The final game of the tournament has arrived. And this one is the deadliest of them all. Cole and his coven are ready, though, and Cole has set his sights on expanding his dark harem to include a certain orange-haired witch. And nothing, not even Elder gods, is going to stand in his way.
Tournaments, Treachery, and Tentacles: Scholomance 4 Delivers Sinister Spectacle
If you've made it to Book 4 of Logan Jacobs's Scholomance series, you already know what you're in for: a delightfully wicked, no-holds-barred dark fantasy where the motto is "study hard, fight harder, and conquer everything in sight." Scholomance 4: The Devil's Academy brings the inter-academy tournament arc to a thunderous, eldritch-horror-filled close . Cole and his coven face the deadliest game yet, battling not just rival schools but full-blown Elder Gods, all while Cole plots to add a certain formidable, orange-haired witch to his growing circle . For series fans, it's a thrilling, action-packed installment that cranks up every dial. For newcomers, this is absolutely not your starting point. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5 stars—it executes its specific, over-the-top vision with gusto.
Key Themes Power Through Alliance and Dominion: The tournament's purpose is to forge alliances between dark academies, but the book explores a more personal version of this theme: Cole's expansion of his own power base. His drive to add the powerful Penelope to his coven is as strategic as it is desirous, showcasing how power in this world is built through loyalties, both magical and personal .
Uncovering the Past to Face the Future: A strong through-line is the tantalizing peek into Cole's mysterious origins. Fans praised how the book offers "tantalizing hints" and brings Cole "closer to his past," using these reveals to deepen the world's lore and raise the stakes for the looming war against the Elder Gods .
The Thrill of the Deadly Game: This installment leans hard into the life-or-death competition. The theme of survival through superior magic, cunning, and teamwork is explored in visceral set pieces, from treacherous trials to the epic final confrontation with an actual Elder God, fulfilling the series' promise of high-octane, magical danger .
Character Analysis Cole solidifies his role as the confident, overpowered center of the narrative. His development here is less about gaining new power and more about wielding his existing might with greater strategic ambition, especially in growing his coven. The existing coven members (like Akira, Morgana, Faye, and Eva) receive praise for continued growth, showing stronger bonds and more badass capabilities in battle . The major development is the full integration of Penelope, the orange-haired witch from a rival academy. Her complex journey from competitor to (willing) coven member is a highlight for many readers, adding a fresh and powerful dynamic to the group .
Writing Style & Pacing Logan Jacobs's prose remains fast, functional, and focused on delivering spectacle and steam. The tone is unapologetically dark, sexy, and boastful, perfectly matching Cole's own attitude. The pacing is a major strength; reviewers consistently call it a "page turner" and note the "plot picks up pace with each addition" . The tournament structure provides a natural, urgent rhythm, propelling the reader from one magical battle or deadly lesson to the next with minimal downtime. At over 500 pages (or a 12-hour audiobook), it's a substantial but bingeable read .
What I Liked & Disliked Liked:
Satisfying Arc Conclusion: The climax of the tournament storyline delivers epic battles, shocking betrayals, and a truly cosmic-scale threat that feels like a worthy payoff .
World-Building Expansion: The introduction of the Elder Gods and hints of a "high council" open up exciting new avenues for the series, promising even bigger conflicts ahead .
Character Additions: Penelope's integration is well-handled and adds interesting new tension and power to the core group .
Disliked:
Formulaic Repetition: If the series' blend of magical school tropes, combat, and harem-building wasn't your thing before, this book won't change your mind. Some critics felt the "master/slave" dynamic in intimate scenes was "overdone" and could feel "stale" or "childish" .
Predictable Beats: While fun, certain plot developments follow a recognizable pattern. The ultimate victory is never really in doubt, which can lessen tension for some readers.
Niche Appeal Only: This is, more than ever, a book for fans of the series and genre. Its very specific tropes are its defining feature.
Conclusion & Recommendation Scholomance 4 is a confident and crowd-pleasing entry for the series' dedicated audience. It delivers bigger battles, deeper lore, and the steamy, strategic coven expansion that fans crave.
You should absolutely read this if: You're invested in Cole's saga and enjoyed the tournament setup of Book 3. You love fast-paced, adult dark fantasy with creative magic systems, intricate plots, and a power-fantasy edge. Fans call it an "exciting," "enthralling" continuation that "keeps getting better" .
You should skip this if: You haven't read the first three books, or if you're sensitive to the series' explicit harem and dark fantasy elements. This is not the book to start with, nor will it convert skeptics.
Final Verdict: A strong 4/5. It's the literary equivalent of a blockbuster season finale: packed with spectacle, answers some questions, and leaves you eager for the next chapter. I powered through it with glee and am now fully on board to see how Cole and his ever-growing coven handle the war with the gods. For its target audience, it's a home run.
I love the ghost writer logan jacob has hired to write this series and vampire lords. But Logan jacobs (who i strongly suspect to be Micheal scott-erle) is Someone i have difficulty endorsing. He riducles low ratings and calls them out on his facebook group and demands 100 reviews before talking about the next installment. He makes fun of anyone who critises him despite most of his work is written by ghost writers.
who ever wrote this book, if you have other works or would independently publish work. Then i'll openly support you.
Just like the blurb says. The games are coming to and end and nothing will stop or get in the way of Cole and his coven. Lots of violence, lots of new lessons that are on the fatal side if Cole and his coven of talented wiccas some awesome plot twists and some that while predictable have a satisfying finish. Highly rate this book and this series. Do yourself and start this series now if you haven't already and if you have, why are you reading this review. Just buy the book already.
I chose this rating because the book has everything I was looking for in this series. It has interesting lessons, unexpected twists and awesome adventures. It also increased his harem and had exciting sex scenes. The best part of this book is that it revealed more about Cole's past if only indirectly. Another great part was when he used his shadow self to kill the More headmaster. I'm looking forward to Another installment. I hoping for more revelations about Cole's past.
I really enjoyed this installment! And (un)holy crap, what a way to bring out the elder gods! I do enjoy the fun scenes, but I felt this book they got in the way little bit, but that could be just me, I like it when they just flow, this time it felt a little forced.I was super thrilled with P getting on board, and definitely think V should be next. I don't think he should have the whole school, but I can see the appeal.
Cole and his coven survive the trials of the games and fight the evil deadlocks and their traitorous headmaster. Without giving too much away, this is a great story as the characters continue to grow and develop. The coven grows stronger as they add another witch to the group and the sex scenes are superb! I anxious to read the next book! Read this series if you enjoy a wonderful story line and erotic scenes! You will enjoy yourself!
These books just keep getting better and better. This author has easily become one of my favorites in the genre. I really like the way he develops his characters throughout his books and the flow of his writing style. Am excitedly looking forward to reading the next book.
The prudish should not read this book. It sinfully pushes boundaries. And I like it. Logan Jacobs writes this unfolding mystery while feeding the reader just enough to know that they know so very little about this universe and ABSOLUTELY MUST KEEP TURNING THE PAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!
Amazing, tense and exciting read that I had to power through from beginning to end. Love the story and seeing the battle against the schools enemies, the spells and magic are always thrilling to read. And watching the members of the coven learn and get stronger.
This book continues the story of Cole and his coven at the Scholomance school for witches. It is very well done with plenty of action and adventure. The twists and turns that take place are exciting and keep the story moving along at a good pace. K
So we have 4 schools in a Death match and Cole needs to win and save the school while trying yo stay alive and add to his coven. Ya, it's just like that! It was exciting throughout the entire book and the sex with each of the coven was HOT. Cole is my Evil Hero
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A lot happens in this installment. Cole and the ladies are tested over and over. He even gets closer to his past. The story and characters were intriguing and engaging. I look forward to reading more about these characters and their further adventures. The story was good and definitely worth reading.
Another great book added to the Scholomance world. Logan keeps producing wonderful works and Scholomance delivers. Can’t wait for the next one as there is far more for Cole and his coven need to do and control.
Usually by book four, the story becomes stale and boring. This book is neither. The storyline seems to change just enough to keep it fresh while staying within the original plotline
The author keeps the story fresh in this next installment of an amazing series. The action keeps getting better and better both in and out of the bedroom and some hints to burning questions are given while others posed. A truly great book.
Cole and his coven face the next trial, not to mention their difficult classes. The trial had a new twist for them this time though and they may not all make it alive.
Enjoyed it thoroughly. Our anti-hero will never turn into some Santa sugar daddy, thankfully! The sexual encounters were quite similar and I did skim through toward the end but this did not keep me from enjoying the story.
The backstory is really starting to emerge. I know I might be in the minority but I really am reading this story for the plot and it is developing into a great narrative!
A truly enjoyable, crazy storyline!! A twisted and wild adult fantasy storyline!! Lots and lots of creatures and characters recognizable, with such unique twists to make it as if it's the first time you've heard of them!!
So the competition between the schools come to a close. We get more of a glimpse into Cole's powers and subtle hints into his heritage. No big reveals but still a fantastic addition to the series. Can't wait for more
Cole came into more power and added to his coven. He needs to add Vanessa soon which would create an interesting conflict of interest. I think it is time to learn more about the lady in the painting.
This series has improved since the first, its well written and its plot line moves at a brisk pace. We learn a little more about Cole and leaves wanting to know the rest. For those who like HP but can accept a darker ,gothic and adult themes!
I like some of Logan Jacob's other books, so I gave this series a try - it's a mystical school harem book, which I'm fine with. The pacing is good, the writing is fine, the sex is palatable, the developments are predictable but I'm into it. Let's see where he takes me.
I'm interested in the over arching story and to see how it pans out. But damn are those sex scenes ever getting repetitive and tedious. Every one is Cole with the same women doing the same boring master/slave puppeteering sex. What a yawner.