I loved the first half of this book but once the romance started coming in heavier, the world building got lost and it felt like romantic scene then we fight then romantic scene, just over and over.

From the very first page, Vicious Princess grips you with its ruthless rules and icy atmosphere: obey your instructor, remain within the castle walls, and definitely don’t entangle yourself with them. But of course, our heroine breaks one almost immediately, and that sets the entire thrilling story in motion .

What follows is a heady mix of vengeance and desire. The protagonist, the only human in a realm of merciless fae, is driven by trauma and ambition. Her quest for justice is made all the more complicated and intoxicating when a mysterious soldier and one-night encounter becomes her instructor and potential ally. The tension between duty and desire crackles on every page.

This book is a superbly crafted blend of power struggle, steamy tension, and survival in a harsh world. Wilde masterfully balances a fierce, flawed heroine with a brooding, enigmatic love interest, creating a dynamic that’s both dangerous and magnetic.

The pacing pulses with anticipation. From brutal training grounds to the simmering romance, every beat feels charged with intention. It’s clear Vicious Princess will resonate deeply with fans of Fourth Wing or Throne of Glass, offering plenty of dark intrigue and emotional stakes .

Verdict: Prepare to be seduced, unsettled, and utterly hooked. This dark romantasy delivers on vengeance, power, and forbidden desire.

I'd like to thank Vicious Princess for single-handedly getting me out of a reading slump! I was in the mood for a quick-moving plot with a fast, steamy romance and this definitely delivered.

Our human FMC Phoenix moves to a fae world to join an elite fae order (the Ezkai) with the intent to avenge her family's murder. Before she joins the six month training, she has a one night stand with a fae in a closet at a bar, who she later finds out is one of her instructors.

I know, I know, a tale as old as time in the fantasy romance genre, but there's something about the military setting paired with forbidden romance and the superior/subordinate dynamic that hits every single time for me!

In my opinion, this one is more romance heavy than other romantasy books I've read. We also really don't get much interaction with side characters other than Phoenix's one friend Roman (who I adored 😍), so if you're looking for a fantasy-heavy plot or a bunch of fun side characters, this probably won't scratch that itch.

So the vibes all around were great but there were a few things that left me with questions that I hope will get resolved in the next books.

It's not really clear how parts of the plot and setting are connected to each other. For instance, Phoenix's family was killed in the human land and it's not clear how joining the protector unit in the fae land helps her avenge their murder. There were also a few other plot points that seemed like a big deal but then were never brought up again. I'm really hoping we pick all those loose threads back up in the next book.

While the ending gave us a glimpse into the future, I don't think it was the best way to bridge us to the next book. It jumps from Phoenix's POV to the POV of a person we haven't met for the last three chapters. It felt disconnected and a little confusing. I think the ending might have worked better for me if it had ended with the last chapter from Phoenix's perspective followed by the new person's chapters condensed into a 3-5 page epilogue.

All in all, I had fun reading this book and I'm definitely going to keep my eyes out for the next one in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Karolina Wilde for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Vicious Princess was an engaging read that kept my attention from start to finish, even if I suspected from early on that it was setting up for another installment. While the ending wasn’t a huge, jaw-dropping cliffhanger, it left enough unanswered questions to make me eager for book two.
The story kicks off with a surprising spicy scene, immediately setting a bold tone. From there, the plot delivers plenty of action, trials, and a satisfying revenge arc. Phoenix, the FMC, is a standout, strong, determined, and relentless when it comes to achieving her goals. I appreciated her unwavering drive, though I’m hoping the next book ties up some of the loose ends involving side characters.
The romance was solid and realistic, though I personally didn’t connect as strongly with the MMC this time around. He was likable enough and served his role in the story, but the emotional pull wasn’t as strong for me as it was in other books.
Overall, this is a great choice if you enjoy action-packed stories with romance, a fierce female lead, and plenty of high-stakes moments. Expect trials, death, and more than a few morally questionable decisions along the way.

I DEVOURED this book. It seriously had a little bit of everything for me. Phoenix loses her family and sets off to join the elite Order of Ezkai which is mainly composed of the Fae. As a human with extra powers, she needs to prove herself and train even harder than the rest of her class. There is romance, revenge, and lots of secrets. I really need to stop reading books that don’t have the sequels out, especially when this hasn’t even been released yet. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for this and I can’t say how thankful I am for that. I can see this being a very popular Romantasy when it is released. I need more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4-Star Review

Fans of Throne of Glass and Fourth Wing will find plenty to enjoy in this bloody, tense, and forbiddenly heated fantasy romance. Phoenix Wildarrow loses her entire family and embarks on a long game of revenge, determined to keep others at arm’s length—except for her closest friend, Vasquez. That resolve unravels after a one-night encounter in a closet with an irresistibly hot stranger… who turns out to be her professor.

Ezkai Major Daegel Talbot is a dangerously charming, morally grey male lead whose every casual remark could set a reader fanning themselves. The magnetic pull between him and Phoenix crackles throughout the story, layered with banter, tension, and an undercurrent of danger.

The academy setting is brutal—its missions and challenges are clearly designed to weed out the unworthy rather than nurture its students. Phoenix’s grit, determination, and resilience make her an easy character to root for, while Daegel’s complexity keeps readers guessing about his loyalties.

The pacing is swift without feeling rushed, and the worldbuilding, while not overly intricate, is immersive and engaging. However, the ending left me wanting more finality and a stronger transition into the next installment. Key questions remain unanswered: Why was Phoenix’s family targeted? Are they truly dead? How did she survive? What is Daegel’s full backstory? And—most intriguingly—what role will the dragons play?

Despite these lingering mysteries, this is a compelling start to the series—full of heat, danger, and just enough mystery to keep you hooked. I’ll absolutely be picking up the sequel.

Tropes: Dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden mentor/student romance, outsider among fae, revenge plot, scarred warrior heroine, rule-breaking MC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely swept me away from the very first chapter. Set in a vivid military academy for the fae, the story blends intense action, high-stakes training, and a slow-burn forbidden romance that had me hooked until the last page.

Our heroine is a human, carrying the heavy weight of losing her entire family. Her drive for vengeance is raw and believable, and I loved watching her resilience shine as she navigated a world that doesn’t welcome her. The military academy setting was perfectly immersive—grueling training sequences, dangerous trials, and just the right amount of political intrigue kept the tension high.

Then there’s the romance. Her fae instructor is everything you want in a forbidden love interest—disciplined, powerful, and frustratingly untouchable. The chemistry between them is undeniable. Every interaction drips with unspoken longing, every stolen glance feels like a risk, and the secret kisses hidden in shadowed corridors had me holding my breath. The forbidden aspect of their romance makes every moment feel dangerous in the best possible way.

If you love fantasy romance with a strong, determined heroine, a richly built world, and a romance that feels as dangerous as it is beautiful, this is an absolute must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and Karolina Wilde for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Academy has only three rules:
1. Always obey your instructor.
2. Never leave the castle grounds without permission.
3. Don’t ever sleep with your instructor.

She broke one before orientation even started.

I loved the chemistry between Phoenix and Daegel. She comes from a dark past seeking revenge and he definitely comes with some baggage. I loved that their relationship isn’t only romance, but it feels like survival. I loved everything about this book and was mad at how it ended. I will for sure be reading the second to know if Phoenix actually gets her revenge or not.

I loved that some of the flirting in the book was more YA but that the author kept it to an Adult Romantasy. Once this book is released on Aug 25 and you like Romantasy then you need to go READ THIS!

Vicious Princess by Karolina Wilde is a thrilling and intense fantasy filled with danger, ambition, and sizzling tension. The story of a fierce human fighting to survive and gain power among ruthless fae kept me hooked from beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping and passionate read and rated it five stars for its strong characters and captivating plot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.25 – Tense, fast-paced, and full of intrigue

„There are only three rules I have to obey while attending Ezkai Academy. Only three. And I managed to break one before I even started my damn training.“

Phoenix is a human decarios, gifted by the spirits with extraordinary strength, a natural talent for archery, and subtle mind-manipulating abilities. Her dream of following her parents into the royal guard shatters when her family is killed. Seeking vengeance, she crosses into a neighboring fae realm and applies to join the Order of Ezkai, sworn to protection and peacekeeping in Ekios, to gain power and alliances.

But fae view humans as inferior, and Phoenix can only enter the Ezkai academy with no guarantee of selection—assuming she survives the harsh and dangerous training. On the eve of this new chapter, she seeks a final night of freedom and catches the attention of a striking Ezkai in a tavern. What begins as a moment of passion takes a complicated turn when he’s revealed to be one of her instructors—bound by the academy’s strict rules, including a ban on relationships between cadets and superiors.

Tension rises both in the training grounds and between Phoenix and Daegel, whose hot and charming exterior hides more than he lets on—and whose presence carries the grounding, intoxicating scent of a pine forest after rain. Rivalry among cadets, prejudice against humans, and the constant threat of failure add layers to the stakes.

I loved the pacing—swift without feeling rushed—and the worldbuilding, which, while not intricate, is immersive and engaging. The emotional build-up between the leads is excellent, with Daegel as a morally grey, swoon-worthy MMC and Phoenix matching him in complexity. The ending, however, felt a bit swift, leaving significant questions unanswered: Why was her family targeted? Are they truly all dead? How did she survive? What is Daegel’s full backstory? And—most intriguingly—what about the dragons?

Overall, a compelling start to the series with heat, tension, and just the right touch of mystery. I’ll definitely be picking up the second book.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion!

Action, adventure, secrecy and spice! Wilde has created a captivating world with great characters, a fast pace and gripping story. Absolutely loved this read- it’s definitely different from the House of Pain series, but no less brilliant. Definitely looking forward to the next one!

Three rules at Ezkai Academy:
1. Always obey your instructor.
2. Never leave the Castle Grounds.
3. Don’t screw your instructor.

Phoenix Wildarrow breaks one before orientation even starts—and it just happens to be with Major Darrel Talbot, the broody, off-limits fae who becomes her mentor.

Now she’s the only human in a ruthless fae academy, battling through deadly training to join the Order and avenge her family’s murder… while fighting the pull toward the one man she can’t have.

This book is bloody, tense, and dripping with forbidden heat. The banter crackles, the stakes are high, and Phoenix’s grit had me rooting for her from page one. I wanted a bit more depth to the world-building, but the tension and chemistry more than made up for it.

Tropes: Dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden mentor/student romance, outsider among fae, revenge plot, scarred warrior heroine, rule-breaking MC.

If you love morally-gray fae, dangerous training, and romance you have no business wanting… this one’s for you.

LOVED this book!!! I stayed up late on more than one occasion because I needed to know what happened next, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it!!

Phoenix is an incredibly relatable character for me, and watching her grow throughout the book is inspiring. This story is a mix between Fourth Wing academy training, Throne of Glass solo female bada$$, meets a whole new world full of violence, revenge, and spicy scenes.

It was well paced, slow burn, amazing book boyfriend, and a sassy archer bow. The ending has me a little confused, but I’m glad there is at least one more book on the horizon to fill in the gaps.

If you are on the fence, you MUST read it! All the feels!

I really wanted to like this book more. It has elements of things I really like but I think it needs a little more polish.
I loved the academy setting, the detailed locations and thought behind the magic systems, and the characters. I think the plot needs a little more meat to it- why are the proposed villains bad other than we’re told they are? There are good characters that I suspect we’ll find out are bad based on our tavern owner’s comments, but we never hear from her again. We also get introduced to a pirate early on that we never hear from again and we spent a good chunk of a chapter with him. I suspect we’ll hear from V and the tavern owner’s again in book two but they would have been great foils to everything we are taught at the academy to make us understand the real politics of the world. This book feels like it will have a great deal of political intrigue but we don’t have the details to follow it or draw us in.

I devoured this book!

I loved the military school/bootcamp setting. I liked the revenge-motivated master archer Phoenix, but I didn't completely buy the lustful love story between her and the good-or-bad-guy Daegel.

We'll definitely be hearing more about organized crime and corruption in the future. I can't wait...

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early review copy.

Honestly this book is boring. it follows the exact same storyline as about a million other books on the market at the moment, and doesnt have any stand-out qualities. i got to 45% before i DNF'd and i really did try to like this book but when reading i noticed that all fae were the same but had extra complicated title that means fae for no reason. overall this book was incredibly boring and i wouldn't recommend.

Vicious Princess Honest ARC Review:

4.5⭐️
This is a great read for fans of Throne of Glass and Fourth Wing series.

Phoenix, determined to find vengeance on the King who had her family burned to death in their home, joined Ezkai Academy. This is a Dark Academia forbidden romance. 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!

Thank you Net Galley for sharing this ARC with me.

4.5 stars – Brutal. Sexy. Addictive. This princess is anything but polished.

Welcome to Ezkai Academy, where the stakes are high, the fae are deadly, and the rules? Made to be broken—especially if you’re Phoenix Wildarrow.

Right out the gate, Vicious Princess sinks its claws in with an opening chapter that punches you in the gut. After losing her family in the most brutal way imaginable, Phoenix sets her sights on vengeance. Her plan? Join the elite Order, rise through the ranks, and burn those responsible to the ground. Easy, right?

Wrong. Because:

1. She's the only human in a vicious fae training ground.


2. The Order doesn't want her there.


3. Oh, and she accidentally sleeps with her new instructor before orientation even starts. Oops?



Daegel Talbot—her broody, mysterious mentor—comes with serious baggage and an intoxicating blend of danger and desire. Their chemistry is off the charts, but the tension isn’t just romantic—it’s survival. Failing at Ezkai means exile or death, and Phoenix refuses to be anyone’s casualty.

What makes this shine is the balance of grit and heat. The training sequences are savage. The world is well-crafted with a sharp magic system and political undertones (and dragons, yes DRAGONS). The romance? Forbidden, messy, intense, and deliciously slow-burn. Daegel is all smolder and secrets, and Phoenix? She’s the kind of heroine you cheer for—scarred, fierce, reckless, and burning with purpose.

Sure, a few lines of dialogue flirt with the YA zone, but the tone stays firmly in new adult romantasy territory, with just the right amount of open-door spice and savage fae politics.

Vicious Princess delivers on its promise—brutal fae academy, blood-soaked vengeance, dragons, and a dangerously addictive romance. If you liked Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass, or The Bridge Kingdom, prepare to binge this one. I’m already sharpening my dagger and waiting for book two.

👑 Thank you Netgalley and Karolina Wilde for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Our FMC Phoenix travels across the world wanting to join the ranks of Ezkai to get revenge for her family's murder. The description of the book hooked me in instantly. FMC that wants revenge and Fae warriors that keep secrets are my weakness. I immediately wanted to know what happened to Phoenix's family and why they were murdered. The last half of the book did fall kind of flat. We didn't really learn much about Phoenix's family even though one of the side characters said she knew what Phoenix's parents did. I'm hoping more will be revealed during book 2. The last couple of chapters were also kind of confusing. It took me a while to realize that I wasn't reading from Phoenix's pov anymore. The definitely felt like they would have been better suited for the beginning of the second book.

Vicious Princess is the action-packed Romantasy I needed right now. I was instantly hooked and did not want to stop reading!

Phoenix is the only human at a Fae academy. She’s on a revenge mission, but to succeed, she first needs to undergo training to join the elite Order of Ezkai. Our academy setting has it all: cadet rivalries, intense trainings, spy missions, and of course, a hot Fae instructor.

Phoenix is a strong lead. She’s determined, and her inner monologue is genuinely funny at times, making it easy to connect with her. She has a moral compass but isn’t bogged down by the weight of her decisions. She’s decisive, knowing when to take action and not feeling regret for making necessary choices. However, I wish we got a little more insight into Phoenix’s revenge plans. I don’t think it was established how becoming an Ezkai would help her get revenge other than it giving her “power,” so I’d like to see that explored more in book two.

I liked the romance, especially the instructor/trainee dynamic, but I was hoping to see Phoenix and Daegel’s emotional relationship develop a bit more.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to continue the story!

Thank you NetGalley and Karolina Wilde for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.