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End of Days #1
Still of the Night
The seals are cracking. Hell will follow after, and I'm caught in the middle.
Everyone says I'm cursed. My father would've used the word evil. That's his excuse for being so strict, at any rate. Little does he know how right he is. I might look like a good girl on the outside, but deep down I'm really not.
I carry the mark on my hand to prove it.
But being good means not getting in trouble at school or he'll take it out on me. I am barely allowed to hang out with my friends, and they're starting to resent it. The safe and stable life I've been forced into is falling apart.
Then my stepbrother moves in.
Suddenly, being good doesn't seem so important. He makes friends with the local bad boys, and being around them feels like exactly where I belong. The problem is that Dad is having none of it. They're trouble, I'm supposed to be good, and the only one suffering here is me.
I'm going to have to choose what matters most. Is it the years I've spent with my best friend? The boyfriend who's my escape from this insanity? Or maybe it's the three guys who finally make me feel alive - even with all the secrets they keep.
Secrets that I'm stuck in the middle of.
Secrets that prove I'm so much worse than I thought.
Secrets that are tied directly to the scar on my hand.
Still of the Night is a complete slow burn paranormal romance where the heroine doesn't have to choose between her love interests.
Some aspects may be triggering for some readers. Includes stepbrother romance, an abusive parent, a parent lost to cancer, incidences of domestic violence, bullying, and plenty of teen awkwardness.
Book 1 of 4 - Release scheduled - April 2, 2021
A joint writing project between Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox, we've teamed up under a combined pseudonym, Cerise Cole.
Everyone says I'm cursed. My father would've used the word evil. That's his excuse for being so strict, at any rate. Little does he know how right he is. I might look like a good girl on the outside, but deep down I'm really not.
I carry the mark on my hand to prove it.
But being good means not getting in trouble at school or he'll take it out on me. I am barely allowed to hang out with my friends, and they're starting to resent it. The safe and stable life I've been forced into is falling apart.
Then my stepbrother moves in.
Suddenly, being good doesn't seem so important. He makes friends with the local bad boys, and being around them feels like exactly where I belong. The problem is that Dad is having none of it. They're trouble, I'm supposed to be good, and the only one suffering here is me.
I'm going to have to choose what matters most. Is it the years I've spent with my best friend? The boyfriend who's my escape from this insanity? Or maybe it's the three guys who finally make me feel alive - even with all the secrets they keep.
Secrets that I'm stuck in the middle of.
Secrets that prove I'm so much worse than I thought.
Secrets that are tied directly to the scar on my hand.
Still of the Night is a complete slow burn paranormal romance where the heroine doesn't have to choose between her love interests.
Some aspects may be triggering for some readers. Includes stepbrother romance, an abusive parent, a parent lost to cancer, incidences of domestic violence, bullying, and plenty of teen awkwardness.
Book 1 of 4 - Release scheduled - April 2, 2021
A joint writing project between Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox, we've teamed up under a combined pseudonym, Cerise Cole.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2021
433 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Cerise Cole
5 books124 followersCerise Cole is the pseudonym for the combined efforts of Kitty Cox and Auryn Hadley. After writing the Gamer Girls series together, the pair decided to join forces on a more permanent basis.
Kitty and Auryn are best friends in both real life and the literary kind. Living in Texas, they come up with their next crazy book idea while riding horses or drinking margaritas and martinis. Together, they combined Auryn's world building with Kitty's character depth to create stories that you will not forget.
Kitty and Auryn are best friends in both real life and the literary kind. Living in Texas, they come up with their next crazy book idea while riding horses or drinking margaritas and martinis. Together, they combined Auryn's world building with Kitty's character depth to create stories that you will not forget.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
April 3, 2021
I don't know... I have mixed feelings about this book. At first I didn't like the h but I guess she grew on me, the same with the guys. I feel like there's something missing but I can't point it out. I was a little bothered by her listening to conversations behind doors/walls and only acknowledging a part of it.
June 30, 2021
The “I’m not like other girls” phenomenon as a book
(This review contains very very mild spoilers that have nothing to do with the storyline)
I’m genuinely shocked and confused at how little I enjoyed this book. Auryn is one of my favourite authors usually so it took me very much by surprise. It’s well-written of course, but even great writing can’t make these characters likeable for me. Not even in a fun, evil way, like they’re just annoying.
Jess - the FMC/POV - has few engaging qualities. Her backstory is sad and no one deserves that, of course, but I needed some positive traits to create any sort of kinship. There’s very much a Wattpad “I’m not like other girls” type vibe to her which is frustrating.
Lars is great in some ways but has similar issues as Jess, misogyny especially. There’s also a lot of racist-feeling disrespectful comments towards Native Americans in the first half which made me uncomfortable even as someone who isn’t Native. It may be (sadly) realistic for an 18yr old white girl like Jess, but Lars literally lived on a Reservation there’s no way he speaks like that, surely? Sure, maybe I’m a snowflake, but it felt very unnecessary.
Gavin’s homophobic undertones also bothered me ( the problem with being called gay should be that gay is not an insult, not that it’s bad to be called gay) unless he’s actually closeted bi then I spoke too soon. Moreover, after Gavin tells her about his dad’s vocal abuse, Jess says he ‘is a man’...so she doesn’t think gay men can be manly apparently? Again, maybe I’m a snowflake - or maybe I’m just a queer reader finding it hard to ‘stan’ characters that make homophobic comments?
I’m going to make this clear - character flaws are great when done well. Perfect characters are boring. But by making a character straight up have homophobic vibes you’re alienating queer readers - unless you give them a legit reason, like closeting, a willingness to change/grow, or at least other characters calling them out (rather than encouraging it like Jess did). I wouldn’t have thought as much of it if Jess and the guys had comforted him by making sure he knew they’d love him whatever his sexuality, rather than reiterating that he’s not a dirty gay like they’re saying so it’s fine (/hyperbole).
Linda, Deke, and maybe Bax are the only ones I found myself empathising with and liking as characters, especially Linda. She had flaws (willingness to stay in her abusive relationship, being almost too compassionate, even with those who don’t deserve it) and lots of really great qualities (her acceptance and protectiveness of Jess, her warm personality, the fact she stood up to Jess’ dad).
Slut-shaming is another disheartening thing that happened at least once a chapter, and misogynistic comments nearly as much. Hard to like book boyfriends that’d probably call you a whore for showing cleavage and leg at the same time.
Anyway, sorry that this review is ranty, hopefully it’s not mean-sounding. It’s just frustrating because the premise is really cool and I usually very much enjoy these author’s books.
(This review contains very very mild spoilers that have nothing to do with the storyline)
I’m genuinely shocked and confused at how little I enjoyed this book. Auryn is one of my favourite authors usually so it took me very much by surprise. It’s well-written of course, but even great writing can’t make these characters likeable for me. Not even in a fun, evil way, like they’re just annoying.
Jess - the FMC/POV - has few engaging qualities. Her backstory is sad and no one deserves that, of course, but I needed some positive traits to create any sort of kinship. There’s very much a Wattpad “I’m not like other girls” type vibe to her which is frustrating.
Lars is great in some ways but has similar issues as Jess, misogyny especially. There’s also a lot of racist-feeling disrespectful comments towards Native Americans in the first half which made me uncomfortable even as someone who isn’t Native. It may be (sadly) realistic for an 18yr old white girl like Jess, but Lars literally lived on a Reservation there’s no way he speaks like that, surely? Sure, maybe I’m a snowflake, but it felt very unnecessary.
Gavin’s homophobic undertones also bothered me ( the problem with being called gay should be that gay is not an insult, not that it’s bad to be called gay) unless he’s actually closeted bi then I spoke too soon. Moreover, after Gavin tells her about his dad’s vocal abuse, Jess says he ‘is a man’...so she doesn’t think gay men can be manly apparently? Again, maybe I’m a snowflake - or maybe I’m just a queer reader finding it hard to ‘stan’ characters that make homophobic comments?
I’m going to make this clear - character flaws are great when done well. Perfect characters are boring. But by making a character straight up have homophobic vibes you’re alienating queer readers - unless you give them a legit reason, like closeting, a willingness to change/grow, or at least other characters calling them out (rather than encouraging it like Jess did). I wouldn’t have thought as much of it if Jess and the guys had comforted him by making sure he knew they’d love him whatever his sexuality, rather than reiterating that he’s not a dirty gay like they’re saying so it’s fine (/hyperbole).
Linda, Deke, and maybe Bax are the only ones I found myself empathising with and liking as characters, especially Linda. She had flaws (willingness to stay in her abusive relationship, being almost too compassionate, even with those who don’t deserve it) and lots of really great qualities (her acceptance and protectiveness of Jess, her warm personality, the fact she stood up to Jess’ dad).
Slut-shaming is another disheartening thing that happened at least once a chapter, and misogynistic comments nearly as much. Hard to like book boyfriends that’d probably call you a whore for showing cleavage and leg at the same time.
Anyway, sorry that this review is ranty, hopefully it’s not mean-sounding. It’s just frustrating because the premise is really cool and I usually very much enjoy these author’s books.
August 1, 2021
This book was not great, the chance of me continuing the series is pretty low.
The concept is super interesting and I wanted to learn more about the supernatural world they have created and the role our main characters play. This first book barely touched that part (which feels like a huge part?) and instead spends about 80% of the time on relatively unnecessary stuff that could have been established in maybe 10 chapters instead of the majority of the book. A lot of repetitive conversations with no real forward movement.
A huge problem I had was with the treatment of the stepbrother who is Native American. The amount of racist comments by the authors was alarming to say the least. It was all so casual and unchallenged by any of the characters that it seems as if it’s the authors who hold racist views and not characters who acknowledge, learn, and grow from it. Not okay at all.
The main character Jess was 70% annoying and 30% okay. I don’t think I’ve read the phrase “not like other girls” more in any book than I have in this one. It was beyond annoying and one of my biggest gripes. It felt like Jess’s personality was never really developed beyond “I like to read” and “I’m a good girl but I’m not”. She’s wildly inconsistent in the way she acts, thinks, and behaves so it’s hard to really connect with her.
The mmc’s also have vague and inconsistent personalities and they are all basically the same. The only thing that really separates any of them are their back stories. Based on that and their roles within the story/supernatural world they should vary so much more in the way they act and how their relationships form.
One of my other main issues is how they wrote the high school aged character’s dialogue. The authors have no concept of how modern teens speak and it is glaringly obvious and cringey at times. The overuse of “kinda” was so distracting and was pretty much the only way they thought a teen speaks. I physically cringed when they used the word “fleek”...I don’t know a single person who has used that word since 2015, the disconnect between the author’s age and the character’s age was never more obvious than in that moment.
Everything else had a dusty layer of misogyny over it that was jarring to read. It’s like the book itself suffers from internalized misogyny. It has the bones of feminism and a main character that has the potential to be a badass strong female lead. However, it just never gets there or feel genuine.
Overall, the concept of this series is great but the execution, racism, misogyny, and cringey writing is inexcusable. Very confused and disappointed as I have *loved* a lot of Auryn Hadley’s other books. This just did not meet the standards and kind of makes me question weather to keep reading her books. I have not read any of Kitty Cox’s books or their other shared works so idk if it is her specifically that brings the quality down or them combined just doesn’t work. Either way it’s a big yikes from me.
The concept is super interesting and I wanted to learn more about the supernatural world they have created and the role our main characters play. This first book barely touched that part (which feels like a huge part?) and instead spends about 80% of the time on relatively unnecessary stuff that could have been established in maybe 10 chapters instead of the majority of the book. A lot of repetitive conversations with no real forward movement.
A huge problem I had was with the treatment of the stepbrother who is Native American. The amount of racist comments by the authors was alarming to say the least. It was all so casual and unchallenged by any of the characters that it seems as if it’s the authors who hold racist views and not characters who acknowledge, learn, and grow from it. Not okay at all.
The main character Jess was 70% annoying and 30% okay. I don’t think I’ve read the phrase “not like other girls” more in any book than I have in this one. It was beyond annoying and one of my biggest gripes. It felt like Jess’s personality was never really developed beyond “I like to read” and “I’m a good girl but I’m not”. She’s wildly inconsistent in the way she acts, thinks, and behaves so it’s hard to really connect with her.
The mmc’s also have vague and inconsistent personalities and they are all basically the same. The only thing that really separates any of them are their back stories. Based on that and their roles within the story/supernatural world they should vary so much more in the way they act and how their relationships form.
One of my other main issues is how they wrote the high school aged character’s dialogue. The authors have no concept of how modern teens speak and it is glaringly obvious and cringey at times. The overuse of “kinda” was so distracting and was pretty much the only way they thought a teen speaks. I physically cringed when they used the word “fleek”...I don’t know a single person who has used that word since 2015, the disconnect between the author’s age and the character’s age was never more obvious than in that moment.
Everything else had a dusty layer of misogyny over it that was jarring to read. It’s like the book itself suffers from internalized misogyny. It has the bones of feminism and a main character that has the potential to be a badass strong female lead. However, it just never gets there or feel genuine.
Overall, the concept of this series is great but the execution, racism, misogyny, and cringey writing is inexcusable. Very confused and disappointed as I have *loved* a lot of Auryn Hadley’s other books. This just did not meet the standards and kind of makes me question weather to keep reading her books. I have not read any of Kitty Cox’s books or their other shared works so idk if it is her specifically that brings the quality down or them combined just doesn’t work. Either way it’s a big yikes from me.
April 5, 2021
First and foremost, I think the most important thing to say is that I've read many of Hadley's series, and I recently read the first book in Cox's new series. I enjoyed both of those experience- from ROTI, to the Demons' Muse, to Wolves Next Door, to Shades of Trouble- but I'm feeling much less certain about my experience with this shared adventure.
Now, I appreciate the concept of the story and love me a four horsemen-linked story, but there are some bumps in the road. Now, the characters themselves are perfectly fine. Jess, our FMC, is a pseudo good girl, which basically means that she's a good girl mostly by force rather than choice. She's got the overbearing father who has a serious obsession with keeping her clean and pure, and he seems to think he can make that habit by controlling her independence: from her curfew to the clothes she wears to the company she keeps.
In spite of that, she's got some sass, a selectively used backbone, and a thirst to be more than what dear old dad wants her to be. She's likable enough on her own, though I do think she inspires a bit of annoyance with that selective backbone bit.
Now, the men: Lars, Gavin, Bax, and Deke. We've got the playboy, the virgin who's enough bite to keep up with the bad boy, the stepbrother turned best friend turned love interest, and the bossy one who'll try and fail to keep himself aloof. Generally, there should be something for every reader to lust after, and that's not the problem. Each of the men has a backstory that gives them some likability and vulnerability- something that'll tug at your heartstrings and draw you closer to rooting for them to find their happiness.
Now, here's what drags this down for me. There were countless times where I was just being irritated by how the characters interacted with Jess. Although they're all very well intentioned, I just felt like there were a lot of moments where the characters talked so patronizingly to Jess. They didn't always trust her judgment (telling her she should make her own decisions then second guessing her), and it felt like Deke and her stepmother, in particular, though some of the others do it too, talk to Jess as though she's much younger/more naive than I feel she really is. While Jess is sheltered, sure, been raised strictly, sure, she's not nearly as naive or inexperienced as characters like Sang in Ghostbird or Maya in Reborn in Flames, yet she doesn't get enough trust or credit. I found myself wanting to skim, which is not something that I usually do.
For me, that was putting a big dent in the relationship that I feel like she'll be able to develop with Deke, and I think it's going to be hard for the dynamic between them to turn around and feel natural in a romantic way. I don't think it'll be impossible for them to do, but I'm not super excited to try and find out.
Perhaps it's Jess' branch of this world that's just not doing it for me, but with KU being available, I may still check out the next book. At the very least, I'd be willing to peek into other branches of this universe, seeing if those characters' voices and dynamics are more my style. Hadley & Cox have an interesting world setup here, and I love books with twists on the horsemen, so the basic ingredients are there. I just need to find the final product that'll make me excited to read more.
Now, I appreciate the concept of the story and love me a four horsemen-linked story, but there are some bumps in the road. Now, the characters themselves are perfectly fine. Jess, our FMC, is a pseudo good girl, which basically means that she's a good girl mostly by force rather than choice. She's got the overbearing father who has a serious obsession with keeping her clean and pure, and he seems to think he can make that habit by controlling her independence: from her curfew to the clothes she wears to the company she keeps.
In spite of that, she's got some sass, a selectively used backbone, and a thirst to be more than what dear old dad wants her to be. She's likable enough on her own, though I do think she inspires a bit of annoyance with that selective backbone bit.
Now, the men: Lars, Gavin, Bax, and Deke. We've got the playboy, the virgin who's enough bite to keep up with the bad boy, the stepbrother turned best friend turned love interest, and the bossy one who'll try and fail to keep himself aloof. Generally, there should be something for every reader to lust after, and that's not the problem. Each of the men has a backstory that gives them some likability and vulnerability- something that'll tug at your heartstrings and draw you closer to rooting for them to find their happiness.
Now, here's what drags this down for me. There were countless times where I was just being irritated by how the characters interacted with Jess. Although they're all very well intentioned, I just felt like there were a lot of moments where the characters talked so patronizingly to Jess. They didn't always trust her judgment (telling her she should make her own decisions then second guessing her), and it felt like Deke and her stepmother, in particular, though some of the others do it too, talk to Jess as though she's much younger/more naive than I feel she really is. While Jess is sheltered, sure, been raised strictly, sure, she's not nearly as naive or inexperienced as characters like Sang in Ghostbird or Maya in Reborn in Flames, yet she doesn't get enough trust or credit. I found myself wanting to skim, which is not something that I usually do.
For me, that was putting a big dent in the relationship that I feel like she'll be able to develop with Deke, and I think it's going to be hard for the dynamic between them to turn around and feel natural in a romantic way. I don't think it'll be impossible for them to do, but I'm not super excited to try and find out.
Perhaps it's Jess' branch of this world that's just not doing it for me, but with KU being available, I may still check out the next book. At the very least, I'd be willing to peek into other branches of this universe, seeing if those characters' voices and dynamics are more my style. Hadley & Cox have an interesting world setup here, and I love books with twists on the horsemen, so the basic ingredients are there. I just need to find the final product that'll make me excited to read more.
January 26, 2022
Oy
So much drama and not much of the horsemen opposites stuffs. Not until the end which was just thrown at you and then the end. Not much of a jaw dropping cliffhanger. I wasn't a huge fan of the drawn out repetitive story but I did finish it so shrug.
Edit: spent all day ( day after finishing) thinking about the guys and what the second book might be like so... Shrug.
So much drama and not much of the horsemen opposites stuffs. Not until the end which was just thrown at you and then the end. Not much of a jaw dropping cliffhanger. I wasn't a huge fan of the drawn out repetitive story but I did finish it so shrug.
Edit: spent all day ( day after finishing) thinking about the guys and what the second book might be like so... Shrug.
Read
April 5, 2021Ok first book
Good first book. I really love the whole storyline, love the whole uniqueness of it all. I'm a sucker for a biblical retelling of things, and this is a awesome new take on the four horsemen and the counters put in place as a last line of defense. The guys I absolutely love! They are all different and caring in their own ways. I love linda the step mom and how truly loving and caring she is. But I did find our H a bit annoying in the sense she was self sabotaging herself constantly. She just kept repeating over and over how she wasn't anyone, she was boring, a nerd. And honestly it got old fast. I didn't even understand the constant reminder she was a nerd? So She's smart and reads? I wouldn't categorize that as a nerd, smart, yes, good head on her shoulders, absolutely. But not a no body nerd. Her not making friends or being popular to me was more of trying to hide the abuse and help prevent more of said abuse. Wish the author hadn't kept going with the nerd thing. Was overkill and not quite right. I also had a hard time with why she kept saying why she likes the guys " because they are the 3 hottest guys in her school. She repeats this many times and I felt there was so much more to like about them then her wanting the hot popular guys in school. I wanted her to have a bit more substance then wanting to be popular with popular guys. And lastly the H seemed to embrace being with these guys, being strong enough to want to be with them all, not caring what others thought and going for what she wants, yet in some odd moments she is going on and on about how it can't last, she's just a nerd, it won't work. Yes the H was really hard to follow and understand at times, but I'm hoping that she moves on and becomes strong and less whiny, more put together and grown-up. The ending opened a whole lot of (sh*t just totally hit the fan) ugly style! And I can't wait to see how this all plays out.
Good first book. I really love the whole storyline, love the whole uniqueness of it all. I'm a sucker for a biblical retelling of things, and this is a awesome new take on the four horsemen and the counters put in place as a last line of defense. The guys I absolutely love! They are all different and caring in their own ways. I love linda the step mom and how truly loving and caring she is. But I did find our H a bit annoying in the sense she was self sabotaging herself constantly. She just kept repeating over and over how she wasn't anyone, she was boring, a nerd. And honestly it got old fast. I didn't even understand the constant reminder she was a nerd? So She's smart and reads? I wouldn't categorize that as a nerd, smart, yes, good head on her shoulders, absolutely. But not a no body nerd. Her not making friends or being popular to me was more of trying to hide the abuse and help prevent more of said abuse. Wish the author hadn't kept going with the nerd thing. Was overkill and not quite right. I also had a hard time with why she kept saying why she likes the guys " because they are the 3 hottest guys in her school. She repeats this many times and I felt there was so much more to like about them then her wanting the hot popular guys in school. I wanted her to have a bit more substance then wanting to be popular with popular guys. And lastly the H seemed to embrace being with these guys, being strong enough to want to be with them all, not caring what others thought and going for what she wants, yet in some odd moments she is going on and on about how it can't last, she's just a nerd, it won't work. Yes the H was really hard to follow and understand at times, but I'm hoping that she moves on and becomes strong and less whiny, more put together and grown-up. The ending opened a whole lot of (sh*t just totally hit the fan) ugly style! And I can't wait to see how this all plays out.
June 24, 2021
*DNF
For a book that came out in 2021 the author sure loves to use ‘Native American’ and ‘Indian’ interchangeably. I had to quit 5% in because the second the FMC’s step brother & love interest came in the picture the FMC could not stop mentioning his nationality. I was barely into the book and the author wouldn’t stop fetishizing Native Americans and of course making “subtle” bigoted remarks. The FMC said that her step brother was an “Apache warrior type” and that it looked like he had just “came off the reservation”. I was hoping that the author would at least show that the FMC was in the wrong but that’s not the impression I got from her writing. Especially since the author had the step mother’s thing be culture appropriation, since the step mom is apparently a white American woman who hangs up dream catchers and puts “Navajo-looking” blankets on the chairs.
The FMC had also made a comment saying she had thought her step brother was going to be a “fat dork” and that’s what she expected from the kid of her step mother. Are we supposed to like and relate to a MC that casually displays racism and fatphobia? The FMC also mentioned how her current boyfriend was a “little thicker around the middle” and based off the fact we immediately aren’t supposed to like him, that was obviously a diss.
I’m disappointed so many reviewers didn’t seem at least a bit weirded out by the author’s language. You can easily add in a Native American character without making remarks about them that are stereotypical. Not to mention the blatant fatphobia. Please do not read and support a book that refuses to get with the times.
For a book that came out in 2021 the author sure loves to use ‘Native American’ and ‘Indian’ interchangeably. I had to quit 5% in because the second the FMC’s step brother & love interest came in the picture the FMC could not stop mentioning his nationality. I was barely into the book and the author wouldn’t stop fetishizing Native Americans and of course making “subtle” bigoted remarks. The FMC said that her step brother was an “Apache warrior type” and that it looked like he had just “came off the reservation”. I was hoping that the author would at least show that the FMC was in the wrong but that’s not the impression I got from her writing. Especially since the author had the step mother’s thing be culture appropriation, since the step mom is apparently a white American woman who hangs up dream catchers and puts “Navajo-looking” blankets on the chairs.
The FMC had also made a comment saying she had thought her step brother was going to be a “fat dork” and that’s what she expected from the kid of her step mother. Are we supposed to like and relate to a MC that casually displays racism and fatphobia? The FMC also mentioned how her current boyfriend was a “little thicker around the middle” and based off the fact we immediately aren’t supposed to like him, that was obviously a diss.
I’m disappointed so many reviewers didn’t seem at least a bit weirded out by the author’s language. You can easily add in a Native American character without making remarks about them that are stereotypical. Not to mention the blatant fatphobia. Please do not read and support a book that refuses to get with the times.
November 25, 2021
This book felt like the authors decided at the last minute to throw in paranormal touches even though the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse were mentioned from the beginning.
I was almost 70 - 80 % of the way through the book and all it did was describe the day to day life of Jess and the boys with very few parts where the marks were mentioned and it felt like a contemporary reverse harem novel rather than a fantasy/paranormal reverse harem. What I hate most in a paranormal harem book or any paranormal romance book is that they give more weight to the relationship development part than the plot. There should be a balance of the two but here there wasn't.
I might have liked it if they hadn't left the paranormal stuff for the last 20%, but sadly that wasn't the case. I got bored about halfway through and was mainly skimming the pages until something interesting happened.
Authors, don't do that. Don't give more weight to the romance than the plot. Try to balance the two. In many of the reverse harem books I've read they know how to develop everything at the same time, giving a good plot, good character development, and good relationship development. This book is not one of them.
I was almost 70 - 80 % of the way through the book and all it did was describe the day to day life of Jess and the boys with very few parts where the marks were mentioned and it felt like a contemporary reverse harem novel rather than a fantasy/paranormal reverse harem. What I hate most in a paranormal harem book or any paranormal romance book is that they give more weight to the relationship development part than the plot. There should be a balance of the two but here there wasn't.
I might have liked it if they hadn't left the paranormal stuff for the last 20%, but sadly that wasn't the case. I got bored about halfway through and was mainly skimming the pages until something interesting happened.
Authors, don't do that. Don't give more weight to the romance than the plot. Try to balance the two. In many of the reverse harem books I've read they know how to develop everything at the same time, giving a good plot, good character development, and good relationship development. This book is not one of them.
July 3, 2021
Racist, homophobic and repetitive. I don't really know much about Native American culture and what is or isn't acceptable to say (being from England) but I did substitute those parts with black cultural stereotypes and found it somewhat offensive so I figured Native Americans might too.
I also couldn't read another chapter about how different the girl was from every other girl (bangs head repeatedly against nearest hard object) and the pages and pages of discussion about how pretty or not the heroine was which is basically all there is plot wise for the first 70% of the book.
On the whole the book is a bit of a mess.
I also couldn't read another chapter about how different the girl was from every other girl (bangs head repeatedly against nearest hard object) and the pages and pages of discussion about how pretty or not the heroine was which is basically all there is plot wise for the first 70% of the book.
On the whole the book is a bit of a mess.
April 3, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox separately so when I seen they were coming together as Cerise Cole and releasing this brand new series it was an automatic one click from me.
They absolutely blew me out of the water with this one. I loved this completely original take on the 4 horseman and the apocalypse! Totally drew me in from page one and I finished this beast of a book in one day. I cannot wait for more!!
I love Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox separately so when I seen they were coming together as Cerise Cole and releasing this brand new series it was an automatic one click from me.
They absolutely blew me out of the water with this one. I loved this completely original take on the 4 horseman and the apocalypse! Totally drew me in from page one and I finished this beast of a book in one day. I cannot wait for more!!
July 23, 2021
I really enjoyed the start of this series! It is so freaking unique and I think that is what my favorite thing about these two authors. Everything they write is so refreshingly different and the worlds they create are amazing.
When I started this book I wasn’t sure what it was about. I read it without reading the blurb because I just knew I would love it. It is a twist on the 4 horseman of the apocalypse. I am so excited to see where they take this series. Highly recommend!
When I started this book I wasn’t sure what it was about. I read it without reading the blurb because I just knew I would love it. It is a twist on the 4 horseman of the apocalypse. I am so excited to see where they take this series. Highly recommend!
April 14, 2021
refreshing to be able to dive into a really good book with great characters and just amazing relationship building. I'm so bummed we have to wait so long for the next one lol I low key wish it was released right after each other haha but well worth the read!
December 17, 2025
Definitely unlike the other Hadley books I’ve read. I haven’t read anything by Cox so idk.
The characters are annoying and the one thing that I can’t get past is that Jess has been abused by her father for years. His new wife is this nice counselor at school and she is aware of her husband’s abuse?!? Like I’m sorry what?!? No way a woman is going to marry a man who abuses his child.
Not to mention they are in HS and they have sex like adults (6 prior partners), but are still so immature.
The characters are annoying and the one thing that I can’t get past is that Jess has been abused by her father for years. His new wife is this nice counselor at school and she is aware of her husband’s abuse?!? Like I’m sorry what?!? No way a woman is going to marry a man who abuses his child.
Not to mention they are in HS and they have sex like adults (6 prior partners), but are still so immature.
November 30, 2021
Surprisingly Good
I honestly tend to gravitate away from “four horseman” stories, because I just think it’s over-played. I only gave this a chance because it’s by two writers I love under a pseudonym. I had read an excerpt from it at some point and put it in my TBR. I finally started reading yesterday, and I couldn’t stop. It was such a fun read, and I really do like how we got tons of character development before any real seal action takes place. Either way I’m antsy to read the second one already, so that’s always a good sign!
I honestly tend to gravitate away from “four horseman” stories, because I just think it’s over-played. I only gave this a chance because it’s by two writers I love under a pseudonym. I had read an excerpt from it at some point and put it in my TBR. I finally started reading yesterday, and I couldn’t stop. It was such a fun read, and I really do like how we got tons of character development before any real seal action takes place. Either way I’m antsy to read the second one already, so that’s always a good sign!
December 27, 2021
Wow! Amazing worldbuilding, romantic tension, character depth and plot development. Devoured the book!
July 31, 2021
Another winner from the literary team that is Auryn and Kitty.
I love everything about this book. Jess is a fantastic FMC and she grew leaps and bounds in this book. The guys are all fantastic and each bring something different to the story, and the banter is amazing. Also, LINDA IS AMAZING. I need a Linda in my life.
On to book two!
I love everything about this book. Jess is a fantastic FMC and she grew leaps and bounds in this book. The guys are all fantastic and each bring something different to the story, and the banter is amazing. Also, LINDA IS AMAZING. I need a Linda in my life.
On to book two!
September 28, 2023
Took forever to get the plot moving.
Checked out with kindle unlimited, September 2023.
Checked out with kindle unlimited, September 2023.
April 22, 2021
Fantastic Concept
I make no secret of being a fan of Auryn Hadley and I like Kitty Cox a great deal too. Their joint series, Gamer Girls: Books 1-3 & Gamer Girls - Books 4-7 was phenomenal and I was delighted to hear they were going to make the joint writing venture permanent under a pseudonym Cerise Cole. This series is their first foray and it’s fantastic.
The story is about The Brethren a group of people dedicated to holding back the Apocalypse. It’s also about a group of 18-year-old high school students. In her final year at high school, Jess is desperate to get away from home and away from her controlling and smothering father. The last few months haven’t been as bad because he brought home a wife, who is actually a decent woman and his laser focus on his daughter has been diverted somewhat. However, Jess still hasn’t been able to get out and spend time with her boyfriend and her best friend.
Then her stepmother’s son arrives. Gorgeous, tall and strong, Lars is half Native American and was raised by his father on the Reservation. He's there because he wants to check out his mother’s new situation because it was rather a quick marriage. With Lars comes Jess’ chance at a little more freedom because he and his mother Linda are willing to help her fight for it.
When Jess finally lets loose and goes to a party and gets drunk, Lars and the school’s two bad boys in residence end up looking after her. Jess finds that the circle of people who care about her has expanded significantly. However, the temptation of three gorgeous guys who all want to spend time with her is not easy to deal with, when she has a boyfriend, who she’s been with for a year.
The majority of this book is about these teenagers and their typical teenage drama; difficulties with parents, grades, detention, bullying and romance. It’s about friendship and knowing what they want for themselves and the people around them and how they want to navigate difficulties and conflicts. It’s a wonderful story about how a family can be created rather than being an accident of birth, which is a common theme with these authors.
I loved all the characters, who are interesting and have real depth. Though Jess is the main focus of the book, the people around her are just as interesting. I particularly liked Linda who was trying so hard to be a good mother figure for someone who desperately needs it. I loved that Jess actually welcomed the attention rather than the stereotypical teen hating their parent’s new spouse. I loved how supportive Linda was of not only Jess and her son Lars but also the two bad boys, Bax and Gavin, for who she felt sorry.
This was a slowly unfolding story, with a gradual unveiling of the characters and their relationships with each other. The plot was set at a gentle pace, that quickened towards the latter part of the book. I found myself turning pages more and more quickly as I got further into the book, especially as the paranormal aspects of the story start to crop up, once the characters were well established. The book transforms from the contemporary New Adult RH book it starts as into something different and more exciting.
This is a wonderful start to a new series and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. The rest of the series is already on pre-order which gives me something to look forward to, as there is an actual date for the next book.
I highly recommend this book, which can hardly come as a surprise, but I had to put that out there!
I make no secret of being a fan of Auryn Hadley and I like Kitty Cox a great deal too. Their joint series, Gamer Girls: Books 1-3 & Gamer Girls - Books 4-7 was phenomenal and I was delighted to hear they were going to make the joint writing venture permanent under a pseudonym Cerise Cole. This series is their first foray and it’s fantastic.
The story is about The Brethren a group of people dedicated to holding back the Apocalypse. It’s also about a group of 18-year-old high school students. In her final year at high school, Jess is desperate to get away from home and away from her controlling and smothering father. The last few months haven’t been as bad because he brought home a wife, who is actually a decent woman and his laser focus on his daughter has been diverted somewhat. However, Jess still hasn’t been able to get out and spend time with her boyfriend and her best friend.
Then her stepmother’s son arrives. Gorgeous, tall and strong, Lars is half Native American and was raised by his father on the Reservation. He's there because he wants to check out his mother’s new situation because it was rather a quick marriage. With Lars comes Jess’ chance at a little more freedom because he and his mother Linda are willing to help her fight for it.
When Jess finally lets loose and goes to a party and gets drunk, Lars and the school’s two bad boys in residence end up looking after her. Jess finds that the circle of people who care about her has expanded significantly. However, the temptation of three gorgeous guys who all want to spend time with her is not easy to deal with, when she has a boyfriend, who she’s been with for a year.
The majority of this book is about these teenagers and their typical teenage drama; difficulties with parents, grades, detention, bullying and romance. It’s about friendship and knowing what they want for themselves and the people around them and how they want to navigate difficulties and conflicts. It’s a wonderful story about how a family can be created rather than being an accident of birth, which is a common theme with these authors.
I loved all the characters, who are interesting and have real depth. Though Jess is the main focus of the book, the people around her are just as interesting. I particularly liked Linda who was trying so hard to be a good mother figure for someone who desperately needs it. I loved that Jess actually welcomed the attention rather than the stereotypical teen hating their parent’s new spouse. I loved how supportive Linda was of not only Jess and her son Lars but also the two bad boys, Bax and Gavin, for who she felt sorry.
This was a slowly unfolding story, with a gradual unveiling of the characters and their relationships with each other. The plot was set at a gentle pace, that quickened towards the latter part of the book. I found myself turning pages more and more quickly as I got further into the book, especially as the paranormal aspects of the story start to crop up, once the characters were well established. The book transforms from the contemporary New Adult RH book it starts as into something different and more exciting.
This is a wonderful start to a new series and I can’t wait until the next book comes out. The rest of the series is already on pre-order which gives me something to look forward to, as there is an actual date for the next book.
I highly recommend this book, which can hardly come as a surprise, but I had to put that out there!
October 22, 2023
Update upon reread, idk maybe I wasn’t in the headspace for a mundane day to day thing but I enjoyed it this second time around better. I definitely did skim certain extra descriptions I personally don’t need. But otherwise I enjoyed the book. I did find the repeated brother thing a little annoying but I didn’t really feel like it was a focal point this time around. The most annoying thing was that she was 18 and they acted like how her father was behaving was completely rational. It wasn’t. I can’t wait to see where this goes and I hope Deke becomes one of them.
3.5 Stars slow start to a new series
3.5 stars this has potential but I was honestly bummed by the every day hubbub of Jessica’s life. We get maybe to 80% of the book when finally real paranormal things start to happen. Otherwise the book is spent just like an NA book started in high school. Catty bff, boring boyfriend etc.
I really got annoyed with the constant excuse of Lars being her “brother”, they are both 18, and she’s supposed to treat him as her brother when they never grew up together? Nah.
Second her dad’s continued abuse, and the fact that he treated her like she was too young to know better or couldn’t keep control of herself. I hate it. She’s 18 and he tells he what to do, who to see, what to wear, who can be a friend etc. he had lots of opinions but never really talked to her.
The guys I actually like. They are given the reputation of being jerks but none of them were terrible at all to Jess and kept paying attention to her, like detailed attention.
Overall this is a decent start to the new series but it needs to have more paranormal aspects in the next.
Also there seemed to be a slight overuse of the work kinda.
3.5 Stars slow start to a new series
3.5 stars this has potential but I was honestly bummed by the every day hubbub of Jessica’s life. We get maybe to 80% of the book when finally real paranormal things start to happen. Otherwise the book is spent just like an NA book started in high school. Catty bff, boring boyfriend etc.
I really got annoyed with the constant excuse of Lars being her “brother”, they are both 18, and she’s supposed to treat him as her brother when they never grew up together? Nah.
Second her dad’s continued abuse, and the fact that he treated her like she was too young to know better or couldn’t keep control of herself. I hate it. She’s 18 and he tells he what to do, who to see, what to wear, who can be a friend etc. he had lots of opinions but never really talked to her.
The guys I actually like. They are given the reputation of being jerks but none of them were terrible at all to Jess and kept paying attention to her, like detailed attention.
Overall this is a decent start to the new series but it needs to have more paranormal aspects in the next.
Also there seemed to be a slight overuse of the work kinda.
April 8, 2021
Interesting
This was a very interesting first book in this new series. This writing duo definitely took their own spin on religion, !when's and paranormal. Me personally had an issue with how they spun one or two things but I know this story is fiction and that doesn't that's personal choice/taste however you want to say it. But Overall it was different and interesting and like a big mash up of all the things. There was some problems our characters faced right from the jump. So the action and suspense was pretty immediate but the romance / rh/ poly aspect was definitely a slower build but when it finally developed there was definitely some hot moments. I can't wait to see how this story develops and were it goes. The ending was a mix between a happy for now and a cliff mainly because this was just the beginning. These characters were all their own people no place holders and I can't wait to learn more about them indv. And as a group. The ending definitely had some twists/surprises I didn't see coming and I kind of feel like there might be a few more coming. This was a good book definitely different but it sucks you in from the beginning would recommend.
This was a very interesting first book in this new series. This writing duo definitely took their own spin on religion, !when's and paranormal. Me personally had an issue with how they spun one or two things but I know this story is fiction and that doesn't that's personal choice/taste however you want to say it. But Overall it was different and interesting and like a big mash up of all the things. There was some problems our characters faced right from the jump. So the action and suspense was pretty immediate but the romance / rh/ poly aspect was definitely a slower build but when it finally developed there was definitely some hot moments. I can't wait to see how this story develops and were it goes. The ending was a mix between a happy for now and a cliff mainly because this was just the beginning. These characters were all their own people no place holders and I can't wait to learn more about them indv. And as a group. The ending definitely had some twists/surprises I didn't see coming and I kind of feel like there might be a few more coming. This was a good book definitely different but it sucks you in from the beginning would recommend.
February 16, 2022
It was an interesting read, but I think the 18-year-old ages of most of the main characters, with one 25-year-old man, is a bit much for me. I'm not the biggest fan of high school plots at this stage in my life right now, and the immature popularity drama is kind of annoying to me.
Other than the prologue and a few cursory mentions, the real paranormal stuff didn't really show up until almost the end of the book. Most of the story line was filled with cheating, slut-shaming, and perception tensions. The constant excusal from the stepmother and the FMC of the physical domestic abuse was also super irritating although the ending finally took an appropriate turn.
I'm intrigued enough at the world-building with the hunters, demons, and angels that I plan on reading the next book. I just wish the main cast was older and out of high school already, but their relationship development has otherwise been okay.
--------
Ratings - abandoned series:
#1 Still of the Night (this book): ★★★☆☆
#2 Tainted Love: ★☆☆☆☆ / DNF
Other than the prologue and a few cursory mentions, the real paranormal stuff didn't really show up until almost the end of the book. Most of the story line was filled with cheating, slut-shaming, and perception tensions. The constant excusal from the stepmother and the FMC of the physical domestic abuse was also super irritating although the ending finally took an appropriate turn.
I'm intrigued enough at the world-building with the hunters, demons, and angels that I plan on reading the next book. I just wish the main cast was older and out of high school already, but their relationship development has otherwise been okay.
--------
Ratings - abandoned series:
#1 Still of the Night (this book): ★★★☆☆
#2 Tainted Love: ★☆☆☆☆ / DNF
June 27, 2021
These two authors write such awesome and complex FMCs, and Jess is no different. She has been abused for years by her father, but after he re- marries, things seem to have stopped, until her step-brother comes to visit. Now everything is falling apart. While Jess tries to avoid drama and has some low self-esteem, she is also caring and stands up for what she believes in and tries to protect those she cares about. Lars, Bax, and Gavin are complex, and while wish we had a little more from their POVs, I love how they all talk with each other, and the ways they help Jess, and have her back. The ending had a surprise twist that I wasn’t expecting. Deke is a bit of a jerk at first, and kind of seems older than his age, but I have hopes for him joint the group too :) I can’t wait for book 2!
July 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this PNR read by the incredibly talented writing due Cerise Cole!
Being the first book of the series, much of this book was focused on world and character building. I also think it’s important to note that the paranormal element doesn’t make an appearance until the last quarter of the book so most of this book is getting to know our characters who all attend a small town American high school.
I really loved these characters and believe Cole did an excellent job of developing and cultivating their relationships. I’m very excited for what is next to come and will most definitely be reading on to the next book in the series!
Being the first book of the series, much of this book was focused on world and character building. I also think it’s important to note that the paranormal element doesn’t make an appearance until the last quarter of the book so most of this book is getting to know our characters who all attend a small town American high school.
I really loved these characters and believe Cole did an excellent job of developing and cultivating their relationships. I’m very excited for what is next to come and will most definitely be reading on to the next book in the series!
April 12, 2021
Meh... spoiler alert
The first half of the book was very slow and honestly, pretty boring. It was just a high school romance with some drama added in. Mean girls, cheating boyfriend and abusive dad. But the last 30% of the book really picked up. The paranormal aspect started to actually make appearances and the storyline was way more exciting. I am hoping book two carries on with more of the paranormal and less of the boring high school drama.
The first half of the book was very slow and honestly, pretty boring. It was just a high school romance with some drama added in. Mean girls, cheating boyfriend and abusive dad. But the last 30% of the book really picked up. The paranormal aspect started to actually make appearances and the storyline was way more exciting. I am hoping book two carries on with more of the paranormal and less of the boring high school drama.
April 24, 2022
An interesting concept, but was slow to get to the action. Didn't care for the fmc, Jess. The good girl wanting to be a bad girl was annoying. Everything seemed off. Oversimplified without explanation until the last few chapters, so it would all be a surprise? A shocking twist at the end, but by the time I got there I just didn't care. There is something weird with this book. The flow is odd. Uncomfortable. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book just isn't for me. sad face.
March 4, 2023
slow start but will continue
Hoping the speed will pickup a little in the next book. Also hoping for more pov changes, the first book only had couple of the guys’ pov which I love getting the other side. Was a little predictable but I feel like the writer(s) were dumbing down the characters because they were high schoolers but they were 18 for crying out loud. Will continue to book 2 since is free via kindle unlimited.
Hoping the speed will pickup a little in the next book. Also hoping for more pov changes, the first book only had couple of the guys’ pov which I love getting the other side. Was a little predictable but I feel like the writer(s) were dumbing down the characters because they were high schoolers but they were 18 for crying out loud. Will continue to book 2 since is free via kindle unlimited.
June 25, 2021
80% DNF
September 2, 2021
fmc annoying
November 18, 2021
DNF.
It was very tedious to read.
It was very tedious to read.
September 7, 2021
First off, I have no idea why the song "In the Dark of the Night" song by Rasputin from Anatasia always comes to mind.
It never fails to stop playing in a loop whenever I see this cover and title.
Yet it does.
Secondly, I had no idea this was a co-written collaboration between Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox.
I probably would have picked it up sooner if I had realized.
Auryn never fails to capture my attention with her books.
However, I do sometimes feel like I'm getting a history lesson.
A completely different, sometimes controversial, but definitely intriguing history lesson.
With that being said, I want to encourage people to remember these are books of fiction.
This series is based off of the the Revelations from the Bible and the Four-Horseman.
Though these authors have surely put a different spin on everything I've ever read about the apocalypse and the four horsemen.
It definitely intrigued me and I've been gobbling up the books since I started.
Jess is not your typical girl.
Of she plays the role of goody-two shoes and daddy's little angel.
But she is far from that.
Things have been hard since the passing of her mother at the age of fourteen and a mysterious scar showed up on her hand.
She has been dealing with the fallout for the last four years.
But things change when her father suddenly gets remarried and then her stepbrother shows up for the holidays.
Things are far crazier than Jess had ever expected.
Jess has three guys in her harem.
Bax, the man who can have any girl he so wishes.
Gavin, Bax's shadow and foreign exchange student.
Lars, the Native American stepbrother.
These guys are intense on their own.
But when they set their sight on you? Or have a strong conviction?
There is nothing that will not hold them back.
In this book, we are getting a lot of the foundation for the series.
Jess' story has to unfold in order for us to get to the good stuff.
And trust me, it does get good.
We are finding out about what it is like for Jess to live at home.
The dynamics of her new family.
What her friends are like.
The new friends she is making.
This story is mostly told from the point of view of Jess.
However, the prologue and epilogue are always in the points of view of one of the male harem characters.
There are times when I would definitely love to know what the guys are thinking.
But that would make for some really long books. (Not that I will ever complain about that).
This book is a slow-burn romance.
Things take their time progressing but I love seeing the development grow between the characters and the storyline.
Definitely worth picking up.
There is a slight cliffhanger, however, they put in the back snipbits of the next book.
You get the next prologue and I think a few chapters.
Though the second (and third) book are already out in this series so you don't have to wait to read everything about these amazing characters and what they are going through.
If you haven't picked this series up, I urge you to go do so now.
You will not be disappointed.
It never fails to stop playing in a loop whenever I see this cover and title.
Yet it does.
Secondly, I had no idea this was a co-written collaboration between Auryn Hadley and Kitty Cox.
I probably would have picked it up sooner if I had realized.
Auryn never fails to capture my attention with her books.
However, I do sometimes feel like I'm getting a history lesson.
A completely different, sometimes controversial, but definitely intriguing history lesson.
With that being said, I want to encourage people to remember these are books of fiction.
This series is based off of the the Revelations from the Bible and the Four-Horseman.
Though these authors have surely put a different spin on everything I've ever read about the apocalypse and the four horsemen.
It definitely intrigued me and I've been gobbling up the books since I started.
Jess is not your typical girl.
Of she plays the role of goody-two shoes and daddy's little angel.
But she is far from that.
Things have been hard since the passing of her mother at the age of fourteen and a mysterious scar showed up on her hand.
She has been dealing with the fallout for the last four years.
But things change when her father suddenly gets remarried and then her stepbrother shows up for the holidays.
Things are far crazier than Jess had ever expected.
Jess has three guys in her harem.
Bax, the man who can have any girl he so wishes.
Gavin, Bax's shadow and foreign exchange student.
Lars, the Native American stepbrother.
These guys are intense on their own.
But when they set their sight on you? Or have a strong conviction?
There is nothing that will not hold them back.
In this book, we are getting a lot of the foundation for the series.
Jess' story has to unfold in order for us to get to the good stuff.
And trust me, it does get good.
We are finding out about what it is like for Jess to live at home.
The dynamics of her new family.
What her friends are like.
The new friends she is making.
This story is mostly told from the point of view of Jess.
However, the prologue and epilogue are always in the points of view of one of the male harem characters.
There are times when I would definitely love to know what the guys are thinking.
But that would make for some really long books. (Not that I will ever complain about that).
This book is a slow-burn romance.
Things take their time progressing but I love seeing the development grow between the characters and the storyline.
Definitely worth picking up.
There is a slight cliffhanger, however, they put in the back snipbits of the next book.
You get the next prologue and I think a few chapters.
Though the second (and third) book are already out in this series so you don't have to wait to read everything about these amazing characters and what they are going through.
If you haven't picked this series up, I urge you to go do so now.
You will not be disappointed.
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