What do you think?
Rate this book
The Merciless #3
The Merciless III: Origins of Evil
Horror queen Danielle Vega finally reveals the sinister mystery of how a teen girl named Brooklyn became the epitome of evil in this terrifying prequel to the series MTV calls "Mean Girls meets The Exorcist."
Brooklyn knows that there's no good without evil, no right without wrong. And when a helpless girl calls her teen helpline, whispering that someone is hurting her, Brooklyn knows that she needs to save her anonymous caller, even if it means doing something bad.
Her parents and friends assure her the call was probably a prank--but Brooklyn has always had a tendency to take over, whether someone has asked for help or not.
She discovers the call came from Christ First Church and finds herself plunged into the cultish community of its youth group. She's especially drawn to Gavin, the angelic yet tortured pastor's son.
Torn between an unstoppable attraction to Gavin and her obsession with the truth, Brooklyn is forced to make a devastating choice to rid Christ Church of evil once and for all. . . . But the devil has plans for Brooklyn's soul.
From the Hardcover edition.
Brooklyn knows that there's no good without evil, no right without wrong. And when a helpless girl calls her teen helpline, whispering that someone is hurting her, Brooklyn knows that she needs to save her anonymous caller, even if it means doing something bad.
Her parents and friends assure her the call was probably a prank--but Brooklyn has always had a tendency to take over, whether someone has asked for help or not.
She discovers the call came from Christ First Church and finds herself plunged into the cultish community of its youth group. She's especially drawn to Gavin, the angelic yet tortured pastor's son.
Torn between an unstoppable attraction to Gavin and her obsession with the truth, Brooklyn is forced to make a devastating choice to rid Christ Church of evil once and for all. . . . But the devil has plans for Brooklyn's soul.
From the Hardcover edition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2017
102 people are currently reading
4419 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Vega
16 books1,790 followersDanielle Vega is the author of THE MERCILESS and SURVIVE THE NIGHT. She's also the author of BURNING, under the name Danielle Rollins.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews
October 20, 2017
So let me get this straight. We're treated with scenes of torture, and violence, and blood, and every other nasty act out there, but we skip over the sex scene?! Blasphemy!
Warning, this review will contain spoilers of the previous novels as well as this one. Also, a little bit of cursing. I feel it coming.
The Merciless III by Danielle Vega is actually a prequel to The Merciless which I did not know, thanks to me not reading the synopsis. So it was to my surprise, when I see Brooklyn, the main character of this book but a side character of the first, front and center and sane. The story centers on Brooke and how she came to be possessed by a demon, of which we still don't know who it is. Or what it is?
The novel introduces a much fuller cast than The Merciless II and by fuller, I mean they actually have a storyline! Each new character has a hidden secret whether it be good, or bad that adds to the book, and characters from the first novel are drawn out more in an attempt to make them more dimensional. I found myself enjoying Brooke more than Sofia and even cheered for her more in hopes of surviving. Sofia on the other hand is dead to me. Dead I say!
But if I'm not mistaken, although we get backstories to the first cast, it seems as if this book and the first don't exactly connect in the way I expected it. Yea, the story flows together, but if I remember correctly, none of the acts of this novel, are ever mentioned in the first! I mean, I see why Riley thinks Brooke is possessed and wants to perform an exorcism on her. But, had she mentioned why in the first book, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't think Riley was crazy to begin with and would realize that she was right the whole time. It almost seemed like the thought of this novel came after the first was written.
Also, as interesting as the characters were, there was one thing I was super grateful for. There was no stupid instant love. While characters liked each other and had sex and did what they had to do, at no point was there any mention of love. It was a strict like and lust for which I understand. Not that I understand because I follow the same rules, but because it seemed more real. Not to mention that some of these characters were crazy but that goes into the next part.
The story this time, like the second and unlike the first, spanned across days and weeks rather than just a few hours. We got a bit more character development than the other two but still no crazy scenes as the first. While it took a while to get into the action, when it finally did, it gave me a little bit of what I expected and then a whole bunch of something else. While it may not have been as bloody and gut wrenching as the first novel, this one definitely has its what the fuck moments. After a bit of grotesque scenes, we're finally treated with haunting and creepy images and mind tricks that border on real and imaginary. Not to mention, someone goes full creep stalker mode, and even decides to leave someone they "love" a vial of their blood as a gift.
I also feel like I'm judging the novels way too harsh. I don't think I would've had such a big problem with it if I wasn't expecting much from it. I went into the first book getting what I expected. The second disappointed me like I never imagined. Coming to the third, I expected to get what the first book gave me. But as I read and read and read and the action took a while before it began, I started to realize where my problem with the books came from.
In the first book, we get basic torture porn. There’s no simple way of putting it. We get crazy people doing crazy things for the entire book and it gets your adrenaline going. With the second book, we start getting less torture porn and more crazy religious people. But it wasn’t their actions, but their words. Suddenly the series became very religious in both the plot and characters but nothing was really making me say, “Oh my God!” pun intended. It wasn’t until midway through this book that we finally get the crazy religious person to do insane things that make our adrenaline pump again. While the scenes weren’t as grotesque as the first book, Vega seemed to tap into her powers once more and deliver something that kind of made me squirm.
And while the rest of the book didn't deliver what I wanted, I still enjoyed it because of the cast and for what was happening. A person could go into this novel and read it as a stand-alone and enjoy it for what it is. Which side note, another problem I seem to be having is that the same things are happening to the characters. Girl gets tied up, girl has religious person yelling in their face, girl escapes. And somehow in all three instances, a fire starts and someone dies. Perhaps if Vega changed it up a bit with different ways these girls get tortured mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and physically, I would've enjoy each of them a bit more. But right now it just seems like a repeat.
With that, I'm still going to read the fourth book, which is said to be the final one. It features a new cast which has me a bit concerned but Vega can write! I won't complain about her writing, because she keeps you engrossed and wanting more regardless of what's happening or what's not happening. And for an author to do that, while not liking a bit much, it sure is talent.
Warning, this review will contain spoilers of the previous novels as well as this one. Also, a little bit of cursing. I feel it coming.
The Merciless III by Danielle Vega is actually a prequel to The Merciless which I did not know, thanks to me not reading the synopsis. So it was to my surprise, when I see Brooklyn, the main character of this book but a side character of the first, front and center and sane. The story centers on Brooke and how she came to be possessed by a demon, of which we still don't know who it is. Or what it is?
The novel introduces a much fuller cast than The Merciless II and by fuller, I mean they actually have a storyline! Each new character has a hidden secret whether it be good, or bad that adds to the book, and characters from the first novel are drawn out more in an attempt to make them more dimensional. I found myself enjoying Brooke more than Sofia and even cheered for her more in hopes of surviving. Sofia on the other hand is dead to me. Dead I say!
But if I'm not mistaken, although we get backstories to the first cast, it seems as if this book and the first don't exactly connect in the way I expected it. Yea, the story flows together, but if I remember correctly, none of the acts of this novel, are ever mentioned in the first! I mean, I see why Riley thinks Brooke is possessed and wants to perform an exorcism on her. But, had she mentioned why in the first book, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't think Riley was crazy to begin with and would realize that she was right the whole time. It almost seemed like the thought of this novel came after the first was written.
Also, as interesting as the characters were, there was one thing I was super grateful for. There was no stupid instant love. While characters liked each other and had sex and did what they had to do, at no point was there any mention of love. It was a strict like and lust for which I understand. Not that I understand because I follow the same rules, but because it seemed more real. Not to mention that some of these characters were crazy but that goes into the next part.
The story this time, like the second and unlike the first, spanned across days and weeks rather than just a few hours. We got a bit more character development than the other two but still no crazy scenes as the first. While it took a while to get into the action, when it finally did, it gave me a little bit of what I expected and then a whole bunch of something else. While it may not have been as bloody and gut wrenching as the first novel, this one definitely has its what the fuck moments. After a bit of grotesque scenes, we're finally treated with haunting and creepy images and mind tricks that border on real and imaginary. Not to mention, someone goes full creep stalker mode, and even decides to leave someone they "love" a vial of their blood as a gift.
I also feel like I'm judging the novels way too harsh. I don't think I would've had such a big problem with it if I wasn't expecting much from it. I went into the first book getting what I expected. The second disappointed me like I never imagined. Coming to the third, I expected to get what the first book gave me. But as I read and read and read and the action took a while before it began, I started to realize where my problem with the books came from.
In the first book, we get basic torture porn. There’s no simple way of putting it. We get crazy people doing crazy things for the entire book and it gets your adrenaline going. With the second book, we start getting less torture porn and more crazy religious people. But it wasn’t their actions, but their words. Suddenly the series became very religious in both the plot and characters but nothing was really making me say, “Oh my God!” pun intended. It wasn’t until midway through this book that we finally get the crazy religious person to do insane things that make our adrenaline pump again. While the scenes weren’t as grotesque as the first book, Vega seemed to tap into her powers once more and deliver something that kind of made me squirm.
And while the rest of the book didn't deliver what I wanted, I still enjoyed it because of the cast and for what was happening. A person could go into this novel and read it as a stand-alone and enjoy it for what it is. Which side note, another problem I seem to be having is that the same things are happening to the characters. Girl gets tied up, girl has religious person yelling in their face, girl escapes. And somehow in all three instances, a fire starts and someone dies. Perhaps if Vega changed it up a bit with different ways these girls get tortured mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and physically, I would've enjoy each of them a bit more. But right now it just seems like a repeat.
With that, I'm still going to read the fourth book, which is said to be the final one. It features a new cast which has me a bit concerned but Vega can write! I won't complain about her writing, because she keeps you engrossed and wanting more regardless of what's happening or what's not happening. And for an author to do that, while not liking a bit much, it sure is talent.
February 13, 2019
Just in case, a spoiler thing....Queue Whoopie cushion deflation noise ...
The prequel, where it started, at least as far as Brooklyn is concerned, is what this is supposed to be about. Hmm. Thoughts about this...
Does this demon erase forensics!?
This could have been done so much better. It did not read like an origin story.
There was barely even a touch on her being friends with Riley and her group at all! It was only one mention of Riley when they were young. This didn't make sense to me with the rest at all. Uh. The explanation that Hope gave to B for why she did what she did......Noooooo! What the? Oh yeah, pffft, I decided to be evil bc you convinced me my pastor dad shouldn't be torturing me.
I wanted an origin story but I don't think this is it. No, this is a hot mess! I know there is a better one existing in this material that could be pulled out. The first two hundred pages almost was boring to me. That just doesn't happen, not to me. I'm going to read the last one, I think. I requested these to be bought by the library. It's bc of me this one is in there! Eeesh. They got 2,3, & 4. I liked 2.
I mean... At one point B comes home home from being stabbed, in a fire, bloody, clothes torn, ... You get the idea.... And all she does is wash her clothes and take a shower!! She doesn't mention doctoring her wounds at all. This was just hodge podge. At least the other two tried to take care of some of the details somewhat. Oh but she does mention she blackened the bar of soap and had to wash that ...... ?
Her mom never does ask about the deep cut down her face ! I feel like this book was put together in a real hurry. It would have been really good if edited for consistency and, geez cared more about??
All I really learned is.... Well, B had a lot of hallucinations, and some ppl know nothing about keeping evil away, personal safety, responsibility, or baptism (It's not done w foul water or drowning someone ) and you don't save someone by making them bleed! Oh and you can't injure someone with a spoon to the eye then change it to a fork. What would a fork be doing at a froyo place???
The prequel, where it started, at least as far as Brooklyn is concerned, is what this is supposed to be about. Hmm. Thoughts about this...
Does this demon erase forensics!?
This could have been done so much better. It did not read like an origin story.
There was barely even a touch on her being friends with Riley and her group at all! It was only one mention of Riley when they were young. This didn't make sense to me with the rest at all. Uh. The explanation that Hope gave to B for why she did what she did......Noooooo! What the? Oh yeah, pffft, I decided to be evil bc you convinced me my pastor dad shouldn't be torturing me.
I wanted an origin story but I don't think this is it. No, this is a hot mess! I know there is a better one existing in this material that could be pulled out. The first two hundred pages almost was boring to me. That just doesn't happen, not to me. I'm going to read the last one, I think. I requested these to be bought by the library. It's bc of me this one is in there! Eeesh. They got 2,3, & 4. I liked 2.
I mean... At one point B comes home home from being stabbed, in a fire, bloody, clothes torn, ... You get the idea.... And all she does is wash her clothes and take a shower!! She doesn't mention doctoring her wounds at all. This was just hodge podge. At least the other two tried to take care of some of the details somewhat. Oh but she does mention she blackened the bar of soap and had to wash that ...... ?
Her mom never does ask about the deep cut down her face ! I feel like this book was put together in a real hurry. It would have been really good if edited for consistency and, geez cared more about??
All I really learned is.... Well, B had a lot of hallucinations, and some ppl know nothing about keeping evil away, personal safety, responsibility, or baptism (It's not done w foul water or drowning someone ) and you don't save someone by making them bleed! Oh and you can't injure someone with a spoon to the eye then change it to a fork. What would a fork be doing at a froyo place???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
So I won't be sleeping tonight after finishing this one and that's how you know it's so good! I could barely put this one down even though I was so scared to continue. Vega has a great ability to make you forget you are reading a horror book. I was about a quarter of the way through and I thought nothing terrible has happened yet. It gave you a false sense of security before all the bad things started to happen.
Longer review to come soon!
Longer review to come soon!
May 25, 2020
I think it’s safe to say by now that I am completely, head over heels in love with this series. It is by far the best YA horror I’ve read yet. In this book we get to see the origins of Brooklyn, hence the title and let me tell you, it was one hell of a ride! I’ve been wanting to know how it all began since I started this series and finally getting to find out was such a treat and it definitely didn’t let me down. It was dark and brutal and at certain points I was actually physically cringing from what was described on the page. This book is definitely not for the squeamish, it’s gets downright nasty at times, which I absolutely adored every second of if that wasn’t already obvious!
August 3, 2017
I am a huge fan of Danielle Vega but specifically The Merciless books! When they said there would be a sequel I thought that was a horrible idea and it would be awful, they proved me wrong. When I found out there was going to be a third book I had the same thought process and once again, Danielle Vega has proved me wrong! This book is a prequel to The Merciless and is about Brooklyn. I thought it was amazing and I was completely glued to the book from page one!
Longer review coming soon!
Longer review coming soon!
February 2, 2021
After the hot mess of the second book, I didn't have very high hopes on this one and I was right mostly. It was an ok read - a big step up from the second one I thought. This one takes us a back a bit and is a prequel - it probably should've been the fourth in the series but I digress. This one features one of the girls from the original story (won't say who due to spoilers) and her backstory. I thought she made a good protagonist overall and I actually was pretty into hearing how it all came to be (talking cryptic because of spoilers is hard LOL). This one is slower paced than the first two and it takes awhile for the real horror elements to really set in, but once they do it's a good time. Nice ending as well.
July 14, 2017
i'm not sure if i enjoyed this as much as the first 2 books, but the ending was so good and no one does YA horror like danielle vega. i'm so happy she exists to fill all my gore-y needs.
March 30, 2020
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
Brooklyn starts a helpline for troubled teens out of the basement at her school. She receives her first phone call and traces it back to First Christ Church where she meets Pastor Joe, and his son, Gavin. As she spends more time at the Church, she becomes closer to Gavin, and gets a glimpse into just how creepy Pastor Joe truly is.
I hadn't realized that this was a prequel to the first two books in this series, but now that I know this I definitely appreciate it more than I did before knowing this. I still didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, but I still had a fun time reading it. I liked learning more about Brooklyn and how she became who she was when we met her in the first book. Honestly, this book just felt like a repeat of the last book. It was just a girl getting kidnapped and tied up, crazy religious people yelling at her and torturing her, she escapes and then a fire starts and people tie.... the exact same thing as book 2. Which is fine, but I would have enjoyed something different in this one.
Eh, overall, it was okay, but I definitely think it could have been executed better.
Brooklyn starts a helpline for troubled teens out of the basement at her school. She receives her first phone call and traces it back to First Christ Church where she meets Pastor Joe, and his son, Gavin. As she spends more time at the Church, she becomes closer to Gavin, and gets a glimpse into just how creepy Pastor Joe truly is.
I hadn't realized that this was a prequel to the first two books in this series, but now that I know this I definitely appreciate it more than I did before knowing this. I still didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, but I still had a fun time reading it. I liked learning more about Brooklyn and how she became who she was when we met her in the first book. Honestly, this book just felt like a repeat of the last book. It was just a girl getting kidnapped and tied up, crazy religious people yelling at her and torturing her, she escapes and then a fire starts and people tie.... the exact same thing as book 2. Which is fine, but I would have enjoyed something different in this one.
Eh, overall, it was okay, but I definitely think it could have been executed better.
October 23, 2017
This stunning prequel to Danielle Vega's The Merciless series is a terrifying thrill ride that will keep you guessing right up to the mind-blowing conclusion!
Once again Vega has delivered a book that is as horrifying as it is entertaining. Not only are these books absolute page-turners, but they are also quick reads. These are easily bingeable and guaranteed to get readers into the Halloween spirit.
After reading the first two books, I was thrilled to get to delve into Brooklyn's backstory and see how she came to be the seemingly evil character that she is in the other two books. Whether she's being bad or good, Brooklyn is a character that is just so interesting to read about. While her actions are shocking at times, Vega manages to still make her a likable and relatable character, which quite frankly is impressive given the circumstances.
One thing I just adore about this series is the way that Vega is constantly forcing the readers to question which characters are good, which characters are bad, and just how blurry the line between them can be.
I was also excited to see the intriguing and alarming Christ First Church playing such a vital role in the storyline. In each of the books in this series, Vega leaves reader's wondering who the real villain is. Is it the fanatic religious zealots, or the characters who may possibly be possessed by demons? It drums up some incredible themes of what defines good and evil in our own world and gets readers to take a closer look at their own assumptions about the world around them.
What lies at the heart of these books though, is a truly scary story. I've heard these books described as Mean Girls meets The Exorcist and boy-oh-boy is that an accurate description. They are as entertaining as the former, while also being as darkly disturbing as the latter. Reading these books feels like watching a really well-written teen horror movie.
It's October right now, and while I'm sure these books would be captivating reads any time of year, they were SOOOOO much fun to binge read this month! There are still a few loose threads dangling in this series, and I simply can't wait for the fourth book to be released next year!
Once again Vega has delivered a book that is as horrifying as it is entertaining. Not only are these books absolute page-turners, but they are also quick reads. These are easily bingeable and guaranteed to get readers into the Halloween spirit.
After reading the first two books, I was thrilled to get to delve into Brooklyn's backstory and see how she came to be the seemingly evil character that she is in the other two books. Whether she's being bad or good, Brooklyn is a character that is just so interesting to read about. While her actions are shocking at times, Vega manages to still make her a likable and relatable character, which quite frankly is impressive given the circumstances.
One thing I just adore about this series is the way that Vega is constantly forcing the readers to question which characters are good, which characters are bad, and just how blurry the line between them can be.
I was also excited to see the intriguing and alarming Christ First Church playing such a vital role in the storyline. In each of the books in this series, Vega leaves reader's wondering who the real villain is. Is it the fanatic religious zealots, or the characters who may possibly be possessed by demons? It drums up some incredible themes of what defines good and evil in our own world and gets readers to take a closer look at their own assumptions about the world around them.
What lies at the heart of these books though, is a truly scary story. I've heard these books described as Mean Girls meets The Exorcist and boy-oh-boy is that an accurate description. They are as entertaining as the former, while also being as darkly disturbing as the latter. Reading these books feels like watching a really well-written teen horror movie.
It's October right now, and while I'm sure these books would be captivating reads any time of year, they were SOOOOO much fun to binge read this month! There are still a few loose threads dangling in this series, and I simply can't wait for the fourth book to be released next year!
August 23, 2017
"The skin at the corner of his lip has been torn wide. His mouth gapes open, the teeth below slicked with blood. Deep claw marks have shredded his gums and chin. Ragged flaps of skin hang from his bones, like scraps of fabrics. It looks like hamburger meat, red and raw."
Danielle Vega sure knows how to make your skin crawl and the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Getting ready for work this morning made me a wee bit jumpy as I turn the shower on waiting for blood to start pouring out. (No blood, just water)
I'm one of those people who beg and plead for more books in a series. Then it happens and I'm afraid to start reading it because it might ruin the entire thing. This is one of those series that gets better and better with each book. And of course, I'm craving another book.
As you flip the pages while reading, you get an uneasy feeling. Maybe someone is watching you. That noise you heard, makes you wonder and your mind works overtime picking over it. To say this was spooky is putting it very lightly. Vega knows how to get under your skin and make your dreams turn into nightmares.
As soon as you finish this, you want to run to your bookshelf and reread the other two books. I found myself tearing through the others, frantically searching for answers. The more questions you have, the more goosebumps form on your arms, and the answers will be that more terrifying.
If you read all of the books in the series, you'll see huge inconsistencies throughout. Especially at the end. A lot of questions are unanswered and the more you talk about it the more confused you feel. All your guesses will be wrong, but I'm hoping for more books with even bigger twists.
If you thought you knew all about Brooklyn, think again.
Danielle Vega sure knows how to make your skin crawl and the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Getting ready for work this morning made me a wee bit jumpy as I turn the shower on waiting for blood to start pouring out. (No blood, just water)
I'm one of those people who beg and plead for more books in a series. Then it happens and I'm afraid to start reading it because it might ruin the entire thing. This is one of those series that gets better and better with each book. And of course, I'm craving another book.
As you flip the pages while reading, you get an uneasy feeling. Maybe someone is watching you. That noise you heard, makes you wonder and your mind works overtime picking over it. To say this was spooky is putting it very lightly. Vega knows how to get under your skin and make your dreams turn into nightmares.
As soon as you finish this, you want to run to your bookshelf and reread the other two books. I found myself tearing through the others, frantically searching for answers. The more questions you have, the more goosebumps form on your arms, and the answers will be that more terrifying.
If you read all of the books in the series, you'll see huge inconsistencies throughout. Especially at the end. A lot of questions are unanswered and the more you talk about it the more confused you feel. All your guesses will be wrong, but I'm hoping for more books with even bigger twists.
If you thought you knew all about Brooklyn, think again.
March 20, 2020
3.0 Stars
This was another gruesome and brutal entry in the Merciless series. As a prequel, I definitely recommend reading the first book before picking up this one. Despite loving the original story, I was not as in love with this book. I just did not find the storyline as compelling. Personally, I missed the Catholic focus, since I did not connect with the evangelist Christians angle. All the books in the series are quite bloody, but this one was particularly gruesome with some very memorable imagery. So not my personal favourite, but still a fun, fast read.
This was another gruesome and brutal entry in the Merciless series. As a prequel, I definitely recommend reading the first book before picking up this one. Despite loving the original story, I was not as in love with this book. I just did not find the storyline as compelling. Personally, I missed the Catholic focus, since I did not connect with the evangelist Christians angle. All the books in the series are quite bloody, but this one was particularly gruesome with some very memorable imagery. So not my personal favourite, but still a fun, fast read.
July 15, 2018
I am so pumped for the fourth one. This was a great prequel kind of where it all started from. And I think really shows evil wins when you don't speak up or tell the truth if not to others at least to yourself. I think there were many times she could have turned back I don't think it started with just letting a man die either. This one makes me really want to go back and reread the other two. It really pushes the boundaries on who can you trust. Brooklyn just seemed like a girl who wanted to help the world with real problems. Unfortunately there are people who will prey on that at every turn. There were definitely some gross parts but nothing to bad if your enjoy horror movies. Though these books keep me questioning they don't scare me. I never have a problem going to be afterwords.
November 29, 2017
(1.5) It's like the author tries too hard to be gory. Not everything bleeds that much or that easily. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE DANIELLE. NOT EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE RAW MEAT.
Okay, it is safe to say that I do not like these books. but some masochistic part of me continues to read them, only to be horrified. Just not in the way the author intended.
And now there is a fourth one. Save us, heavenly father.
Okay, it is safe to say that I do not like these books. but some masochistic part of me continues to read them, only to be horrified. Just not in the way the author intended.
And now there is a fourth one. Save us, heavenly father.
January 11, 2019
I enjoyed this book but I felt like it was really hard for the author to build suspense with this being a prequel novel and the reader already knowing what becomes of Brooklyn at the end.
I do think the novels are enjoyable but I do also feel that the violence and gore has gotten increasingly over the top with the author feeling like she has to one up herself from the previous novels.
I do think the novels are enjoyable but I do also feel that the violence and gore has gotten increasingly over the top with the author feeling like she has to one up herself from the previous novels.
February 18, 2020
Oh goodness, so this book was quite confusing at first!! Because when you start you are thinking Brooklyn..? Isn’t Brooklyn dead..? But it’s actually the back story of how Brooklyn became possessed! It is absolutely amazing, it goes into all the details of how Brooklyn became the way she is and how she was able to handle being tortured in the 2nd book!
Great, Great read!!! A little slow at first but stick with it, there’s a HUGE plot twist at the end!!
Great, Great read!!! A little slow at first but stick with it, there’s a HUGE plot twist at the end!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2020
Prequel o tom, jak se Brooklyn stala posedlou. Na první díl to pořád nemá, ale bavilo mě to. Moc. Uvítala bych sice o trochu víc mučení, ale pořád to bylo dobré. Jsem zvědavá na závěr série.
3.5/5*
3.5/5*
December 20, 2020
Okay, I gotta be honest; the first half of the book was a little disappointing. It was slow, and it also felt lazy due to the similarities with the previous books. However, as I was reading the last page, I was left with a pleased smile on my face.
Brooklyn captured me from the very first moment we were introduced to her, so you can only imagine how excited I was to read a story focused on her finally. Creepingly, what drown me to that character was her dark side, which is endearing and entertaining to read. Sadly, we obviously didn't get to see that until the end of the book. I understand that this was supposed to tell us the origins of evil, show us everything that led to the blonde pixie Brooklyn that we met at the cafeteria the first time. Still, at least to me, the Brooklyn "before" was uninteresting and lacked the personality that I was hoping to see, which makes me think that having the devil inside was her only gripping character trait.
I was also very saddened, but not shocked at all when the author got rid of a character that I was honestly rooting for and the only one I genuinely felt sorry about losing in the book.
If there's one thing that I want to give props to the author, though, it's the story itself, and the way it got me thinking about ethics and morality. What is right, and what is wrong. What is good, and what is evil. It's hard to say that one character was pure evil when their intentions are "pure." But it's impossible to side with them when the attainments are monstrous and plain sadistic.
I think I unfairly gave this book unreachable expectations, but the second half did save it from getting a lower rating. Despite not loving Brooklyn as much as I thought I was going to, I'm still happy and grateful that we got to see more of her since I was sure that we weren't going to. Overall, it wasn't terrible. It had some unnecessary plots , but I liked how I sort of took away something deeper and more meaningful from it, unlike the other two books.
Brooklyn captured me from the very first moment we were introduced to her, so you can only imagine how excited I was to read a story focused on her finally. Creepingly, what drown me to that character was her dark side, which is endearing and entertaining to read. Sadly, we obviously didn't get to see that until the end of the book. I understand that this was supposed to tell us the origins of evil, show us everything that led to the blonde pixie Brooklyn that we met at the cafeteria the first time. Still, at least to me, the Brooklyn "before" was uninteresting and lacked the personality that I was hoping to see, which makes me think that having the devil inside was her only gripping character trait.
I was also very saddened, but not shocked at all when the author got rid of a character that I was honestly rooting for and the only one I genuinely felt sorry about losing in the book.
If there's one thing that I want to give props to the author, though, it's the story itself, and the way it got me thinking about ethics and morality. What is right, and what is wrong. What is good, and what is evil. It's hard to say that one character was pure evil when their intentions are "pure." But it's impossible to side with them when the attainments are monstrous and plain sadistic.
I think I unfairly gave this book unreachable expectations, but the second half did save it from getting a lower rating. Despite not loving Brooklyn as much as I thought I was going to, I'm still happy and grateful that we got to see more of her since I was sure that we weren't going to. Overall, it wasn't terrible. It had some unnecessary plots , but I liked how I sort of took away something deeper and more meaningful from it, unlike the other two books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
I wouldn’t have bothered to read it if I didn’t already have it. It was just as gory as the other two, and at first I liked it better because the main character seemed slightly more interesting than the original main character. Brooklyn had more motivation and stronger opinions than Sofia, but then it went and did the same thing as the other two with **spoiler alert** the victims actually being possessed. Like pastor joe was a bad guy, does him hurting hope become justified when he did it all to exorcise a demon that was actually inside her? Also Brooklyn seemed like a caring person who is very much not evil, why was she possessed and told she had great evil in her. Her evil act was far more justified than Sofia’s. I’m just disappointed that again the female victim was bad again, first Brooklyn is tortured for the sake of an exorcism in book one and instead of the crazy girls who tortured her being in the wrong it turns out they were right and she was possessed. Same with Sofia in book two and hope I book three. Like I would have preferred the pastor to be the one possessed, or Even better Gavin. Anyways these books are very gory, do not have that strong a plot, and kinda frustrate me.
July 24, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed the shit out of this book as i did with the others. It was nice to see brooklyn before everything takes place and she was different than id imagined.
The gory scenes were awesome and just ugh! Lets hope to a 4th book taking place where the second left off!
The gory scenes were awesome and just ugh! Lets hope to a 4th book taking place where the second left off!
October 25, 2018
Loved reading about how Brooklyn became what she is, so glad Danielle wrote her story. This one definitely made the hairs stand up on my arms and gave me goosebumps. Recommend series
October 21, 2017
View on WordPress!
I’m a die-hard fan of The Merciless, and will never hesitate to pick up one of Danielle Vega’s new releases. When I saw that this installment was going to focus on Brooklyn’s backstory, I was wary but still very intrigued. To put a complete origin story in the middle of a series - and count it as part of the story arc - seemed strange to me. Despite that, it was just as wonderful, gory, and vivd as I expected it to be, and only heightened my sense of excitement for the next and final book.
Surprisingly, I was very impressed by how much I came to understand, and even like, Brooklyn. Seeing her as she once was, and the torture she suffered prior to the events of the first book, you can better understand and even relate to the anger and pain which makes her into the person she is to become. Not only does she elicit empathy from the reader, but she also becomes distinctly human. I also loved the supporting characters and their complexities, and Vega never disappoints on that front. Her supporting characters always drive the story perfectly, and Gavin, Hope, and Elijah were no exception. One thing I struggled with, however, was Pastor Joe and his power with words. To create a convincing narrative about a cult, without verbal inflection, it’s very difficult to fully grasp just how disturbing and manipulative Pastor Joe’s speech would be when spoken.
My main problem was trying to find the purpose this novel serves as the third of four installments. It could’ve been an exceptional prequel following the conclusion of the series, after the four (or even just three) novels. I felt it simply disturbed the flow of the series, despite how much I enjoyed the whole plot. Consistently, I think these books have a problem with build up. The real action just doesn’t happen fast enough, and then gets rushed at the end. But what was so great about this story is that I could finally see how everything came full circle - and seamlessly, at that. It was a flawless transitionary tale. I just wish it had happened in a different series order.
Overall, I enjoyed this immensely, as I knew I would. Even though I knew the eventual outcome, I greatly enjoyed seeing the process it took to get there. I felt it left me with a better understanding of all the consistent players, and prepared me for what I’m sure is to be a stunning and horrifying conclusion.
I’m a die-hard fan of The Merciless, and will never hesitate to pick up one of Danielle Vega’s new releases. When I saw that this installment was going to focus on Brooklyn’s backstory, I was wary but still very intrigued. To put a complete origin story in the middle of a series - and count it as part of the story arc - seemed strange to me. Despite that, it was just as wonderful, gory, and vivd as I expected it to be, and only heightened my sense of excitement for the next and final book.
Surprisingly, I was very impressed by how much I came to understand, and even like, Brooklyn. Seeing her as she once was, and the torture she suffered prior to the events of the first book, you can better understand and even relate to the anger and pain which makes her into the person she is to become. Not only does she elicit empathy from the reader, but she also becomes distinctly human. I also loved the supporting characters and their complexities, and Vega never disappoints on that front. Her supporting characters always drive the story perfectly, and Gavin, Hope, and Elijah were no exception. One thing I struggled with, however, was Pastor Joe and his power with words. To create a convincing narrative about a cult, without verbal inflection, it’s very difficult to fully grasp just how disturbing and manipulative Pastor Joe’s speech would be when spoken.
My main problem was trying to find the purpose this novel serves as the third of four installments. It could’ve been an exceptional prequel following the conclusion of the series, after the four (or even just three) novels. I felt it simply disturbed the flow of the series, despite how much I enjoyed the whole plot. Consistently, I think these books have a problem with build up. The real action just doesn’t happen fast enough, and then gets rushed at the end. But what was so great about this story is that I could finally see how everything came full circle - and seamlessly, at that. It was a flawless transitionary tale. I just wish it had happened in a different series order.
Overall, I enjoyed this immensely, as I knew I would. Even though I knew the eventual outcome, I greatly enjoyed seeing the process it took to get there. I felt it left me with a better understanding of all the consistent players, and prepared me for what I’m sure is to be a stunning and horrifying conclusion.
July 20, 2018
Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!
*Review to come!*
*Review to come!*
October 10, 2018
3.5 stars
These books are to die for. Just good gory demon possessing fun.
These books are to die for. Just good gory demon possessing fun.
October 12, 2018
Yaaass! So much fun!
June 18, 2019
Freakin beautiful. I loved it. The gore and horror was amazing. 5 stars.
January 26, 2025
This had it all: gore, romance, tension, drama, & lots of evil!!
July 16, 2017
I just want to read books about murdering, teenage girls written by Danielle Vega for the rest of my life. Okay? Okay.
As always, Danielle delivers a fascinating story that absolutely compels you to flip through the pages, so whatever evil is laced through those pages for sure is in my soul now. #sorrynotsorry. These aren't long books, but I still am amazed every time I finish one in a day. This was a most excellent set up story, although I do wish there was more! Overall, I'll definitely be rereading this series again.
As always, Danielle delivers a fascinating story that absolutely compels you to flip through the pages, so whatever evil is laced through those pages for sure is in my soul now. #sorrynotsorry. These aren't long books, but I still am amazed every time I finish one in a day. This was a most excellent set up story, although I do wish there was more! Overall, I'll definitely be rereading this series again.
September 19, 2018
While this book was a good read, I would have preferred to read this one first. I already knew what happened to the majority of the characters going into it, and that took away from the suspense and the sense of urgency I felt reading the others
October 22, 2019
All of these books in this series I feel are just kind of rehashings of each other. There's the mean girls who are mean for no reason (specifically books I and III), insta-love (II and III), and slut-shaming (idk maybe all of them I don't remember). They kind of all follow the same formula like "oo I'm an outsider, oh I'm not evil, but I feel evil, oh exorcism!, violence!, everyone dies!, hallucinations!, hmmm maybe I AM evil!!" You know what I'm talking about?? I usually rate these books on entertainment factor alone but I kept zoning out because it felt so recycled idk. Not sure if I'll pick the last book up in this series, but who knows.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2017
This was equally as page turning and fast paced as the first two books, but definitely my least favorite of the three. I think the second one is the best. The one thing I did really appreciate about this book was finally understanding why brooklyn became the way she is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 360 reviews