I had a blast reading this book! I'm not much one for mafia romances, but it is about them in high school, so while there is death and torture, it's not depicted as much on screen as I think it would be in adult romances. That it's about 3 guys whose families are various parts of this group, and they are hired to make sure people go to the Ivies of their choice, yeah, that was really interesting!

Fergie is a pretty fantastic character to read about. She's had something traumatizing happen to her in the past, and she's had to leave her life behind, and all her hard work to get into Harvard is worthless. But it's made her stronger, and when these boys try to bully her, she's not standing for it.

She had a different connection with each of the boys, Cassius was the rough one, Victor the protector, and Torsten, the one to bond with being different. They all filled a want in her, which is why that ending, man, I need to know how they're going to resolve that, because that was awful!

One thing that I didn't know going into this book, is that it's a sequel series, featuring the kids of the parents who starred in the first series. So I don't know if I'll go back and read those before coming back to this series or not, because I am a completionist, and I'll read all 6 full lenght books regardless, it's just a matter of what order...

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to continue on with the series!

I made it 40% through and had to stop. I’m in my late 30’s so them being high school students made me feel icky. The main character sleeps with her step brother right off the bat but she didn’t know he was her step brother until after. I feel like I just wasn’t the target audience for this. I do enjoy a good bully romance but I prefer them to be at least a little older lol The narration was great. Thank you to NetGalley and bacchanalia house for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Some parts I really enjoyed though, like the inclusion of various abled main characters. However, the story overall left me wanting. Nothing really gripped me since nothing quite stood out with the plot.

The narration was great though! Everyone did a great job bringing the characters to life and I loved that.

Audiobook 4*
Actual storyline a 3*
Fergie finds herself at a new house with a new family in a new city, and will do everything she can to leave "old Fergie" behind.
Before she knows it she's wrapped up with the most dangerous players in the game, and loving every minute of it. But her new family and friends aren't the only ones hiding things, and soon "old Fergie" is going to be found. And one thing is for certain for the new and improved Fergie, secrets - whether they're her own or her new families - are a dangerous currency in Stonehurst Academy.

A blind heroine!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 🙂🥰😎🤩😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

The heroine: Fergus Monroe (a.k.a. Fergie) - she just moved to Emerald Beach California, to be with her dad after Fergie imploded her life. She had to run from her past life in Massachusetts after “the incident” and move in with her dad and new stepmother Collie, whom she had never met before because he married her on a whim in Las Vegas. Fergie is blind and walks with a cane. She was betrayed by the guy she left back in Massachusetts. She doesn’t want this new life; she just wants her old life back. She feels numb and detached since “the incident.” The good girl in her died that day and a broken girl has taken her place.

The Heroes: Cassius, Victor, Torsten - Fergie’s new stepbrother and his friends. They are the Poison Ivy Club. The do favors for people for a price.
Cassius Dio (a.k.a. Cas) - he wasn’t happy about his new stepsister moving into his brother Gaius’s old room. He has been with hundreds of girls, but never someone like Fergie. He sees Fergie’s dentist father as a gold digger that scammed his mother.
Victor August - he has a twin sister Juliette, who is not a member of the Poison Ivy club, but he protects her and rarely lets her out of his sight.
Torsten Lucien - he is always somewhere else, often with his nose in a book. He is dark and broody and lacks social niceties. He probably has a form of Asperger’s syndrome.

The Story: Things heat up between Cas and Fergie from the moment they meet. They hook up before they even formally meet each other, he breaks the news that he is her stepbrother at a very inconvenient time. Fergie immediately kicks him out and Cas replies that she will never belong. He wants to forget about her but can’t seem to keep her off his mind.

This is pretty standard reverse-harem bully romance. I like the genre, though not terribly much when the anti-Heroes are bullying the heroine. I like it when they redeem themselves and become more of a family. This one was different in that Fergie was blind since she was very young. I liked the fact that she had a handicap, but it wasn’t a handicap at all. She was a champion in martial arts before moving and she goes to regular school and doesn’t need help getting around on a daily basis.

The guys are very hypocritical at times, in that they use women any way they want and treat them badly, but then get mad at their employees for treating women like sex objects, stating that their moral code doesn’t allow them to treat women like that. Though overall, this was a good bully romance, I did like that there was a lot of chemistry between Fergie and each of the guys in separate ways.

There was a bunch of mystery and a ton of secrets. Like why Fergie had to go into hiding. Why she had to erase her history and can’t do things that she used to do like she is in witness protection or something. Also, there is a secret about her stepmother, like maybe she is in the mafia or something. There is a secret about who Torsten’s mother is, it is suggested that she is someone important or influential, but it is also revealed that she is not his biological mother, so their relationship is full of mystery.

This audiobook is told in multiple points of view in dual narration. Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs and Aaron Shedlock narrated it. I really like Angelina Rocca; she sounds age appropriate for Fergie and she does an excellent job. Myles Washington, on the other hand, sounds way too old to be Cassius. His voice is fine, but you can definitely tell he is reading since he seems to pause at the end of every sentence and his voice for female characters is atrocious. Nelson Hobbs does a great job, and I like his voice. Aaron Shedlock is one of my favorite male narrators and is always fantastic as far as I’m concerned.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Steffanie Holmes crafts a gripping tale that has landed her on my "authors to watch" list. I expereinced this story in audiobook format, which for me, enhanced the experience, particularly with its multi-POV narration that brings depth to the characters’ perspectives.

At first glance, the story appears to fit the standard mold of the rich bully/different girl trope, but the author skillfully twists expectations with a few dark turns that kept this reader on her toes. The strength of the FMC is particularly compelling, and as layers of her and her boys' secrets are gradually revealed, we witness her transformation from a guarded individual to someone brave enough to embrace friendship and love.

Holmes wove in multiple complex storylines in the background that hint at a larger narrative, ensuring that readers will be eager for more. The novel is undeniably spicy and dark, so readers should be mindful of the trigger warnings. With its cliffhanger ending, I’m already looking forward to the next installment in what promises to be an enthralling series.

Well first off, thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to the audiobook.

Holy I wasn’t expecting that! Couldn’t put it away and had to finish right away. The cliffhanger!!!

These people are in high school which made me uncomfy even if they are technically of age. I’m also not convinced the FMC is blind. But who am I to say. The narrators were mostly fine except one male voice was awkward.

4/5⭐️ 4/5 🌶️
Spicy and scandalous. This book sucked me in and had me craving for more the entire time. The audio narration was done wonderfully. I am huge fan of narrator when you have so many main characters and it made this book that much better. The main characters had their own style of speaking and the narrators were, able to bring the personalities to life.

This would be considered a high school bully romance, and there is definitely some not so conventional bullying tactics that are used. I would suggest people check trigger warnings. I enjoyed the angst. The author was able to provide in what was gonna happened to the FMC Fergie- will she be a bad ass or will she submit? You hear a lot about “the incident” that uprooted her life as she knew it and had her moving across the country with her dad. You don’t find out with the incident is until about 3/4 of the way into the book, but you can put some pieces together a little bit earlier on. The spice is pretty good and speckles throughout. You do start off the book with a literal bang and then it burns for a while. The book and on the cliffhanger with me yelling at my phone and now I’m going to run to get book two.

Fergie is blind, due to a degenerative condition, which I appreciate the author having a different backstory, but the disability did not always seem accurate in the book. . The author briefly described the parameters of the condition early on in the book but would bring it up multiple times throughout, where it would get a little confusing. There were times the main character said she could “see something“when in a different scene she may have indicated she hadn’t been able to see XYZ. The author did attempt to bring in some of the condition in the scenarios by saying blind people can see certain things, etc. but. It still was a little off-putting at times. Overall, it didn’t take away from the story too much. I just reminded myself that she was blind and left it at that.

I was provided a free copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh boy, where can I possibly begin? I only made it about 25% through this audiobook before I had to put it down. I am very surprised by the high ratings Poison Ivy has received to date. I love a good bully romance, that tension and razor's edge between love and hate is just too juicy, but starting with a sexual encounter immediately deflates the balloon before even blowing it up. I read bully romances to feel something, but the boys seemed to hate Fergie for no tangible reason, so I felt nothing. Actually, that's not even true, what I felt was deep discomfort over having sex within 5 minutes after meeting each other.

**I RECEIVED A FREE ARC OF THE AUDIOBOOK FROM NETGALLEY. THANK YOU A TON. THIS HAS NOT IMPACTED MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. **

*NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
*minor plot theme rant8

Okay.. . . okay. Let us take a moment and digest this...piece of fiction. Let me tell you, this book and I had a wild and rough start. At first, I guess I skimmed over one of the main kink plot things??? That being, the STEP BROTHER. So everything with that particular storyline took a moment for me. But, if I ignored that, then well....this book and I had our struggles. The writing was alright I guess, but the repetitive lines and reiterating of information already known irked me. Like yes, I know he is your stepbrother, yes apparently, you are his 'blind sister'. Oh by the way, while I admire that the author attempted to write a blind character, I do not think she did her justice. Living with form of blindness myself, I can say I did not feel represented nor did I feel like Fergie was a good representation of the blind community. Feel free to disagree with me. But some of the way she describes things, the scenes, the environment, did not feel authentic nor genuine, but maybe that is because a sighted person wrote this, i dont know. I will say she did accurately depict the discrimination and harassment and feeling of 'otherness' people who are blind can experience in school and in the world as a whole. I just think the author herself sometimes forgot the MC was blind. . . .

But the rest of the writing and storyline was fine. The guys were accurately depicted and you could tell they had some defining traits. I definitely had a favorite dude, T man. I did like the narrators for the guys, they did a lovely job. The overall storyline was good. It reminded me a bit of zodiac academy, if you know, tory and darius parent's were bound in marriage. The bullying I thought was not horrible. The sexual tension was pretty good. The spicy scenes were good as well, plenty descriptive. So the storyline and general story ideas itself were not horrid, just pieces were a bit hard to swallow. Also there was depicted SA towards the end of the book, I am unsure if that was in the trigger warnings or not. But they were not in the audio description. . .

Additionally, I do not know if anyone else caught this, but the way she dropped her own name and stories in the audiobooks fergie was listening too was just...idk. Bold? Narcissistic? Annoying? It was something and I literally had to rewind to ensure that I heard it correctly.

The characters were alright I guess. Fergie...she took a minute to get used to. I both disliked her and admired her. SHe just seemed....i dont know. She was almost fearless but then stupid. Like a mix of Bella and Feyre in a way, with a twinge tessa from after. Sweet looking, but wanting the dark d, but also dumb and clueless but also has bouts of usefulness. Idk. she wasnt that best but I guess I appreciate a character like her existing.

As usual, the guys were my fav. I thought they had the most depth, even Cassian. I liked how the author slowly unraveled their layers so we could get to know the real them. I love T man the best. The silent pained type. Victor was a close second though. I would been his queen if I could.

Overall, this was an...interesting story. Definitely not one for the faint of heart or well constructed brain. Please check the trigger warnings if possible. Remember, this is all my opinion. If you want your own, read the book if you dare.

This was just Ok….. I’m sorry.

I didn’t like the male characters much their personalities was so chalk and cheese it was actually unbelievable that they would be friends if it wasn’t for the family connections tbh.

Fergie I didn’t actually like her character either I felt like she just constantly set herself up for disaster and was a very selfish person.
I did like the fact that she was visually impaired as a reader you have to imagine the world you’re reading about so the way she describes everything was great.

I think the plot was there but the characters just didn’t make no sense to me.

Thank you to netgalley and bacchanalia house for the audio book arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of Poison, in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a ride this book was! 'Poison Ivy' is the first book I've read by Steffanie Holmes, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. From the very first page, this story gripped me and refused to let go. Holmes has a remarkable knack for storytelling that kept me turning the pages late into the night.

One of the highlights of this book is the strong female lead, Fergie. She is simply badass! Her character is the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability, and I found her journey captivating. Fergie's interactions with the three male leads are a joy to behold, as they each bring their unique flavor to the mix.

Victor, with his charisma and sophistication, exudes a sense of control that draws you in. In contrast, Cas is the wild, unhinged force—Fergie's new step-brother whose chaotic energy complements her own. Then there's Torsten, the artistic soul, who moves through the narrative with a quiet intensity that makes him impossible to overlook. Together, they form the intriguing 'Poison Ivy Club,' and it's incredible to witness how they fit together like puzzle pieces, despite their differences. The loyalty they show to one another is heartwarming, and I found myself rooting for these characters in their journey of friendship and growth.

I particularly enjoyed Fergie's connections with each character, especially a certain standout scene with Torsten that was emotionally resonant and beautifully written. Holmes masterfully develops these relationships, taking the time to explore each character's strengths and weaknesses, which makes the dynamics feel authentic and relatable. The gradual build-up of their connections adds a layer of depth, making the read all the more rewarding.

Book One serves not only to set the stage for our characters but also to genuinely immerse us in this world. The pacing feels just right, as it avoids hasty romantic entanglements, allowing for natural development and tension. By the end, I felt that the characters were still navigating new territory, leaving me eager to see how their relationships will evolve in future installments.

And the cliff-hanger at the end? Absolutely wild! It left me on the edge of my seat, desperately wanting more. There's so much story left to unravel, and I can hardly wait for Book Two.

In summary, 'Poison Ivy' by Steffanie Holmes is a phenomenal read/listen that combines strong character dynamics, an engaging plot, and impressive world-building. If you're looking for a book that offers excitement, strong characters, and a tantalizing cliff-hanger, look no further. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

PLEASE CHECK THE CONTENT WARNINGS BEFORE READING!!

This had the potential to be a good book but unfortunately it wasn't executed well at all. The FMC started out really cool, she's blind but doesn't let that get in the way of her life. However, the only evidence of her being blind is that it's mentioned a million times and she has a cane. Other than the author seems to forget the FMC, Fergie, doesn't have sight when she's able to know how many people are in a room she's just walked into or she's telling us all about the scars she can see on the guys. Having a character with a disability is something that needs to be researched properly and portrayed well but unfortunately this missed the mark by a mile. Not all representation is good representation and this is a clear case of that.

There seemed to be a shift in the writing as somewhere along the way the FMC lost her badass, take no crap personality and went straight into annoying territory. The MMCs were also quite annoying. They're all up in arms about Fergie not being honest meanwhile they haven't been honest with her the entire time this book went on.

This also dragged out longer than necessary and the pacing was all over the place. I found the narrators to be unenjoyable and cringy.

This was disappointing as I was looking forward to it. 1.5 stars.

Poison Ivy by Steffanie Holmes.
Stonehurst Prep: Elite 1.
Narrated by Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs, Aaron Shedlock.
I loved the cover of this audiobook. Very dark read. I did enjoy listening to this audiobook. The different voices. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Whoa, what a ride! Excellent series opener. Learning personalities, back story, and are never really sure who to trust. Fergie is a baddie. I love her inner thoughts. The guys are an interesting combination of personalities and seem to complement each other. Only feedback on the story is Fergie is blind, but often the descriptions of her actions and views feel like those of a sighted person. I found myself asking how far echo location would go or “but how would she know that?” often. Not a negative but just something that stuck out to me. Audiobook notes: As for the narration, it was excellent. I enjoyed each of the four performances greatly. Each character was beautifully portrayed. But, I would have absolutely preferred a duet version of this for even greater impact.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Audio ARC of Poison Ivy. Review was posted on GoodReads on 9/28/2024 and posted on Amazon on 9/29/2024. Review will be shared to IG stories on 9/29/2024 as well.

I’m a huge believer in the narrator makes or breaks an audiobook. And that statement is 100% true in this case. I noticed that the average review for this book was 4 stars. However, I’m giving the audiobook a 3 star review due to the narrators. I struggled with the male narrator that played Cass. I’m sure the book was a good book to actually read.

Onto a review of the book. I had zero idea that Fergie was blind until about 20% into the book. There was no mention of it in the blurb about the book. I did notice some inconsistencies in the book. I enjoy a good why-choose story and a step-sibling storyline, but the constant reminder that Cass was her step-brother was unnecessary. I did like that each of the boys in the Poison Ivy club had different personalities and interests which made Fergie reach more as a character. I also felt like the sex scene that was2:00 minutes into the book was unnecessary. Also, the way the book ended…

Tropes used in the book:
*Bully
*Why Choose
*Step-brother/sister
*Spice
*Secret Society

When Fergie suffers an accident and has to move towns she moves in with her new stepmother collie and step brother Cassius. At first she’s broken and numb but when she meets Victor and Torsten, Cassius’s best friends, she starts to feel again. Through pain and love she begins seeing the boys as so much more than the leaders of the poison ivy club and rich boys. By far this book has surpassed all my expectations. The way Cassius, Victor, and Torsten connect with Fergie is so well written you feel as if your failing for the three boys yourself. The ending had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book! Do they end up together or is it a violent ending waiting to happen?!

This is my first from this author, and I must say, I'm hooked! This is a dark contemporary academia, filled off action! There is slayed something happening. I really enjoyed it. It has a cliffhanger, and now I have to buy the sequel.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Bacchanalia House for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Poison Ivy by Steffanie Holmes is the first installment in the new adult Stonehurst Prep: Elite series. Sold as a dark bully romance, I was confused. Is bullying a common romantic trope? Well, common or not, it is a subtrope of enemies to lovers. Also they tagged the dubious consent trope, believe them when they use the word dubious. There is one scene this trope could be used even in the generalist of terms. So know you and your limits.

This involves three boys and a girl. I’m not sure if the author wants you to like all three boys, I do not, but they are protective of her and the four have formed a loose knit family, if you will. But the female is not a damsel in need of saving. She can take care of herself just fine, and I love it. I love that some of the characters have challenges and they are dealt with head on and not sugar coated.

I did listen to the full Poison Ivy story in audiobook format. Any criticism from here forward is strictly on the narration performance. Thank you to #NetGalley #PoisonIvy #BacchanaliaHouse and Steffanie Holmes for the audiobook ARC for Poison Ivy by Steffanie Holmes; Narrated by Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs, and Aaron Shedlock.

I consume a lot of audiobooks so I am surprised that I have never heard of Angelina Rocca, Myles Washington, Nelson Hobbs, and Aaron Shedlock. I’m going to focus most of my comments towards the male narrators, but want to give Ms Rocca props with becoming more comfortable as the story progressed. Unfortunately, there is no way to differentiate the males throughout Poison Ivy because if we could, only one narrator really brought their F game the whole time. He sounded like he didn’t want to be there. It felt like I was a substitute teacher and all of the 4th grade boys were being forced to read out loud in class. And the sex scenes. They weren’t sexy. They weren’t sensual. They didn’t want to have sex. It wasn’t inviting. It was cringeworthy. It was second-hand embarrassing. Two of the men came into their own by the end, where the other man never really tried, so it seemed. So if you could just re-record that one man’s part, I think the audiobook would really pop, because the story is there.