Vicious Miscreations

by Jenn Neal

One treacherous conspiracy.

Five reckless outcasts.

Survival will make monsters of them all.

On the surface, Topensi is a bustling hub of interworld trade, but a cesspool of crime and desperation boils underneath. Trapped by an indenture to the brutal Ripper Gang, Lux does whatever he must to claw his way free. When he discovers a monster controlled by the city guard, he plans to capture the creature and exchange it for his freedom.

Lux assembles a volatile team: a naïve Earthborn mage whose violent magic festers under his skin, a fugitive with a score to settle, a revolutionary who has lost his way, a criminal princess who leaves a trail of ruin in her wake, and a troublemaking tabby cat.

Lux and his crew may be the only ones who can defeat the terrifying power that threatens to devour their world, if they don’t betray each other first.


Six of Crows meets Arcane in this new adult botanical fantasy. In a world overtaken by sentient carnivorous plants and ruled by the worst of humankind, Lux and his crew of rival anti-heroes will drag you into their monster hunt and never let you go. This messy found family will weave themselves into your heartstrings, whisper their secrets in the dark, and make you question what makes a monster. With its glowing plants, volatile characters, and even more dangerous world, this high stakes, action packed fantasy has teeth.

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Found Family

436 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 18, 2026

About the author

Jenn is an author and artist who lives in the Pacific Northwest and has done a little bit of everything, from cutting fish in Alaska, to being a zipline guide in Oregon, to teaching outdoor survival skills to kids. When she isn't writing, she is jumping in puddles, reading copious amounts of books, and hiking with her partner and their dog. She loves finding magic in the uninhabited corners of the existing world and creating it in the worlds she writes. Vicious Miscreations is her first novel.

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Just want to give a shout out to Jenn for letting me read this and I want to congratulate for creating such a wonderful and albeit visceral debut novel! You should be so proud Jenn because that is not an easy feat to do!

Vicious Miscreations is a fantasy debut I haven’t seen before that is very ambitious as a debut novel. There are so many things going on that I do believe that there needed to be a way to streamline the world a bit. The worldbuilding, is absolutely fantastic, I think there is amazing concepts going on (albeit I will admit I didn’t expect it to be a portal fantasy) but I think I want a little more information about the Rippers and the Hunters and why they were mostly at war with each other. The other magical beings were interesting as well I just want to see a little bit more. But that is very hard to do put it all in one novel, so hopefully more will be explored later on.

I think the strongest point of this book is the characters and their backstory. Fletcher has my whole heart he is one of the most complex characters in the cast. I was very compelled reading about all of the MCs backstories and at the same time I was craving more for Tayz and Najila’s backstories. I know again if it was all told this way the book would be way too long.

Because there were so many things going on, I will admit it was a bit hard for me to know what the main focal aspect of the story other than the Divasi and the Makai and Lux’s ties to Amara, but because there were so many ideas, I think there’s left to be explored. I had a great time hanging out with the main cast and I love the moments where we had bonding and chemistry between them all (Fletcher and Tayz were too cute omg)

[Meggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found family is a trope I simply adore and this group of misfits finding each other and discovering friendship, love, and understanding just made me so happy.

I loved how each character’s history impacted the story in some way. The monstrous plants and creatures were a fun bonus as well as a badass cat. The overall story was a great time and I can’t wait to see what crazy probably violent and dangerous adventures our group finds next!

I had two things I wish had more depth: the blood magic system and the gods. Hoping we see or learn more of that in the next book

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicious Miscreations more like "Capitalism is the Real Evil and Everyone Should Get a Magic Cat, As A Treat"

Pros:
- THE WORLDBUILDING. I truly think that the scene setting and the aesthetics of Astragath are where Neal shines. Astragath is ecopunk to the extreme in the best way, and I really really really loved the descriptive sections of the glowing plants, the mishmash of cultures in this hub of world transit, and the grittiness of it all. One of my pet peeves with these sort of darker settings is that authors often go *too* dark and it just becomes monotonous brutality, but Neal does a great job of showing the weed patches of stubborn optimism too
- I wanna shoutout the gods of Astragath because they were done in a way that I don't think I've ever seen before. They were real forces of nature, uncontrollable and ANGRY. They also weren't wholly explained, they just WERE and that's something I personally find really important in a book; we, as the reader, shouldn't necessarily know everything, and especially not in a first book! Give me some opening to gnaw on pls, I'm teething
- MORE. CHARACTER. DRIVEN. STORIES. PLEASE. For some this will be a con, but I do like just kind of being along for the ride. Let me just watch your lives through a window pls
- the themes in this book were immaculate. I do love metaphors, I do love traumatized children (they're younger than me so I can call them children, thank u very much), I do love the real evil being capitalism. We also got classism, nepotism, bigotry, scape goating, and More™
- there are several lines in here that I really like, but one that particularly stuck out to me is: "'I thought that belonging meant finding people that are the same as me. I don't think that anymore.'" This is such an important thing to discuss, especially with queer folks because no one is ever going to be 100% like you and that is *okay*. There's this misguided notion that in order to get along you have to agree on everything and that's just not true. Real friends will force you to push back sometimes, to argue, to challenge each other. Hopefully not to the "murdering is okay sometimes" point because we do not in fact do that here (not u Luigi, you're good babes)
- this isn't political intrigue, but it has the same vibe in that Neal is examining the roots that discrimination come from, the ways in which people with no choice are forced to survive, and the different ways that kind of trauma is directly tied to the worlds that they all live in
- I would be remiss to not mention the carnivorous plants

Cons:
- this did take me a while to get into, in part because if you want to have a character arc, some of the characters gotta be a lil annoying in the beginning. I am such a goblin for "hey character is being unlikable right now and is annoying me with their prejudice" as if it is not clearly telegraphed that overcoming that will be a big part of their character arc lol
- this is a debut, and there are a few of the classic debut issues present, like shorter, choppier sentences, a bit of telling not showing, and at times odd phrasing. It does smooth out significantly in the latter half of the book, but for those who that would be really frustrating for I did want to flag it
- some of the fight scenes I did struggle to follow; I don't think they're written poorly I just think Neal has a specific way of writing them that takes a moment to get used to. Again, by the latter half of the book this is largely dropped

Overall:
While it took a moment for me to get into it, I'm so happy I kept going because there is so so so much heart here. The explorations of trauma in particular are really well done and nuanced, and the characters really grow not just on you but they grow together as well. So excited for where the story goes in book 2... which is an issue since book one isn't even out yet.

Thank you to the author for the free ARC! Pls let me have the next one once it's ready too

3.5/5 rounded up!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Read
Our three protagonists; Lux, a ripper “working for the Queen Amara of the ripper district, is sent on a deadly job, Fletcher, living on earth and grieving the loss of his father, wants to flee home whilst grappling with out of control magic, and Kiana, Fletcher’s coworker on Earth, running from her past. Through crazy circumstances these three are thrown together in a world of mystery, power plays and a whole host of trauma.
This book has a great magic system, witty banter, stand out lines, found family and slow burn romance that’s actually slow burn! There’s such raw moments and amazing character growth.
There were only a few moments that felt a bit slow paced and I was a little tired of constantly reading about Tayz’s dimpled cheeks (I do desperately need a Tayz POV), but with great twists and that set up for the next book, I’m hooked.

[Cheyenne Townsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Jenn Neal’s team for the ARC of this book. For a debut novel, overall I was impressed. The world (or I guess worlds) Neal created were really intriguing. The characters were beautifully flawed & all felt very natural based on their pasts & histories. Though they did feel a little younger than I think they weren’t meant to be. I do wish we could’ve got some chapters from Tayz or Najila’s perspective. I think there was room for a bit more explanation of the politics surrounding the world, I feel like we’re kind of just thrown in & aren’t given a lot of background on things. I also thought the structure with the gods, rippers, hunters, etc. got a little confusing at times. While the pacing was a bit off, I think overall the narrative paid off & left me feeling excited to see what happens next with these characters.

[Te Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ His magic was that of give and take. Mend a bone, break a bone.”

From the dedication to the last line this book had me hooked and invested.
The world building and magic system was fascinating and described beautifully. The give and take of Fletchers magic being an absolute highlight.

The characters and their banter had me turning each page desperate for more.
The high stakes and political intrigue had me holding my breath and wanting to know more about the difference groups and magic types.

This is absolutely a new all time favourite.

Releasing 18th August

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredible debut.

"but we are the glass beneath their feet. They can't crush us without bleeding"

Vicious Miscreations is a high-stakes, crossworld fantasy with just a touch of botanical horror. We follow a reluctant band of outcasts as they hunt a monster through a dystopian world and plot to betray each other in the process. While this novel is action-packed and filled with chaos and misadventures, it's also profoundly moving and explores themes of grief, identity, and friendship. In a world where the price of survival is steep, is it worth giving up your humanity for?

I was initially drawn to Vicious Miscreations by the promise of sentient carnivorous plants, queer-normative worlds, and chaotic anti-heroes, though this book consistently proves it's so much more than that. The world building is rich and immersive, and I truly felt transported into the pages. Jenn Neal has brought to life characters that are messy, complex, deeply flawed, and indelibly human that you can't help but fall in love with.

"I think you see me, and I think I see you."

I adored this book from start to finish and I can't wait for the next installment in the Fractured Worlds series.

Thank you so much to Jenn Neal for this wonderful ARC, it's been a pleasure to read and review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Renee collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Jenn for this amazing arc read! The characters in this story were so well written, I could picture every location in this book vividly it was so well written I’m so glad I have been giving the fantasy genre a try Lux was my favorite character. I can’t wait to read more books by the talented author!

[Zed · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

Vicious Miscreations was such a fun and thrilling read. i loved delving into these worlds of magic and trauma, divided up into districts of what remains of Astragath. The world has been ravaged by gods over the years, leaving only a small portion of liveable land, so it’s fun to see all the “cliché's” of society confined to a few single islands together.

I loved finding out that there’s more than just the one world, and flitting between Astragath and Earth was fun to see the characters handle this. I loved the magic system and the different types of magic people can possess in these new worlds. It was fun to see these 5 completely opposite people come together to work for what they want.

Every character has a dark past, making each of their drives for completing this mission all the more personal to them. Every character has a secret (or more) that they keep that helps to continue to build pressure until the right moment where everything starts to explode. These emotional explosions don’t ruin everything, which makes it feel more realistic to me, they continue to focus on the mission at hand.

The characters were so well written and all so unique, it was fun getting to learn about them at the same time as the characters themselves. i loved the friendships they built that they refused to believe in. Fletcher was probably my favourite as he’s the only one thrown into this world of magic with no prior knowledge, and yet he hits the ground running and always pulls through for the rest. (+ he brought the cat 🥰)

I’m excited to learn more about the other worlds in this book, and I’m so looking forward to any future novels in this series. Definitely a book I will be picking up.

[Ariella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for an e-arc!

Pre read:
- Estimated rating: 3.5-4.5 stars
- I genuinely believe that I’m going to love the pants out of this story

ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGGG!!
I was worried that I wouldn’t finish reading in the time limit that I’d set for myself. But I did!!

I loved that book, I thought it was beautifully unique and the writing was fantastic. I was able to finish reading the book in under 4 hours which points to how good it was. The characters were unique and very interesting. I was team Fletcher/Lux but I was forced to begrudgingly accept Fletcher/Tayz (not half bad).

The world was very interesting and I liked the concept. There isn’t really any strong explanation behind the world/concrete world building, it just exists because it exists. Which would usually annoy me to no end, but the story was exciting enough that I kinda forgot about the world-building (or lack thereof).

In my opinion, this story isn’t New Adult. It’s more of a YA/NA crossover but HEAVY of the YA. However, i think adults would enjoy it anyways but I think it’s more of YA book.

Overall, smashing story!! Happy I got the opportunity to read it. Thanks to the Author for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insane action-packed story packed with mistrust, betrayals, rebellions and magic. The characters are a diverse cast of chaotic mildly overpowered, emotionally stunted idiots, in the best way. I adored them. The plot was crazy, with hunters on their tails, a queen on a rampage and monsters on every corner. The world building was brilliant, the descriptions visceral, the lore detailed and well thought out. From the beginning this book is gripping, full of action, character establishment and development. It is intense, with characters pulled between worlds, people on the run, people in hiding, the threat of death hanging over everyone's head. I appreciated that while there was romantic tension, as the action builds and the stakes raise, nothing is acted upon. The tension remains, connections are clear, feelings are present but it's not the right time and they are all on their own journey to safety, self-discovery and security.

The magic system was well written and engaging, the heavy politics well interwoven with it, the gods and the discrimination, the experiments and the hidden truths, all building throughout. The dramatic displays set against the subtle manipulations, the grotesque experimentation set against the slow realisation of humanity, the insane controlling gods set against the violent clashes of human powers. The characters have varying levels of experience with each, they have to work together, they have to learn trust, communication and patience. They are flawed but in the end they are together.

A brilliant read, I absolutely loved this world and these characters!

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the arc! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book had a lot of the ingredients for something I would have loved. Found family, queer-normative world, botanical horror, portal fantasy (something I’ve come to love). However, my expectations were not met. They didn’t get close to being met. This book is a debut and it read like one (not saying all debuts are bad! This just very clearly was someone’s first attempt at writing. I’ll explain that more later).

The things I liked were so incredibly minimal that it can fit into three things: the cat, the queerness, the small-town dreariness that made me nostalgic. That’s it. That’s all I cared about. So why give it 2 stars instead of 1? I don’t know. That’s subject to change.

In no particular order these are the things that I did not like.

THE WORLD BUILDING
It just wasn’t there. Calling it weak would be an overstatement. Portal fantasy is a super challenging genre to write and it’s hardly ever done right. I was left with more questions than answers at the end. What was the point of the Rippers and Hunters? What were all the different types of magic users and how did the magic system even work? What’s with the plants? It sounded like they would be much more important but didn’t get any explanation. The gods? The portals? How does anything work? Where did Fletcher come from and how did he get his magic, and how did his magic work? None of it made any sense. It seemed like the author tried to make a complex world with a complex magic system but missed the mark. A lot more work on that would have made this story stronger.

THE PLOT (rather, its execution)
I found myself skimming a LOT. I was bored. Nothing about this story was engaging. I didn’t care about the plot twists. The character motivations were shallow. I hate repeating myself but this story was very weak. I don’t even understand what happened in the last 20%. I get that there will be another book, but it’s not a good start if the first one is not engaging. Again, I was left with more questions than answers. Even if it’s the first book in a series we should get some answers. I think this book could have benefitted with more rounds of editing and maybe some alpha and beta reading. Also, the author says this book is new adult as all the characters are 19+. I would categorize this as upper YA at MOST. I genuinely thought the MCs were teenagers at best (yeah 19 is a teenager but you get my point). The story read like any other portal fantasy YA book I’ve ever read before.

THE ADVERTISING
Okay maybe I’m just petty. This review should be about the book not how it’s advertised. Just know that I took no stars off my rating for this portion. I just want to share my opinion.
Taken directly from the author, this book is a NA fantasy with botanical horror elements, perfect for fans of Arcane and Six of Crows. I’m going to explain my issues with each. Feel free to skip this section since it doesn’t affect my star rating at all and I’m just a petty bitch ✨
Genre: fantasy? Yes. As this takes place in the modern world (Alaska) and fantasy realms accessed by teleportation and portals, this is portal fantasy. I’m shocked this isn’t classified as such. Botanical horror? I’m going to say no. The weird carnivorous plants weren’t horror-y or even relevant enough to give that subgenre. They were relevant for maybe a few chapters in the beginning and that’s it. I feel like that would be the same as classifying Fourth Wing as a heist novel because there’s a single tiny theft in it. It’s not relevant to the plot.
Comparisons: look, I’m a certified Arcane hater but this book was not similar to that garbage at all. Why? Because it doesn’t deal with the arcane. It doesn’t share any of the elements except for the fact that I didn’t like either and one of the MCs has blue hair. Six of Crows? Hell. No. There were no similarities at all and comparing them is a massive disservice. They were not similar at all.

(Back to the Star-influenced review part)
I was so bored while reading this book. The characters were shallower than a puddle. I didn’t care about them. I didn’t care about their motivations. The plot wasn’t engaging and I was left confused because of all the glaring plot holes. I would recommend this to a younger audience newer to portal fantasy, but I unfortunately did not like this book.

[Elijah Beau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won't lie, my feelings are mixed with this one. But first of all, I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read the ARC.

Now, let's start with the good. I immediately fell in love with Lux, Tayz, Fletcher and Kiana, and later Najila, and the magic system was refreshing; I found the Divasi's shivering, the equal give and take of the Diphindrum and the Makai in general to be cool and unique at the surface level, but in my opinion, they were also underutilised and confusing. Kiana's shivering felt so important at the start of the book, only to feel long-forgotten by the time I'd reached the halfway point, and while it did make a comeback towards the end, I felt there were so many moments where it could've been cleverly used and/or vital. The Diphindrum magic also gradually started to confuse me, mostly with Fletcher being drawn in by the gods, and Wattie gaining some of his ability and that somehow making her get bigger? And the Hunter blood magic almost seemed to come out of nowhere. I had also expected the flesh-eating plants to be far more central to the plot for a book that advertises itself as a botanical horror, and honestly, the exact nature and history of the gods felt a little all over the place. In these respects, I think there is an overall lack of depth to the worldbuilding.

But it wasn't just the worldbuilding that made this story feel rather surface level. I believe the writing style is also to blame. It was clunky at parts and largely fell into telling rather than showing. There were also moments where the dialogue felt more like the author was trying too hard to make memorable quotes.

Additionally, in rather stark contrast to that of the worldbuilding, as much as I did enjoy the characters, I felt Kiana, Fletcher and Lux's every thought and feeling were heavily over-explained. In fact, I think the reason why Tayz and Najila ended up being my favourites was precisely because that wasn't the case for them. Every detail was handed to me on a silver platter, or explained to me like I was five, over and over again. It was repetitive and boring, and therefore severely affected the flow of action and the tension throughout.

But, evidently, I didn't hate this book. Not even close. It falls into the trap I feel most debuts fall into: it tries to juggle too many things at once and, therefore, struggles to keep its focus. More than anything, I look back on this story with a feeling of fondness, especially with how it ended, and I'm quite excited to see what the sequel has to offer.

[Cossette Bautista · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 year old me: OOO! This book is so cool! It has powers and a cat! A magical world? Sign me up!

26 year old me: *screeching* I WILL BURN IT ALL TO KEEP Y’ALL SAFE AND TO HUG YOU!

So, this book’s vibe brought me back to when I was obsessed with PJO as a kid. This group of unlikely friends who have found a family in each other has made me feel so warm inside. The realization of they are more than enough and not what people have labeled as them warms my heart. I love how in-depth Jenn writes this story and how her writing helps you imagine this story as you read it. With each scene, I felt the set up and the emotions for each character within. I love the multi-POV aspect, because, in this case, you NEED to know how the MCs are feeling throughout each scene: their fear, trauma, realization, and ✨gay panic✨(which I counted to be ~5 times?). My favorite characters in this book have got to be Wattie and Tayz, but, I do adore Fletcher, Kiana, and Lux. I want to give them all a hug especially after what they’ve been through.

The ending was a beautiful way to end the first book and to set it up for the upcoming journey. This book was playing like a movie in my head, and the way I imagined it all was chef’s kiss! This book is definitely a step away from my romance novels, but, I am going to continue reading this series because it lights the same flame that PJO did when I was 10 years old.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who love gay panic, magical worlds, carnivorous plants, underdogs beating the big bad, and a found family vibes.

*Do not read the next if you don’t want to be serious*

Now, if we go on a deeper level, I can somewhat see how this fits in today’s society, especially within the LGBQT+ community. Although this book is a queernormative society, it definitely gives off how it is for the LGBQT+ community to be hated on by society. I won’t spoil anything, but, the self-loathing for who these characters are because of what people have told/ labeled them as it mirrors the hate that we see given by family members who can’t accept the LGBQT+ community. The concept of a group of people who have placed themselves as “protectors” of this world mirror religious groups within the US that try and “pray the gay away.” Now, I am just touching the surface of it all, but, in a sense this fantasy story does replicate what we are seeing today, and it does it beautifully. I love the acceptance of themselves and how their trauma helps them throughout, and that they are able to find a family within each other. Chef’s Kiss 💋

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to reading this book for months, and it did not disappoint. I loved everything about it. I mean, if I could inject this book straight into my veins, it still wouldn't be enough. I need a 12-book series, and I need it yesterday, and all my babies better get happy endings (after a lot of chaos and mischief, of course).

The characters were definitely the stars of this novel. They start as a band of misfits, all with their own secret motivations and goals. By the end, though, they form a strong found family. Along the way, we get to know them well enough to want them to succeed and be happy and burn down the entire rotting system designed to repress them then dance on the ashes. Ok, so maybe there's a bit of a revolutionary theme to this, but honestly I'm here for it. I loved all of the characters and obviously can't play favorites - but Wattie is definitely the best, no contest.

Just because the characters steal the show, don't discount the worldbuilding. It's such a cool world, especially Topensi, which is such an ecclectic amalgamation of worlds and cultures and eras. The worldhopping/portal fantasy element was really interesting. I also love when authors establish magic rules and then show people twisting them in new creative ways, which was definitely a big part fo the plot here. And my favorite part was the sentient carnivorous plants. Give me sentient plants in any story and I'm happy; make them vicious and hungry and I'm ready to toss money at the author without counting it first.

The plot was a wild ride, with revelations and past traumas revealed, a monster hunt with some heisty vibes, in-world politics,and a revolutionary burn it down tone. The stakes and the danger just kept ratcheting up and up. I kept thinking things were bad, just for them to get even worse. The way things were resolved for this first book was so satisfying, too - I wanted to cheer out loud, and if I hadn't been in an airport at the time I may have!

Overall, this book definitely comes with my recommendation. If you like new adult fantasy about a band of traumatized misfits turned found family who are ready to dismantle an unfair system plus a really good cat, make sure you check this one out!

Thanks to the author for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Brenda Stokvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 ⭐
Lux is trapped by an indenture with the Ripper Queen. When he discovers a monster controlled by the city guard, he sees a way to his freedom. Fletcher grew up on earth, but has a strange, dangerous and volatile magic running through his veins. When he accidentally summons Lux to his world, he finally starts getting answers for his condition. They are joint by Tayz, Kiana and Wattie the cat to accomplish Lux's crazy plans.
I really enjoyed Vicious Miscreations! There is darkness in every characters' past (trigger warnings for abuse and self harm!) and it was really interesting to slowly get their backstory and for things to start to make sense. The queer normative world was a dream, there is A LOT wrong with the world this book is set in but that was definitely not one of them. I hope a lot more writers start writing queer normative books. We need them in our world!
There is some great found family/friendship in this book. The distrust in many of the characters is understandable, and at first they are set up to betray eachother, but I am glad tentative friendship won in the end.
There are some slight issues with the world building. Many times as readers we just have to assume things. It is not explained what the differences are between Rippers and Hunters for example. Are they different or is it just privilege? How did the Hunters manage to capture Gods? Why do the Gods fear the Diphindrum, the magic Fletcher has? And maybe some of these things will be answered in the next book, but I would have loved a little more lore.
Favourite character is a toss up between Tayz (I love a flirty man) and Wattie the cat (fierce, protective and slightly magical). But as a crazy cat lady, my vote would probably go to Wattie. There is a little romantic tension between some of the characters, but I am glad their budding friendship took the forefront in this book.
In the end I really enjoyed this book. The writing was fun, I would say it is YA in writing style. The characters are flawed, but growing and learning. There were some good surprises and twists and the ending was quite a rollercoaster. Is it Six of Crows-brilliant? No, but I would definitely recommend it to everyone who loves Six of Crows.

[Fer B · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
ARC received from the author. This is my honest review.

First of all, I am honored and happy to have been selected as an ARC reader by the author. I was super hyped when I found out about Vicious Miscreations, and it delivered without a doubt.
We follow three main povs, the three MCs of the story, who are the pillars and the heart of everything. They are young, each one with their own inner demons and past. The way their reationship with each other grow and helps them find what they needed and wanted hit me a lot in the heart. The "side characters" were just as good, even if they didn't have their own pov (or the same screentime). I think some readers may not like our MCs because of their decisions and how they react at first, but for me that's what I loved (even if I was like "no!! please, don't!" or "this is not the way...please, trust them..." but also, couldn't really hold it against them).
I loved the antagonists too, each one with a reason to do what they were doing, all rooted in the desire for power and control, with their particular ways to have them.

The lore and the worldbuilding may seem subtle in their construction, but everything that happens in the plot hints at something bigger, more revelations and more to see in the next installment, because we had two Big Events in the book that were resolved but with a big feeling of "for now" there. I need more!! The murderous forest and the plant life was amazing to read about, how they were integrated on the everyday life of most of the characters.
The pacing is fast, it goes from 30 to 100 in a couple of chapters, and then there are lots of fights, cool magic, hearstopping moments (I was so afraid in three different fights!), and while I do think some conflicts were resolved easier than I expected, and some scenes happened too fast, it doesn't negate the impact of the characters' moments, inner dialogue and the adrenaline of the events.

Overall, this is a good story with a lot of heart and a cast of amazing characters, a queer-normative world, world-hopping and an intriguing worldbuilding and lore. Plus, an adorable animal companion. I want to see more of these characters.

[jennyrenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We are the nightmares the people of Astragath created. We might be broken, but we are the glass beneath their feet. They can’t crush us without bleeding, especially when we’re working together.”

If there is one quote that sums of VICIOUS MISCREATIONS perfectly, it’s this.

Oh, how I loved this absolutely fantastic story of found family, monsters, and magic! Jenn’s writing style is just beautiful, and paired with her world-building abilities and character development, this story truly comes alive on the page. Everything and everyone feels so unique, which is a testament to Jenn’s storytelling. Glowing carniverous forests and reciprocal magic? I’ve never read anything like it and now I’m hooked. One of my favorite tropes is the “what makes a monster?” VM is a shining, or should I say glowing, example of how this trope is done perfectly. And not just in one way, either. There are so many facets to the monsters in this book!

The plot kept me engaged right up to the very end! There were moments when I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to keep reading the action, and others where I lingered in the baring of hearts and spilling of emotion. The ups and downs were a roller coaster in the best way.

Lux will always be my favorite with his sass and charm, persistence, fury, and did I mention sass? My heart broke for him so many times, only to be healed by the end! I need more of Lux and Kiana as soon as possible, please. The friendship growing through the pain between them was my favorite part of this book. And let’s not forget the comedy gold that is Tayz! He could sweet-talk a tree into turning colors with a blush. Even Najila made me hate that I kinda loved her. I’d love to see if she has any more redeeming qualities in her in the next book.

I’ll admit, this was not my usual go-to genre. Jenn has won me over. She’s become one of those authors that will make me read anything she writes in the future. This debut novel was top-tier and I can’t recommend it enough!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author, thank you so much!
I did enjoy this book; however, it did take me a little while to fully get into it. There is a lot introduced in the beginning between the characters, multiple POVs, the world, and the magic system, and at first I wasn't completely sure how everything connected. But the more I kept reading, the more invested I became.
The characters and their relationships were definitely my favorite part of the book. Lux, Fletcher, and Kiana are all incredibly flawed and carrying their own trauma, fears, and reasons for not trusting the people around them. There were definitely moments when I just wanted to yell at them to talk to each other. But I also loved that they didn't immediately trust each other or become instant best friends.
I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs, even though I’m not normally a huge fan.
The world itself was incredibly creative. I sometimes wished certain parts of the world and magic system had been explained a little more, because I was left with a few questions, but I'm hoping some of those answers are being saved for the next book.
There were a few things that didn't completely work for me. The beginning was a little difficult to get into, some of the pacing felt uneven, and I occasionally struggled to follow the fight scenes.
But most importantly, though, this book has a lot of heart. I loved watching these incredibly flawed and traumatized characters learn to trust each other.
And, of course, Wattie. I loooooove. <3
Overall, it was a really creative, character-driven fantasy with found family, complicated friendships, slow-burn relationships, deeper themes surrounding class and prejudice, carnivorous plants, and a magical cat. It took me a little while to get into, but I'm really glad I kept reading, and I will definitely get a copy of book 2 when it is out.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is heading right to my 'top books of 2026' list. Let's just start there.

Now, I'm going to attempt to write a well-thought-out review of this book when all I want to do is scream about how amazing it was and go re-read it... Deep breaths.

Let's start with the characters. This is a very character-driven story. The found family was immaculate. I loved how each character had a different relationship with each person. Some were a little rougher around the edges and some were quick to click with each other, and that made it feel so realistic. They felt like real people from the start, and now I miss them like I just said "See you later" to my new friends.

The plot? Whoa. There were lots of twists and turns, and I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book (ask my cat, Steven. He was less than pleased with me 😂). Every time something else was revealed, I was audibly gasping.

The magic systems were so cool. Very unique. I haven't read anything like what was going on in this story, and I found it all fascinating (and scary!). I think Jenn Neal did an incredible job spreading info about how the magic worked throughout the narrative to drive the plot rather than info dump.

The writing was excellent. I was locked in from the start of the book. The chapters are also pretty short, which is something I personally enjoy as a reader because it makes me feel like the pacing is quicker. But also, the actual pacing was phenomenal. Not once did I find myself bored or wanting to skim through or anything like that.

I cannot wait for the next book. Gimme more Wattie and crew!! 🥰🥰🥰

Highly recommended!!!

[Kat Kraehen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat this book was, especially after I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump! I was so proud to hear I was one of the first people to sign up to read an ARC of Vicious Miscreations, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It can be so hard for even a seasoned writer to skilfully weave multiple POVs together, and Jenn managed to do it masterfully in her debut! Each POV - and even non-POV character - was so interesting and loveable in their own way, and I am so so hyped to read the next one!

The dialogue in particular was so fun to read. Everyone’s in it for themselves (at first, anyway) and do their fair share of bickering, but it never went into annoying or unbelievable territory, which I really appreciated. Although everyone starts out with understandably selfish intentions, it was such a treat watching them all slowly warm and trust each other.

I couldn’t begin to pick a favourite character as I love them all for different reasons. Kiana and Lux are both SO plucky and brave, and I adore how Fletcher, as a fish out of water, adapted to his new surroundings - and sniped more than once at my bbygirl princess Najila. And Tayz! I s2g the author had better protect Tayz at all costs.

Although romance doesn’t play a huge part in this book, there are hints of it throughout, especially between Fletcher and Tayz. I loveddd watching how warm and sweet Tayz was towards Fletcher, who is meanwhile wondering how the hell he got here.

Thank you so much Jenn for the opportunity to read this ARC, and I cannot wait to read your next one! <3

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers throughout, 4.5/5 rounded down for goodreads

I really enjoyed this one! All the characters were interesting, and I especially enjoyed Lux's arc, though I will say if you are sensitive to self harm, be careful with his chapters. I also felt that platonic relationships were treated very well in this, with friendships being just as important as the budding romantic relationships. My biggest issue is that the pacing felt inconsistent, especially with it being slow at the beginning. I also loved Lux a lot and enjoyed his chapters the most, but I felt the narrative was very focused on his pain, to the point I found it distracting how often the other characts commented on it. I would understand if he was the only one to have experienced this type of childhood abuse, but Kiana went through much of the same if not worse, and it almost felt downplayed in comparison, even from her perspective. But as negative as I am sounding, I really did love this book. The world was fascinating and I like the way the magic system was introduced, it avoided the curse of infodumping from the beginning and feeling out of place. I am very excited to continue to explore this world, and the pieces throughout such as the matriarchical kingdom and the location where refugee Divasi live. It was a fantastic debut work and I am excited to read more of her books in the future, and for her to continue this series.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑯𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏. "𝑰'𝒎 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈."
"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇."

While this story didn't have me completely seated and gripped in as I hoped, I did find this very interesting and to me, was unique. I haven't read any books with botany like this and found it super intriguing. This story has 3 different PoV which get intertwined together. Having the different PoV was great because of the way the story develops, it ensures we are getting those different experiences.

This world is brutal and being able to get those glimpses into their backstory not only helped understand those characters more but the world itself. The Ripper District was very interesting and is where we get to see some of the botany aspects. I loved the idea of the botany taking over the city and eating the people, it was something I haven't experienced before and loved it. While it does make an appearance throughout the story, I would have loved more!

"𝑺𝒉𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒑," 𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒅, 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏. "𝑰'𝒎 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
𝑨 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆. "𝑴𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅."

The building of the trust and relationships between the characters was enjoying to see. I loved Lux and Kiana and Tayz and Fletcher. But Tayz and Lux, I love how Tayz wanted to always show up for Lux because he knew no one has before.

I'm ready to watch them burn it all down.

- Queer characters
- Found Family
- Antihero MCs
- Gods
- Brutal World
- Multiple Worlds

[Caralee Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant explosion of misadventures, found family, self-actualization, and political clashes.

A group of traumatized outcasts from different worlds collide in what should have been a divine providence, except the gods in Astragath aren't like the ones on Earth; they are alive and out for blood at the slightest provocation, willing to kill off entire races to protect their own power. On top of that, paramilitary AND gang forces are trying to exploit that power at the expense of numerous human lives, just for the chance at the upper hand. When Fletcher, Kiana, Lux, Tayz, Najila, and Wattie (a curious cat) unscrupulously band together to take down the worst offenders, their individual worlds become entangled into one worth saving. Can they overcome their own fears and faults while dodging carnivorous, sentient plants and find a way to live without regret?

Vicious Miscreations is an incredibly unique, action-packed debut sci-fi/horror novel that will keep you on your toes until the very end and explores a rich world full of parallels to our own. When survival comes at a steep price, what drives a person to still choose humanity? Or will this world crumble under the pressure of a ravenous, encircling rot.

[Dana Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advance Copy Received from Author:

Let’s start off this way - I LOVED this book!
I have looked over other reviews and I understand, some people wanted more world building.
I am a VIBES READER. I also love a little social commentary. If that’s your thing, combined with things like plants that want to eat people, you’re going to have the best time with this book. If you want intricate world building details and high fantasy, maybe this isn’t for you. There are cell phones and modern issues addressed here, and I love that!

This wasn’t my usual genre. I’m usually a Romantasy reader, but it’s important to branch out. There’s clearly some tension here, but this is not a romance. There is not spice. But there is very cool magic and some characters to wish would get together.

This is book 1 of a series, and I am rating it as such. If this were a stand alone? Probably not a 5 star read.
Book 1 has to leave room for growth and development!
I think these characters were excellent. We meet them and had a chance to love them and grow attached, but there’s clearly still a lot more to uncover moving forward. We hear of other places, other magic, other technology, and this book just leaves bread crumbs to draw us into the rest of the series.

Debut release for Jenn - killed it.
Using book 1 to set us up for a larger series? - knocked it out of the park.

[Armando Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicious Miscreations by Jenn Neal delivers a vividly imagined world that completely pulled me in. The creativity behind the setting, especially the concept of the plants and their role was one of my favorite aspects. I only wish we had seen even more of those elements and deeper interaction with them, because that’s where the story really shines.
The book does start off quite slowly, which made it a bit of a challenge to fully engage at first. That said, the payoff is absolutely worth it. The final third of the book shifts gears into a fast-paced, gripping narrative that had me fully invested. By the end, I didn’t want to put it down.
As a YA novel, the characters do lean a bit on the younger side in terms of voice and behavior, but that fits the genre and doesn’t detract from the overall experience. Once the story finds its rhythm, the character dynamics and tension really come alive.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a strong finish that left me eager for more. If the next installment can capture and sustain the pacing and energy of those final chapters, I will definitely be continuing the series.

[Verity Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very lucky to receive this book as a eARC in exchange for a honest review.

First of all thanks so much to Jenn for sharing this with me. When I say I was obsessed and feral over this book I mean I was literally curled up in a ball reading it unable to stop. Vicious Miscreations was such an engaging story of a journey of disaster gays. If you like Misfits, Arcane and things like freaky cool plants that eat people, actually scary villains and stakes that feel desperate and nail biting. Then I think you will love Vicious Miscreations as much as I did.

All of the characters have their very distinct voices that somehow come together to really give the book its found family vibes…well after a lot of suspicion and disaster first of course haha iykyk.

The world building and magic applications in the book were really cool and refreshing. I haven’t seen something exactly like it before. It felt like a real breathing world with rules and limitations and wonder (and a lot of danger ofc)

Again highly recommend this book for lovers of fantasy, plant horror, brutal stakes and lovable characters.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.  All views are my own.

Fletcher & Kiana work at the same docks in Ketchikan, Alaska.  Both are determined to keep their secrets to themselves but when Fletcher returns home to find Skandar, a hunter, sitting in his kitchen, asking questions about Kiana, Fletcher finds himself embroiled in a world he never expected.

*Fletcher has spent years denying who he really is.

*Lux has learned to survive the hard way.

*Kiana has spent her whole life running.

*Tayz owes Queen Amara for keeping him safe. 

None of them are trusting.  All of them expect betrayal.  However, they must work together to capture a Makai, return it to Queen Amara & free themselves from their bonds and certain death should they fail.  Filled with action, twists, and turns the story collides in a battle between good, evil, and the realization that not all is as it seems.

Vicious Miscreations shows us that often, our chosen family are the ones who make us feel the most accepted, most loved, and the safest.  That no matter who you are, what you believe, or what you did in your past, you are worthy of belonging and love.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenn Neal created a world where magic is used to hold people down. Gods are spiteful and determine that plan life is the better use of the planet than humans. As such, plants are more dangerous than people and are weaponized by caste leaders (akin to gang leaders). Cheating, stealing, murder is the only way to survive for those who do not follow.

What I loved:
The world building is incredible with such detail added to the biomes that literally light the way in the darkness. There is balance with the plants until they become weaponized. Gods are spiteful towards humans who used resources without regard for overconsumption. The magic system is unique and each race of humans has a different magical baseline. And of course, the magical cat ties everything together.

What makes this story relevant to us today is the removal of autonomy and free will by caste leaders determined to gain power through the denigration of groups of people. Labels are used to instill fear and hatred. We are witness to the evolution of our main cast as they struggle with their internal nightmares and find family and strength in what was so fundamentally engrained as the evil within. This fast-paced story will have you question everything while you hold your breath. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to receive the ARC of this book - thank you to the author!

I tried really hard to get into this book a few times but found myself skimming a lot and forcing myself to finish it. I am more of a sci-fi girl so maybe this genre just isn’t for me, but I was excited to read it in a quest to extend my reading scope, and for the queerness! But I have to say, that’s the only aspect that kept me reading.

Too much irrelevant detail was piled onto the story for it to be concise and to give space to flesh the characters and world building out effectively; the extra details and constant action tags didn’t quite hit and kept me at arms length from the story. It felt unnecessarily busy, yet it wasn’t engaging.

It really felt like this would have greatly benefitted from an extra round of developmental editing to focus on the bones of the story and fill plot holes.

I’m glad so many people are enjoying this book, and thank you for the queer representation!