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Rogue Hollow Academy #1
The Vanishing
Quinn:
I’ve always been told I was different.
My dreams are a little too real, intuition a little too strong. But it’s not until my best friend and I are stolen away to a school full of magical beings that I start to really believe it.
Here, my quirks are gifts. My gut instinct is a weapon. And the werewolf who latches onto me the second I set foot inside the grounds will either be my salvation… or my complete undoing.
Suren:
I thought I understood the world.
It’s a cold, bitter place that will chew you up and spit you back out if you’re not careful.
But there’s a hidden darkness too, monsters lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.
Monsters I never could’ve dreamed of.
Monsters that want to take, to own, to conquer.
And at Rogue Hollow Academy, the most dangerous monster isn’t one that goes bump in the night… it’s the one who claims me for his own.
I’ve always been told I was different.
My dreams are a little too real, intuition a little too strong. But it’s not until my best friend and I are stolen away to a school full of magical beings that I start to really believe it.
Here, my quirks are gifts. My gut instinct is a weapon. And the werewolf who latches onto me the second I set foot inside the grounds will either be my salvation… or my complete undoing.
Suren:
I thought I understood the world.
It’s a cold, bitter place that will chew you up and spit you back out if you’re not careful.
But there’s a hidden darkness too, monsters lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce.
Monsters I never could’ve dreamed of.
Monsters that want to take, to own, to conquer.
And at Rogue Hollow Academy, the most dangerous monster isn’t one that goes bump in the night… it’s the one who claims me for his own.
566 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2023
19 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 12, 2023
OMIGOD!!!! That ending!!! I need book 2 NOW 😩
I knew I was going to love any book touched my Kady Ash AND Octavia Jensen but I didn’t realize how blown away I’d be. This was so damn good. The introduction to the world building was not too intense but also very informative. The characters are three dimensional and all facing their own battles, whether outside or inner.
Ledger and Suren were my favorite couple. I love me a morally grey love interest and Ledger was so unapologetic and honest. Suren was so strong. She’s been through SO much and is still fighting, I loved reading about a female character who takes hit after hit and keeps on pushing.
Quinn and Otto were so fun. Not gonna lie, I was very sus of Otto the entire book until the reveal at the end and now I just wanna cuddle him in his nest; I was NOT expecting that.
The ending was insane in the best way. I immediately wanted to turn back to page one and reread everything. Writing this review and working on my edit for IG made me want to reread all over again. I am just obsessed with this and I’m so eager for book 2. I just know it’s about to start with a bang.
I knew I was going to love any book touched my Kady Ash AND Octavia Jensen but I didn’t realize how blown away I’d be. This was so damn good. The introduction to the world building was not too intense but also very informative. The characters are three dimensional and all facing their own battles, whether outside or inner.
Ledger and Suren were my favorite couple. I love me a morally grey love interest and Ledger was so unapologetic and honest. Suren was so strong. She’s been through SO much and is still fighting, I loved reading about a female character who takes hit after hit and keeps on pushing.
Quinn and Otto were so fun. Not gonna lie, I was very sus of Otto the entire book until the reveal at the end and now I just wanna cuddle him in his nest; I was NOT expecting that.
The ending was insane in the best way. I immediately wanted to turn back to page one and reread everything. Writing this review and working on my edit for IG made me want to reread all over again. I am just obsessed with this and I’m so eager for book 2. I just know it’s about to start with a bang.
March 6, 2024
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
TW - coerced prostitution (mentioned), homelessness (mentioned), child SA (past, mentioned, implied), bullying, themes of self loathing, anxiety, depression, references to the violent death of a sibling, drug use (mentioned), parental abandonment
CW - DubCon sometimes bordering on non-con, magical coercion, public play, bloodsucking for pleasure, claiming, humiliation, degradation, somnophilia, sharing (brief), shifter sex (like… fully shifted… with a human 🤪), bondage, marking, pain play, lying / withholding information (bordering on miscommunication)
Tropes - dark, dark academia, paranormal, magic school, possessive, mates, enemies with benefits, grumpy/sunshine
oh my god, i loved it
This book has 2 FMCs, Quinn and Suren, who get pulled out of their worlds as they know it and whisked off to a magic school. We meet some very... dangerous vampires and goblins, witches, werewolves and more and I felt fully immersed in the world.
I like Ledger 🫣 i know i know, he's an asshole but like... he's real and unapologetically himself 🤷🏽♀️
We get friendships (sometimes rocky), romantic relationships and... complicationships and I ate that shit UP. Quinn and Suren's friendship started off strong, the two are co dependent on each other (annoying but for good reason) but things defo start to change once they reach Rogue Hollow Academy. Quinn is trying to find herself and her path but she cant seem to find the right balance between her best friend, her new boyfriend and her newfound magic.
Suren is for sure a tortured soul and I connected with her the most throughout the book. She has a lot on her plate and her story is a sad one. I know she craves connection but she doesn't seem to know where to truly find it. She has... someone, but I don't think she really trusts it yet and honestly, I don't blame her.
Yelena is a side character and I feel like Suren felt some kind of peace working with Yelena in the shop, I loved her character and can't wait to see more of her
Suren is forsure going to be a force to be reckoned with as soon as she starts to believe in herself and trust herself more to find her magic. I'm gonna die waiting for book 2 but I seriously CANNOT WAIT for it. This is defo one to read
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
TW - coerced prostitution (mentioned), homelessness (mentioned), child SA (past, mentioned, implied), bullying, themes of self loathing, anxiety, depression, references to the violent death of a sibling, drug use (mentioned), parental abandonment
CW - DubCon sometimes bordering on non-con, magical coercion, public play, bloodsucking for pleasure, claiming, humiliation, degradation, somnophilia, sharing (brief), shifter sex (like… fully shifted… with a human 🤪), bondage, marking, pain play, lying / withholding information (bordering on miscommunication)
Tropes - dark, dark academia, paranormal, magic school, possessive, mates, enemies with benefits, grumpy/sunshine
oh my god, i loved it
This book has 2 FMCs, Quinn and Suren, who get pulled out of their worlds as they know it and whisked off to a magic school. We meet some very... dangerous vampires and goblins, witches, werewolves and more and I felt fully immersed in the world.
I like Ledger 🫣 i know i know, he's an asshole but like... he's real and unapologetically himself 🤷🏽♀️
We get friendships (sometimes rocky), romantic relationships and... complicationships and I ate that shit UP. Quinn and Suren's friendship started off strong, the two are co dependent on each other (annoying but for good reason) but things defo start to change once they reach Rogue Hollow Academy. Quinn is trying to find herself and her path but she cant seem to find the right balance between her best friend, her new boyfriend and her newfound magic.
Suren is for sure a tortured soul and I connected with her the most throughout the book. She has a lot on her plate and her story is a sad one. I know she craves connection but she doesn't seem to know where to truly find it. She has... someone, but I don't think she really trusts it yet and honestly, I don't blame her.
Yelena is a side character and I feel like Suren felt some kind of peace working with Yelena in the shop, I loved her character and can't wait to see more of her
Suren is forsure going to be a force to be reckoned with as soon as she starts to believe in herself and trust herself more to find her magic. I'm gonna die waiting for book 2 but I seriously CANNOT WAIT for it. This is defo one to read
Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek
May 28, 2023
I received an ARC of The Vanishing by Octavia Jensen. I went into this book mostly blind (my preference), though I did know it was about two girls pulled from the human world into a magical one.
The Vanishing is written primarily from the point of view of Quinn and Suren, the two FMCs from the human world, so though it has more than one POV, it doesn't feel like dual POV (it's over 60% before another POV is introduced). The beginning of this book felt both rushed and contrived, and I honestly struggled to get into it. However, by about 30% I was in it. The world-building is reasonable, and not overly complex (which I appreciated). Additionally, it's close to half way through the book (around 40%) before the first mention of the larger mystery in this story, beyond just the magic school experience. This book does end on a cliffhanger, and I would imagine it will be the first in a multi-book series.
Is it my favorite magical academy book? No. However, it was intriguing, had some decent spice, and was reasonably well thought out. I'm intrigued to see where the story goes, and I look forward to reading book two.
The Vanishing is written primarily from the point of view of Quinn and Suren, the two FMCs from the human world, so though it has more than one POV, it doesn't feel like dual POV (it's over 60% before another POV is introduced). The beginning of this book felt both rushed and contrived, and I honestly struggled to get into it. However, by about 30% I was in it. The world-building is reasonable, and not overly complex (which I appreciated). Additionally, it's close to half way through the book (around 40%) before the first mention of the larger mystery in this story, beyond just the magic school experience. This book does end on a cliffhanger, and I would imagine it will be the first in a multi-book series.
Is it my favorite magical academy book? No. However, it was intriguing, had some decent spice, and was reasonably well thought out. I'm intrigued to see where the story goes, and I look forward to reading book two.
June 16, 2023
What a ride!
This was a fantastic and heartbreaking book.
Book One takes us on a wild ride when the best friend Quinn and Suren get whisked away to a new realm.
Their friendship is tested hard, and their relationships with their guys are a bit rocky.
The spice is 🥵🥵🥵 but there’s also a lot of secrets and plot.
The cliff hanger on this will make you want to cry, but I can’t wait for book two!!
This was a fantastic and heartbreaking book.
Book One takes us on a wild ride when the best friend Quinn and Suren get whisked away to a new realm.
Their friendship is tested hard, and their relationships with their guys are a bit rocky.
The spice is 🥵🥵🥵 but there’s also a lot of secrets and plot.
The cliff hanger on this will make you want to cry, but I can’t wait for book two!!
June 11, 2023
(arc review)
This is a new dark fantasy series with a dark academia aesthetic and lots of smut. This first book basically creates this new universe and leaves you questioning wth is going to happen next.
We have two fmcs, which was very different for me, it's been a while since I've read something like that. Both are besties who out of nowhere find out about a whole world of magic and monsters and are taken to study in a very, *very*, grown up version of Hogwarts. There, they'll find out hot morally grey hunks and struggle to find their on magic. But their friendship, that have always seemed larger than life, will be put to test when their journeys take very different routes.
This book will cause a lot of questions and few answers, but that's obviously intentional, since it's book 1 of 5.
There's not a lot of romance, only one of the girls find it, but the other one does find a lot of morally grey smut between two rival vampires (and I honestly can't say if either one of them will turn out to be her actual love interest at some point, but I'm curious to find out, haha).
The smut is great, of course.
I hope the following books comes soon, I have a lot of questions, LOL.
This is a new dark fantasy series with a dark academia aesthetic and lots of smut. This first book basically creates this new universe and leaves you questioning wth is going to happen next.
We have two fmcs, which was very different for me, it's been a while since I've read something like that. Both are besties who out of nowhere find out about a whole world of magic and monsters and are taken to study in a very, *very*, grown up version of Hogwarts. There, they'll find out hot morally grey hunks and struggle to find their on magic. But their friendship, that have always seemed larger than life, will be put to test when their journeys take very different routes.
This book will cause a lot of questions and few answers, but that's obviously intentional, since it's book 1 of 5.
There's not a lot of romance, only one of the girls find it, but the other one does find a lot of morally grey smut between two rival vampires (and I honestly can't say if either one of them will turn out to be her actual love interest at some point, but I'm curious to find out, haha).
The smut is great, of course.
I hope the following books comes soon, I have a lot of questions, LOL.
May 18, 2024
Holy wow
I cant even put into words how addictive this book was. 10/10 I'm moving onto the next book immediately and I'm probably ordering the book as we speak because I absolutely loved it
I cant even put into words how addictive this book was. 10/10 I'm moving onto the next book immediately and I'm probably ordering the book as we speak because I absolutely loved it
June 27, 2023
Octavia and Kady together gave us this angst filled, spicy, paranormal academy romance and I was HERE FOR IT ALL 👏🏽. I absolutely adore the characters, Quinn, Suren, Ledger, and Otto! Ledger is a vampire and he can get it 😮💨. I love him so much! The secrets that are coming to light have me so excited for book 2! That cliffhanger tho 🫨 I need book 2 ASAP!
June 25, 2023
I’m going to admit that this book took me awhile to get interested in (I had a lot of stuff going on in real life!), but once i got into it, I really enjoyed it! If you’re looking for a found family, loyal friends, hot possessive boyfriend type, but also golden retriever boyfriend type, dark academy stuff, this is it. There are so many tropes going on, which can overwhelm readers, but it worked for me.
Quinn Garcia and Suren Archer are friends, and they have a connection that goes beyond just friendship. They don’t have any parental figures in their lives, so it’s always been the two of them taking care of each other. When an accident is about to happen, one of the girls’ magic appears, and they both are taken to Rogue Hollow Academy, where they’re put to the test in order to make their magic manifest and then learn to control it. Not everyone is welcoming at the academy, and the girls have to balance a lot: finding their powers, their changing friendship, the men they meet! both Quinn and Suren’s romance run along side each other, and there are multiple POVs in the book (and the POV of the characters are named at the beginning of each chapter). Quinn is attracted to werewolf Otto, who is honestly a cutie! He wants to mark and claim Quinn so bad, but they have plenty of secrets from each other. Quinn just can’t truly reveal herself, so maybe that’s one of the reasons why she holds herself back from truly attaching herself to Otto. He is so sweet and would do anything for her, you can’t help but like him. And Suren is attracted to Ledger, who is part vampire and part goblin. Everyone is scared of him and this boy does not care as long as he gets his girl! He knows secrets about Suren that she doesn’t even know, and I’m excited to see what would happen when it’s revealed that he’s keeping so many secrets about her to himself.
I love how the girls depended on each other, and you really have to feel for Suren since she’s sacrificed a lot for Quinn. Their loyalty has never been questioned before, but I’m interested to see how their friendship will change. I’ve never read Kady Ash before, but Octavia Jensen is one of my fav authors. The writing flowed well, there’s a lot of mystery and push and pull between the characters, and I’m looking forward to more from this duo!
Quinn Garcia and Suren Archer are friends, and they have a connection that goes beyond just friendship. They don’t have any parental figures in their lives, so it’s always been the two of them taking care of each other. When an accident is about to happen, one of the girls’ magic appears, and they both are taken to Rogue Hollow Academy, where they’re put to the test in order to make their magic manifest and then learn to control it. Not everyone is welcoming at the academy, and the girls have to balance a lot: finding their powers, their changing friendship, the men they meet! both Quinn and Suren’s romance run along side each other, and there are multiple POVs in the book (and the POV of the characters are named at the beginning of each chapter). Quinn is attracted to werewolf Otto, who is honestly a cutie! He wants to mark and claim Quinn so bad, but they have plenty of secrets from each other. Quinn just can’t truly reveal herself, so maybe that’s one of the reasons why she holds herself back from truly attaching herself to Otto. He is so sweet and would do anything for her, you can’t help but like him. And Suren is attracted to Ledger, who is part vampire and part goblin. Everyone is scared of him and this boy does not care as long as he gets his girl! He knows secrets about Suren that she doesn’t even know, and I’m excited to see what would happen when it’s revealed that he’s keeping so many secrets about her to himself.
I love how the girls depended on each other, and you really have to feel for Suren since she’s sacrificed a lot for Quinn. Their loyalty has never been questioned before, but I’m interested to see how their friendship will change. I’ve never read Kady Ash before, but Octavia Jensen is one of my fav authors. The writing flowed well, there’s a lot of mystery and push and pull between the characters, and I’m looking forward to more from this duo!
December 21, 2023
When I first started reading this it had very weak similarities to a lot of magic books out there and I was ready to be disappointed.
However, I stuck with it, and it actually DOES get better.
Two homeless human girls Surin and Quinn are out one night and accidentally stop a truck from hitting the with magic. But they don't know which one - or both - it was. Whisked away to another realm and to attend a magic school (I know what you're thinking, so was I - another yawn), they are in one class called magic discovery until they find out what they are.
Both girls attract boys. Quinn; the alpha werewolf, and Surin; two vampire guys. It's these and the friendship that the book tends to focus on.
As one girl seems to progress quicker with magic the friendship slips.
Quinn and the werewolf move fast and he claims her beneath the moon but no mark appears. He's positive she's his mate so he's puzzled. More determined to prove they're meant to be together he goes into hyerdrive with affection, attention and love. But is it too much and does it do more damage?
Out of the two vampires, Surin was tricked by Ledgers goblin side into being claimed. She preferred Greyson but after seeing him on a moonlit night with another girl she felt down and let her guard down. Ledger has a bad reputation but is he as bad as he seems?
And just as you think it couldn't get worse.. .
The humans that didn't show magic don't just get sent home with memories erased, but they get to work for one of the paranormals in whatever form...
The lower magic girl finds this out and discovers wander dust. Like portal powder! And the cliffhanger ends with her using it.......
Its not as adult aimed as ZA but not as child aimed as Harry Potter. It has strong language with a fair few sexual scenes that the younger YA probably shouldn't read but the rest of it is very much aimed in the ya I think.
It was an easy read - as in, it didn't take much concentration, but it didn't require much thinking or detective work, it was easy to put down and pick up again at any given point.
However, I stuck with it, and it actually DOES get better.
Two homeless human girls Surin and Quinn are out one night and accidentally stop a truck from hitting the with magic. But they don't know which one - or both - it was. Whisked away to another realm and to attend a magic school (I know what you're thinking, so was I - another yawn), they are in one class called magic discovery until they find out what they are.
Both girls attract boys. Quinn; the alpha werewolf, and Surin; two vampire guys. It's these and the friendship that the book tends to focus on.
As one girl seems to progress quicker with magic the friendship slips.
Quinn and the werewolf move fast and he claims her beneath the moon but no mark appears. He's positive she's his mate so he's puzzled. More determined to prove they're meant to be together he goes into hyerdrive with affection, attention and love. But is it too much and does it do more damage?
Out of the two vampires, Surin was tricked by Ledgers goblin side into being claimed. She preferred Greyson but after seeing him on a moonlit night with another girl she felt down and let her guard down. Ledger has a bad reputation but is he as bad as he seems?
And just as you think it couldn't get worse.. .
The humans that didn't show magic don't just get sent home with memories erased, but they get to work for one of the paranormals in whatever form...
The lower magic girl finds this out and discovers wander dust. Like portal powder! And the cliffhanger ends with her using it.......
Its not as adult aimed as ZA but not as child aimed as Harry Potter. It has strong language with a fair few sexual scenes that the younger YA probably shouldn't read but the rest of it is very much aimed in the ya I think.
It was an easy read - as in, it didn't take much concentration, but it didn't require much thinking or detective work, it was easy to put down and pick up again at any given point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2024
🆗Parallels to the Zodiac Academy, but only mildly annoying
✅ Some different species and magic categorizations I'm curious about.
✅ The writing style flows quite well except for the parts below.
🆗❌ Link to the title theme: a bit anti-climactic. Not as central as I hoped. For the longest time, I wondered what the title was all about, and sometimes I forgot about the mentions of people disappearing. Then bamm! We actually seem to know already pretty well where/how the people vanish. Super secret mystery uncovered in 2 seconds without the MC even trying. Meh. I was hoping for something more like "the Tainted Cup".
❌ Romance: there was no build-up and tension at all! One couple was even worse than Insta-love, the other was better, but still so much wasted potential rushing into it.
❌ Smut: there is a lot of it, but none is written particularly well. I could summarise Quinn/Otto's parts as "EWWW, I should have just skimmed ahead!", and Suren/Ledger was a bit... sad? Highly toxic but still less disgusting?
❌ Can we please stop with the "baby" calling? or at least in much smaller quantities? EW
❌ Quinn parts: by the end, I couldn't stand her anymore.
❌ Otto: he seems like a worse and more gross version of Seth (from Zodiac Academy). It took so long for me to even stand Seth so... He's not bad, but ew...
🆗There is still a lot of worldbuilding that hasn't been fleshed out in-depth. It has potential, I'm curious about it, and it would have been useful to lessen comparisons with Zodiac.
✅ I'm still interested in the story even with these negatives. I wouldn't normally be, and I can't pinpoint why, but something must be done right considering all the ❌ I've put in this review.
I would say this could be a really great book if someone smoothed its edges, but it can be enjoyable enough as it is if you are willing to close an eye (or two) on some parts.
It also isn't very long so it wouldn't make you suffer a "Finish or Do Not Finish" dilemma.
✅ Some different species and magic categorizations I'm curious about.
✅ The writing style flows quite well except for the parts below.
🆗❌ Link to the title theme: a bit anti-climactic. Not as central as I hoped. For the longest time, I wondered what the title was all about, and sometimes I forgot about the mentions of people disappearing. Then bamm! We actually seem to know already pretty well where/how the people vanish. Super secret mystery uncovered in 2 seconds without the MC even trying. Meh. I was hoping for something more like "the Tainted Cup".
❌ Romance: there was no build-up and tension at all! One couple was even worse than Insta-love, the other was better, but still so much wasted potential rushing into it.
❌ Smut: there is a lot of it, but none is written particularly well. I could summarise Quinn/Otto's parts as "EWWW, I should have just skimmed ahead!", and Suren/Ledger was a bit... sad? Highly toxic but still less disgusting?
❌ Can we please stop with the "baby" calling? or at least in much smaller quantities? EW
❌ Quinn parts: by the end, I couldn't stand her anymore.
❌ Otto: he seems like a worse and more gross version of Seth (from Zodiac Academy). It took so long for me to even stand Seth so... He's not bad, but ew...
🆗There is still a lot of worldbuilding that hasn't been fleshed out in-depth. It has potential, I'm curious about it, and it would have been useful to lessen comparisons with Zodiac.
✅ I'm still interested in the story even with these negatives. I wouldn't normally be, and I can't pinpoint why, but something must be done right considering all the ❌ I've put in this review.
I would say this could be a really great book if someone smoothed its edges, but it can be enjoyable enough as it is if you are willing to close an eye (or two) on some parts.
It also isn't very long so it wouldn't make you suffer a "Finish or Do Not Finish" dilemma.
June 12, 2023
I did not realise I needed a series like this in my life until I read this book.
It is a spicy PNR dark romance academy book told in multiple POV, with magic, mayhem, creatures and monsters so just think of Hogwarts but with plenty of hot, steamy smuttiness.
I could not put this down and just loved the world in which I was thrust into. It was exciting getting to know the characters and seeing their development through the book and through such great writing I really connected to them. The chemistry and smut throughout the book was HOT, and OMG I think I discovered some new kinks! Now with any book that you know is in a series you expect there to be a cliffhanger, and this book did not disappoint so prepare yourself.
I am very familiar with Kady Ash and have read her entire backlist but this is the first time I have read anything by Octavia Jensen. I think they both write brilliantly together and could not tell that it was written by two authors. I look forward to continuing the story and cannot wait to see what happens next. As with any dark romance please check your TW/CW before reading.
It is a spicy PNR dark romance academy book told in multiple POV, with magic, mayhem, creatures and monsters so just think of Hogwarts but with plenty of hot, steamy smuttiness.
I could not put this down and just loved the world in which I was thrust into. It was exciting getting to know the characters and seeing their development through the book and through such great writing I really connected to them. The chemistry and smut throughout the book was HOT, and OMG I think I discovered some new kinks! Now with any book that you know is in a series you expect there to be a cliffhanger, and this book did not disappoint so prepare yourself.
I am very familiar with Kady Ash and have read her entire backlist but this is the first time I have read anything by Octavia Jensen. I think they both write brilliantly together and could not tell that it was written by two authors. I look forward to continuing the story and cannot wait to see what happens next. As with any dark romance please check your TW/CW before reading.
June 1, 2023
Heat level: 4/5. This is the first book I've read by Kady Ash. I'm so glad I signed up to be an ARC reader for this! I LOVE supernatural characters and sexy times, vampires especially. Now I know it says Dark Romance, however, I know DARK, I read DARK, and this wasn't dark for me. Maybe grey. There's mention of a couple of things from one of our FMC's past, but it's not touched upon heavily. Nobody was kidnapped or tortured or threatened and only 1 random character was unalived, so if you're hesitant to read because it says dark, check the triggers, you might be fine. Though this is a boarding school type of setting, the FMCs are in their early 20s. 1 MMC is a werewolf and 1 is a vampire so monster fuckery definitely happens. I feel for Suren, I've got a thing for Ledger, and the other couple annoyed me a bit for different reasons and at different parts of the story. But it was so hard to put this book down! That cliffhanger ending has me needing the next book asap!
June 30, 2023
Another epic read by my favorite and soon to be another favorite author. Kady and Octavia knocked it out of the park with this PRN Romance novel. If you are a fan of ZA, I think you will love this novel as well.
Best friends (practically sisters) Quinn and Suren are just living life and getting by. They are "attached at the hip" and do everything together. One night Suren gets in a huge argument with her boyfriend over Quinn staying with them. He basically drops the her or me speech at her and walks out. So, Quinn tries to cheer her up by taking her out to enjoy the night. But on the way home a truck comes out of nowhere and they think they are goners. But for some strange reason when they opened their eyes the front end of the truck is smashed in as if it hit an invisible wall.
Now they are being brought to an academy to find out if they have powers or not. Either one or both of them have abilities and this school will help figure that out and train them. Rogue Hollow definitely feels like a school I would love to attend. You got vampires, werewolves, witches, perytons (shifters), sirens and even goblins. Now I wouldn't mess with a goblin but being at this school to learn seems like an amazing experience. If only Suren could have it easy.
Even though it is only book 1 I have a strong feeling I am going to love this series. I was captivated right from the start. I loved learning about each classification and seeing the characters develop. I may have a few favorites already..**cough cough Otto & Ledger** These authors took me to another place to escape to. I loved reading about this world and these characters. But the ending though....not okay. Between the heartbreak and painful cries to the betrayal of someone you cared about just leaving.
Thank you Kady Ash and Octavia Jensen for another fantastic read. I can't wait to see what else you bring out in this world and to see what happens from here. After that ending my mind is coming up with numerous theories.
Best friends (practically sisters) Quinn and Suren are just living life and getting by. They are "attached at the hip" and do everything together. One night Suren gets in a huge argument with her boyfriend over Quinn staying with them. He basically drops the her or me speech at her and walks out. So, Quinn tries to cheer her up by taking her out to enjoy the night. But on the way home a truck comes out of nowhere and they think they are goners. But for some strange reason when they opened their eyes the front end of the truck is smashed in as if it hit an invisible wall.
Now they are being brought to an academy to find out if they have powers or not. Either one or both of them have abilities and this school will help figure that out and train them. Rogue Hollow definitely feels like a school I would love to attend. You got vampires, werewolves, witches, perytons (shifters), sirens and even goblins. Now I wouldn't mess with a goblin but being at this school to learn seems like an amazing experience. If only Suren could have it easy.
Even though it is only book 1 I have a strong feeling I am going to love this series. I was captivated right from the start. I loved learning about each classification and seeing the characters develop. I may have a few favorites already..**cough cough Otto & Ledger** These authors took me to another place to escape to. I loved reading about this world and these characters. But the ending though....not okay. Between the heartbreak and painful cries to the betrayal of someone you cared about just leaving.
Thank you Kady Ash and Octavia Jensen for another fantastic read. I can't wait to see what else you bring out in this world and to see what happens from here. After that ending my mind is coming up with numerous theories.
June 4, 2023
*I read this book as an ARC reader. * 3.5 if it was an option!
I really enjoyed this book. There is world building to a degree which I enjoyed. This book is from multiple POV but it wasn’t over-powering like other books I have read can be. It took several chapters for me to get into it, but once I was I was pretty hooked.
Characters are developing slowly, and you’re able to see them change as you read. I don’t read many academy books as I find it hard to relate or get into, but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book so much.
It does end in a Cliff-hanger, but it is suppose to be a multi-book series, so that was to be expected. I’m eggar for the second book To release so I can continue the story.
I really enjoyed this book. There is world building to a degree which I enjoyed. This book is from multiple POV but it wasn’t over-powering like other books I have read can be. It took several chapters for me to get into it, but once I was I was pretty hooked.
Characters are developing slowly, and you’re able to see them change as you read. I don’t read many academy books as I find it hard to relate or get into, but I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book so much.
It does end in a Cliff-hanger, but it is suppose to be a multi-book series, so that was to be expected. I’m eggar for the second book To release so I can continue the story.
June 6, 2023
first I want to say thank you to Octavia and Kady for trusting me to arc read this book for them. And second I absolutely need to know what happens next like now! Suren and Quinn were amazing protagonists and great fiends! I loved their love interests too! I don’t always like supernatural academies in books but this one was just fantastic and interesting! I especially loved one of the wolf packs, and it’s alpha Otto!!! Definitely recommend to readers who want a supernatural and academic read with some spice! So good! Felt all the emotions in this read and seriously I’m losing my mind over the ending. Love reading both these authors, and their co-written book didn’t disappoint!!!!! also there’s so much queer rep in this book, including the main guys which made my queer heart so happy.
November 16, 2023
Oh my gosh! I’ve loved everything that Octavia Jensen and Kady Ash have written on their own, but I knew even before picking this up that a book written by them both was bound to be amazing - and I wasn’t disappointed! This world they’ve created, Rogue Hollow Academy, is so original and incredibly intriguing. I loved the banter between the characters in this book, and I loved how close Suren and Quinn were, even though their friendship hit a few bumps in the road over the course of the novel. I also really adored Otto, Quinn’s love interest, and I definitely want to know more about Ledger, who was Suren’s love interest! The magic/abilities in this book were super unique, and I’m honestly already invested in this series. I highly recommend!
June 12, 2023
This book is so different than my normal reads just because there are two FMCs and we are following two different relationships. I absolutely love it though as there is plenty of room for the drama that unfolds and that we are guaranteed to come across in the future. I love paranormal romances that incorporate different beings and we are loaded with everything you can think of in this series. It was not hard at all getting introduced to this world and I appreciate that we are learning along with our main characters. And can I just say…Otto and Ledger are so hot!!!! After that ending…I cannot wait for the next book to come out.
May 26, 2023
I received this book as an arc, in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great start to the series. We were warned about the cliffhanger but it still didn’t prepare me how many loose ends there’d be.
I love both men. The women are showing signs of the ‘miscommunication’ trope… make of that what you will.
Ledger can have me as a bloodbag any day.
Otto should have just told her the truth… obv.
There was a lot of angst but we were warned. I just hope that’s it’s as worth it as they’ve claimed lol
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
This was a great start to the series. We were warned about the cliffhanger but it still didn’t prepare me how many loose ends there’d be.
I love both men. The women are showing signs of the ‘miscommunication’ trope… make of that what you will.
Ledger can have me as a bloodbag any day.
Otto should have just told her the truth… obv.
There was a lot of angst but we were warned. I just hope that’s it’s as worth it as they’ve claimed lol
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Read
September 20, 2023Still waiting for Suren to get literally anything good that Quinn was freely given in her first chapters
She was so whinny like oh no I’ve got all these powers and cool friends and hot boyfriend that loves me I can’t go on but Suren had ACTUAL problems man and you just took and took from her
If I remember to read book 2 when it comes out, I’m skimming the Quinn/Otto chapters bc their plot line is so boring
She was so whinny like oh no I’ve got all these powers and cool friends and hot boyfriend that loves me I can’t go on but Suren had ACTUAL problems man and you just took and took from her
If I remember to read book 2 when it comes out, I’m skimming the Quinn/Otto chapters bc their plot line is so boring
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2023
LOVE Quinn and Suren! I love their bond. The world building was next level, and I love the depth of the characters. There were some amazing surprises! At first I was suspicious of Otto, but was swooning over him by the end. Ledger is definitely my favorite guy though, even though he had a rocky start lol. So good! Absolutely cannot wait on the next one!
May 22, 2023
When I found out 2 of my favorite authors were putting out a book together, AND it was gonna be dark fantasy/paranormal romance? I was salivating, and The Vanishing did not disappoint. Read triggers because seriously, this book has it all. I couldn’t put it down and now I’m dying for book two.
June 13, 2023
Wow what a spicy dark PRN read. I loved this beginning stage set for this series. Their are TW so read ahead and get read for the read that will have you soaking up all the delicious words in this amazing academy read of many monsters and creatures.
November 4, 2023
I got this bad boy as an ARC, and where there are things didn’t like about it. Those are solely because I have never read a shifter book. Over all I really liked the story and cannot wait to see where they take it! I know I love Kady Ash’s book but this was my first from Octavia Jensen.
March 26, 2024
⭐️ Plot: 3,5/5
🌶️ Spice: 4/5
📖 Genre: Dark Paranormal Academia
🏞️ Setting: Paranormal Academy in a different realm
🗣️ POV: Multiple POV’s
🛏️ Tropes and :
- Enemies to Lovers
- Vampires, Witches, Werewolves
- Knotting
- Dub Con
- Fated Mates
- Humans kidnapped to another realm
- Blood Play, Biting etc…
🌶️ Spice: 4/5
📖 Genre: Dark Paranormal Academia
🏞️ Setting: Paranormal Academy in a different realm
🗣️ POV: Multiple POV’s
🛏️ Tropes and :
- Enemies to Lovers
- Vampires, Witches, Werewolves
- Knotting
- Dub Con
- Fated Mates
- Humans kidnapped to another realm
- Blood Play, Biting etc…
February 12, 2024
My God! All I have to say is Quinn is the WORST friend ever! I'm looking forward to the second book to see if I still hate her.
March 7, 2024
DNF. I did not want to read a book about oversexed (not sexy) high schoolers.
July 15, 2024
3.75
In the nicest way possible, this is crack and I couldn’t stop reading it. Finished it in about 10 hours.
Was it perfect? No. But it was bingy af nonetheless.
In the nicest way possible, this is crack and I couldn’t stop reading it. Finished it in about 10 hours.
Was it perfect? No. But it was bingy af nonetheless.
January 3, 2025
Super quick read. Love the combination of fantasy and dark academia/dark romance. Little cheesy at times but has a good plot
December 10, 2025
Solid book 1. A few writing styles bugged me but I found myself pulled into Suren and her story and Ledger and learning more about him wayyyy more than Quinn and Otto.
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