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Royals of Villain Academy #5-8
Royals of Villain Academy: Books 5 - 8
A brewing magical war. Four impossible loves. Can we conjure a happy ending?
I was starting to think I knew what I was dealing with at the university best known as Villain Academy. I’d come to believe that by owning my role as the last remaining Bloodstone, I could change this place for the better. Then a series of shocking revelations turns everything I believed on its head.
The other scions have my back now, with all the trouble that's brought them. How much more will they have to sacrifice before we can find some kind of peace? I'm ready to fight for my newfound life, my family, and the guys I'm falling for... but this battle may bring more casualties than I can bear.
Do I have the defiance in me to overthrow centuries of magical tyranny? Looks like it’s time to find out.
*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 where the men discover the joys of sharing.*
Enjoy over 1200 pages of excitement in one box set! This set contains the final four books in the Royals of Villain Academy series—Corrupt Alchemy, Foul Conjuring, Grim Witchery, and Vicious Arts—plus 30+ pages of exclusive bonus scenes.
I was starting to think I knew what I was dealing with at the university best known as Villain Academy. I’d come to believe that by owning my role as the last remaining Bloodstone, I could change this place for the better. Then a series of shocking revelations turns everything I believed on its head.
The other scions have my back now, with all the trouble that's brought them. How much more will they have to sacrifice before we can find some kind of peace? I'm ready to fight for my newfound life, my family, and the guys I'm falling for... but this battle may bring more casualties than I can bear.
Do I have the defiance in me to overthrow centuries of magical tyranny? Looks like it’s time to find out.
*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 where the men discover the joys of sharing.*
Enjoy over 1200 pages of excitement in one box set! This set contains the final four books in the Royals of Villain Academy series—Corrupt Alchemy, Foul Conjuring, Grim Witchery, and Vicious Arts—plus 30+ pages of exclusive bonus scenes.
1057 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2020
About the author
Eva Chase
118 books3,374 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 56 reviews
February 10, 2024
Okay, this story is similar to a few academy paranormal books. But it mostly reminds me of the Michelle Hercules Gifted Academy series. But only in the guys and their traits. But this series is so much better. Better smutty steam, better less cringe characters, better fierceness, and better explained powers.
I love the series, and I love the steamy scenes. It was a roller coaster of emotions. Is her mum evil? She is, but is she really? OK, that was pretty bad, but maybe she can be redeemed...? And I had slight hope with every bit of hope she had, too. It was intense not knowing how they would get out of this. And sometimes it was sweet seeing the relationship between them grow and cermet.
4.7 stars
I love the series, and I love the steamy scenes. It was a roller coaster of emotions. Is her mum evil? She is, but is she really? OK, that was pretty bad, but maybe she can be redeemed...? And I had slight hope with every bit of hope she had, too. It was intense not knowing how they would get out of this. And sometimes it was sweet seeing the relationship between them grow and cermet.
4.7 stars
January 4, 2022
Royals of Villain Academy
I really enjoyed this series. My only complaint is that there is to much story recap in each book in the box set. I feel that the recap just added unnecessary filler to the story.
I really enjoyed this series. My only complaint is that there is to much story recap in each book in the box set. I feel that the recap just added unnecessary filler to the story.
January 28, 2023
My reviews are pasted on the books individually.
Please check there for them.
Please check there for them.
August 5, 2022
Overall, I loved the second half of this series. Each book is individually rated in separate posts. The entire series is 5/5
August 10, 2023
The ending was a bit rushed, but otherwise a good story.
December 27, 2024
I think this series should have ended after the 4th book, these had so much repetition and conflict just for the sake of conflict.
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.
May 28, 2021
The focus of the story shifts from Academy life to a search for a lost relative.
The 5th installment focuses more on the search for her relative and the uncertainties that come with that and the relationship between the Scions but it was a nice change from having seen Rory struggle and strife and slowly rise above all the things the Barons (current members of the Pentacle) and everyone else has thrown towards her.
Book 6: Eventhough the Pentacle of Scions has been weakened in a most unsupected way (well the ending of book 5 made it clear but I mean unsuspecting for the other Scions), they come together the best they can to try and overcome the problem they now face. But beside that problem it is clear there is still something major that can either crush their Pentacle or their bond altogether or make it tighter than ever before.
Meanwhile Rory is adjusting to life with a Fearmancer parent.
Book 7: Apart from the scions’ necessary actions to stop the sinister plans the barons have set in motion, Rory’s mother seems to be getting back to her full strength after her ordeal. But is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Book 8: With the ending of book 7, the last book had the promise to be captivating and interesting. And it delivered!
The conclusion to this great series wraps up everything with convincing details and without anything feeling rushed. And I must say, the ending is just perfect <3
The 5th installment focuses more on the search for her relative and the uncertainties that come with that and the relationship between the Scions but it was a nice change from having seen Rory struggle and strife and slowly rise above all the things the Barons (current members of the Pentacle) and everyone else has thrown towards her.
Book 6: Eventhough the Pentacle of Scions has been weakened in a most unsupected way (well the ending of book 5 made it clear but I mean unsuspecting for the other Scions), they come together the best they can to try and overcome the problem they now face. But beside that problem it is clear there is still something major that can either crush their Pentacle or their bond altogether or make it tighter than ever before.
Meanwhile Rory is adjusting to life with a Fearmancer parent.
Book 7: Apart from the scions’ necessary actions to stop the sinister plans the barons have set in motion, Rory’s mother seems to be getting back to her full strength after her ordeal. But is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Book 8: With the ending of book 7, the last book had the promise to be captivating and interesting. And it delivered!
The conclusion to this great series wraps up everything with convincing details and without anything feeling rushed. And I must say, the ending is just perfect <3
January 8, 2021
Audio book
Wow what can I say about the box set. Eva chase continues with her push and pull with Rory and her mates. She finds out her mother is alive and being help prisoner. When her mother comes back you think her mother will change her outlook on life but Rorys mother makes things worse for non magical people. You’ll love this box set and her story’s Stephen Dexter and Meg Slyvan performance was magical . They brought all the characters to life
Wow what can I say about the box set. Eva chase continues with her push and pull with Rory and her mates. She finds out her mother is alive and being help prisoner. When her mother comes back you think her mother will change her outlook on life but Rorys mother makes things worse for non magical people. You’ll love this box set and her story’s Stephen Dexter and Meg Slyvan performance was magical . They brought all the characters to life
January 18, 2021
Ahhh
I have a love\hate relationship with this entire set of books lol I love the fierceness the loyalty. The love and the amount of steamy spots. I had to set my kindle down several times throughout cuz I would be overwhelmed by events but I obviously always picked it back up.
I have a love\hate relationship with this entire set of books lol I love the fierceness the loyalty. The love and the amount of steamy spots. I had to set my kindle down several times throughout cuz I would be overwhelmed by events but I obviously always picked it back up.
March 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this series, In book 5-8 the chaos explodes and I was amazed how the characters joined together and their bonds grew as they fought for a common goal. Fighting against the rules of the world they were raised in and blazing a new path for a better place for all.
Well Written!
Well Written!
February 7, 2023
INTENSE
Intense that pretty much describes the entire series. The only one that I still haven’t read is the last one about Cressida. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each book in series. If you enjoy stories about magic and deception you have to read the series.
Intense that pretty much describes the entire series. The only one that I still haven’t read is the last one about Cressida. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each book in series. If you enjoy stories about magic and deception you have to read the series.
October 19, 2023
Amazing
This series is absolutely perfect from all rorys trials to finding love with the guys to eliminating the barons one of which was her real mom. Courage an love to do what's right no matter what
This series is absolutely perfect from all rorys trials to finding love with the guys to eliminating the barons one of which was her real mom. Courage an love to do what's right no matter what
December 20, 2023
Loved the ending!
Happy to see Rory and her guys get their HEA! Was a little sad that they had to be at the barons the way they did, because I know it's not the way they wanted to. Still happy with how it ended and can't wait to read the next story from villian academy.
Happy to see Rory and her guys get their HEA! Was a little sad that they had to be at the barons the way they did, because I know it's not the way they wanted to. Still happy with how it ended and can't wait to read the next story from villian academy.
April 6, 2024
The storyline and culture of this world kept me reading avidly. Most of the time, especially in the last few books, I was skipping over the “romance” parts. There’s just a lot of it. At times an unbelievable sex drive. But I really was fascinated by this world of fearmancy.
August 17, 2021
Again fluffy, fun, engaging. A nice quick read through a series. Good villain arc, nice way to challenge a readers concept of right and wrong, good and bad. Worth a look at of you have a moment!
January 11, 2025
The story of Rory Bloodstone continues in this second omnibus edition of the Royals of Villain Academy series, with even more secrets, surprises sexytimes in store. The main focus remains on the pentacle of scions, but expands beyond Blood U to take in the wider world, both mage and nary, to take you on a ride where the outcome isn't certain for any of them. This is more emotionally charged than the first half, both in terms of your investment in the characters and the overarching narrative, there are moments that really draw you in to examining your own stance on various happenings in the real world, and moments that make you wish you lived in fiction!
As before, the pace is very quick, with the whole story really being more than the sum of its parts. But what I liked about this was the various elements of uncertainty throughout. The author has done a fantastic job at keeping the options open every step of the way, so that it's completely possible for the various scenarios to have multiple outcomes. I found myself wanting to keep reading so I could get all the answers, from whether all of the pentacle would make it to the end and would there be a HEA, to whether certain characters would turn out to be heros or villains. Again, the omnibus is over 1,000 pages but it is definitely not a hard read and it really does fly by!
This book also has the advantage that, even though it essentially follows straight on, the characters all seem to come into their own a little more, presenting much more maturely and facing the problems of the outside world as adults rather than the petty middle school childishness that went on in books 1-4. I found this made all of the main characters far more likeable, and when coupled with their individual moments in the spotlight, made them all more well rounded too. They probably could have done with a little bit more development to really flesh them out as they don't come across in my head as vividly as others, but they're engaging enough for you to envy Rory her position, and to recoil from the barons.
The chemistry between Rory and the boys cranks up a notch here, with the appeal of each only improving as the story progresses. This book has helped me understand the appeal of the reverse harem, although I'm still trying to get my head around the logistics of four guys at the same time, especially with no crossing swords... may need to go back and read those bits again... 😉.
There is what feels like a little bit of catastrophising social commentary within (well, maybe it's not catastrophising if it feels like we're heading that way!), but it's also a great illustration of the power of people, young and old, when they band together to take a stand about issue they believe in and the way the power of the minority in charge could be brought to bear on those who disagree. In some respects, I felt that this element was glossed over a bit too quickly, which detracted from the effectiveness of Rory's machinations. Likewise, the ending felt somewhat rushed and a little bit of a disappointment after the long old build up; it all just slotted into place a little too quickly and neatly.
Overall, I prefer this book to the first one, but the series as a whole was well worth a read and I'm definitely making sure the author is on my list to go and meet at RARE25!
As before, the pace is very quick, with the whole story really being more than the sum of its parts. But what I liked about this was the various elements of uncertainty throughout. The author has done a fantastic job at keeping the options open every step of the way, so that it's completely possible for the various scenarios to have multiple outcomes. I found myself wanting to keep reading so I could get all the answers, from whether all of the pentacle would make it to the end and would there be a HEA, to whether certain characters would turn out to be heros or villains. Again, the omnibus is over 1,000 pages but it is definitely not a hard read and it really does fly by!
This book also has the advantage that, even though it essentially follows straight on, the characters all seem to come into their own a little more, presenting much more maturely and facing the problems of the outside world as adults rather than the petty middle school childishness that went on in books 1-4. I found this made all of the main characters far more likeable, and when coupled with their individual moments in the spotlight, made them all more well rounded too. They probably could have done with a little bit more development to really flesh them out as they don't come across in my head as vividly as others, but they're engaging enough for you to envy Rory her position, and to recoil from the barons.
The chemistry between Rory and the boys cranks up a notch here, with the appeal of each only improving as the story progresses. This book has helped me understand the appeal of the reverse harem, although I'm still trying to get my head around the logistics of four guys at the same time, especially with no crossing swords... may need to go back and read those bits again... 😉.
There is what feels like a little bit of catastrophising social commentary within (well, maybe it's not catastrophising if it feels like we're heading that way!), but it's also a great illustration of the power of people, young and old, when they band together to take a stand about issue they believe in and the way the power of the minority in charge could be brought to bear on those who disagree. In some respects, I felt that this element was glossed over a bit too quickly, which detracted from the effectiveness of Rory's machinations. Likewise, the ending felt somewhat rushed and a little bit of a disappointment after the long old build up; it all just slotted into place a little too quickly and neatly.
Overall, I prefer this book to the first one, but the series as a whole was well worth a read and I'm definitely making sure the author is on my list to go and meet at RARE25!
November 20, 2024
Amazing Ending
Title: Royals of Villain Academy Books 5-8
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 5-8 of the Villain Academy series
POV:Rory, Jude, Malcolm, Connar, Declan
Steam Level: toasty at times
5/5
An excellent end to the series. The tension and stakes keep ramping up throughout this series, especially these last four books of the series. I wasn’t sure what would happen but, given everything that happened, I’m glad it was the way it was (how’s that for cryptic?). I was especially engrossed in the final two books - ripping through them to see what would happen next. I was happy with the very end (epilogue not explicitly stated as an epilogue) but would also have loved another epilogue further in the future. While eight books was longer than I expected to read I found myself not wanting to say goodbye to theses characters. Definitely worth the time investment.
Book 5: corrupt Alchemy
POV: Rory, Jude, Malcolm, Connar, Declan
Wow What a rollercoaster. Corrupt Alchemy starts off right where the previous book ends. The race is on to see if it’s true and a race to find a location and mount a rescue. I like that we get to see more of Malcolm as this book progresses.
Book 6: Foul Conjurings
Rory, Declan, Malcolm, Jude, Connar
The insanity continues in Foul Conjurings. As one problem is “solved,” another presents itself.
Book 7: Grim Witchery
POV: Rory, Jude, Declan, Malcolm, Connar
Oh my. The intensity of this story is growing and growing. Quite a few secret are revealed in this book but then several more come about. I’m super excited to see how the events that are set up at the end of this book play out. I’m also excited to see how this series will end.
Book 8: Vicious Arts
POV: Rory, Declan, Connar, Malcolm, Jude
Holy wow was this book intense. It was one giant climax that continued to build and build with intensity. Amazing ending that made the time spent reading this long series well worth it.
Title: Royals of Villain Academy Books 5-8
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 5-8 of the Villain Academy series
POV:Rory, Jude, Malcolm, Connar, Declan
Steam Level: toasty at times
5/5
An excellent end to the series. The tension and stakes keep ramping up throughout this series, especially these last four books of the series. I wasn’t sure what would happen but, given everything that happened, I’m glad it was the way it was (how’s that for cryptic?). I was especially engrossed in the final two books - ripping through them to see what would happen next. I was happy with the very end (epilogue not explicitly stated as an epilogue) but would also have loved another epilogue further in the future. While eight books was longer than I expected to read I found myself not wanting to say goodbye to theses characters. Definitely worth the time investment.
Book 5: corrupt Alchemy
POV: Rory, Jude, Malcolm, Connar, Declan
Wow What a rollercoaster. Corrupt Alchemy starts off right where the previous book ends. The race is on to see if it’s true and a race to find a location and mount a rescue. I like that we get to see more of Malcolm as this book progresses.
Book 6: Foul Conjurings
Rory, Declan, Malcolm, Jude, Connar
The insanity continues in Foul Conjurings. As one problem is “solved,” another presents itself.
Book 7: Grim Witchery
POV: Rory, Jude, Declan, Malcolm, Connar
Oh my. The intensity of this story is growing and growing. Quite a few secret are revealed in this book but then several more come about. I’m super excited to see how the events that are set up at the end of this book play out. I’m also excited to see how this series will end.
Book 8: Vicious Arts
POV: Rory, Declan, Connar, Malcolm, Jude
Holy wow was this book intense. It was one giant climax that continued to build and build with intensity. Amazing ending that made the time spent reading this long series well worth it.
October 2, 2024
Absolutely loved it! Great read and conclusion!
I absolutely loved these stories! This is the 2nd half of the series with the four books collected in one and you are definitely going to want to have read the first 4 books in the series as well as go from one book to the next. There is plenty of action and intrigue as we watch things develop for Rory with her men and the Fearmancer world. She is dealing with a lot and a lot of changes as she continues to be herself but also trying to figure out what is going on with the Barons and what their large plot is. She is also dealing with the fact that her mother is alive and needs rescuing as she has been held by the Joymancers all this time. She has something starting to brew with Malcolm as he has stopped trying to attack her and made it known that he is sorry and his bullying is over to her and is now standing up and by her side in public. There is a lot of trust that still needs to be built with him but he is ready to step up for that. I loved how she made it known that she was willing to see where things go there but she was not willing to give up her other relationships with the other Scions that she had. I loved watching those continue to build with each other as well. They continue to start seeing things from a different perspective and it allows them to build a stronger and stronger team between themselves. This story had me engaged from beginning to end and I truly enjoyed reading the entire series and watching everything come together. Very well done and can't wait to read more in this world and by Eva Chase.
I listened to the audio version and the narrators did a phenomenal job with all the characters and personalities and having the action and emotions come alive. They really complimented each other.
I absolutely loved these stories! This is the 2nd half of the series with the four books collected in one and you are definitely going to want to have read the first 4 books in the series as well as go from one book to the next. There is plenty of action and intrigue as we watch things develop for Rory with her men and the Fearmancer world. She is dealing with a lot and a lot of changes as she continues to be herself but also trying to figure out what is going on with the Barons and what their large plot is. She is also dealing with the fact that her mother is alive and needs rescuing as she has been held by the Joymancers all this time. She has something starting to brew with Malcolm as he has stopped trying to attack her and made it known that he is sorry and his bullying is over to her and is now standing up and by her side in public. There is a lot of trust that still needs to be built with him but he is ready to step up for that. I loved how she made it known that she was willing to see where things go there but she was not willing to give up her other relationships with the other Scions that she had. I loved watching those continue to build with each other as well. They continue to start seeing things from a different perspective and it allows them to build a stronger and stronger team between themselves. This story had me engaged from beginning to end and I truly enjoyed reading the entire series and watching everything come together. Very well done and can't wait to read more in this world and by Eva Chase.
I listened to the audio version and the narrators did a phenomenal job with all the characters and personalities and having the action and emotions come alive. They really complimented each other.
December 12, 2020
I received a free audio copy of this book directly from the author for an honest review.
I honestly enjoy this series so much it has so many twists and turns it’s picked straight up from the previous book and hearing about her real mother is possibly alive?! It has a definite heartbreaking moments in these books but also a great more depth into character building especially with Malcom and Declan. Our scions characters continue to develop into these incredible individuals and watching their relationships blossom throughout this series has been an incredible journey in itself. This series gets you so involved in all the characters well fairs it’s pretty impressive to see just how much you get engrossed in the story. There’s not just the bigger picture going on though there’s all the little things and politics it’s all cleverly integrated into one big story.
There’s so much to be said about this book so much action and not just the steamy kind! So many twists and plots and I’m not going to spoil them by writing them down but there’s so many moments that have you in shock. There’s danger, suspense and full of it’s full of emotion.. I absolutely have loved this series and will definitely be listening to other books by this author!
I honestly enjoy this series so much it has so many twists and turns it’s picked straight up from the previous book and hearing about her real mother is possibly alive?! It has a definite heartbreaking moments in these books but also a great more depth into character building especially with Malcom and Declan. Our scions characters continue to develop into these incredible individuals and watching their relationships blossom throughout this series has been an incredible journey in itself. This series gets you so involved in all the characters well fairs it’s pretty impressive to see just how much you get engrossed in the story. There’s not just the bigger picture going on though there’s all the little things and politics it’s all cleverly integrated into one big story.
There’s so much to be said about this book so much action and not just the steamy kind! So many twists and plots and I’m not going to spoil them by writing them down but there’s so many moments that have you in shock. There’s danger, suspense and full of it’s full of emotion.. I absolutely have loved this series and will definitely be listening to other books by this author!
September 24, 2023
What I liked:
I enjoy the occasional reverse harem and academy plots. This series was pretty action heavy and didn't spend too much time going into time detailing the intimatcies between Rory and her four men. There were some fun bonus scenes from the male perspectives included in the box set.
What I Didin't Really Like:
It was tough to get through over 1200 pages combined into one box set. I had to break it up and switch to other things between each of the individual four books. It wasn't quite satisfied with how things ended between Rory and her mother. I guess I was rooting for redemption of some sort or at least a more detailed explanation of her mother's motivations for her actions.
Overall:
If you like new adult paranormal romance, you should definitely give this series a try.
I enjoy the occasional reverse harem and academy plots. This series was pretty action heavy and didn't spend too much time going into time detailing the intimatcies between Rory and her four men. There were some fun bonus scenes from the male perspectives included in the box set.
What I Didin't Really Like:
It was tough to get through over 1200 pages combined into one box set. I had to break it up and switch to other things between each of the individual four books. It wasn't quite satisfied with how things ended between Rory and her mother. I guess I was rooting for redemption of some sort or at least a more detailed explanation of her mother's motivations for her actions.
Overall:
If you like new adult paranormal romance, you should definitely give this series a try.
December 31, 2020
This did not disappoint. There were all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, and I really didn't know what to expect! This series really takes you through a whole range of emotions and I really bonded with these characters. It's hard to say goodbye, but they were given a worthy ending. Definitely a series worth diving into and getting lost.
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.
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.
November 5, 2023
Rory and her four lovers had a big battle with the barons to restore peace between Joymancer and Fearmancer. They had to get rid of their parents because they did not want to stop attacking the humans. Barons wanted complete control all over the world. They wanted to practice magic in the open instead of keeping away human eyes. Rory pleaded with her mother to stop what she was doing. Rory wanted peace and did not want anybody to get hurt. She changed her lovers so that they didn't have to hurt humans or their own kind feeding off fear to make them stronger.
September 8, 2024
3.5 Another three books in one ... the ending was a bit MEH considering EVERYTHING they went through to get there. I always find it a bit frustrating when its leading up to some big battle and then the battle is like ONE spell and its over. Major disappointment.
Also, while I enjoy a good old shag in my books by the end of this series, I was just skipping over them. They were literal repetitions of previous acts and also very meh.
Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read when I take those pieces out of the book.
Also, while I enjoy a good old shag in my books by the end of this series, I was just skipping over them. They were literal repetitions of previous acts and also very meh.
Otherwise, it was an enjoyable read when I take those pieces out of the book.
October 13, 2023
Hmm 🤔
Ok I read through all 8 books, back to back....well 7 the last book was hard to get through mostly because of all the repetitive descriptions of characters. And yes everything that happened in the books was great for world building, but the last 2 chapters were the best of book 8.
I enjoyed the entire series, not sure I'll re-read this series. It was good overall and the ending was cute.
Ok I read through all 8 books, back to back....well 7 the last book was hard to get through mostly because of all the repetitive descriptions of characters. And yes everything that happened in the books was great for world building, but the last 2 chapters were the best of book 8.
I enjoyed the entire series, not sure I'll re-read this series. It was good overall and the ending was cute.
November 25, 2023
Love love love
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It was over before I was ready. Rory is a tough FL with a lot of love and compassion. It's a shame that it had to end the way that it did in order for the war to be over. However, I love the ending! I wish we got to see the official ceremony, but I'm happy for her. I recommend this series if you love RH novels with strong FL that doesn't back down for her beliefs.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It was over before I was ready. Rory is a tough FL with a lot of love and compassion. It's a shame that it had to end the way that it did in order for the war to be over. However, I love the ending! I wish we got to see the official ceremony, but I'm happy for her. I recommend this series if you love RH novels with strong FL that doesn't back down for her beliefs.
July 6, 2024
Series is pretty dark with the bullying etc. but descends into straight tragedy territory. It started to drag and I had to push through. There were several missed opportunities where I thought strange behavior would twist the plot and give some depth of character…and then it didn’t. I’m not a spoiler so that’s all I’ll say about that. Even skimmed some of the intimate scenes (the horror 🫣) because it felt repetitive.
January 7, 2025
I really loved the first 4 books & was excited to get into these with all the twists that happened but it fell a little short for me.
In my opinion there were a lot of spicy scenes, too much. That might be a plus for you & that’s cool but for me it was a little off putting. Also the ending felt a little rushed & anticlimactic for all the build up we endured throughout the 8 books.
Overall I’m happy I got to finish it & see what happened with these characters.
In my opinion there were a lot of spicy scenes, too much. That might be a plus for you & that’s cool but for me it was a little off putting. Also the ending felt a little rushed & anticlimactic for all the build up we endured throughout the 8 books.
Overall I’m happy I got to finish it & see what happened with these characters.
December 25, 2020
Eight books into the rebellion and still going strong
The entire series so far is well written, insightful in portraying the growth emotionally of the characters, and the success possible in fighting for your beliefs. Especially those that benefit humanity - magical and non — as a whole rather than dividing. Lessons for our times.
The entire series so far is well written, insightful in portraying the growth emotionally of the characters, and the success possible in fighting for your beliefs. Especially those that benefit humanity - magical and non — as a whole rather than dividing. Lessons for our times.
May 4, 2021
When I read the first boxset, I had no idea that there was another one! The story continues and is still good! A little dragged out in the last couple of books, and the ending was kind of anti-climax after all the books.. I had excepted a bit more..
Still an enjoyable read that leaves me in a good mood but not over the moon..
Still an enjoyable read that leaves me in a good mood but not over the moon..
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