Sooo it’s like zodiac academy for the elite but dark af.

I think that’s a good way to put it. But also has Harry Potter vibes.

There’s secrets, romance, spicy everything you need for a dark world to get lost in.. and guess what? You’re gonna want more

This is me forcing myself not to spoil! Add to your tbr and get lost in this world!

So thank you you to NetGalley for this opportunity to read rate and review this independently published arc which will be available 8/26/25!

It’s another academy romantasy book being compared to the uber popular ACoTAR, Fourth Wing and Weirdly Kushirl’s Dart. Did it meet the hype of those novels? In my opinion no but I can see where the similarities could be drawn I guess.

The absolute epic part though is the fact that the author provides a pretty in depth glossary of her world right at the beginning which I love. It’s a human and fae story. Nix’s family is unalived by the Order of Ezkai so naturally to savage her siblings and parents she joins the Ezkai academy with 2 goals 1.) Join the legendary order of ancient soldiers. 2.) climb the ranks and gain the power needed to avenge her family. But first she must survive six months of training or be kicked out and never able to rejoin. There’s spice in this. On page. In fact the first chapter just jumps right on into it. The banter is funny. The push and pull between Nix and Daegal is awesome. Overall it is a pretty decent debut. The world building is easy to follow but not like it takes a second seat to the spice that is in the story. So for those just looking for a spice heavy plot this one is leaning towards plot with spice sprinkled in which is what I dug about this.

I recommend this. It was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Vicious Princess was such a fun read! I couldn't put it down and was absolutely hooked by the first chapter, it starts off with a bang and some spicy spice, I love when a story gets right to the point.

Phoenix Wildarrow is our fmc and right away this one begins with a tragic loss to her; she goes to the fae lands and attends Ezkai Academy for revenge against the King who had her family burned in their home- the academy is basically a fae military school. But she unknowingly breaks one of the 3 rules of the academy before even starting her first day, without knowing who our mmc is at the time (no sleeping with or having romantic relationships with any of the trainees or instructors) but like come on, I would have too- once you meet Daegel our mmc you will understand 😍 I adored Phoenix like so much, I love seeing her character progress throughout. She is determined, and strong willed, never gives up, she is my new woman crush.

Now we need to talk about Daegel, this mannn ugh. He is hot and dangerous and powerful. I would love if this man was my instructor, the tension between him and Phoenix is so hot, and undeniable, the way he trains her and makes sure she's ready for whatever comes her way. He will definitely have you swooning and giggling. I adore the whole forbidden, teacher x student vibes.

The world that Karolina built is amazing, you have no idea who you can trust in this one, there's hilarious banter, it is action packed from the start, there's dragons but we don't know much about them yet! There are even dwarfs, fae and humans. It's pretty spicy but the plot is steadily paced, the side characters were fun too, basically this romantasy has everything you need! I loved everything about this, so well done! I can't wait for book 2!

Trainer trainee in academia setting - action packed and kept me interested throughout the entire book. Felt a little too insert romantasy trope at times but still had some good plot twists and unique moments.

Ooops, so this book lasted me a single day 🫠 Sigh.. i do love a book that gets straight to business. Straight off the bat, this book sees the most tragic loss for our FMC that sets her on a brutal path for revenge.

Nix (Phoenix) flees the human lands after the tragic murder of her entire family, which was ordered by the human king. She travels to the Fae lands in order to join the Ezkai in hopes of gaining the power needed to exact her revenge. Upon her arrival, she is forced to become an Ezkai cadet, with no guarantees of being offered a permanent position after her graduation. That's if she makes it to graduation. For the next 6 months, she has to work harder than ever. She needs to make a name for herself. She needs to be seen by the right people to make sure she secures her place. Because failure isn't an option, it means exile. It means death. With the prejudice from the other fae cadets, this isn't going to be easy, but Nix has an iron will, and she won't go down without a fight.

A steadily paced but to the point plot, with amazing world building, a dreamy 'against the rules' love interest, and a "F*uck this, i will kill you and help your friends look for your body" Fmc, you can't not bet on the Vicious Princess. Such a good read. What's best is that the next in the series is currently set to be released at the end of January 2026, so there isn't a ridiculously long wait to continue Phoenix's story.
(Karolina Wilde, the 16th is a great day to release Blood Queen, not that it's my birthday or anything 😉😉 it's just a lucky day) Regardless, I will be one of many that is looking forwards to getting their hands on it first!

*** Thank you to netgalley and to the author Karolina Wilde for the ARC, I wish you the best and look forward to reading your other works. The above review is my honest opinion and has not been influenced in any way.

When browsing NetGalley I immediately requested this one. The cover drew me in and the story kept me there and I read it in one sitting.

It’s set in a Fae Military Academy where our human FMC (she is sort of magic) is trying to join the ranks to get skills and power to get revenge on the people who killed her family.

There are three rules at the academy. One being don’t sleep with staff. She broke that one before she started (without knowing who our MMC was). Totally worth it if you ask me because 🔥!

I love Phoenix. She is determined, decisive and does what she needs to do to get she needs to be but still keeping her morals. The whole stuff with the bow. Loved it!

I really love Daegel. Dangerous, sexy and definitely someone I’d want as instructor! I love his backstory and how he knew it was against the rules but they struggled to keep their hands off each other. The spice was spicing but the tension was there every time they were together.

The academy was tough. Real life missions weeding out the weakest. I loved how the 5 different departments made requests for the candidates at the end. I’d want spy or executioner!

I can’t wait to see where this goes in book two and to see how Phoenix and Deagels relationship develops.

4,5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice level 🌶️🌶️.5


ARC read through NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley & karolina wilde for allowing me to read this arc for an honest review.
Publication date : august 26

This is a great read for fans of Throne of Glass and Fourth Wing series. This is so much like fourth wing.
I absolutely loved it!!


Phoenix, determined to find vengeance on the King who had her family burned to death in their home, joined Ezkai Academy. This is a war college. There are humans, fae, dwarfs and dragons. Umh they are fighting an underground cartel-ish.
You don’t know who to trust. Who is the enemy. And which cadets will get to graduate..
phoenix is the only human attending and this girl is a badass!

Honestly, I read the summary and the book is SO much better than it appears from the brief description.
The characters are complex. The world building is interesting. Side Characters are entertaining. The atmosphere is intense.
I really enjoyed reading this. If you like Romantasy, this is a fantastic addition to your TBR!

See you in the next book, princess!

Thank you again NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me.

4⭐️/5 ⭐️
2 🌶️/5🌶️

Military academy? Forbidden romance? Count me in.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Phoenix and her fierceness. Daegel is hotttt. I mean an instructor and his student? Absolutely. It is your typical Romantasy and the plot, while fairly entertaining, is a bit predictable. The vibes are great though and such an easy read! I read it in like one sitting. If you enjoyed Fourth Wing or Cursed Legacies (but without the reverse harem), this would be a great read for you!

Also if you are confused after the time jump, I am right there with you. Needless to say - will be reading the second one.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

First off, I'd like to thank Karolina Wilde and NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to read this book.

Now the first 10% of this book went really slowly for me, but I am really happy I stuck with it, because once it picked up, it had me hooked.

Phoenix is, in my opinion, a fairly capable FMC; she gets stuff done in a realistic way, I feel. She was not the best at everything, and we do see her struggle at some points; however, because of her determination and hard work, she does get where she needs to be. The only thing that bothered me is that she is kind of hypocritical when it comes to her and Daegel. Girl, you cannot expect the man to tell you everything and hold stuff back yourself. I feel like this might come and bite her in the ass.

Daegel, yes please, I need more of this man. He knows what he wants, and he will not stop till he gets it. Yes, he was keeping her in the dark at first, but when it came down to him losing her or opening up, the man laid bare his soul for her. So props to him!

I love love love Roman. Was he perfect? Nope. But I felt like he injected some much-needed humour and lightheartedness into the book.

Now let's talk about the world; the book has fae, humans, dwarves, dragons, and even stubborn weapons with their own minds. There was a nicely struck balance for me between info dumping and letting us experience the world through the FMC's eyes.

Diving into this Advanced Reader Copy was a delightful experience that earned a solid 4 stars from me! This novel introduces a vibrant world filled with unique species, characters, and lands, brimming with creative potential. While it had a few bumps along the way, its engaging moments and emotional depth made it a worthwhile read.
The names of the species, people, and places are strikingly original, though they can be a bit challenging to wrap your head around initially. A little time and patience help you settle into the world’s distinct flavor. The main female character (FMC) starts off with a bratty and somewhat ungrateful attitude, which might not click with every reader. However, her growth throughout the story adds depth, making her arc one to root for by the end.
One aspect that didn’t quite land for me was the blend of modern terms and occupations in what feels like an older, historical setting. This mix often felt jarring, pulling me out of the immersive world. The writing style, while energetic and accessible, occasionally comes across as immature, which might not suit all tastes. That said, the story truly shines when the FMC enters the academy—what a turning point! From that moment, the pace picks up, and I was hooked, eagerly turning pages to see what happened next.
The line “If I fall, nobody’s there to catch me” struck a deep emotional chord, showcasing the book’s ability to deliver heartfelt moments that linger. These poignant touches elevate the narrative and make it memorable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even with some mixed feelings about the setting and writing style. The academy arc and emotional resonance make it a strong contender, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy a creative world with a slow-burn start that builds to an exciting payoff!

Seriously, I just finished Vicious Princess and I'm obsessed! 🤩 This book is giving all the Fourth Wing vibes but with even more delicious forbidden romance. Our heroine is a total badass, the only human among brutal fae, and she's got revenge on her mind. But then she hooks up with a hot, mysterious soldier... who turns out to be her instructor! 🥵 The tension, the forbidden longing, the training montages – it's all so good. If you love high-stakes fantasy, enemies-to-lovers (or rather, one-night-stand-to-forbidden-instructor), and a heroine who fights for what she wants, you NEED this. Trust me, you'll be devouring it! ❤️

She lost everything to betrayal, and she’s determined to do whatever it takes to gain a foothold and the power that she needs to enact REVENGE.

This book has everything that you could possibly love, it had a very familiar vibe to it and it honestly had the potential to be something epic, but it just fell a little flat along the way. There are some amazing bits about this book, the military school vibe gives you exactly what you’d expect and the story is interesting. It follows Phoenix, who lost her entire family and now she’s looking to join the Ezkai in under to seek her revenge.

She never expected to fall in love along the way. In fact she was actively avoiding it.

And

Of course, her love interest is her teacher, the one person she shouldn’t be with as per the rules of the academy she’s joining. Oh yea, she’s also the only human, and everyone hates her.

The pacing for me was a little hit or miss, it paced beautifully and then would fall out of sync then pace beautifully again, i don’t feel lt was overally rushed, and the action was action and fun and exciting, it just didn’t seem to go anywhere.

The main theme of the plot, which is that of revenge, sort of also goes nowhere, and yes, its book one and she needs to actually gain that foothold of power, but it just feels like it’s forgotten until every now and then she brings it up. And also for someone who moans about the mmc keeping secrets she sure does keep them herself. Typical.

Speaking of the MMC he’s honestly great, he’s complex, he has secrets about him, and he’s hiding a lot of things, and there are things scattered around the book that could lead somewhere in the next book that’s going to add more depth. Their relationship also seems to develop quite quickly as well, without any real buildup, but, it doesn’t overly detract from anything; their relationship is good, it just feels lacking. For two people who shouldn’t be dating they both don’t seem overly concerned about potentially ruining their lives in order to do so.

The ending….What was that?

Seriously.

The ending felt very much like the end of a series.

Then we have that last chapter, and I was scratching my head trying to figure out what was happening, mostly because this book is written in first person, and yet this last chapter slips into another pov, without warning, without any indication really that this person is different to who we’ve been reading. It just felt very jarring. The chapter was needed to pull in the intrigue for the next book, but, i don’t think the chapter as it was, was needed and kind of made me not want to read the next book. There was def a way to give us the intrigue without that chapter imo.

All in all, it’s not bad, but it’s also not as great or epic as i was wanting. There is also enough things and excitement and plot hooks, small as they are, scattered throughout the book that does make me want to read the second. I just found myself wanting more.

This is a great start to an academy romance. The MFC, Phoenix is a brave and determined character with her own motives to fulfill. Daegel, the MMC is her teacher/mentor who is a shameless flirt with secrets to keep. Roman is a great side character who is kind and entertaining, while Kata is the rival you love to hate. The world building is thorough without being too much. The magic system is well thought out and interesting and I'd love to see it play a bigger part in the next book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's an easy read and I'll definitely be eagerly awaiting the next one!

*Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book!

I loved this book so much. It’s your typical somewhat romantasy book but was fun and entertaining, and I read it in one sitting. I can’t wait for the next book to come out because this was so enjoyable.

Our main character Phoenix has been training to be a warrior her whole life, but one day she discovers the king she wanted to serve has killed her whole family by having their home burned down. Her parents and her two sisters (she’s a triplet) have all passed away. She takes her scars and runs, determined to one day avenge them.

The first step; join the Order of fae soldiers.
The second; rise in their ranks to one day be able to face the king.
Sleeping with Daegel and lowkey lying to him wasn’t part of the plan but okay.

But Phoenix knows nothing about the world she’s entering and needs all the help she can get. Luckily, Daegel is very willing to help, since her graduating means they can hook up again.

There are many things to like in Vicious Princess by Karolina Wilde; and there are also the same number of reasons to leave it well alone.

The good news is that it absolutely works for everyone on BookTok and is sure to be a success. Our MC starts off getting some and repeatedly does get lucky throughout the book. She is a hypocrite for sure and full of anger. And she trains hard and fights hard. We also know that the presence of dragons in the first book means that we’ll also see dragons in the upcoming ones, which is great marketing.

We also see Phoenix being immersed in a new culture, which is a great trick for world-building without making it too heavy handed.

That being said, it’s very typical of the genre at the moment, which means at some point everything is like everything else. Does anything about Phoenix stand out when compared to all the other female MCs we see on the market? Not much. Like Fourth Wing, should we really be reading this book very closely? Not really.

It’s a book within a thriving category and it’s good. It’s a fun read. But let’s not expect much more from it.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this!

*Potential spoilers*

The concept pulled me in quickly. The prologue was as intense and pushed me into the story quickly which I appreciated as there is a lot of new language to learn so I was a little worried it would feel slow and overwhelming- that wasn’t the case at all!
I enjoyed meeting Phoenix, a young woman who has trained her whole life to be a warrior but who has also gone through extreme hardship to motivate her. It was refreshing to me to have a female main character who was already on the path to being one of the best and who didn’t have to suddenly learn it because she was thrown into an unlikely situation. To route for someone who already had skill, yet who was determined, courageous and stubborn, was actually great to read.
The things Phoenix has to overcome to become a member of the Order of Ezkai were brutal and challenging.
The romance aspect was well built up, however I wish there were a couple more scenes of Phoenix and Daegal getting to know each other on a deeper level as it felt like quite a drastic shift to love. For me, some of the sexual language used wasn’t for me, but it wasn’t excessive enough to be off putting. For the most part, I felt like these scenes were important parts of moving the story on.
The ending was a little confusing and didn’t quite hit the spot for me. The events felt like a need to try and create a cliffhanger ready for the next book but it didn’t land- I’d have wanted to read the next book anyway to see how Phoenix enacts her vengeance so I feel the ending could’ve been done a little differently.
Overall I think it was an enjoyable read and gave me some Fourth Wing/ ACOTAR vibes while being wholly original. I’d recommend if romantasy is your vibe!

Absolutely Amazing! Shadowed by vengence the MMC puts herself into a fae warrior academy as the only human in attendance. Undergoing threats and hostile cohorts she fights through to prove that humans aren't as weak as the Fae want them to be.

In an environment where you don't know who you can trust. A love-me-hate-me MMC with secrets galore and a covert touch her and die streak makes Daegel drool worthy.

I hope you're prepared for this to be your next obsession because it will bring you in, chew you up, spit you out and leave you wanting for more.

✨Arc Review✨

Thank you to the author Karolina Wilde for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“If you want to survive here, you have to be willing to bleed for it. And she’s already bled enough to drown the world.”

Some books grab you by the throat and never let go—and Vicious Princess is one of them.

Karolina Wilde has delivered a seductive, brutal, and pulse-pounding dark romantasy that doesn’t hold back on pain, passion, or power. It’s the perfect fusion of icy court politics, ruthless training trials, steamy forbidden romance, and a heroine who refuses to break no matter how hard the world tries to shatter her.

❄️ A World Where Fae Are Beautiful—and Deadly

Set in a snow-drenched fae city nestled in icy peaks, the atmosphere is unforgiving from the first page. There’s no warm welcome here. Humans are viewed as lesser, disposable, and May—the human heroine—knows it. The world of Ezkai is elegantly built: beautiful and brutal, with ancient traditions, terrifying magical politics, and a military academy that makes Fourth Wing look like summer camp. Fae magic is seductive, but it’s always sharp-edged—every alliance has teeth, and every smile hides a dagger.

Wilde’s writing immerses you in this harsh landscape with lyrical precision. It’s visual, gritty, and emotionally charged without ever slowing the pace. You feel every blow, every betrayal, every gasp of tension between enemies and lovers alike.

🔥 May: A Human Among Monsters, A Princess in Her Own Right

May is not your standard chosen-one fantasy heroine. She’s not here to be a savior. She’s here to survive—and to take revenge.

Haunted by the murder of her family, scarred both inside and out, May steps into the most dangerous training ground in the realm: the Ezkai Academy. There’s no mercy here. She has six months to prove herself, and failure means more than expulsion—it could mean death.

But May isn’t just tough—she’s clever, vulnerable, determined, and layered. Her heart condition makes her physically fragile, but never weak. Her trauma makes her wary, but not incapable of love or loyalty. And her strength? It’s the kind you earn in blood, pain, and sacrifice.

This is true female rage with purpose—not loud, not showy, but quietly smoldering and ready to burn the world down if needed. She is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling protagonists I’ve read in romantasy this year.

⚔️ Trial by Fire: Romance, Rules, and Rebellion

Let’s talk about the forbidden romance—because holy hell, it’s electric.

Before orientation even starts, May has a one-night stand with a fae stranger who takes her breath away. He’s powerful, intense, and everything she shouldn’t want. And then? He walks into class the next morning as her instructor.

The forbidden mentor-student dynamic is absolutely sizzling, but it’s not just about heat. There’s longing, tension, restraint, and real emotional depth. Power dynamics are questioned and challenged; both characters are grappling with duty, desire, and damage. Their connection is slow-burning in all the best ways—dangerous, magnetic, and impossible to ignore.

And then there’s Detective Ethan Harding—a different kind of love interest entirely. Sweet, kind, and emotionally attuned, he’s the cinnamon roll contrast to the darker, harder edges of the fae world. I loved the softness he brought to May’s story—and I’m dying to see more of his role in future books.

👑 Court Intrigue, Betrayal, and a Taste for Vengeance

There are no clear good guys in Vicious Princess, and that’s what makes it thrilling. Characters like Armeal constantly toe the line between ally and threat. You’ll be guessing at loyalties, uncovering secrets, and questioning motives right alongside May. Even her parents—Janet and Steve—add surprising warmth and support, but I found myself wanting more from their green witch backstory (fingers crossed for Book 2!).

The novel’s pacing strikes a great balance—enough tension to keep you turning pages late into the night, with quiet moments of reflection and connection that let you breathe. Every reveal, betrayal, and bloody trial builds toward a climax that left me reeling—and desperate for the sequel.

💬 Final Thoughts

Vicious Princess is gritty, emotional, seductive, and smart—a romantasy that earns every tear, gasp, and gasp-worthy kiss. It’s about surviving in a world built to break you. About fighting for a future even when you feel unworthy of one. About wanting love, power, and revenge—and not having to apologize for any of it.

If you’re a fan of:

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Gild by Raven Kennedy

The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

…then this book needs to go straight to the top of your TBR.

3.5 Stars

This really started off so strong for me. I was absolutely obsessed with the vibes of this. It was giving all the best parts of the popular fantasy and dystopian books that we know and love. However, I feel like there are some pacing issues with this book that really took away from my enjoyment the more we went on. Everything happens so quickly in the second half of the book. It read almost like the author forgot that there were a handful of plot points that they had established in the beginning of the book and worked as quickly as they could to wrap them all up in a neat bow in the second half. Somehow this book felt very low stakes despite the fact that people were being killed off left and right.

Like I said, the vibes of this are immaculate and I think that if there had been more time taken to expanding upon the plot and the political systems and character motivations it would have been far more successful. Honestly, we didn't need to have our main character "graduate" from training in this book. We could have drawn that out a little longer and I think that would have really helped to solidify how we, as the readers, should feel about our main character and the friends and enemies that she is making along the way. Oh, and the romance. Listen... the romance was SO good at the start. The taboo nature of hooking up with the off limits training instructor... yes please. But it was over too soon. Way too soon. I wish that had been drawn out much longer because the tension was delightful while we had it.

hoenix is a human girl without a home, the king had ordered her home and her family burnt to the ground. Years later and a long distance away she finds herself in the far kingdom to begin her plan of revenge. Having been blessed by the gods and being a skilled warrior she enters into training to be an Ezkai, the ultimate warrior or the fae kingdom. Daegel is a noble fae Ezkai warrior. Phoenix and Daegel meet in a bar one night and hook up in a dark closet and then they part ways much to the chagrin of Daegel. Once training starts, turns out Daegel is one of her instructors and one of the schools rules is no fraternization. Oops. This twisty and spicy tale is about a girl and her dedication to showing she’s the best and rise quickly despite many foes in an unfriendly fae kingdom. Parts may seem slightly derivative, but it’s still entertaining nonetheless and I will definitely be reading the series.