Review – Bully King by J.A. Huss

Bully King; Kings of High Court College #1
(#1 within a series)

by: J.A. Huss

Review Rating:

Review/Synopsis:

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A college age secret society, secret twists, a twist on a reverse harem, and J.A. Huss is the mastermind behind it all.

Enter a world where secrets weigh more than gold. A society that devalues human life, but those without values want to get in.

High Court College is a prestigious college where one reference can make your entire life path. Very few get the chance to attend the elite school, but if you do your life is set.

Cooper, Ax, and Lars have been friends for ages and all three of them want out of the poisonous place they have grown up. Unfortunately, their fathers are three of the most prominent men in town. The Mayor, the Judge, and the Chairman of High Court. The three powerful men control basically everything around them, which include their sons. They have mandated that the three of them (Cooper, Ax, and Lars) would be in charge of the incoming recruits of the secret society of the Fangs and Feathers for the summer. An old society that performs heinous acts throughout their eight weeks together, but will ultimately bring the recruits tighter together once it is complete.

These acts are not your typical hazing or drinking games. These students have money and power and with that type of leeway comes deviousness that only the rich can buy themselves out of.

This bully romance is unlike anything you will ever read. It is also not like a typical reverse harem book either. As J.A. Huss is unlike any typical author I ever read.

When Cadee first appears in the book as a meek and timid heroine. Do not be fooled by her first impression. Cadee is stronger than just about everyone living in the world around her. Her transformation throughout the story is one that will make you smile, but also made me wonder if she has her own secrets to use as currency too.

Bully King is told from two varying POV, but there are lots of supporting characters that make up this world and have an impact on Cadee and Cooper. There is also a lot of secrecy and doubt cast upon the entire High Court College, but I expect nothing less with a Huss book, which really ups the mystery and makes the entire book a page turner.

As this is only the first book in this series, J.A. Huss has left the door open for so much potential on where the storyline can head. I’m looking forward to the next installment and where these characters are going to lead us, especially how they are going to use their secrets to unravel the very fabric of the High Court world.

Synopsis:

Bully boys.
Arrogant tyrants.
Blue-blood bastards.
Call them whatever you want.
Around here, we just call them Kings.

Fancy boats.
Lakeside mansions.
Luxe watches and bespoke suits.
The Kings of High Court College act like Gods.
And Cooper Valcourt is the worst of them.
He is the bully king.
His family owns everything.
And his mission is to put me in my place and send me packing.
But Cooper and I have a history filled with secrets.
And everyone knows that power doesn’t come from having money.
It comes from holding secrets.
And I’m holding one of his.

A very dark secret that can bring him to his knees.

*****

Bully King is new-adult, dark, bully romance from New York Times bestselling author JA Huss featuring boys with power and girls at their mercy. It’s a campus shrouded in lies and a summer rush into an elite society that can propel a poor girl straight into the ruling class.

If… she’s willing to pay the price.

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Review – Ritual by Kandi Steiner

Ritual; Palm South University #5 
(#5 within a series)

by: Kandi Steiner

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Bring on the college drama, I am completely hooked on PSU!! This is one series, like a favorite TV show that returns season after season, I cannot get enough of.

A new year at PSU, for some of the students this is their last semester, or last year. For all of them they may be another year older, perhaps a touch wiser, but they are still filled with lots of our favorite drama. Ritual is layed out, just like the past four books in six episodes where each character gets a POV focus and all of their stories interweave throughout the entire book. Ritual should not be read as a standalone, only read after the previous four books to have the best understanding.

Jess is entering her final semester of college and finally over her relationship with Jarrett. At the end of last semester she was approached by a freshman, Kade, to be his “teacher”. Jess, also known as J-Love had a well known reputation, one she isn’t ashamed of, so once she decides to put that reputation to good use and really getting Jarrett out of her system for good she says yes. What she didn’t expect was catching feelings for Kade in the process.

Bear, the strong, emotional support guy of the group for everyone really struggles emotionally this book. He crashes hard with everything Erin revealed to him at the end of last semester, his addict mother, his brother that is growing up and making decisions on his own, and more. There are things hitting him at all sides and the big guy isn’t sure how to fix himself. His story is truly heartbreaking. He’s so lost and I just want to give him a hug.

Erin has finally come to grips with her past, her mistakes, and everything that happened to her. She’s getting counseling, going to therapy, and trying to make amends to those she’s wronged. Even with all she’s been through Erin finds herself at a point where she’s open and meets someone at therapy. Gavin makes her feel alive, a feeling she hasn’t felt in a really long time.

Ashlei is finishing up her last semester too and working back at Brandon’s company. However, there is a new intern that gives her a side eye and makes her uncomfortable from the get go. No matter how strong her relationship is with Brandon Ashlei has a bad feeling that something is going to happen to mess it up. So she works hard, keeps her focus on work, but also silently waiting for the other shoe to drop.

After coming in second place at the biggest poker tournament of her life, Skyler is actually happier than ever, that is only because she lost to her boyfriend, Kip. Their relationship is strong, but the only sad part is he is attending school in California while she is still in Florida. They do talk and video chat constantly and of all the couples I feel the best about their lasting relationship.

Cassie and Adam is the couple I continue to feel the most angst over, every single book!! I want to smack them every time. Although isn’t there that couple in every favorite show you watch? They have been official now for over a semester because before that they never could seem to get on the same page. However, this semester an ex makes a reappearance which throws a monkey wrench into their perfect bliss and once again you will shout and scream at this duo.

Kandi Steiner really knocked it out of the park with her return to PSU. I was engrossed from the beginning to the very end. I can hardly wait until the next season, there is still so much I need to know!

Synopsis:

Written like your favorite drama television show, the Palm South University series has been called “a mix of Greek meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Friends.” Follow seven college students as they maneuver unrequited love, teacher/student romance, the tangles of “no strings” relationships, love triangles and more. Each “season” has six “episodes,” and just like when your favorite show hits Netflix, you can read just one episode at a time or binge the entire thing. With the perfect mix of angst, emotional romance, and romantic comedy, the Palm South University series is your next guilty addiction.

Drama. Lies. Sex.

Welcome to Palm South University.

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up in South Florida. At a school where fraternities and sororities don’t exactly play by the rules, relationships are bound to be tested. Parties and sex are definitely key ingredients in the Palm South recipe, but what happens when family issues, secret lives, and unrequited love get tossed in the mix?

Follow Cassie, Bear, Jess, Skyler, Erin, Ashlei, and Adam as they tackle college at a small, private beach town university. Written in television drama form, each episode of this serial will pull you deeper and deeper into the world of PSU.

Where the sun is hot and the clothes are scarce, anything can happen.

★ Rush, PSU #1 ➔ amzn.to/2IBgEQX        Rush Review
★ Anchor, PSU #2 ➔ amzn.to/2vLkDXN  Anchor Review
★ Pledge, PSU #3 ➔ amzn.to/2vQ1m5R   Pledge Review
★ Legacy, PSU #4 ➔ amzn.to/2yQDsML   Legacy Review

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Review – Hood River Zero by K. Webster

Hood River Zero; Hood River Hoodlums #4 
(#4 within a series)

by: K. Webster

Review Rating:

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

It is always hard to pick a favorite when it comes to such a phenomenal series, because you can’t get to the end of a series without having to have endured all of the heartache and turmoil prior. With that said Hood River Zero is one my favorites in this series for that very reason. We’ve already had twists, turns, family heartache and so much love between all of the Hoodlums now that we come to the finale, the culmination of everyone else that surround Terrance and Penny, their love story at the center of chaos is silent beauty.

Terrance is still living with the aftermath of a horrific accident. The physical pain, the mental anguish, depression, how to put his life back to together again, etc… We’ve been there through the entire thing on the other side with his friends and family. We held his hand with Cal and struggled through the darkness with Charlotte as Terrance pulled through his coma. The one person who never let him feel weak was Penny and for that Terrance was grateful. It also made him gravitate towards her. He appreciated her most times brutal honesty and somewhere along the way his feelings for Penny began to change.

Penny,  as the youngest English sister, started this series as Hollis’ quirky no-filter sister and with each book became a more prominent secondary character who certainly never took any s**t from anyone. We saw a side of Penny that was honest, but brash, but also in that honesty she cared. She was the one who eventually brought Terrance out of his dark mood following the accident and for that all of his friends are forever grateful to her. A friendship begins between them and then something more. Something Penny never expected for herself as she’s never been attracted to anyone. People annoy her, sounds annoy her, being touched annoys her. So call her surprised when Terrance is the exception to all of those rules.

Out of all of the Hoodlum books, Hood River Zero is the least angsty between the characters. Only in the way that there is no bullying between them, or gang members trying to actively kill them, their love story involves two broken people trying to figure out their place in each others lives. I’m not stating their isn’t drama or angst, I just said this was the least angsty book in the series. K. Webster will not leave you hungry for new adult drama and recall I did say this was the best book in the series, so please do not worry. I tore through this book and could not put it down once I started.

As a series finale, there are so many great hoodlum moments from past characters. Hood River Zero is going to fill you with all the feels and it is by far the book with the biggest heart.

Synopsis:

From USA Today bestselling author K Webster comes a forbidden, friends to lovers romance called Hood River Zero!

Life was nearly stolen from me.

In the blink of an eye, everything changed.

I’m no longer the charismatic, hot playboy Hoodlum.

I’m irrevocably altered.

Damaged both inside and out.

I can’t think. I can’t function. I can’t live.

Not with all this darkness and pain dragging me into unknown depths.

Some days, I wish I never woke up.

But then life takes an unusual turn.

A sweet, sad little girl might be mine.

My dream job is gifted to me.

I have a doctor who cares.

Things are looking up. 

Until her.

One mouthy, bratty, mean beautiful young thing complicates everything.

She sees the darkness inside that I’m trying desperately to hide from everyone.

Pokes. Prods. Infuriates.

This girl won’t stop until she’s touched every scar, both inside and out.

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to mentally heal and be a better man when I have the most unapologetic, unpopular mean girl shining her light into every dark crevice inside me. 

Annoying. A nuisance. Not worth my time.

I’ll shake her off eventually.

She’s nothing to me.

A Hood River zero.

Try telling my heart that…

This is a full-length high school friends-to-lovers, forbidden, and new adult romance with high angst, suspense, and gutting emotion. It’s book four in the Hood River Hoodlum series that all have interlinking storylines. Hood River Zero shouldn’t be read as a standalone and is the final book in the four-book series that gives each Hoodlum a story. The first book in the series is the only MM story. The others, including this one, are MF. The Hood River Hoodlums is now a complete series!

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