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Ironside Academy #1
Plier
Ironside is more than a regular academy. It’s also the biggest reality television show in the world … and a very elaborate, very luxurious prison. Their hallowed halls are ruled by the Alphas, Betas, Omegas, and Deltas, but this year, there is change in the wind, and if there’s one thing the officials don’t like when it comes to their precious Ironside Show , it’s change. Isobel Carter—the only Sigma to be accepted—is the first sign. But there are others. A sudden influx of rare Alphas will turn academy life, and Isobel’s life, upside down. She might be the lowest rung on the ladder, but in order to survive, she will need to make her mark. She will need to climb. This isn’t a game for the faint of heart, and those who rise should be prepared to fall. Hard . Beware the pretty posers, because this social media game just got dangerous. The Hunger Games collides with America's Got Talent, and you've just been invited to binge it all in high definition. But here's some viewer discretion before you
Love is complicated in this world. Too complicated for our heroine to ever pick just one hero. Her path to love will get dark at times, and it won't be easy, so consider yourself warned.
Now it's time to grab some popcorn and dive right in!
Love is complicated in this world. Too complicated for our heroine to ever pick just one hero. Her path to love will get dark at times, and it won't be easy, so consider yourself warned.
Now it's time to grab some popcorn and dive right in!
468 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2023
About the author
Jane Washington
33 books4,008 followersJane is a Wall-Street Journal bestselling author who spends all her time writing books and then telling people not to read them.
Find her here: https://linktr.ee/janewashingtonbooks
Find her here: https://linktr.ee/janewashingtonbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 698 reviews
August 14, 2024
If you love The Bonds That Tie series? Or Zodiac Academy? Or The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac? Then this is the series for you 👀
I was curious to see how a girl mating with ten Alpha's will play out and ngl I am impressed. I was obsessed and consumed by this book and its characters. I definitely don't think it's a perfect book. One will either hate it or love it, no in between. There are flaws but I was so into it, I just don't care. I want more. I was flying through this book and when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about the characters.
The world building is pretty simple to follow. The pacing of the book is however, a tad slow. I liked the concept of cameras following them around, it definitely does make things interesting and drama worthy. There is bullying in this book, although not as dark or extreme as Zodiac Academy or done by the love interests, it's still present and one might want to check out the trigger warnings first.
I ate up the characters and their arcs. They are all written so beautifully and in an intricate way, it was hard not to like them. Isobel, our Sigma is a delicate fmc and one I liked. Some may find her annoying, given she struggles to stand up for herself and lacks confidence at first BUT given the hierarchy of the world, it makes sense and I loved how she started growing in confidence and fierceness with the Alphas. Coming to the Alphas, I don't have a favorite yet tho. There are some of the mates who intrigue me for now, but I don't have a favorite. Theodore in particular is given a lot of screen time, it makes sense as Isobel needed a friend. I like him and his golden retriever energy but at the same time, he's not dark enough for me 🫣 I am super intrigued by Kalen and Easton tho.
I gotta admit tho, with ten love interests, it was a bit confusing to remember them all and their names. Not every guy stood out. Some of them sort of blended together. I hope the next book helps me out in that area.
A reverse harem with ten guys and making it a slow burn is very difficult to play out. I applaud the author for making it seem like a piece of cake. The chemistry and dynamics with each character is so well written. I liked how there's no insta lust. The way I was yearning for them to just kiss already had me going insane 😩😩 I appreciated how things didn't just happen to them all when Isobel arrived and it took a year for them to start getting to know each other.
Loved the ending and that cliffhanger. So excited to read the next one already 😍😍
~•~•~
I wanna know what this girl did to get mated to ten guys when I can't even find one 🥲🥲
I was curious to see how a girl mating with ten Alpha's will play out and ngl I am impressed. I was obsessed and consumed by this book and its characters. I definitely don't think it's a perfect book. One will either hate it or love it, no in between. There are flaws but I was so into it, I just don't care. I want more. I was flying through this book and when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about the characters.
The world building is pretty simple to follow. The pacing of the book is however, a tad slow. I liked the concept of cameras following them around, it definitely does make things interesting and drama worthy. There is bullying in this book, although not as dark or extreme as Zodiac Academy or done by the love interests, it's still present and one might want to check out the trigger warnings first.
I ate up the characters and their arcs. They are all written so beautifully and in an intricate way, it was hard not to like them. Isobel, our Sigma is a delicate fmc and one I liked. Some may find her annoying, given she struggles to stand up for herself and lacks confidence at first BUT given the hierarchy of the world, it makes sense and I loved how she started growing in confidence and fierceness with the Alphas. Coming to the Alphas, I don't have a favorite yet tho. There are some of the mates who intrigue me for now, but I don't have a favorite. Theodore in particular is given a lot of screen time, it makes sense as Isobel needed a friend. I like him and his golden retriever energy but at the same time, he's not dark enough for me 🫣 I am super intrigued by Kalen and Easton tho.
I gotta admit tho, with ten love interests, it was a bit confusing to remember them all and their names. Not every guy stood out. Some of them sort of blended together. I hope the next book helps me out in that area.
A reverse harem with ten guys and making it a slow burn is very difficult to play out. I applaud the author for making it seem like a piece of cake. The chemistry and dynamics with each character is so well written. I liked how there's no insta lust. The way I was yearning for them to just kiss already had me going insane 😩😩 I appreciated how things didn't just happen to them all when Isobel arrived and it took a year for them to start getting to know each other.
Loved the ending and that cliffhanger. So excited to read the next one already 😍😍
~•~•~
I wanna know what this girl did to get mated to ten guys when I can't even find one 🥲🥲
October 1, 2024
Rtc
___
Im sorry but why does she look like megamind on the cover 😭
-Buddy reading this with Roxy because we wanna know some things for research purposes (how 10 guys can do it with one girl.🧑🏻🦯)
___
Im sorry but why does she look like megamind on the cover 😭
-Buddy reading this with Roxy because we wanna know some things for research purposes (how 10 guys can do it with one girl.🧑🏻🦯)
September 18, 2024
This is the first book I've felt like binging in two months and I would literally give it five stars just for that 😚😚
I had obviously heard really good things about this series but I wasn't sure what to expect going in...I mean, ten guys!??? 👀I can't even find one
But it did get a bit confusing at times with so many names 😭 But I still think the author managed it beautifully.
Giving it 3.5 stars, maybe because I went in with too high hopes 😭😭 It wasn't necessarily bad, the writing was good, easy to read; The tension oof 🤌 The slow burn was eating me alive!!! We get a proper kiss on the last page. LAST PAGE!!
Plot wise, there was not much going on to be very honest...I believe this book was just for the build up, a light introduction but I genuinely can't wait to read the next book!!
***
I'll do anything to get out of the slump atp, plus SK convinced me with this one🤭
I had obviously heard really good things about this series but I wasn't sure what to expect going in...I mean, ten guys!??? 👀
But it did get a bit confusing at times with so many names 😭 But I still think the author managed it beautifully.
Giving it 3.5 stars, maybe because I went in with too high hopes 😭😭 It wasn't necessarily bad, the writing was good, easy to read; The tension oof 🤌 The slow burn was eating me alive!!! We get a proper kiss on the last page. LAST PAGE!!
Plot wise, there was not much going on to be very honest...I believe this book was just for the build up, a light introduction but I genuinely can't wait to read the next book!!
***
I'll do anything to get out of the slump atp, plus SK convinced me with this one🤭
August 24, 2024
3.75 ☆
towards the end it got kinda disappointing but overall i enjoyed it! onto book two🤭
-----------
i think we all know who convinced me to read this lol
towards the end it got kinda disappointing but overall i enjoyed it! onto book two🤭
-----------
i think we all know who convinced me to read this lol
August 6, 2023
Plier definitely takes the prize of the best Reverse-Harem book of the year 🔥
Jane Washington is one of those authors whose books have the ability to completely captivate me. Whenever I start reading one of her stories, I lose track of time. It's as if I just blinked, and suddenly I find myself at the end of the book.
Her writing is incredibly engaging and addictive. Every time I pick up one of her books I know I'm in for a thrilling adventure that will keep me hooked until the very last page.
⇢ What to expect:
∘ New Adult
∘ Paranormal Romance
∘ Alternative Omega Verse
∘ Multiple POV
∘ Gifted Academy
∘ Reality TV Show
∘ Reverse-Harem (large)
∘ Kind & sweet FMC — she's also a dancer
∘ Morally Grey/Bankrupt MMCs
∘ Loveable MMCs
∘ Delicious Banter
∘ Tension & Spice
∘ Secrets
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Strangers to Friends to Lovers
∘ Rejected Mates
∘ Slowburn
∘ Professor x Student
∘ "Who did this to you?"
⇢ Trigger Warnings: attempted rape, sexual assault, bullying (not by the MMCs), physical & emotional abuse, trauma, panic attacks
⤏ Summary
Ironside Academy is not your typical academy; it is the largest reality show in the world. Betas, Omegas, and Deltas can be found wandering the halls, occasionally mingling with a few Alphas in the crowd. However, this year brings some changes.
Suddenly, ten Alphas made an appearance on the academy's grounds, along with a Sigma named Isobel Carter, the only one to be accepted. As expected, people are unhappy about having a Sigma among them. However, despite being the lowest in rank, Isobel is determined to survive Ironside.
⤏ Plot
I can count on one hand the number of books I've read with a reality TV show theme, and none of them come close to Plier - it tops them all. The addition of supernatural elements only serves to make it more exciting.
Isobel has escaped the nightmare of her home life, only to find herself in another. Trying to fly under the radar proves impossible when you're the only sheep among the wolves.
She quickly realizes that her attempts to remain unnoticed are futile, especially after an unexpected encounter leads to an Alpha wanting to be her friend. She's an enigma, soon catching the interest of other Alphas and that's like painting a target on her back.
While not everything is sunshine and rainbows, there are some laugh-out-loud moments mixed in with the tension and angst. They serve as a refreshing break from all the chaos.
⤏ Worldbuilding
We have an intricately crafted world with a well-defined rank system and a thorough description of the magic system. I found myself captivated by every intricate detail about the characters' powers and the rules of society. It was fascinating to read about, and I didn't want to overlook any aspect of it, which is why I highlighted every bit of information presented.
⤏ Characters
∘ Isobel
Isobel Carter is a Sigma, born to an Alpha father. Despite growing up in a somewhat luxurious life compared to others, she has endured years of abuse at the hands of the man who was supposed to be a parent to her and keep her safe.
Her tragic past didn't succeed in breaking her, and neither will these students who are set on making her years at the academy hell.
She's a survivor. She'll show no weakness. Not in front of the cameras and not in front of them.
Isobel is a sweet girl who's often showing concern for others' well-being, even though they're undeserving of her kindness. It's impossible not to become invested in her story and root for her. She's a strong character who has earned my admiration, and I couldn't help but shed a few tears whenever she faced the consequences of her powers or endured yet another attack. She hides her emotions beneath a frigid, stone-faced exterior.
∘ The Alphas
This was my first time reading a Reverse-Harem(why-choose) book where there are so many love interests and I have to admit that I'm impressed by Jane's ability to craft characters with distinct and diverse personalities. It was easy for me to tell them apart, which is an essential aspect for me when reading RH books.
The Alphas haven't asked for her help, and she definitely hasn't asked for theirs. However, after she helps one of them, they start rushing to her aid, despite her refusal to accept it.
In fact, some of them go as far as taking it upon themselves to seek revenge on her behalf. There's nothing I enjoy more than when the MMC(s) take such actions.
In addition, there is an underlying mystery surrounding these men, and I am eagerly anticipating the revelation of what they are hiding.
While observing their interactions and the development of their relationship with Isobel, I find their connection with each other particularly intriguing. They're all really supportive, they care for each other, have each other's backs, and it seems like there are no secrets between them. It adds another layer of complexity and intrigue to the story.
‣ Some of my favorite Alphas so far are:
Overprotective and BFF material - Theodore
Sweet, soft-hearted and precious - Killian
Dark, mysterious, and dangerous - Oscar
Damaged, shy, protect him at all cost - Moses
Charming and flirty - Cian
Granted, we don't know much about any of them yet, but I'm excited to learn more in the next book(s).
⤏ Romance
As I've come to anticipate from Jane's books, this series has all the makings of a slowburn romance, which happens to be my favorite trope. I love it when there is a buildup to the romance, especially when there are multiple love interests.
There are already subtle signs of deeper emotions and connections forming between Isobel and a few of the men, but the gradual development of romance allows me to fully invest in the characters and their stories. It gives dimension to the story by allowing us to see the progression of emotions and the complexities of each interaction.
With every page, I find myself eagerly awaiting the moments when these connections will deepen and evolve, all while relishing the deliciously slow pace that keeps me hooked. The anticipation is palpable, and I can't wait to see how these relationships develop in the upcoming books.
⤏ Conclusion
Fast-paced, filled with action, tension, angst, and laugh-out-loud moments, this book has been an entertaining read!
I eagerly anticipate uncovering the secrets and witnessing the further development of the characters' relationships in the series. I can't wait for the next book!
Jane Washington is one of those authors whose books have the ability to completely captivate me. Whenever I start reading one of her stories, I lose track of time. It's as if I just blinked, and suddenly I find myself at the end of the book.
Her writing is incredibly engaging and addictive. Every time I pick up one of her books I know I'm in for a thrilling adventure that will keep me hooked until the very last page.
⇢ What to expect:
∘ New Adult
∘ Paranormal Romance
∘ Alternative Omega Verse
∘ Multiple POV
∘ Gifted Academy
∘ Reality TV Show
∘ Reverse-Harem (large)
∘ Kind & sweet FMC — she's also a dancer
∘ Morally Grey/Bankrupt MMCs
∘ Loveable MMCs
∘ Delicious Banter
∘ Tension & Spice
∘ Secrets
⇢ Tropes:
∘ Strangers to Friends to Lovers
∘ Rejected Mates
∘ Slowburn
∘ Professor x Student
∘ "Who did this to you?"
⇢ Trigger Warnings: attempted rape, sexual assault, bullying (not by the MMCs), physical & emotional abuse, trauma, panic attacks
⤏ Summary
Ironside Academy is not your typical academy; it is the largest reality show in the world. Betas, Omegas, and Deltas can be found wandering the halls, occasionally mingling with a few Alphas in the crowd. However, this year brings some changes.
Suddenly, ten Alphas made an appearance on the academy's grounds, along with a Sigma named Isobel Carter, the only one to be accepted. As expected, people are unhappy about having a Sigma among them. However, despite being the lowest in rank, Isobel is determined to survive Ironside.
⤏ Plot
I can count on one hand the number of books I've read with a reality TV show theme, and none of them come close to Plier - it tops them all. The addition of supernatural elements only serves to make it more exciting.
Isobel has escaped the nightmare of her home life, only to find herself in another. Trying to fly under the radar proves impossible when you're the only sheep among the wolves.
She quickly realizes that her attempts to remain unnoticed are futile, especially after an unexpected encounter leads to an Alpha wanting to be her friend. She's an enigma, soon catching the interest of other Alphas and that's like painting a target on her back.
While not everything is sunshine and rainbows, there are some laugh-out-loud moments mixed in with the tension and angst. They serve as a refreshing break from all the chaos.
'Theodore: Where are you?
Theodore: Say “boo” if you’re standing right next to me.
Kilian: Very funny, loser.'
⤏ Worldbuilding
We have an intricately crafted world with a well-defined rank system and a thorough description of the magic system. I found myself captivated by every intricate detail about the characters' powers and the rules of society. It was fascinating to read about, and I didn't want to overlook any aspect of it, which is why I highlighted every bit of information presented.
"It wasn’t that Sigmas were hated, necessarily. It’s just that they weren’t interesting. They all had the same power. Empathy. Isobel could take on people’s negative feelings, leaving them lighter and happier."
⤏ Characters
"She was different. She had teeth. She bowed, just like the Sigmas were taught to— but she refused to break. She had just used him— an Alpha, a predator— to hide her tears from the cameras, to conceal her momentary weakness."
∘ Isobel
Isobel Carter is a Sigma, born to an Alpha father. Despite growing up in a somewhat luxurious life compared to others, she has endured years of abuse at the hands of the man who was supposed to be a parent to her and keep her safe.
Her tragic past didn't succeed in breaking her, and neither will these students who are set on making her years at the academy hell.
She's a survivor. She'll show no weakness. Not in front of the cameras and not in front of them.
Isobel is a sweet girl who's often showing concern for others' well-being, even though they're undeserving of her kindness. It's impossible not to become invested in her story and root for her. She's a strong character who has earned my admiration, and I couldn't help but shed a few tears whenever she faced the consequences of her powers or endured yet another attack. She hides her emotions beneath a frigid, stone-faced exterior.
"She was a Sigma. A never-ending vessel for pain, sorrow, fear, and anger, but as much as she could take it away from other people, she couldn’t ever seem to expunge it fully from herself."
∘ The Alphas
This was my first time reading a Reverse-Harem(why-choose) book where there are so many love interests and I have to admit that I'm impressed by Jane's ability to craft characters with distinct and diverse personalities. It was easy for me to tell them apart, which is an essential aspect for me when reading RH books.
"She seemed overwhelmed with three Alphas crowding up her closet of a room, but she needed to get used to that if she wanted to be friends with Theodore. They were a unit until they graduated. That was non-negotiable. Every one of them had to be protected, even if it was from themselves."
The Alphas haven't asked for her help, and she definitely hasn't asked for theirs. However, after she helps one of them, they start rushing to her aid, despite her refusal to accept it.
In fact, some of them go as far as taking it upon themselves to seek revenge on her behalf. There's nothing I enjoy more than when the MMC(s) take such actions.
The grey storm was carefully restrained, his expression guarded.
“Who did this?” He waved the bloodied paper towel, a subtle warning in his tone. It didn’t really sound like it was for her.
“I don’t want to tell you,” she said quietly.
“That makes two of us.”
In addition, there is an underlying mystery surrounding these men, and I am eagerly anticipating the revelation of what they are hiding.
While observing their interactions and the development of their relationship with Isobel, I find their connection with each other particularly intriguing. They're all really supportive, they care for each other, have each other's backs, and it seems like there are no secrets between them. It adds another layer of complexity and intrigue to the story.
"Kilian wasn’t sunny like Theodore and Niko, moody like Moses and Oscar, stupid- smart like Gabriel and Elijah, or tough like Mikel and Kalen. Maybe he was like Cian, but Cian was wily and guarded his heart behind a ten-foot wall of mystery, which was guarded by a twenty-foot wall of charm. Kilian was softer than the rest of them. He was fucking sensitive, dammit."
‣ Some of my favorite Alphas so far are:
Overprotective and BFF material - Theodore
Sweet, soft-hearted and precious - Killian
Dark, mysterious, and dangerous - Oscar
Damaged, shy, protect him at all cost - Moses
Charming and flirty - Cian
Granted, we don't know much about any of them yet, but I'm excited to learn more in the next book(s).
⤏ Romance
As I've come to anticipate from Jane's books, this series has all the makings of a slowburn romance, which happens to be my favorite trope. I love it when there is a buildup to the romance, especially when there are multiple love interests.
There are already subtle signs of deeper emotions and connections forming between Isobel and a few of the men, but the gradual development of romance allows me to fully invest in the characters and their stories. It gives dimension to the story by allowing us to see the progression of emotions and the complexities of each interaction.
With every page, I find myself eagerly awaiting the moments when these connections will deepen and evolve, all while relishing the deliciously slow pace that keeps me hooked. The anticipation is palpable, and I can't wait to see how these relationships develop in the upcoming books.
⤏ Conclusion
Fast-paced, filled with action, tension, angst, and laugh-out-loud moments, this book has been an entertaining read!
I eagerly anticipate uncovering the secrets and witnessing the further development of the characters' relationships in the series. I can't wait for the next book!
Want to read
September 4, 2024I have been looking for a rebound from zodiac academy, I hope this series meets the criteria 🤞🏽😌😌
August 19, 2024
What the hell did I just read. And why was it so good.
I was going to read this and finish it quietly, removing the update like a shameful little bitch. But this book deserves the spotlight. Because, what the fuck, and I can't stress this enough, did I just read.
I read this for shits and gigs but I think I'm the joke now, the moment I found out this RH consists of TEN guys I was like there ain't no way it could be good.
I was so so wrong.
Idk what kind of witchcraft Jane Washington practiced but she somehow made a book about a girl being mated to ten different dudes an emotional rollercoaster with depth like you would not believe. The angst almost caused me a fucking ulcer.
The rejected mate trope in this is insane because being rejected by one or two mates is one thing but 10? I'd cry myself to sleep every day and night tbh
AND THE SLOWBURN? I'd like to think I'm well versed in slowburn romances but holy hell, this book. The tension, the angst? Out of this world. And I loved it. If it started getting spicy somewhere in book 1 I probably would've lost interest.
But the spark cannot burn any slower, and that's exactly the way I like it. Keep me guessing and wishing as long as possible, PLEASE.
This book was addicting as hell. I was in a daze the whole day. I feel like this book is the equivalent of shows like... NCIS or something. I could read 15 of these no problem.
This is so beautifully written, and easy to read. Which is something because I usually have problems with third pov, but it felt effortless in this book.
This book might be peak omegaverse I fear. Or maybe just RH in general honestly lol.
Even though it's not the traditional omegaverse people might be used to. I might like this one better actually. The author described it as an alternative-omegaverse, with the familiar alpha-beta-omega system but with completely different rules. And this one has sigmas.
I think this book would be perfect for people not familiar with omegaverse.
Isobel, our fmc, is a Sigma. Literally the lowest of the lows. If it was any other book in any other universe I don't think I would like her very much because of her obedient & agreeable nature. But because she's a sigma it makes sense for her to act that way, and I could see little glimpses of her snarkiness & inner bad bitch peeking through sometimes and that makes me excited. I hope she will get to step outside her sad sigma bubble & let her real self come through in future books.
And the ten alphas? I was expecting to get them all mixed up because while I'm not slow, memorizing 10 different love interests seems like a laughable task.
But Jane proved me wrong yet again.
She somehow was able to make the ten alphas distinguishable. They all have unique, different personalities. Grouping some of them in twos is a smart move honestly.
It didn't take me long (really, it didn't) to be able to tell who's who and who's likely to do what. Also, the author provided a really handy, EXTREMELY stunning cheat sheet of the characters on her equally stunning website, so that helped.
And who's my favorite, you ask? I don't know. Not yet. The easy answer would be Theo, but Oscar is too hard to ignore. But I like to torture myself, so for now I'd say Kalen, for the sake of the plot. But also Gabriel and Elijah. Because, reasons. Wink.
I'm not sure what I can and cannot say because this series is so full of secrets and mysteries and I've heard it's better to go in blind so if you want to read this, go straight into it like I did. It's worth it, I promise.
Now excuse me while I race to the next book.
I was going to read this and finish it quietly, removing the update like a shameful little bitch. But this book deserves the spotlight. Because, what the fuck, and I can't stress this enough, did I just read.
I read this for shits and gigs but I think I'm the joke now, the moment I found out this RH consists of TEN guys I was like there ain't no way it could be good.
I was so so wrong.
Idk what kind of witchcraft Jane Washington practiced but she somehow made a book about a girl being mated to ten different dudes an emotional rollercoaster with depth like you would not believe. The angst almost caused me a fucking ulcer.
The rejected mate trope in this is insane because being rejected by one or two mates is one thing but 10? I'd cry myself to sleep every day and night tbh
AND THE SLOWBURN? I'd like to think I'm well versed in slowburn romances but holy hell, this book. The tension, the angst? Out of this world. And I loved it. If it started getting spicy somewhere in book 1 I probably would've lost interest.
But the spark cannot burn any slower, and that's exactly the way I like it. Keep me guessing and wishing as long as possible, PLEASE.
This book was addicting as hell. I was in a daze the whole day. I feel like this book is the equivalent of shows like... NCIS or something. I could read 15 of these no problem.
This is so beautifully written, and easy to read. Which is something because I usually have problems with third pov, but it felt effortless in this book.
This book might be peak omegaverse I fear. Or maybe just RH in general honestly lol.
Even though it's not the traditional omegaverse people might be used to. I might like this one better actually. The author described it as an alternative-omegaverse, with the familiar alpha-beta-omega system but with completely different rules. And this one has sigmas.
I think this book would be perfect for people not familiar with omegaverse.
Isobel, our fmc, is a Sigma. Literally the lowest of the lows. If it was any other book in any other universe I don't think I would like her very much because of her obedient & agreeable nature. But because she's a sigma it makes sense for her to act that way, and I could see little glimpses of her snarkiness & inner bad bitch peeking through sometimes and that makes me excited. I hope she will get to step outside her sad sigma bubble & let her real self come through in future books.
And the ten alphas? I was expecting to get them all mixed up because while I'm not slow, memorizing 10 different love interests seems like a laughable task.
But Jane proved me wrong yet again.
She somehow was able to make the ten alphas distinguishable. They all have unique, different personalities. Grouping some of them in twos is a smart move honestly.
It didn't take me long (really, it didn't) to be able to tell who's who and who's likely to do what. Also, the author provided a really handy, EXTREMELY stunning cheat sheet of the characters on her equally stunning website, so that helped.
And who's my favorite, you ask? I don't know. Not yet. The easy answer would be Theo, but Oscar is too hard to ignore. But I like to torture myself, so for now I'd say Kalen, for the sake of the plot. But also Gabriel and Elijah. Because, reasons. Wink.
I'm not sure what I can and cannot say because this series is so full of secrets and mysteries and I've heard it's better to go in blind so if you want to read this, go straight into it like I did. It's worth it, I promise.
Now excuse me while I race to the next book.
July 17, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm just a reviewer, standing in front of a reader, asking you to read this book.
Ever since Jane Washington’s series “A Tempest of Shadows” completed in 2021 I have been patiently waiting for what her next rh series was going to be, so when she announced “Ironside Academy” earlier this year it was safe to say that I may have squealed out of pure excitement!
I was sat at midnight on the dot ready with my kindle in hand waiting for Plier to be released. I told myself that I was totally going to regret reading it so soon after release because I knew how much of a mess I was going to be waiting for the sequel. But I just couldn’t help myself 😩 Plier was just way too good to put down!!! It was everything that I have been wanting in a
RH book (seriously I have not been able to find an RH series that could top “A Tempest of Shadows” but “Ironside Academy” could very well be that one).
I could go into the details of what this book is about but all you really need to know is: 10 alpha men, 1 sigma girl, mate-bonds, SLOW-BURN, and so many moments that will make your heart feel like it is pounding out of your chest (the pain hurts SO GOOD). If you have read these reasons and you still haven't picked up Plier then there is not much more I can do to help you (please help me help you and go read this book). Let me save you from the future version of yourself that will be filled with immense levels of regret from waiting to read this book.
Edit: It has been one week since Plier was released and I am unwell. My poor fiance has heard nothing from me except "I need book 2", "why isn't it august 8th", and "I need you to multiply into 10 versions of yourself". My three cats wonder why their mother is in a constant state of deliriousness (the reason being that I do not have book 2). If you too would like to feel this way, then pick up Plier and get reading. This book is straight up crack. I feel like a crackhead. Why can't I get this book out of my head. Clearly the only cure is for August 8th to get here faster.
I'm just a reviewer, standing in front of a reader, asking you to read this book.
Ever since Jane Washington’s series “A Tempest of Shadows” completed in 2021 I have been patiently waiting for what her next rh series was going to be, so when she announced “Ironside Academy” earlier this year it was safe to say that I may have squealed out of pure excitement!
I was sat at midnight on the dot ready with my kindle in hand waiting for Plier to be released. I told myself that I was totally going to regret reading it so soon after release because I knew how much of a mess I was going to be waiting for the sequel. But I just couldn’t help myself 😩 Plier was just way too good to put down!!! It was everything that I have been wanting in a
RH book (seriously I have not been able to find an RH series that could top “A Tempest of Shadows” but “Ironside Academy” could very well be that one).
I could go into the details of what this book is about but all you really need to know is: 10 alpha men, 1 sigma girl, mate-bonds, SLOW-BURN, and so many moments that will make your heart feel like it is pounding out of your chest (the pain hurts SO GOOD). If you have read these reasons and you still haven't picked up Plier then there is not much more I can do to help you (please help me help you and go read this book). Let me save you from the future version of yourself that will be filled with immense levels of regret from waiting to read this book.
Edit: It has been one week since Plier was released and I am unwell. My poor fiance has heard nothing from me except "I need book 2", "why isn't it august 8th", and "I need you to multiply into 10 versions of yourself". My three cats wonder why their mother is in a constant state of deliriousness (the reason being that I do not have book 2). If you too would like to feel this way, then pick up Plier and get reading. This book is straight up crack. I feel like a crackhead. Why can't I get this book out of my head. Clearly the only cure is for August 8th to get here faster.
July 17, 2023
THIS is the book I needed for my Fourth Wing hangover. (Although now I have a Plier hangover)
I had forgotten how much I enjoy Jane Washington's writing. Lucky for me, that means I have a bit of backlist to catch up on until Tourner comes out.
Also, can someone please explain these titles to me?
I had forgotten how much I enjoy Jane Washington's writing. Lucky for me, that means I have a bit of backlist to catch up on until Tourner comes out.
Also, can someone please explain these titles to me?
August 25, 2024
ᝰ 𝟐⭐️
﹌﹌
So the first thing that intrigued me was how she got so many mates…
tbh when I saw the typical:
✎ “𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲—𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀”✧.*
I knew where this was going. When I first started the book it was like… okay. Sometimes, I got stuck with the characters’s names, as 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗌. Anyways, it was really well handled and I like how the author made the “𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗺” trope work in this story.
(I’ve never read a reverse harem book before and I gotta say this was… interesting)
📽️ I liked the idea of 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗋𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗎𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾.
╰┈➤ 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 ₊˚⊹🪞🕯️𖦹
[🎶] 𝐈𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥
she’s the fmc, the 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹, who’s 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽
to do what everyone else wants her to do. 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. I’m usually not a fan of “powerless girls” but I don’t wanna judge ‘cause 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 so maybe across the series she gets more badass.
𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚 I like reading about any kind of girls, as it makes my reading more realistic, however I get like so mad when they’re always lowering their head 😭
̶I̶’̶m̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶i̶r̶l̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶I̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶g̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶s̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶I̶’̶v̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶f̶m̶c̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶.̶ ̶I̶ ̶g̶u̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶(̶?̶
[💥] 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬
so there were 𝟭𝟬 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 ( yeah ik) and I didn’t really liked any of them. OK THAT WAS KINDA HARSH but I have to say that none of them caught my attention and I feel like 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹, but then again, this is only the first book and this could change.
ೃ⁀➷ 𝙼𝚢 𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 ｡💭𖦹 °┊͙
I enjoyed the book and its atmosphere. The theme was pretty original but I sometimes got lost and struggled to understand what was happening. It had a 𝖿𝖾𝗐𝗐 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗒 and boring to me. I think I didn't DNF this book because I wanted to see if it was going to change and get better, but I just ended up more bored and wanting to be done with it. Overall, I'm pretty sure I only gave it 2 stars because 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻-𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲-𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 vibes was pretty cool
➯ 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞 one of the character said, 🪶📜
༊*·˚”𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁”
lol I didn’t need to say it myself, as 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 😔
𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀? probably NO, sorry :/
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⤷ ·˚ ༘ ✧𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝┊͙
I’ve been hearing amazing things about this one, so I’m eager to see what all the fuss is about
﹌﹌
So the first thing that intrigued me was how she got so many mates…
tbh when I saw the typical:
✎ “𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲—𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀”✧.*
I knew where this was going. When I first started the book it was like… okay. Sometimes, I got stuck with the characters’s names, as 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗌. Anyways, it was really well handled and I like how the author made the “𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗺” trope work in this story.
(I’ve never read a reverse harem book before and I gotta say this was… interesting)
📽️ I liked the idea of 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗋𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗒 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖿𝗎𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾.
╰┈➤ 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 ₊˚⊹🪞🕯️𖦹
[🎶] 𝐈𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥
she’s the fmc, the 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹, who’s 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽
to do what everyone else wants her to do. 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. I’m usually not a fan of “powerless girls” but I don’t wanna judge ‘cause 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 so maybe across the series she gets more badass.
𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚 I like reading about any kind of girls, as it makes my reading more realistic, however I get like so mad when they’re always lowering their head 😭
̶I̶’̶m̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶i̶r̶l̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶I̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶g̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶s̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶I̶’̶v̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶f̶m̶c̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶a̶l̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶.̶ ̶I̶ ̶g̶u̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶b̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶m̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶(̶?̶
[💥] 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬
so there were 𝟭𝟬 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 ( yeah ik) and I didn’t really liked any of them. OK THAT WAS KINDA HARSH but I have to say that none of them caught my attention and I feel like 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹, but then again, this is only the first book and this could change.
ೃ⁀➷ 𝙼𝚢 𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 ｡💭𖦹 °┊͙
I enjoyed the book and its atmosphere. The theme was pretty original but I sometimes got lost and struggled to understand what was happening. It had a 𝖿𝖾𝗐𝗐 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗒 and boring to me. I think I didn't DNF this book because I wanted to see if it was going to change and get better, but I just ended up more bored and wanting to be done with it. Overall, I'm pretty sure I only gave it 2 stars because 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸, 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻-𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲-𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 vibes was pretty cool
➯ 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞 one of the character said, 🪶📜
༊*·˚”𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁”
lol I didn’t need to say it myself, as 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 😔
𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀? probably NO, sorry :/
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⤷ ·˚ ༘ ✧𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝┊͙
I’ve been hearing amazing things about this one, so I’m eager to see what all the fuss is about
July 31, 2023
I am just confused honestly.
What is the TV show even about?
How does one person have ten mates?
How does any one keep up with that?
I feel like the writing was somewhat choppy for me and there were things that shouldve been said and werent. I feel like there was a LOT of wasted time.
I was genuinely shocked at how high this book is rated because I 100% do not feel the same.
What is the TV show even about?
How does one person have ten mates?
How does any one keep up with that?
I feel like the writing was somewhat choppy for me and there were things that shouldve been said and werent. I feel like there was a LOT of wasted time.
I was genuinely shocked at how high this book is rated because I 100% do not feel the same.
July 23, 2023
The way I ate this up in one sitting. Fantastic. Looking forward to august 8th.
September 3, 2024
⁀➷
𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝙏𝙀𝙉 𝘼𝙇𝙋𝙃𝘼 𝙂𝙐𝙔𝙎 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙈𝘼 𝙂𝙄𝙍𝙇
Sounds crazy but this worked so well i devoured this book in a day.
I loved each and everyone of these characters and the author included a character cheat sheet with stunning artwork which made it a whole lot easier keeping track of everyone and putting names to faces. My only complaint was it switched to first names and surnames often making it a little confusing at times. Isobel is a fantastic FMC i was rooting for her the whole way.
My favorites so far are Theo and Kilian for being absolute sweethearts
Kalen and Mikel I've got my eyes on you 👀
Anyway safe to say I'm obsessed and moving to book 2 immediately.
𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝙏𝙀𝙉 𝘼𝙇𝙋𝙃𝘼 𝙂𝙐𝙔𝙎 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙎𝙄𝙂𝙈𝘼 𝙂𝙄𝙍𝙇
Sounds crazy but this worked so well i devoured this book in a day.
I loved each and everyone of these characters and the author included a character cheat sheet with stunning artwork which made it a whole lot easier keeping track of everyone and putting names to faces. My only complaint was it switched to first names and surnames often making it a little confusing at times. Isobel is a fantastic FMC i was rooting for her the whole way.
My favorites so far are Theo and Kilian for being absolute sweethearts
Kalen and Mikel I've got my eyes on you 👀
Anyway safe to say I'm obsessed and moving to book 2 immediately.
August 23, 2024
I got curious about this series mainly because how one girl can juggle 10 men and for now I can't say if it's too much. I don't know them enough to make my judgement, like I can distinguish a few of them but with some I need more time to see how they all fit. It doesn't help that they're being called once by their names, then another time by surnames and then nicknames. It can be a little confusing.
The idea of this whole competition/ live broadcasting was very interesting but I have to say that when it comes to world building, I didn't feel the differences between the "lower" groups, like the omega/delta/sigma basically felt the same to me.
The ending was a bit unexpected but I know their plan isn't going to work in the long run 😂
September 14, 2024
I liked this but I feel like the slump I was in kind of negatively affected my reading experience. Also this was quite slow but I loved seeing the slow burn romances. I still don't know how Isobel has ten mates and she hasn't really interacted with some of them. That ending was a pretty good cliffhanger though. RTC.
August 6, 2023
Angry
I was really looking forward to reading this book. It had all my favorite tropes, Professor/student relationship, RH and paranormal. What I hate more than anything is when an author doesn’t disclose if the series will be MM. I don’t care about MM in a book if it’s just in group scenes but when the MM have a relationship it just feels like the FMC is just a side piece. And it seems to be there will be multiple MM relationships. I kinda wonder if all the 5 star reviews were from people given free books because there was no relationships building what so ever in this book or any characters besides one that really liked the FMC. I get it’s a slow burn but these boys were not good to her. One even offers to kill her!!! One is just gay, never been with a girl and now you’re going to say they are mates. They were so not into her, they even say this throughout the whole book. I don’t know how the author will ever make this book feel like genuine love and affection. I gave it a 2 for all these reasons, the premise of the story is good but that’s it. I love angst and red flags in my books but to a certain point, and this was just not doing it for me. I’m a glutton for punishment so I will still probably read the second to see if it gets better.
I was really looking forward to reading this book. It had all my favorite tropes, Professor/student relationship, RH and paranormal. What I hate more than anything is when an author doesn’t disclose if the series will be MM. I don’t care about MM in a book if it’s just in group scenes but when the MM have a relationship it just feels like the FMC is just a side piece. And it seems to be there will be multiple MM relationships. I kinda wonder if all the 5 star reviews were from people given free books because there was no relationships building what so ever in this book or any characters besides one that really liked the FMC. I get it’s a slow burn but these boys were not good to her. One even offers to kill her!!! One is just gay, never been with a girl and now you’re going to say they are mates. They were so not into her, they even say this throughout the whole book. I don’t know how the author will ever make this book feel like genuine love and affection. I gave it a 2 for all these reasons, the premise of the story is good but that’s it. I love angst and red flags in my books but to a certain point, and this was just not doing it for me. I’m a glutton for punishment so I will still probably read the second to see if it gets better.
September 7, 2024
4★
-written in 3rd person//dual pov
-reverse harem paranormal romance
-slow burn
➷ the plot:
the characters are featured in the most popular reality show on tv and attend an academy for gifted people [think dancing, singing etc]
the plot was really intriguing to me. this has a bit of omega~verse[alpha, beta, delta, omega, sigma] and light fantasy, as some characters have magical powers.
❥the romance:
when i heard this series had 10 mmc, i expected zero to no romantic development but i was pleasantly surprised. this is a slow burn forsure. no smut and no-one got together in this book. i really enjoyed that!! our fmc is slowly getting to know and build a relationship with each man. although, most of them don't really fuck with her rn.
the characters:
okay ngl, i had a hard time getting a good grasp on the men. they switch from 1st name to last name, often so it was confusing to me. the author has character cards on her website with fanart (which i referred to a lot)
✎ isobel our fmc, is a sigma so the lowest on the hierarchy. she gets bullied and abused yet she's still so strong. technically she knows her place (ew gross), is shy, lacks confidence, and doesn't stand up for herself but i liked her a lot. i can't wait to see her gain more confidence and her character arc.
❝She was different. She had teeth. She bowed, just like the Sigmas were taught to—but she refused to break. She had just used him—an Alpha, a predator—to hide her tears from the cameras, to conceal her momentary weakness.❞
✎theodore. he's the 1st alpha our sigma be-friends so he gets the most on-page time. he is very sweet, caring and protective. the perfect friend and future boyfriend hehe
i can't wait to learn more about the other mmcs. we get small glimpses of them but I'm salivating for more
❝Kilian wasn’t sunny like Theodore and Niko, moody like Moses and Oscar, stupid-smart like Gabriel and Elijah, or tough like Mikel and Kalen. Maybe he was like Cian, but Cian was wily and guarded his heart behind a ten-foot wall of mystery, which was guarded by a twenty-foot wall of charm. Kilian was softer than the rest of them. He was fucking sensitive, dammit.❞
things i didn't like: there are some pacing issues especially towards the end, typos, plot holes, i had a hard time picturing the setting, and i had a really hard time keeping track of all the mmc. but i finished in less than one day soooo i don't really care too much about these things, i'm just nit-picky.
⚠︎ trigger warnings: bullying and torture, traumatic death, violent, traumatic crime resulting in multiple deaths, sexual harassment, attempted//sexual assault of main character (not by characters of the main group), panic attacks//flashbacks, references to abuse and neglect of underaged characters, parent death
┍━━━━━⋆⭒˚.⋆☁️⋆.˚⭒⋆━┑
Ironside academy series
plier 4★
tourner ~tbr
sauter ~ tbr
relever ~ tbr
glisser ~ tba
┕━⋆⭒˚.⋆☁️⋆.˚⭒⋆━━━━━┙
⌞pre~read⌝
i've heard homegirl has 10 mates. color me intrigued
-written in 3rd person//dual pov
-reverse harem paranormal romance
-slow burn
➷ the plot:
the characters are featured in the most popular reality show on tv and attend an academy for gifted people [think dancing, singing etc]
the plot was really intriguing to me. this has a bit of omega~verse[alpha, beta, delta, omega, sigma] and light fantasy, as some characters have magical powers.
❥the romance:
when i heard this series had 10 mmc, i expected zero to no romantic development but i was pleasantly surprised. this is a slow burn forsure. no smut and no-one got together in this book. i really enjoyed that!! our fmc is slowly getting to know and build a relationship with each man. although, most of them don't really fuck with her rn.
the characters:
okay ngl, i had a hard time getting a good grasp on the men. they switch from 1st name to last name, often so it was confusing to me. the author has character cards on her website with fanart (which i referred to a lot)
✎ isobel our fmc, is a sigma so the lowest on the hierarchy. she gets bullied and abused yet she's still so strong. technically she knows her place (ew gross), is shy, lacks confidence, and doesn't stand up for herself but i liked her a lot. i can't wait to see her gain more confidence and her character arc.
❝She was different. She had teeth. She bowed, just like the Sigmas were taught to—but she refused to break. She had just used him—an Alpha, a predator—to hide her tears from the cameras, to conceal her momentary weakness.❞
✎theodore. he's the 1st alpha our sigma be-friends so he gets the most on-page time. he is very sweet, caring and protective. the perfect friend and future boyfriend hehe
i can't wait to learn more about the other mmcs. we get small glimpses of them but I'm salivating for more
❝Kilian wasn’t sunny like Theodore and Niko, moody like Moses and Oscar, stupid-smart like Gabriel and Elijah, or tough like Mikel and Kalen. Maybe he was like Cian, but Cian was wily and guarded his heart behind a ten-foot wall of mystery, which was guarded by a twenty-foot wall of charm. Kilian was softer than the rest of them. He was fucking sensitive, dammit.❞
things i didn't like: there are some pacing issues especially towards the end, typos, plot holes, i had a hard time picturing the setting, and i had a really hard time keeping track of all the mmc. but i finished in less than one day soooo i don't really care too much about these things, i'm just nit-picky.
⚠︎ trigger warnings: bullying and torture, traumatic death, violent, traumatic crime resulting in multiple deaths, sexual harassment, attempted//sexual assault of main character (not by characters of the main group), panic attacks//flashbacks, references to abuse and neglect of underaged characters, parent death
┍━━━━━⋆⭒˚.⋆☁️⋆.˚⭒⋆━┑
Ironside academy series
plier 4★
tourner ~tbr
sauter ~ tbr
relever ~ tbr
glisser ~ tba
┕━⋆⭒˚.⋆☁️⋆.˚⭒⋆━━━━━┙
⌞pre~read⌝
i've heard homegirl has 10 mates. color me intrigued
June 13, 2023
What can I say? Jane’s done it again! Plier is a damn masterpiece, a class act in her character-based writing and fantastical worldbuilding that gets me every single time. From the enticing setting to the magical magic, everything about this draws you in. The start of the book reminds me of a snowball down a hill, gaining slow and steady momentum, and the insane ending feels like that snowball crashing into the side of a building.
I have many things to say about this book, but as with every JW book, my favourite will always be the main character. Isobel is a shy girl, who you’d think first of all is a pushover. She is probably the exact opposite of that, in reality. She’s grown up in a society that sees her as lesser than dirt, as both a gifted and the lowest rung on the ladder, a Sigma. With an abusive father and a worn down Sigma mother, she’s had it tough. So the absolute strength we see in her, even after everything the world continues to throw at her, is staggeringly moving.
Other than our FMC we also have to mention the guys in this. Ten Alpha men? While a lot of other fans didn’t think she could pull it off, I had utter faith. Jane delivered. While we don’t get to connect with every guy in this book, the ones we do absolutely tear at my heartstrings. While I do love Theo, the first to see our girl and go ‘That’s mine’, the ones who intrigue me most are Oscar the Grouch and Killian the ‘I swear I’m gay’. Their dynamics are all hilarious, and the way I can already see the slow burn inevitable wrecking ball collide they’ll have with Isobel makes my mouth water!
Finally, I have to talk about the setting. I know I said my favourite part of JW books is the FMC but LEAVE ME BE! As always, Jane’s world building completely sweeps me away. I genuinely feel like I’m in a different place when I read these books. To be fair they are often quite dark, with some glaring social issues that doesn’t make me really WANT to be there. This book is in the same vein, with humans and the ‘gifted’ in completely different social classes. The gifted by birth have no rights, and the only way to get them is (you guessed it) the Ironside games. Everyone in Ironside is fighting for a chance at not only riches and an escape from poverty, but to be treated like an actual person, not just a beast. Technically this is Omegaverse, but Jane has made this setting her own with magic, societal problems, and the special title Isobel has as Sigma. I will be quietly holding out hope that this series smut has the more… interesting facets of Omegaverse. But it’s JW, so slow burn and no spice yet.
Anyways to wrap up. Buy this book, I am not asking I am telling you to. If you want the best slowburn reverse harem goodness in the world, buy this book and all of Jane’s other books. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go read this again.
I have many things to say about this book, but as with every JW book, my favourite will always be the main character. Isobel is a shy girl, who you’d think first of all is a pushover. She is probably the exact opposite of that, in reality. She’s grown up in a society that sees her as lesser than dirt, as both a gifted and the lowest rung on the ladder, a Sigma. With an abusive father and a worn down Sigma mother, she’s had it tough. So the absolute strength we see in her, even after everything the world continues to throw at her, is staggeringly moving.
Other than our FMC we also have to mention the guys in this. Ten Alpha men? While a lot of other fans didn’t think she could pull it off, I had utter faith. Jane delivered. While we don’t get to connect with every guy in this book, the ones we do absolutely tear at my heartstrings. While I do love Theo, the first to see our girl and go ‘That’s mine’, the ones who intrigue me most are Oscar the Grouch and Killian the ‘I swear I’m gay’. Their dynamics are all hilarious, and the way I can already see the slow burn inevitable wrecking ball collide they’ll have with Isobel makes my mouth water!
Finally, I have to talk about the setting. I know I said my favourite part of JW books is the FMC but LEAVE ME BE! As always, Jane’s world building completely sweeps me away. I genuinely feel like I’m in a different place when I read these books. To be fair they are often quite dark, with some glaring social issues that doesn’t make me really WANT to be there. This book is in the same vein, with humans and the ‘gifted’ in completely different social classes. The gifted by birth have no rights, and the only way to get them is (you guessed it) the Ironside games. Everyone in Ironside is fighting for a chance at not only riches and an escape from poverty, but to be treated like an actual person, not just a beast. Technically this is Omegaverse, but Jane has made this setting her own with magic, societal problems, and the special title Isobel has as Sigma. I will be quietly holding out hope that this series smut has the more… interesting facets of Omegaverse. But it’s JW, so slow burn and no spice yet.
Anyways to wrap up. Buy this book, I am not asking I am telling you to. If you want the best slowburn reverse harem goodness in the world, buy this book and all of Jane’s other books. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go read this again.
September 29, 2024
I tried to like this book. I really did. But I did not care. Not for the characters or the exhaustive interactions between Isobel and all those alphas.
⭐ I loved the idea of an academy with a reality show kinda vibe to it with cameras all around where trending and happening students got the points.
Even though I did not care about the storyline I still would've continued for the reverse harem part of it but even that will not happen for another I don't know how many books and I won't be reading those.
⭐ I loved the idea of an academy with a reality show kinda vibe to it with cameras all around where trending and happening students got the points.
Even though I did not care about the storyline I still would've continued for the reverse harem part of it but even that will not happen for another I don't know how many books and I won't be reading those.
February 12, 2024
I read this extremely quickly, and overall, I enjoyed it. This is a very dark dystopian world, so that took some time to get used to because it was a bit depressing at times. I do think that 10 (yes, TEN!) men is too many love interests, but it was handled better than I thought it would be. We definitely only really know a few of the guys well so far. This really was Theodore's book with a dash of Kilian. It is confusing that all 10 of the men are referred to by their first names sometimes and last names at other times, especially when many of their last names can also be first names in reverse harem series (Kalen West, Cian Ashford, Elijah Reed, Gabriel Spade, Theodore Gray, Mikel (Mikki), etc.).
This was a 4-star book for me at first, but honestly sometimes I struggled with the writing. Specifically, I didn't understand how a scene would get from point A to point B at times. Things would just escalate very quickly and I wouldn't understand how the plot would progress in the way that it did.
All that being said, I will definitely read book 2. It's quite addicting, and I'd like to know what happens next!
This was a 4-star book for me at first, but honestly sometimes I struggled with the writing. Specifically, I didn't understand how a scene would get from point A to point B at times. Things would just escalate very quickly and I wouldn't understand how the plot would progress in the way that it did.
All that being said, I will definitely read book 2. It's quite addicting, and I'd like to know what happens next!
July 11, 2023
I feel like 10 guys is too much. I am confusing the guys lol
Want to read
August 25, 2024finds a book about ballett with an academy setting only to realise that the word sigma is overused in the description😔
(ofc i put it on my tbr anyway)
(ofc i put it on my tbr anyway)
Want to read
September 23, 2024Someone low-key convinced me to pick this up. Also, the premise was just that good.
August 23, 2024
oh yeah, i can tell this series is going to be a new guilty pleasure read. it’s giving slight zodiac academy and bonds that tie vibes (my 2 favorite guilty pleasure reads)
personally, i’m a kilian and theo girl so far and kalen intrigues me even though he was barely mentioned. do not fuck with oscar and moses yet, but who knows?
this was so hard to put down and had me up past 4am reading until i had to force myself to sleep. already know i'm going to fly through this. love a good RH
update: now that i’ve finished the series i 100% have no doubts that it’s a 5-star series for me
personally, i’m a kilian and theo girl so far and kalen intrigues me even though he was barely mentioned. do not fuck with oscar and moses yet, but who knows?
this was so hard to put down and had me up past 4am reading until i had to force myself to sleep. already know i'm going to fly through this. love a good RH
update: now that i’ve finished the series i 100% have no doubts that it’s a 5-star series for me
July 24, 2023
Review 4.5 stars!
Don’t let this adorable and cute cover fool you 👀 PLIER is a paranormal why choose omegaverse with forbidden romance, who did this to you, and a total of 10 alpha-males !!🔥 I literally binged this one and couldn’t put it down!!
The story was so original I never read an omegaverse like this before! Also the love interests were all unique and I fell in love with each and every one of them 🫠❤️ but my favorite was Theo… he is just the perfect combination of adorableness with protective alpha.
The romance is slow burn and FILLED with tension! Their banter is so good and the guys have each their own moments with Isobel. I was eager for more spice but since this is a large reverse harem it makes sense that the focus is on developing first the connection between the female-lead and her love interests. So now I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel 👀 the ending left me a total wreck and I can already predict that book 2 will have me begging on my knees … 🫠 the academy setting mixed with reality TV was super intriguing I can’t wait to see how far the competition will go in the next book … 😍 Let the games begin!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
Don’t let this adorable and cute cover fool you 👀 PLIER is a paranormal why choose omegaverse with forbidden romance, who did this to you, and a total of 10 alpha-males !!🔥 I literally binged this one and couldn’t put it down!!
The story was so original I never read an omegaverse like this before! Also the love interests were all unique and I fell in love with each and every one of them 🫠❤️ but my favorite was Theo… he is just the perfect combination of adorableness with protective alpha.
The romance is slow burn and FILLED with tension! Their banter is so good and the guys have each their own moments with Isobel. I was eager for more spice but since this is a large reverse harem it makes sense that the focus is on developing first the connection between the female-lead and her love interests. So now I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel 👀 the ending left me a total wreck and I can already predict that book 2 will have me begging on my knees … 🫠 the academy setting mixed with reality TV was super intriguing I can’t wait to see how far the competition will go in the next book … 😍 Let the games begin!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review
August 26, 2024
Ahh I loved it. I don’t usually like reverse harems/poly romances, but this was so amazingly done. I think the slow burn helps a lot with that, and the plot behind it was interesting enough to keep me engaged.
It was awkward keeping track of the alphas, in part because they swapped between last and first names quite a bit. I think it would’ve been easier to track had they stuck with one or the other.
Now to run off to the next book 🔥
It was awkward keeping track of the alphas, in part because they swapped between last and first names quite a bit. I think it would’ve been easier to track had they stuck with one or the other.
Now to run off to the next book 🔥
June 4, 2023
Draw dropping, mind-bending goodness that you won't want to put down! Plier is sheer brilliance with stunning imagery and scenes that will break your heart. The clever foreshadowing was just superb!
Isobel will absolutely weave her way into your heart. She's just this character that you have a desperate need to see come out on top. She's been mistreated time and again, and yet, she still possesses this tender heart and grace.
The guys are... What's appropriate to say!? They're frustrating and delicious, and I want to smack most of them because that conclusion is fierce.
I need more!!! Jane Washington is the maven of angsty romance that will curl your toes!
Isobel will absolutely weave her way into your heart. She's just this character that you have a desperate need to see come out on top. She's been mistreated time and again, and yet, she still possesses this tender heart and grace.
The guys are... What's appropriate to say!? They're frustrating and delicious, and I want to smack most of them because that conclusion is fierce.
I need more!!! Jane Washington is the maven of angsty romance that will curl your toes!
August 14, 2024
2.5⭐️
Not sure if I’m going to continue
Not sure if I’m going to continue
September 21, 2024
the ending has me screaming!!!!!!! immediately need to start the second book 🏃🏻♀️💨
July 9, 2023
Ironside Academy is more than a school for the elite. It’s also a reality TV show, people from different classes competing to be top dog. In general it’s usually the Betas, Omegas and Deltas who get to duke it out, but this year things are a little different. See, there’s the addition of many alluring Alphas, and one singular Sigma- Isobel Carter.
Isobel is only at Ironside because she’s a legacy- her father a powerful Alpha alumni. Her mother being a Sigma too, her parents were fated to be matched. Happy to be free from her father’s controlling nature, she also fears for her mother, and knows she’s in for a hard few years ahead being low man on the proverbial totem pole.
One night, Isobel has an encounter with Theo, one of the beautiful Alphas. From there, their relationship blossoms into an unlikely friendship, thus making the target on Isobel’s back even bigger. Then something even stranger happens- she finds herself having unique encounters with all the Alphas, each of them drawn to Isobel on different levels. Before long, Isobel realizes it will be nearly impossible to stay under the radar as planned, and that she will have to fight for her literal survival.
Plier is a fantastical story that took me out of my reading comfort zone. This book should be marketed as the younger, prettier sister of Fourth Wing minus the dragons, but then again, I’m just a visitor to this genre. Well written and uniquely creative, author @janewashingtonbooks creates an immersive world full of many complicated characters, no easy feat given how many of them there are. With a twisty ending to wet the appetite for future installments, I hope readers find this book, and its many questions yet to be answered, just as captivating as I did.
Thank you to @redcloverdigital for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Isobel is only at Ironside because she’s a legacy- her father a powerful Alpha alumni. Her mother being a Sigma too, her parents were fated to be matched. Happy to be free from her father’s controlling nature, she also fears for her mother, and knows she’s in for a hard few years ahead being low man on the proverbial totem pole.
One night, Isobel has an encounter with Theo, one of the beautiful Alphas. From there, their relationship blossoms into an unlikely friendship, thus making the target on Isobel’s back even bigger. Then something even stranger happens- she finds herself having unique encounters with all the Alphas, each of them drawn to Isobel on different levels. Before long, Isobel realizes it will be nearly impossible to stay under the radar as planned, and that she will have to fight for her literal survival.
Plier is a fantastical story that took me out of my reading comfort zone. This book should be marketed as the younger, prettier sister of Fourth Wing minus the dragons, but then again, I’m just a visitor to this genre. Well written and uniquely creative, author @janewashingtonbooks creates an immersive world full of many complicated characters, no easy feat given how many of them there are. With a twisty ending to wet the appetite for future installments, I hope readers find this book, and its many questions yet to be answered, just as captivating as I did.
Thank you to @redcloverdigital for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
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