · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrix Hollow…you have a twisted and brilliant mind! Cute But Creepy was a wild, mind trip of a ride. I didn’t realize there could be more unhinged characters than Bree and her men…I was wrong. Hazel, Gonzo, and Zero take the cake on that one. I don’t even know how to put my thoughts into words, but this book was a bloody good time from beginning to end - and hella entertaining.
**side note: I also really appreciated Beatrix Hollow adding a memory jogger section at the beginning for folks

[Brooke (darkcoffeedarkerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐ 4🌶️

Yes, yes, 1000x YES! Cute but Creepy feels like coming home…to my dark, deranged, padded little cell. This is by far my favorite series by Beatrix and I cannot get enough of Verfallen. I came into this a little hesitant because I loved Cute but Psycho so much that I wasn’t sure anything could ever live up to it. Well, color me ridiculous because of COURSE Beatrix delivered in all the best ways.

Hazel, Zero, and Gonzo are absolutely insane (I can say that, right?) and the development of their dynamics was absolute perfection. And I adored getting glimpses back at our original favorite trio as well. They haven’t changed and bless them for that because I’ve missed them and their banter and theatrics only added to my enjoyment of this installation.

Baz will forever be my boyfriend, but Hazel may now very well be my girlfriend. She’s witty, dark, deeply disturbed, and buckets of bloody fun. From the corpse collective to her dark, morbid humor, I couldn’t get enough of our little firebird FMC and all her parallels to her venomous brother counterpart. Not to mention the family love jokes we got from the twisted dynamic of my fav Furys…honestly, it’s all in the family and I may just be here for it.

While the characters alone would get me to read nearly anything and the spice was ABSOLUTELY spicing, I also really enjoyed the underlying plot and intrigue. Finally uncovering some of the mysteries of Verfallen and finding out how Dr. Stein and all the other staff and inmates came to exist there was executed flawlessly. I found myself picking my jaw up off the floor more than once and I could not get enough of the world building Beatrix brought here.

The ending left me screaming, cheering, reeling, and a little heartbroken for Hazel but I cannot wait to find out how this all comes to a gory, glorious ending and I’ll be counting down the days until Cute but Deadly graces my Kindle.

[Brooke Burk · Rating 5 out of 5]

~Review of ARC copy~

Beatrix, you have outdone yourself again! Your storytelling is completely immersive! We can easily see the asylum and the patients, and it almost feels as if we're right there with them in those dank halls. I loved book one and have been slightly going stir crazy for book two, but I can honestly say the wait was absolutely worth it!!
In this book, we meet Hazel, who is Baz's sister. Raised as an assassin, she is supposed to kill her brother. However, in order to get close to him, she also has to be committed to Verfallen Asylum. Once inside, she reluctantly befriends a Trickster named Gonzo, who isn't all he appears to be while hiding a massive secret. While trying to find her brother and deal with her confusing feelings for Gonzo, she must also attempt to navigate "therapy" with Dr. Stein and everything that the sessions entail. I loved that we got to learn about Dr. Stein (aka Zero) in this book because the first book had left us with so many unanswered questions about him. Truth be told, at the end of book one, I despised Dr. Stein. Yet somehow, in this book, I find myself completely falling for him.
I was so happy that we got to read about not only Baz but Bree, Orson and Nemo as well. I personally like Coral too and hope that maybe she gets a spin-off book or novella of her own.

Thanks for the ARC copy! I seriously cannot wait for the next in the series to come out so I can delve back into this world - wherever that may take us.

[Kali Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐ 3 🌶️5 🎧

Gahhh. I am so happy to be back at Verfallen. I'm not sure what I loved more, this new cast of characters or that we got to hang out often with our old friends. Maybe it's a tie 🤷🏼‍♀️ This was hilarious, spicy, oddly sweet and so much fun, I absolutely loved it.

I really loved the "sister is set to unalive her brother, the only thing that can unalive her" storyline and thought the way Beatrix ended it was so, so good. Hazel was amazing and such a baddie and while my heart broke for her a little, I love the way her part in this story ended. Her men were amazing too, I adored Zero and Gonzo and how they were with Hazel and each other.

The ending was so dang good and it has me soooo excited for Cute But Deadly. I can't wait to see how this series ends.

I got to re-read this one via audiobook courtesy of Pink Flamingo and I absolutely loved it once again. Michael Norman Johnson and Ri Paige were fantastic at embodying these characters, just unhinged goodness abound, and I had so much fun listening.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Beatrix Hollow for the ARC copy!

So, going in, I was a little apprehensive because Hazel Fury is out to kill Baz, and of course, Baz was my favorite from the previous novel. She starts off quite impulsive and murderous, but as you learn her own backstory, it starts to make sense that even as a hardened assassin, she's quite sheltered in some ways. (Also, she is Baz' sister, so of course she shares a lot of the same quirks as him. One of my favorite scenes was Baz chasing her around the room, and her screaming as she keeps finding more and more of his corpse collection; I think it really encapsulates the most fun parts of the Fury siblings, the macabre madcap shenanigans that they get involved in).

I was very excited to learn more about Verfallen Asylum and Dr. Stein specifically. Although he was the main villain of the last book, there were so many mysteries surrounding him, and in this book, we get some answers to both the "man" and the Asylum itself. (And I'm very excited to see more of Supra in the next book, and hopefully they also get what's coming to them). And of course, Gonzo: going in, I just vaguely remembered him from the epilogue of the previous book, but here, he truly shines as the trickster drawing the entire polycule together.

And the polycule! I love them in all their combinations and together, and they are so complicated and messy and have so many secrets, and it's utterly delicious. (And yes, all the smut scenes are very hot).

Of course, I especially enjoyed seeing the previous main characters from the first book show up, and it's fun seeing how outsiders perceive them. And glad that everyone finally broke out of the Asylum at the end, because while I understand why they didn't in the first book, that was kind of a disappointment for me.

The one caveat I have is that I think the romance between Hazel and Gonzo could have been paced a little slower, but after all, he is a pyro, and she is a phoenix, so maybe that was always going to end up happening. Hazel and Dr. Stein, I thought was perfect pacing, and Gonzo and Dr. Stein had a lot of history, but I thought they could have been placed a tad slower as well. That's all personal preference though, and I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to read the epilogue and the finale of the series!

[♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Hazel has been searching for her brother Baz for years. But not for a happy reunion...because she wants to kill him for killing their parents. And when she finally finds him in Verfallen Asylum, she gets herself committed to get close enough to kill him.

While there, though, she meets two men (well, kind of men) who distract her from her original mission. And it turns out they both had a hand in getting her to the asylum for their own purposes.

-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
REVIEW:

I liked this follow up to Cute But Psycho. Honestly, with the way the last book ended, I kind of thought Verfallen had mostly collapsed in on itself. But this one shows how things changed at the asylum, but that it was still very much standing.

This one is about Baz's older sister, Hazel, who is a phoenix. Which basically means she's immortal -- she comes back to life when she dies. The only thing that can permanently kill her is (ironically) basilisk venom (like Baz's).

It was still crazy and funny and I loved the characters. I also love the Verfallen setting and atmosphere. It's such a fun setting.

I didn't love Hazel, Zero, and Gonzo quite as much as I loved Bree and her guys. Bree is just seriously crazy adorable. But Hazel and her guys had some great times as well so it wasn't bad, just not quite as good as the original crew. I was glad we got to learn about Dr. Stein (Zero) and what was going on with him though. Interesting!

The story ends with Verfallen very much burned to the ground. It sounds like the next book will go back to Bree and her crew (on the outside of Verfallen), so that'll be fun.

I do not like how Hazel had to sacrifice her memories of Baz in order to break the ward keeping Zero from leaving Verfallen. I was hoping she would like die and come back (since she's a phoenix) and then get her memories back when her body was restored. It was just kind of sad that it was left with her missing those memories. Maybe she'll get them back in a future book, we'll see.

Overall it was another good book in the series. Still love this series, but I'm definitely looking forward to more from the original crew in the next book.

[SaraJaneReads]

Cute but Creepy by Beatrix Hollow is the second book in the Verfallen Asylum Series. It is NOT a standalone novel, and honestly, you are missing out by not reading the first book. And I am blown away by this book! It is more of a dark horror romance with a touch of reverse harem... (only two male loves in this one).

The story opens with a refresher of the last book, and we meet Baz's older sister. Holy shocker! I had no idea he had any family left, let alone a sister. Hazel Fury is a force to be reckoned with! She is a Phoenix badass assassin who is hellbent on un-aliving her brother and has managed to get herself locked up in Verfallen with him after receiving an anonymous letter alerting her to his whereabouts. Once there she begins getting perferential treatment from the odd Dr Stein.

Dr. Stein, who appeared as a villain in the previous book, is portrayed as an evil scientist conducting experiments on the inmates of the asylum. As the story unfolds, however, it reveals a much deeper narrative. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you want to bite your nails as you learn about the history of Verfallen, the origins of the eerie hospital, and its first patient—Patient Zero. The twist that Beatrix has crafted is absolute gold! Chef's kiss.

I haven't even mentioned our other main male character, Gonzo! He’s a trickster shifter—unlike any other shifter ever seen or heard of in the asylum. He’s incredibly rare. As fate would have it, he falls for Hazel, a terrifying yet beautiful enigma... who also happens to be his assassin! Now, he must find a way to save himself while keeping her by his side.

I dare say this book is even better than the first, which I already adored! This one is just something else entirely. I loved that there was obviously a love story, but I also appreciated the dark history behind the dilapidated asylum and the inclusion of an ancient interdimensional being. It truly shows that no amount of power can control others.

I really hope an audiobook is made for this; I can’t wait to hear how the voice actors bring it to life. Beatrix is an amazing horror romance author and, if you ask me, she is truly underrated! I can’t stop thinking about this book at all—it was just so good!

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

​​I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review (but will also be purchasing it when it's out).

RATING: 4.5 / 5 ⭐
GENRE: Reverse harem, Paranormal, Dark, Horror-ish
TYPE: Book #2 in the series Verfallen Asylum
CLIFFHANGER: Maybe a little one
MAIN CHARACTERS: Hazel, Gonzo & Stein
POV: Multiple POVs
SPICE: 3 / 5 🔥
INCLUDES: Violence, blood, death and murder, a few m/m scenes and so on.
Will I re-read it? Yes!

I have waited, waited and waited and finally, the sequel is here! I'm so excited to be back in this world with all the crazy people. I did actually re-read the first book before starting reading this one just to refresh my memories. It was my first book from this author and I was not completely sold on it when I read it a few years ago but my love for the monster genre has grown a lot and Beatrix Hollow is my go-to author when I want monster romance that is not like anything else. The imagination this author has is incredible and her version of monsters will be nothing like you've read before. She also always manage to write stories with a plot I can't figure out, with twists and turns and I love that I can't expect anything!

So, in this book we are back at Verfallen where our first group is still playing around (Bree and her boys) and it was lovely to have them back (even though it felt strange to not have their POVs). But, this time we get to follow Hazel, Baz's sister who has come for him. I will keep this short. I love the asylum and the monsters within and I can't wait for the next installment in this series. I am harsh and will give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars just because I'm greedy and would have liked more scenes with this group together. The first book gave us a little bit more development and bonding between the characters in the harem and I would have liked this one to have a bit more bonding and development as well. But that's just me being very picky. It's gonna be really interesting to see in what direction the author will take us in the next installment and I'm really excited for it!

I love the worlds and monsters this author creates and the reason she's one of my favorite authors is because she writes books I want to re-read over and over again.

[Noct · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶🌶🌶/5

I was so excited to be picked for the ARC team for this book! I devoured it in a day and was left wondering what my MMPI would say, because I loved every moment of Hazel, Gonzo and Dr Stein's journey.

I loved the inclusion of Pretty But Psycho's main characters and adored the way their characters developed further in this book, even though the limelight was not on them.

This story focuses on Hazel, who enters Verfallen Asylum for her own reasons, only for her to realize that things were not as they seemed (when are they ever, though). I thoroughly enjoyed the many little twists and surprises in the plot that Beatrix Hollow orchestrated. I am a reader who often picks up on patterns and can figure out what direction a book is heading from early on. However, Beatrix Hollow is one of those authors that will not only include a few plot twists that you might guess before they happen, she will also -always- save several big and small surprises that you didn't see coming. It makes her writing even more delightful. I especially enjoyed the little things she wove into the story. From Frank and Harry, to Baz's stepmother, to little gold stars, to Gonzo's episodes of verbal diarrhea with Bree and her guys...I couldn't keep my cackles of joy contained.

My favorite character in this sequel took me by surprise, as it often does with her books. She has an uncanny knack for showing you a severely twisted or debauched character, and then all of a sudden, you are caught up in feeling their vulnerability and their adoration for the focus of their attention. You even find that their depravedness is just the misguided way they express their feelings of love and protection and that it's actually kind of cute. Dr Stein became this horrifically wonderful, omniscient character that was full of praise and protectiveness in his morally black way. I loved it. I loved all three main characters in their own flawed ways. I cannot wait for the next book!

[leena.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for allowing me access to this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: ARC Ebook
Pages: 385
Spice: 3 🌶️
POV: Multiple First POV
S/S: Verfallen Asylum #2
Check trigger warnings for any book.

Ah Beatrix does it again… Makes me fall in love not with one, but two insane supernatural men. Now that’s talent.

I won’t lie, I struggled a tiny bit at the start of the book as I missed reading Bree’s story. However I quickly warmed up to Hazel and her type of insanity. I mean, has there been a single sane character in this universe so far?

In Cute but Creepy, we’ve got Hazel, Gozon, and Dr. Stein, aka Daddy Zero. I don’t think there was a universe where you could have made me like Dr Stein, considering book 1, but that’s just how good Beatrix is with this story.

So Bazically (hehe, see what I did there), Hazel has been taught since she was a kid that she’s supposed to kill her brother Baz and she gets into the asylum just to do that. But surprise surprise, men get in her way.

I loved how we got new characters and old ones and everyone has distinct personalities. I’ll say the resemblance between Hazel and Bree did kind of throw me off at first, but since they apparently just quickly resemble each other, I’ll let it slide.

The romance and plot were well-handled, and I wasn’t bored for a second.

However, do they have some kind of incinerator in this asylum? An immense graveyard? Where are all the bodies going… Yes, these are the kinds of things I think about. Also, does Zero have an Amazon account to order all those things for Hazel? I bet he has prime too.

Hazel is a baddie, Gozon is too hot for his own good, and Zero, well, he’s one kinky fucker.

Enough to say that the spice was spicing, the plot was plotting, and I can’t wait to read book 3!!!

Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram

[Shy Gawerecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:

I wasn’t sure if it was possible for me to like this book as much as I liked the previous one. When I considered the fact that I had loved Baz and I knew the story featured his sister who wanted him dead, I wasn’t sure how it would be possible to like her. But that all quickly changed. While she was clearly a little bit crazy, it was also equally clear that there was so much more to her then I initially thought. And as the layers peeled back and more of the story was laid out, I quickly grew attached to her. Then, when it came to the other two main characters, Gonzo and Stein/Zero, I was also a bit worried as well. Stein was the big bad in the previous book of the series. I wasn’t really sure how he could be turned into a leading man and love interest. But this author sure pulled it off and then some. Gonzo, on the other hand, gave me a slight moment of worry after initially being very intrigued by him. But he was another case where as more of the story came to light, you could understand where his drive came from, even if you didn’t like it. And it made the ending all the more satisfying. This story, while certainly a bit longer than I normally read, was excellent overall. And in a lot of ways I do feel like the three main characters needed that time for their stories to truly unfold, and then be able to gel together to give us the ending I know I at least was hoping for. Once it was all said and done, I was very happy and felt it was all worth it. The narration was pretty good on this one as well. Although I will say the narration for zero by the male narrator came off a little high pitched and almost deranged sounding at times. But I also understood that the goal was to give two very different tones to the two main male characters. In that regard the goal was certainly reached. I just didn’t necessarily like the tone used for Zero as much as I liked the tone used for Gonzo.
TheFlockVIPReviewTeam

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW for Cute but Creepy - Beatrix Hollow 🔪
Coming soon October 29th🖤

𝕽𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝕾𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖊: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
𝕰𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌: HEA-ish (epilogue not written yet)

𝕲𝖊𝖓𝖗𝖊: Paranormal Asylum Romance
𝕿𝖗𝖔𝖕𝖊/𝕿𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖘: MMF/MF/MM, dub con, forced o’s, 💀/dismemberment, sex-deals, and more.

𝕭𝖑𝖚𝖗𝖇:
I’ve come to wreak vengeance on the man that killed my parents.
My own little brother-an abomination, a snake in the nest.
I’m Hazel Fury-a phoenix, a killer-and I’m not leaving this insane asylum until Baz is in a body bag. Someone has to do it and that someone will be me.
Bring on your friends, little brother. Bring on death and mayhem-there’s no stopping a phoenix. Nothing but you.
I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if that means using a trickster you can’t outmaneuver and even the big man himself-Dr. Stein.
And don’t worry about being lonely in Hell...
I’ll send your friends there with you.

𝕸𝖞 𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜:
Well, this book was absolutely unhinged to the point where I did not know where it was going. It had me begging for the most awful taboo things to happen, and I was questioning my morals, which I know are f-d anyways😹

I loved the previous books, and I’m happy that the author added a memory jogger in the beginning.

𝕼𝖚𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘:
“Stay still, little patient. I’m giving you what you need,” 💉

“You’re so pretty when you’re dead,”

“I’ve been asleep for hundreds of years, and you’ve awoken me.”

𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖚𝖗𝖊: Books I read are very explicit, raw, pitch black, dark, and sometimes gothic, so use that to gauge my review.
⚠️Check trigger warnings before reading

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAMN!!! This is just as unhinged, violent, bloody and spicy as the first book, but even better. The story definitely lives up to its name “Cute but Creepy”, because Hazel is definitely all that and so much more!

The infamous killer Hazel (Baz’s sister) thinks she got herself into the asylum so that she could try to kill her brother. But what she has no idea is that things are not what they seem and there are others that wanted her in the asylum more and for some unknown reason. Bree is totally crazy but Hazel OMG she’s even crazier. And the bloodlust and craving to kill that Hazel has, is next level to Bree.

Dr. Stein is definitely more involved than ever before. He’s an enigma and I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly he is. He’s damn right creepy, psychotic and is one step ahead of everyone else in the asylum.

Gonzo is unique and twisted. I love the banter he has with Hazel and Dr. Stein. It kept me giggling a bit and then sweating over the heat he gives off with his filthy mouth.

There are a lot of secrets still within the asylum and this part of the story only gets us a few answers. There are also a lot of emotional moments that were filled with anger, pain, rage and helplessness that had me in a chokehold. But there were a lot of sweet, adorable and funny moments in this erotic horror story that kept me smiling throughout.

I loved it and can’t wait to see what happens next in the Verfallen Asylum.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Cute but Creepy, Verfallen Asylum book two is written by Beatrix Hollow. Here we reenter Verfallen Asylum and it’s insane cast of characters!

We join Hazel Fury (FMC) as she accomplishes one of two goals: being admitted to Verfallen. It is time to begin her second goal: Basil (Baz) in a body bag. She will do whatever it takes, including getting a little messy and letting some bodies hit the floor. No one is safe from this Phoenix assassin. We learn that she was unknowingly lured to the asylum by the beautiful Gonzo and Stein (Zero). Oh, what a delicious storyline it is with these three! Pure madness and spicy times. Zero and his experiments made me wiggle in my seat several times. We also got to see the original cast of Nemo, Dr. Orson, Baz, and Bree here, but they took a basket to Hazel and her men.

The book took me a bit to get into, but when it finally started getting good, it didn’t stop! I love Beatrix’s chaotic mind and these vivid characters. The setting was perfect! I love the mix of paranormal and dark romance. Warning: there is not much of a plot, but who cares - give me all the spice!! This is a perfect read for spooky season!

Thank you to Beatrix Hollow for gifting me an eARC of Cute but Creepy. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Smuttybuddybesties · Rating 5 out of 5]

ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴠᴇʀғᴀʟʟᴇɴ ᴀsʏʟᴜᴍ.... ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɪɴsᴀɴᴇ.

Happy Halloween friends! I couldn’t think of a better book to review for this holiday than this one. I arc read this book because I absolutely ADORED Cute But Psycho and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this bad boy. However I was weary because I thought the first book was perfection and could not be out done… I was so very wrong! This book is literally perfect. I LOVED every single deranged minute of this monster RH. It felt like coming home reading this second novel! (My home being an insane asylum 🤣).

These characters have my whole heart. I instantly loved Hazel and Gonzo but Stein snuck in there and stole my heart like an assassin!! The spice was kinky as usual and incredibly well done! And the plot?! So unexpected and so developed! I honestly can’t wait to see where this story will end. I laughed out loud at the humor constantly my jaw dropped so many times and I cried in tender moments. This was just so well rounded in every way! I won’t be able to stop thinking about this harem for so long.

This has to be in my top favorite reads of the year and rightfully so. Beatrix you crushed it!! A hundred stars ⭐️ and I will rec this series to anyone and everyone looking for a well rounded dark and quirky romance! I’m OBSESSED 🖤