Rabble: End Game

Villainous Things #5

by C. Rochelle

**A just-for-funsies reunion book featuring ALL the MCs from Villainous Things (and Villains in Space), trapped together on an island for Butch & Xander's wedding. Let the filthy chaos ensue!**

A taste of what you'll find inside:

• 13 unhinged POVs
•Tropical island forced proximity for ALL
• Superheroes x Villains x Aliens x A Very Irritated Pregnant Normie
• MM+ Romance (with a lil FF in there too)
• Everybody gets some (and it’s filthy, duh)
• Men in corsets, hoochie daddy shorts & Gambit crop tops
• Slooty besties having slooty fantasies about each other (good thing their stellar collisions are into it 👀)
• Rabble Chat in EVERY chapter (on top of the IRL ballbusting)
• Feel good family moments & all the schmoop
• The usual naughty humor and witty banter

PLUS: The wedding you’ve been waiting for! But first…

• A tropical cyclone
• A fried chicken emergency
• Lizard Grip Tapegate x 1 Million
• A M3RD3R MYSTERY
• And super powers revealed…

Simon Says: It is required that you read Villainous 1-4 first, and highly recommended that you also read Earth Boys Are Easy, before tackling End Game! Otherwise, you may miss some important backstory…

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Aliens, Paranormal, LGBT, Audiobook

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2024

About the author

Laugh, Cry & Clench Your Thighs!

Stay connected by joining my Clubhouse of Smut on Patreon, my Little Sinners FB Group, subscribing to my newsletter, and lovingly st@lking me in all the places: https://c-rochelle.com/

C. Rochelle here! I’m a naughty but sweet, introverted, Aquarius weirdo who believes a sharp sense of humor is the sexiest trait, loves shaking my booty to Prince, and have never met a cheese I didn’t like. Oh, and I write spicy Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Monster Why Choose + MM, MFF & MMF romance with dark, naughty humor and a #loveislove mentality.

Reviews

[Bree | breesoleilreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of unhinged chaotic gay island fuckery officially got me out of a heinous reading slump. 🥹 I already had my faves of the couples: Xanny & Butch, Balty & Zion, and Micah & Ziggy but tell me why everyone is actually personally my bby? If you thought this book was chaotic and unhinged wait until you get a load of this review. 😈 And I’ll tell you why:

Xanny- Will forever be the most supreme Daddy of all time! The way he’s always locked in to Butch and making sure he always has what he needs? I swooned x 1000000. Still one of my all time favorite characters in the whole series

Butch- This sweet, gentle American hero deserves all the praise! I just wanted to give him all the hugs and support he deserves. He will always be more than enough for Xanny and me no matter what 🥹

Wolfy- aka best big brother in the world? They truly don’t call him Clan Daddy for nothing because he loves all his lil bbys like their haggard parents never did! And he did all this while simultaneously being THE best king/dog for his Mafia Queen? Wolfy remains the sweetest little murder cabbage.

Simon - Will always be the most deranged, psychotic Mafia Queen and I love that for him! He goes through a lot of *gasp* emotions but develops so well despite what he wants 😂 Love the development of all his familial relationships he really grew a lot as a character (though the bratting will never die 🫡)

Balty- My lil bby hulk went through so much, not to be dramatic but I would protect him with my life! Still my absolute fave himbo 🥹 He’s so sweet and gentle and fragile and I’m glad so many things got resolved here for my lil bby 🥹

Zion- Also one of my bbys that went through so much! Not gonna lie he was annoying me a lil bit but he definitely got himself together eventually and he gets one pass from me bc I love him (it was a close call) 😍

Daisy- Little Queens gonna Queen and will continue to Queen until the end of time 👸🏾

Gabe- Loved his arc throughout this whole book and definitely made me go from liking him okay to loving him! I think he definitely got the development he deserved and filled something I felt was missing in his book. Loved that he was living his sluttiest life and getting everything he wanted and more 😈

Dre- Hate to say the same thing I said about his twin bc twins 👯 but I definitely felt like Dre felt more fleshed out here and showed how much he really does care about everyone in his life. He was also super in his DOMMY DOM bag and I was eating that shit tf upppp 👀🥵

Theo- Oh Theo….this super brat was living his brattiest life and I actually wanted to brat right alongside him. I absolutely love how extra Theo is in everything he does even with his redemption arc and which was also so sweet 🥹

Micah- A true shining star among men, remains the absolute most precious, smart, incredible, slutty babygirl in the whole multiverse ✨ I mean I can’t believe a character so perfect exists?! Micah and his Space Daddy most definitely are my number one couple in the series now and they deserve it. (Sorry not sorry Xanny and Butch and Zion & Balty I still love y’all 😈)

Ziggy- Well not to be dramatic but this man (Alien Rambo) quite literally carried this book on his loving, caring, understanding, communicating, sexy Space Daddy ass back. I mean, the character development? The consideration and care for his Stellar Collision? The heart that he definitely infinitely has? The absolute (deserved) obsession he has for Micah and his need to give him everything he wants? I severely swooned (I also swooned about other relationships he developed as well 👀). I’m so happy I’ll be getting more stories about him and his babygirl because I absolutely deserve that!

Kai- This poor normie deserves the princess treatment! These fools around her (except a certain Mommy 👀) were on her last nerve and mine too! Loved the development of Kai and Vi’s friendship and relationship. Loved reading about these girlies in this sea of foolish chaotic men!

Vi- May I call you Mommy? My girl went through some things but one thing she never got wrong was taking care of her Princess! I severely swooned over how much she cared and looked after Kai. Yes Mommy 🥵


Luca- Was the perfect Dad to ALL and love that he has a lil HEA in there because he deserves it so much 🥹

This book really was the perfect wrap up to a perfect series I loved and deserved just as chaotic a review as what I just read! I’m amazed by the fact C Rochelle can write so many POVs and every character was different, unique and had their own distinct voice. I also love how all the characters still got more development even after having their own books. I think that really shows how much the author cares about all these characters and their stories. Amazing read that’s definitely going on my faves of the year list 💖

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

jesus christ, no

[Vanessa GLP · Rating 3 out of 5]

13 POV.... just no

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy POV overload, Batman!

I have enjoyed all the previous books in this series, even the poly one that skirted the line of twincest, and the adventures of Micah and his Space Daddy, but dang, this one was a bit of a mess, primarily because everyone from the previous books had at least one chapter in their specific POV, and it just felt too much.

At least the Salah matriarch finally got what was coming to her.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Because the fearsome Hand of Death is actually a bazillionaire goth mother hen."

I honestly do not know if I have the words to describe what occurred in this book I just finished. Unhinged is definitely a fitting adjective in reference to the absolute craziness of this family. And I do mean family. Some of these characters may not share the same last name anymore, or ever, but what they all have in common is that when the shit hits the fan, nobody has to deal with it alone. There will always be a nosey AH adding their opinion no one else asked for or a deadly murder Daddy looking to thrown down with violence for back up.

Theo was definitely a highlight throughout this book. He is an absolute chaotic mess and I found myself shaking my head in laughter numerous times at his antics. He's also the one who had the most emotional chapter of all and that is saying something for this frighteningly smoopy bunch. In fact, I felt like there was a good mix of crazy vs smoopy for all the couples. It made my heart very happy.

There is not much else to say without spoiling and I am absolutely not going to be doing that. All I can say is there are SO MANY different directions this world could go in after the events that went down and I am excited to see where C. Rochelle takes us next!

[Lauralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lizard daddies are the best

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~]

3.5 stars

Chaotic but mostly entertaining. Tied up some loose ends, added some new twists, and was a pleasant surprise considering the bad experience I had with Ziggy and Micah's book (not finishing that had no impact on reading this and I enjoyed them as a couple here).

[Rockland · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt that there was too much happening at once and I was having a hard time following all that was taking place. Also, I went in blind without looking at the trigger warnings so I was thrown off by the Micah/ Gabe storyline. I was waiting for the big talk from Ziggy and Theo. Instead I got to sit through talks about their partners swapping. This took up too much space and I wish she would have hinted about this dynamic and continued it on her Patreon or in the next spin off book.

Just disappointing overall, but it’s on KU so no harm! But I enjoyed all the other couple I got to see again! Might not continue with this author for now since she’s moved on to
Micah’s story line now, but I’ll keep an eye out for other things by her.

[ASR · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a mess, tbh. the twins and theo already make me uncomfortable, and adding micah to the mix was unnecessary and made it worse. i did enjoy the F/F plot but that was about it.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did it take me so long to get around to reading this book?! This was exactly what I needed to read and I laughed so hard, so many times!

Wolfy in his rich widow beachwear.... Balty freaking out over his lizard anatomy and bemoaning his t-rex arms... I just love these characters so much!

This was a really fun way to end the series and I can't wait for the rest of the spin-off series to start.

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HRCYED2: TBR Game Challenge / Challenge Yourself

[⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven• · Rating 5 out of 5]

2025 read+review/thoughts
All the stars ✨
Rabble: Endgame has all the characters from our beloved Villaineous series in forced-proximity for Xan+Butch's island wedding, with hilarious shenanigans, all the fun & cute interactions, troubles, storm & murder 😳, emotions, tears, payoff...& The GREAT Rabble group chat in (almost) every chapter 🥳.

This story was so fun to read between my exams! As it's a funsies bonus epilogue kinda addition to the series, I had low stakes & all OTT enjoyment, but of course there's plot & signature feels, plus pay-offs woop! With 13 different POVs, various established loves & new loves forming, this book has lots to handle & I'll say it does it greatly.

Xan+Butch are my babies & now they gonna be husbands & daddies 🥺. X gotta spend more time with bestie 😅. That climax got me all teared up 😭.
Wolfy+Simon are the power duo, I'm glad W got that vacation finally lol.
Balty+Zion got up to 🐓Godzilla fun 😏, but ugh poor Izzy 😤. I was mad at Z but all's well that ends well. Lil Daisy is a queen!
Andre+Theo+Gabriel & Micah+Ziggy are pretty fun & awesome respectively...& also together 😉. Gabriel+Micah are 2 cutie sluts hehe. I love me poly family!
There's also Vi+Kai now woohoo 😍. Mommy's Princess 🥰. Vi & Xan are so similar 🤣. Poor Kai went through a lot 😅.

Along with cutesy relationships, there's also siblings, friendship & parental dynamics growth 🤭. There's drama with a dash of miscommunication 😅 in some, intrigue, sass & bit of action—which keeps things edgy, but it all led to awesome final chapters! Some villains get redemption & some get chopped 😂. I love them all 😭🥰. I'm looking forward to ALL the bonuses/spin offs.

Story ratings: Enjoyed—> 5+/5
POV: 1st Person, Multiple (13) POVs
1) The Characters & relationship: 5/5
2) The feels: 🥰😅😂😘🥺😯🙃😋😳😁🙄🤨😭😍
3) Sexy/Steamy scenes: 3.5/5
4) Levels: Lowish Angst, VERY Cute, Bit Dark
5) Build up & Style: 5/5

2024 read+review
Oh I had been collecting this series on my Kindle like the villain I am *gasp 😉*, waiting in the shadows for it to complete before I can binge read these chaotic but super fun love stories that I couldn't help but sneak scenes to read off of each. But then this big, ALL THE POVs *for funsies* happened, & my will to wait went to drain. Good that I've been keeping up in the know heh? Because I spent my 5hrs to totally devour this book, oh don't worry, I've left some scenes for my future self to go all *ooh ahh* over in surprise, but I of course I read much as I could. I'm spoiled lol. I love them so much!

I just wanna say, everyone is such a hot mess in here 😆. And when you do some forced proximity on an island? Oh drama ensues! Family reunions, some juicy secrets, a shadowy ploy, a new FF couple, & a whole lotta chaos! And the hit to the feels obviously. I'm glad to see Butch get his "villainy" on at last as he deserves to have the weeding he wants! I'm so excited for all the bonuses hehe. I did read this one's 🤭.

Short bursts/skim read (still wanna read this series, of course): 28 Sept 2024

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[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

No me gustó para nada la historia de Micah/Gabe, se me hizo tan innecesario toda la situación. Estoy harta de que autores quieran meter a más personas en relaciones que ya están bien y solo es por el morbo, cuando no tiene sentido. En especial, cuando esta situación ya era rara desde el principio. Que Gabe y André estuvieran con la misma persona lo puede soportar, pero ya querer meter a Micah y por consecuencia a Ziggy (cuando este es hijo de Theo), ya es demasiado.

Y no solo eso resulta que Kai fuera tratada como una incubadora humana por Butch y Xander, cuando este último es su “mejor amigo”. Es que yo ya no podía más con este libro. Y me molesta porque estaba emocionada por leerlo pero fue una decepción enorme, en especial cuando el libro “Earth Boys Are Easy” me encanta y es de mis favoritos.

Pero bueno, ya no estoy segura si volveré a leer algo de ella o de este universo. Me decepcionó demasiado esto.

[Kindle Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been OBSESSED with the Suarez (extended) family for a good year and a half. I’ve loved all of those books (with a tiny preference for my baby Balty 🦎🥺) and I’ve been dying to read this final book with everyone included! And I mean EVERYONE! We get to read 13 POV this time so yes it’s a lot 😂 With a bit more than 400 pages this was a thick baby (for what was supposed to be just a fun story to end it all 😆) but of course it was impossible to do otherwise with so many characters coming together. Obviously it meant less time with your favorite pairing and only one sexy time for each Suarez (all of them!) but it still packs so much: new informations, tons of feelings, a new couple (or 2?🤔) big revelations, new powers and even a murder on a deserted island!

I don’t want to spoil anything but I’m glad we finally got to see certain big moments for some of the characters (very cryptic I know 😂) I wish we could see more of the Balty situation but, like I said, he’s my favorite so I’m always hungry for more of our sweet princess. (Although, I thought his story was going one way but it didn’t so it left me a bit confused)

I’m so glad someone finally paid for what they did in the past (and I’m sure a lot of us cheered at that) and that even Violentia found love. I knew it was coming but her story was still super sweet 💕

As always, even the epilogue was full of surprise and the newsletter bonus story was deliciously juicy!

I highly recommend this book but you clearly need to have read the whole series (and Micah’s book) before otherwise nothing will make sense 😅


A big thanks to C.Rochelle for the ARC!❤️

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ I was excited to see this series come to an end... and instead we got this?

Which honestly I feel like it's left me with more questions than answers -not necessary in a bad way, but yeah...

I loved that we got to see all our boys (and you know, Theo was there too, I guess) and we finally get a Kai and Vi romance! That was all great. The whole destination wedding / who done it plot was not what I would've chosen to close off this series, but it is what is.

The epilogue is a bit too short for my taste, as well.

🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/ 5 - It's not as intense as the other books in the series, but there's still plenty of open door/ spicy scenes.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this pure queer chaos!! I got it this morning and refused to put it down till I was done.

With 13?! povs you might be worried, but this delivers! There is new love, redemption, vengeance, and a beautiful island wedding! You get laughs, emotions, spice from ALL our fave couples. What more could you want?!

I've been eagerly awaiting this book and getting to spend time with all of my favorite sweet beebs and secret soft boys -- esp Butch, Wolfy, Balty, Ziggy, Chaos Gremlin Theo! C. had my laughing and tearing up from page one practically. It was a love letter to our Superhero/Villain/Space Daddy Family! C. Rochelle might be a self processed 'pantser not a plotter' but the twists and turns, the mystery plot, surprise reveals, and set up for future spin off?! *chef's kiss* All beautiful paced and executed!

Rabble: End Game is book 5 and should NOT be read standalone. You gotta read Villainous Things 1-4 and Villains in Space 1 aka VT 4.5 (Earth Boys are Easy) to fully appreciate this read.


*Advanced Reader. Thoughts and opinions my own*

[Ally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't like the new development for Ziggy/Micah. Honestly, it just doesn't make sense to me after reading their dynamic in their book. I kept thinking “WHYYY are we doing this?". Idk it just felt very unnecessary and it came out of left field lol. (This is just my personal opinion, I love this author, just not this development)

BUTTTTT I absolutely loved the storylines for Xander/Butch & Balty/Zion

[Cas ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars: All good things must come to an end... (kinda) 🥲
(And by kinda, I mean our goddess of smut is going to deliver to us more spin-offs and bonus material, so it is not over-over yet!!)

I've gotta be honest with y’all I had no idea how C. Rochelle was gonna pull off this multi-POV nightmare with satisfying enough tying up of ends, but I should've known that she would do so near flawlessly. After Herc, our fearless leader of slooty goodness said she wouldn't juggle this many POVs again (and even teases herself about being an unreliable narrator in the book lol) but then went and outdid herself by upping the count from 12 to 13!! 😂 I'm so glad that she did though, because it wouldn't have been the same without the chaos of jumping from one head to the next when there were so many parties with strong personalities involved and so many subplots to tie up.

(When its safer to discuss spoilers I think it would be super fun to talk about how people's opinions of the characters shifted throughout the story (or just compared to when the characters got their own books) because I had a few favorites shift, myself, and I think its interesting how that happened.)

C. Rochelle did a fantastic job balancing all of those strong personalities AND somehow keeping them all from unaliving each other after corralling them all on a tiny remote island with a murder mystery, a wedding of the century, and a very hormonal (reasonably so) pregnant normie.

Speaking of pregnant women; I think that Vi & Kai's relationship was the only part that wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be now that we finally got our strictly FF moment, but it wasn't any less than what C. had promised — she had even said from the get go that it wouldn't be a main plot point with all the other things that needed to be included (and I think on some level she was likely worried how strictly MM readers would feel about FF being mixed in, although that's some hella baggage to unpack on their own), so my queer little heart holding out hope that it would be a bit more isn't anything she did (and it doesn't affect my rating or my love for the book).

Things that were my favorite, kept as vague as possible but still contain some spoilers so no hard feelings if you stop reading here:
-Wolfie & Zion becoming besties 😍
-Wolfie & Theo alliance 😳
-Wolfie vacations like a Rich Widow ™ 😂
-Daisy being the most badass Little Queen
-"Is that an omega that I see?!" (iykyk)
-Micah & Gabe !!!
-Micah getting the recognition he damn well deserves
-Theo being dragged kicking and screaming through his redemption arc
-alllll the references
-The Rabble Chat
-Found family/chosen family is the best family

And of course, my most favorite thing of any C. Rochelle book: the italicized inside thoughts of whoever's POV it is. Seriously cannot gush enough about how refreshing and fun they always are and how much I appreciate the additional glimpses into the character's psyche that you just would not get otherwise. I know other people have (wrong) opinions (lol) about the italicized thoughts being [insert tired, outdated ableist insults here], but this is my review and *I* love them.

Anyway, I digress! Sorry, this review is a little more unhinged than usual but lets be real, C. Rochelle expects nothing less at this point so I'm leaning into it lol.

I am extremely sad to see the main series end, I've loved every one of the books and their characters, even the ones that I didn't think I would like, but I know that I can't think of any way that this could've been tied up better than with this chonky final installment.

But I will be looking forward to the spin-offs and the bonus materials because I'm not ready to let these characters go. I love them and their bonds way too much!
Until next book 😘

[Amanda Hayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect answer to the question "But what happens next?!". You know the one we all ask when a book is so amazing and immersive that you're left feeling like the characters, no matter how fantastical they may be. It's a feeling I've had personally after every installment in the Villainous Things series, right from the start with Not All Himbos Wear Capes; and it's a feeling that has finally been answered!!!
If you're worried this is nothing more than a fluffy extended happy ever after epilogue, let me tell you, it is NOT. End Game still brings to the table all the things we know and love about a C. Rochelle book: the world building, the character depth and development, the emotions, the spice, and the PLOT.
Yes this has plot! Not just wrapping up loose ends from the previous books, but actual legit plot between some familiar faces and some previous side characters who are getting their time in the spotlight. There are 13 distinct points of view, every voice is given the time needed to say their piece, and no one gets lost in the rabble.

This is definitely the pinnacle of a series, if you haven't already read the first four books, you're missing out and definitely should before starting this one, reading book 1 of the spin off (Earth Boys Are Easy) is also highly recommended. If you're already all caught up on those and wondering if you really need this "just for funsies" book 5, then let this be a sign you absolutely do! Why are you still reading this? You should be reading the book!!!

[Soba · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I have lost sleep and I don’t even regret it. This was amazing, every chaotic thing was exactly as it should be. I will admit I was a little nervous bc more always means there has to be some kind of conflict and I was not ready for my babies to go through more… but this hit the spot while broadening the universe (heh) and I am super excited.

My lovelies were amazing, and true to form problems in the amazingness that is who they are (Theo especially * I cackled so much with him*.) The spice was so hot- loved the FF too!! The plot covered some much needed endings. And the wedding! FINALLY THE WEDDING WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, and it was exactly how it needed to be.

Thank you, C. Rochelle, for bringing this family(ies) to us and making us love them so much.

I look forward, as always, for more to come 😍😍😍

[Ashleyann Sanabria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediate yes. Like, from the very first line. The Villainous Things series has become so dear to me that even just being back with these characters filled my entire soul to the brim. Rabble Endgame was as much of a comfort as it was hilarious and sexy! There are some twists in here that I did NOT see coming. I loved every moment and was legitamitly upset when anything in my life DARED to interupt my reading. So basically, read this book. I mean, read the other 4 Villainous books as well as Earth Boys Are Easy first if you haven't already, but then read this book.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabble: End Game was so much more than I even expected! We got to see all of our favorite super dorks reunited and the chaos that ensues. I also loved that even as the last book in the series, C. Rochelle still gave us new plot twists and mysteries.

All of the characters really just felt so human(no pun intended) and we got to see them in all their glory with flaws and unexpected feels. The plots really just solidified how much these characters have grown throughout the overarching story.

Also, Vi and Kai were such an unexpectedly amazing pairing! I don’t typically read FF romance, but their chemistry and backstories were delicious and I want more of this Mommy and her Princess!

Overall, this was such a beautiful wrap up of the series and got me so excited to see what happens next for these dorks in Ziggy and Micah’s adventures!

[Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s so much to feel GAHHHHH

BALTY BABY 🥹

Yes, this one is longer and with soooo many POV’s but honestly? I had the best fucking time. It was truly pure queer Suarez-Stellarian-Salah CHAOSSSSS and I am living for it.

Without spoilers please read the first 5 books.

I promise it won’t disappoint.

🥹

[Chloë · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly shocked that I was able to get through the 13 different POVs and still somewhat enjoy it.

I had no interest in rereading the series before this overloaded entry, so I will say I did feel a bit lost in the convoluted plot, trying to remember all the backstory and keep some of the lesser characters straight, not to mention trying to grapple with the decidedly extra element of including the text chain!

Aside from that, it’s quirky & cheeky. Good if you want to just check out for a bit and read all about a majorly kinky family vacation/wedding with some hiccups thrown along the way.

[Sarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

From start to finish the book was such a delight to read!
I loved seeing the family interact again and even the addition of Kai to the POV gang!!

There were a few things I wish we could have seen wrapped up a little neater but with the Novel attempting to have 13 separate POV’s and a few subplots while still being under 400 pages, it’s not unexpected.

My only complaint would be I almost wish the book was longer and we had more time to really resolve the subplots and stew in the reveals a little more.

Even with that I still thoroughly enjoyed being with the Rabble! Looking forward to Space Daddy’s guide to the galaxy as Micah has very quickly become my favourite character <3

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan 2025
Kindle edition

Re-read for a group challenge week 3. Still on the fence with this one. Stellarian poly forming, Kai and Vi, murder, chaos, the usual. Was mostly interested in Balty and Zion. Didn't like who Zion was becoming and the fact that neither his inventus nor his daughter could tell him about their changes. Izzy needs someone. The Luca and Erich thing makes sense now.

September 2024
Kindle edition

Unsure about this one. Was hyped for the release, the long list at the front was a bit hype and spoilery. The content itself, I dunno. There was so much going on, everyone started to feel the same. Kai being treated like an incubator, miscommunication, the groom not wanting the wedding of the century, family reunions and Gabe/Micah. Nice little Rabble chat two liners for most of the chapters. Maybe I'll enjoy this one when I re-read or the audio comes out. Also need to download all the little extras at the back of the book. Shame they weren't released as an extra anthology. Balty still remains my fave character.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The incestuous poly relationship was simply too much for me. However that is a personal preference and I otherwise enjoyed the books. But with these fuckers being 5 of the 13 POVs it felt constant and I couldn’t just skip those bits. And it now has me worried for the next Villians in Space book cuz I think it might be Ziggy and Micah again (which is already not my preference since I prefer standalones) and if Micah is sexting Gabe the whole time imma be Big Mad

[therese ˃ᴗ˂ · Rating 2 out of 5]

huh???? this book is what happens when you read too much tumblr, ao3 and borderline 4chan nonsense. or maybe this is a skibidi sigma alpha gyatt rizz type of book but the gay version of it

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

The further the series went, the more caricature-y the characters became.
Finished the book with 0 enthusiasm.

[Jennie T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was desperate to get my hands on this story like a kid in a candy store; I couldn’t wait to read it after finishing the five other books needed to fully grasp what the heck would be going on in this LGBT+ finale with 13 POVs!

“Rabble: End Game” stars every couple in the “Villainous Things” & “Villains in Space” series, as they head to a tropical island to celebrate the union of Dr. Antihero & Captain Masculine, AKA Xander & Butch. As they prepare for the special day, a series of wild events occur that leave the protagonists concerned for themselves, their relationships, & their lives.

I'm going to start off with the cons. Structure wise, this story can feel overwhelming to people. I was okay with reading multiple perspectives, until I noticed that certain characters I was looking forward to only had 3 chapters in a 30+ Chapter book. It was like having a giant cookie and only breaking off a crumb to eat; you know there’s more that’s just waiting to be ravaged, but everyone else has to get their share. In the end, we are left with little to nothing.

I really appreciated the trigger warnings at the beginning, as it provides an idea of what’s to come, and helps readers determine if they are prepared to jump into the chaos that is C. Rochelle's imagination. The warning about “cheating/swinging” was a subject that tempted me to not continue reading. I was scared that all of these couples who were so possessive over their partners were suddenly going to intermingle with other people. Not only that, this would be done consensually under the reasoning that their supernatural bonds were bringing them closer together. That felt like a huge cop-out to justify a large, beach orgy, but thank my lucky stars, it was not that extreme. This warning is referring to a few select characters, and their justification made more sense the more I read on. I still think I could’ve gone without the cheating kink- it’s simply not for me.

This is the first book that I’ve actually READ, and not listened to on audiobook. So, I got to see how all the internal thoughts & rabble chats were formed on paper. I enjoyed the chats, but the internal thoughts, not so much. I felt like these thoughts were happening way too frequently; seeing them so often in every chapter made it feel like the author was using it as a crutch when she didn’t know how to transition to a new scene. Here’s an example (not from the book):



“He hugged me tightly, whispering in my ear that he’d never let go.

Of course he wouldn’t. He’s my Inventus.

We’re together forever."

Imagine that this is repeated over & over, how much the characters love their partner. It's like watching a movie that explains people’s feelings instead of showing them. It’s not enough that we read how the couple hugged, but we also need to repeat that they are together and love each other- like, a lot. Did you know that? It’s important to me that you know that.

Since everyone has lines like this, it makes their perspectives interchangeable. Tell me one character that has a low-sex drive, or one that isn’t comfortable sharing their naughty opinions with the group. Tell me one who hasn’t said that they claim their partner as theirs, or one who expressed how they’ll die without their mate.

The main plot about preparing for Xander & Butch’s wedding is a perfect conclusion to the series. Reintroduce the couple that started it all, and have the others reevaluate their own relationships. Yet, I came to the realization that Xander & Butch felt more like a footnote. Sometimes I forgot that everyone was on the island for their wedding, not just for a vacation. Whenever Xander or Butch’s chapters came up, they talked more about other issues instead of their relationship, which was disappointing. I can almost sense that the author may have been having more fun writing about things besides the wedding; if that was the case, then there needed to be more chapters to flesh things out.

I was saddened by some of the character arcs. A few were so…I hate to say unlikable, but yeah. They weren’t fun to read about. It was all a bunch of whining about how life sucks, and they’re too scared to ask for what they want. Shouldn’t these people be more mature by now? Characters have ups & downs, I understand. But with only 3-4 chapters to their name, having practically every chapter of theirs be depressing is…depressing.

Fortunately, it wasn’t all bad. The good qualities the book has were worth reading. For instance, this story has a noticeably LESS amount of love scenes, which one would think that’s a detriment, but I found it to be a positive. I have previously accused the author of not diving into drama- focusing more on sex than true conflict. “Rabble: End Game” provides that conflict, and it makes the resolution much more satisfying. It assists in making the couples more refined, as we could see that they are more than lusting horn-dogs, and are actually trying to be mindful of each other. Although I just complained about how every character speaks alike, that doesn’t mean I didn’t laugh when funny moments arose. I could’ve laughed HARDER, but for what it was, it was still funny. Also, while there were characters I ended up liking less after this book, there were other characters that I loved more afterwards.

The love scenes were very hot, especially towards the end of the novel. I tell ya, there was one that had me so heated, my normally composed-stoic self was squealing, blushing, & dancing from joy. Again, there aren’t nearly as many as there were in the previous books, but they offered so much, and helped me develop new interests…



I originally gave this book 4 stars, but after sleeping on it, I believe it was 3-star decently written story that had the potential to be elevated more. While it was entertaining and erotic, it came at the expense of me losing joy for some people based on their negative actions that felt unrealistic to who they normally were.

It’s a balancing act when it comes to writing; it’s hard to please everybody and stay true to what you want. So I am proud of C. Rochelle for all of her hard work in publishing the story she wanted to make, and anyone who’s not on board can move onto something else. As for me, I’m willing to check out more of her work in the future.

SPOILERS


Did you also think that Kai was SUPER annoying? Hear me out! Xander & Butch were wrong- absolutely-but the way Kai went about it was so juvenile. It’s acknowledged that she changed from the pregnancy, but I couldn’t stand how all of her chapters were bemoaning her situation. Every single chapter she cried or complained, and to top that off, she’s desperate for Violentia to be her “Mommy” which strips her of agency. That feels like very poor female representation, especially since this is the only book where we get that representation. I mean, she DESTROYED Xander’s clothes and didn’t feel sorry for it. I don’t care that she was pregnant, that’s some psycho shit right there.

Vi was also annoying, but to a lesser degree. It’s realistic for her to be hot-tempered with her past, but she slips right in with Wolfgang, Andre, & any other angry coded character. Her desire to be a protector came off more creepy than charming. So, she wants a fragile woman to protect, like that woman is some helpless bird? This automatically doesn’t make Vi & Kai equal, and neither discuss the possibility of the dangers of this dynamic. They go from being best friends to jumping into a Mommy/Princess relationship; that type of stuff should be discussed at length. Also, what the hell was with her crashout at the bar? She stormed out feeling defeated after Kai said she wished she had a partner like her to love; Vi saw that as a reason Kai DIDN’T love her. Uhh, open your ears lady, that was clearly an invitation. Just about as clear as, “I want you to sleep with me.”

Just my luck that the two characters I loved the most- Butch & Baltasar- were arguably going through the most shit. It made my heart break for them! But it’s interesting how at the end, I still loved Balty, but Butch dropped several points down. I felt like for him being a part of the first ever couple- and the star of the wedding- he needed to have more of a backbone. He spent the most time in a romantic relationship, and yet he was still so scared to be honest with Xander that he didn’t express his feelings until the very last chapter. Can you imagine how many things didn’t need to happen if he just pulled Xander aside and said he didn’t want a huge wedding? The deaths could’ve been prevented, money could’ve been saved, etc. Butch was a sad excuse for a character in this book, and I am grieving at that fact.

I should explain how Balty differs from this, since he also never wanted to tell Zion that he gained Lacertus powers. First of all, Balty wasn’t moping around the whole time like Butch was. He was genuinely happy in several scenes, using comedy as a coping mechanism, but still providing levity to tense situations. He felt like the same character I grew to love in the 3rd book, and he also was dealing with more serious issues. Butch was sad that he was having a wedding on an island, meanwhile Balty was turning into freaking Godzilla and did his best to not inconvenience everyone.

What also helps is how Zion reacts to this. When he saw Balty nude and seemingly lost among the forest, Zion rushed to hug him and confirm that he was okay. Zion remained calm when Balty said those cruel things to him about whether his love was legitimate. He was always checking on Balty, with the box-breathing techniques, the rabble chat, etc. The only time he wasn’t was when someone had just gotten murdered and he was placed in a very hard position to investigate his own brother, Isaiah. As for Xander? He asked a question to Butch, maybe once or twice, but otherwise he was completely oblivious to his fianceè’s needs. He was oblivious to Kai's too; Xander was written to be totally careless of other people’s feelings, which set him down lower on my favorite characters list.

I can’t believe I actually LIKED Theo in this book. I kept referring to him as “Frieza” from the DragonBall series, with how conniving he was yet always getting away from being banished from the group completely. He’s like this annoying gnat in your ear that would piss you off, but when wasps are heading in your direction with stingers, suddenly he doesn’t seem so bad.

The stars of the book were supposed to be Xander & Butch, but I think Gabe & Micah hold that title. Their whole, “Will they, won’t they?” conflict took over the marriage plot. Gabe, Micah, Andre, Theo, & Ziggy’s chapters usually revolved around this issue, which made the majority of chapters talk about this newfound relationship that ended up going nowhere beyond a heated kiss. It’s not like I wanted them to be together, but come on, there were so many chapters alluding to them sleeping together, and then it didn't happen.

On second thought...part of me wishes that Gabe & Micah were a legit couple. They were cute together, and I really wanted Gabe to have control over his life and get away from Dre & Theo's toxic asses. Gabe has the least amount of experience being independent, and Micah was his means of achieving that. So it may be unhealthy to a degree, but I find their relationship much better than the throuple. I’d only feel bad for Ziggy, but he’s been so traumatized, maybe it would’ve been better if he stayed single for a while.

It says a lot when the cast of characters are so chaotic that it makes Wolfgang & Simon look like the most stable couple. Also, kudos to Wolfgang! I noticed how after he gave up all responsibility that he no longer had any POVs- that was clever!

I can already tell that Isaiah & Luca are going to have standalone books in the future. Also whatever students we meet in that school Xander & Butch are conducting.

Chapter 30…Chapter freaking 30. Oh my God, THAT messed me up in the best way. It had all my favorite things: domination, primal behavior, lizards, and amplified it x100! I consider that to be the best love scene in the book. It was sexy, unique, & resolved the issue between Balty & Zion after so much tension. It was the release we all needed. I am waiting for when Isaiah’s book comes out, so that I can read the part where Zion casually mentions how Balty is pregnant with his child- because you know that’s coming!

I never really enjoyed the love scenes in Gabe, Dre, & Theo’s book, but the “Shibari Tendril” scene? Ohhh boy, it’s about time Theo got dominated like that! So completely ravaged; it was a well deserved brutality.

I think I’ve spoken long enough, so I’ll end this spoiler talk with a ranking of the couples from my least to most favorite, based on my impression of them in this book & their standalones. Let’s see if we share the same thoughts:

Gabriel, Andre, & Theo- They are so unhealthy that it’s not even funny. I wish Gabe went off on his own to be with someone else, so Dre & Theo can abuse each other for the rest of their lives- cause to me, they clearly have greater chemistry.

Kai & Violentia- I like how they had a long time to get to know each other before being romantic, but Vi’s need to be “Mommy” to a vulnerable Kai really rubs me the wrong way. It feels at best that Vi fetishizes Kai, and at worst, she’ll go on to control her every move.

Xander & Butch- Oh how the mighty have fallen! They were going to be in my top three because I loved their villain x hero dynamic. I also loved how Xander would encourage Butch to get out of his shell, since Butch's character reminded me of myself at times. But this book highlighted everything wrong with them being a couple, with Xander being clueless to Butch’s needs and Butch not opening up to Xander- to the extent of inadvertently causing chaos to occur. Now that they have children, those negative traits may come up even more.

Wolfgang & Simon- I originally didn’t care for this couple, mainly because of Simon’s sadistic need for dominance, but they grew on me. They work well together, and have a good understanding of the other person’s needs in the relationship. Boss couple vibes!

Baltasar & Zion- Balty may be my favorite character, but his relationship comes second because of Zion. I love Zion too, but the things he says about Mikki shows how he was taking advantage of a woman’s love for selfish needs. He literally says in the 3rd book that he slept with her thinking of Balty; he’s been crushing on Balty for so many years that it’s an obsession. Crazy how they’re still runner up, but gosh darn it, they're so delightful as a couple! The issues I described are few & far between, while everything else is glorious. Their chemistry, their communication, their love for Daisy, you want to root for them so much. I’ll cry happy tears whenever it’s confirmed that Balty got pregnant, because I know they’ll continue to be amazing dads.

Micah & Ziggy- Now THIS right here is the blueprint for a healthy relationship! Micah is the glue that holds Ziggy together, and Ziggy provides the same care. They are darkness x sunshine incarnate, and have proven to work well together in the most stressful of situations. Micah’s desire for Gabe is addressed to Ziggy, who doesn't criticize his partner for his desires, and trusts that Micah will always love him above anyone else- that’s so beautiful! They’re going on to do more wacky adventures, and I’m sure they’re going to continue proving to the galaxy just how amazing they are as a power couple.

[Arwen Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theo is my spirit animal...

... And I'm not ok.
Well ok, I'm actually feeling amazing: I got some closure, I got to get "closer" to the twins, who I haven't been able to appreciate as much as the other couples yet, I even got to see... Vacation Wolfy...

But I can't survive the end of that amazing series! Ughhhh 5 books in 5 days and it has already become such a comfort series. That big disfonctional yet loving family has kind of a reassuring thing to it: you see people that love each other fight and bicker, how they make amends, how they have to face some hard truths.

While a story about heroes, supervillains and aliens is NOT realistic in the slightest, some of the family dynamics, as well as some feelings and insecurities expressed by the MANY characters in this series, I got to witness were strangely relatable. It felt good.

Now that the emotional part is out of the way: I am ADDICTED to the sarcastic humor leaking from the author. I just love it! I kept giggling randomly through the day while reading, especially when a certain someone was found in a certain revealing yet flashing outfit on what appeared to be a scene straight out of a Cluedo game.

Anyways: I'm glad I got to know all of these wonderful yet devastatingly fictional characters. It was a breath of fresh air to me and was certainly a lovely ending to an equally lovely story.

I also cried for the wedding. Yeah.


Since I can't bring myself to choose one, here are some of my favorite quotes from the book!

"This family’s drama is better than a telenovela, I swear."

"I was suddenly overcome with the strangest sensation. It started in my chest and radiated outward—a tingling chased by cozy warmth. AM I HAVING A HEART ATTACK?!"

"Time for a chaos grenade. Or two. Let’s make it several!"

"Then, his chest began to glow, which caused Gabe’s chest to glow—then Dre’s and even Micah’s—until they were all lit up like a gaggle of goddamn E.T.s."