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Knights of Caliburn University #2
The Ivory Throne
They lied to me.
They had their reasons. Their holy vows. Their sacred quest.
I know all of that. And I don’t care.
I’ve left Caliburn. I’ve spent weeks trying to be normal. To be manageable and unremarkable. If hiding in the dark is what it takes to survive, then so be it. I’m done with trying.
But when a stranger suddenly shows up looking for me, the four Caliburn Knights aren’t far behind—and now they want forgiveness.
Now they’re sorry.
Now—suddenly—I matter.
With no other options, I come back to the only place with answers. Return to my books and studies and trying to figure out the mystery that’s—apparently—at the heart of who I am.
But there are strings attached. Protection they insist upon. Six-hour shifts, around the clock: four boys with swords, sworn to protect me from enemies I’m only beginning to understand. As if I weren’t already the campus outcast, now I have a bodyguard following me everywhere I go.
So be it. I trust that they’ll keep me safe. I don’t need to forgive them to do it.
Except that somewhere between the piles of research and the hidden corners of the campus, things change. Like they’re starting to…care. Not about me, but for me.
Like I’m something too brilliant to stay in the dark.
I don’t want to give in. The four of them can’t give in. And danger won’t wait for desire to sort itself out.
Because The Consistory—the secret order that oversees their quest—is demanding answers. And there are others in pursuit of the Grail—people who will feed its ancient, terrible, world-changing power with blood.
The only truth I know for sure: once their vows get pushed to the breaking point, there’s no going back.
Only forward. Only together. Or not at all.
THE IVORY THRONE is Book 2 in the Knights of Caliburn University series, a dark academia reverse harem romance where the heroine holds all the cards and her four sworn protectors grovel their way back from betrayal. It contains mature themes and may not be suitable for all readers.
They had their reasons. Their holy vows. Their sacred quest.
I know all of that. And I don’t care.
I’ve left Caliburn. I’ve spent weeks trying to be normal. To be manageable and unremarkable. If hiding in the dark is what it takes to survive, then so be it. I’m done with trying.
But when a stranger suddenly shows up looking for me, the four Caliburn Knights aren’t far behind—and now they want forgiveness.
Now they’re sorry.
Now—suddenly—I matter.
With no other options, I come back to the only place with answers. Return to my books and studies and trying to figure out the mystery that’s—apparently—at the heart of who I am.
But there are strings attached. Protection they insist upon. Six-hour shifts, around the clock: four boys with swords, sworn to protect me from enemies I’m only beginning to understand. As if I weren’t already the campus outcast, now I have a bodyguard following me everywhere I go.
So be it. I trust that they’ll keep me safe. I don’t need to forgive them to do it.
Except that somewhere between the piles of research and the hidden corners of the campus, things change. Like they’re starting to…care. Not about me, but for me.
Like I’m something too brilliant to stay in the dark.
I don’t want to give in. The four of them can’t give in. And danger won’t wait for desire to sort itself out.
Because The Consistory—the secret order that oversees their quest—is demanding answers. And there are others in pursuit of the Grail—people who will feed its ancient, terrible, world-changing power with blood.
The only truth I know for sure: once their vows get pushed to the breaking point, there’s no going back.
Only forward. Only together. Or not at all.
THE IVORY THRONE is Book 2 in the Knights of Caliburn University series, a dark academia reverse harem romance where the heroine holds all the cards and her four sworn protectors grovel their way back from betrayal. It contains mature themes and may not be suitable for all readers.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
December 27, 2025
This was terrible. Lots of typos and grammar issues. We still don't get any explanation on what's going on. It seems like the author doesnt even know either. I have so many questions. Somehow shes the holy grail? Somehow she thought she was a chosen one from God or something? Not sure why she thought that or how they even know shes the holy grail. Whats the point of them being fencing prodigies if they're basically monks? How does that even matter? Gwen doesn't even make them grovel or anything for their actions. I don't get any of her connections with them. It's not even a slow burn tbh. Its more of a, they're barely even acquaintances. When King finds out two of them are in a sexual relationship they somehow think being collateral damage for eachother is to all be in a relationship with Gwen. Why not just promise not to tell on eahother? The author cant decide if they want to have a pg13 sex scene or a steamy scene. Why do we completely skip the biggest sex scene? The whole vow of celibacy has been a really big part of the plot and yet the first time any of them have actual sex, especially a threesome, we skip to the next chapter? We don't get any mention of what happened, no flashbacks, no mention of her time with them. Nada. That makes zero sense. Many more questions and inconsistencies. This is all pissing me off just thinking about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2026
I’m convinced the author wanted certain things to happen but was too lazy to actually write them in a way that makes sense or is just yk good so she abruptly wrote everything she wanted anyway. But without making it believable in any sense. Basically, the writing was shit 🥰
February 17, 2026
i…yea kind of disappointed honestly. i absolutely loved the first book and this one just lost me completely. overall, it felt very rushed both plot-wise and writing-wise.
i do also feel like gwenna forgave them wayyyy too fucking easily…don’t piss me off with that
i do also feel like gwenna forgave them wayyyy too fucking easily…don’t piss me off with that
February 18, 2026
bizarre cult vibes, geen idee wat ik zojuist gelezen heb
May 11, 2026
I enjoyed the concepts in the book and the oath was a unique take on religious beliefs and duty. I’m just not quite sure that the story as a whole was very good. I feel like all the ceremonies like Ash Wednesday and the types of gear or prayers the guys talk about should be expanded on. It just felt like the entire book was about guys who knew fancy words for religious ideas that they all resented. I just wish that the concepts and logic behind those opinions would be more relevant. Also I wanted more information on fencing as well, I mean how is it that two of the 5 main characters are scholars and yet there’s no run down on concepts or definition exchange. I guess it was a good book but I just wanted for more thought to go into the world building.
January 24, 2026
The Ivory Throne is book two in the Knights of Caliburn University series and I was so happy to be back here. The story starts right where book one ended and I was happy that I could read on where the last story ended. In this book you'll follow Gwenna and our four Caliburn fence knights. And after reading this second book I really love this intake with the holy grail and the knights.
In this book we go further on the search with what the holy grails means and our four knights do everything in their power to protect Gwenna. Even if it means to give up on some things. We learn more about each character and I love the dual-POV, you'll get a nice inside in all their minds and why they do some stuff they do. The last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat and I can't wait to dive into book 3!
Jade R. Evans thank you so much for this ARC to read and review.
In this book we go further on the search with what the holy grails means and our four knights do everything in their power to protect Gwenna. Even if it means to give up on some things. We learn more about each character and I love the dual-POV, you'll get a nice inside in all their minds and why they do some stuff they do. The last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat and I can't wait to dive into book 3!
Jade R. Evans thank you so much for this ARC to read and review.
January 1, 2026
This is such a fantastic take on a why choose romance! I read The Black Table, book one, earlier this year and was so excited to continue the story with this one! Who knew fencing could be this sexy 😜
Very grateful that I have book three to read so hopefully I can find out what happened after this ending 🙌🏻
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Very grateful that I have book three to read so hopefully I can find out what happened after this ending 🙌🏻
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
December 14, 2025
Förvirringen fortsätter men med lite spiceee och action
April 1, 2026
I gave the first book in this series a lot of grace because, well... first book.
I made the assumption that much of what was rather inexplicable or very loosely made sense would be brought together in the second book.
To say I was wrong is a massive understatement.
This story suffers greatly from a lack of verisimilitude. So much so that it begins to feel like the reader is being gaslit. The sheer amount of incomprehensible, implausible occurrences turned my reading experience into pure sarcasm. "Oh, and I bet now they're going to do ___ FoR rEaSoNs."
Although I very much enjoyed the detailed scholarly and fencing bits, they couldn't make up for the fact that the author completely ignored the portions of the story that truly mattered. Because here's the thing - no one is going to care if you fudge the finer bits of fencing (accept for the pretentious fencing nobs), but most will care if, for instance, you can't explain why Luther Pendragon seems to be totally okay with a gal suddenly living alongside his supposedly chaste knights. The forced proximity is exactly that - forced. Contrived. There are no breadcrumb trails to be had.
Needless to say, the author seems to want certain things to be true, but doesn't seem to actually want to explain why.
Adding insult to injury were the copious grammatical and proofreading errors, alongside a writing cadence that was even more staccato and repetitive than the first installment. All in all, what seemed to be initially promising turned into an unexpectedly steep nosedive for the Knights of Caliburn University.
I made the assumption that much of what was rather inexplicable or very loosely made sense would be brought together in the second book.
To say I was wrong is a massive understatement.
This story suffers greatly from a lack of verisimilitude. So much so that it begins to feel like the reader is being gaslit. The sheer amount of incomprehensible, implausible occurrences turned my reading experience into pure sarcasm. "Oh, and I bet now they're going to do ___ FoR rEaSoNs."
Although I very much enjoyed the detailed scholarly and fencing bits, they couldn't make up for the fact that the author completely ignored the portions of the story that truly mattered. Because here's the thing - no one is going to care if you fudge the finer bits of fencing (accept for the pretentious fencing nobs), but most will care if, for instance, you can't explain why Luther Pendragon seems to be totally okay with a gal suddenly living alongside his supposedly chaste knights. The forced proximity is exactly that - forced. Contrived. There are no breadcrumb trails to be had.
Needless to say, the author seems to want certain things to be true, but doesn't seem to actually want to explain why.
Adding insult to injury were the copious grammatical and proofreading errors, alongside a writing cadence that was even more staccato and repetitive than the first installment. All in all, what seemed to be initially promising turned into an unexpectedly steep nosedive for the Knights of Caliburn University.
August 2, 2026
Definitely still building on the first book, and the plot continued to remain interesting. I did struggle with all the typos and grammatical errors though. They rip you out of the storyline to try to figure out what is being said. Hoping that improves in the next book!
December 17, 2025
Book 2 in the Knights of Caliburn University, The Ivory Throne picks up with a wild start after the already shocking ending to The Black Table. Start to finish I was absolutely hooked on this (I’ve decided) paranormal romance. There are so many elements that make this story truly unique, fencing MMCs, religion, rivalry between countries, and much more. If you’re a fan of a why choose but feel stuck in the same plot cycle then this is for you! Cannot wait for book 3!
December 26, 2025
DNF. After the previous book, this is a disappointment. Feels like this book isn’t edited at all. I’m not a native English speaker and I get typos when writing too, but a lot of them could’ve been picked out when the story was proof-read by tentative readers.
I had a few moments where I simply couldn’t follow the story correctly. Towards 2/3 of the story it got worse. Dialogue cut off (-) (…) without enough info to guess what was meant. The sex scenes feel weird. The books are slow burn, but then, after one kiss, it’s mind in the gutter and like the guys are deviants, but nothing is really explicit enough to get a good picture of everything that’s happening. In the sex scene between Lanz, Cal and Gwenna she orgasms and they talk in cut off sentences so much that you aren’t even sure what exactly had happened there. Then, it’s all, ‘wanna fuck Cal?’ Which she wants and BOOM, next chapter starts with Kingston … uhm, where the sex?!? If you skip it, do it differently 😅 so yeah, that was my moment to DNF.
I had a few moments where I simply couldn’t follow the story correctly. Towards 2/3 of the story it got worse. Dialogue cut off (-) (…) without enough info to guess what was meant. The sex scenes feel weird. The books are slow burn, but then, after one kiss, it’s mind in the gutter and like the guys are deviants, but nothing is really explicit enough to get a good picture of everything that’s happening. In the sex scene between Lanz, Cal and Gwenna she orgasms and they talk in cut off sentences so much that you aren’t even sure what exactly had happened there. Then, it’s all, ‘wanna fuck Cal?’ Which she wants and BOOM, next chapter starts with Kingston … uhm, where the sex?!? If you skip it, do it differently 😅 so yeah, that was my moment to DNF.
April 29, 2026
2 stars ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ The Ivory Throne☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “They told me all of my cages were mental. So I got wasted like all my potential” 🎶
After discovering the truth about the Caliburn Knights and their secrets, she walks away, determined to disappear and live quietly. But when danger finds her again, the four boys return, bound by duty and desperate for her forgiveness. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to Caliburn, seeking answers about the mystery tied to her identity.
❤️.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•THOUGHTS •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.❤️
I was already rooting for Gwenna from the start. Getting blamed for a fire she didn’t even start and then finding out it was Moroslav the whole time was so frustrating. Once she gets pulled into the Consistory and all the Grail stuff, everything feels bigger and the stakes shoot up immediately. The Candlemas section was intense. Kai getting sabotaged and whipped was already hard to read, but Kingston being forced to do it made it so much worse. It was not just physical pain, it was emotional too, and it really showed how twisted that whole system is. Then King’s mom’s blood disorder reveal shifted everything. Luther went from just strict to genuinely cruel, and suddenly all his actions felt way more personal and targeted.
By the time they reach the monastery, the tension just keeps building. The second Gwenna gets separated, it already feels wrong, and it only gets worse from there. The girls pretending to be friendly and then turning on her was cold, and that ritual with Father Maksim was actually sick. At the same time, the moments with Lanz, Cal, and Gwenna learning together or joking around were such a relief 😮💨💕💖💖💗 those little teaching moments ⚔️✨💓🩷 made everything else hit harder because you finally get a sense of normalcy before it all goes left again.
The romance worked for me too. Kai telling Gwenna he loved her felt genuine and not overdone. I loved that Gwenna didn’t immediately process it and thought he was only there because of the Grail, when in reality he actually likes her. I was just sitting there like girl… please notice already. Gwenna taking initiative with Kingston was also so good to see. She finally starts making choices for herself in a story where she is constantly being pushed around. And Kingston keeping notes about her? Lowkey cute. It shows he pays attention even if he does not know how to express it properly. Their moment together was not overly romantic, but it felt real and emotional. They both knew things were about to go wrong, and that was all they had in that moment.
And KING 🤺 taking matters into his own hands with his dad… yeah, he really did that. He was done being controlled and finally snapped. I am really curious to see how he deals with that decision moving forward because that changes everything.
❤️.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•OVERALL •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.❤️
This one was much better but there were moments that confused me. I feel like the constant state of confusion takes away from how good it could be. DNFing the series.
☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ The Ivory Throne☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “They told me all of my cages were mental. So I got wasted like all my potential” 🎶
After discovering the truth about the Caliburn Knights and their secrets, she walks away, determined to disappear and live quietly. But when danger finds her again, the four boys return, bound by duty and desperate for her forgiveness. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to Caliburn, seeking answers about the mystery tied to her identity.
❤️.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•THOUGHTS •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.❤️
I was already rooting for Gwenna from the start. Getting blamed for a fire she didn’t even start and then finding out it was Moroslav the whole time was so frustrating. Once she gets pulled into the Consistory and all the Grail stuff, everything feels bigger and the stakes shoot up immediately. The Candlemas section was intense. Kai getting sabotaged and whipped was already hard to read, but Kingston being forced to do it made it so much worse. It was not just physical pain, it was emotional too, and it really showed how twisted that whole system is. Then King’s mom’s blood disorder reveal shifted everything. Luther went from just strict to genuinely cruel, and suddenly all his actions felt way more personal and targeted.
By the time they reach the monastery, the tension just keeps building. The second Gwenna gets separated, it already feels wrong, and it only gets worse from there. The girls pretending to be friendly and then turning on her was cold, and that ritual with Father Maksim was actually sick. At the same time, the moments with Lanz, Cal, and Gwenna learning together or joking around were such a relief 😮💨💕💖💖💗 those little teaching moments ⚔️✨💓🩷 made everything else hit harder because you finally get a sense of normalcy before it all goes left again.
The romance worked for me too. Kai telling Gwenna he loved her felt genuine and not overdone. I loved that Gwenna didn’t immediately process it and thought he was only there because of the Grail, when in reality he actually likes her. I was just sitting there like girl… please notice already. Gwenna taking initiative with Kingston was also so good to see. She finally starts making choices for herself in a story where she is constantly being pushed around. And Kingston keeping notes about her? Lowkey cute. It shows he pays attention even if he does not know how to express it properly. Their moment together was not overly romantic, but it felt real and emotional. They both knew things were about to go wrong, and that was all they had in that moment.
And KING 🤺 taking matters into his own hands with his dad… yeah, he really did that. He was done being controlled and finally snapped. I am really curious to see how he deals with that decision moving forward because that changes everything.
❤️.¸✿¸.•💌•.❀•OVERALL •❀.•💌•.¸✿¸.❤️
This one was much better but there were moments that confused me. I feel like the constant state of confusion takes away from how good it could be. DNFing the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2026
Modern knights with swords
It’s dark academia. It’s Arthurian legends and church legends. It’s why choose…this is The Ivory Throne.
Set in the aftermath of book one (The Black Table), things are getting complicated for Gwenna. No longer a student at Caliburn University, she is currently an inpatient at a psychiatric hospital…until the men who abandoned her come to recover her.
When she arrives home in the company of the Knights of Caliburn, Gwenna discovers the truth - their sacred quest centers around her continued safely. So she now has a round-the-clock protection detail.
As Gwenna continues her search for knowledge hidden within ancient texts, threats continue to enter her life. She must rely on the strength of Kingston, Kai, Callahan and Lanz and their ability to fulfill their vows…even as their resolve crumbles in some areas.
This Why Choose dark academia is part of a series and must be read in context. It continues the journey begun in the first book, delving deeper into Grail lore and church history. There is substantial discussion around religious (specifically Catholic) themes and traditions and their intersection with paganism. There is a distinct focus on the silencing of women in theology.
I love how different this series is in a dark academia sense. Firstly, the classes *matter* to their quest, and a lot of the “action” is focused on the hard yards of translating ancient texts. Secondly, the sport is fencing. Not football or basketball - fencing. It’s men with swords.
The story touches on a number of significant themes, including scarring, psychiatric disorders and hospitalisation, religious ceremonies and control, emotionally and physically abusive parents, and arson. The book does not contain content warnings, so if you are new to dark academia, this series is probably not the best jumping point. It is certainly not the darkest academia I’ve read, but the grey is closer to the dark side than the light.
This is the point in the series where our Fab Four decide that the celibacy part of their vows is not working for them. There’s finally some action between the various members of the group, including some MMF time. It is slow burn in the context of the series but probably medium burn for this book. The door is wide open at this point as Gwenna’s polycule is established.
If you want a modern dark academia series with hints of PNR and a bunch of actual knights with swords, get this series onto your TBR now.
It’s dark academia. It’s Arthurian legends and church legends. It’s why choose…this is The Ivory Throne.
Set in the aftermath of book one (The Black Table), things are getting complicated for Gwenna. No longer a student at Caliburn University, she is currently an inpatient at a psychiatric hospital…until the men who abandoned her come to recover her.
When she arrives home in the company of the Knights of Caliburn, Gwenna discovers the truth - their sacred quest centers around her continued safely. So she now has a round-the-clock protection detail.
As Gwenna continues her search for knowledge hidden within ancient texts, threats continue to enter her life. She must rely on the strength of Kingston, Kai, Callahan and Lanz and their ability to fulfill their vows…even as their resolve crumbles in some areas.
This Why Choose dark academia is part of a series and must be read in context. It continues the journey begun in the first book, delving deeper into Grail lore and church history. There is substantial discussion around religious (specifically Catholic) themes and traditions and their intersection with paganism. There is a distinct focus on the silencing of women in theology.
I love how different this series is in a dark academia sense. Firstly, the classes *matter* to their quest, and a lot of the “action” is focused on the hard yards of translating ancient texts. Secondly, the sport is fencing. Not football or basketball - fencing. It’s men with swords.
The story touches on a number of significant themes, including scarring, psychiatric disorders and hospitalisation, religious ceremonies and control, emotionally and physically abusive parents, and arson. The book does not contain content warnings, so if you are new to dark academia, this series is probably not the best jumping point. It is certainly not the darkest academia I’ve read, but the grey is closer to the dark side than the light.
This is the point in the series where our Fab Four decide that the celibacy part of their vows is not working for them. There’s finally some action between the various members of the group, including some MMF time. It is slow burn in the context of the series but probably medium burn for this book. The door is wide open at this point as Gwenna’s polycule is established.
If you want a modern dark academia series with hints of PNR and a bunch of actual knights with swords, get this series onto your TBR now.
January 26, 2026
Welcome back to the crazytown university of Caliburn (and its rivals) where there are uber religious secret societies (or cults? Some are giving stroooong culty vibes) where university students are knighted and compete in fencing competitions while on the ultimate quest!
We pick up pretty much exactly where we left off in the first book and we take off sprinting. Where the first book was a lot of information where you didn’t really have a great grasp of what you’re really reading, this one definitely takes a lot of twists and turns and unveils a lot more information.
There are a lot of things going on here and a lot of character development, a lot more background and history of the main characters and the plot really takes a turn and goes absolutely balls to the walls, 0-60 rapidly.
Kingston becomes a lot more likeable in this book, Kai is still incredible, Callahan is still past endearingly sweet, and Lanz is still chefs kiss. One of the best characters is definitely Morgan who is crazy gifted, funny and an amazing friend to have in your corner.
I suspect in the next book, we will learn what everything means for Gwenna and what she will do about that.
This was absolute insanity in the best way, I had a blast reading this and absolutely inhaled it.
5⭐️
2🌶️
We pick up pretty much exactly where we left off in the first book and we take off sprinting. Where the first book was a lot of information where you didn’t really have a great grasp of what you’re really reading, this one definitely takes a lot of twists and turns and unveils a lot more information.
There are a lot of things going on here and a lot of character development, a lot more background and history of the main characters and the plot really takes a turn and goes absolutely balls to the walls, 0-60 rapidly.
Kingston becomes a lot more likeable in this book, Kai is still incredible, Callahan is still past endearingly sweet, and Lanz is still chefs kiss. One of the best characters is definitely Morgan who is crazy gifted, funny and an amazing friend to have in your corner.
I suspect in the next book, we will learn what everything means for Gwenna and what she will do about that.
This was absolute insanity in the best way, I had a blast reading this and absolutely inhaled it.
5⭐️
2🌶️
May 23, 2026
Not gonna lie, this book dragged a little for me. It starts off strong, right where we left off. Again I really enjoy the uniqueness of this story and these characters. But the middle was slow for sure. Too much fencing not enough romance for it being a why choose. She wast with any of the 4 guys until 75% through and then she’s already slept with all 4 within that last bit…. Really slow middle for a very rushed end. However, the last 10% — I wasn’t expecting that. Not sure where the author is gonna go from here but I’ll be finishing it. They’re short books, it’s not the best why choose series but I for the most part entertained, and invested even through the slow parts. I’m curious how the whole curse is going to play into this with Lanz. I do feel like there are a lot of plot holes and like a lot of random things being told and I’m not sure if they are all going to actually come together. The whole time I couldn’t tell if the author was lazy or smart with how she was writing….
Okay actually changed my mind, I’m not gonna continue this series…. Dnf for me. I did go read some spoilers to know how it ends and gotta say I’m glad I’m not finishing. I think I would’ve been bored and disappointed.
Okay actually changed my mind, I’m not gonna continue this series…. Dnf for me. I did go read some spoilers to know how it ends and gotta say I’m glad I’m not finishing. I think I would’ve been bored and disappointed.
January 14, 2026
“My dear, everything has changed. So naturally, you must get back to studying.”
OK, I also ate this book up. It would truly be 4 1/2 stars because Goodreads doesn’t let me do that. There are a couple grammar errors in this story (spots where quotation marks are forgotten). It’s not very frequent, and it doesn’t take away from the novel, but it’s enough that I can’t give it a full five stars for that reason.
Emrys and Morgan are S-tier side characters and I will not accept argument.
There are some beautiful, beautiful tropes in this novel we have Kingston making her lunch. We have Kai making distinction between, “we’re not taking good care of her” versus “protecting her” when she doesn’t eat. We get more into whatever is going on with our cursed boy, we get more into the fencing, we get more into this Grail mission, we get more into what does Gwenna actually mean to these boys. AND then the slow burn comes to a culmination, I think around 70% (which is crazy in a trilogy that our slow burn doesn’t end until 3/4 of the way through book 2) LOVE
Also a little creepy when they’re in Finland, what do you mean they killed her mom so they can use her mom‘s blood for a ritual? What do you mean Kingston kills his dad for her I’m sorry what.
OK, I also ate this book up. It would truly be 4 1/2 stars because Goodreads doesn’t let me do that. There are a couple grammar errors in this story (spots where quotation marks are forgotten). It’s not very frequent, and it doesn’t take away from the novel, but it’s enough that I can’t give it a full five stars for that reason.
Emrys and Morgan are S-tier side characters and I will not accept argument.
There are some beautiful, beautiful tropes in this novel we have Kingston making her lunch. We have Kai making distinction between, “we’re not taking good care of her” versus “protecting her” when she doesn’t eat. We get more into whatever is going on with our cursed boy, we get more into the fencing, we get more into this Grail mission, we get more into what does Gwenna actually mean to these boys. AND then the slow burn comes to a culmination, I think around 70% (which is crazy in a trilogy that our slow burn doesn’t end until 3/4 of the way through book 2) LOVE
Also a little creepy when they’re in Finland, what do you mean they killed her mom so they can use her mom‘s blood for a ritual? What do you mean Kingston kills his dad for her I’m sorry what.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌶️🌶️🌶️
First of all I would like to thank the author for giving me this ARC.
This book pulled me into a world where everyone is whispering secrets, and you slowly realize every word matters. The story isn’t just about power or politics—it’s about people trying to survive in a world where every decision can change everything.
No one feels completely good or bad, everyone has their own motives, fears, and ambitions.
The beginning is a bit slower, but it gave the story space to forge the relationships. It build the tension and the atmosphere so well that by the time the stakes rise, you’re already deeply invested. I especially enjoyed how the story explores power, identity, and the pressure of expectations. It’s not just about ruling a throne—it’s about dealing with external power and expectations, but also the struggle with the internal workings of yourself. It's figuring out who you are and what you are willing to sacrifice with the whole world watching.
Overall, this was a fantasy that is quietly powerful.
First of all I would like to thank the author for giving me this ARC.
This book pulled me into a world where everyone is whispering secrets, and you slowly realize every word matters. The story isn’t just about power or politics—it’s about people trying to survive in a world where every decision can change everything.
No one feels completely good or bad, everyone has their own motives, fears, and ambitions.
The beginning is a bit slower, but it gave the story space to forge the relationships. It build the tension and the atmosphere so well that by the time the stakes rise, you’re already deeply invested. I especially enjoyed how the story explores power, identity, and the pressure of expectations. It’s not just about ruling a throne—it’s about dealing with external power and expectations, but also the struggle with the internal workings of yourself. It's figuring out who you are and what you are willing to sacrifice with the whole world watching.
Overall, this was a fantasy that is quietly powerful.
November 4, 2025
When this book showed up on Halloween, it felt like a Halloween miracle! The first book in this series had me in a chokehold, and I absolutely devoured this one in one weekend. It felt nice to come back to the characters that I had fallen in love with previously and see how they were going to tackle everything that book one led up to.
LET ME TELL YA the romance is finally romancing, and I love a good poly relationship in fiction. Did some of it seem rushed? Yes. Could I have dealt with a little more yearning on Gwenna's part instead of just instantly being like "yeah okay"? Absolutely. Did I still enjoy the entire thing? FOR SURE.
Everyone is so borderline unhinged, but I love that Gwenna is finally standing up for herself. I love that Lanz and Callahan are finally doing their thing more confidently, and I just love Kai in general. The storyline of this story is so intriguing, and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in book 3. So much happened in this story, but there are still so many questions that need answered.
LET ME TELL YA the romance is finally romancing, and I love a good poly relationship in fiction. Did some of it seem rushed? Yes. Could I have dealt with a little more yearning on Gwenna's part instead of just instantly being like "yeah okay"? Absolutely. Did I still enjoy the entire thing? FOR SURE.
Everyone is so borderline unhinged, but I love that Gwenna is finally standing up for herself. I love that Lanz and Callahan are finally doing their thing more confidently, and I just love Kai in general. The storyline of this story is so intriguing, and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in book 3. So much happened in this story, but there are still so many questions that need answered.
November 3, 2025
I really wanted to like this book as much as I loved the first, sadly it just fell flat for me. The constant ellipses (…) were taking me out of the story, along with grammar mistakes & typos that made this feel rushed. It seemed very repetitive for majority of the middle part and when the main characters finally, finally got together, it seemed like something was missing- wasn’t she barely tolerating, not forgiving (at least some of) them til that point? It just didn’t hook me like the first one did, and I was also sort of confused for majority of the book despite the fact that I read the first one less than two months ago. I really wanted to love this so I stuck it out, but unfortunately it just didn’t hit the same.
Again, I cannot stress this enough, no character knows how to finish a sentence. They are constantly interrupting each other (—) or their sentences drift off (…) and it was extremely distracting.
Again, I cannot stress this enough, no character knows how to finish a sentence. They are constantly interrupting each other (—) or their sentences drift off (…) and it was extremely distracting.
November 5, 2025
LOVED IT! Yes, I did feel the need to shout that 🤭. This follows on from #𝟏 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 as the quest for confirmation of the illustrious Holy Grail continues.
Gwenna, the FMC is so endearing to me. She is as intelligent as she is unique in her understanding of the world after her own past experiences. Her friendship with Morgan is heartwarming & then her 4 knights, each shadowing & protecting her as rivalry’s & the potential culmination of the quest intensify.
Anything to do with Arthurian legend & I’m there! Jade’s attention to historic & mythological detail hits the mark, all with her signature why choose spin! And after that spectacular climax, I cannot wait to see what she has planned for book 3!!
So, if slow burn to passionate why choose spice, with magic & mythology thrown in for that paranormal vibe is your thing, definitely check out 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 because it’s fabulous!!
Gwenna, the FMC is so endearing to me. She is as intelligent as she is unique in her understanding of the world after her own past experiences. Her friendship with Morgan is heartwarming & then her 4 knights, each shadowing & protecting her as rivalry’s & the potential culmination of the quest intensify.
Anything to do with Arthurian legend & I’m there! Jade’s attention to historic & mythological detail hits the mark, all with her signature why choose spin! And after that spectacular climax, I cannot wait to see what she has planned for book 3!!
So, if slow burn to passionate why choose spice, with magic & mythology thrown in for that paranormal vibe is your thing, definitely check out 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 because it’s fabulous!!
November 1, 2025
First… I liked the concept of this book. She’s the holy grail and they are the knights sworn to protect her.
I think it’s an interesting concept. But I was disappointed in its execution. After book 1, I would have assumed that both parts of the story would have been further along than they were. But both parts fell flat. There was simply no chemistry between any of the main characters and the story plot of Gwenna being the holy grail was flat and frankly boring. Lanz’s curse went from being a non issues, to a beginning issue to all of a sudden, Gwenna’s missing. So there’s giant plot holes that were left open.
Then you have then”romance” part. Which not only felt forced but let’s not forget about the moment when they come talk to her and then are like let’s have a relationship so that we have mutually shared destruction between the guys so they don’t tell the weird religious guys.
I think it’s an interesting concept. But I was disappointed in its execution. After book 1, I would have assumed that both parts of the story would have been further along than they were. But both parts fell flat. There was simply no chemistry between any of the main characters and the story plot of Gwenna being the holy grail was flat and frankly boring. Lanz’s curse went from being a non issues, to a beginning issue to all of a sudden, Gwenna’s missing. So there’s giant plot holes that were left open.
Then you have then”romance” part. Which not only felt forced but let’s not forget about the moment when they come talk to her and then are like let’s have a relationship so that we have mutually shared destruction between the guys so they don’t tell the weird religious guys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2025
I read for the vibes & the vibes were ✨Redeeming✨
Ooo boy did they redeem themselves in this book. Everything kicked up to a 10. The plot. The spice. The relationship development, oh my gosh. The scene with the three of them? A director in a play is what Lanz was 😭. Still thinking about it now.
I cant even put into words what happens because it would give spoilers, but every single one of them is going through their redemption era and I love it.
What I also love about how these MC’s are written is that it feels realistic. It’s a group of 19 year old guys that act like 19 year olds, it’s not like they’re 19 going on 30 or something. Acting like they rule the school at 19 yrs old lol, I find those plots so silly 😭.
Obviously this book ends on a cliffhanger and cliffhanger it is! Yeah I need the next book like yesterday lol
Ooo boy did they redeem themselves in this book. Everything kicked up to a 10. The plot. The spice. The relationship development, oh my gosh. The scene with the three of them? A director in a play is what Lanz was 😭. Still thinking about it now.
I cant even put into words what happens because it would give spoilers, but every single one of them is going through their redemption era and I love it.
What I also love about how these MC’s are written is that it feels realistic. It’s a group of 19 year old guys that act like 19 year olds, it’s not like they’re 19 going on 30 or something. Acting like they rule the school at 19 yrs old lol, I find those plots so silly 😭.
Obviously this book ends on a cliffhanger and cliffhanger it is! Yeah I need the next book like yesterday lol
December 25, 2025
I had to refresh my memory before reading the book two… from just the first few chapters I could tell that a lot would go down so many things that are yet to be uncovered.
Oh my gosh I love a good fuck it moment and Kai made me love it more😤😤… sometimes I feel bad for Kingston, he keeps trying to put everything in order poor Kingston—
I almost forgot how much I loved Kai and his humor 😩🤭
Oh my goodness the tension close to the end😩😤😤— I was like if this book ends like this I am going to be sick to my stomach. Finally like it all makes sense the Russians distaste for them, oh my goodness I was so scared for Gwenna those girls really pissed me like what the hell!!
I am so excited for book three, I can’t wait to read about what happens and I hope morgen gets more involved 🤭🤭
I really really love the story build up it was really perfect chef’s kiss 😚
Oh my gosh I love a good fuck it moment and Kai made me love it more😤😤… sometimes I feel bad for Kingston, he keeps trying to put everything in order poor Kingston—
I almost forgot how much I loved Kai and his humor 😩🤭
Oh my goodness the tension close to the end😩😤😤— I was like if this book ends like this I am going to be sick to my stomach. Finally like it all makes sense the Russians distaste for them, oh my goodness I was so scared for Gwenna those girls really pissed me like what the hell!!
I am so excited for book three, I can’t wait to read about what happens and I hope morgen gets more involved 🤭🤭
I really really love the story build up it was really perfect chef’s kiss 😚
June 22, 2026
Both the first book and this one confused me a lot. Gwenna is apparently the grail but we still have no idea what that even means or if she has powers? These 4 guys have all these rules and their objective is to find this grail but on the side they all do fencing for like… no reason pretty much? I still don’t understand how that has anything to do with their mission.
There is a lot of magical things that is just not written in, like apparently there are shifters that was mentioned briefly and witches but the only magical person in the book is the best friend. For a fantasy novel there is not a lot of fantasy in that aspect.
And it still isn’t really explained the whole backstory of gwenna and the fire, she saw some stuff and the fire happened on its own but it never really goes into too much detail when it’s supposed to be a major plot point that this happened to her.
There is a lot of magical things that is just not written in, like apparently there are shifters that was mentioned briefly and witches but the only magical person in the book is the best friend. For a fantasy novel there is not a lot of fantasy in that aspect.
And it still isn’t really explained the whole backstory of gwenna and the fire, she saw some stuff and the fire happened on its own but it never really goes into too much detail when it’s supposed to be a major plot point that this happened to her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2025
Holy moly that was...WHAT just happened!!!
I enjoyed the revealing of secrets & some shady dealings. I thought the relationships were developing well too. I cackled at the proposal of mutually assured destruction because it was very on brand for the guys lol
Daddy Pendragon always gave me bad vibes but like now I know why and phew I was a bit surprised still.
One of my favorite micro tropes of a good " F it" moment was perfection 😍
Exhilarating cliffhanger lol can't wait to see how things wrap up in book 3!!!
4/5 ⭐ only because I wish we got a little more of what it means for Gwenna to be what she is and maybe a bit more emphasis on Laz. I'm worried about him 🥺 BUT I still had an awesome time!
Thank you Jade for having me as part of your ARC team!!!
I enjoyed the revealing of secrets & some shady dealings. I thought the relationships were developing well too. I cackled at the proposal of mutually assured destruction because it was very on brand for the guys lol
Daddy Pendragon always gave me bad vibes but like now I know why and phew I was a bit surprised still.
One of my favorite micro tropes of a good " F it" moment was perfection 😍
Exhilarating cliffhanger lol can't wait to see how things wrap up in book 3!!!
4/5 ⭐ only because I wish we got a little more of what it means for Gwenna to be what she is and maybe a bit more emphasis on Laz. I'm worried about him 🥺 BUT I still had an awesome time!
Thank you Jade for having me as part of your ARC team!!!
November 26, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this and seeing how it developed from the first book into the second. There was a lot of unanswered questions in the first book and we find the answers in this, along with many many more questions!
The way that is starts out is a perfect follow on from the first in the series. There’s a lot more action in this compared to the first which I really enjoyed and more adventure. I absolutely smashed through the first 75-80% of this despite being on holiday but I felt that the last 20%, although chock full of action and so so many twists just didn’t grip me as much.
Having said that, the ending was a complete shock and absolutely fantastic and I have no idea what’s going to happen next but I neeeeeed it.
🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
The way that is starts out is a perfect follow on from the first in the series. There’s a lot more action in this compared to the first which I really enjoyed and more adventure. I absolutely smashed through the first 75-80% of this despite being on holiday but I felt that the last 20%, although chock full of action and so so many twists just didn’t grip me as much.
Having said that, the ending was a complete shock and absolutely fantastic and I have no idea what’s going to happen next but I neeeeeed it.
🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5
February 16, 2026
I tried to like this book. I really did but the things that were wrong with the first book kept piling up in the second. There is no character development, no relationships are developed they are still in the "lovey" zone, even though they barely know each other. The writing had so many errors, where one moment someone is talking and/or thinking then it gets cut off. The spicy scenes were weird they seemed disconnected (maybe because the characters aren't connected.)
And we still don't know what Gwenna is! I don't know much about the brotherhood besides they seem evil! And I wonder why Gwenna doesn't stand up for herself more.
Just not the book for me and unfortunately will probably not be reading anything from Jade because I stopped her other series for similar reasons.
And we still don't know what Gwenna is! I don't know much about the brotherhood besides they seem evil! And I wonder why Gwenna doesn't stand up for herself more.
Just not the book for me and unfortunately will probably not be reading anything from Jade because I stopped her other series for similar reasons.
April 21, 2026
⭐️ 3.5
Damn....Gwenna being “locked up” and trying to get help she doesn’t even really need (even if she doesn’t know that yet) was frustrating to read.
The guys also go through a lot… and the punishments?? Like actually wild. Not even exaggerating.
There’s also this “genius” plan they come up with (not really an orgy but you get what I mean lol), and I liked that Gwenna didn’t just jump into it she actually took a step back and thought about it.
I really enjoyed the scenes with them working through the texts and figuring out about the Grail. Those parts were super interesting allowing us to learn more.
And when they start traveling… I knew things were going to go wrong, but DAMN I was not expecting it to go down like that.
Damn....Gwenna being “locked up” and trying to get help she doesn’t even really need (even if she doesn’t know that yet) was frustrating to read.
The guys also go through a lot… and the punishments?? Like actually wild. Not even exaggerating.
There’s also this “genius” plan they come up with (not really an orgy but you get what I mean lol), and I liked that Gwenna didn’t just jump into it she actually took a step back and thought about it.
I really enjoyed the scenes with them working through the texts and figuring out about the Grail. Those parts were super interesting allowing us to learn more.
And when they start traveling… I knew things were going to go wrong, but DAMN I was not expecting it to go down like that.
November 7, 2025
This slow burn story exploded in the last quarter of the book, ramping up the tension until everything exploded at the end. Decisions are made during this one that cannot be undone or unseen. Lies find their way to the surface and there are so many choices.
I loved how though Gwenna trusted the four of them, she didn’t forgive them, it needed to be earned.
That ending though, totally unexpected, I’d guessed that they’d guessed, but not what they were going to do. There are so many things that I need to know now, Lanz and his curse, the tournament fallout, Luther…….. I need the next book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
I loved how though Gwenna trusted the four of them, she didn’t forgive them, it needed to be earned.
That ending though, totally unexpected, I’d guessed that they’d guessed, but not what they were going to do. There are so many things that I need to know now, Lanz and his curse, the tournament fallout, Luther…….. I need the next book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
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