Gym class, the academy, my tormentors, they have nothing on this place. It thrives on unimaginable power. Consuming magic pulses all around me. It owns me.
I have to escape. I have to be stronger than the evil that’s all around me. And I have to remind myself that this isn’t where I belong. I belong in that prison of a school with my friends.
With my men.
Even if the Devil does make me a deal I can’t refuse.
This is Reverse Harem series containing M/M themes. Recommended for readers 18 and over.
Reading Order Academy of Six Control of Five Destruction of Two Book Four (TBA)
A.K. Koonce is a USA Today best selling author. She's a mom by day and a fantasy and paranormal romance author by night. She keeps the fantastical stories in her mind on an endless loop, while she tries her best to focus on her actual life and not that of the spectacular but demanding fictional characters who always fill her thoughts
Well I don't like Izara anymore, what an idiot. Continuing on from the cliffhanger of the previous book, Izzy has been kidnapped and left to escape like some hell version of Alice in wonderland. It felt rushed. The multiple POVs keep the story interesting with the guys running around like the sky is falling.
After the rabbit hole is when I started losing interest in this one, at least with Izara. The guys have realised their feelings and have opened up, meanwhile she's keeping secrets and feeling power hungry. The ending is another cliffhanger. In this case I hope the guys walk away from her and don't look back, no trust in the relationship and she threw them away for power, manipulation or not. They deserve better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I didn't like the turn this took. It felt like all the characters were getting further away from each other and the focus was on the wrong relationships (and that's coming from someone who actually likes mm in rh).
I also couldn't quite get a feel for the MC's overall experience in hell. Was it traumatizing or something enjoyable? Maybe that blur makes this a realistic portrayal of trauma and addiction (probably not), but it didn't make this book a satisfying read for me, and I think it's going to take the next book a long, unenjoyable while to get things back on track.
This book was another clusterfuck and I still don't know what the whole purpose was. Izzy gets whisked away to hell by her dear old dad who wants her to rule at his side. In hell her powers finally unleash-but only in hell. I was really excited about the prospect of her having to fight her way out of each circle of hell. That didn't come close to happening and she basically skipped a bunch of levels and only had to ask nicely to return home smh. Then she returns and most of the book is about her once again trying to control her powers but also her being overrun with guilt over images of her Prod killing her mates and relishing in it. Obviously this freaks Izzy out but instead of telling her guys she secretly works with Shade the gym teacher who always seems to look out for her.... Why, oh yeah because he's really dear old dad this whole time and wants her power unleashed. In unleashing her power, the Izzy we know seems to have disappeared with her Prod taking center stage. Even better is that in releasing her powers a rift has opened up to hell and a whole lot of evil beings are on the super highway to earth where I'm sure everything will be sunshine and daisies. I just don't get the point of all this. And the next book is just 150 pages so I don't see how all this can be wrapped up. On one hand I'm glad it's short so I can hurry and finish but at the same time I'd like some part of this series to just impress me, give me answers and it's yet to happen!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Awww... what a helluva ending... I HATE it so much that the ending was left on a cliffhanger but not only that it was also left on broken hearts. I really don't mean to spoil this for other readers but all I can say is damn man! A tear roll down my face at the heartbreak our heroes just faced. But what a way to make sure I come back to read the final book of this series, cause I just got to know if my guys are going to have a HEA!! (damnit A.K. Koonce they better have one or I will never read another book by you ever in life!)
Well if I spoil it for some of you I offer you my sincere apology but it had to be said. It was the only way I could review this book honestly.
I loved Izara up until she gets back, and instead of leaning against her men like she always has, she pulls away. From that point on, she feels really out of character for me, as well as the others whenever they interact with her. Phoenix would never let her keep something emotional from him for long. I did enjoy seeing the group really start to bond, however. Those few moments of growth for the men and Izzy being herself were a breath of fresh air in otherwise increasing frustration. Overall, this one just fell flat, and the ending just left me annoyed in a way that has me wondering if reading the next book would even be worth it, much as I want to see things made right.
Okay back to little story and not a lot happening. A very predictable ending which she used a similar one in another book. Not a lot off build up. Like when the guys didn't like the professor it was straight up and out of no where. Heaven sort of saved this book but even then everything is bam bam bam.
RH / Quarouple, explicitly open door smex MM MFM MMFM MF, Academy, darkish fantasy, Angel demons shifters fae pixies vampires and more
it has it moments, about 50% meh. But it kept me hooked enough to want more. even for me, the smut was irrelevant and added little to the relationship dynamic or plot.
**spoilers** I did not enjoy where this book went. There was very little connection between the characters that drew you to them in the first place. She couldn’t wait to get out of hell to get back to her men and then couldn’t wait to get away from her men to get back to hell. She didn’t trust her men to talk about anything. She was given mostly the easy way out of hell so this didn’t show her strength but how easy she is to manipulate. My hope is that she has made the choice at the end because she plans to overthrow her father and end his plan/reign. But it seems to all come from a very selfish, power hungry place in the guise of fear.
I have so many emotions warring inside me over this book. This book hurt me in good and bad ways. Izara shows how strong she really is when she battles her way out of hell. Everything about her experience should have been empowering but she comes back broken. It literally broke my heart to see her like that. That ending and cliffhanger was a real killer. My heart broke for Syko, Phoenix, Saint and Malek. I need the last book desperately. I have to know how their story ends!
This book was like two separate books within a book. The lead female doing her own thing on one slide. And the guys worried about her on the other. I really wanted more interaction between the female lead and her men. So I was a bit disappointed with this edition.
Title: Destruction of Two Series: Origins of the Six #3 Source: Kindle Unlimited.
This author may not be the author for me. These stories come with a lot of promise but I genuinely think that the characters are too whiny, things aren't really flowing as well as I expect them to be and I just haven't found myself enjoying this series so far. This books ending is the only thing that granted it three stars, but it's the same thing where it takes the last 2/3% to save the whole story. I just don't like Izara as a character, and if it wasn't for Saint, I'd probably detest this book.
Absolutely not…. Choppy as anything and the lazy ass writing is pissing me off 😩😩😩 The only thing it has going for it is the dynamic between the guys, that’s it and they are better off without her so 🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼
I will read the last book because it’s like a slow motion crash and I need to see it burn 🙄
The storyline was good up until this book. The main character just becomes more and more unsteady and just confusing. She came in to this series confident and smart. Now she just seems like a dumbed down version of herself & letting herself get manipulated.
From the start this series was just ok, with some moments better than others. The men in the harem was interesting and so was trying to figure out what Izara's prod was. There was times that it felt like there were leaps in the progression of the story, but I was willing to go with it. This book though took a turn for the worst and went down hill.
Let me just say, troupes I hate in books are the big misunderstanding and contrived conflict. This book had both of those. It seemed the Izara just... CHANGED. After meeting her guys day one and them protecting her and supporting her from the start, suddenly she can't talk to them? Suddenly she can't tell them what's going on? I call Bullsh**! I got whiplash from her contradictions. Seriously I'm going to take Aleve and see a chiropractor because it was ridiculous. She wants to hurry through hell to get to her guys, but stops to play pool and take shots? She can't wait to get to them but when she does she doesn't want to tell them anything or spend time with them? She wants to tell Shade everything, but tell them nothing? TSTL does not begin to cover it. She became power hungry and selfish too.
Aside from Izara and her changed personality, there was Malek and his annoying personality. I got tired of his angst of his lack of progression with the guys when they clearly had the same agenda and the other guys were really trying. I did not mind his possessiveness, but I did mind his ongoing animosity.
I finished this one, but will not be reading the next. I agree with other readers. Izara does not deserve her guys and since the writers are unlikely to write an HEA that does not involve her I am not wasting my time. This is one of two books I have ever read, and I've read thousands, where I thought the book would be better with the FMC losing her love interest(s).
So this book was... something else... in a bad way. I've never hated a FMC as much as Izara. In the entire series so far I couln't stand her and I've been more invested in the relationship between Syko and Saint than anyone else's. She's such a mean and selfish b***. She enjoyed hurting Phoenix, making Malek jealous and using Saint. The guys were making such an effort for her (which I really can't understand) and she doesn't seem to care. That's at least how I feel, I just can't see the love between them, despite them saying so. The only reason this book didn't get 2 stars was because only books I didn't finish get that. But 3 stars usually mean a book was an ok read but nothing special. So this one has about 2.5 stars.
If I were a co-author of the fourth and last book, this would happen (slight spoiler for this book ahead): Izara's prod would take complete control of her and to destroy the last threads keeping her together, her prod would try to kill the guys. They'd retaliate, realizing Izara can't be saved anymore and kill her. Lucian would be sealed back to hell and the portal closed. Then Malek would realize Izara wasn't his mate and search for his true mate while Syko and Phoenix notice a fancy for each other and continue a HEA relationship with Saint. Or Malek will realize that he was projecting his feelings and mistook Izara as his mate while it was the guys instead and the four guys will stay together without her, remembering only one single good thing about Izara: She brought them together.
But I don't think that's the plot for the fourth book so I'm not sure I'll read it. She really annoyes me and I've never hoped before that the MC dies. An important side character? Yes. But not the main character. Just in this series, I hope there's a happy end without Izara, all the guys deserve better than her.
Oh man, I really liked this series. It was different and intriguing with smart unique characters......until this book. I really liked how intelligent and strong Izara was in this series but for some horrible unknown reason she just took a sharp turn into naivety and selfishness. Her character change makes no sense to me at all and unfortunately lowers my excitement about this series. I get that she experienced something but honestly it doesn't even come close to explaining or excusing her change for the worse. Her experience could have been used to make her stronger, both physically and mentally. In fave what she went through perfectly set it up where she should have easily been able to see through facades. It would have been so great if the author used those experiences to turn Izara into an even stronger character. Unfortunately it's turned into the usual trope of a girl who needs saving from herself *cue the eye roll* and now I feel like she has so thoroughly betrayed the trust of the men in her life that she does not deserve them. What an abrupt and absurd change of character.....le sigh. The guys are still great sooooooo there is that to enjoy.
Quick Info Standalone/Cliffhanger?: Standalone Part of a Series?: Yes ---------------------------------- Meeting the Characters Izara Saint Phoenix Syko Malek ---------------------------------- What happens? A lot. This book is all over the place. I can't begin to describe what happens. Final thoughts SO. I wanted to like this because this series has was pretty good and I was enjoying reading this but I don't think I'll read on. This became less about the boys and her and more about her family and her. Which is fine but I didn't get the impression this is what the series was going to be about. You still have some scenes with the boys at the start but its all about her finding out who her parents really were. Would I read again?: No Would I read this author again?: Actually not sure Would I continue on with the series?: Thinking nope.
Not sure how I feel about book 3. Book 2 ending on a cliffhanger I was waiting for this one . But the writing by A.K Koonce I live. Until this one , Izara time in hell showed she knew that her men were important to her and she would do anything to keep them safe , until Izara returns to them . I’m sorry but that wasn’t her character. She had 4 men that would lay down their life for her but what does she do , she pulls away , she doesn’t open up to them , really !! . She turns to Dr Shane who annoyed me to no end . I kept on rolling my eyes at Izara saying grow up. It should be you and your men. Not you and your power hungry mind . Yep another cliffhanger. Think Izara should get her head out of the sand and not only think about herself and how good it feels to get her power but grow some balls
This was actually better than the first two. I didn't care for those very much but I've kept reading the series because of the cliffhangers. I still can't stand Iz. She's just so incredibly stupid. I'm also still really annoyed with the sloppy editing of these books. This one wasn't quite as bad as the first two, but it's still pretty bad. A lot of the issues could be fixed with a simple proofread before hitting publish. I'm getting really, really fed up with so many indie authors who apparently don't care enough to put out a quality product. I'll read the last book, just so see how it all ends. But I don't think I'll ever read anything from these authors again.
Ok so I really like this series, the sex is nice and steamy. I like all the characters even though they are tropes for RH Academy, they are well done. I like Izara usually. But God I hate stupid! I can understand her PTSD from being in hell. I can understand that power is like a drug (Cuz Joss Whedon and Willow showed us this) But to never even question Professor Shades motives???? I did like the character development with the boys trying to be friends (Phoenix is my fav) Not sure why Academy RH needs to have m/m because I like when it's all about her (and in my head me). Bottom line- I read it because I had to but she better get her head out of her ass in a major way in the last book.
Destruction of Two is the third book of the Origins of the Six series. Ohhhh, I didn't see some of these twists coming. This storyline picks up from book two, and the action is non-stop as Izara navigates herself through Hell. Unfortunately, the series starts to lose momentum about half-way through, for me. What's with all the secrets and trust issues? We are three books in and you'd think the relationship building would progress more. Great story, but this one lacked character development, so I'm starting to lose connection with the group. I may put off the next book until I read some of the reviews to see if book 4 is worth the time.
Overall Rating ★★★ Plot ★★★ Humor ★★ Characters & Character Development ★★★ Narration ★★★
Izara, Syko, Phoenix, Malek, Saint
Story: Given this book took me months to finish, I can say that it didn't hold my interest. I honestly don't remember when I started this book. I started on audio. But honestly, I wasn't into the story. I just didn't much like the main character and was disappointed in her on multiple occasions and until the end. I'm not even sure if I care to read the last or if I care what happens in the end.
Narration: It was alright but not my favorite. I feel like the energy wasn't there for me.
She's lost. Just utterly lost, and broken. Time in Hell was torture, and then she's back. She's pushing away her men, who all have realized they love her. She's reaching out to the one Professor who's helped her since the beginning, but there's more to him than meets the eye. The end of this book wrenched my heart, just like that of all her men. I only hope they save her in the last book....even if it's just part of her.
This series has gotten worse with each book, unfortunately. The grammar issues that any decent editor (or beta reader) would've caught were just left to yank you out of the story. The plot had holes big enough to walk through and there wasn't any real character development. The characters that "grew" just woke up that way, no journey and no story telling, just bam! Totally different characters.... which is just lazy. I'm finished reading anything by these two.
Another very dark part of Izara's story. I can understand her PTSD and emotional turmoil but I can't believe she distances herself from her men. They worked so hard on themselves and their dynamics to make her happy but she still goes off with Shade to Hell. She tries to deal with her guilt with the idea that she is helping the guys by getting control of her Prod but that's not the reason. She is seduced by the power and that never bodes well.
There was a lot more plot than romance this book, and a definite interesting twist. Though you kinda saw it coming, it was still good. However, it's kinda sad to see how naive Izzy was in it all. However, if I try to focus on how young she is, I kinda get it. If there is just one final book, I'm anxious to see how they wrap it all up.
This is a really good story. But I won't bother with the next one. I really liked the first book but I just feel so disappointed in Izara in this one, I kind of hope all the guys die just to spite her because she chose power over people. The consequences for all the kind people and especially children in the world will be beyond horrific. It left me feeling crap.
she went to hell with her father (lucian / lucifer morganstar) Izara : Main character, killed her bf Adam Saint : Bi with Phoenix and Syko ish, Phoenix : demon, just starting to get feelings, doesn’t know how to handle them Malik : Wolf, possessive, doesn’t like saint Syko : Angel blood. Gay for Saint
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book had an shockingly twisted ending I didn’t like.. I fell in love with this series because of Izzy.. She became another person in this book I didn’t like... She pushed away her boyfriends for her own selfish reasons and she didn’t include them in anything she felt.. She really pissed me off reading this.. I can only hope the next book is better..