Psycho Academy (Cruel Shifterverse) Paperback – February 28, 2023

I devoured each book in the series until I got to this one. Psycho Fae is filled with really cruel scenarios. There were several moments when I wondered if I had read enough to skip finishing the book without losing any critical information. But I am proud to say that I stuck it out and will, with great relief, move on to the next. Kudos to the author who imagined and then wrote these scenes so vividly.

⭐ Rating: 4/5⭐*** IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK #1, #2 or #3, MY REVIEW WILL HAVE SPOILERS ***This book was absolutely unputdownable. Picking up immediately after Psycho Beasts, it thrusts readers right back into the brutal, unforgiving world of assassins, where survival is a daily battle. Aran, our resilient main character, is forced into Elite Academy after Lothaire discovers her hidden power. Despite her reluctance, she has no choice but to adapt—or die. From the start, the pace is relentless, with nonstop action and emotionally charged scenes that made it nearly impossible to stop reading.Aran’s experience at the Academy is harrowing. She's not only trying to keep up with the ruthless training but is also fighting to hide her identity as a woman. The “girl hiding as a boy” trope was executed brilliantly. It added an extra layer of tension as Aran struggled with acting like a cocky male recruit, all while internally battling disgust toward the misogynistic, cruel environment she’s trapped in. There’s a lot of angst and bullying here, and it’s a very slow burn—exactly what I was hoping for. The hatred between Aran and the so-called Kings is intense, and while there are flickers of attraction buried under all the animosity, this is not a romance-heavy book (yet).Aran’s depression and trauma were handled with a surprising amount of nuance. Despite the dark, often brutal setting—including themes of death, gore, torture, bullying, drug use, and emotional abuse—there’s an undercurrent of resilience in Aran’s character. She’s not a flawless hero; she’s messy, angry, hurt, and sometimes barely holding it together. Her dry sarcasm and moments of absurd internal dialogue offered just enough levity to keep the story from becoming overwhelmingly bleak.The relationships between the assassin trainees were hit-or-miss for me. While Aran's friendship with John felt natural after a while, others, like her bond with Horace, felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped. I also wished the side characters from Sadie's trilogy—Demetre, Noah, and Shane—had more impact on the plot instead of feeling like loose ends. However, seeing Sadie and Jinx make an appearance was a real treat and tied the worlds together nicely.The three Kings—Corvus, Scorpius, and Orion—each brought a different flavor of chaos to the Academy. Corvus is the ticking time bomb, Scorpius the unpredictable follower, and Orion the silent, dangerous type hiding a sadistic streak. They are deeply flawed, often infuriating characters, but their complexity made them compelling to read about. Their extreme misogyny was difficult at times, but I have faith the payoff will come when Aran ultimately shatters their narrow views.The plot was engaging throughout, and although there was plenty of dark humor, the emotional moments hit hard. Aran’s internal struggles, her hidden monstrous powers, and the mystery of her lineage added layers of intrigue to the story. The Academy’s motto—“First, we break you. Second, we break you. Third, we break you.”—sets the tone perfectly.One minor criticism would be the "slave" dynamic introduced at the end. It didn’t sit well with me, and I hope it’s addressed properly in future books, because it feels contradictory to Lothaire’s supposed goal of protecting Aran. Still, the setup for the next installment is absolutely delicious. The slow-burn hatred, the promised groveling once the truth comes out, and the inevitable “who did this to you” moment are all things I am eagerly anticipating.If you haven't enjoyed Sadie’s trilogy (books 1,2, &3), I highly recommend reading it first before diving into this one. The references and emotional payoffs are much richer with that background. This book was dark, messy, emotionally charged, and absolutely addictive. I can’t wait to see how Aran’s journey unfolds, especially as the Kings slowly start to realize just how wrong they were about her—and themselves.

Poor Aran has to go through so much in this book. I loved how Jinx and Sadie would continually pop up in her head for her little pieces of sanity. Can't wait to jump into the next book!

Omg FINALLLYYYYYYYY I WAS SURPRISED BY NOT JUST ONE- BUT TWO TWISTS THAT I DIDNT SEE COMINGGGGGG. This never happens I’m so excited

I love the twists and turns of the plot. I couldn’t put it down because the characters are so captivating

Okay this book is literally crazy and all over the place but in the best way. I literally laughed out loud in some parts because the fmc is funny and I loved jinx. I love that you can still get little bits of her character through out the book.

Honestly it is great that we are getting the same battle from a different POV. Lots of up and down / twist and turns. Read content warnings.

Wow. I thought Sadie was intense.I love that we are getting to see Arans story now. I was hoping she would get her staring role. This book had my emotions a little scattered (in a good way). It's definately an emotional book. There is no break. The punches keep coming and I keep waiting for the break where some good comes along, but it doesn't.Aran is absolutely my soul sister. If I ever became a character in a book it would be Aran. Her sarcasism, wit and outlook on her life is like me. For all the bad that happens throughout the book, there's a good bit of humor. This book had me nail biting one minute and laughing the next.Hoping things get better in the next book for Aran and that she smacks those Devil Kings around!