Ivy is the puppet master. She knows everyone's secrets. She loves to be in control and have everyone playing the roles she set for them. Something in the past changed her making her mean and nasty. But then Tate (Zain's friend) comes around and if there is something he demands is control. He won't set for less but have Ivy wanting and obsessing over him like he's with her. He pushed her buttons, he didn't fall for her knife like tongue or her games. He wanted her, the real her and not the brat she was comfortable being. And it was good to see Ivy let go of her facade and growing up. Then a three-legged griffin crash lands in their garden, asking for help, and a dragon appears the next day, also requesting help. Both have been driven out of the villages they reside in or near because the residents wanted to clean up the towns in advance of the new Queen’s visit. When troublesome Scarlet mysteriously disappears from Rookwood School, terrifying Miss Fox invites her quiet twin sister Ivy to ‘take her place’.

Elora is the ice princess. All her life she was taught to not cry and to hide her emotions. Her silence doesn't help when she falls in love and keeps a secret: Elora is in a secret relationship with Zain Clarence (Ivy's oldest brother). And gosh, the way I felt so sad and bad for Zain. He truly loved her and accepted being kept a secret to be with her. He always ended up hurt and both were left bleeding but couldn't stop seeing each other. Their relationship was a full circle of pain. She/he would end it but their bond was so strong they could not not be together again or see each other which led to more heartbreaking. I would love to see this author write some more stories like this one! It wasn’t “dark,” but it has some definite edge!! For fans of Jessica Day George and E. D. Baker comes a charming young fantasy about a girl, her grandmother, and an animal hospital devoted to fantastical creatures.A crazy ride into the world of young adults struggling to balance their academics, life, peers, bullies and all sorts of secrets they're hiding.

Cassia Collins is the latest victim who seems to have wandered in this poisonous den to be devoured by Ivy. It does a brilliant job at making the characters very real and human who are just doing their best to survive and navigate complicated relationships . Willa has handled the trope of Bully Romance in a very refreshing way. Enough to keep me intrigued and invested, who stays miles away from this trope.But it also highlights that no matter how much you try to put on a facade there will always be people who will see right through you and will tear down your walls and accept you for who you are. Safe h’s not virgins; it’s not apparent if H’s are manwhores; for the die hard safety crew, there is a time or two that some of the H’s are with ow although not sexually - on their lap or on a date, etc.; one of the h’s is with om after meeting H but it’s been a few weeks since meeting; ow drama This was such a treat! It’s angsty and twisty and follows three heroines/roommates who live at Clarence Manor.