Cover of Vicious Fae: Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, Book 3

Vicious Fae: Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac, Book 3

by Caroline Peckham

4.4

About this book

Elara Vance lives for vengeance. Haunted by the brutal murder of her brother, she navigates a world where the line between ally and enemy blurs with every step. Her investigation into the Fae responsible for his death pulls her into the orbit of the four Kings—the ruthless, powerful heirs to the Zodiac throne.

Forced into the high-stakes environment of Zodiac Academy, Elara finds herself trapped in a volatile dance with the very boys she suspects of orchestrating her family’s tragedy. The tension is suffocating as Elara balances her desperate need for justice against a dangerous, magnetic attraction to those who hold the power to destroy her. As the secrets of the academy emerge and the political landscape shifts, she must decipher who is lying and who is worth the risk of her heart.

In a realm where magic is lethal and loyalty is a liability, Elara discovers that the most dangerous threats are the ones she cannot escape. With the King’s downfall looming and the truth finally within reach, she must decide if her thirst for retribution is worth the price of her own survival.

Available Formats

Paperback: $19.99 Audiobook: $0.00

What readers are saying

Toscha Bolton

Epic series!!

"This series sucked me in and wouldn't let go until 2 weeks after I finished it!! This series is dark, addictive and unapologetically unhinged. Story brings you brutal action, slow-burn (especially with two particular Kings👀) and a mystery that keeps unraveling deeper into obsession and revenge. Elise is a feisty badass FMC who refuses to be controlled by anyone. Her soul shattered when her brother died under mysterious circumstances and now she has one goal. To find her brother's killer. First step, Elise must get close to the Kings of Aurora Academy. Each King brings a different kind of darkness that represents the shattered pieces of Elise's soul and together they create a reverse harem dynamic that is intense, awakening, emotional and addictive. In time she heals because of this. Leon is my favorite character! OMG!! All of his pranks and how he is not intimidated by any of the other Kings. His devotion is raw, unconditional and unwavering. Leon's character will make you laugh until you cry. He is chaos wrapped in sunshine. ♌️Reverse Harem/Why Choose 🖤Magic Dark Academia ♈️Found Family 🖤Enemies to Lovers Possessive MMCs ♏️Vengeance/Revenge Plot 🖤No Secret Identity ♑️High Stakes, High Spice 👑Trauma Bonding ["

March 20, 2026 Verified Purchase
Jennelle Glassburn

THIS SERIES!! It keeps ya hooked!

"The third book in this series pulled me right back in from page one. The search for Gareth's killer finally gains momentum, with Elise getting closer not just to the truth, but to unraveling the mystery of the Card Master and his connection to Gareth's death. The plot felt more engaging, with new leads, twists, and that jaw-dropping ending I was NOT prepared for. Thank goodness the next book is already out because that cliffhanger? Absolutely ruthless. One of this book's biggest strengths is the character development. The relationships between Elise and the four kings are evolving in the best (and most chaotic) ways. I loved seeing the group interactions—their dynamic is a perfect blend of snark, tension, and those rare, heartwarming moments that sneak up on you. Leon, hands down, stole the show for me. His kindness, light, and ability to be the glue holding everyone together made him the MVP (minus that questionable decision in the last third, but we’ll let it slide... for now). Now, let me vent about Elise. I adore her spunk, but she was SO frustrating at times. She gets mad when the guys try to make decisions for her (usually to keep her safe), yet she lies and sneaks around without a second thought. Girl, pick a lane! And don’t get me started on how she conveniently forgets about Gareth when it suits her. Despite all that, I still love her as a main character—she's messy, impulsive, and real, even if I occasionally wanted to shake some sense into her. The kings each had their standout moments. Gabriel, who I loved in book one, seriously tested my patience here with his possessiveness and refusal to accept Elise's choices. Ryder, on the other hand, grew on me more than I expected. Seeing his cold, violent exterior slowly crack to reveal a softer side (especially with Elise) was everything. Dante remains the steady, loyal rock, and Leon… well, Leon is just a cinnamon roll with a dash of chaos. The evolving bromance (or at least mutual tolerance) between Ryder and Leon gave me life—their dry humor and banter were pure gold. The change of scenery was a breath of fresh air, especially after spending so much time at Aurora Academy. Plus, the crossover with Zodiac Academy? Chef’s kiss. Watching Gabriel and Orion's friendship blossom was such a treat, and their dynamic added another layer of intrigue. In conclusion: angst, betrayal, character growth, a rollercoaster of emotions, and a plot twist that left me gasping. This book wrecked me in the best way possible. Bring on the next one—I’m ready (kind of). ["

February 21, 2025 Verified Purchase
Christi Taylor

Loved the book, but man that ending 😭

"I am late to the ZA and Ruthless Boys world. I'm mad at myself for putting it off for as long as I did. I love the story line in the whole cross over series. Unless things get better in book 4 of ZA, Elise and the Ruthless Boys are my favorites in the whole thing. Before I crossed over to RB, it was Darcy and Orion. By being in certain groups I knew how Elise and the Boys ended up. However the ending of this book gutted me! For Dante, Ryder and poor Gabriel to walk off like that 😭. I knew Leon was going to be spared (again because of the groups I'm in). However, what in tarnation did I read? I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall. I was bawling like a baby! Hopefully the rest of the Boys figure out this madness that is their lives before I have another meltdown 🤣. So far book 3 is my favorite of the ZA/RB cross over series! If you haven't read this series you really need to. Look up the different ways of which you can read it. I went with the spoiler free/guy wrenching version. So I'm sure I'll be wanting to throw my Kindle a lot more and I'll have to have Kleenex on standby. ["

January 27, 2026 Verified Purchase
Ava Dieleman

Great read

"Oh my what can I not say about this book and this series . The zodiac/solaria world is so much fun to read and a addictive the ruthless boys just made it that much better ["

April 12, 2026 Verified Purchase

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