Welcome to their kingdom. They call me a heartless b*tch. An evil manipulator. A wicked princess who enjoys hurting people. They tell me terrible things happened.Things that changed my life forever. Only problem is…I can’t remember any of it.This is book 3 in the Royal Hearts Academy series. Please note: Although this is Bianca’s book, Cruel Prince (Jace and Dylan’s book) and Ruthless Knight … this is Bianca’s book, Cruel Prince (Jace and Dylan’s book) and Ruthless Knight (Cole and Sawyer’s book) should be read first for a better understanding of the family dynamic.
WARNING: Royal Hearts Academy is a New Adult/High School series of standalones filled with drama, a touch of angst, and boys who are bad to the bone. The characters are flawed. If you’re looking for a safe, sweet romance with nice heroes and heroines who are perfect all the time, this series is NOT for you.
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REVIEW: 3.5 STARS
“Sometimes you have to lie to protect the people you love.”
I am enjoying my first romp through an Ashley Jade series. I have heard she’s unconventional and she doesn’t always stay the course, and I am seeing this – but I am also enjoying it. I will say this, no matter how much someone wants to claim this is a standalone, I can assure you it’s NOT. It just isn’t. There are a lot of spoilers for the first two books in it and it takes away the journey to get to know Bianca as we do once you’ve traversed two books already. It’s a necessary evil, but you might as well go along for the ride.
Straight up honesty: this will be one of the hardest reviews to write. I remember closing the book and placing it down, saying what in the….? It didn’t really make sense – the route taken, the actions portrayed – I was stuck between being lost and being confused. Same thing, right? Exactly. The only problem was, I couldn’t discuss any of it because it was the entire context of the book. But after ranting/talking to Ashley about it, joining her spoiler group and being able to see other questions/comments, it made a lot more sense. A. Lot. I’m happy to say that many of my thoughts and perceptions were actually true to her vision, and that makes me relieved knowing that I was catching what she was throwing. She can articulate well – but holy cow, did she go about it in a different way. I am not mad at the turn of events, but I do feel like I’m in a holding pattern.
It’s a little young, it’s high school drama with some real world problems – but the schmooze is pretty spectacular. Not gonna lie. Jade has thrown a proverbial wrench into this family (his)story and I for one was taken aback. I was here, looking forward to the bitch known as Bianca and her eventual downfall. She has some serious claws, and she knows when to draw them out. I like her, because I know at some point she is going to be brought down. Whether it’s by force or by heart, she was going down. Well, yeah – that thought ‘didn’t age well’ at all. This was definitely a different turn of events.
Was it rushed? Some parts may have felt that way. Did I question some of the transitions and the solutions to some of the problems? Oh, most definitely. The thing is, I know this isn’t my vision to morph and push onto her characters and stories, so I know that I have to trust in her vision to get the story across for me. I cannot stress enough that I didn’t put the book down at all. I was anxious to see Bianca get hers. I was there to see her actually break down and see connections made. I’m still waiting, but with a lot more excitement.
As we all know from finishing Ruthless Knight, there was something that happened at the end that caused this whole twisted turn of events – Bianca has no memory of anything. I remember Bianca having some dalliances with some guys, so this whole POV in this book was an eye opener into her flashbacks as they were revisited. The Bianca we knew was there, but she wasn’t. Her love interest….well, that could have gone one of two ways, and that was a huge eye-opener for me.
Did I want more? Yes, most definitely. Some things just didn’t line up, so I know there is more to this story, which was evidenced by the ending and the addition of Broken Knight to her Goodreads shelf and a PREORDER up on Amazon. I know that’s the rest of MY story that I am looking for. That will be the culmination of 2.5 books being slowly poured into my mind and the necessary The End that I’m looking for. And boy am I ready!!!
I’ll be honest. I sat on the fence with this one for a bit. I waffled on how to write my review …. but when I sat and thought about it for a few days, which I don’t normally do because I’m a straight shooter when it comes to my ratings and reviews, I was able to really think about the message and the meaning that AJ was trying to deliver and she really did get that across to me. I am excited for more. I’m going to be following the breadcrumbs she dropped from the very beginning until that OMG ending.
Do I see her vision and where she’s ultimately going with this? Yes, most definitely…and I can honestly say that I enjoy getting twists and turns in a book. I don’t like the same old story being hashed out. So the fact that we saw a completely, massively different side to Bianca in this one was a head-turning, eye-raising WTF moment – but that didn’t stop me from continuing on. I am obviously thoroughly invested in the Covington Clan and need to see their HEA’s through. I am awaiting Broken Knight because I know that will have all my answers.
The family lies and personal secrets are so convoluted the deeper we get into this series. I’ll tell you this much, October 22nd can’t get here soon enough.
“And just like that, the nagging feeling in my gut is back with a vengeance. Who the hell is Bianca Covington?”
~BEE
This book was like whoa is all I can say. I have to say that after reading it I sat there and thought omg that ending and damn what a book it was not what I was expecting it was so much more. It’s sheer genius on Ashley’s part in how she plays us in Bianca’s story the twists and turns and just when you think thing’s are going right nope guess again. This was so worth the wait and I can’t wait to read what comes next.
Oh my, how my thoughts have changed for Bianca! This book was truly an eye opener. The twists and turns. The family lies. The secrets. Most of all the amnesia!
Off now to dive into Broken Kingdom. The final book in the Royal Hearts Academy series.
** This is going to be a critical review. I will remain as respectful as possible, but there are serious issues that need discussed regarding this book and I’m not going to sugar coat them. **
After the first two books in the series, I was pretty interested in Bianca’s story. She was absolutely horrific in Cruel Prince and Ruthless Knight, and I wondered how Jade was going to pull off redeeming her and was looking forward to it. Well, the end result ended up being that … she wasn’t able to so it was a retcon to the rescue!
Amnesia. I go hot and cold with this trope because it can really be interesting or it can be lazy; in this story, it was the latter. Bianca’s amnesia was used to “redeem” her by wiping away all her memories for most of her life, which drastically altered her personality into a relatively nice person. Other people hate her and dislike her because of the things she did in the past, but she “isn’t that person” anymore so … outside of people being mean to her, she gets what is almost a free pass and has to do none of the work to fix her crap and be a better person. And no, dealing with people being mean to her is not “working to fix herself”. The amnesia does it all for her, heaven forbid she grapple with her issues (as the person who did them, not as a “different person” remembering them from a distance) and actually work on herself to take accountability and fix her behavior.
But hey this is a romance so maybe that made up for it? No. In general, poorly developed characters make for a poorly developed romance and this book was no exception. Firstly … the love interest doesn’t appear until about 1/3 of the way into the book. Add to that that about 1/3 of the book is flashbacks – many of which don’t include him – and to say it is rushed would be an understatement. I was not buying into it.
And I get it’s part one of a two part book and they probably aren’t end game but this brings up 2 major issues for me. The first is that this book is so rushed and poorly developed that it doesn’t seem like it needed to be its own book and feels like a bit of a cash grab. The second is that … if the next book is supposed to be angsty because Bianca fell in love with someone else other than her real endgame guy … that angst is going to fall flat because nothing about her and Stone feels real. So this book doesn’t even accomplish its goal if that’s the justification for splitting the story int0 2 books.
To say it was an underdeveloped, underwhelming hot mess would be putting it lightly. I love dark romance and twisted characters as much as the next dark romance fan but man this book crosses some hard lines:
1. Sexual coercion. It does not matter that the girl Bianca was threatening secretly wanted her and “liked it”. Threatening someone with losing their spot on a team inherently creates a power dynamic that makes any form of consent suspect. And this is entirely swept under the rug. You can be dark and cruel and wicked without committing an act like this.
There was more than one instance like this where Bianca was operating on the wrong side of the law when it comes to sex but it was dismissed as a “gray area”. In another she secretly films someone and uploads it online. Hi, that’s called “revenge porn” and is also a form of violating consent. Her behavior is not “wicked” it’s “let’s list you on the sex offender registry”.
2. “I’m not into girls but I’m okay with using one for sex and can get off to it” I … the casual biphobia/homophobia is unreal. Here was a chance to have a bisexual character (though given this books writing it would have been cheap and not very good representation) but no … the scene is meant to be erotic, but only for the purpose of arousing the male character. The reader is assured that there is no sexual attraction on Bianca’s part (even though she could get turned on by it, liked it, and got off to it) – that would be unseemly I guess – and it was just a means to an end and served as a way to kick start the sexual activity between the male lead and Bianca.
To top it off I found the writing (not just the characters actions, but the actual writing) to be incredibly juvenile. I’ve always found that to be true with Jade’s writing but given the hard topics included in her books I tended to overlook it. But with nothing of substance here to distract us from it, it is glaringly obvious.
And more and more, I find myself questioning if her characters being “dramatic” is just a cover for poor characterization and plot development. I mean hey, who needs well thought out characters and a sensible plot when you can make your characters do whatever you need them to do, even if it makes no sense, for the “dramz” and then claim it’s because they’re teenagers and doncha know teenagers are illogical and dramatic 100% of the time and have 0 sense? It’s not bad writing, it’s just realistic! Even if nothing else in the book is, I guess.
Baby Covington chewed us up, spat us out and revived us.
Not once, not twice but a million times over.
The way her story is told makes you question everything and leaves you constantly breathless with tears always on the verge of trailing down your cheeks.
How it all comes to fruition is irrevocably and utterly mind blowing yet it makes so so much sense.
The last word spoken is wow, I literally can’t find another word to describe it.
Wicked princess is by far my favorite book of this series.
Queen B, you my sweet girl are gonna rule the world one day. Whether it be with an iron fist or a heart of gold.
OH..MY..FREAKING..GOD!!
Wicked Princess was well worth the wait and now my mind is in overdrive and blown to smithereens. Its taken a few days just to wrap my head around it so to write this review is hard. I can’t express enough how blown away I am. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Ashley Jade is a writing goddess! I can’t say anything (without spoiling) other than WHAT A BOOK AND BRAVO TO ASHLEY.
This book was everything I thought it’d be! I honestly can’t speak on this book without gushing about it and giving spoilers. All I can give you is READ THE BOOK!!! You’ll be reading it in one shot because you can’t put it down.
I am going to keep this short and sweet!! WP was everything and so much more. Definitely a page turner, I didn’t want to put it down. Ashley Jade is a mastermind!!! You have to read till the very last page! Trust me! Go 1-click! ;))
Bianca is not like any other female character I have ever read. We thought we knew Bianca based on Cruel Prince and Ruthless Knight but folks hold on to your hats cause Bianca flips the script. Diving into Bianca psyche was eye opening. We really get to the core of why Bianca is how she is. Several scenes between her and her family when they were children are simply beautiful and touching.
Along with Bianca we get the whole Covington family and dramatics that go along with them. Cole’s quick wit had me in stitches. Bianca’s relationships with Sawyer and Dylan was fun to read. I love when there are female characters that are so different but so connected and supportive with each other.
Ashely again out did herself and work like this is why she is one of my top 10 authors ever!
I wasn’t exactly sure what to anticipate from Bianca’s story based on the previous stories but the few preconceived notions I had about her were blown out of the water. Bianca was different on every level and had so much depth as s character that I couldn’t help but want to reach out into my kindle and help her. I’m not going to go to much into the storyline of this cause you should go into without any hints and you really should start with the first book of the series to get the total effect
Holy Smokes Ashley Jade wth have you done!?
I know to always expect the unexpected.
But you have out done yourself with this one!
I’m going to be really vague with my review in order to to inadvertently give anything away.
I will say the storyline and plot blow me away.
BECAUSE I DEFINITELY DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!
It is jaw dropping.
Also except the unexpected with Bianca.
Because we are talking Ashley Jade here!
Baby Covington is about to stun you.
The only thing I regret while reading this book is not having made popcorn!
This story was like an intense action packed movie where you need to keep snacks on hand.
So pop some kernels,no pop a lot.
Relax,prepare to say a whole bunch of omgs,eat your popcorn and join Ms. Jades spoiler group so you can vent!
Finally its Bianca’s story. , the spoilt , viscous princess of the Covington family.
Boy did it not disappoint. This book has everything, drama , twist , heartbreak , romance and secrets at every turn.
Brilliantly written Ashely has managed to turn a potentially unlikable character into someone you’ll love. Bianca isn’t the princess she is the Queen.
So clear the decks, get the wine and chocolate , lock the doors because this a book that sucks you in and doesn’t let you put it down.
This book is phenomenal!!! Right from the beginning you will be glued to your kindle. The story is riveting. You think you know what will happen with the characters as the story unfolds however there are twists and turns that will have you going…wait, what??? I had moments in reading this book that I laughed out loud, yelled, cried and wanted to throw my kindle. My emotions were that intense. The characters and their story are so well described that it played in my mind like a movie. It was if I was right there with them. It is a definite must read!! I did not want to put it down. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!!! Loved it !
The Baby of the Covington family the Wicked Princess herself takes us on one hell of an emotionally charged journey.
I’ve always had mixed feelings over Bianca throughout the series, her behaviour has been deplorable at times. But other times I glimpsed a raw vulnerability about her so I’ve been intrigued to delve into her story.
Wicked Princess took me by surprise, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel or which direction the author would take. I spent a lot of time conflicted over my feelings as I read. By the end of the story I realised Bianca is by no means perfect but she never claims to be. She’s fundamentally flawed but thats okay, she grows so much as a character during this book that it’s impossible not to love her.
I’m not gonna lie this story was heart wrenching at times, I was choked up reading certain scenes. A. Jade did a fantastic job showing us all the ugly truths that shaped Bianca but also all the beauty too. We get to see her strengths and compassion aswell as her weaknesses. She’s an amazing girl at heart.
Bianca and ? are a perfect match.They just work and definitely bring out the best in each other. Their story captivated and fascinated me and I loved every turbulent moment.
The ending left me gasping. I’m excited for book 4 even more now.
Wow! I was waiting on pins and needles for Bianca’s story and couldn’t believe it’s finally here! I just knew the spoiled brat, badass princess was going to kick butt and take names. This book was unpredictable with twists I never saw coming and it left me speechless. Definitely throw some angst and frustration in there with a little bit of steaminess. I AM ADDICTED TO THIS SERIES! I’ve always loved when an author throws a bomb on me and BOOM! Can’t wait for the next book!
OMG….WHAT DID I JUST READ!!!
There would be many words to describe how good this book is but I have none..nada..im absolutely gobsmacked…i can’t even
When you think of how this book would go from reading the rest of the series you kinda have an indication of what’s to come, but people who think that clearly don’t know Ashley because damn this was on another scale completely, she took what everyone thorght qould happen and twisted it on its head.
I dont want to spoil anything at all because you need the full bianca experience but just know that for me to date this is the BEST book I’ve read.
Just need more…like right NOW.
Wicked Princess is book 3 in the Royal Hearts Academy series. It is a stand-alone but I would definitely read books 1 and 2 for a better understanding of the characters.
Wicked Princess is Bianca Covington’s book. She is Jace and Cole’s little sister.
I loved the book! It was heartbreaking, angsty and full of drama. I saw a totally different side of Bianca then in the first 2 books. I loved the family dynamic. It’s filled with secrets and betrayal and twists and turns. I would definitely go into the book with no expectations for what you think may happen because it was unexpected. It exceeded mine and I was pleasantly surprised.
It was a fantastic read with an amazing storyline. I love Ashley Jade’s writing.
I loved seeing Jace & Dylan and Cole & Sawyer again!
And who she ended up with!!! You’ll just have to read and find out!
Also, that ending and the bonus epilogue!! Perfection!!
Ashely’s writing is something one needs to experience to fully grasp. She’s got way with her writing that different, fresh, and perfect. The Royal Hearts Academy series has been a whirl wind of a ride. I’ve loved these characters as if they are my own family or friends. I’m invested in their story, in their lives, and in their relationships. I want to know it all, I need to know it all, and Ashley has got my full attention here.
Bianca’s book started off with so much WOW, I’m still trying to grasp how to explain it. I was shocked, and I couldn’t keep my hand off my mouth as I gasped from page to page. This was pretty much me the whole way through the book. I just sat there going “I can’t even here, Ashley!” and “OMG Ashley you’re killing me.”, and of course…”Girl, same. Same.”
I loved this book, I am still obsessed with this series. I love her person, but I also wanted more from them. I think they were perfect choice for each other. SO PERFECT! My only reason for taking one star off of my rating was the fact that I feel these two needed more chemistry. They had a smidge of it but I never felt it as much as I did with the others in their books. They felt rushed (to insta love for me). The story felt rushed, and a few spots needed to play out more than it did. I think if the story was slowed down some (the pace), and more chemistry was added that this would have made it a 5 star book. I am still loving the series, and I definitely recommend you read these ASAP! These couple things are just ones that are probably “It’s me not you” and other’s will be ok with everything. I’m hard to please sometimes. LOL
Oh and Ashley….OMFG you’re gonna kill me here girl! #thatendingthough
Wow I didn’t expect that, this whole book was a total twist and I love it. Wicked Princess was greatly anticipated and it was worth the wait.
Wicked Princess is about Bianca, the last Covington. She’s a spectacular individual in a unique situation but with all the things that’s going on in her life, I can agree with a lot of readers that she is a tough person and no matter what is thrown her way she will be okay and come out on top.
I love how Ashley wrote this book, it was so different from what I was thinking and the whole gasp moment of “the guy” was phenomenal. To be in Ashley mind when she wrote that part and for her to read everyone’s comments about who they were thinking must’ve been a laughing moment for her.
Overall Grade: More than 5 Stars
I want to preface this review with three actions, you the reader, need to take before reading Ashley Jade’s newest Royal Hearts Academy book, Wicked Princess:
1) You must, under no circumstances, go into this book with any expectations. None at all. If you’ve read Ashley Jade, then you should trust her ability to bring her characters’ stories to life. If you have never read Ashley Jade’s books before, well, why are you starting with Wicked Princess? You should definitely download it, but you should be binge-reading Cruel Prince and Ruthless Knight before reading Wicked Princess because you won’t understand the genius of these stories unless you’ve read them in succession even though they are truly standalones. So…reminder, no expectations.
2) You must read the story from the first page to the last page. You should know this if you’re an Ashley Jade reader. She LOVES to leave surprises from the first page to the last. So…#2, read the entire book from front to back.
3) Do not share any details of the story. Don’t do it. You will ruin the reading experience for anyone who has yet to read the book. And…that’s unfair. It’s also mean. Don’t be the Mean Girl of the Ashley Jade fan/GoodReads/FaceBook/BookBub/Amazon spaces. We won’t like that, and we won’t like you.
That being said, here goes…
If you are looking for any spoilery, tidbits of this story in this review. You won’t find them. My lips are sealed. I will absolutely admonish you to run and buy this book immediately. And as I said above, if you have not read the first two books in this series, do not pass Go. Do not college $200 UNTIL you have read the first two books. Again, they are standalones, but they are interconnected. Also, if you have never heard of this series, to acknowledge genre, think YA/NA romance with various tropes spattered throughout it.
For me, Wicked Princess actualizes Ashley Jade’s persistence as a writer. If you’ve been reading romance any length of time, and you’ve read consecutive books from an author, and you’ve read them from the beginning of their publishing experience, then you know that writers evolve. The ones who don’t evolve grow tired, and I imagine readers (at least that is the case with this reader) stop being rabid for their books. You want change; you want variation; and you want fresh as a romance reader. Lord knows, tropes and genres rarely change. However, when a writer, one such as Ashley Jade, keeps pushing her boundaries, keeps wanting more, keeps listening to her intuition about her stories, what you find is a writer who constantly reinvents themselves, and it makes their book list and the romance genre as a whole better for it.
Wicked Princess pushes Ashley Jade’s scope out. That is the big revelation here. She shows her writing chops in her choices for this book. She trusts her instinct about these characters, and she’s unapologetic about it. Just visit her Angry Girls group for that. And she shouldn’t be contrite for her ability to write a story that does many things to you as the reader.
For one, Wicked Princess culls together the history of the Royal Hearts Academy reminding us that there are bigger stories sitting in the background of this series. Secondly, it shows us that Jade writes a book within itself. Yes, she’s brought back history, but she’s also given Bianca’s story to its own space. Cruel Prince, Ruthless Knight, and Wicked Princess are all interconnected. Yet, they are each so different, the only carryover from one to the next is the characters and their stories. Period. As I was reading Wicked Princess, I was astounded at its difference to the other books. It reads as its own space in the series even though its proximity is close. If you don’t see the genius of that, then you do not understand “good” writing. Thirdly, the literary and plot devices of this book illustrate the gravity and depth of Ashley Jade’s writing prowess. I was 40% through this book, and I was compelled to comment out to her about her brilliance. Because this book is a writing treasure. And again, it’s its own book.
If there are any reviews for Ashley Jade’s Wicked Princess lower than a 4 star, then you need to know that they (1) did not finish it (DNF) or (2) went into this book wanting specific plot points to occur. That isn’t fair to this book, this series, or its author. When you enter a series of books, you need to remember that you’ve placed yourself in the hands of a beloved author. You must trust that they will craft the story that their readers need and expect. Ashley Jade’s Wicked Princess is the story you need right now, and it marks a defining moment in Jade’s journey as a writer, in my honest opinion. If you don’t read it (and its predecessors), then you’ve missed your chance to stretch yourself as a romance reader. The feelings this story elicits are bar none.