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Dogtooth: Revenant Academy Book II

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After reading her history, Agnes discovers that every answer only leads to more questions, and the fate of those she left behind hangs in the balance as she struggles to make sense of her strange origins.

Back at the Academy, someone close to her goes missing from a grisly scene, forcing Agnes into an uneasy alliance with the object of her annoyance. Rigel is all too happy to drag her deeper into danger, regardless of how it throws a wrench in her fragile, forbidden relationship with Professor Faun.

The school forbids her from digging into the mystery, but Agnes knows too much to remain an ignorant student. She can't move on with her afterlife, knowing someone she once loved might have met a violent end — again.

One wrong step could be the end of her second chance in purgatory, and once she's gone, any hope for her loved ones — alive and dead — goes with her.


This is book II in the Revenant Academy series and contains subject matter that may be distressing for readers who struggle with subject matter related to DV, child loss, death, suicide, student-teacher relationships, and general gore.

360 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2024

12 people are currently reading
83 people want to read

About the author

Kinsey Presley-Hornung

10 books67 followers
Kinsey lives in the middle of godforsaken nowhere, and don't worry, she's not quitting her day job.
She enjoys peeing in the shower and long walks away from the beach because beaches are gross.
With little to no charisma, she is hoping that her writing will charm you because her personality sure can't.

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5 stars
65 (41%)
4 stars
50 (31%)
3 stars
35 (22%)
2 stars
6 (3%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Ellie Collins.
583 reviews11 followers
October 29, 2024
This series is one of my top reads of 2024. You can’t convince me otherwise. This was simply beautiful. READ THE TW’S!!

The writing is incredible & the author has such an amazing unique imagination that the writing on page could so easily come alive in front of you.

There is so much going on in this book following on from book 1 Mouse Bones & then we get so much more near the end? The second half of the book was INCREDIBLE.

& you know when Author references the book titles in their story? THE BEST.

‘You grievously underestimate exactly how much effort is required to keep from ripping your clothes off at any given moment.’

She took his dam head😭😭 this whole scene was so beautiful but also so funny to picture

‘Have you at least checked the lost and found?’ - LOL🦶

‘Why have you been collecting MOUSE BONES Rigel?’

The moment he walked to the window but kept his head there?! Let me tell you now.. the SPICE but make it beetle juice crazy x Tim Burton vibes you will be kicking feet & giggglingggg (ah see what I did there 🦶😂) - Nahhh🤭🤭🤭🤭

The story of Rigel..WTF? I was NOT expecting that. This story was heart breaking & you learn so much more about the characters through out this story.

‘She tipped her head closer to me, mouth stretching into a distorted smile that revealed her missing dogtooth.’

Gone..my jaw dropped. I was NOT ready for that to happen at all?! & the ENDING!!!!! Now stop this. WHAT WHAT WHAT. HOW CAN YOU LEAVE ME HANGING LIKE THAT WITH KNOWING THAT!

I can’t even.. this series is amazing & there is also so many little detailed moments that just make you smile or giggle. For example.. they were toffee caramelised apples! It gave halloween vibes🍎🍏👻🎃

I just love it so much!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Rhianah.
286 reviews72 followers
June 10, 2025
I didn’t like this one as much! I decided I didn’t like many of the characters as I got to know them more
Profile Image for VelvetNocturne_.
312 reviews8 followers
November 4, 2025
How are you just going to leave us on that cliffhanger??!?! 😭 But also, this series just continues to take the reader on some of the most imaginatively grisly, and often gory quests of finding answers in the oddest of places. Everything is so depressing and funny, and kinda absurd and unserious and scary, and I just need more people to give this a chance.
Profile Image for Amber.
29 reviews
November 12, 2024
Might have some spoilers ahead.

Actual rating is 2.5 stars tentatively rounded up to 3.

This second book does better than the first at showing rather than telling, but only slightly. The writing style, especially for conversations, feels a little juvenile. The mystery/plot also feels a little jumbled/confusing at some points.

Imo, there should have been a couple more scenes or bonding moments between Agnes and Faun, because what happened to him at the end fell a little flat for me.

I do still find Rigel an interesting character, but I honestly thought he would improve after his last apology lmaooo but that might be on me. I can’t tell if his inconsistency is truly part of his characterization or if the choice he made was just to push the angst along. I did really like his and Agnes’ interactions though, there were a couple moments I was like 👀👀👀

The spice itself I’d rate half a chili pepper, if that’s something others want to know. The tension and things that happen beforehand are focused on way more than the actual spice scenes, which are basically “he did this, I loved it, now it’s over.”

Also I did not realize the chancellor had a vulture head on his neck but also had a real face. Until the end of this book, I’d been under the assumption that he just had a vulture head instead of a human one.
Profile Image for KZ.
430 reviews4 followers
July 20, 2025
★★★☆☆ (3/5)

I buddy read this one as a follow-up to Mouse Bones, and while Dog Tooth had its emotional highs, it left me feeling more mixed than satisfied. The slower pace continues in this installment—but here, it felt less like a deliberate atmospheric choice and more like the story was meandering. There were entire sections that felt disconnected, almost random, which made it hard to stay fully engaged. That said, the emotional moments did hit when they needed to, and the last 100 pages absolutely flew by.

What really stood out to me in Dog Tooth was the vibe and aesthetic—it gave major Tim Burton energy, with eerie, offbeat characters and a twisted sense of whimsy that made the world feel distinctly its own. The storyline is unique and creatively layered, with moments that are both haunting and unexpectedly funny. It’s unlike anything I’ve read in a while, and that’s part of what kept me intrigued, even during the slower stretches.

However, I do wish we had more insight into the world-building. There’s clearly something rich and strange beneath the surface, but we’re only given glimpses—just enough to be curious, but not enough to feel fully immersed. The same goes for the side characters, many of whom felt important or carried emotional weight, but didn’t get the depth or development they deserved. It felt like they were on the edge of becoming something brilliant, but the narrative never fully let them bloom.

Character-wise, there’s definite growth, and I appreciated some of the deeper emotional beats, especially when the story leaned into vulnerability. The humor scattered throughout added some much-needed levity, and I did find myself laughing and crying at different moments. Still, the pacing issues from the first book are even more noticeable here—especially since the core mystery still feels frustratingly out of reach.

I’m hopeful the next book will pick up the momentum that Dog Tooth only started to build near the end. There’s clearly more to explore in this world, and I’m curious to see how the emotional threads, magical elements, and eerie atmosphere evolve moving forward.

Tropes:
✅Found family (becoming more central)
✅Hidden powers
✅Academic
✅Slow-burn emotional growth
✅Professor X Student Romance
✅Enemies-to-reluctant-allies (emerging dynamic)
✅High-stakes cliffhanger ending
2 reviews
December 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An incredibly immersive and underrated horror romance series

Revenant Academy is a dark, atmospheric story that pulled me in from the very first page and never let go. The premise alone is fascinating—Agnes wakes up after her death on a college campus in purgatory, enrolled in an academy meant to prepare the dead for what comes next. What initially appears beautiful and orderly quickly reveals something far more unsettling.

Book one excels at world-building and tension. The academy feels alive, dangerous, and secretive, filled with strange creatures, forbidden knowledge, and unspoken rules. Agnes is a compelling protagonist whose curiosity and determination drive the story forward, even when the consequences are severe. The romance is a slow burn, layered with secrecy and emotional complexity, and it adds depth to the danger rather than overshadowing it.

Book two raises the stakes significantly. The mystery surrounding Agnes’s past deepens, relationships are tested, and the emotional weight of loss and grief becomes more pronounced. The story grows darker and more intense, and the choices Agnes faces feel genuinely high-risk. Every revelation leads to new questions, keeping the plot engaging and unpredictable.

This series balances horror, romance, and mystery in a thoughtful way. The darker themes are handled seriously, and the emotional moments feel earned rather than exaggerated. Readers who enjoy dark academia settings, suspenseful mysteries, and slow-burn romance with high stakes will likely find this series very rewarding.

Highly recommended for those looking for something atmospheric, emotional, and different from the usual genre offerings.
Profile Image for Gizelle Chia.
562 reviews10 followers
December 4, 2024
3.5 Stars

Poor Agnes. 💔

Ok- Now I’ve had some time to reflect. I have some thoughts… I love the story telling bc it’s not predictable, it keeps me guessing. But there are times when I struggle to visualise what’s going on. I feel that some of the descriptions are a little vague.

Faun- I do love a high stakes teacher/student relationship trope. I was rooting for them to be together since the first book but I do think my allegiance has shifted more towards Rigel now even though he’s a little shit and has red flags for days…
I wanted to love Faun but his character felt quite dull in this instalment. I didn’t feel the passion between him and Agnes. He never really fought for her. The sex scenes were bland and unsatisfactory. I feel that they needed to either be completely closed door or graphically detailed. The middle of the road vague descriptions we got felt like an itch that I couldn’t scratch. - It definitely affected how I viewed their relationship.

I am intrigued about Connie. I hope to learn more about her in the next book.

I think there’s potential for Rigel to be endgame. Though with how the story ends, there may be a new spanner in the works.

I need the next instalment immediately!
Profile Image for Alopix.
32 reviews18 followers
April 20, 2025
2/5


I'm kind of disappointed with this book. The first one already had its issues—some things didn’t quite make sense and the cliffhanger at the end left me frustrated. But with this one, I only made it to the 50% mark before I had to stop. I was just too annoyed by how things were unfolding.

The main issue for me was the emotional inconsistency. I really didn’t like that the male lead sought out someone else just to forget her. And then when she was hurt by it—which felt real and justified—she just... let it go the next time he touched her. It felt emotionally shallow and didn’t sit right with me.

The side plot with Rigel and her cousin also didn’t work for me. I get the idea behind it, but it just didn’t pull me in. And the whole school setup? It’s so cryptic, and no one seems to question anything about the leadership or what's going on behind the scenes. That lack of curiosity or resistance made it all feel unrealistic.

To be honest, I’m still mildly curious about how things wrap up, so maybe I’ll come back and finish it if the final book in the series releases. But for now, I’m putting this one down—which says a lot, because I almost never leave a book unfinished.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jaye Winkley .
235 reviews8 followers
October 29, 2024
“Morality is an illusion.”

I am OBSESSED with the Revenant Academy series!!

You best believe I binged this whole book on release day, 5 FREAKIN STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

That ending?! I’m sorry WHAT I can’t be left hanging like that?! I can’t wait to see where we go from here in the future, 100% one of my fav series I have read!!

We find out so much more about our characters from the first book in this which I loved, Rigel’s story😢 You want to hate him but you just can’t help but love him the lil tortured soul he is.

and Professor Faun!! I was wondering when they were gonna pull that card with the his head being removable🌶️🌶️ “When I was finished, he released my mouth and retrieved his head from where it was still pressed between my legs.” 👀

I can’t get over how much I have LOVED these books, they are so well written, and so unique!! Tim burton type crazy x dark academia x forbidden romance - AMAZING🤌🏻🖤

I will be living in anticipation until we get an announcement for the next instalment in the series🙆🏻‍♀️
Profile Image for Emma.
96 reviews1 follower
July 20, 2025
4 ✨

I found this one a little better than the first, as I felt like the story had progressed a lot more, however I am a little gutted by the ending!
Having nearly the whole book being based on finding Lindy, just for her to be chucked through the black door in a very quick and rapid paced chapter was a little disappointing, but my heart actually broke when P. Faun went through too!! I didn’t realise I had such an attachment to him and Agnes’ story until that ended.

I’m still really confused about Rigels deal, and why he’s so back and forth about being good, then being mean, then he’s trying to help Agnes. Safe to say I will be reading the next one when it comes out, hopefully I may get some closure on that!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Miri's Rewiews.
7 reviews
March 24, 2025
Alright! What a follow-up to the first book! So many new revelations, and that ending--?? I cannot physically wait for the next book in this series, what a phenomenal cliff-hanger. I genuinely don't know where the next book will take the story, but I can only imagine it will be awesome.

So far, this series is so fresh and novel from many of the more mainstream fantasy series' out there. It's chaos, and whimsy, and so darkly funny! I adore the characters, with all their sass, and flaws, and bite. They're all so charmingly human, and relatable, despite the fact that their situation is so incredibly, well, unrelatable.

I'm holding my breath for the next instalment!
1 review
December 7, 2024
This is amazing. Please read the book!!

These books have had a great story line that always leaves you guessing, but doesn't string you along. The fantastical world that Kinsey Presley-Hornung created is built with beautiful imagery, and real, deep-cutting stories within. I had no idea what the book was about when I began reading, but im so glad I stumbled upon it. The relationship with the characters is beautiful and challenging. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!!!
Profile Image for Jessica.
254 reviews1 follower
December 13, 2024
Uh, what…. Damn…. Was not expecting that.

Second book, gave the first 4.5 ⭐️ (I needed more angst and romance between Agnes and Professor Faun to rate it 5.) Giving this book 4.5 ⭐️ also and rating it down that half a star again for the same reason. Romance side of things is just missing the mark.

Kinsey’s imagination, world building and writing style I think is pretty awesome. Hooked into the storyline and wanting to find out what’s next…

However, that ending… there’s got to be more to it right. Like what happened can’t just be it… where’s book three!!
Profile Image for Valerie.
245 reviews17 followers
October 10, 2025
I'm so glad I decided to read this right after finishing the first one, Mouse Bones. It answered so many questions I still had, and I'm completely in love with this series now. The writing was polished, with existing characters feeling more dynamic and a plot that was continuously engaging. Ends on an emotional cliffhanger, but not as severe as book 1. I'm eagerly awaiting book 3. This was such a great find on KU.
2 reviews
November 1, 2024
Just Wow

This series is amazing! I can’t get enough of the characters and the storyline! Book number 2 left us with even more questions, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! Everything about this series is unique and thrilling. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next one!
Profile Image for Ivana :).
176 reviews
November 6, 2024
Ok this is a 4.5!!
There were certain things about the plot that just got a bit messy and confusing and I don’t think they ended up being explained quite well before just going over them.
However, i love everything about this? The world, the spooky creepy weird stuff, characters and the plot seems to thicken!
I can’t wait to get the third book🖤
Profile Image for Lauren Fit.
363 reviews1 follower
November 27, 2024
This was a good continuation of the first book. The writing definitely got better and this book when in a whole different way than I had predicted or expected. It’s….interesting. I love the romance part and the academia part. Everything is different/interesting. And let’s just say I have a new kink unlocked 😉
Profile Image for Shannan.
9 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2024
I should know better than reading a book so close to its release date. I need the next one immediately😭 I’ve loved this series so far and I’m excited to find out what happens next. It pulled me out of a deep reading slump so 10/10 no notes!
Profile Image for Lisa.
314 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2024
😽

And just like that we are back in this overarching mystery! And oh my GOD was it wild. I was screaming by the end! This series is brilliant, raw and rough around the edges, but brilliant. Good GOD I need the next one immediately!
Profile Image for EB.
83 reviews
November 13, 2024
I don't think it was as good as mouse bones. I felt like i was disconnecting with the characters. It was only 80% in when I learned why the book was named dog tooth.
I did genuinely enjoy it, and I hope there is more from this author.
Profile Image for Coral Loriguillo.
50 reviews
March 9, 2025
I wasn’t thrilled as I expected more considering I couldn’t put the first book down - I felt myself wanting to finish to not leave it half read more than anything instead of anticipating how things would end for Agnes.
There was a tiny bit of spice but I’d rate it as a 0.5
Profile Image for KeKe MaQ.
15 reviews
November 7, 2024
I stumbled upon the first book on kindle unlimited and this has unexpectedly become a series I think about often. I’m so eager for book three…I feel like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I NEED ANSWERS!!! I did not know “paranormal romance” would be a genre I’d be into in 2024, but I’m not mad about it. 👀

I really enjoyed the Twin Peaks references too. 😆 I agree, Connie would love it.
3 reviews
November 7, 2024
12/10

Kinsey, we’re going to need you to quit that day job. Had my jaw falling not once, not twice but THREE times. So ready for book 3!!
Profile Image for Charlotte Rose.
240 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2025
2.75⭐️

I really do think the world is interesting but I cared even less about the characters in this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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