ebookreview | Entries tagged with author: c.m. stunich

Title: The Secret Girl

Series: Adamson All-Boys Academy #1

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Reverse Harem, Bully Romance, New Adult, Mystery, Academia, Suspense

Date Started: February 22nd, 2023

Date Finished: February 22nd, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.7/5

Sypnosis: Shh, I have a secret.

The sinfully gorgeous members of the Student Council—Church, Ranger, Spencer, Micah and Tobias—can't ever find out.

I already get picked on because my father's the headmaster.

I don't need them to know I’m the only girl, too; I’d rather dress like a boy.

Adamson All-Boys Academy now has its only female student, but I'm not about to be their guinea pig.

Not when there's a secret at this school nobody is talking about. Not when the last female student here ended up dead.

***THE SECRET GIRL is a 90,000 word lighthearted reverse harem/high school bully romance novel with a mystery/suspense twist. This is book one of three in the series. Contains foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual.

Review: An all-boys school.

A murder from long ago.

And a secret someone is trying to keep.

Charlotte is enrolled in an all-boys academy when her father becomes the headmaster. She has been pulled away from her life in California and deposited right into the middle of nowhere, at least that is how she feels it to be. Her boyfriend, Cody, and her bestie, Monica, are far away from her. Coming to the school, Charlotte is given a chance to be one of the first females to attend the academy, but Charlotte does not want to draw unnecessary attention to herself so she decides to dress as a boy named Chuck. Unfortunately for Charlotte, she draws the attention of the Student Council and it isn't long before they start to learn that Chuck is no boy but a girl.

Things get even worse for Charlotte when she starts receiving threatening notes and learns that she really isn't the first female. There had been on there before her. An older sister of one of the Student Council. Murdered and hung up on a tree, Charlotte becomes invested in learning what happened to her and why her life had been cut short.

But someone is trying to keep her from learning the truth. She is being hunted by someone who has attempted numerous times to harm her. Protected by the Student Council, they need to find out who is chasing Charlotte and why.

The boys of Adamson All-Boys Academy were on a far different level than the boys of Burberry Prep. Although they did some bullying, they did not take it to a level of harm. I think that is why I liked them a bit better. They may have been assholes but they were a much better group that could control themselves regardless of the attitude that Charlotte/Chuck doled at them. If this had been the boys of Burberry Prep, well, you would have ended up in a far different situation.

As for Charlotte, I cannot completely compare her to Marnye. She was not the brightest as she should have told her father of what was going on. I think that is the biggest thing I have against her. I think she should have spoken up to her dad and told him of the notes instead of hiding them. I mean, wasn't she looking for a way to return to California? This would have been her best ticket to go back.

I know that Charlotte was suspicious of Monica and Cody but I think there were more hints that I am surprised she did not pick up. I mean, what boyfriend goes to the beach with her bestie? And what boyfriend really spends time with another girl? That should have been a huge red flag for me. And to find them both really too busy would be massively suspicious.

I am giving this story a 3.7 because of Charlotte. This girl is a bit dumb as bricks and though I cannot compare her truly to Marnye, I can say she is a bit up there with her. I will be reading the next book in the series to see if does get better.

Current Mood: creative
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Live to Tell .:. Madonna

katara

Title: In the Arms of the Elite

Series: Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #4

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Bully, Romance, Reverse Harem, High School, Dark, Contemporary, New Adult, Fiction

Trigger Warnings: foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual

Date Started: February 15th, 2023

Date Finished: February 16th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.5/5

Sypnosis: Choose between the rich boys.
I’d rather face the Harpies than make that choice.
How can my four years at Burberry Prep really be coming to an end?
No, Tristan, Zayd, Creed, Zack, and Windsor are everything to me right now.
My strength, my passion, my heart, my empathy, my joy.
Love is a cruel master, but I have no one to blame for this but myself.

***

We fell in love with the charity case.
Idols of the school, the kings of the campus, and we’re nothing without her.
Marnye Elizabeth Reed.
This girl has twisted our world upside down, but the Infinity Club is about to knock us all on our asses.
Big money, political ties, family bonds, obligations: shit is going down at the academy.
The rest of our lives, the rest of her life … it all comes down to this one, final moment.

Review: The end has come.

And so has the final settling of the score.

We have reached the end of the series. The Idols of Burberry have grown on me considerably and I have come to love each and every one of these assholes. They have not been perfect but flawed in their own way. Their lives have changed. Some for good while others have had their whole world shaken and destroyed.

Marnye has still not changed even in the slightest when it comes to character development. She still is dumb, can't make a decision, and it takes her forever to realize that those Harpies are not after just harming her but they want her dead. There have been instances that this theory has come to fruition and yet she either has little brain cells or just doesn't believe it could happen. There were times I wanted nothing more than to reach into the book and smack the hell out of her.

I think she was the only part of the book that actually pissed me off. I had long hoped that she would do some growing up and even gain some brain cells that just did not happen.

But this was a perfect ending to the series. I know I will have to read another series but "Orientation" and I am hoping the female lead is much better than this one.

Current Mood: annoyed
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Promise Me .:. The Cover Girls

katara

Title: The Envy of Idols

Series: Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #3

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Bully, Romance, Reverse Harem, High School, Dark, Contemporary, New Adult, Fiction

Trigger Warnings: foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual

Date Started: February 14th, 2023

Date Finished: February 15th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.5/5

Sypnosis: Share the new girl.
That won’t be easy, will it?
Especially not while trying to keep our thrones in the Burberry Prep social scene.
Marnye is learning to forgive us; the least we can do is protect her.
Let’s see who can make her fall in love first.
This time, there’s no bet. This time, it’s just our hearts on the line.

***

Take on the filthy rich girls—and do it with the help of the boys.
It’s us versus them, and it’s not going to be pretty.
The king of the school, a pissed-off narcoleptic, a tattooed rockstar, a varsity football player, and a prince.
Five guys to back me up, five boys that give me butterflies.
They say they’ve changed their ways; it’s time to see if they can keep that promise.

Review: It's war at Burberry Prep.

Idols vs Idols.

King vs Queen

The winner takes all.

How would one review this book?

On one end of the spectrum, I loved the direction the book took. The Harpies are still after Marnye and are determined to find ways to get rid of her. There was even a point I thought that maybe they would do some damage to her. That is if it wasn't for one of the boys coming to her rescue. I love that they are vying for her love and yet two of them manage to sleep with her.

The rest of the boys cannot do anything about it. After all, they made the deal that they would all try to win her love and if that means two of them manage to sleep with her, there would be nothing more the others can do.

I don't know what to think of Tristen because I don't feel that his character has developed that much. There are some subtle changes but not by much. He is still an asshole and still an emotionless asshole. I can understand that maybe the way he is acting is because he has to play a part. A part that does not make his father aware of what he is doing. I feel sorry for him. Ever since we saw his father harm him. It just hurt my heart to see him. I can only surmise this is what has made him the way he is.

I love the boys. I really do. All of them. I may not be fond of Marnye but I want her to never to choose any of them.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Paralyzed .:. NF

katara

Title: Bad, Bad Bluebloods

Series: Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #2

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Bully, Romance, Reverse Harem, High School, Dark, Contemporary, New Adult, Fiction

Trigger Warnings: foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual

Date Started: February 14th, 2023

Date Finished: February 15th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.8/5

Sypnosis: Break the rich boys.
It’s tricky, but doable.
Jerks like them don’t deserve to rule Burberry Prep.
No, Tristan, Zayd, and Creed are going to pay, and I plan to make an example of them.
Then there’s Zack, the varsity football d*ck. Oh, and did I mention a prince just transferred to the academy? Whatever will I do with those two?
Revenge is wicked sweet; I can’t wait for a taste.

***

Defend ourselves against the charity case.
We’re the Idols of the school, the kings of the campus.
Marnye Elizabeth Reed.
That girl is nothing like the ones we’re used to. We just can’t decide if we hate her … or love her.
She might come from nothing, but she sure is determined to stir up something at the academy.
She says she’ll meet our challenge dead-on; we’ll make sure she regrets that.

Review: I really wish people would stop adding young adult to dark romance fiction. This should never be geared toward them. And this book, even despite the fact the characters are fifteen to sixteen years of age, is one of them that should never be allowed to be picked up by a young adult unless of age to read these.

Now with that out of the way...

This book picks up a bit after the first book. Marnye hasn't quite changed in character. She feels still a bit like she was in the last book - no real character growth. She is vengeful and still in love with the boys which broke her heart. She is still literally obsessed with them and not in the sense of really returning the favor of an "eye for an eye".

We now have a British prince added to the mix. The tenth in line to the British throne. Not one from a country we never heard of but of Britain itself. A bit of a black sheep much like his cousin, Harry. A prince notorious for causing trouble for his family. And now he has been placed at Burberry where he first meets Marnye before meeting the Bluebloods of Burberry Prep. And when he does meet them, he turns them down. He prefers the company of Marnye and her group.

We also have Zack. Much like the Idols of Burberry Prep, he made Marnye's life miserable in the past and though he does try to amend his ways, she is not quite ready to forgive.

But the funny thing is she is willing to forgive others. This made no sense to me. I would have thought she would do the same for him, but it is apparent that she holds a grudge against him no how much he tries to undo the things he has done.

As for the Idols, they seem a bit remorseful but not quite. Some of them even warn Marnye of the plans from the girls. They still have a dislike for her but there are feelings? It was just a bit strange for me especially since they sought to humiliate her in the last book.

But what do I know.

Once again, a bit of plotholes here and there. Some inconsistencies with Marnye like her love for History. I am a big fan of History and I keep books on my Kindle for me to read. You do not see this with Marnye. She never bothers picking up a book nor do we see her joining a History club. All I see is her vain need to join the cheerleading squad.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Give Me The Night .:. George Benson

katara

Title: Filthy Rich Boys

Series: Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #1

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Bully, Romance, Reverse Harem, High School, Dark, Contemporary, New Adult, Fiction

Trigger Warnings: foul language and sexual scenes; any sex featured is consensual

Date Started: February 14th, 2023

Date Finished: February 14th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.5/5

Sypnosis: Break the new girl.
That should be easy, right?
Trash like her doesn’t belong at Burberry Prep.
No, Marnye Reed is going down, and we plan to make a spectacle out of it.
Let’s see who can make her fall in love first.
Bet’s on. Any takers?

***

Take on the filthy rich boys.
They’re the idols of the school, veritable gods on earth.
Old Money. New money. A rising star.
These guys are nothing like the ones at my old school.
I might come from nothing, but I’m determined to be someone, and I won’t let them get in my way.
They say they’ll make my life a living hell; I think they mean to keep that promise.

Review: How the hell is this novel rated Young Adult? I understand the characters are young but this is not something a young adult reader would be allowed to touch by parents. I think the young adult genre should be removed.

I have no idea exactly how I really want to rate this book. Mainly, I find the Female lead to be rather stupid, never bothering to question things, and blinded by the idea of being part of something she should be awry over.

Marnye Reed has managed to do something only others dream of - win a scholarship to one of the most prestigious schools, Burberry Prep. This is the school where the creme de la creme of the filthy rich send their children to learn. This is also a place where the rich feel that the lower class does not belong and Marnye is one of those cases. They call her Charity, Working Girl, and other tormenting names. She is never really accepted and worse is that the Idols of the school have targeted her. They abuse her and treat her like garbage but Marnye tries not to conform to their world. But as she tries to fit in, the bullying is ramped up and the Idols draw bets to bring down Marnye Reed.

I am trying to really understand Marnye's way of thinking. She manages to get two friends in this school and she ends up betraying them just because she lost some gambling bet. If I had been Miranda I would never want to be her friend ever again. This is a betrayal that would cut me deep and would make me never want to trust Marnye again.

The Idols are young boys of fifteen and yet they already rule a school they haven't been to? Is there something I may be missing? I can only surmise their legendary ways started in the other school but there have been points in the book where they didn't really earn it because their parents were Idols.

I loved the premise of this novel because I have become a sucker for Bully Romance and Enemies-to-Lovers stories, but again I don't know how to feel about this one. I am just stuck on rating it.

Current Mood: moody
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: 4 Minutes (Dubtronics Over 7 Minutes To Save The World Remix) .:. Madonna

katara

Title: Devils' Day Party

Author: C.M. Stunich

Genre: Dark, Romance, Academia, Fantasy, Erotica, Young Adult, Adult, Reverse Harem, Contemporary, Time Loop

Warning: Drug use, Suicide

Date Started: January 13th, 2023

Date Finished: January 13th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 4/5

Sypnosis: I crashed my shitty yellow VW Beetle into Calix’s Aston Martin.
To be fair, he deserved it.
But Calix and his friends, Barron and Raz, they don’t see it that way.

Not that it matters.
They’ve bullied me for years, and I’ve never known why.
At least today, they have something real to be pissed about.
All of which would be fine, if today was a normal day.
But it’s not. It’s far from normal.
My mantra has always been: this too, shall pass.

But not today.
Not the worst day of my life.
Hot bullies, busted cars, and pain.

Somebody kill me now.

Review: Imagine having to live the same day over and over again, but changing something each time.

Karma's life ends up in a time loop the moment Devil's Day arrives. She runs her car into one of her bullies and things just escalate from there. Even worse, every morning thing resets and Karma is forced to make changes each time and this changes the dynamic between herself and her three bullies. As each timeline changes, Karma learns that each one of her bullies has been hiding something from her and it begins to change everything she thought she knew. Now Karma has to find a way to stop the time loop and stop someone from dying each time.

So, this book is one of my favorites for the new year. I ended up gobbling it up one night and I seriously was hoping that there was more. I wanted to know about the boys. Everything with them changes each time and some even have slight memories of those time loops.

Karma and her friends are my favorites. I love how the changes in their relationship begin to change and I enjoy that her circle changes as well to try to include others such as Pearl. I felt so sorry for her because of her own situation and I think Karma trying to fix the things in her life by offering an olive branch is wonderful.

I also love Luke and Alice (I hope I am remembering her right). Alice seems to be the glue between their friendship. She may be pregnant and one of the quiet ones but she does have an impact. It is subtitled but the impact is felt.

This has been my first read of a dark romance where the female lead is not so whiny bitch (okay there are moments she does turn into one). I like how the impact of the time loop changes her in different ways.

I will be reading more from this author in the future.

Current Mood: annoyed
Current Location: The Underworld