Two Halves, One Brian

This is the fourth book in the series. For reviews of the previous books, check out the links below!

• Dark Fae, book 1
• Savage Fae, book 2
• Vicious Fae, book 3

Book Stats

• Series: Book 4 of the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series
• Publication Date: 08/31/20
• Publisher: King’s Hollow
• Format: ebook
• Chapters: 45
• Pages: 700
• POV: 1st person, alternating between multiple main characters – Elise, Dante, Ryder, Leon, Gabriel, & Gareth
• On Kindle Unlimited 🖤

Book Rating

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/ 5

Summary

After the end of the last book, Vicious Fae, we know Leon and Elise are Elysian mates which is super awesome, right?! NO!

I mean, yes, it is. And they deserve each other. But what about our other guys? They can’t handle the fact that their love for Elise seemingly wasn’t enough and that she clearly seems to have chosen who she wanted out of all of them. Dumb boys 🙄

The tension is at an all time high while the boys and Elise all try to figure out what the Hell is going on. She loves them all, but continues to look for Gareth’s killer. She’s also found her Elysian Mate, meaning she shouldn’t want any of them anymore, right?

Not to mention all the tension that continues to arise from the gang wars. Felix continues to bring chaos, causing a large rift between the Lunar brotherhood and the Oscura clan.

Review

Holy Moly. How do these authors increase the tension between characters like this? I thought the last 2 books were tense, but damn. After Leon and Elise had their Divine Moment? Nothing compares to that tension. The anguish, grief, and overall unexplainable pain and stress over that choice is so perfectly done.

Whew!

Okay, pause. Our guys and gal are great, but Ethan Shadowbrook? I immediately loved his character and I hope we get way more of him. That pup (werewolf/Freshman) is cocky AF, attractive, and so damn confident. Maybe he’s meant to just be a side character, I don’t know. I guess we’ll see. But he deserves his own book, please and thank you!

Also, I hope he becomes Ryder’s second in command (Ethan’s words) because Bryce sucks ass.

My favorite part of this ridiculously wonderful story was Leon’s brilliant plan for Elise’s Christmas present. I can’t give any more detail without spoiling, but OMFG it’s so funny. The whole thing. I love Leon the most right now. 😂🖤

Oh and the Kiplings? Total freaks.

And the investigation continues to lead us to some interesting facts… (old details in black; new ones in blue)

Leon – Gareth’s roommate & friend

• had a super rare and expensive white jasper stone that Gareth stole and pawned

Ryder –

• had gotten into it with Gareth after asking if he’d chosen a gang (Lunar brotherhood or Oscura clan) & Gareth said no, he wouldn’t be joining either – took Gareth’s room
• later Gareth asked to do odd jobs to earn some money. Ryder initially said no, but eventually agreed
• Ryder makes it clear he knows what’s in Killblaze, so Elise assume he’s the one who creates or sells it – he’s a basilisk and they’re immune to all poisons, but can detect all ingredients in one. He tries it to see what it’s made of
• The recording showing King’s and Ryder’s affair was recoreded by Gareth for Dante, to prove King was failing Dante on purpose. Ryder had Gareth make a magical bargain with him that he would find out who recorded the video.
• King, in order to reduce her own charges/sentence, threatened to tell Ryder that Gareth was the one who recorded the video. Unless Gareth collected helpful info to take Ryder down
• Ryder learns that Gareth has been following him and that he’s the one who recorded the video of him and King. Ryder and Gareth fight, but Dante shows up and saves Gareth. Ryder tells him that he better never cross his path in the dark because the brotherhood has him marked

Dante –

• asked Dante to do odd jobs to earn some money. Agreed
• Dante had cut Lorenzo off from the pack until he cleaned up, getting off Killblaze. He had to stick with his decision, but wanted Gareth to be Lorenzo’s friend, helping him break the habit
• Dante had a picture of the magical deal being struck between Ryder and Gareth. He thought Gareth was a traitor and beat him until Gareth explained that he had to get info for the FIB
• Lorenzo needs to be weaned off the killblaze. So Dante says he’ll cut Lorenzo off from his dealers and ensure Gareth is the only one who can provide the killblaze
• he also asks that Gareth keep a closer eye on him by joining the Black Card

Gabriel –

• had gotten into it with Gareth when he accidentally bumped into Gabriel in the hall, knocking his Atlas out of his hands and seeing the large money donations. After Gabriel traps him with his water and earth magic, Gareth decides he’ll learn what Gabriel is hiding so he can bribe him for the money he needs to save Elise
• Gareth had found a hidden file of Gabriel’s, which included 7 different identities. Used this to blackmail money out of him
• Elise finds Gareth’s old burner phone and learns about the blackmail; texts Gabriel from the phone
• Gabriel found out Gareth was the one blackmailing him on the night of the Solarid Meteor Shower. Beat him up and told him he was nothing, then left him alone

Gareth –

• after all the shit he went through with Gabriel, Dante, Ryder, and Leon to earn money, PLUS being a part of the Black Card – he figured the only way out was to fake his own death
• He used magic and his studies to create an extremely lifelike body
• He’d also stolen and hidden King’s book of black magic, the Magicae Mortuorum

Favorite Quotes

• “I’ll always be a monster, baby. I’ll be the reason Fae lock their doors at night in Alestria, I am branded on the inside of my enemies’ skulls and my name will always strike fear into their hearts. But I will also be your monster, if you’ll have me. If you deem me worthy. I don’t have much to give but a blackened heart and a tarnished soul, but they’re yours because…” I took a breath and expelled my deepest truth, “I love you.”
• “You changed your hair,” he commented, like the fact that there was a fake name and date of birth on an illegal document being waved in front of his face was less interesting to him than that. “I assumed you were a natural lilac.”
  I snorted a laugh at the weird comment. “I don’t think there is such a thing as naturally lilac hair,” I replied, wondering if he was joking or being serious.
  His tone literally never changed so I had no idea. “Have you met every Fae that ever lived and asked them about the origins of their hair colour?” he asked mildly.
  “Obviously not, but-”
  “There’s nothing obvious about it. Facts are not as simple as your teachers might like to tell you they are. There are countless possibilities in this world, especially once you take our magic into account and I think it’s foolish to assume that anything we know is the truth.”
• “You’re very good at answering a question without answering at all.”
  “You’re welcome.”
  “Am I grateful?”
  “You tell me.”
• “Tell me everyone who hurt you is already dead or I’m going to need you to point them out, baby,” he snarled, his gaze flashing with bloodlust protectively.