Very Wicked Things by Ilsa Madden-Mills - Briarcrest Academy #2 - 4 Stars!

Very Wicked Things by Ilsa Madden-Mills

 

Four Dark but engaging stars

Blurb - Born on the poor side of town...

Ballerina Dovey Beckham is a scholarship student at Briarcrest Academy, determined to prove she’s more than just a girl with the wrong pedigree. She does whatever it takes to succeed in her endgame, even if it means surrendering her body…but never her heart.

Until the day she meets him, and he rips apart all her well-laid plans. Suddenly, the girl everyone thought unbreakable might just shatter.

Born into wealth and privilege...

Cuba “Hollywood” Hudson is rich, spoiled, and a star football player. With his fast cars and superficial girlfriends, he lives the high-life, hiding his secrets from the world.

Until the day he meets her, and she offers him something he’s never tasted... love.

But once in a lifetime kind of love doesn’t come easy. When trust crumbles and doubts creep in, both will have to decide to either love or let go... forever.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy, where sometimes, only the wicked survive.

Very Wicked Things is book #2 in the Briarcrest Academy Series; I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review so here goes...

Ok so the good bits...

·         Cuba god swoon!!!

·         Sebastian the beautiful background on this book can’t wait for his story.

·         Dovey she’s a bit odd but definitely engaging.

And the not so good bits...

·         This is all a bit dramatic for high school!!!

Ok so I read book #1 in this series Very Bad Things and I really enjoyed it, book #2 Very Wicked Things has been on my TBR list since it was released so to get a review copy was proper happy days for me!!!

On the outside this is an average high school drama, the jock and the unpopular outsider fall in love yada yada we have all heard, seen and read it before.

What this book adds is the darker side of humanity, the harsh realities that can lurk in the lives of both the rich and the poor.

I love that this is dark and gritty; I mean hell Dovey is only very young but she has seen and lived more than the majority of adults.

This isn’t really a love story the love has happened in the past this book is more about the hurt and desperation that follows them breaking apart.

I love this twist of the classic high school drama although this is an extremely dramatic high school!!

I loved Cuba he’s far too young for me to be lusting over but I kinda am, I really engaged with him I felt his pain and revulsion at himself and his feelings of guilt over his sisters and mothers deaths.

I will be honest this book is not exactly chemistry filled but I’m not sure it’s supposed to be. I felt the passion in both Cuba & Dovey but it wasn’t really aimed at one another more a passion for escape for Dovey and a passion for self flagellation for Cuba.

I liked this book the issues that both teenagers dealt with were harrowing and gritty and I loved the intensity of the writing.

The prostitution element of this book I felt was uncomfortable to read. I understand why it was poignant especially considering Doveys mother but still she was underage and I wanted there to be some comeback on both the man and her asshole of a father.

 I love that the recurring theme in both books in this series are that family can be found in unconventional places. For both of the female leads in this series they have been let down by their blood relatives and have to find extended family in friends.

I loved how this book ended I’m so glad that they all had a happy ending and I would definitely read any more books that were written in this series.