Her Feral Beasts

Her Vicious Beasts #1

by E.P. Bali

With my life going down in literal flames I ran from From my father, from a forced marriage, from my mates.

Now, charged with a crime I didn’t commit, they’re all hunting me. And they’re all furious.

The dangerous deputy headmaster of Animus Academy manages to catch me and along with three of my five mates (two are still a mystery) we’re taken back to the prison-school they use to teach feral beasts how to live alongside humans.

Now I’m locked up with the very men I’ve been trying to avoid all my life.

No one can know who my mates are. No one can know who I really am. Because if they do, it’s lights out for me. I’ll be chained and bred until I die.

And I refuse to allow that to happen.

This is the first book in a New Adult MFMMMM 5 book series where the heroine has five fated mate love interests that will form a bonded group. It is slow burn with 18+ spice starting from book 1. Each book has a cliffhanger ending but the series will finish with a HEA.

13 hours

fated mates, found family, hidden identity, hidden powers, slow-mid burn

Genres: Fantasy, Why Choose, Paranormal, Romantasy, Romance, Shapeshifters, Dragons

570 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2023

Reviews

[cha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, oops. Maybe I went in expecting too much?

───• This book was just a whole bunch of nothing.
I felt like I read so much but didn't get anything out of it. There's absolutely 0 need for this book to be this long.

The start was okay, I guess. Interesting enough to keep me going, but they kinda lost the plot in the middle. So much going on but not enough context to back them up.

It kinda sorta picked up again near the end? But at that point I already disconnected with the story and did not really form any meaningful attachment to the characters so I didn't really give a shit.

───• I read the prequel beforehand - so I knew what was going on prior, but it still wasn't enough.

Honestly, the prequel sucked. If I could do this again, I would skip it, or read it after the first book if I really wanted to know.

───• I hateeeed Aurelia, the fmc.
There was nothing particularly wrong with her, she was just boring as hell.

───• I didn't really feel anything towards the MMCs.
Except maybe Lyle, but he wasn't in it much. And probably Savage, just because he was the only one showing signs of being obsessed with the fmc - the only one with something for me to hold on to. The rest I honestly could care less.

The MMCs were mean to her in the most annoying way. There was no angst to it, nothing for me to look forward to or get excited about in the future. The fmc rejecting them again and again got old eventually.

───• Honestly their beef seemed made up to me.
Like you know how traffic jams don't exist and it's really just one asshole holding everyone up? yeah their beef with each other felt exactly like that.

───• I HATED the whole anima/animus thing.
I just discovered that I actually despised stories where the characters have another "being" inside of them that could override the actual person and/or create reactions the person would normally would not do.

Kind of like the whole bond thing in the Bonds That Tie series - how their Bonds have their own conscience and it was all a big clusterfuck?

───• I wanted to throw myself off a cliff every time Aurelia instantly got dripping wet in the presence of her mates because her anima was soooo attracted to them. Not her personally, just the beast inside her. YAWN. I couldn't fully hate it because was it really body betrayal? But then it happened all. the. freaking. time. Get better control of your anima or get the fuck out.

Or maybe just don't mention it every. single. time Aurelia had an interaction with her unhinged mates.

Also how realistic is it that a woman could instantly get wetter than the fucking Atlantic ocean just because she found some dude hot?

───• What even was the point of all this?
So her dumb as rocks fated mates believed her evil father over her because she rejected them. So now it was fair game for them to want her dead? And her father wanted her killed because he was threatened by her power? And she rejected her mates because she didn't want to be a breeding cattle?

But then she had to keep her powers a secret? What exactly would happen if she didn't? What was the real danger? I didn't get all these hiding and secrecy and whatnot because she was going to be executed either way. So again, what was the point of all this?

───• I don't even get excited by the prospect of her mates finally knowing her secrets. Because then what? They probably wouldn't treat her any differently. And people would still want her dead.

And was it really necessary for them all to be in this prison themed boarding school? Or was it just an excuse to be able to call this academy reverse harem?

───• So I guess the bottom line is - the world-building was ass, the writing is mid, plot could be better, and romance is questionable.

[⊹ Gabriela | Asternyx ⊹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I finished this in a day.
Advertised as a Villains' Why Choose, I'm here to confirm that it's indeed what it is.

⇢ What to expect:
∘ NA/Adult Fantasy Romance
∘ Reverse Harem ― size: small (4)
∘ Academy setting
∘ Intriguing Worldbuilding
∘ Multiple POV
∘ Shifters
∘ Morally Grey/quite unhinged MMCs
∘ Strong & resilient FMC
∘ Lots of tension & angst
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Enemies to Lovers
∘ Torturous Slowburn
∘ Rejected Mates
∘ Found Family
∘ Forced Proximity

⇢ Trigger Warnings: trauma, torture, violence & gore, death, assault, physical & emotional abuse



A strong FMC who has been cast out by her family for being a rare being, forced to live in confinement and learn to survive from a young age.

Five rejected mates with dark pasts, dark secrets, and quite a lot of miscommunication, which was making ME go feral, but I was too invested to let that deter me from finishing the book.

It dug its claws into me and refused to let go.
There are a lot of tension-filled moments, and every time I took my eyes off the page, I felt like I was missing out on action.
Even though I knew the words weren't going to disappear, that's how engrossed I was. I found it addictive and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”The man I am cannot see it because he will not allow himself more pain. But he did not fall in his final hour and neither will you.”

i had no idea what this book was even about, but it being a reverse harem was all i really needed to know. honestly, this is one of the most unserious books I’ve ever read.. it reminded me a bit of Blood of Hercules. the fmc Aurelia comes from the serpent house and is a Regina— which basically means she’s got mates that she’s destined to be with. but, she actually denies this bond and tries to avoid her mates by any means necessary. three of her mates: Savage, Scythe and Xander are looking for her in order to bring her back to her father and be free of the deal they’ve made with him. they all end up getting sent to the Animus Academy, which is the equivalent of a prison school for delinquents and things get more messy from there.

”Command me. I am your general of war. Let me lead us into blood and fire and then we will make love on the ashes of our enemies.”

she has two other mates Lyle, and another man who hasn’t been revealed yet. i liked the tone of this book and Aurelia was a fine fmc to follow. the men didn’t have much personality besides Savage, Lyle and maybe Xander. Savage especially was so chaotic in a really fun way. the others were more stoic than anything, but the different animal personas they had were interesting. i don’t know how to feel about the whole “anima/animus” thing, but i did enjoy the slow born and the push and pull between Aurelia and her men. i felt like this book was too long though and i started running out of patience towards the end. i’ll probably continue the series eventually, but im not in a rush as of right now.

[Brittany Ferraro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This feels like The Bonds That Tie and Zodiac Academy (but without any of the ZA cringe) had a baby and I absolutely LOVED it.

I listened to most of the book on audio, and let me just say, the full cast completely killed it. Towards the end, I switched to physically reading because I kept mixing up the characters which never happens to me in a why choose😂.

So many fantasy books start to blend together, but this one stood out to me, yeah, some of the foundation is still the same, but the way it was written, felt really different. The world-building was fascinating and fun, and I found myself completely swept away by it. I especially love that everyone is a shifter, it adds such a fun, wild energy to the story and makes the world feel even more alive. The characters (main and side) are all so good, I absolutely adore her little friend group. You know I’m a sucker for a little hate-to-love dynamic. We haven’t quite hit the “love” yet, but I can already tell it’s going to be amazing.

The back-and-forth, the cat-and-mouse tension, the academy setting with a twist it’s all such a blast. So far, I really love all the MMC’s. I don’t think I could pick a favorite right now, which is always a good thing 🤭

I can already tell this is going to be a series I binge, because I’m having the best time. I can’t wait for the relationships to start developing, to learn more of their backstories, and to see why choose take center stage.


If you’re looking for a fantasy why choose that is even better on audio ( it’s full cast) has a story that will pull you RIGHT in, and not let you go until the very end this is the one for you.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ UMMMMM YES!

Her Feral Beasts…. Well now I’M FERAL.
What a freaking blast. I have found a new series to obsess over, prepare to be sick of me!!!!!!! This has everything I want in fantasy ✨

Unhinged, shifter MMCs
Fated mates
Reverse Harem
Academy setting but make it PRISON
Fun magic & world building
Multiple POV
And the NIMPINS!!? (iykyk)

The plot was so fast paced & addictive 🍿🍿🍿
Such an interesting world!! The writing is so fun, I laughed out loud multiple times. Adore the side characters just as much as our MCs.
Everyone was so lovable!!?

I’m sooooo excited to see where this goes!!!

[Lia ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

➡️ ARC REVIEW ⬅️

First, I'd like to thank the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖

The pace, the writing, and the world-building are amazing, like in other books of EP Bali (I truly loved the Warrior Midwife Series, so I was really excited to read that new series) but the story, the plot, and even the characters development really missed the mark for me.

----------------------—

Story rating: 1 ⭐️
Romance rating: 1 ⭐️
Spice level: 1 🌶️

----------------------—

Tropes:
🦋 Reverse Harem
💫 Fated Mates
⚔️ Ennemies-to-lovers
🏃🏽‍♀️ Runaway FMC
💔 Emotional scars and trauma

----------------------—

For me, too many things don't make sense and it's so obvious most of the time.
The animus part is too big in order to make things happen in the book, so a lot of things happen: usually cringe-worthy things and questionable choices. I found no one really lovable except the very side characters like Minnie and all the other animas (girl friends).

I found the plot illogical and the FMC is the worst kind of weak because she actually acts like she's strong but then does nothing except cry, hide, run, or submit. All the MMCs felt like parodic versions of mafia/dominant men. They're immature, rude, and not that bright very often.

I cringed so much during this book, it actually took me a whole week to read when I usually never take more than 2 days. All main characters are pretty much horny animals disguised as book characters.

The FMC is just living shameful after shameful situations during the entire book (sometimes it's her own fault, others, she is the victim of someone, usually one of her mates). I just wanted so badly for her to have one moment where she shows us how strong she can be, just a glimpse of power or backbone. I wanted her to be badass just once, to see she could be and that she eventually would be a real leader for her pack...

This book felt like "Zootopia Meets Divergent" on steroids dressing like The Bonds That Ties Series (and, in my opinion, failing...).


Maybe it just wasn't for me. I don't like the fact that their animal behavior is bigger than their humanity. Also, too many speeches are repeated throughout the book, and it's frustrating at some point.

[mich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aurelia is on the run after being wrongly charged with murder. She's wanted dead by a hunter and her three out of five mates.

Cue Animus Academy, a place to sculpt the best (or worst) of beasts, where Aurelia has to ensure her secret remains hidden or risk an outcome worst than death.

- ~ -

As always, the author has crafted another incredible world with a terrific plot and characters you can't help but root for.

It's definitely a change to read whychoose for the first time. But I'm glad it was this author's work because only she could've it work for me.

We didn't get to know Aurelia's fifth mate in this book but I'm convinced he knows exactly what's going on and I can't wait to finally meet in book 2!

- ~ -

4.01 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩����𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

[Lucie V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

✅ Quick & addictive read
✅ Multiple POVs / Multiple narrators
✅ Engaging world-building
✅ Magic & Shifters
✅ Academy setting without mean girl drama
✅ Characters / Unhinged mates
✅ Rejected mates (she rejects them)
✅ She can’t be with them, but is desperate for their love
✅ They try to hate her
✅ Angst, betrayal & rage
✅ LGBTQ rep
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: deaths/murders, mild gore, mentions of past physical abuse, and a brief hint at past sexual abuse (not the MC), children forced into fighting rings (on page, flashbacks), kidnapping, and torture (not too graphic)
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️.5 / 5

❗️❗️I highly recommend reading the prequel (Her Vicious Beasts) before this book. Everything makes much more sense this way.

Did I devour the prequel AND the first book of this series in just one day?
Yes. I did.
I am now sleep-deprived, but I don't even regret it.

This feels like the love child of Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac (Zodiac Academy) and Bonds that Tie. The world-building and academy setting remind me of Zodiac Academy, while Aurelia’s angsty relationship with her mates, who hate her because she fled from them, reminds me of Bonds that Tie. The plot is not the most elaborate, but the book is sooooo addictive, it makes up for any plot holes. Otherwise, this would probably have been a 4-star read, based on the quality.

I am addicted. I just couldn’t put it down. A true hate-to-love reverse harem. Lia desperately wants to be with her mates, but she knows it’s not possible. If it becomes known that she has 5 mates from 5 different species, people would realize just how powerful she is, and she would be used and sold as breeding stock. For that reason, she hides her mating mark and rejects her mates without explaining why, leading them to hate her and hunt her to get their revenge.

The world-building is simple enough, basically our world, but with Animalias, animal shifters. Different shifters also have different magical abilities, and there is a mate system that mostly consists of harems.
-Anima are the female shifters, while animus are the males.
-A regina is a female at the center of the mate group, while a Rex is a male at the center of the mate group

Resting bitch face? Try resting don't-fuck-with-me-or-I'll-gouge-your-eyeballs-out face.

“Well, I'm going to make them regret the fuck out of everything they've done and assumed about me.”

This book is angsty and intense. It’s full of rage and feelings of betrayal, on both sides, but there is also cathartic rage and revenge, and some heartwarming and pure new friendship. I love how Aurelia made new friends, and how even though they were off to a rough start, they became a tight unit who have each other’s back, and by the end of the book, Aurelia knows she can count on them, and she will fight tooth and nail to protect her “second pack”.

It is refreshing to read a reverse-harem series where the main character has more than one female friend. Too often, the MC is either only interacting with the males, or she has only one friend, and is hated by the rest of the women population because they are all jealous. Thankfully, it was not the case here. I was wary at first, because an Academy setting often comes with petty mean girl drama, but I was pleasantly surprised by the way the author created some rivalry at first, but it quickly faded once Aurelia spent more time with the other Animas… And once the Animas realized just how unhinged Scythe, Savage, and Xander were, they quickly stopped being jealous of their attention toward Aurelia.

Lia the Liar. It fits like a glove.

I love Aurelia, but she needs to think more. I lost count of how many times she did something impulsive and reckless, only to want to slap herself later for “being so stupid” or “not thinking about it”. At least, she acknowledged the fact that she didn’t think things through, or that her impulsive decisions forced her to reveal more than she wanted, or got her into trouble, but it still happened a lot for a girl who is so paranoid to keep a low profile and protect all her secrets.

“Five devils are approaching.
Five black hearts are wanting.
It is five who cry a dark and lonely song,
calling for their queen.
Lion, shark, dragon, wolf and… shadow.”

We know that Aurelia has 5 mates, but we didn’t meet them all. Scythe is a little too apathetic in general for me to really like him, yet Xander is being very antagonistic, so he has work to do. Savage is unhinged in the best way, and the fourth mate that is revealed in the end was already one I liked a lot, and I can’t wait to see more scenes between Aurelia and him.

Savage is the only one wearing his red 'Dangerous: do not approach' lanyard, and he wears it like a trophy.

Savage is a slightly feral wolf shifter. He’s had a tough and violent life and is now a feared enforcer for his brother’s crime business. We do not see their business, or their “mafia side”, but they still carry that violent and powerful vibe everywhere they go. Savage is used to being the top dog and getting what he wants, and what he obsessively wants now is Aurelia, even though a part of him hates her for rejecting him.

Scythe is Savage’s half-brother and a terrifying, cunning, shark shifter. He is a mafia lord, and his word is law. He shows cold restraint where Savage is all unhinged impulsivity, but both are equally dangerous. He is scary-powerful, but his restraint and the way he respected Aurelia’s desire to have shields up, even though he showed how easily he could rip them apart, make me hope that he can be understanding and show some empathy, too.

Xander is a dragon who seems to think he is above everyone else’s petty drama, and we do not know yet how he came to be with the brothers. Their bond is complex and unclear at times. They care for each other, seeing as they share a mate bond and are all brothers in that sense, but Xander also seems to despise Savage most of the time. I do think that when push comes to shove, he will have their back, no matter what, but if it wasn’t for their mate bond, Xander would never have spent time with Scythe and Savage.

It’s no surprise that Lyle is one of Aurelia’s mates, especially since the Oracle told her one of her mates was a lion, but it is not confirmed until the very end of the book. It is a minor twist, and I don’t think anyone was surprised by it. I just love those characters that have a mature “I’m in charge” vibe, and Lyle reminds me of North Draven in the Bonds that Tie series. The confidence, the mild power imbalance between him and Aurelia, but the way he uses his power to protect her as best as he can… I know I will fall hard for him. I need to find more RH with characters that have a North Draven vibe, because I am a sucker for those.
Also, he clearly kept all the panties, because Lia never seemed to have gotten them back. 🤭

I jumped between the Kindle and the audiobook, and the cast of narrators did a wonderful job. I might buy the other audiobooks, even if this series is available on KU.


0.5 Her Vicious Beasts: The Beginning ⭐⭐⭐⭐


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[Rayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread: Dec. 29, 2025

I liked it more the second time around. Probably because I knew what to expect so I could enjoy it for what it was. I also skimmed the boring parts because this book is over 500 pages long so that helped.


First read: April 11, 2025

I liked it and didn’t like it at the same time. While the premise had me hooked, it lost me a few times for various reasons. First both the FMC’s reasoning to avoid her mates and why they wanted her dead was not strong enough. While the FMC’s reason made some sense, it wasn’t executed in a way that made the high stakes believable. And the MMCs’ original reasoning for hating her crumbled during their first interaction and they were basically like “well she still doesn’t want me so I’m still going to hate her and try to kill her anyways”. Like the majority of romance readers, I love a good enemies to lovers story but what completely ruins that for me is if the enemies part doesn’t make sense.

The other issue that pulled me out a lot was the lack of anything happening. Nothing happened to move the plot forward and at the end of this book we were basically where we started with no development. It was way too long and way too much filler.

The only reason I’m giving it three stars instead of two is because I’m a sucker for a why choose fated mates story and I eat it up every time. Although this book has some issues, I’m hopefully the next one will be better.

[Darcey · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was crazy addictive!

honestly, this book was like a combo between broken bonds and plier. i wasn't completely sure how to feel about the mmcs - like plier, some of them seemed apathetic half the time, and that was kinda devastating. but i did adore the few that had strong feelings for our girl - even if they were negative feelings!!

and i adored our fmc, she was so strong and had a gorgeous personality, plus i loved her tight bond with her friends. also the non-binary rep was so good to read!! sometimes the issue with rh books is that the fmc has no friends (especially female friends), but luckily that wasn't the case here.

the plot twists were especially shocking, but that was alright because the plot was still good fun, and i just could not put this book down. so easy to obsess over!!

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Always running. Always hunted. Always prey."

Her Feral Beasts
(Her Vicious Beasts Book 1)
By E.P. Bali
Narrated by Maeve York, Ryan Lee Dunlap, Oliver Highpoint, Jonathan Waters, Sean Masters, Callis Storm
13 hours 14 mins
Audiobook Review

Magical realism romantasy | Paranormal Romance | Shape-shifters | Why Choose | Fates Mates | Morally 🩶/🖤

This series! So fricken good!!! It is not a standalone. Highly recommend reading/listening to the Prequel before this one! That said, again, since it's not a standalone, this review might be a spoiler.

“Five devils are approaching. Five black hearts are wanting. It is five who cry a dark and lonely song, calling for their queen...."

Love, love, love this series! I just finished the audiobook for book 2 the other day. I wish book 3 were on audio, but will have to wait. Just like all the audiobooks I love, I end up reading the actual books. Will definitely have to do that with this series and get print copies! Each book gets better and better. I've listened to the available audiobooks at least 2 times each (on my 3rd time for this book now). The narrating cast is the same as the Prequel with an additional member, I believe.

"Thinking of her instantly makes me rage, and I feel the chains groan under the strain of suppressing my power. My animus keens for her like a lost puppy and I growl under my breath, telling it to shut up."

Savage is still my fave out of Lia's mates, but Lyle is growing on me. Still have a love/hate for the other 2, and the 5th, well, he's still quite a mystery. Enjoyed the fact that Aurelia found family in that prison academy, as diverse as her mates! Still lots of danger, angst, rejection, pain, and fighting against fate! And I want a nimpin! I mean, who wouldn't want a little fuzzy thing on their shoulder giving you good vibes and there to protect you when you need it!

Audiobook review. Thank you, The Nerd Fam, E.P. Bali, and Blue Moon Rising Publishing for providing me with a reviewing copy!

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the prequel I was going to like this series, but omg I am literally eating this up!! Welcome to my newest obsession 😍🫶🏼

I went absolutely feral and could not put this book down. I will immediately be reading the next book especially after that ending 😬

Thank you so much to The Nerd Fam for the audiobook! The narration made this story come alive.

[madicantstopreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve quite literally been in a reading slump of some sort all year. This book? FIXED ME. If only the rest of the series was already out! My god it has everything i want and more in a book, i haven’t felt this way about a book in awhile! 1000% read the novella first- it’s super important!

[Sienasummerrreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This follows Aurelia who has been kept a secret and treated like crap by her family since the discovery of her shifted court. She is on the run to get her freedom but her mates and the principal of the prison school are out to get her. Along the way, secrets will be revealed and can she escape her father?

I loved this book. It’s not often I read fantasy but this is more romance-heavy with a great plot it’s just what I needed and love. Her mates are morally grey, brutal and delicious. I can’t wait to see more of Xander and Scythe in the coming books. Aurelia is fantastic as well as her strength in resisting the inevitable. I hurt feeling the resistance and tension between the characters. Also, the 4th mate is revealed in this book and I guessed it early on. I was like this man needs to be one of her potential mates which I was screaming when it was revealed!
Fantastic plot, characters and is easy to follow.

I honestly can’t wait for the next book as this left on a cliffhanger but I’m happy to wait. Don’t sit on this book pick it up!

If you love:
🔹Fantasy Romance
🔹Rejected Fated Mates
🔹Prison School
🔹Courts & Shifters
🔹Tension & Slow Burn
🔹Great Spice

Genre/Type: Fantasy Romance 18+
APK: Physical
Pages: 506
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 In The Her Vicious Beasts Series
Tropes or Themes: Why Choose, MFMMMM, Enemies To Lovers, Contract, Fantasy, Rejected Fated Mates, Prison School, Blood Magic, Past Memories, Morally Grey MMC’s, Stalking, Shifters, Possessive MMC’s, Telepathy, Healer, Powers, Beasts, Slow Burn, Family Drama. Cliff Hanger, Sexual Content, Praise, Murder, Death, Cursing & Blood Mentions: Fire
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫

All Round Romance Reader 
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Scribd | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Review for the whole series, so some light spoilers.

This is a paranormal RH. It’s a similar vibe to The Bonds that Tie series by J Bree and Clash of Claws by Elizabeth Dear. A world where they're shifters, and they’re in “bond groups” of fated mates. The heroine, Aurelia (20) is a rare powerful type, and she has 5 mates. They go to a supernatural prison / school together. She feels like she has to push the heroes away because she's so rare and powerful, they get the wrong idea about her and lash out at her for that, the heroine hides what she is, they deal with enemies from all sides, etc, etc.

If you like that type of story and plot, you may like this. I had a lot of nitpicks, but I also had a good time reading it, overall. It’s better than The Bonds that Tie series by J Bree – it actually does redeem the 1 guy who was a little bitch for most of the story (Xander), unlike that series (Nox Draven is a little bitch forever). And, it does a better job of keeping the plot interesting (even though it's too dragged out and this should have been a trilogy or 4 books long, not 5).

The worldbuilding was cool. One of her guys (Scythe) is a shark, which I thought would be too ridiculous, but it was actually interesting and melancholy, the way this story handled that. Sharks lose their minds and get “land psychosis” and if they have a non-shark mate, they often can’t be together. There was some other stuff I thought would be ridiculous (like a brief unicorn appearance) that this story also made lovely and sad, instead of silly. There was also plenty of silly stuff, too (several cute pets, including an emotional support rooster named Eugene). And some of the worldbuilding details were interesting, like dragons go into a "treasure haze" that lasts a few days. Some men can shift into a female animal, etc. So the tone of the story was a good balance of dark, intense, violent, spicy, but also silly and fun and wacky.

Aurelia has a friend group, so it’s not one of those RHs where she only lives for her guys. She has too many friends – I had a hard time remembering the difference between Stacey and Sabrina, too many "S" names! – but, her friend group was likable and fun. I also liked how the heroine wasn’t all powerful “just because." Unlike some other series where the heroine is The Most Powerful and Special, the question of “why is she so powerful and special” is actually addressed (she inherited the power from her mother’s side, and everyone thought their line died out years ago).

There’s a betrayal / grovel element that’s surprisingly well done, too. Xander (her dragon mate), the guy who is The Worst for the first 4 books, does stuff to suck even MORE in book 4, Her Tortured Beasts. It seemed impossible to come back from that, but this story did actually redeem him. I was impressed it managed to do that (again, unlike the Bonds that Tie, which failed epically on that front).

Why 3 stars, if this is all good stuff? First of all, this was a 5 guy RH that should have been 4. Ghoul (her basilisk mate) was barely in the story. Halfway through the final book, this story was like “oh yeah, we need to develop her relationship with him.” That’s too late! If I'm reading an RH, we should know all the guys in the first book, even if the relationship hasn't happened yet. He doesn't even enter the story until the second or third book. And his “crazy” energy didn’t bring much to the table that Savage wasn’t already bringing.

Savage (her wolf shifter mate) was so much better than the other guys. Sweet, loyal, devoted, chaotic, insane, weirdly excited to attend terrible prison school, solves all of his problems with bombs…he was a delight. Lyle (lion shifter) was more boring than he should have been. He had a forbidden teacher / student angle with her, a tragic backstory, a rabid inner beast. This should have made him a great hero, but he was bland. He was just There. I liked the sadness around Scythe and the interesting shark lore, but he also wasn’t as memorable and lovable as he could have been. The other guys aside from Savage weren't bad (after Xander got his shit together), but they were mostly just Fine, not especially stand out.

Book 4, Her Tortured Beasts, drove this series and Aurelia off a cliff. In book 4, Aurelia VOLUNTARILY walks into a terrible situation with no real plan. The entire book is her suffering, which is tedious to read. And it’s hard to feel bad for her, because she willingly put herself in that situation! She’s so powerful, it also made no sense why she didn’t escape or kill everyone who was harming her, once she saw that she was in over her head. So book 4 made me no longer like her much, and want to root for her. And, it also made no sense. Aurelia and Xander were both being so annoyingly stupid in that book, it made me go, “Savage, who can't read and whose only plan is ever ‘let’s blow up a building’” is the smartest member of this group.” And that’s true! There were too many “the plot is happening because a character is being a dumbass” moments, especially in book 4.

Up until book 4, Aurelia was a decent heroine. Not one of my favorites – she had too many dumb plans, and moments of being shocked that her dad did something evil, when he’d been evil for many years and she knew that! But she had some good hardcore moments, like going into beast mode to rescue her mates, beheading an enemy, or forcing her own mates to break her arms (she had to do it to make a point for their school’s social system, and her mates were hesitating). But book 4 ruined Aurelia as a character, in order to make its plot work. She bounced back in the 5th and final book to be a somewhat decent heroine again, but the damage was done. She didn't recover completely from how book 4 unraveled her character.

But, if you’re looking for a series that’s a similar vibe to the Bonds that Tie series by J Bree, but better – better plot, better at redeeming the One Guy Who Is the Worst – this series is a flawed but enjoyable read.

[Laurens.Little.Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I didn’t even care about a few plot holes because I was having such a good time.

Fascinating paranormal world, distinct, lovable characters, an excellent balance between POVs, well-paced, the cutest animal familiars/pets—I gobbled up this slow-burn why choose in just over a day.

What a fun romp

[Ka · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like I was reading about 15 year old high school kids most of the time, not the 20+ year old adults that the mcs were supposed to be. And I can't stop thinking about shark boy transforming on land and just flopping around, or how stinky he would smell after eating raw fish.

Will I read book 2? Probably. The last few chapters were a lot better than the rest.

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is legit like Ruthless Boys/ZA and Broken Bonds had a baby but make it sexy 🥵

I already know this is going to be an all time fave series.

[Victoria Werngreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ definietly read the prequel novella first!! you can get it on E. P. Bali's website for free 👏🏼

I love me a good reverse harem paranormal college/academic type romance with bonds/mates/soul groups! seriously - it's such a niche sub genre, but I luv it!!😍😍

it was a little long, but I still had a great time 👏🏼 we have a very badass fmc (ofc) on the run from her father and her mates (whom she of course can't be with and has to reject #welovethedrama 🤭) she gets captured and has to attend this school for young adult feral shifters who need some education (and a bit more) before they get released in the real world.

her mates are like actually really mean, kinda evil, type dudes, but I still like them hehehe🤪

excited to see where this goes, but I always eat this subgenre up 🍝

on to the next book ;)

1/5🌶️

[KorenaJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have this 4.5 stars I loved it. This is a why choose, fated mates, strong (in her own way) and smart FMC. Her father is king of the serpent court who was outcasted by him because of her special abilities. He sets her up for murder and she is caught after running away and sent to a special school to train beasts who are “wild or rabid”. Who else is there…. 3 out of 5 of her mates… who are trying to kill her for reasons you NEED to read about.

[Mikky · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a perfect example of why I dislike the miscommunication trope. All they had to do was have everyone sit down and be open about what was happening. I'm not even talking about being emotionally vulnerable. I'm just saying this whole book would have gone in a completely different direction had the FMC just been open to the guys (FROM THE BEGINNING IN THE PREQUEL when the guys were very much open to finally having found their mate) about her circumstances and why she thought she had to do what she did and keeps doing for everyone's safety. At some point she has to realize that all her mates (up to 4 now) put together are stronger and more powerful than her damned father.

This was one of those frustrating reads that don't pan out. The heroine talks a big game but there were multiple examples of her being a complete nincompoop and forgetting KEY details that put her safety in jeopardy.

The mates are meh to me for the moment. Savage is the only one who seems to be making an effort and keeps getting rejected. The others are rightfully angry and don't want much to do with her because they don't want to continue getting told off by her. At some point, she has to realize that she needs to trust them so they can come up with a plan together.

I understand the heroine's rejection of her mates to a degree. At the same time, considering the small amount of lore we get about this world, it's basically unheard of to do this to your mates. It's seen to be taboo in their society to reject mates. It's weird that the guys haven't tied her down in order to have an actual conversation with her about their future (sounds harsh, I know, but the guys do give off this vibe to me). Because it will happen. Now that the bond is here, it's not just going to go away.

The fact that this audiobook is a full cast recording helped me to not DNF this book. We'll see how I feel when the next audiobook is released.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I was pretty shocked by the positive reviews for this book. It is objectively not well-written. There were times where the characters would contradict something about their past from one chapter to the next. It felt like the author kept forgetting what they already wrote, and then they would just be like "oh, and now let's have THIS happen!" without actually paying attention to what makes sense for the story or characters. There were so many things that didn't make sense. Also, I have literally no idea what happened at the end. There were so many metaphors and nonsensical descriptions in the last Aurelia chapter that I genuinely don't understand what happened.

However, once I just accepted that it's not a well-written book, I was able to fully bust out the popcorn and enjoy it for the entertainment factor. It's definitely entertaining, but in a wattpad way. There are boring parts, but for the most part, I was pretty interested in this. It feels like a bad TV show that you know is not good, but you can't stop watching.

I saw a lot of reviews that compared this book to The Bonds That Tie series and Zodiac Academy series. I guess I can see it, but for me personally, I thought this reminded me more of Psycho Shifters by Jasmine Mas.

Anyways, I'll read the next one because I'm curious, but I'm not foaming at the mouth for it.

[Spasticnontastic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zodiac Academy, Ruthless Boys and The Bonds that Tie had sex and this book popped out!

I feel like I'm about to have so much fun with this series... TBC.

Fave MMC Ranking after Book 1:
1. Xander
2. Savage
3. Scythe
4. Lyle
5. ?????

[Yara’s Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books that had me completely addicted while reading it, but the second I finished I was like… wait.

The whole prison-school/shifter/fated mates setup was honestly really fun and I flew through it. I loved the tension between the characters, the hidden identity aspect, and the fact that nobody seemed to fully trust each other. It definitely gave me chaotic Bonds That Tie vibes.

That said, with five mates, some of the characters started blending together for me a little. I also feel like the book relied a bit too much on keeping secrets just for the sake of mystery.

Still, it was super readable and entertaining, and the cliffhanger absolutely did its job because now I kind of need to know what happens next.

[Maddie Vaters · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

I am already so obsessed with this series!!! It’s giving Psycho Shifters meets Zodiac Academy and I can’t get enough. Call me toxic but I love a rejected mates story, especially in why-choose books. Like give me all of the angst, yearning, and asshole men who will have to grovel in the end🤭 I binge read the prequel and this book in a day and am immediately diving into book 2. If you follow me on TikTok prepared to be SICK of hearing me yap about it😘

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi, My name is Jessica and this is what I'm currently addicted to.

Think Zodiac Academy meets Bonds that Tie and a splash of Hannaford Prep. This is what this book reminds me of. So obviously, don't take this too seriously.

First of all, READ THE PREQUEL. Do yourself a service and read the prequel. The background information you gleam there is N E C E S S A R Y (it's free when you sign up for the authors' newsletter).

Story wise: it's your classic prison/academy setting with a FMC hiding who she really is while fighting the attraction she has to three of her very hot, very lethal fated mates. Who hate her. Because she constantly rejects them.

I do wish she was a bit more proactive, she takes things lying down for a good portion of this, but when you consider the way she had to live and survive, flying under the radar, it makes sense.

World building wasn't as heavy in this one, again the heavy lifting was all in that prequel, and some things could've been addressed better, but this is just book one of a series, so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Character wrap up:
Aurelia - FMC, gets better over the course of the book. She's just touched starved and horny.
Savage - Wolf. Think Seth from ZA but a little more feral. He's a panty stealing, down bad for his regina dude. He's the only one who's done anything sexual with FMC before this book so he's more tired to her than others. Power of telepathy. Curly black hair, big, beefy, beautiful. He's volatile and violent.
Scythe - Shark boy mafia don (lol?) I really want to know what's up with him not going crazy being on land. He's got psychic powers, is a pale, long white/silver hair guy. Wears slacks and button ups. Keeps Savage in line because they're biological brothers.
Xander - Dragon. Is blind, but uses his magic to see. Needs his emotional support headphones otherwise he will kill everyone lol. "HATES" FMC. Fire magic.
Minnie - A sweetie tiger roommate. She's type A, a little timid, but girly.
Rest of girl gang - a group of colorful personalities.
Lyle - Lion Deputy Headmaster. heheheheh.
Eugene - is a chicken

I have suspicions. I can't wait to find out if I'm right!!

SPOILERS: starts with her running from everyone, found by Lyle, she's running again, and then brought to the Academy. Growing pains. Girl gang. Makeover, outfit revenge. Clinic healing, making out. Savage cutting his finger off and the banging. Three bites. Trial. Returned gifts. Ending reveal!!!

[LKCREADS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m bolting through this series like I’m on fire and the only way to put myself out is to read these books as fast as possible.

Ladies and gentlemen… I’d like to introduce you to Her Feral Beasts.

Lia is on the run. From her father, from a forced marriage, and from her MATES.

Charged with a crime she didn’t commit, she’s sent to a prison academy of sorts that teach feral beasts how to be civilized.

And who is she locked up with? The very men she’s been avoiding her whole life. Her mates.

Who are they? Grade A lethal monsters that everyone is terrified of, and their eyes are fixed solely… on Lia.

Something… addictive… has been put into these books and I’m not even joking. A spell was cast over me. I blinked and made it from the first page of the book to the last page in a matter of moments. It felt like I was actually flying.

This is one of those books where you’re like… ok well I obviously have to cook dinner while reading my kindle. I obviously have to go to the bathroom with my kindle. I can skip hair wash was day because I need more time to read my kindle.

I’m obsessed with this series. It’s tantalizing. I mean that in every sense of the word.

“To find another of your soul group, something ordained by the Wild Goddess and the stars themselves, is perhaps the most beautiful and sacred thing we have in this mad life.”

This book makes you WORK for it. It’s actually incredibly gut wrenching and you really do ache for the characters and their past.

The book is laugh out loud funny the jokes are smart and fast and it’s just an absolute page turner all around.

I’m obsessed with this series. I’m feral for this series. You MUST read it.

[~Shawna the crazy coffee reader~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this audiobook! It was so good i couldn’t stop listening. I absolutely enjoyed the dynamic of an academy read with being older. I also like to see our FMC coming out of her shell, making new friends, and knowing her worth.

The MMC‘s are still making me angry. I want to like them, but I can’t understand why they treat her so bad.

I really want to see the dad get what’s coming to him. I can’t wait to see how the next book picks up.

[THE NEXT CHAPTERS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, intense, and totally addictive.
The audiobook pulled me straight into a world of secrets, monsters, and morally gray tension. The narrator captured every sharp moment, making the danger feel real. I couldn’t stop listening.

Can’t wait to see how dark it gets from here. 👑🖤

Got an advanced copy from Nerd Fam.