Elle Mae

Rosie Miller is cursed. Like, literally cursed. On her birthday 9 years ago, a witch cursed her as retribution for her parents' crime. This curse manifests in the form of cuts or bruises whenever Rosie makes audible noise. When she receives an invitation to attend the prestigious Winterfell Academy, her parents push her to step out of her comfort zone and accept. However, as a low-level demon, she's already seen as an outcast by the students at the Academy, and there's little hope of that perception changing.

When Rosie begins at Winterfell, she lets the entire school believe she is mute, as it's easier than risking the stigma associated with being cursed by a witch. Unfortunately, on her first day at the Academy, she encounters a friend group unlike any other. The trio consists of Eli (a gangster with a secret soft side), Rae (a high-level demon with a penchant for blackmail), Daxton (a witch who seems to be just a tad obsessed with the magic of Rosie's curse), and his familiar Amr (who cuddles up to Rosie every chance he gets). This trio offers to help Rosie understand (and potentially break) her curse. The sexual tension between the four of them is off the charts, making it incredibly easy for the lines to be blurred.

I did enjoy that this book featured LGBTQIA characters and did not invalidate the bisexual identity. I also should mention that this book does have a lot of erotic passages, which do feel a tad gratuitous at first, but as the book continues and the reader gets to know the characters, then they become more interesting and engaging. I found the writing engaging and honestly blew through the book itself. The plot twist and cliffhanger for this book did manage to surprise me, which I commend Mae for, as I can typically suss out those things. If you're a fan of the bully-to-lovers trope and the reverse-harem trope, this is the book for you. I would also definitely recommend this book for fans of authors like Meka James.

It is worth noting that this book features themes and scenes of sexual assault, gore, death, toxic and abusive relationships, and violence. Be aware of these triggers prior to moving forward with reading.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I will be reading Elle Mae's other book, Contract Bound, while I wait for Winterfell Academy Book 2.

Overall rating: 4/5

The Price of Silence will be available for purchase starting today (June 29th). Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Elle Mae’s website!
I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.… (meer)