Frat Hell. That’s how the whole neighborhood refers to the apartment where I live with three other college students. It’s a bit judgmental, considering the neighborhood we live in is more like a zoo than an apartment complex, but not inaccurate. If you put that many young guys together, things are bound to be interesting. I still maintain that the giant water guns filled with poison ivy water were not my idea. January Dixon. She’s the girl I’ve lusted after for years. A smart mouth and sharp tongue surrounded by soft beauty and a body I’d give up an organ just to touch. An important organ, like a kidney, not one of those lame ones like a gallbladder. It’s a tricky situation since she lives right down the street, and dating a neighbor generally isn’t a good idea. But this is Violent Circle, where normal may as well be a dirty word. Thanks to an impromptu fashion show where I tossed all self-respect aside and strutted my stuff in full bondage gear in front of our small town, she now owes me a date. And I plan to collect.
S.M. Shade writes spicy romantic comedies and steamy contemporary romances with relatable characters. Whether it's a good laugh or a good cry, she likes to grab you by your emotions and make you feel. An unashamed Croc enthusiast and poetry nerd, she can usually be found listening to Indie Rock on repeat and watching birds.
Release Date: February 27, 2018 Genre: Romantic Comedy Actual Rating: 4 stars
Frat Hell is a romantic comedy featuring two secondary characters from the first book in the series, Scarlet Toys! I was very much looking forward to January and Nobel's story and I can say that I wasn't disappointed! This is a quick, easy read with some very funny moments along with plenty of steam. I think many readers who enjoy romantic comedies are going to love this one.
When one sees the title of this book, Frat Hell, they are going to assume it's a new adult, college romance. This my friends, is something the book is NOT. Sure, it falls in the new adult category and one of the characters (Noble) is in college, but the book doesn't revolve around this at all. It's simply a comedic romance with interesting characters in their journey to falling in love.
Now, I don't have much to say about the book because it's quite a quick read, but I will say that anyone who likes books with a lot of humor should read it. It's short (about 166 pages), fun, and downright hilarious. I read this book in one sitting.
I love dry, stupid, quirky humor, but this isn’t it. Too sexist. Tone is immature … like 12 yo boys talking about T&Q, not sexy men saying sexy shit. Ehh, DNF@just 12% because it’s not my brand of crazy humor. No rating.
Every now and again I crave a rom com read that will have me laughing and smiling until my face hurts. Frat Hell was just that book for me.
From the get go I fell in love with the characters in this book. Noble and Jan were hilarious, sweet, and their story was just mushy goodness. This book was light hearted and down right funny.
Their first date was sooo damn cute I couldn't help but have a shit eating grin on my face. Noble's personality is quirky, flirty and so sweet at times. His determination to win January's affection was admirable and I loved everything about his carefree attitude.
January is like that friend you have that makes you laugh, is so supportive and you want her to find her HEA cause she's just great. I can see her being in my tribe.
And let's not forget the entire cast of this neighborhood aptly named Violent Circle. The shenanigans that they get up to had me roaring. With some pranks that go terribly wrong to the way they ban together as a community to say damn the man in the most hilarious ways possible. The phrase "Oh shit, there goes the neighborhood" is what comes to mind.
I haven't laughed this hard is quite some time. And I gotta give major props to S.M. Shade because the euphemisms in this book had me dying !!!! From Vasquatch to Snatchural I swear I cackled, snorted, had tears in my eyes and my stomach hurt from laughing so much.
This is a definite recommend from me and anytime I see someone asking for a funny read this book will be one of the first books I recommend. Now this is how you write a rom com.
I have been a S.M Shade fan for awhile now and I have never been disappointed. Today was the first day I had ever read any of her romantic comedy though. I was not disappointed. First I read Scarlet Toys and was impressed. Then I moved onto Frat Hell and I laughed so hard my sides are literally hurting. I'm pretty sure my abs got a better workout laughing than they do on core day at the gym. My favourite line in the whole book, and one that still has me laughing is "I mean, once you reach the point where splashing piss on your face sounds like a good option, you don't have much to lose."
This book has everything I look for in any novel I read. The story is well constructed and there are no plot holes or problems with editing. I also love the characters. Their naivety and youth shone through the page at times but it also led to some excellent character development. Their struggles made them realise that adulting can be hard. That isn`t to say that the characters always acted in a way that I wanted them to but they did act and behave like real people in their early twenties and I really think it shows the skill of the author to make their characters seem like real people with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies.
I would suggest reading Scarlet Toys before this one. It will introduce you to all of the quirky people that make up this tight knit community. Personally speaking, I don`t think there would ever be a dull moment living in Violent Circle. If you enjoy a great rom com give these a try, I don`t think you will be disappointed.
Arc kindly granted for honest review. I haven’t read ‘Scarlet Toys’ as yet, so I was worried ‘Frat Hell’ might confuse me, It really didn’t though. I loved this book. I’m still laughing about the words vagsquatch and panty hamster, how does SM Shade come up with these?! January and Nolan are so cute together. They had me sitting smirking at the kindle, my husband thinks I’m losing the plot 😂. I adored Nolan’s roommates and I’d love to drink with those boys 😉. SM Shade is a friggin genius in my humble opinion. Between ‘Frat Hell’ and ‘Worth It’, this woman can do no wrong.
Once Noble and January got together it was a great read.... I am not sure how Jani avoided him for so long....
The sex clapper, Pokemon.... and violent circle ganging up against the inspectors were brilliant, some great side characters with a dollop of reality... Hope to hear about Noble and Jani in future books.
This book was beyond fantastic. I laughed out loud at certain points in the book and I was constantly entertained. There was not a single dull moment. I was so excited that Jani and Noble were getting their book so soon. I wanted their story from the moment I read their interactions in book one. This book didn't disappoint. It actually exceeded all my expectations.
I knew I would love Noble, everything I already knew from the previous book already solidified that. But he was even better than I expected. He was funny and thoughtful and a really good guy.
While I couldn't blame Jani for her hesitations about going out with Nobel, and it certainly made for some funny moments with him asking and getting turned down, I was absolutely rooting for Noble. I wanted her to give him a chance. And all the hilarity that ensued afterwards just made it better.
This book is another winner for me and I am starting to wonder what took me so long to discover SM Shade. Now that I have, I look forward to reading all her past books, and of course I will be very excitedly waiting for my next visit to Violent Circle.
Better than the first. Painfully funny with the pranks and accidents. Sweet couple. So many favourite bits, I liked Kori and the inspection. A bit of drama. Look forward to seeing more of the Frat hell guys. Poor Denton.
Ooh-wee! I got so many chuckles out of this one, even some straight up LOLs! Not an especially unique storyline, but it who needs that when the humor is so on point? Really liked Nobel, and Jani, and the many antics that made up this story!
I received a copy and voluntarily left a review and all opinions are my own.
If you are looking for a read that is so hilarious that you can't take a drink without fear of spitting it out from uncontrollable laughter then look no further. Having already experience the humor that S. M. Shade writes, I knew that I was in for quite a treat with January and Noble's story in Frat Hell. I couldn't wait to dive back in and check in again with the people on Violet Circle aka Violent Circle and see who was fighting with who and what crazy things would happen next with these quirky and crazy neighbors. I love a book that keeps me on my toes mentally and laughing like a lunatic and S. M. Shade more than delivers!
Noble Bradley had me intrigued from his debut appearance in Scarlet Toys and I more than wanted to get to know this gorgeous frat boy with a heart of gold. I fell madly in love with his way of charming the very reluctant January, his refreshing sense of humor coupled with his dirty mouth and he quickly became my newest favorite book boyfriend! Just when I thought I had him figured out he would do something sweet for January and have me swooning while the next minute he would have me overheating or laughing through tears.
January is a tough nut to crack but once you get to know her and see underneath her harden layers, you see the vulnerable woman who is afraid of hoping for the best. I adored seeing January lose the doubt and suspicion that seemed to shadow her world and experience the love and hope that she deserves along with bouts of humor that make her life brighter.
S. M. Shade gives us a second dose of laughter, heat, and feels in the Violent Circle series that will tickle your funny bone and leave your heart wanting so much more! I highly recommend Frat Hell for a read that feeds all your emotions and leaves a little piece of you in Violent Circle with the wacky neighbors. I cannot wait for S. M. Shade to bring us more of her brand of humor and passion in her next book in this series. Who knows what shenanigans her characters will be up to.
The best part of this book (and the first in this series) is definitely the humor. It’s funny in an immature way that I don’t normally find funny, but I still found myself laughing fairly often.
The romance aspect was a little lacking for me. I felt like the hero and heroine barely spent any time together before jumping into bed and professing their love. I think the timelines could have been stretched, and it would have made the story more believable.
The thing that irritated me the most was the hero’s reason for pushing the heroine away. It was soooo stupid and I felt like she forgave him too easily.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. But the first in the series was def better.
Safe; Hero was a manwhore but seemed like he reformed in the two years that he was interested in the heroine. Heroine was very experienced also, so this didn’t bother me. Hero perused her for a long time, and she was dating/sleeping with others during that time. I’m guessing he was as well. The book starts after he convinces her to finally go on a date and there are no others once they are together at all. No major om/ow drama. Just some random college girls checking out the hero that he didn’t appreciate. No cheating, no scenes with om/ow, short separation w/o any other partners.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I read Scarlet Toys last year and was curious to see if this book could live up to that one. While Frat Hell is different in many ways, it's still just as good! There is still a ton of humor, some romance and moments that leave a smile on your face. Violent Circle is still just as crazy as it was when we read Cassidy's story and that gives us some fun moments. Jani doesn't really like Noble in the beginning, she thinks he's just a typical frat boy and doesn't want anything to do with him. Noble doesn't give up though and he really proves to her that he's not like them. He's actually pretty serious and wants to make something of himself. I love how they go back and forth before he actually convinces her. This book was even more fun, because we got more of Cassidy and Wyatt. I loved there story, so I was happy to read about them a little bit more. This was a fast and fun read and I was sad when it was over. I really hope we get a lot more of Violent Circle.
Full review to come on: thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com
How often do you see a book where a young man knows exactly what he wants when it comes to relationships?
Noble has had a thing for January for a while and now is his chance to get her to go out with him. She's been reluctant because she's judged him on what she thinks he's like due to the friends he keeps.
They go out and she starts realizing she misjudged him.
This book was just as fun as the first book. The residents of Violent Circle really does have one another's backs.
Occasionally I need a hilarious book series to break up the heavier books I read & this series was perfect. Had me crying with laughter where I had to put it down to wipe my eyes. Walked into school pick up grinning just thinking of what was to come next when I got back to reading more.
I can’t wait for more of this series please please tell me Neal & the new single Mum get a book next.
I am a huge fan of sassy funny characters and this series seems to have them in abundance. Now I’ve got my daughter reading it cuz she keeps hearing me laughing n wanting to know why!
Absolutely love this book! Had me laughing the majority of the time. Even though some of the things were a little outlandish, it was stuff I could see absolutely happening to me and my friends, making it relatable with the hilarity.
Frat Hell January & Noble I absolutely love a book that yanks me in and surrounds me with the characters world. Humor, romance , and sweet funny dating escapades. January is looking for love but doesn't not think that her neighbor Noble is boyfriend material. He is persistent she can give him that but rooming with a bunch of Frat boys can ruin a boys image. She finally gives him a yes to a date so they can finally realize they are not a match....i think she may be pleasantly surprised !!!! He is romantic, hardworking , smart and has been crushing on her from afar for years! Where has he been hiding this fine man and those abs!!! Once Noble gets January in his grasp he will do whatever it takes to woo her to be his!!!! Loved it !! ~~Michele McMullen ~~
Fantastic book! Fabulous series! Funny as can be! Loved every page of this book! I can't wait for the next one! Trust me this series is really one of the best! Also reading worth it by an shade and cm Owens so funny... Non stop laughing!!!
I’m honestly so disappointed. Disappointed is an understatement, in fact. The humor was just my type, I liked Jani and Nobel more than Wyatt and Cass. This could’ve had so much potential but there was a lot of wrong going on. After this one, I don’t know if I’ll be able to read the rest of the series.
14% in, Denton was making fun of a girls breasts because they weren’t “natural.” He could’ve said, “she wasn’t my type,” but he continued to make fun of her. He also gave her the stereotype of, “she couldn’t hold a conversation that wasn’t about gossip or fashion.” Misogynistic bullshit.
20% in, one of the guys said they were sleeping with a girl with dreads and they compared her hair to a car wash. That’s not funny, that’s fucking ignorant.
34% in, the r-slur was used. It doesn’t matter if the word was coming from Kori, it should not have been used.
34% in, again, this Kori character says, “I don’t give a shit what that flaming queer has to say.” Wow, twice. This says a lot about the author.
43% in, Nobel asks his mother who she’s seeing. She says a high school teacher who Nobel may know. Nobel proceeds to make fun of the dent in his head and make an inappropriate example of it. He then followed up with, “but he was nice,” making it even worse. Not funny.
67% in, the guys are making fun of a girl who doesn’t shave her vagina. What business of that is theirs? That’s got nothing to do with them. Nobel also says, “There’s nothing wrong with it, but I prefer…” it doesn’t fucking matter. He has no say over someone else’s vagina.
68% in, miscommunication trope. Nothing inherently wrong with it, I just don’t personally like it.
88% in, Jani insinuates that she watches gay porn. Not lesbian porn, gay porn, man on man. That’s called fetishization. Gay porn is not for women to fetishize, it’s for gay men.
89% in, Samantha is trying to be seen for also contributing, but all she gets is slut shaming for the millionth time in this series already. That’s so unnecessary and has nothing to do with anyone else besides her.
This was also another case of saying I love you WAY too early and for no reason. They knew each other for a while, but they were barely official when they said it.
Another thing, where are all the lesbians? There are gay men and gay people, but I have yet to see or hear about a lesbian. After reading this, I have a feeling that if there are lesbians, they’re going to be fetishized by straight men. I’m sick of the lack of representation, I was happy to find the great humor, but after all this shit, I was beyond disappointed and borderline disgusted. Jesus Christ.
This is January and Noble's story who we met in Scarlet Toys.
Jani doesn't have time for relationships and she doesn't want one. Doing her job and looking after her mom is a full time job. Plus she saw what falling in love did for her mom and she is determined not to go down that route.
Since the first time he saw her Noble knew he wanted Jani. He'd do anything to get her including making a complete fool of himself in bondage gear! He calls in the debt of doing that by making Jani go on a date with him.
Jani is surprised there is more to Noble than she thought, he's not your typical frat boy and she decides to give him a chance.
Both of their lives are hectic, Nolan has just got a scholarship to continue school and also a part time job. They find peace in each other's arms but will life manage to keep them apart?
Great second book in the series. I really like both these characters. I was expecting Jani to be the one to push Noble away with her fears but she was the more stable of the two. She's a lot of fun and i loved how caring she was with her mom and bestie Cassidy.
Noble is really kind of sweet and i loved how he wasn't afraid to make a fool of himself at any time. I could of clipped him round the ear near the end but thankfully he pulled his finger from his behind and once again made a fool of himself for love.
The story was sweeter than i thought it may be. There were some funny parts mostly from Noble but i didn't find this one as funny as Scarlet Toys. There was less going on i think and more to do with their relationship which is fine but i thought it just lacked a little compared to book one.
The writing was brilliant and engaging and i picked it up and didn't put it down. The side characters are great to read. All the neighbors are funny and i'm hoping they all get books even the resident drunk! lol It was also great to catch up with Cassidy and Wyatt!
The ending was not your typical HEA but i was strangely happy with it! Looking forward to the next book in the series!
And this sets the tone of the entire book, really, it does.
Frat Hell by S. M. Shade picks up where Scarlet Toys leaves off. January has promised to go on a date with Noble for his strut down the catwalk in bondage gear. Even though Jani is determined not to fall for someone who parties and has no vision for the future, Noble is determined to get January- by whatever means possible.
I gobbled this book up like a woman dying of thirst and Frat Hell was a cool drink of water. I had expected the usual brilliance of S. M. Shade style romantic comedy but I wasn’t expecting to be busting up at almost every page flip. S. M. Shade truly is a master of her craft, even if it’s talking about panty hamsters. The storyline was hilarious but Jani and Noble were the best; hilarious, sweet, and hot damn, they were sexy.
I was hooked from their first date, and didn’t put the book down until it was nearly 1 in the morning.
What I loved most about this book was Jani and Noble have such chemistry, it makes the entire story flow so easily. Not to mention mixing their story with the Frat boys and i was wheezing out laughter. It is light and airy, happy and hilarious but not without conflict and some struggle.
I honestly would say that I may have loved Frat Hell and the hilarious shenanigans of the Violent Circle maybe more than I loved Scarlet Toys, and that is saying a lot.
S. M. Shade continues to provide laugh out loud, make your hubby look over at you weird because you’re snorting comedy while also providing a love story with struggles you can relate to and really get behind. Even though you get to revisit our friends Cass and Wyatt a little, this story is truly beautiful and unique for Jani and Noble. I loved Noble and Jani, and my throat may have swelled a little at the end of this book.
Big 5 stars, I never stopped laughing and I only loved the delinquent band of misfits more and more.
You know what they say- Don’t fuck with Violent Circle.
SM Shade is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine, especially with the Violet Circle series. In all honesty, it took me forever to read the first book (like, actually get up the gumption to read it...reading the actual book was a breeze), and I'm glad I did because now I have this whole RomCom series for my reading pleasure. She sure knows how to give just enough heat to keep it interesting, while threading humor throughout.
General gist with spoilers:
🔵Rating - 3.5 stars - funny, made me giggle a lot, could use a bit more steam, but overall adorable 🔵Steam - 3 stars - moderate 🔵Storyline - 3 stars - nothing too crazy, not too many twists and surprises 🔵Plot Twists - 2 stars - docile 🔵Emotional Pull - 1 star - no tears here, just lots of giggles 🔵Writing - 4 stars - very comfortable to read 🔵Denouement - 4 stars - we get to see somewhat what future life looks like for the 4 main characters we've followed so far, but I would've liked a hair more. Call me greedy ;-) But I'm assuming, if the next book is anything like this one, that we'll continue to see them all throughout the series. 🔵Cliffhanger? - No, so far each book can be read as a standalone 🔵HEA? - yes!
5 laugh my ass off stars!! I loved “Scarlet Toys” (Book one of “The Violent Circle” series) and damn do I love this book. Yes you can read both books as stand alones but they are so freaking funny I wouldn’t miss out on either.
This is January and Nobles story. I knew these two would be a hoot. I mean Noble walked down a makeshift runway on like leathers and Gags for her for shit sake. It’s just and all out funny as hell story.
I highlighted so many funny parts!! Let me just give you some dialogue so you can understand what is to come...
“I think I saw my own ass.” “See you later, ladies, I have a basement dweller to deflower.” “Half the circle has already agreed to go balls to the wind.” “Even if we were discussing Chewbacca crotch.” “The ride home is silent, and we part ways, him to take care of his crotch crickets, and me to douse myself in vinegar.”
Those were just a few of the many exciting pieces to this book. I love this author, this shit is so damn funny. She has put so much into these characters that I feel like these are my people. Violent Circle is the place to be. It is also pretty cool this takes place in my good old state of Indiana because I can totally see this shit happening.
I love the relationships in this book. These are some really great friendships and I can’t wait to read books about some of the boys. Nobles friends seemed like some bums in the first book but once you get to know them I love them each individually for so many different things and they really are great friends!!
Be ready to laugh stupid ugly loud and not care who the hell is around. One click this bad boy right now!!!
**I received this book as an ARC and in return gave my honest review**
Seriously people...i NEED to live in Violet Circle. I absofuckinglutely adored Scarlet Toys and was buzzing when I saw this next book was on it's way. I devoured this book, ate up every single word in one sitting, not moving an inch (causing a bit of a situation with pin and needles but what the heck!) The Frat Hall guys are just perfect. Every single one of them. When we first met Noble in Scarlet Toys I just knew I'd fall him love with him and boy did I ever! He is just dreamy. Smart, funny, loving, considerate, laid back, handsome...the guy can do no wrong. Even when he messed things up he did it from his heart and with honesty. As soon as I began reading Frat Hell I fell straight back into their world, like I was meeting up with old friends. It's been a while since I read Scarlet Toys and was actually a bit worried I would forget certain characters but they are all just so well written that they stick with you.
The Best thing about this series...it doesn't take itself seriously. SM Shade has done a grand job of rolling the humour out throughout. Even now I'm finished reading and have time to sit and think I am finding myself smiling and chuckling at the antics the guys got up to. In fact, my husband and kids are giving me funny looks from across the room!
But for as much as I love the stories, I am really quite sad when the books end and the characters move away. Cassie & Wyatt and now Jani & Noble...who's next?! I am so super excited to find out...I'm secretly hoping for Neal & Veronica's story!!!
Frat Hell is book 2 of the Violent Circle series by S.M. Shade and can be read as a standalone. This is the story of January and Noble who we first meet in Scarlet Toys, book 1.
S.M. Shade is a new author to me and I'm so glad that I've discovered her through this unputdownable laugh out loud book. I knew I was definitely going to enjoy Frat Hell when I couldn't stop laughing by page 2. The laughs didn't end there as S.M. Shade delivers great one liners and humour with perfect timing. I really wish January, Noble and all the other characters weren't just an amazing fictional creation by S.M. Shade as I'd love to meet them in real life.
Frat Hell is one of those books that I wouldn't recommend reading in public as you're going to get some strange looks when you're sat there laughing. There's honestly no way you're going to be able to stop yourself from laughing out loud. This book is jam packed with comedy along with the romance also promised. Throw in some hot scenes and you've got the perfect 5 star read.
If like me, you haven't read Cassidy and Wyatt’s story in Scarlet Toys, then you'll be left wanting to download the book and discovering how they became a couple after getting hints in this book. I, for one, will definitely be getting book 1 and spending more time with the brilliant residents of Violent Circle.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book and all opinions are my own