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The Holy Trinity #1
Hunting Grounds
This is not a love story.
I was just looking to keep my head down and complete my education, so that I could move as far away from my hometown, and all its tainted memories, as possible. I never bargained on running into my past. But then again, I never asked to be kidnapped, drugged and branded as The Doe either. I certainly never asked to be part of The Hunting Grounds, a sick and twisted ‘survival of fittest’ game which would make me the grand prize.
There can only be one explanation for this: The Holy Trinity.
The Father.
The Son.
The Spirit.
Once upon a time they were my entire world, but now they each claim a different hold on me: tormentor, persecutor, possessor.
They may think that they have it all planned out, but they forget one little thing…
Odile Kemp isn’t anybody’s prey. The Hunting Grounds are my goddamn playground. And I like to torment my toys before I play with them.
***
The Hunting Grounds is a dark reverse harem story with triggering events, bullying and backstories. Please take this warning seriously.
I was just looking to keep my head down and complete my education, so that I could move as far away from my hometown, and all its tainted memories, as possible. I never bargained on running into my past. But then again, I never asked to be kidnapped, drugged and branded as The Doe either. I certainly never asked to be part of The Hunting Grounds, a sick and twisted ‘survival of fittest’ game which would make me the grand prize.
There can only be one explanation for this: The Holy Trinity.
The Father.
The Son.
The Spirit.
Once upon a time they were my entire world, but now they each claim a different hold on me: tormentor, persecutor, possessor.
They may think that they have it all planned out, but they forget one little thing…
Odile Kemp isn’t anybody’s prey. The Hunting Grounds are my goddamn playground. And I like to torment my toys before I play with them.
***
The Hunting Grounds is a dark reverse harem story with triggering events, bullying and backstories. Please take this warning seriously.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2022
295 people are currently reading
1344 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
November 3, 2025
Odile gets drugged and gang raped and then is intimate with Axel immediately after… Axel was literally talking about taking her to the hospital, and suddenly they’re hooking up? Wtf. No survivor of SA would be in a place - physically or emotionally - for that. She was clearly traumatized, so it was beyond weird.
I loved Odile at first. She had fire, strength, and control. But after the kidnapping, I wanted to shake her like where’s your anger and survival instinct? She was acting like an unbelievably different person.
Her personality and depth vanished. I need Odile from the beginning back.
I loved Odile at first. She had fire, strength, and control. But after the kidnapping, I wanted to shake her like where’s your anger and survival instinct? She was acting like an unbelievably different person.
Her personality and depth vanished. I need Odile from the beginning back.
June 4, 2022
1.75 stars
Istg...Here we go again
Okay so Axel (the father), Zie (the son), Kaiden (the holy spirit) and Peony were a bunch of childhood friends and the guys left for the three years leaving peony alone all this time which she takes it to heart.
Axel is called the father because he impregnated his teacher at 16.
Zie is called the son because he's the the baby of the group with the most influential father in the country. The quintessential boy next door, all smiles and blond hair and baby blues.
And then there’s Kaiden Kelly. The Spirit. So named because he died three times. Once of which was on Peony's lap. Okay coming to present She's back at college where the holy Trinity is and Axel drugs her up and tattoos a doe on her fucking chest because HE decided that she'll be a part of the hunting ground. Axel is like....the boss of them.
Okay you know one thing i don't like in RH like this is that there's a tension between the guys. The other two guys are like "oh Axel is always being the boss of us" I HATE IT They need to be fucking brothers in this Be a motherfucking team and fuck her. The fact that they have this big tension in between them at times and them talking shit about each other at times and then saying that they're one since the start and that they should be a team makes me so mad
“What I don’t understand, is why me? And what the hell does that mean? And what is the Hunting Ground? And why do I need a fucking permanent brand in order to take part?!”
“The tattoo protects you until the game – the Hunting Ground – begins,” The Spirit helpfully supplies.
“Which is when?” I demand .
“A few weeks away.”
“Well, that’s helpfully vague,” I snap. “And what does this game involve?” I cross my arms over my chest. Something isn’t adding up here.
“The contenders fight each other…” The Spirit hesitates. He’s withholding.
“And…?”
“And hunt The Doe.”
The participants hunt the doe (hook and crook life or death) and the last man standing gets to have the doe forever. The holy Trinity made Peony the doe because they wanted to protect her because the doe is practically untouchable people might come and try asking her out but still
Now the book is both in the present AND with the flashbacks after every present chapters or two
When they were young they literally branded Peony (well they all wanted to get the brand but then she started crying and wailing so everyone got scared. And now only she's got the brand under her shorts)
And now I want to kiss Zie goodbye but things are still weird between us. Are we together or not? Plus the others still don’t know and I’m not sure how they’d take it, or what Axel would say. What if they figure out I’ve been kissing all of them?
ALSO Peony was kissing each of them in the secrets and none of them knew and each of them THOUGHT that they're the only one she's kissing so they felt very cocky about it whahahahahahahahahahhshshshs They all thought she felt for them specifically but nah sis was kissing everyone.
The only thing that kept me reading this was they way this bitch was groomed by these boys (Axel specifically)
“We’ll show you ours if you show us yours,” Axel promises.
“Why?”
I scrunch my nose up in disgust, but I have to admit I’m more than a little curious.
“I want to see one. Don’t you?”
“Not really,” I lie.
“Well I do. And you’re my best friend. So it should be you that shows us, right? Don’t best friends do everything together?”
I guess he kind of has a point. We are best friends and we do most things together. But with Axel there’s always a pressure to do what he wants. I don’t always like it, but he’s older, bossier, and he can be a little scary if he doesn’t get his own way.
“I’m not going first,” I insist, caving under his intense dark stare.
“We’ll do it at the same time. Okay?”
I’m a little curious
“Okay, on three. Everyone ready?”
I nod nervously. Zie and Kaiden do too, their hands going to the waistband of their swimmers. I hook my own fingers into my bikini bottoms and bite my lip in anticipation
“1...2...3!”
The strength of my orgasm forces his fingers from my pussy and he gapes at me in shock.“You just ejected me,” he gasps, sounding affronted.
“So? That’s normal, right?”
“It’s never happened to me before.” I blaze green with envy. He hates that I slept with someone besides him? Apparently that possessive jealousy goes both ways.
“Your muscles must be fucking strong. I can’t wait to feel you clamping down and squeezing the life out of my dick.”
All the while people did not know that The General, Zie's dad has been abusing Peony while they were gone.Now she's terrified of him and just to keep up appearances HAVE to face him
The plan was to keep the doe safer because she's the doe But what happens is that she gets more prone to danger because welll.... she's the doe.
She's kidnapped and abused and drugged before the Holy Trinity rescues her and now she thinks she's the shit because now she's going to take back her power and be the queen even if it means she'd have to be a good doe for the three boys.
"Wake up, you great lump! Your sword is stabbing me!”
The sword is....his dick ...I cannot
Okay okay i want fucking class for the next book because i feel like it has so much potential. And this was a shitshow I loved the way Kaiden fingered her public where he knew Axel was looking at them. Things are hot and things can be more clear. I need the hunting plot at the front and Oh god these are KIDS what do you mean one of the group is called the gods with their names being literally the names of Greek gods. I don't want a 16 year old boy doing ANYTHING other than being a shit
16 year olds are not all machine gun Kelly and Megan like this
C'mon now second book do me good PLEASE I BEG
Istg...Here we go again
Okay so Axel (the father), Zie (the son), Kaiden (the holy spirit) and Peony were a bunch of childhood friends and the guys left for the three years leaving peony alone all this time which she takes it to heart.
Axel is called the father because he impregnated his teacher at 16.
Zie is called the son because he's the the baby of the group with the most influential father in the country. The quintessential boy next door, all smiles and blond hair and baby blues.
And then there’s Kaiden Kelly. The Spirit. So named because he died three times. Once of which was on Peony's lap. Okay coming to present She's back at college where the holy Trinity is and Axel drugs her up and tattoos a doe on her fucking chest because HE decided that she'll be a part of the hunting ground. Axel is like....the boss of them.
Okay you know one thing i don't like in RH like this is that there's a tension between the guys. The other two guys are like "oh Axel is always being the boss of us" I HATE IT They need to be fucking brothers in this Be a motherfucking team and fuck her. The fact that they have this big tension in between them at times and them talking shit about each other at times and then saying that they're one since the start and that they should be a team makes me so mad
“What I don’t understand, is why me? And what the hell does that mean? And what is the Hunting Ground? And why do I need a fucking permanent brand in order to take part?!”
“The tattoo protects you until the game – the Hunting Ground – begins,” The Spirit helpfully supplies.
“Which is when?” I demand .
“A few weeks away.”
“Well, that’s helpfully vague,” I snap. “And what does this game involve?” I cross my arms over my chest. Something isn’t adding up here.
“The contenders fight each other…” The Spirit hesitates. He’s withholding.
“And…?”
“And hunt The Doe.”
The participants hunt the doe (hook and crook life or death) and the last man standing gets to have the doe forever. The holy Trinity made Peony the doe because they wanted to protect her because the doe is practically untouchable people might come and try asking her out but still
Now the book is both in the present AND with the flashbacks after every present chapters or two
When they were young they literally branded Peony (well they all wanted to get the brand but then she started crying and wailing so everyone got scared. And now only she's got the brand under her shorts)
And now I want to kiss Zie goodbye but things are still weird between us. Are we together or not? Plus the others still don’t know and I’m not sure how they’d take it, or what Axel would say. What if they figure out I’ve been kissing all of them?
ALSO Peony was kissing each of them in the secrets and none of them knew and each of them THOUGHT that they're the only one she's kissing so they felt very cocky about it whahahahahahahahahahhshshshs They all thought she felt for them specifically but nah sis was kissing everyone.
The only thing that kept me reading this was they way this bitch was groomed by these boys (Axel specifically)
“We’ll show you ours if you show us yours,” Axel promises.
“Why?”
I scrunch my nose up in disgust, but I have to admit I’m more than a little curious.
“I want to see one. Don’t you?”
“Not really,” I lie.
“Well I do. And you’re my best friend. So it should be you that shows us, right? Don’t best friends do everything together?”
I guess he kind of has a point. We are best friends and we do most things together. But with Axel there’s always a pressure to do what he wants. I don’t always like it, but he’s older, bossier, and he can be a little scary if he doesn’t get his own way.
“I’m not going first,” I insist, caving under his intense dark stare.
“We’ll do it at the same time. Okay?”
I’m a little curious
“Okay, on three. Everyone ready?”
I nod nervously. Zie and Kaiden do too, their hands going to the waistband of their swimmers. I hook my own fingers into my bikini bottoms and bite my lip in anticipation
“1...2...3!”
The strength of my orgasm forces his fingers from my pussy and he gapes at me in shock.“You just ejected me,” he gasps, sounding affronted.
“So? That’s normal, right?”
“It’s never happened to me before.” I blaze green with envy. He hates that I slept with someone besides him? Apparently that possessive jealousy goes both ways.
“Your muscles must be fucking strong. I can’t wait to feel you clamping down and squeezing the life out of my dick.”
All the while people did not know that The General, Zie's dad has been abusing Peony while they were gone.Now she's terrified of him and just to keep up appearances HAVE to face him
The plan was to keep the doe safer because she's the doe But what happens is that she gets more prone to danger because welll.... she's the doe.
She's kidnapped and abused and drugged before the Holy Trinity rescues her and now she thinks she's the shit because now she's going to take back her power and be the queen even if it means she'd have to be a good doe for the three boys.
"Wake up, you great lump! Your sword is stabbing me!”
The sword is....his dick ...I cannot
Okay okay i want fucking class for the next book because i feel like it has so much potential. And this was a shitshow I loved the way Kaiden fingered her public where he knew Axel was looking at them. Things are hot and things can be more clear. I need the hunting plot at the front and Oh god these are KIDS what do you mean one of the group is called the gods with their names being literally the names of Greek gods. I don't want a 16 year old boy doing ANYTHING other than being a shit
16 year olds are not all machine gun Kelly and Megan like this
C'mon now second book do me good PLEASE I BEG
December 19, 2023
Hunting Grounds ⭐️⭐️.3
This like wasn’t good but I still enjoyed it? Like I didn’t like to but I also couldn’t put it down ahaha. Like I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but also I’m going to read the next one? But like it was kinda good but it’s not HAHAHAH IM SO CONFUSED WHAT TO RATE THIS AND WHAT TO FEEL. The holy trinity names are killing me HAHAHA. And what happened to her and then what axel did? But it was also hot but horrible and why aren’t we just AAAA. I have so many thoughts but also none at all
This like wasn’t good but I still enjoyed it? Like I didn’t like to but I also couldn’t put it down ahaha. Like I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but also I’m going to read the next one? But like it was kinda good but it’s not HAHAHAH IM SO CONFUSED WHAT TO RATE THIS AND WHAT TO FEEL. The holy trinity names are killing me HAHAHA. And what happened to her and then what axel did? But it was also hot but horrible and why aren’t we just AAAA. I have so many thoughts but also none at all
April 12, 2022
What-in-the-bloody-hell-was-that-ending??? I literally wanted to drop kick my kindle after reading it!! lol. Not only that but im still trying to get my head around everything that happened in this book. I think i might need to go back and re-read it again just for it to all to sink in. Just in case ive missed something. Just a warning listen to the warning that comes with this book because there are parts in it that might upset some people. Ill be honest some parts shocked the flaming hell out of me.
Childhood friends Odile (Peony), Axel, MacKenzie and Kaiden have been i each other's lives constantly growing up. Distance & two years and theyre all back together but all of them have changed. The guys are now part of a dark trio called The Holy Trinity - The Father - Axel, The Son - MacKenzie and The Holy Spirit - Kaiden. They have Odile (Peony) set up as The Doe and stuck her right in middle of a dark version of the hunger games.
Absolutely chock full of underhand people, backstories (which we havent found out all about yet), secrets, lies and cracking plot twists. It completely gripped me from start to finish. Just a brilliant read
Childhood friends Odile (Peony), Axel, MacKenzie and Kaiden have been i each other's lives constantly growing up. Distance & two years and theyre all back together but all of them have changed. The guys are now part of a dark trio called The Holy Trinity - The Father - Axel, The Son - MacKenzie and The Holy Spirit - Kaiden. They have Odile (Peony) set up as The Doe and stuck her right in middle of a dark version of the hunger games.
Absolutely chock full of underhand people, backstories (which we havent found out all about yet), secrets, lies and cracking plot twists. It completely gripped me from start to finish. Just a brilliant read
April 13, 2022
Wow, not sure where to start with this one. I’m speechless with the ending, but what a phenomenal roller coaster of emotions this entails! The book is about Peony and her three best friends, the holy trinity. The boys are all legacy’s for their powerful fathers and will one day inherit their empire. The book starts off in the past explaining their relationship and fast forwards to the future to explain the nonexistent relationship currently. The four of them were inseparable until time came for the three boys to go off to University. When they left, Peony never heard from them again until she sees them on her first day of University. They think she is still the sweet girl they knew all those years ago but unfortunately she has changed. They’ve thrown her head first back into their world and Poeny isn’t going to take it laying down!
May 3, 2023
*slow claps in awe*
Any series that has kept me up the past two nights until 3 am is WORTH EVERYTHINGGGGGG!!!!
Listen - I may be a theatrical woman - but I’m a self aware theatrical woman and…THIS. BOOK (series). HAS. ME. IN. A. CHOKEHOLD. I’m being extra about & catch me not caring one bit. Listen, you need to read this series. If you’re a fan of dark romance, taboo, twisty & turny, steamy, why choose novels - this is the one for you.
I’m not even exaggerating when I say this is one of the best books I’ve read to date this year.
Think…Haunting Adeline meets Kings of Quarantine meets the Hunger Games w/ a lil twist of ✨ Den of Vipers ✨
This is an incredibly unique and captivating story and I’m already almost halfway through the second book.
Gimme gimme gimme allllllllllll the Holy Trinity boiis.
Any series that has kept me up the past two nights until 3 am is WORTH EVERYTHINGGGGGG!!!!
Listen - I may be a theatrical woman - but I’m a self aware theatrical woman and…THIS. BOOK (series). HAS. ME. IN. A. CHOKEHOLD. I’m being extra about & catch me not caring one bit. Listen, you need to read this series. If you’re a fan of dark romance, taboo, twisty & turny, steamy, why choose novels - this is the one for you.
I’m not even exaggerating when I say this is one of the best books I’ve read to date this year.
Think…Haunting Adeline meets Kings of Quarantine meets the Hunger Games w/ a lil twist of ✨ Den of Vipers ✨
This is an incredibly unique and captivating story and I’m already almost halfway through the second book.
Gimme gimme gimme allllllllllll the Holy Trinity boiis.
March 31, 2024
A gripping emotional read that wrecked me, shocked me, and had me wanting to scream all within the space of a chapter. Odile (aka Peony) was heartbroken when her three best friends left her behind and unprotected from the monsters in their midst.
The back and forth between the past and present chapters gave so much insight as to where Odile is personally and with the men in the Holy Trinity. I am so suspicious of the men currently. I do hope they each show some redeeming qualities and they can earn Odile’s love and trust.
The starting of the hunting games was really interesting. I look forward to what comes with these games in the next book. Whew! That cliffhanger ending had my jaw dropping!
Prepare yourself for a ride and check the trigger warnings before falling into the darkness of this trilogy.
The back and forth between the past and present chapters gave so much insight as to where Odile is personally and with the men in the Holy Trinity. I am so suspicious of the men currently. I do hope they each show some redeeming qualities and they can earn Odile’s love and trust.
The starting of the hunting games was really interesting. I look forward to what comes with these games in the next book. Whew! That cliffhanger ending had my jaw dropping!
Prepare yourself for a ride and check the trigger warnings before falling into the darkness of this trilogy.
dnf-graveyard
December 31, 2024Made it to chapter five before I got sick of reading "the father, the son, and the spirit" as names
February 27, 2024
You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat
This is not a love story.
Odile's been given an opportunity to turn her life around, and she intends to take it. She plans to keep her head down and focus on her study at Trinity College and walk away with some semblance of a life that she's proud of. That is until she runs into them. The Holy Trinity. The three boys who broke her heart and steal the breath from her lungs. Axel, Kaiden and Zie. The Father, The Spirit & The Son. She's been marked. Pulled into their sick, twisted game. And she's the grand prize. The three boys from her past may have forgotten that she doesn't play by anyone's rules but her own, but they'll soon remember. The hunting grounds may be the game she has to take part in, but Odile is nobody's prey, the hunted will soon become the hunter, and she's out for blood.
I bought the special editions of Hunting Grounds and Hunting Games from BABE23 in Sydney last year (They're gorgeous by the way), but like the majority (read that: entirety) of the books I purchased at BABE, I was yet to read them. So, when I ended up lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Hunting Graves, the third and final book of this trilogy, I figured what better time than the present to just dive straight into the books and smash them out as quickly as I could. I surprised myself by how quickly I DID manage to get through this trilogy as they're not short books, but by God, they combine to paint one helluva story. This is up there as one of my favourite trilogies now I reckon, and I've been screeching about it ever since I finished the third book two days ago.
This story starts with a bang, and it doesn't let up until you're gasping for breath and begging for...well...I'm sure you can use your imagination to finish that sentence. From word go, Odile is dragged into the Hunting Grounds and knows damn well who's responsible for it. The pacing didn't drop one iota throughout the entire trilogy, and I was here for it. I powered through this book and just ate the pages up; I'm not even exaggerating. This book is what I would call a page turner. Between learning about the Hunting Grounds, and also learning about Odile's past with the three MMCs, I was hooked. Told through alternating chapters and timelines, we see one chapter from the present timeline told mostly through Odile's perspective, but occasionally through the perspective of one of the guys. The other timeline is the past, beginning from when Odile first met the three boys as a young child, all the way up to just before she started at Trinity and ran into the guys again. I absolutely loved this style of alternating timelines because it really helped to build a full picture of the relationship that Odile had with the guys before they departed for college, and finding out the why behind their falling out was something that kept me reading late into the night.
I will say this. Please heed the TW for this book. The characters have been through some extremely dark situations, and while they're not glorified, and are handled with such grace and tact, it could still be quite confronting to some. So please make sure that you read those TW before diving in. If you need a list, I think you can find one on Crystal North's website, and if you're having trouble finding it, don't hesitate to contact myself or Crystal for a full list. Speaking of the heavy topics that are dealt with in this story, I honestly do believe that they were handled and written so well. These traumatic events were not used as shock factor. For me, they created such a full picture of why Odile is the way that she is, as well as the three MMCs. We see how they were moulded into the beasts that they've become through the life that they were born into.
The characters *sigh* I honestly LOVED Odile and the guys. I loved all of them. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to punch Axel in the throat a fair few times, and I also wanted to punch Zie a few times as well. As for Kaiden? I can't actually think of a time I wanted to punch him hahaha. Pretty much from the first time we meet him, Kaiden held a special spot in my heart, and I'm not sure why. I think it's something about that cinnamon roll psycho triple dipped in tattoos and fun that just endears them to me. Odile is such a strong and real character. The hardships that she has faced and the trauma that she has endured and survived through, while hardening her into a warrior that demanded vengeance, it also helped her love and appreciate true, genuine, love and friendship. The way that she never stopped pushing back against Axel, that even though they'd hurt her immensely, she still gave them a chance to explain things, because ultimately, she knew them. And Zie. Oh Zie. He is so sweet and precious, and he needed to be protected at all costs. Even though he was strong enough to handle the harsh truths, he still had an air of innocence about him that I just loved. Axel. This man tested my patience. He got to the stage that I honestly didn't know if I could like his character because he'd gone that far into the darkness, I didn't think that there was a way for him to get back out. Ultimately though, I love them all.
I don't want to give too much away so I'm going to leave it here. This is a rich, complex world with characters that have depth, complex personalities, and have been through hell and back. The characters are strong, stubborn and they will fight for what they believe in, tooth and nail. They'll protect what's there's and they will fight against all odds in order to come out the victor at the end. Check your TWs and buckle up, this is one wild ride that you don't want to miss. And remember, this isn't a love story...
This is not a love story.
Odile's been given an opportunity to turn her life around, and she intends to take it. She plans to keep her head down and focus on her study at Trinity College and walk away with some semblance of a life that she's proud of. That is until she runs into them. The Holy Trinity. The three boys who broke her heart and steal the breath from her lungs. Axel, Kaiden and Zie. The Father, The Spirit & The Son. She's been marked. Pulled into their sick, twisted game. And she's the grand prize. The three boys from her past may have forgotten that she doesn't play by anyone's rules but her own, but they'll soon remember. The hunting grounds may be the game she has to take part in, but Odile is nobody's prey, the hunted will soon become the hunter, and she's out for blood.
I bought the special editions of Hunting Grounds and Hunting Games from BABE23 in Sydney last year (They're gorgeous by the way), but like the majority (read that: entirety) of the books I purchased at BABE, I was yet to read them. So, when I ended up lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Hunting Graves, the third and final book of this trilogy, I figured what better time than the present to just dive straight into the books and smash them out as quickly as I could. I surprised myself by how quickly I DID manage to get through this trilogy as they're not short books, but by God, they combine to paint one helluva story. This is up there as one of my favourite trilogies now I reckon, and I've been screeching about it ever since I finished the third book two days ago.
This story starts with a bang, and it doesn't let up until you're gasping for breath and begging for...well...I'm sure you can use your imagination to finish that sentence. From word go, Odile is dragged into the Hunting Grounds and knows damn well who's responsible for it. The pacing didn't drop one iota throughout the entire trilogy, and I was here for it. I powered through this book and just ate the pages up; I'm not even exaggerating. This book is what I would call a page turner. Between learning about the Hunting Grounds, and also learning about Odile's past with the three MMCs, I was hooked. Told through alternating chapters and timelines, we see one chapter from the present timeline told mostly through Odile's perspective, but occasionally through the perspective of one of the guys. The other timeline is the past, beginning from when Odile first met the three boys as a young child, all the way up to just before she started at Trinity and ran into the guys again. I absolutely loved this style of alternating timelines because it really helped to build a full picture of the relationship that Odile had with the guys before they departed for college, and finding out the why behind their falling out was something that kept me reading late into the night.
I will say this. Please heed the TW for this book. The characters have been through some extremely dark situations, and while they're not glorified, and are handled with such grace and tact, it could still be quite confronting to some. So please make sure that you read those TW before diving in. If you need a list, I think you can find one on Crystal North's website, and if you're having trouble finding it, don't hesitate to contact myself or Crystal for a full list. Speaking of the heavy topics that are dealt with in this story, I honestly do believe that they were handled and written so well. These traumatic events were not used as shock factor. For me, they created such a full picture of why Odile is the way that she is, as well as the three MMCs. We see how they were moulded into the beasts that they've become through the life that they were born into.
The characters *sigh* I honestly LOVED Odile and the guys. I loved all of them. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to punch Axel in the throat a fair few times, and I also wanted to punch Zie a few times as well. As for Kaiden? I can't actually think of a time I wanted to punch him hahaha. Pretty much from the first time we meet him, Kaiden held a special spot in my heart, and I'm not sure why. I think it's something about that cinnamon roll psycho triple dipped in tattoos and fun that just endears them to me. Odile is such a strong and real character. The hardships that she has faced and the trauma that she has endured and survived through, while hardening her into a warrior that demanded vengeance, it also helped her love and appreciate true, genuine, love and friendship. The way that she never stopped pushing back against Axel, that even though they'd hurt her immensely, she still gave them a chance to explain things, because ultimately, she knew them. And Zie. Oh Zie. He is so sweet and precious, and he needed to be protected at all costs. Even though he was strong enough to handle the harsh truths, he still had an air of innocence about him that I just loved. Axel. This man tested my patience. He got to the stage that I honestly didn't know if I could like his character because he'd gone that far into the darkness, I didn't think that there was a way for him to get back out. Ultimately though, I love them all.
I don't want to give too much away so I'm going to leave it here. This is a rich, complex world with characters that have depth, complex personalities, and have been through hell and back. The characters are strong, stubborn and they will fight for what they believe in, tooth and nail. They'll protect what's there's and they will fight against all odds in order to come out the victor at the end. Check your TWs and buckle up, this is one wild ride that you don't want to miss. And remember, this isn't a love story...
April 13, 2022
Who knew Crystal North could get even darker?! Hunting Grounds is the start of Odile’s story and it is DARK. Odile falls in love with her childhood friends, but as the youngest of the group she is left behind when they move on to university. They believe they are protecting her from their dark world. Unfortunately, it leaves her vulnerable and she endures terrible things during their absence. The Father, The Son and The Spirit come back into her life when she starts University. Odile is kidnapped and drugged before classes start. While drugged, she is branded with a doe tattoo - making her the prize for the winner(s) of the Hunting Grounds.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a clusterf*ck of deceit and depravity! From the creepy AF parents of The Father, The Son and The Spirit to the crazy idea of the Hunting Grounds - it’s non stop off the charts insanity.
Odile - I liked her. Of course she is damaged, but she doesn’t seem like a pushover. She takes control of her situation the best way she knows how.
The Father, The Son and The Spirit - I was hoping she would tell them to f*ck all the way off, but her heart was way too invested. The Father does seem to care about her, but has a sh*t way of showing it. The Son is so in love with her that he can’t even stand the sight of her and The Spirit just goes for it. If I had to choose, The Spirit is the current favorite.
Overall - there are a lot of triggers in this book. Read the warnings. With that said - I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked on figuring out all the details about the Hunting Grounds and what being the doe really meant. I felt a strong connection to Odile and I’m hoping she comes out of this at least semi okay. The cliffhanger made me want to throat punch The Father. I’m definitely looking forward to some answers about his betrayal.
Highly recommend if you are looking for a new dark romance series to read!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What a clusterf*ck of deceit and depravity! From the creepy AF parents of The Father, The Son and The Spirit to the crazy idea of the Hunting Grounds - it’s non stop off the charts insanity.
Odile - I liked her. Of course she is damaged, but she doesn’t seem like a pushover. She takes control of her situation the best way she knows how.
The Father, The Son and The Spirit - I was hoping she would tell them to f*ck all the way off, but her heart was way too invested. The Father does seem to care about her, but has a sh*t way of showing it. The Son is so in love with her that he can’t even stand the sight of her and The Spirit just goes for it. If I had to choose, The Spirit is the current favorite.
Overall - there are a lot of triggers in this book. Read the warnings. With that said - I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked on figuring out all the details about the Hunting Grounds and what being the doe really meant. I felt a strong connection to Odile and I’m hoping she comes out of this at least semi okay. The cliffhanger made me want to throat punch The Father. I’m definitely looking forward to some answers about his betrayal.
Highly recommend if you are looking for a new dark romance series to read!
April 13, 2022
I loved this book it was really good and it was very well written and it caught my attention from the start… i love how the book started… i loved the plot… i really loved the twist and turns in the book… i loved the Characters…
I’m so exicted to be following Crystal north and see what she comes with in the future this book was soo good
I highly recommed that people read hunting grounds it’s soo freaking good… i was hooked i read this book in one day
I’m so exicted to be following Crystal north and see what she comes with in the future this book was soo good
I highly recommed that people read hunting grounds it’s soo freaking good… i was hooked i read this book in one day
April 22, 2024
Wow! This book was intense in the best way! I loved Odile’s story and how strong she is despite what the world has thrown at her. Axel, Kaiden & Zie have a lot to answer for and I love how she doesn’t just give in and forgive them but gives as good as she gets, I know there is something else at play in the background and I can’t wait to read book 2 and find out more. This book is dark so please be mindful of TWs but if you dive in I promise you won’t be disappointed!!
April 29, 2022
Man, what a great dark, bully, RH, you wrote Crystal! And such a great start to a new series! All the secrets, lies, and mystery keep you hooked! I couldn't put this book down, I just devoured it in one sitting! And that ending Crystal!!!!! I can't wait to see what happens next.
February 24, 2024
check your triggers!
First things first
Lots of past memories that lead up to sexual assault of a minor. It’s ON the page. It’s traumatic and sad and I will probably need a long long break after this
However
5/5 ⭐️ Storyline
5/5 🌶️ Spiciness
First things first
Lots of past memories that lead up to sexual assault of a minor. It’s ON the page. It’s traumatic and sad and I will probably need a long long break after this
However
5/5 ⭐️ Storyline
5/5 🌶️ Spiciness
December 28, 2023
A new dark series
Nooooo! It can't end like this. When is the next book coming out?
Odile has been marked as the doe for the hunting ground, by the three men who were her best friends but then one day they left and never came back. Now the 3 of them are trying to protect her when they couldn't as children, but more players in the game are trying to destroy them by hurting Odile. I need to know that the General gets what he deserves and that he won't be able to hurt Odile anymore.
Nooooo! It can't end like this. When is the next book coming out?
Odile has been marked as the doe for the hunting ground, by the three men who were her best friends but then one day they left and never came back. Now the 3 of them are trying to protect her when they couldn't as children, but more players in the game are trying to destroy them by hurting Odile. I need to know that the General gets what he deserves and that he won't be able to hurt Odile anymore.
June 22, 2024
This may be the book series that leaves me speechless all year- and it is only June!
This story is DARK- and this is only book 1 in the trilogy so I have a feeling it is going to get so much worse, but this story from beginning to end takes you on one mind f of a journey and has the audacity to slap you silly as it is doing so.
Odie is probably the most unique FMC that I have ever read (and I have read a lot of books). Never one to back down from a challenge, she shows right from the beginning just how much she fits in with Axel, Zie and Kaeden-it just sucks that they left her to go off to college and she had two years of being alone without them to manifest herself into someone who doesn't need any of them. Unfortunately for her, they didn't go where they told her they were going and now she is stuck back with them, and oh yeah, they've branded her a prize and now she has to survive The Hunting Games and the aftermath of those.
Axel, Zie and Kaeden are the perfect MC's and I think the tension not only between them and Odie is perfect, but themselves as well. There are things going on behind the scenes of their friendship that you get little teases of tension throughout and I would really love to see just what happens between these three as the trilogy goes on. I really am curious also how the relationship between all 4 of them will come together- there is certainly chemistry between Odie and all of the boys individually but I wonder how that chemistry will change over time, especially since you get glimpses and teases of just how compatible they all are with Odie.
The one thing that I really loved about this story is you got both the past and the present- there are flashbacks to the 4 of them 2 years earlier and even right after the boys leave for college where you get to see how their relationship was before they left and then the aftermath of what happened with Odie. I have ideas that what happened after the boys left was really bad and there are certainly some things that are hinted at near the end of this story, but something tells me that I am going to be way wrong about that because I think there are more twists and turns that are coming that I can't even begin to fathom. I really hope that when they do happen in the next stories, that Odie doesn't easily forgive the boys for leaving her and not realizing something was wrong. I think they are all going to have to experience gut wrenching pain where her past is concerned to be able to move forward and for some reason I am really looking forward to seeing how they all handle those old wounds that will be opened- especially since I think some of those dark secrets that Odie has been keeping are going to downright kill some of the boys.
Great beginning to this trilogy and I can't wait to see what happens in the next 2 stories!
This story is DARK- and this is only book 1 in the trilogy so I have a feeling it is going to get so much worse, but this story from beginning to end takes you on one mind f of a journey and has the audacity to slap you silly as it is doing so.
Odie is probably the most unique FMC that I have ever read (and I have read a lot of books). Never one to back down from a challenge, she shows right from the beginning just how much she fits in with Axel, Zie and Kaeden-it just sucks that they left her to go off to college and she had two years of being alone without them to manifest herself into someone who doesn't need any of them. Unfortunately for her, they didn't go where they told her they were going and now she is stuck back with them, and oh yeah, they've branded her a prize and now she has to survive The Hunting Games and the aftermath of those.
Axel, Zie and Kaeden are the perfect MC's and I think the tension not only between them and Odie is perfect, but themselves as well. There are things going on behind the scenes of their friendship that you get little teases of tension throughout and I would really love to see just what happens between these three as the trilogy goes on. I really am curious also how the relationship between all 4 of them will come together- there is certainly chemistry between Odie and all of the boys individually but I wonder how that chemistry will change over time, especially since you get glimpses and teases of just how compatible they all are with Odie.
The one thing that I really loved about this story is you got both the past and the present- there are flashbacks to the 4 of them 2 years earlier and even right after the boys leave for college where you get to see how their relationship was before they left and then the aftermath of what happened with Odie. I have ideas that what happened after the boys left was really bad and there are certainly some things that are hinted at near the end of this story, but something tells me that I am going to be way wrong about that because I think there are more twists and turns that are coming that I can't even begin to fathom. I really hope that when they do happen in the next stories, that Odie doesn't easily forgive the boys for leaving her and not realizing something was wrong. I think they are all going to have to experience gut wrenching pain where her past is concerned to be able to move forward and for some reason I am really looking forward to seeing how they all handle those old wounds that will be opened- especially since I think some of those dark secrets that Odie has been keeping are going to downright kill some of the boys.
Great beginning to this trilogy and I can't wait to see what happens in the next 2 stories!
April 13, 2022
Amazing, just amazing! I could NOT put it down. This is not your typical love story. It’s dark, depraved, gritty, and raw. Overall, just really well done. There are a ton of triggers so if you’ve got triggers read the TW beforehand. If you don’t have triggers I would recommend going into this blind. It’s intense in the best way.
Crystal did a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to check out more by her after reading this. What a crazy ride this was… I didn’t want to get off, and that cliffhanger ripped my heart out! There are many twists and turns that you don’t see coming. The characters are written with so much heart; they are gritty, raw, and their emotions pour off of the pages. The guys are all psycho (my favorite type of mmc’s.)
Odile is a great fmc, she’s been through some things. The guys each have rather unpleasant backgrounds as well. Kaiden is my favorite so far. He and Odie have a twisted history together, but it contributes a lot to the story. Axel is… well… he’s an a$$. He’s the top dog and doesn’t mind reminding the others of that. I was starting to warm up to him a tiny bit, but … things happened, no spoilers here. Zie is one that I can’t wait for more of, he mostly stayed quiet in this book but I’m expecting a lot more out of him in the second one. Odie and the guys grew up together, but life happened, and they were separated. And, not in a easy goodbye sort of way. There is so much history between Odie and the guys. Their relationships are not easy by any means, they are twisted and dark. These guys are NOT the sweet and loving type, they are psychos through and through. The spice is fantastic; I just want more!
Crystal killed it with this book, and I cannot wait for the next one. I’m anxiously waiting. The characters are twisted psychos, the worldbuilding is wonderful, the steam is cold shower delicious, and the plot will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like dark RH romance this needs to be on your list TODAY! 🖤
Crystal did a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to check out more by her after reading this. What a crazy ride this was… I didn’t want to get off, and that cliffhanger ripped my heart out! There are many twists and turns that you don’t see coming. The characters are written with so much heart; they are gritty, raw, and their emotions pour off of the pages. The guys are all psycho (my favorite type of mmc’s.)
Odile is a great fmc, she’s been through some things. The guys each have rather unpleasant backgrounds as well. Kaiden is my favorite so far. He and Odie have a twisted history together, but it contributes a lot to the story. Axel is… well… he’s an a$$. He’s the top dog and doesn’t mind reminding the others of that. I was starting to warm up to him a tiny bit, but … things happened, no spoilers here. Zie is one that I can’t wait for more of, he mostly stayed quiet in this book but I’m expecting a lot more out of him in the second one. Odie and the guys grew up together, but life happened, and they were separated. And, not in a easy goodbye sort of way. There is so much history between Odie and the guys. Their relationships are not easy by any means, they are twisted and dark. These guys are NOT the sweet and loving type, they are psychos through and through. The spice is fantastic; I just want more!
Crystal killed it with this book, and I cannot wait for the next one. I’m anxiously waiting. The characters are twisted psychos, the worldbuilding is wonderful, the steam is cold shower delicious, and the plot will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you like dark RH romance this needs to be on your list TODAY! 🖤
April 19, 2022
This book took me by surprise in the best way. I thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. Perfect amount of dark but I like to call it digestible dark.
This is a dark contemporary romantic suspense/mystery secret society second chance friends to lovers enemies to lovers reverse harem romance. All that good for making a really entertaining story. And also a very well-written one.
We flashback to the past to the friendship that these characters had growing up to now and we're trying to figure out why the FMC has been entered into the game as the deer. You learn about her pass with these guys and then her trauma afterwards, they're corrupt world and parents, why they left why they are together now, why they're doing what they're doing, while still being left with lots more to discover. It's not bully . And you don't have to wait for all the characters to reconcile. They have a lot to work through but it's not a traditional enemies to lovers. I really liked all the guys I feel like we had one definitely completely in her corner to begin with for the most part which always helps. I think they all are but that's not necessarily a parent with all of them at first it is apparent that there is a plan at play though so maybe it is. Because you can tell that they all care for her early on and then there's more going on and we definitely get into it it's multiple POV which is great.
We get answers but we still have other thing to figure out what's going on. And then the guys have to figure out that they're not always right and that there's some stuff they don't know. Really great plot, really great characters. Unique story. Great ending so excited for the nextbook.
This is a dark contemporary romantic suspense/mystery secret society second chance friends to lovers enemies to lovers reverse harem romance. All that good for making a really entertaining story. And also a very well-written one.
We flashback to the past to the friendship that these characters had growing up to now and we're trying to figure out why the FMC has been entered into the game as the deer. You learn about her pass with these guys and then her trauma afterwards, they're corrupt world and parents, why they left why they are together now, why they're doing what they're doing, while still being left with lots more to discover. It's not bully . And you don't have to wait for all the characters to reconcile. They have a lot to work through but it's not a traditional enemies to lovers. I really liked all the guys I feel like we had one definitely completely in her corner to begin with for the most part which always helps. I think they all are but that's not necessarily a parent with all of them at first it is apparent that there is a plan at play though so maybe it is. Because you can tell that they all care for her early on and then there's more going on and we definitely get into it it's multiple POV which is great.
We get answers but we still have other thing to figure out what's going on. And then the guys have to figure out that they're not always right and that there's some stuff they don't know. Really great plot, really great characters. Unique story. Great ending so excited for the nextbook.
April 1, 2024
This story has been on my TBR for over a year, and I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. This was an amazing read. Who doesn’t love a dark why choose romance with secret societies?
Odile was a such a good FMC. She is a survivor and has overcome so much: trauma, betrayal, and loss. She grew up with Axel, Kaiden (Kai) and Mackenize (Zie) also known as the The Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son and the Spirit. While she was a few years younger, she always thought they would be together, until they weren’t. They left for university, and she did not hear from them until she ran into them at a university she now attends.
Little does she know there are forces in play that will manipulate her actions and will keep her tied to the Trinity. She has been forced to play in the Hunting Ground and has been named the Doe. She will be the prize in a twisted game that includes the Trinity as the part of the hunters.
While I loved Odile, I am not sure how I feel about the guys. Axel is quite the puppet master. He is an alphahole that swears he has her best interest at heart. However, his actions show otherwise. Kai and Zie both say they lover her but are quick to fall in line with Axel’s games.
This was such a good story, and the cliffhanger was gripping. This story includes flashbacks to when all the characters were kids, and you slowly learn what is behind the actions they are taking adults. While they are morally gray there are morally black characters that are beyond twisted.
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I am officially hooked.
Odile was a such a good FMC. She is a survivor and has overcome so much: trauma, betrayal, and loss. She grew up with Axel, Kaiden (Kai) and Mackenize (Zie) also known as the The Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son and the Spirit. While she was a few years younger, she always thought they would be together, until they weren’t. They left for university, and she did not hear from them until she ran into them at a university she now attends.
Little does she know there are forces in play that will manipulate her actions and will keep her tied to the Trinity. She has been forced to play in the Hunting Ground and has been named the Doe. She will be the prize in a twisted game that includes the Trinity as the part of the hunters.
While I loved Odile, I am not sure how I feel about the guys. Axel is quite the puppet master. He is an alphahole that swears he has her best interest at heart. However, his actions show otherwise. Kai and Zie both say they lover her but are quick to fall in line with Axel’s games.
This was such a good story, and the cliffhanger was gripping. This story includes flashbacks to when all the characters were kids, and you slowly learn what is behind the actions they are taking adults. While they are morally gray there are morally black characters that are beyond twisted.
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I am officially hooked.
April 19, 2022
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
"This is not a f*cking love story." and boy was it not.
Hunting Grounds is the first book in the Holy Trinity series. Please heed the trigger warnings, it is pretty dark.
Odile "Peony" grew up (and fell for) her three friends, The Holy Trinity. After an incident, they ended up growing apart. Two years later, they ended up attending the same university. After waking up, with no knowledge of the night before, she was branded with a particular brand which leads to major problems. The Holy Trinity, (The Father-Axel, The Son-Mackenzie "Zie", & The Spirit-Kaiden) have made her the prize of a dangerous game. In their twisted minds, they are set out to claim that prize.
"...he failed to realise that as I grew up I became the opposing king, my brothers are my trusty bishop and hardy rook. And once I’ve completed the Hunting Grounds and have my queen by my side, the Hunting Games can really begin.
OMFG!!! I cannot believe how this ended! It was very gritty, raw, definitely got emotional whiplash. My girl and guys have been through so much in their lives. It really explains their personalities. I sometimes have trouble following time jumps, but Crystal always does a beautiful job in any of her books that contain flashbacks. After that cliffhanger, I almost threw my phone across the room. We saw a bit of a sassy, strong Odi, but I definitely can't wait to see a fighter, p*ssed off Odi. I'm looking forward to the next one!
"This is not a f*cking love story." and boy was it not.
Hunting Grounds is the first book in the Holy Trinity series. Please heed the trigger warnings, it is pretty dark.
Odile "Peony" grew up (and fell for) her three friends, The Holy Trinity. After an incident, they ended up growing apart. Two years later, they ended up attending the same university. After waking up, with no knowledge of the night before, she was branded with a particular brand which leads to major problems. The Holy Trinity, (The Father-Axel, The Son-Mackenzie "Zie", & The Spirit-Kaiden) have made her the prize of a dangerous game. In their twisted minds, they are set out to claim that prize.
"...he failed to realise that as I grew up I became the opposing king, my brothers are my trusty bishop and hardy rook. And once I’ve completed the Hunting Grounds and have my queen by my side, the Hunting Games can really begin.
OMFG!!! I cannot believe how this ended! It was very gritty, raw, definitely got emotional whiplash. My girl and guys have been through so much in their lives. It really explains their personalities. I sometimes have trouble following time jumps, but Crystal always does a beautiful job in any of her books that contain flashbacks. After that cliffhanger, I almost threw my phone across the room. We saw a bit of a sassy, strong Odi, but I definitely can't wait to see a fighter, p*ssed off Odi. I'm looking forward to the next one!
April 13, 2022
Ahhhhh!!!?!?! Crystal, how could you end it like that!?!?!?!?
Hunting Grounds is a dark, reverse harem. Make sure to read the authors note at the beginning of the book! If you don't have any triggers, go in blind!
Odile has been best friends with Axel, Kaidon and McKenzie for as long as she can remember. Until they left her to go to college, cut her off and haven't seen or talked to her since.
On her first day of college, she wakes up foggy, disoriented and has a surprise on her chest. Then she runs into The Holy Trinity. Adel, McKenzie and Kaidon are back, and Odi isn't ready to have them back in her life again.
The guys are known as The Holy Trinity. Axel is The Father, McKenzie is The Son and Kaidon is The Spirit. They are powerful and run things, and no one goes against them. Their word is law.
Odi isnt happy that they are back. They treated her like they wanted her to be theirs, then left her with no one and she went through horrible things while they were gone.
So much happens in this book!!! This is action packed from the start, and i can't wait for the next book to see Odi kick some butt like the Queen she is!!
I love that we get past moments along with the present and I love the multiple POVs.
Hunting Grounds is an EPIC start to this new series, and if you love dark reverse harem, you NEED to read this!!!
Hunting Grounds is a dark, reverse harem. Make sure to read the authors note at the beginning of the book! If you don't have any triggers, go in blind!
Odile has been best friends with Axel, Kaidon and McKenzie for as long as she can remember. Until they left her to go to college, cut her off and haven't seen or talked to her since.
On her first day of college, she wakes up foggy, disoriented and has a surprise on her chest. Then she runs into The Holy Trinity. Adel, McKenzie and Kaidon are back, and Odi isn't ready to have them back in her life again.
The guys are known as The Holy Trinity. Axel is The Father, McKenzie is The Son and Kaidon is The Spirit. They are powerful and run things, and no one goes against them. Their word is law.
Odi isnt happy that they are back. They treated her like they wanted her to be theirs, then left her with no one and she went through horrible things while they were gone.
So much happens in this book!!! This is action packed from the start, and i can't wait for the next book to see Odi kick some butt like the Queen she is!!
I love that we get past moments along with the present and I love the multiple POVs.
Hunting Grounds is an EPIC start to this new series, and if you love dark reverse harem, you NEED to read this!!!
July 19, 2023
Ok first of all a 10 like holy heck was that a 10
I never asked to be drugged again, kidnapped again and held prisoner ‘for my own good’. By the boys who swore they’d never hurt me no less.
If everything they do, have ever done, is with my best interests at heart, then they won’t mind helping me exact my plan for revenge on the ones who hurt me most: their own fathers.
If I’m going to do this, I will need The Holy Trinity by my side.
The Father. The Son. The Spirit.
Once upon a time they were my entire world, but now they’re my pawns in a deadly game of chess that will see me crowned Queen of more than just their empires – if the secrets we keep and the lies we tell don’t threaten to tear us all apart first.
It’s like a bomb went off in my brain and I desperately need the next book asap!
The secrets that get unveiled during the second book had my jaw dropping every 5 seconds.
The banter was freaking hilarious “”holy fucking moly Christ on a cracker stick a fork in me lord for I am done”
I was literally laughing out loud for this one!
I got all the feels and I’m pretty sure I even shed a few tears for miss peony 😭
But she is a force to be reckoned with, and I am here for it
I never asked to be drugged again, kidnapped again and held prisoner ‘for my own good’. By the boys who swore they’d never hurt me no less.
If everything they do, have ever done, is with my best interests at heart, then they won’t mind helping me exact my plan for revenge on the ones who hurt me most: their own fathers.
If I’m going to do this, I will need The Holy Trinity by my side.
The Father. The Son. The Spirit.
Once upon a time they were my entire world, but now they’re my pawns in a deadly game of chess that will see me crowned Queen of more than just their empires – if the secrets we keep and the lies we tell don’t threaten to tear us all apart first.
It’s like a bomb went off in my brain and I desperately need the next book asap!
The secrets that get unveiled during the second book had my jaw dropping every 5 seconds.
The banter was freaking hilarious “”holy fucking moly Christ on a cracker stick a fork in me lord for I am done”
I was literally laughing out loud for this one!
I got all the feels and I’m pretty sure I even shed a few tears for miss peony 😭
But she is a force to be reckoned with, and I am here for it
March 19, 2024
good but could have been better
I waited to rate until I read all the books so I knew where it ended and how it wrapped up. (This same comment is for all three books)
Overall, the present timeline was well written and flowed. I was super irritated with the guys at multiple points and wanted to scream or cray with her so great job!
The one pain point throughout the whole series for me was the going back in time story. It would jump timelines, it would cause confusion as it what we were seeing from the past didn’t flow for the present.
I don’t believe it would have all been good to have at the front of the story, but the initial meetings of the kids, and the final moment before they were separated would have been better to have a first and then other chunks with “___ years ago” or “age ___” would have made the series flow better. There were so many times where I was guessing where in the time line we were at or why we have these random 1 page chapters from one person who was unhappy years ago and then a chapter in the present from someone else. While the past told the story, I would have rather the past story been either more as a prequel book or more in a timeline distributed throughout.
I waited to rate until I read all the books so I knew where it ended and how it wrapped up. (This same comment is for all three books)
Overall, the present timeline was well written and flowed. I was super irritated with the guys at multiple points and wanted to scream or cray with her so great job!
The one pain point throughout the whole series for me was the going back in time story. It would jump timelines, it would cause confusion as it what we were seeing from the past didn’t flow for the present.
I don’t believe it would have all been good to have at the front of the story, but the initial meetings of the kids, and the final moment before they were separated would have been better to have a first and then other chunks with “___ years ago” or “age ___” would have made the series flow better. There were so many times where I was guessing where in the time line we were at or why we have these random 1 page chapters from one person who was unhappy years ago and then a chapter in the present from someone else. While the past told the story, I would have rather the past story been either more as a prequel book or more in a timeline distributed throughout.
March 2, 2025
This was pretty dark, but the story was great.
Odile Kemp befriends three boys as a child.
Axel, Kaiden and Mackenzie.
They are closer than anything and basically grow up together.
They deal with heartache and the hard family dynamics together.
Until the boys who are two years older, move away to college.
When they promised to keep in contact. When they promised not to leave her. They promised her they loved her and she was a part of them.
And then they ghosted her.
Two years later, she discovers they attend the same university she now does too.
But so much has changed.
Irrevocably.
They’re not the same boys she knew.
And she is not the girl they left behind.
She’s broken, damaged, fierce and ruthless now.
So when she wakes up after having been drugged, with a tattoo of a Doe on her chest, indicating that she is now to take place in the Hunting Games…she’s going to give them all hell.
———————————-*********———————————
⭐️ Plot: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 3,5/5
📖 Genre: Dark Romance RH
🏞️ Setting: College
🗣️ POV: Multiple
🛏️ Tropes:
- Childhood friends
- Sexual Assault / Gangrape / CSA TW
- Gang/ Mafia?? We are not sure
- Hunting ritual
- Domineering MMC’s who take and do whatever they want
- Branding / Tattooing without consent
- Cutting TW
- Reverse Harem
Odile Kemp befriends three boys as a child.
Axel, Kaiden and Mackenzie.
They are closer than anything and basically grow up together.
They deal with heartache and the hard family dynamics together.
Until the boys who are two years older, move away to college.
When they promised to keep in contact. When they promised not to leave her. They promised her they loved her and she was a part of them.
And then they ghosted her.
Two years later, she discovers they attend the same university she now does too.
But so much has changed.
Irrevocably.
They’re not the same boys she knew.
And she is not the girl they left behind.
She’s broken, damaged, fierce and ruthless now.
So when she wakes up after having been drugged, with a tattoo of a Doe on her chest, indicating that she is now to take place in the Hunting Games…she’s going to give them all hell.
———————————-*********———————————
⭐️ Plot: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 3,5/5
📖 Genre: Dark Romance RH
🏞️ Setting: College
🗣️ POV: Multiple
🛏️ Tropes:
- Childhood friends
- Sexual Assault / Gangrape / CSA TW
- Gang/ Mafia?? We are not sure
- Hunting ritual
- Domineering MMC’s who take and do whatever they want
- Branding / Tattooing without consent
- Cutting TW
- Reverse Harem
December 25, 2025
Since I haven't read much of the dark romance genre, I feel like I can't accurately rate this without knowing more about the characters (which I will only get to in books two and three).
But this was a good read and I definitely wanted to immediately get onto the second book, so it gets a decent rating on its own.
Yes to:
Friends to enemies back stories
Snippets of memories here and there to explore a character's history in a suspenseful way
Prose that were engaging and easy enough to read to demolish this book in two sittings
Vaguely explained 'Games' (of a mostly violent nature) that will occur throughout the books, directly involving the four MMCs - I'm intrigued
A potential revenge arc brewing
The spiciness actually wasn't painfully awkward to read for a change
No to:
One of the three MMCs, his possessiveness and general character is gross
'The Father, The Son and The Spirit'?.. Don't love the concept of the 3 young 20something MMCs using these names as their gang names, and don't love how often they get used.
The 'Games' not being described better. This explanation will likely come up later in the books, but I feel like a bit more information would have been relevant early on in the story
But this was a good read and I definitely wanted to immediately get onto the second book, so it gets a decent rating on its own.
Yes to:
Friends to enemies back stories
Snippets of memories here and there to explore a character's history in a suspenseful way
Prose that were engaging and easy enough to read to demolish this book in two sittings
Vaguely explained 'Games' (of a mostly violent nature) that will occur throughout the books, directly involving the four MMCs - I'm intrigued
A potential revenge arc brewing
The spiciness actually wasn't painfully awkward to read for a change
No to:
One of the three MMCs, his possessiveness and general character is gross
'The Father, The Son and The Spirit'?.. Don't love the concept of the 3 young 20something MMCs using these names as their gang names, and don't love how often they get used.
The 'Games' not being described better. This explanation will likely come up later in the books, but I feel like a bit more information would have been relevant early on in the story
April 24, 2022
Addicting Book!
I am so glad I preordered this book! It’s dark, steamy, and tragic. I really enjoyed how we kept getting the flashbacks with the different POVs gradually so that we don’t get the whole backstory right away….we get just enough to understand a little more about the previous chapter.
Odile has been through some horrific things after being groomed and then left by her three best friends and now she’s thrust back into their lives. I wanted to scream and cry for her so many times and just strangle the guys for her! I can’t wait to get the full backstory for all of them to truly be able to understand everything. Kaiden is my favorite! He’s so funny, flirty, and caring. Axel is sooo overprotective and dominating. Zie was very sweet in the flashbacks but not so much now lol I loved that they each have a unique bond with Odile, they all have something that connects her to them specifically.
I’m dying after that cliffhanger but I NEED Odile to get some revenge in the next book and for the guys to do all the groveling!
I am so glad I preordered this book! It’s dark, steamy, and tragic. I really enjoyed how we kept getting the flashbacks with the different POVs gradually so that we don’t get the whole backstory right away….we get just enough to understand a little more about the previous chapter.
Odile has been through some horrific things after being groomed and then left by her three best friends and now she’s thrust back into their lives. I wanted to scream and cry for her so many times and just strangle the guys for her! I can’t wait to get the full backstory for all of them to truly be able to understand everything. Kaiden is my favorite! He’s so funny, flirty, and caring. Axel is sooo overprotective and dominating. Zie was very sweet in the flashbacks but not so much now lol I loved that they each have a unique bond with Odile, they all have something that connects her to them specifically.
I’m dying after that cliffhanger but I NEED Odile to get some revenge in the next book and for the guys to do all the groveling!
June 9, 2022
The list of trigger warnings is in the back so I went in “blind” knowing it was a dark romance but not how dark it got. And it gets very dark. It’s a cliffhanger ending so right now there’s definitely no HEA.
There’s like one week in the present where everything is “normal” but otherwise everything present day is dark. Some more dark than others. It got hard to read for a little bit at the end.
Most of the past stuff was normal with allusions to dark stuff going on but we don’t see the full bit on display. Towards the end that also got dark.
Almost all of it was dub con at best and there was non con though it was non explicit for that scene.
The main FMC is someone who desperately wants to be strong and while she doesn’t always succeed she’s not tripping over herself to keep sweet either.
The MMC are damaged boys who needed some love and hugs in their life’s and didn’t get it. They’re jealous of each other and constantly trying to one up each other. It will be interesting to see how that plays out next book.
There’s like one week in the present where everything is “normal” but otherwise everything present day is dark. Some more dark than others. It got hard to read for a little bit at the end.
Most of the past stuff was normal with allusions to dark stuff going on but we don’t see the full bit on display. Towards the end that also got dark.
Almost all of it was dub con at best and there was non con though it was non explicit for that scene.
The main FMC is someone who desperately wants to be strong and while she doesn’t always succeed she’s not tripping over herself to keep sweet either.
The MMC are damaged boys who needed some love and hugs in their life’s and didn’t get it. They’re jealous of each other and constantly trying to one up each other. It will be interesting to see how that plays out next book.
April 13, 2022
The Holy Trinity…just thinking about the name Axel, McKenzie and Kaiden call themselves has me rolling my eyes. They’re arrogant and infuriating. At least Axel mostly is. Kaiden is the funny/laid back one making him my favorite. Zie is just a jerk. He’s quiet most of the time and seems indifferent to everything. Poor Odile. These are not the boys she once loved but then again she’s not the girl they left behind. I love Odi. She’s the take-no-crap FMC and she defies them as often as she can and I love it. I’m angry at them right along with her for everything they’ve done and what they continue to do. The cliffhanger, because of course there has to be one after all the things that happen toward the end, had me raging. All I can say is that certain characters make me hope the FMC brings them to their knees in some way. To crush them. And heads will definitely roll in the next book! Brilliant writing and fantastic story telling!
April 18, 2022
Ohemgeee what a explosive 1st book phew man I don't even know where to begin other than you need this book in your life. If you need a trigger warning or a HEA ending you need to skip this book, and if you don't then grab this book up and go in blind, because it will blow your mind. I thought I've read plenty of mind fuck stories, but this one had me trying to grasp just wtf was going on. Odeli (Odi, Peony) has grown up with her 3 best friend's Axel, Mckenzie, Kaiden known later as the Holy Trinity. Through the years it's always been them until it was time for them to go away to college leaving Odi to fend for herself against the evil who watched and waited biding their time. That's all I'm saying other than this is definitely something different than I've ever read. That last chapter had me trying to figure out just wth happened and that ending omg what did Axel do? I need Bk2 like stat.
I would highly recommend.
I would highly recommend.
May 2, 2022
What can I say?! This author has done it again.
For me personally this author is a hit or a miss for me so I'm always a little nervous starting new series but I gotta say I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one. The mystery for this new series is fantastic and I found myself sucked in while also trying to unravel everyone's motivations. My only complaint based purely on a personal level is that I wasn't a fan of the whole I gotta stay away from them but can't. I'm not really a fan of that kind of thing but again that is more so on a personal complaint and even then it didn't detract from the story. Odile is a magnificent h and I'm beyond excited to see where she leads us. She's got a quite strength that I found myself more and more enamored with. Odile is a one of a kind heroine I think and it'll be interesting to see how she progresses through the series.
I'm not sure how I'll survive until book 2 is out but I'm on pins and needles just waiting for it.
For me personally this author is a hit or a miss for me so I'm always a little nervous starting new series but I gotta say I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one. The mystery for this new series is fantastic and I found myself sucked in while also trying to unravel everyone's motivations. My only complaint based purely on a personal level is that I wasn't a fan of the whole I gotta stay away from them but can't. I'm not really a fan of that kind of thing but again that is more so on a personal complaint and even then it didn't detract from the story. Odile is a magnificent h and I'm beyond excited to see where she leads us. She's got a quite strength that I found myself more and more enamored with. Odile is a one of a kind heroine I think and it'll be interesting to see how she progresses through the series.
I'm not sure how I'll survive until book 2 is out but I'm on pins and needles just waiting for it.
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