Review: Darkmore Penitentiary

Author Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Format e-ARC

Print Length 563 pages

Publisher self

Published March 29, 2020

“We're going to own you.”

“We're going to break you.”

“When we're through with you, you won’t remember life before you were ours.”

That’s what they whisper as I pass their cells.

Ha. Guess what bastardos? I’m Rosalie Oscura, champion underground cage-fighter and freaking Alpha Werewolf from the infamous Oscura Clan. My family wrote the book on criminal organisations and I’ll be ruling this place by the time the next moon rises.

Papà always said my hot head would land me in here one day. The supernatural prison they call Darkmore Penitentiary. Where they send the cruellest, most dangerous Fae in Solaria. Like me apparently.

I’ve always had a thing for Alpha males, but the ones in here don’t have a thing for me. Especially after what I did to them…

I accidentally insulted a ruthless Lion Shifter and riled up his army of cutthroat followers.

I may have enraged the sinful Incubus who’s been condemned to isolation for committing an unspeakable crime.

Despite my better judgement, I taunted the sinister Vampire guard who has a dark vendetta against me.

And I kinda deceived the black-hearted Werewolf who rules over my sworn enemies. Though I blame fate for that one – bitch never was on my side.

I don’t know why I’m surprised, I always did have a knack for getting into trouble.

Just look at my criminal record:

Driving Under the Influence of the Moon (I’m a Werewolf, I’m always under the influence of the moon, duh)

One count of MIPS - Minor in Possession of Stardust (I’m just glad they never figured out why I was using it)

Bedazzlement (I can’t help it if I dazzle people into giving me their money)

Alpha Wolf Status Abuse (It’s calling being a leader, idiotas)

Hijacking a Pegasus and riding him through a rainbow on private property (Totally his idea)

Coercing two members of law enforcement to dance naked on the top of their vehicle for seven hours (What’s not hilarious about that?)

Bank Robbery (All that gold was getting lonely stuck in that vault)

Murdering a security guard (Alright I regret that one, but it was a total accident)

So maybe I deserve to be in prison, but do you want to know a secret?

I planned to get sent to Darkmore Penitentiary.

I’ve come to break out the most notorious criminal in Solaria.

The trouble is, I need the help of the four Alpha males to get out of here. And they happen to hate each other almost as much as they hate me.

But I always did love a challenge.

How hard could it be to make them accept me as their leader?

This is an RH set in the world of Solaria after the events of Zodiac Academy and Dark Fae and contains some character crossover but can be read as a standalone series without having read the other books.

My Opinion

This is a spin-off series of Zodiac Academy (original series) and Dark Fae (spin-off). I recommend reading them first. There may be spoilers from a book or two in these series within my review. Also, this is one of only two reverse harems I would recommend ever- it may help that the other one is written by this dynamic sister duo as well. Consider yourself warned.

In the Dark Fae series, we met Rosalie as Dante’s little cousin. Well, honey, I am here to tell you, she has grown up and dang does she have a set of brass balls on her. She purposely gets herself to a maximum fae prison, to bust someone out of the prison. All with Dante’s blessing and help. Hold the phone, say what? Yeah, not only that but she and Dante are dual alpha’s to their pack. There is a lot of love between these two and you can tell that the family blood is strong.

Rosalie, herself is a moon wolf, which while wolf shifters are a dime a dozen- moon wolves are actually extremely rare. This rarity does not make her a special snowflake though. Instead, she acknowledges it, owns that it may give her an edge and then moves on. This is one bad ass main heroine and I gotta say I kinda love her. She knows herself, her likes/dislikes- she is self-aware and self-assured. She is bold, feisty and a little bit reckless. Since she is a wolf shifter, polygamy is in their blood so move on to the love interests.

Cain is the head officer and has been assigned as Rosalie’s CO. He is a vampire, who has a flashy edge to him. He is tough, by the book with a dark secret. Rosalie figures out what he likes pretty early on and is not afraid to use it to her advantage. Will he realize he is being played? Is he being played? Only the next book will tell.

Roary is Rosalie’s childhood crush. She is also the reason she agreed to do the inside job. He knows he is ten years her senior, and while he is attracted to her, he tries to keep her at a distance. I hated him in the Dark Fae series, I wanted Elise to punch him. In this book though, I wanted to be his bestie. Poor Roary, Rosalie has to get him outta this prison.

Sin is Rosalie’s target. Her mission break him out of this maximum security prison. If only she can, if only his crazy doesn’t screw it up. I feel kinda bad for Sin. I want to think he is misunderstood. Is he though? Or is he just crazy.

Ethan is the alpha of the Lunar Brotherhood. First what do you mean he is the alpha and second, dang is he hot, like HOTT hot. Yepper, worthy of the double T. Those of y’all who know me well, know that not a lot are worthy of the double T. He is also an ass, the fact that he tries to keep him and Rosalie being mated a secret pisses me off to no end. Dude needs to man up. I get why but dang, that has to hurt my girl’s ego a little.

Rosalie is not just up against the warden and guards in the prison. She needs to find out what is going on in the Psych ward- everyone does. She pissed off a rival gang leader, the old Oscura prison alpha-who she unseated, and there is a really weird guy name Plunger that yeah is just weird. Will she be able to get all of her men outta of there alive? Will she come out of there alive? Or will the prison break her? I have no clue but with the cliffhanger that we are left with dang it I need the next edition like now. 

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote The truth was the truth was the truth.

Other People

Cain- guard, vampire

Roary- Lion shifter, family friend, Leon’s older brother 

Sin- Incubus, mercenary assassin

Ethan- Alpha of the Lunar Brotherhood, wolf shifter, mate