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Royals of Villain Academy #1-4
Royals of Villain Academy: Books 1 - 4
A long-lost heir just discovering her powers. A college of vicious magic. These villains have never met anyone like her…
When mages slaughter my parents in front of me, I have no time to mourn. The murderers drag me to a brutal college where I learn I’m the heir to a royal family of dark magic. I’m destined to manipulate the world through fear—and to stand beside the four scorching-hot, arrogant young men who rule this school.
Unfortunately, I’m having trouble locating my supposedly wicked skills.
Whether I want to or not, I have to tap into my talents fast if I want to survive. The students here are even more vicious than the teachers, and my fellow heirs are worst of all. The four of them crush anyone who doesn’t kowtow.
No way will I bow to any ruthless royal, no matter how alluring. They can turn on the charm or tear me down, but they can’t break me.
I don’t care about ruling. I don’t care about magic. But I’ll take what I can get to avenge the people I loved.
The moment I master the dark power inside me, I’m razing this place to the ground.
*Royals of Villain Academy is a university-age paranormal academy series. Expect magical villainy, a tough heroine who bends to no one’s will, a dollop of steam, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance.* Note: There are bully elements in the first two books.
Enjoy over 1200 pages of excitement in one box set! This set contains the first four books in the Royals of Villain Academy series—Cruel Magic, Vile Sorcery, Sinister Wizardry, and Horrid Charms—plus 30+ pages of exclusive bonus scenes.
When mages slaughter my parents in front of me, I have no time to mourn. The murderers drag me to a brutal college where I learn I’m the heir to a royal family of dark magic. I’m destined to manipulate the world through fear—and to stand beside the four scorching-hot, arrogant young men who rule this school.
Unfortunately, I’m having trouble locating my supposedly wicked skills.
Whether I want to or not, I have to tap into my talents fast if I want to survive. The students here are even more vicious than the teachers, and my fellow heirs are worst of all. The four of them crush anyone who doesn’t kowtow.
No way will I bow to any ruthless royal, no matter how alluring. They can turn on the charm or tear me down, but they can’t break me.
I don’t care about ruling. I don’t care about magic. But I’ll take what I can get to avenge the people I loved.
The moment I master the dark power inside me, I’m razing this place to the ground.
*Royals of Villain Academy is a university-age paranormal academy series. Expect magical villainy, a tough heroine who bends to no one’s will, a dollop of steam, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance.* Note: There are bully elements in the first two books.
Enjoy over 1200 pages of excitement in one box set! This set contains the first four books in the Royals of Villain Academy series—Cruel Magic, Vile Sorcery, Sinister Wizardry, and Horrid Charms—plus 30+ pages of exclusive bonus scenes.
1128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2020
5394 people are currently reading
2399 people want to read
About the author
Eva Chase
124 books3,781 followersEva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them. You can visit her online at www.evachase.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
August 6, 2024
Villain academy fearmancers!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰☺️😎
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Lorelei (a.k.a. Rory) - she is nineteen and an artist. She had been homeschooled as a kid and just wanted to move out on her own for the first time even though she was close with her parents. She was planning a solo trip to Florence, Italy but hasn’t decided yet how to tell her parents, who were a bit too involved in her life. Her parents were mage’s. Her dad’s specialty was healing, and her mom is an empath that can manipulate emotions. Though Rory was adopted, so she doesn’t feel special like them. She considers herself a nary (ordinary).
The Story: a bunch of people broke into Rory’s house and killed her parents. They grab Rory and tell her it is ok, that she won’t have to stay there anymore, and they were taking her home before knocking her out. She wakes up in the back of a limo, where she finds out that her pet mouse could speak and is her familiar. She is told that her parents and her familiar are joymancers and the people that took her are fearmancers. Joymancers take their magic from joy and fearmancers take theirs from fear. They have a school called Bloodstone University, which is known as villain academy or Blood U, which is where she is being taken.
The Heroes: Declan, Malcom, Jude, and Connor - they are the four scions of Bloodstone University. They are each from one of the five royal families of dark magic, the fifth being the Bloodstones. They find out that Rory is the long-lost heir of the Bloodstones. Declan’s parents were murdered in the same event where Rory was taken by the Joymancers. Her biological parents also died in that same incident.
This was a strange story, since Rory was a nice girl who tended to stand up for those weaker than herself. But in the world of the fearmancers, the strong used the weak to instill fear and grow their own magic. Which meant that Rory had to fight against her own morals to get her magic. The strongest in the school were the other four scions and they were good at getting fear out of the other students. Which means they weren’t nice guys. They wanted to get Rory on their side to stand with them as a scion, but she wasn’t so willing to change.
The guys weren’t all bad, in a way they had been bred to be the way they were. Even their parents instilled fear in them from a young age as a way to make them strong. They had to learn to defend against other fearmancers trying to build their own magical abilities through creating fear in them. So, their entire lives have been about protecting themselves against fear and intimidation and creating fear in others. Quite a crazy life, and Rory didn’t understand that since she didn’t grow up that way.
The storyline in each of these books is good, though my biggest criticism of this series is that it moves way too slowly. The series is eight books, and it really should have been pared down to just four. It took so long for anything to really happen that it got boring at times. Also, I hate series about one couple or reverse-harem romances about one heroine take longer than 3 or four books to get through. I definitely won’t be reading the last four books, because I don’t want to wait that long to find out what happens.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Stephen Dexter and Meg Sylvan. Meg Sylvan has a great voice and is completely natural sounding as she narrates. She also sounds age appropriate for Lorelei. Stephen Dexter has a nice deep, yet soft voice and is great at using different voices for different characters.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰☺️😎
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Lorelei (a.k.a. Rory) - she is nineteen and an artist. She had been homeschooled as a kid and just wanted to move out on her own for the first time even though she was close with her parents. She was planning a solo trip to Florence, Italy but hasn’t decided yet how to tell her parents, who were a bit too involved in her life. Her parents were mage’s. Her dad’s specialty was healing, and her mom is an empath that can manipulate emotions. Though Rory was adopted, so she doesn’t feel special like them. She considers herself a nary (ordinary).
The Story: a bunch of people broke into Rory’s house and killed her parents. They grab Rory and tell her it is ok, that she won’t have to stay there anymore, and they were taking her home before knocking her out. She wakes up in the back of a limo, where she finds out that her pet mouse could speak and is her familiar. She is told that her parents and her familiar are joymancers and the people that took her are fearmancers. Joymancers take their magic from joy and fearmancers take theirs from fear. They have a school called Bloodstone University, which is known as villain academy or Blood U, which is where she is being taken.
The Heroes: Declan, Malcom, Jude, and Connor - they are the four scions of Bloodstone University. They are each from one of the five royal families of dark magic, the fifth being the Bloodstones. They find out that Rory is the long-lost heir of the Bloodstones. Declan’s parents were murdered in the same event where Rory was taken by the Joymancers. Her biological parents also died in that same incident.
This was a strange story, since Rory was a nice girl who tended to stand up for those weaker than herself. But in the world of the fearmancers, the strong used the weak to instill fear and grow their own magic. Which meant that Rory had to fight against her own morals to get her magic. The strongest in the school were the other four scions and they were good at getting fear out of the other students. Which means they weren’t nice guys. They wanted to get Rory on their side to stand with them as a scion, but she wasn’t so willing to change.
The guys weren’t all bad, in a way they had been bred to be the way they were. Even their parents instilled fear in them from a young age as a way to make them strong. They had to learn to defend against other fearmancers trying to build their own magical abilities through creating fear in them. So, their entire lives have been about protecting themselves against fear and intimidation and creating fear in others. Quite a crazy life, and Rory didn’t understand that since she didn’t grow up that way.
The storyline in each of these books is good, though my biggest criticism of this series is that it moves way too slowly. The series is eight books, and it really should have been pared down to just four. It took so long for anything to really happen that it got boring at times. Also, I hate series about one couple or reverse-harem romances about one heroine take longer than 3 or four books to get through. I definitely won’t be reading the last four books, because I don’t want to wait that long to find out what happens.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Stephen Dexter and Meg Sylvan. Meg Sylvan has a great voice and is completely natural sounding as she narrates. She also sounds age appropriate for Lorelei. Stephen Dexter has a nice deep, yet soft voice and is great at using different voices for different characters.
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September 20, 2023
Hmmm…This started as a solid five star series filled young angst, secrets and conflict everywhere! By the time I finished the forth book, I was horribly disappointed in the heroine and feared for the message she was sending out: Let yourself be bullied and used, become a sex receptacle for said bullies. I guess someone had no confidence in the strength of the storyline?
That said, yes, I am moving on to the next book, filled with hope for the return of the plot.
That said, yes, I am moving on to the next book, filled with hope for the return of the plot.
February 1, 2024
Paranormal, reverse harem, bully romance, enemy to lovers, dark triggers including bully, parental abuse, and species/race abuse.
This was a were written, bully romance.
The FMC is an 18 year old, and was happy if unknowing of the truth of who she is. And this truth is ripped and slashed into her in a life traumatising way. She's thrown into a harsh world with unknown power and bullies at every corner. Including 4 guys, who brought up through such a way believe they need to show her who she is with a bully campaign that is disgusting in the human world, but for a fear mage...not so much. Which says a lot about the world she lands in.
The FMC didn't just lay down and take it, nor did she just suddenly become all powerful. The author developed the characters in a beautiful way, so we get to see how their childhood and family lives affect their current state and how Rory changed that.
We also get to see the impact of Declane, Malcom, Jude, and Connor on Rory's circumstances and growth.
There is great hot 🔥 smut, other authors could learn from Eva, her way of describing touch, feel, sounds bring heat into all the right areas and had me jealous of our FMC.
Please know other reviews and put this book down because of the bullying. But it clearly shouts warnings of what type of book this is. And I feel it's written so well that it's not advocating bullying, or boys will be boys, but showing it's not all black and white. As well as stomping over the idea, a woman can be conditioned with put downs and abuse to be a better woman for a man. Nope, it more pushes that away and shows how powerful women are not to be feared or trained, but to be enjoyed and worked with.
4.8 stars
This was a were written, bully romance.
The FMC is an 18 year old, and was happy if unknowing of the truth of who she is. And this truth is ripped and slashed into her in a life traumatising way. She's thrown into a harsh world with unknown power and bullies at every corner. Including 4 guys, who brought up through such a way believe they need to show her who she is with a bully campaign that is disgusting in the human world, but for a fear mage...not so much. Which says a lot about the world she lands in.
The FMC didn't just lay down and take it, nor did she just suddenly become all powerful. The author developed the characters in a beautiful way, so we get to see how their childhood and family lives affect their current state and how Rory changed that.
We also get to see the impact of Declane, Malcom, Jude, and Connor on Rory's circumstances and growth.
There is great hot 🔥 smut, other authors could learn from Eva, her way of describing touch, feel, sounds bring heat into all the right areas and had me jealous of our FMC.
Please know other reviews and put this book down because of the bullying. But it clearly shouts warnings of what type of book this is. And I feel it's written so well that it's not advocating bullying, or boys will be boys, but showing it's not all black and white. As well as stomping over the idea, a woman can be conditioned with put downs and abuse to be a better woman for a man. Nope, it more pushes that away and shows how powerful women are not to be feared or trained, but to be enjoyed and worked with.
4.8 stars
November 28, 2023
Extremely boring. Also, how do you not question anything when you find out the people who’ve been raising you killed your parents , abducted you and then lied to you your entire life ?
June 12, 2021
DANG now for the next 4. I like this, there is no insta love. Interest maybe, little lust for sure. But these charrys have to work for everything they get.
I kinda love Rory, she feels real. She is scared, and she definitely bends, but she doesn't break. Almost a few times, but she never fully gives in.
The guys are credible, you hate Malcomb, you feel for Declan and Connor and feel kinda iffy about Jude. And I love the sl, its different and yet...
I kinda love Rory, she feels real. She is scared, and she definitely bends, but she doesn't break. Almost a few times, but she never fully gives in.
The guys are credible, you hate Malcomb, you feel for Declan and Connor and feel kinda iffy about Jude. And I love the sl, its different and yet...
September 25, 2023
dnf, the bullying was way too much and I know that makes zero sense. I was being a brat and kept comparing this to ZA, so I really couldn’t get into it.
February 3, 2021
Royals of Villain Academy
I read each of these books as an advanced reader. My reviews were voluntary and I have included copies. Please be aware that there are four more books in the series and you will be buying them…
Cruel Magic
This first book of a new series is one of those kind you both love and hate. Well, actually I hated it at first because it starts out really dark but I was loving it by the end. I can't wait to find out what happens to Rory in the next books. She is a kick butt heroine who will come into her own as the series progresses.
Rory believes she is living a perfectly normal life with loving parents, even if they are mages, who adopted her as a small child and her own place, even if it was her parent's basement, and a growing business selling her clay figures. The next thing she knows everything has gone to h-e-double toothpick in a really bad way. Her parents are dead and she has been snatched and taken to "her rightful place" at a school for magic users. Her adopted parents had been joymancers who used joy to make lives better, her actual parents had apparently been fearmancers who used fear to fuel their magic. She is thrust into a dorm with other girls who hate her, and she makes instant enemies with the other important fearmonger students (all males, of course) by not giving in to their elitist, a-hole attitudes towards her. She is the only surviving member of her own elitist family and thus considered to be a VIP, along with the four male jerks. Needless to say, she has no magic to call on and they have plenty. Life is going to be interesting - NOT.
Vile Sorcery
The second book in this series was fantastic. Rory has won her place at the academy, now she just has to keep the other scions from sending her over the edge into insanity. It is a fight she is not really ready for, but one she is determined to win. Several of the guys seem to be softening for her, but she has been fooled before and is determined not to fall for their tricks again.
Jude is surprised to learn that he doesn't really want to help Malcolm bring Rory to her knees. He is not even sure it is in his best interest. Offering to teach her drive seems innocent enough, he can pretend to spy on her while actually enjoying her company. It is all good until he makes the mistake of admitting to a certain illusion, one that Sadie is really not happy about.
Declan is used to walking a tightrope. He has to keep his aunt off his case long enough to graduate and take his place as one of the Barons. He also needs to protect his little brother by keeping him out of the fray. When he is directed to assist Rory with her mental shielding, he finds himself adding one more thing to his to-do list, help keep her safe so she can become an ally for change.
Rory knows she has enemies, but when it becomes apparent that someone has put a curse on her advisor, Professor Banefield, she is determined to find a way to help him. He has something he wants to tell her, but every time he tries he becomes violently ill. Will Rory be able to break the curse in time to keep him from wasting away?
Sinister Wizardry
Rory's story continues on but this time she has a few more allies, if only she could sure she could trust them. Back at the Academy for the summer after a quick visit to her ancestral home, she is thrown back into wizard politics when the summer project involves affecting a Nary (human). She comes up with an idea that will meet the required criteria and still keep her from violating her personal code. All four of her fellow scions are also on campus and they are confusing her more than ever.
Connar makes it clear that he meant it when he said he was on her side from now on, though it takes her a little time to believe it. She and Jude are on the outs over his stunt at the concert that hurt her Nary friend so badly that she had to drop out of the school. He is trying to make amends but it might be too little too late. Declan has to keep his distance because of her grandparents seeing her with him at her mansion. He is still doing research for her, but he can't interact without jeopardizing his position. Malcolm is still a wild card, but they seem to have a truce of sorts.
As her project and her magic start to come together she is still searching for the truth about what happened to her mentor. He left her some clues, but she is worried about sharing them with the guys since they seem to lead back to current ruling families and she knows that family loyalties run deep. The final page will have you screaming at your ereader.
Horrid Charms
Another great book in this series. When we last saw Rory she was being drug off by the blacksuits, blamed for Imogen's horrible death. Fortunately for her, Declan, Connar, and Jude are on the job. Declan soon finds the legal information he needs to get her released until her trial and the others are on the search for anything to help her prove her innocence, but it isn't going to be easy. To Rory's surprise, Malcolm seems to have changed his tune and is trying to redeem himself in her eyes. She is not sure she either believes this about-face or trusts him to remain on her side, but she is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As her day in court grows closer she despairs of convincing the judge that she was set up. She makes one last attempt to convince a reluctant witness to testify for her, but she isn't holding her breath...
I read each of these books as an advanced reader. My reviews were voluntary and I have included copies. Please be aware that there are four more books in the series and you will be buying them…
Cruel Magic
This first book of a new series is one of those kind you both love and hate. Well, actually I hated it at first because it starts out really dark but I was loving it by the end. I can't wait to find out what happens to Rory in the next books. She is a kick butt heroine who will come into her own as the series progresses.
Rory believes she is living a perfectly normal life with loving parents, even if they are mages, who adopted her as a small child and her own place, even if it was her parent's basement, and a growing business selling her clay figures. The next thing she knows everything has gone to h-e-double toothpick in a really bad way. Her parents are dead and she has been snatched and taken to "her rightful place" at a school for magic users. Her adopted parents had been joymancers who used joy to make lives better, her actual parents had apparently been fearmancers who used fear to fuel their magic. She is thrust into a dorm with other girls who hate her, and she makes instant enemies with the other important fearmonger students (all males, of course) by not giving in to their elitist, a-hole attitudes towards her. She is the only surviving member of her own elitist family and thus considered to be a VIP, along with the four male jerks. Needless to say, she has no magic to call on and they have plenty. Life is going to be interesting - NOT.
Vile Sorcery
The second book in this series was fantastic. Rory has won her place at the academy, now she just has to keep the other scions from sending her over the edge into insanity. It is a fight she is not really ready for, but one she is determined to win. Several of the guys seem to be softening for her, but she has been fooled before and is determined not to fall for their tricks again.
Jude is surprised to learn that he doesn't really want to help Malcolm bring Rory to her knees. He is not even sure it is in his best interest. Offering to teach her drive seems innocent enough, he can pretend to spy on her while actually enjoying her company. It is all good until he makes the mistake of admitting to a certain illusion, one that Sadie is really not happy about.
Declan is used to walking a tightrope. He has to keep his aunt off his case long enough to graduate and take his place as one of the Barons. He also needs to protect his little brother by keeping him out of the fray. When he is directed to assist Rory with her mental shielding, he finds himself adding one more thing to his to-do list, help keep her safe so she can become an ally for change.
Rory knows she has enemies, but when it becomes apparent that someone has put a curse on her advisor, Professor Banefield, she is determined to find a way to help him. He has something he wants to tell her, but every time he tries he becomes violently ill. Will Rory be able to break the curse in time to keep him from wasting away?
Sinister Wizardry
Rory's story continues on but this time she has a few more allies, if only she could sure she could trust them. Back at the Academy for the summer after a quick visit to her ancestral home, she is thrown back into wizard politics when the summer project involves affecting a Nary (human). She comes up with an idea that will meet the required criteria and still keep her from violating her personal code. All four of her fellow scions are also on campus and they are confusing her more than ever.
Connar makes it clear that he meant it when he said he was on her side from now on, though it takes her a little time to believe it. She and Jude are on the outs over his stunt at the concert that hurt her Nary friend so badly that she had to drop out of the school. He is trying to make amends but it might be too little too late. Declan has to keep his distance because of her grandparents seeing her with him at her mansion. He is still doing research for her, but he can't interact without jeopardizing his position. Malcolm is still a wild card, but they seem to have a truce of sorts.
As her project and her magic start to come together she is still searching for the truth about what happened to her mentor. He left her some clues, but she is worried about sharing them with the guys since they seem to lead back to current ruling families and she knows that family loyalties run deep. The final page will have you screaming at your ereader.
Horrid Charms
Another great book in this series. When we last saw Rory she was being drug off by the blacksuits, blamed for Imogen's horrible death. Fortunately for her, Declan, Connar, and Jude are on the job. Declan soon finds the legal information he needs to get her released until her trial and the others are on the search for anything to help her prove her innocence, but it isn't going to be easy. To Rory's surprise, Malcolm seems to have changed his tune and is trying to redeem himself in her eyes. She is not sure she either believes this about-face or trusts him to remain on her side, but she is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As her day in court grows closer she despairs of convincing the judge that she was set up. She makes one last attempt to convince a reluctant witness to testify for her, but she isn't holding her breath...
December 18, 2023
Weekend Well Spent!
I started this series on Friday night and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Literally the entire weekend reading this first box set… and now there’s a second I may have to call out sick from work to read the rest of the series! LOL! I love the premise, I’ve never read a story like this one. Yeah yeah there’s plenty with people finding g out they are special later in life and struggling. But the small insight to life before Rory’s was upended and she was thrust into an entire new world is refreshing. I’m even not mad at Malcolm and the other scions bulling tactics, since their reasoning was laid out and makes complete sense. I am still a little Leary of Rory’s familiar, but my thoughts about the black suit and barons nefarious schemes hits head on. This series has a few places you just want to skim over, but the action literally is ongoing from almost page 1. Def a great series if you’re into magics, stubborn men, and a mature good hearted FMC. Happy reading my friends!
I started this series on Friday night and I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Literally the entire weekend reading this first box set… and now there’s a second I may have to call out sick from work to read the rest of the series! LOL! I love the premise, I’ve never read a story like this one. Yeah yeah there’s plenty with people finding g out they are special later in life and struggling. But the small insight to life before Rory’s was upended and she was thrust into an entire new world is refreshing. I’m even not mad at Malcolm and the other scions bulling tactics, since their reasoning was laid out and makes complete sense. I am still a little Leary of Rory’s familiar, but my thoughts about the black suit and barons nefarious schemes hits head on. This series has a few places you just want to skim over, but the action literally is ongoing from almost page 1. Def a great series if you’re into magics, stubborn men, and a mature good hearted FMC. Happy reading my friends!
February 29, 2024
Books 1-4 best read together
Essentially we have a fearmancer royalty being “rescued” from joymancers who kidnapped her before she could even remember she was a fearmancer. Rory is rescued and thrown into the world of fearmancer. She had always thought she was ordinary with no magic, but now she has to not only figure out how to use magic she receives from fear without hurting anyone, she must also navigate the fearmancer culture and other royalty heirs (aka Scions).
The first book, I was waiting for Rory to suddenly blast everyone away with the power of her magic, but she actually slowly learns and develops it through the first four books. Rory and the other Scions develop and change as characters nicely throughout the four books. Reading just one book by itself doesn’t give enough information and character development by itself. The 4 books together create an interesting story and great character development.
I recommend this as a book for anyone who just needs a relaxing and intriguing story.
Essentially we have a fearmancer royalty being “rescued” from joymancers who kidnapped her before she could even remember she was a fearmancer. Rory is rescued and thrown into the world of fearmancer. She had always thought she was ordinary with no magic, but now she has to not only figure out how to use magic she receives from fear without hurting anyone, she must also navigate the fearmancer culture and other royalty heirs (aka Scions).
The first book, I was waiting for Rory to suddenly blast everyone away with the power of her magic, but she actually slowly learns and develops it through the first four books. Rory and the other Scions develop and change as characters nicely throughout the four books. Reading just one book by itself doesn’t give enough information and character development by itself. The 4 books together create an interesting story and great character development.
I recommend this as a book for anyone who just needs a relaxing and intriguing story.
January 6, 2023
Annoying, yet Intriguing...
Rory is aggy. Bottomline. There are no if ands or buts about it. She was so adamant that all Joymancers were good and there was NO WAY that they could do those horrible things without reason. She explained all of their sins away every chance she got. The "real parents: rhetoric was getting on my nerves as well. She acts as of her parents abandoned her and not like they were brutally murdered by the same people she is idolizing.
She's too old to be this simple and she's had too much evidence presented to her for her to be this holier than thou. It's like she doesn't want to see anything beyond what she has already decided.
OAN: Declan and Jude are my favorite MMCs.
Rory is aggy. Bottomline. There are no if ands or buts about it. She was so adamant that all Joymancers were good and there was NO WAY that they could do those horrible things without reason. She explained all of their sins away every chance she got. The "real parents: rhetoric was getting on my nerves as well. She acts as of her parents abandoned her and not like they were brutally murdered by the same people she is idolizing.
She's too old to be this simple and she's had too much evidence presented to her for her to be this holier than thou. It's like she doesn't want to see anything beyond what she has already decided.
OAN: Declan and Jude are my favorite MMCs.
October 4, 2024
But Wait! There’s More
Title: Royals of Villain Academy Books 1-4
Author: Eva Chase
Format: ebook
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal, NA, RH, Enemies to Lovers, Bully, Academy
Standalone: no
Part of a Series: Box Set of Books 1-4 of the Villain Academy series
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connar, Declan
Steam Level: Steamy at times
4/5
I feel a bit bamboozled but it’s on me. I thought since this was a box set with four books it was the entire series but nope. It’s not. That’s what I get for assuming.
Overall i really enjoyed this series. I was captivated from the start and didn’t know how it would end up. There were so many twists and turns and enemies but maybe not enemies. I enjoyed the intrigue which kept me interested and reading. I’ll continue this series if it’s on KU since I’m interested in finding out what will happen next.
Book 1: Cruel Magic
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connar, Declan
5/5
Great start to the series. While not an intense cliffhanger definitely leaves you wanting more.
After being ripped from the knot home she’s ever known, Rory is learning to find herself and her place in the new, brutal world she’s thrown into
Book 2: Vile Sorcery
POV: Rory, Jude, Malcom, Declan, Connor
4/4
The plot thickens in this book. As Rory gets stronger and more adept at her magic so do the strings to try and mold her and shape her into what others want her to be.
Book 3: Sinister Wizardry
POV: Rory, Declan, Jude, Malcolm, Connor
4/5
Holy cliffhanger wow, just wow. I definitely did not see that coming. I’m enjoying how Rory is learning to navigate her new world in her own way, often way different than the fesrmancers would do/expect. I’m also enjoying how her relationships are developing with the guys and how each are different
Book 4: Horrid Charms
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connor, Declan
4/5
Wow. What a ride this book is. As it got closer and closer to the end I wasn’t sure how this book would wrap up. Turns out - it didn’t. There’s more to come in Rory’s story and I look forward to seeing more of this world
I enjoyed the suspense of both the trial and figuring out who Rory can trust since the fesrmancers are getting more bold in several ways.
Title: Royals of Villain Academy Books 1-4
Author: Eva Chase
Format: ebook
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Paranormal, NA, RH, Enemies to Lovers, Bully, Academy
Standalone: no
Part of a Series: Box Set of Books 1-4 of the Villain Academy series
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connar, Declan
Steam Level: Steamy at times
4/5
I feel a bit bamboozled but it’s on me. I thought since this was a box set with four books it was the entire series but nope. It’s not. That’s what I get for assuming.
Overall i really enjoyed this series. I was captivated from the start and didn’t know how it would end up. There were so many twists and turns and enemies but maybe not enemies. I enjoyed the intrigue which kept me interested and reading. I’ll continue this series if it’s on KU since I’m interested in finding out what will happen next.
Book 1: Cruel Magic
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connar, Declan
5/5
Great start to the series. While not an intense cliffhanger definitely leaves you wanting more.
After being ripped from the knot home she’s ever known, Rory is learning to find herself and her place in the new, brutal world she’s thrown into
Book 2: Vile Sorcery
POV: Rory, Jude, Malcom, Declan, Connor
4/4
The plot thickens in this book. As Rory gets stronger and more adept at her magic so do the strings to try and mold her and shape her into what others want her to be.
Book 3: Sinister Wizardry
POV: Rory, Declan, Jude, Malcolm, Connor
4/5
Holy cliffhanger wow, just wow. I definitely did not see that coming. I’m enjoying how Rory is learning to navigate her new world in her own way, often way different than the fesrmancers would do/expect. I’m also enjoying how her relationships are developing with the guys and how each are different
Book 4: Horrid Charms
POV: Rory, Malcolm, Jude, Connor, Declan
4/5
Wow. What a ride this book is. As it got closer and closer to the end I wasn’t sure how this book would wrap up. Turns out - it didn’t. There’s more to come in Rory’s story and I look forward to seeing more of this world
I enjoyed the suspense of both the trial and figuring out who Rory can trust since the fesrmancers are getting more bold in several ways.
April 24, 2021
The first box set (of 2) keeps building up to a more and more captivating story!
If you wanna try the audiobook, the narrators both did an excellent job. And great choice to have both the female and male pov’s narrated by the same gender, Meg and Stephen are a great match for this story too.
I was so impatient to know what happened next that I gave the speed a little bump and even at 1.25 everything could be understand perfectly without some swallowed consonants (which I’m sensitive of with my type of hearing loss). It was a joy to listen to.
This series is fierce (with a strong protagonist!) & magical (but hidden from the normal world).
There are Joymancers that derive their magic through the joy they spread and their opposites: the Fearmancers, they derive their magic from the fear they invoke in others. Each race is powerless without having spread some joy or fear around to access as the form of power that fear or joy becomes. And the more joy or fear they can spark, the stronger they get. Great concept!
The point of view in this story is alternated between Rory and the other scions, 4 boys.
Rory lived with her Joymancer parents, although she is not a Joymancer but a “Nary” (short for “ordinary” an the term those with magic use to describe the normal, unmagical people in this world).
But one day a group of people broke in and murdered her parents and kidnapped her to this whole other side beyond everything she ever knew... and lost.
It is here that she learns Joymancers are not the only ones with magic and that she is believed to be the long lost heir of one of the strongest Fearmancer families, one of the 5 families that rule the fearmancer society.
In the first book Rory is new in this utterly cruel world where bullying is the norm. As an outsider, Rory won’t even consider letting all that bullying continue if she can help it. When the 4 scions, the other heirs to “the Pentacle”, those 5 families that rule fearmancer society, turn out to be the biggest bullies, she turns down their offer to be part of their group, taking a stand against bullying. But that only fuels the leader of the scions to try and break her, to take her under their wings like a meaklittle lamb that follows his every move. Because at “Villain Academy” (which is the unofficial name of Bloodstone Academy because joymancers see fearmancers as villains), everyone knows that the school isn’t ruled by the teachers, it is rules by the scions of the pentacle. And Malcolm is the leader who will do anything to get the long lost scion into line because he is his the undisputed leader of the scions. Needless to say, Rory has to be resilient and well, she won’t break easily.
In book 2, after the big reveal at the end of book 1, many see Rory as a stepping stone towards more status, more power, a more revered life. But that doesn’t mean her problems from book 1 are over. The 4 scion boys are still pushing her buttons, back and forth between utter cruelty and sometimes a few blinks of kindness.
Book 3 begins with Rory coming “home” for the first time, in one of the Bloodstone properties. There’s no turning back to her old life so this has to be her home now.
She doesn’t have long to get settled in though before she and her fellow students will arrive at “Blood U” for the summer course. A contest about a project of choice and some classes plus dealing with her nemesis and the scions. So get ready for another story filled with a tough girl holding her ground. Her looking into what her mentor had said to her and the key she was given. And some former enemies turning allies. But do they really mean it or is it another ploy?
In the 4th book, Rory is in a very bad predicament. The future has never been more dire but at least she has some allies fighting on her side. She will need every single one of them and more. It will take more than they have to get her out of this mess. So the banter might be a bit less and the overall book a bit more serious, in my opinion this may be the most captivating story yet! I was always wondering how she would get out of this mess.
If you wanna try the audiobook, the narrators both did an excellent job. And great choice to have both the female and male pov’s narrated by the same gender, Meg and Stephen are a great match for this story too.
I was so impatient to know what happened next that I gave the speed a little bump and even at 1.25 everything could be understand perfectly without some swallowed consonants (which I’m sensitive of with my type of hearing loss). It was a joy to listen to.
This series is fierce (with a strong protagonist!) & magical (but hidden from the normal world).
There are Joymancers that derive their magic through the joy they spread and their opposites: the Fearmancers, they derive their magic from the fear they invoke in others. Each race is powerless without having spread some joy or fear around to access as the form of power that fear or joy becomes. And the more joy or fear they can spark, the stronger they get. Great concept!
The point of view in this story is alternated between Rory and the other scions, 4 boys.
Rory lived with her Joymancer parents, although she is not a Joymancer but a “Nary” (short for “ordinary” an the term those with magic use to describe the normal, unmagical people in this world).
But one day a group of people broke in and murdered her parents and kidnapped her to this whole other side beyond everything she ever knew... and lost.
It is here that she learns Joymancers are not the only ones with magic and that she is believed to be the long lost heir of one of the strongest Fearmancer families, one of the 5 families that rule the fearmancer society.
In the first book Rory is new in this utterly cruel world where bullying is the norm. As an outsider, Rory won’t even consider letting all that bullying continue if she can help it. When the 4 scions, the other heirs to “the Pentacle”, those 5 families that rule fearmancer society, turn out to be the biggest bullies, she turns down their offer to be part of their group, taking a stand against bullying. But that only fuels the leader of the scions to try and break her, to take her under their wings like a meaklittle lamb that follows his every move. Because at “Villain Academy” (which is the unofficial name of Bloodstone Academy because joymancers see fearmancers as villains), everyone knows that the school isn’t ruled by the teachers, it is rules by the scions of the pentacle. And Malcolm is the leader who will do anything to get the long lost scion into line because he is his the undisputed leader of the scions. Needless to say, Rory has to be resilient and well, she won’t break easily.
In book 2, after the big reveal at the end of book 1, many see Rory as a stepping stone towards more status, more power, a more revered life. But that doesn’t mean her problems from book 1 are over. The 4 scion boys are still pushing her buttons, back and forth between utter cruelty and sometimes a few blinks of kindness.
Book 3 begins with Rory coming “home” for the first time, in one of the Bloodstone properties. There’s no turning back to her old life so this has to be her home now.
She doesn’t have long to get settled in though before she and her fellow students will arrive at “Blood U” for the summer course. A contest about a project of choice and some classes plus dealing with her nemesis and the scions. So get ready for another story filled with a tough girl holding her ground. Her looking into what her mentor had said to her and the key she was given. And some former enemies turning allies. But do they really mean it or is it another ploy?
In the 4th book, Rory is in a very bad predicament. The future has never been more dire but at least she has some allies fighting on her side. She will need every single one of them and more. It will take more than they have to get her out of this mess. So the banter might be a bit less and the overall book a bit more serious, in my opinion this may be the most captivating story yet! I was always wondering how she would get out of this mess.
November 9, 2024
So, I read both of the Royals of Villian Academy as the mega-books. There are 8 books in the series, but I read them as two separate 4 book novels. I think they were much better read that way. Not only did we get bonus chapters if you read the mega-books, but you also just get to flip the page to get to the next part of the story. I appreciated that.
Things I liked:
The Scions - the 4 young men who are set to take over the pentacle from their parents are very entertaining. When we first meet them, they fit all the normal stereotypes of a group of boys in an academic setting. We have Malcom, who is the leader and the one who looks perfect from the outside, Declan, the by the books quiet and studious one, Jude, who is the class clown and there for comic relief, and Connar, the muscle head who has no depth. At least that's what it seems like on first glance. They are all so much more than the roles they are given. All of the men have depths and differences. They all have secrets that they are trying to hide from everyone and grow and change throughout the story. They start off pretty awful, but as they open up to Rory and the reader, they grow and change and become believable and likeable characters. I really enjoyed seeing the depth and grown of each of them and the fact that there was more to them then the surface appearance. As a slight side note, Rory is also included in the Scions. However, when we first meet them, it is just the men until Rory wins them to her side. Any other use of Scions in this review will refer to all five of the Scions - Malcom, Declan, Jude, Connar, and Rory.
The Barons - okay, I didn't like them like them. But they are so fun to dislike. They make the perfect villains. Not only are they the villains of the stories, but the fact that they are the Scion's parents makes it even worse. They say they have the best interest of their kids and the fearmancer society at large, but that's a bunch of lies. Watching them act and watching their children's reactions to the actions is great. Especially since we see so much grown in the kids and so little grow or willingness to change in the adults. Maybe that made them a shade on dimensional, but the Barons truly fit the saying: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The magic system - When we first meet our FMC, Rory, she is living with who she thinks are her parents. They are joymancers, magic wielders that gain their power through creating joy in other people. That's a pretty cool idea. The more joy and good they do for people, the more power they get. But as in everything in nature, there is an opposite to this, and that's the fearmancers. They gain their power through scaring other people. Rory, who is a fearmancer by birth, has a lot of issues dealing with this aspect of the magic, because of how she was brought up. But finding ways to work around that show how flexible the magic system can be and that people can try different things. I liked that part a lot, because it's not the same magic system that is in every other fantasy story.
The setting - This was set at the fearmancer school, and all of the buildings and the university itself were named after the ruling Barons. Because of this setting, we understand from the very beginning how important to the fearmancer society those five main families are. The way the school is set up and the different aspects of the hierarchy in it really help the reader understand the society in general that we are being introduced to with Rory.
The POVs - I loved that we got different POVs from all of the main characters. I liked that we were able to get into the Scions' heads and see how they were reacting to different things. I really feel like that was part of the growth of the four male Scions. We got to see so much of their thoughts and realized how much was going on beneath the surface. It was nice to see these scary BMOC type guys had doubts and insecurities, just like everyone else. It made them much more believable. And being able to read the story with Rory's points of views just made the reader more invested. I do wish that we had gotten at least one chapter from each of the Barons. Their viewpoints would have been twisted, but it would have been so entertaining to see how they justified all of their violence and machinations in their heads. I do wish the bonus chapters had been added to their proper place in the stories. They were all great, but reading them at the end of each book took you out of the story a bit, since they were generally about things that happened early in the stories.
Things I was on the fence about:
Rory - I absolutely loved Rory in the first half of this series. She was the ultimate "you can knock me down and try your best to terrorize me, but I'm never giving up" main character. I liked her spunk and her fire. The fact that she was able to use the knowledge from her adoptive parents and form it into an armor and a weapon against the abuse she suffered at the hands of the other students was great. She refused to give in. As she started winning the Scions over to her point of view and making them really take a look at the society they were living in, she was perfectly written. However, in the second half of the story, she kind of annoyed me a bit. I'm not sure if it was just the fact that this was the first reverse harem book I've read or just that she became slightly whiney in the second half, but I feel like she lost her spunkiness towards the end. Instead of being the badass that she was in the first book, she spent the whole second book trying to talk her mother, a Baron, into seeing her viewpoint over and over again. Granted, Rory was 100% correct in her views, but her mother had NO interest in seeing anything from another viewpoint. She told Rory that multiple times. And yet, Rory wouldn't stop complaining about it and then trying to talk to her more, and then being surprised when her mom didn't listen or lashed out in another way. I get that she and the other Scions were trying to avoid an all-out war, but considering how each of the men's parents had either tried to kill them, put them under a compulsion spell, or physically abused them, Rory should have been clued into the fact that nothing was going to change with the Barons, especially through talk. The Barons were all about action, and that type of person does not stop just because someone wants to talk to them. Given that her mother had been held captive for 17 years and was looking for revenge, I feel that Rory should have used some of that same fire she had at the beginning to come up with a plan sooner, before so many people were killed.
The ending - *Don't read ahead if you don't want spoilers. There will be some mild spoilers in here. You've been warned. * After everything the Scions went through in all of the books, the ending seemed kind of rushed. Not the whole ending. They did do some really cool thinking outside of the normal magical boxes. They did actually work with the Naries, people who had no magic at all, to come up with some ideas to try to stop the Barons' plans. But honestly, the stuff they did seemed kind of bleh. Malcom, Declan, Connar, and Jude all grew up with these Barons. Even though Rory's mother had been taken prisoner and Declan's mom had died at the same time, the other Barons did not really change into monsters when Rory showed up. The men should have used the information about how their parents/aunt worked with Rory when they were trying to come up with a plan to thwart the Barons. Rory even witnessed some of the aggression of the Barons towards herself and the other Scions. I completely get that these were their parents, and they didn't want to take action against them, but it's not like the Barons were shy about taking action against the Scions. There comes a point when you have tried talking and they haven't listened and have used aggression with you that you just have to realize that it is going to some kind of battle. The Scions and their allies got there eventually. I just felt like by the time they got there, the last book was almost over and then everything moved at warp speed. The Scions spend the whole story talking about how strong their parents are and how hard it will be to beat them in a battle, and yet when we get to the final battle, it's like 5 minutes and it's over. None of the Scions seemed to have any trouble taking on the Barons who were left at this point. There were a few injuries here and there, but nothing major and anyone who did happen to die, other than the last two Barons, was just a minor, unnamed character. I don't know what could have been done differently. I feel like battle scenes like this in books always seem kind of quickly paced and over in a flash. I think if we had gotten some differing POVs during the last battle, it wouldn't have seemed quite as fast.
These books gave me some mild Zodiac Academy vibes, which I was okay with. I liked all of the characters. I enjoyed the magic system and the school setting. There were a few things here and there that I didn't really like, but nothing that detracted from the story as a whole.
My rating:
Royals of the Villain Academy Books 1-4: 5 stars
Royals of the Villain Academy Books 5-8 : 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Things I liked:
The Scions - the 4 young men who are set to take over the pentacle from their parents are very entertaining. When we first meet them, they fit all the normal stereotypes of a group of boys in an academic setting. We have Malcom, who is the leader and the one who looks perfect from the outside, Declan, the by the books quiet and studious one, Jude, who is the class clown and there for comic relief, and Connar, the muscle head who has no depth. At least that's what it seems like on first glance. They are all so much more than the roles they are given. All of the men have depths and differences. They all have secrets that they are trying to hide from everyone and grow and change throughout the story. They start off pretty awful, but as they open up to Rory and the reader, they grow and change and become believable and likeable characters. I really enjoyed seeing the depth and grown of each of them and the fact that there was more to them then the surface appearance. As a slight side note, Rory is also included in the Scions. However, when we first meet them, it is just the men until Rory wins them to her side. Any other use of Scions in this review will refer to all five of the Scions - Malcom, Declan, Jude, Connar, and Rory.
The Barons - okay, I didn't like them like them. But they are so fun to dislike. They make the perfect villains. Not only are they the villains of the stories, but the fact that they are the Scion's parents makes it even worse. They say they have the best interest of their kids and the fearmancer society at large, but that's a bunch of lies. Watching them act and watching their children's reactions to the actions is great. Especially since we see so much grown in the kids and so little grow or willingness to change in the adults. Maybe that made them a shade on dimensional, but the Barons truly fit the saying: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The magic system - When we first meet our FMC, Rory, she is living with who she thinks are her parents. They are joymancers, magic wielders that gain their power through creating joy in other people. That's a pretty cool idea. The more joy and good they do for people, the more power they get. But as in everything in nature, there is an opposite to this, and that's the fearmancers. They gain their power through scaring other people. Rory, who is a fearmancer by birth, has a lot of issues dealing with this aspect of the magic, because of how she was brought up. But finding ways to work around that show how flexible the magic system can be and that people can try different things. I liked that part a lot, because it's not the same magic system that is in every other fantasy story.
The setting - This was set at the fearmancer school, and all of the buildings and the university itself were named after the ruling Barons. Because of this setting, we understand from the very beginning how important to the fearmancer society those five main families are. The way the school is set up and the different aspects of the hierarchy in it really help the reader understand the society in general that we are being introduced to with Rory.
The POVs - I loved that we got different POVs from all of the main characters. I liked that we were able to get into the Scions' heads and see how they were reacting to different things. I really feel like that was part of the growth of the four male Scions. We got to see so much of their thoughts and realized how much was going on beneath the surface. It was nice to see these scary BMOC type guys had doubts and insecurities, just like everyone else. It made them much more believable. And being able to read the story with Rory's points of views just made the reader more invested. I do wish that we had gotten at least one chapter from each of the Barons. Their viewpoints would have been twisted, but it would have been so entertaining to see how they justified all of their violence and machinations in their heads. I do wish the bonus chapters had been added to their proper place in the stories. They were all great, but reading them at the end of each book took you out of the story a bit, since they were generally about things that happened early in the stories.
Things I was on the fence about:
Rory - I absolutely loved Rory in the first half of this series. She was the ultimate "you can knock me down and try your best to terrorize me, but I'm never giving up" main character. I liked her spunk and her fire. The fact that she was able to use the knowledge from her adoptive parents and form it into an armor and a weapon against the abuse she suffered at the hands of the other students was great. She refused to give in. As she started winning the Scions over to her point of view and making them really take a look at the society they were living in, she was perfectly written. However, in the second half of the story, she kind of annoyed me a bit. I'm not sure if it was just the fact that this was the first reverse harem book I've read or just that she became slightly whiney in the second half, but I feel like she lost her spunkiness towards the end. Instead of being the badass that she was in the first book, she spent the whole second book trying to talk her mother, a Baron, into seeing her viewpoint over and over again. Granted, Rory was 100% correct in her views, but her mother had NO interest in seeing anything from another viewpoint. She told Rory that multiple times. And yet, Rory wouldn't stop complaining about it and then trying to talk to her more, and then being surprised when her mom didn't listen or lashed out in another way. I get that she and the other Scions were trying to avoid an all-out war, but considering how each of the men's parents had either tried to kill them, put them under a compulsion spell, or physically abused them, Rory should have been clued into the fact that nothing was going to change with the Barons, especially through talk. The Barons were all about action, and that type of person does not stop just because someone wants to talk to them. Given that her mother had been held captive for 17 years and was looking for revenge, I feel that Rory should have used some of that same fire she had at the beginning to come up with a plan sooner, before so many people were killed.
The ending - *Don't read ahead if you don't want spoilers. There will be some mild spoilers in here. You've been warned. * After everything the Scions went through in all of the books, the ending seemed kind of rushed. Not the whole ending. They did do some really cool thinking outside of the normal magical boxes. They did actually work with the Naries, people who had no magic at all, to come up with some ideas to try to stop the Barons' plans. But honestly, the stuff they did seemed kind of bleh. Malcom, Declan, Connar, and Jude all grew up with these Barons. Even though Rory's mother had been taken prisoner and Declan's mom had died at the same time, the other Barons did not really change into monsters when Rory showed up. The men should have used the information about how their parents/aunt worked with Rory when they were trying to come up with a plan to thwart the Barons. Rory even witnessed some of the aggression of the Barons towards herself and the other Scions. I completely get that these were their parents, and they didn't want to take action against them, but it's not like the Barons were shy about taking action against the Scions. There comes a point when you have tried talking and they haven't listened and have used aggression with you that you just have to realize that it is going to some kind of battle. The Scions and their allies got there eventually. I just felt like by the time they got there, the last book was almost over and then everything moved at warp speed. The Scions spend the whole story talking about how strong their parents are and how hard it will be to beat them in a battle, and yet when we get to the final battle, it's like 5 minutes and it's over. None of the Scions seemed to have any trouble taking on the Barons who were left at this point. There were a few injuries here and there, but nothing major and anyone who did happen to die, other than the last two Barons, was just a minor, unnamed character. I don't know what could have been done differently. I feel like battle scenes like this in books always seem kind of quickly paced and over in a flash. I think if we had gotten some differing POVs during the last battle, it wouldn't have seemed quite as fast.
These books gave me some mild Zodiac Academy vibes, which I was okay with. I liked all of the characters. I enjoyed the magic system and the school setting. There were a few things here and there that I didn't really like, but nothing that detracted from the story as a whole.
My rating:
Royals of the Villain Academy Books 1-4: 5 stars
Royals of the Villain Academy Books 5-8 : 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
December 21, 2020
Wow! This is my second series by Eva. I fell in LOVE with her Flirting with Monsters series and was not disappointed by this one either. Rory is strong-willed (sometimes to a fault), but the same could be said about her guys a lot of the time. It makes for a nice push-and-pull between the characters. I love that we get some steam in the first book, but that the angst continues. We still get that romantic suspense without being completely deprived of the steamy goodness.
Oftentimes, I will have an audiobook that I only listen to on my evening walk, while I keep another book that I read during the day. But this one pulled me straight into that world and from the start it has been my main (and only) read. I was a bit worried about diving into a longer series as I've recently preferred shorter ones, but this still has me hooked at the end of book four. I can't wait to dive into the next audio boxset! Bring on the romance and plot twists - I'm ready!
As for the narration, both get 5/5. I've gained a couple new favorite narrators from this listen. They both speak clearly and bring the stories to life with their character voices. They also do sounds, which I love. A lot of narrators will *read* the sounds vs actually making them. It sounds more natural, like you are hearing the character speak, and I really enjoyed listening to them both!
Quick & Dirty Details:
- College/New Adult
- Reverse Harem (4 guys)
- PNR/UF: Mages
- Steamy: Fast Burn, Romance: Slow-burn
- Enemies-to-Lovers
Oftentimes, I will have an audiobook that I only listen to on my evening walk, while I keep another book that I read during the day. But this one pulled me straight into that world and from the start it has been my main (and only) read. I was a bit worried about diving into a longer series as I've recently preferred shorter ones, but this still has me hooked at the end of book four. I can't wait to dive into the next audio boxset! Bring on the romance and plot twists - I'm ready!
As for the narration, both get 5/5. I've gained a couple new favorite narrators from this listen. They both speak clearly and bring the stories to life with their character voices. They also do sounds, which I love. A lot of narrators will *read* the sounds vs actually making them. It sounds more natural, like you are hearing the character speak, and I really enjoyed listening to them both!
Quick & Dirty Details:
- College/New Adult
- Reverse Harem (4 guys)
- PNR/UF: Mages
- Steamy: Fast Burn, Romance: Slow-burn
- Enemies-to-Lovers
December 12, 2020
I received a free audio copy of this book directly from the author for an honest review.
I found this a pretty intense academy book that hooked me from the start. It has guys that literally you want to throttle at times but with chunks of their pov’s that make you think twice to just why they are the way they are. It’s certainly going to be a slow burn here but from enemies to lovers deal but each has their own story to tell. With such a strong, fierce but relatable female lead Rory it makes this book easy to find enjoyable but equally I can see why some would hate that she’s so bullied by the love interests. This actually slightly reminds me of young guys who pull the girls pigtails of the girl they like sooo I rather liked it and found it just proved her strength. Rory has such an inner strength that you can’t help but love and also slowly working her way on the guys to make them question what they have been taught and how they think. I’ve really enjoyed the time it’s taken to weave this world and the plot is very intriguing with certain questions about what the future holds and I’m certainly ready to keep reading. The characters continue to grow throughout especially hearing the guys POV’s. There’s certainly a cliffhanger or two in these books and you’ll want to devour them all with every twist and turn.
I found this a pretty intense academy book that hooked me from the start. It has guys that literally you want to throttle at times but with chunks of their pov’s that make you think twice to just why they are the way they are. It’s certainly going to be a slow burn here but from enemies to lovers deal but each has their own story to tell. With such a strong, fierce but relatable female lead Rory it makes this book easy to find enjoyable but equally I can see why some would hate that she’s so bullied by the love interests. This actually slightly reminds me of young guys who pull the girls pigtails of the girl they like sooo I rather liked it and found it just proved her strength. Rory has such an inner strength that you can’t help but love and also slowly working her way on the guys to make them question what they have been taught and how they think. I’ve really enjoyed the time it’s taken to weave this world and the plot is very intriguing with certain questions about what the future holds and I’m certainly ready to keep reading. The characters continue to grow throughout especially hearing the guys POV’s. There’s certainly a cliffhanger or two in these books and you’ll want to devour them all with every twist and turn.
March 4, 2024
Fun Easy Read
These books are about two factions of witchcraft are at war with each other. They call themselves Fearmancers and Joymancers, they get their powers from causing from either fear or joy hence the first few letters in their names. However, the main characters in this series are 5 young adults 4 men and 1 women. These books are dark fantasy stories about young adults who have been raised in an environment where anger and cruelty are often seen as normal behavior with the exception of the character who is named Rory. Rory is the main character who has been raised by joymancers, and was kidnapped when she was 2 years old. When she turns 18, the fearmancer, kill her adopted parents and take her to Blood U, a school for students for fearmancers, to learn how to use their skills. In this book we explore how Rory, finds her way through the process of learning her past, her own skills as a fearmancer, and how she can improve herself and those around her. It’s full of twists and turns, but it’s also fun and rewarding to learn how she handles herself in the process of making the most sense of the situation. It’s an easy read for adults who love romance and intrigue.
These books are about two factions of witchcraft are at war with each other. They call themselves Fearmancers and Joymancers, they get their powers from causing from either fear or joy hence the first few letters in their names. However, the main characters in this series are 5 young adults 4 men and 1 women. These books are dark fantasy stories about young adults who have been raised in an environment where anger and cruelty are often seen as normal behavior with the exception of the character who is named Rory. Rory is the main character who has been raised by joymancers, and was kidnapped when she was 2 years old. When she turns 18, the fearmancer, kill her adopted parents and take her to Blood U, a school for students for fearmancers, to learn how to use their skills. In this book we explore how Rory, finds her way through the process of learning her past, her own skills as a fearmancer, and how she can improve herself and those around her. It’s full of twists and turns, but it’s also fun and rewarding to learn how she handles herself in the process of making the most sense of the situation. It’s an easy read for adults who love romance and intrigue.
March 18, 2024
Yes, it’s smutty. Very erotic, BUT it’s also an incredibly interesting world. The design of the magical society is one I’ve never imagined before. I would give it 5 stars, but there are times, especially in the first few books, that would have benefited from a better edit. I read the first 4 books for free and immediately bought the second box set. There’s danger, drama, sex (of all kinds), magic, need I say more?
Edit: I see other reviews bashing the sex parts of the book. I think it’s more than fair to say all of the sex bits are when there is explicit consent. The writer makes it clear the character is choosing to act on her pleasure and true to herself without regrets. She never does anything with anyone who hasn’t redeemed themself. Even when a moment turns, the character will choose to decline any advances.
Edit: I see other reviews bashing the sex parts of the book. I think it’s more than fair to say all of the sex bits are when there is explicit consent. The writer makes it clear the character is choosing to act on her pleasure and true to herself without regrets. She never does anything with anyone who hasn’t redeemed themself. Even when a moment turns, the character will choose to decline any advances.
October 30, 2023
Rory was kidnapped as a 2-year-old and was raised with joymancers thinking they were her real parents. Her real parents were fearmancer were killed and never knew them. The story is fantasy fiction about one using fear of humans or joy of humans. She was raised not to hurt people so when she started attending Villain Academy she was considered scions top of the food chain. Malcolm and Rory had an argument before school started and was going to make Rory's life miserable until she begged to join his group of scions. Deborah was her familiar and Rory fell for Connar, Jude, and Declan who were scions but in the beginning, they used their powers to sabotage her process of learning to use her powers. Pentacles of Baron wanted to control her votes and investments.
April 2, 2024
Malcolm is terrible!
This is a why choose/ RH with a big dose of enemies-to-lovers tossed in. The fantasy world isn’t really different from our modern world except for the magic aspects. There is a governing body of 5 barons for the fear folks. The joy folks have a different way of governing but that’s not really explained. Anyway, the FMC is a long-lost scion/ future baron. But she doesn’t know how to use her fear magic due to being raised by the joy folks.
The other 4 scions are all male and they all start out being really mean to her. Things change as the story progresses in the books. Oh a there’s a mean girl who really is awful…
Well written, and a KU read. Recommended…
This is a why choose/ RH with a big dose of enemies-to-lovers tossed in. The fantasy world isn’t really different from our modern world except for the magic aspects. There is a governing body of 5 barons for the fear folks. The joy folks have a different way of governing but that’s not really explained. Anyway, the FMC is a long-lost scion/ future baron. But she doesn’t know how to use her fear magic due to being raised by the joy folks.
The other 4 scions are all male and they all start out being really mean to her. Things change as the story progresses in the books. Oh a there’s a mean girl who really is awful…
Well written, and a KU read. Recommended…
July 31, 2025
This first omnibus of the Royals of Villain Academy series, comprising the first four books out of the eight total that make up the whole series, has to be one of my best Stuff Your Kindle Day picks EVER.
It was a chonker for sure, but I was so invested, I just flew through it. It had intrigue, it had drama, it had emotion, it had growing, it had fights, and love, and a little spice, and I'm so happy to have discovered such a fantastic story and super talented author.
Everything began with a tactical team breaking into Rory's house, brutally murdering her parents, and whisking her away to the other coast of the country to Bloodstone University, where she found out not only that she had magic of her own, but that she was the sole surviving heir of one of the five ruling families of her community.
The premise, with mages belonging to either the group that derived power from fear (the Fearmancers) or joy (the Joymancers), was very interesting. It made for intrinsic tension, because naturally they were enemies, and because Rory had been raised by loving Joymancer parents since toddlerhood, her views were substantially different from those of her Fearmancer peers.
I loved the indirect exploration the book did of nurture vs nature, and how Rory struggled to stay true to the values her parents had instilled in her, while trying to adapt and survive in her new environment. Another greatly done aspect was how her views in the beginning had been starkly black and white—in the Fearmancers=bad, Joymancers=good sense—but, by the end, she had a much more informed, nuanced, and grey-scale outlook.
More cool aspects of the worldbuilding included how mages could be proficient in one or more of the four different branches of magic: Illusion, Persuasion, Physicality, or Insight, and how they complemented or opposed each other. Even how the professors allowed the students to low-key (and sometimes high-key) bully and harass each other to earn points for their league (aka chosen magic branch), Hogwarts-houses-competition style. And, that in a twisted sort of way, this cut-throat approach made sense as a way to teach the students how to use and defend against magic in a controlled environment.
And just like the worldbuilding was nuanced, so were the main characters. At first, Declan Ashgrave, Malcolm Nightwood, Connar Stormhurst, and Jude Killbrook, the heirs to the other four ruling families, and Rory's fellow members in the pentacle of scions, came across as utter assholes. In the beginning, because she refused to submit to them, they were unbelievably cruel and brutal, Jude and Malcolm especially. Having grown up together, the four guys were nothing if not loyal to each other, and when Malcolm decided to torment Rory until she'd break and fall in line, the rest of the guys more or less followed his lead.
That was the world I’d been thrown back into—a world where fear meant might, and might ruled over any ideas of human decency.
But by leading by example with her compassionate and caring nature, she unwittingly eventually managed to win the guys over to her side. They started realizing that perhaps the ideas that had been ingrained in them since childhood were twisted, callous, and needlessly heartless, and that there was a better way to be strong, respected leaders. And on the other side of the coin, Rory came to see how she'd been somewhat prejudiced against Fearmancers, and that there was a lot more to these boys than met the eye. All of them had complicated family lives, often made worse by ruthless, vicious parents.
Within the vicious bully was a devoted friend, a determined leader, an affectionate master to his familiar…
But it wasn't a quick switch. While making the effort to be better, they still fucked up. Their bigotry and dismissive attitude against the Naries (or non-magical people), for example, wasn't just going to disappear from one day to the next because Rory pointed it out to them. Breaking away from what had been taught to them their whole lives took time, and they all had to consciously make the decision to change and be better. Which I really appreciated.
And in that same vein, after the horrible way they'd treated her, all of them also had to put in some serious work to gain her trust and affection. There were emotional connections built before anything physical happened. The romance was very slow-burn, with the focus put much more heavily on the plot (smut wasn't a main feature, more like a bonus). It was impossible to get bored because at any given time, there were a lot of balls in the air of little side-plots that kept things engaging and moving forward. The multi-POV narration also helped there, assisted by top-notch writing.
And in the latter half, this threat hiding in the shadows materialized more and more until it took center stage. A menacing, shapeless force constantly haunting her and breathing down Rory's neck. Trying to debilitate her and targeting those around her when they couldn't directly bring her down. Spoiler alert, it was the barons (aka the guys' parents and evil leaders of the Fearmancers). We still don't know why they're coming after her so hard, but Eva Chase hasn't disappointed me yet, so I bet the reveal is gonna be good.
Honestly, the whole book was an absolute blast, and if you enjoy well-written fantasy with immersive world-building, amazing characters, and top-notch character development, you'll probably love it, too. Can't recommend it enough!
January 25, 2023
Villains?
Rory is in for a world of surprises and trouble along with 4 hot men she can’t deny lights up her southern region in a way she isn’t used to. But there’s more to it than that. She has a wealth of magic and a collection of people who want her taken to heel. She’s got to fend herself off at every turn. But will one shocking revelation be the one that is too much? I can’t wait to find out!!!
Rory is in for a world of surprises and trouble along with 4 hot men she can’t deny lights up her southern region in a way she isn’t used to. But there’s more to it than that. She has a wealth of magic and a collection of people who want her taken to heel. She’s got to fend herself off at every turn. But will one shocking revelation be the one that is too much? I can’t wait to find out!!!
July 4, 2023
good read
I hesitated giving this box set a 5 star rating. I was anticipating a 4 book story, not a cliffhanger ending. Each of the books ends in a cliffhanger, which isn’t a problem in a box set for the first 3 books. As much as I enjoyed the writing, world building and characters. It’s difficult to overlook the cliffhanger ending and the need to search out another book to conclude the story
I hesitated giving this box set a 5 star rating. I was anticipating a 4 book story, not a cliffhanger ending. Each of the books ends in a cliffhanger, which isn’t a problem in a box set for the first 3 books. As much as I enjoyed the writing, world building and characters. It’s difficult to overlook the cliffhanger ending and the need to search out another book to conclude the story
August 12, 2023
fantastic escapism
I read and listened to this book in tandem. Loved the world building and the magical system. I was totally invested in Rory and her men. The plot flowed well with plenty of drama, action and twists. Felt all the emotions for Rory and the trials she had to face.
Watching her relationship build with Jude, Declan and Conar was really good. Malcom had plenty of grovelling to do which he started to show towards the end.
Loved it 4.5 stars ⭐️
I read and listened to this book in tandem. Loved the world building and the magical system. I was totally invested in Rory and her men. The plot flowed well with plenty of drama, action and twists. Felt all the emotions for Rory and the trials she had to face.
Watching her relationship build with Jude, Declan and Conar was really good. Malcom had plenty of grovelling to do which he started to show towards the end.
Loved it 4.5 stars ⭐️
September 12, 2023
4 ⭐️
3.5 🌶️
3.5 🎧
This is a good hidden identity/past, why choose, academy, enemies to lovers, bully story. Rory grew up thinking she was normal, without mage abilities only to find out differently when she was “rescued” from the only parents she had ever known. The guys bully her constantly at first. Until they don’t. The audio is okay. The overall story narration is fine, but the character connection is lacking in the narration. I do enjoy the story and recommend it.
3.5 🌶️
3.5 🎧
This is a good hidden identity/past, why choose, academy, enemies to lovers, bully story. Rory grew up thinking she was normal, without mage abilities only to find out differently when she was “rescued” from the only parents she had ever known. The guys bully her constantly at first. Until they don’t. The audio is okay. The overall story narration is fine, but the character connection is lacking in the narration. I do enjoy the story and recommend it.
December 27, 2023
a little long winded
The plot is intriguing enough but I found that parts of the book really drug along. I’m more interested in the magic and solving the craziness around the barons and the joymancers, the whole bullying aspect should’ve been thrown out the window. It just added an extra layer that wasn’t necessary. Rory would’ve discovered the actions towards naries without being attacked from every angle. It actually gave a lot of anxiety while reading.
The plot is intriguing enough but I found that parts of the book really drug along. I’m more interested in the magic and solving the craziness around the barons and the joymancers, the whole bullying aspect should’ve been thrown out the window. It just added an extra layer that wasn’t necessary. Rory would’ve discovered the actions towards naries without being attacked from every angle. It actually gave a lot of anxiety while reading.
January 20, 2024
When I first started getting into RHs they were nothing but sex sex sex. I like my stories with a bit more plot and sexual tension which is what I loved about these stories. I felt like she really had her own thing going on with the guys individually and connected with them on a personal level. I wish there was a bit more Malcolm action as he is the ring leader but I can’t wait to see what’s in store for all of them in the next set of books.
December 17, 2022
Thumbs up thumbs down
I live to read these stories! They are my favorite kind, but as of now...I am tired of reading this one. I even skipped pages and chapters in hopes of it getting better, but no! So I won't be finding out if her mom is alive or what her exceptional power is other than dating four hot guys! I WANT to know but it's just not worth my attention!
I live to read these stories! They are my favorite kind, but as of now...I am tired of reading this one. I even skipped pages and chapters in hopes of it getting better, but no! So I won't be finding out if her mom is alive or what her exceptional power is other than dating four hot guys! I WANT to know but it's just not worth my attention!
May 16, 2023
Great series so far
It's been a slow burn, but the world building to make this story rich and suspenseful has been worth it. The FMC hasn't been snarky or jaded, but is brave and takes a pause to figure things out. She's got sass and guts but not in a kiss my butt kind of way.
Headed on to the rest of the series!
It's been a slow burn, but the world building to make this story rich and suspenseful has been worth it. The FMC hasn't been snarky or jaded, but is brave and takes a pause to figure things out. She's got sass and guts but not in a kiss my butt kind of way.
Headed on to the rest of the series!
September 28, 2023
I love this series!
Royals Villain Academy Books 1-4 by Eva Chase:
This series is suspenseful and entertaining, with the pace picking up as the many twists evolve. Lots of sinister motivations and secrets! Absolute power corrupts with greed and evil. And sinister magic. The RH aspect grows into shared, forbidden love. Ends with another twist….
—PTators
Royals Villain Academy Books 1-4 by Eva Chase:
This series is suspenseful and entertaining, with the pace picking up as the many twists evolve. Lots of sinister motivations and secrets! Absolute power corrupts with greed and evil. And sinister magic. The RH aspect grows into shared, forbidden love. Ends with another twist….
—PTators
January 10, 2024
Wow
I can't even express how much I love these books. Great plot, deep characters, and very descriptive backgrounds make interesting reading. The author clearly planned their writing with a lot of skill. I haven't found many mistakes or blunders. POV was easily followed, and the storyline was smooth. Totally recommend these books.
I can't even express how much I love these books. Great plot, deep characters, and very descriptive backgrounds make interesting reading. The author clearly planned their writing with a lot of skill. I haven't found many mistakes or blunders. POV was easily followed, and the storyline was smooth. Totally recommend these books.
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