Crooked Magic

Traitor of Villains, Book 1

De: Eva Chase

Narrado por: Jaime Lamchick

Hero. Traitor. It all depends on which side you’re watching from.

When the vicious ruling mages launched a war against their heirs, they tore the magical community in two — and I walked out on my family to stand with their enemies. You could say I was championing compassion over tyranny, but really it was pure self-preservation.

Two years after our victory, I’m tutoring a way-too-charming heir who’s totally off limits, dodging my parents’ vengeful spells, and trying to figure out where I’ll land after graduation. My once-prestigious ancestry isn’t doing me any favors. Most of my peers look at me with more suspicion than warmth.

Then a mysterious, brooding man arrives on campus with news of a conspiracy that could destroy our newfound peace. To unravel it, I’ll have to reconnect with the dark side of our community. Disavow my few friends. Woo the mages who idolize my family.

If I fail, they’ll probably kill me.

By now, I know there are worse things than death. And this might be my one chance to prove I’m more than a traitor — to my allies and myself.

But with the charming heir and the mysterious brooder along for the ride — two bad ideas I can barely resist — and a horror from my past rising from the ashes, I’m in way over my head. Will I win the day? Ha. The real question is, how much am I going to lose?

Crooked Magic is the first in a new urban fantasy trilogy set in the Villain Academy world. Enter here for magical conspiracies, an outcast heroine, and a fraught romance where she'll get to keep both her suitors.

©2020 Eva Chase (P)2021 Eva Chase

crooked magic

In Crooked Magic, we are two years later after everything went down with the heirs and their parents. This story deals with Cressida, and while I didn't like her in the other series I will give her a chance in this one I promise.
As always Eva Chase has mystery surrounding mystery that will suck you in and have you wondering just what is actually going on, and make you wonder who is the good guy and who can you really trust. And don't even get me started on that ending.
And as always Jamie Lamchick does an amazing job narrating this story.

Loved This

I was so excited to go back to the Royals of Villains Academy world. I love that series so much. It was so fun to get to read Cressida’s story. The steam between her and Noah was just fire! The fluffy at the end of this one man! I need the next one right now. Thank you to the author for a review copy of the audio for this one in exchange for an honest review!

Wonderfully Entertaining

What a cliffhanger!! Eva Chase has left us dangling over the edge again without a safety net! I'm feeling all the feels.

My heart absolutely goes out to Cressida! She wasn't ever a favorite from Royals of Villain Academy because she always seemed reluctant and shady. We really get to see just what her motivations are and where her heart rests. Her past is so much more vial then I ever could have imagined. She's a victim that now is claiming her choices and forging her own path. She's brilliantly breathtaking as she thinks through options and acts right on the spot.

The guys in this are as different as night and day. I can't wait to see where this series will take us.

If you liked Royals of Villain Academy and just need more of that world, you will love this! It's like seeing friends again and getting a glimpse of Rory and her fellow barons is quite the treat. One-click this beauty today!

And we're back!

Yay, it's so fun to be back in the Royals of Villain Academy universe and I'm so happy that Eva Chase decided to continue it. I can't say I Cressida is who I ever thought I'd like to learn more about, but she makes for a fascinating character. It's fun to get in her point of view and see what's going on inside of her, and I feel bad for her that her family are such terrible people who essentially torture and torment her because she sided with Rory and the boys before. I'm liking the relationships that are developing here (loving Noah!) and I love seeing bits of the old crew around as they deal with the fallout of what they did in the old series. Great narration, as well. I can't wait to read more!

Spin-off from Villians of Royal Academy

I appreciate the fact that this narrator is different from the one narrating the original series which this series spins off from, since this is a different MC.

This series is a spin-off of Villians of Royal Academy. It is not truly necessary to read that series to follow along, Eva makes sure to give a small summary when it is relevant. But it’s small, which ensures that the reading pace doesn’t slow down by any means.
I am grateful I know everything that happened two years prior to this story, I much rather have the full story. It does give extra information that makes following this story a smoother experience. I don’t really know how “flat” this world would seem if I hadn’t read that series first.
But if you love guessing for a bit or have no need for the full history, you do get a summary of the necessary details so you can jump into this series straight away if you really want to.

My suggestion is that, if you’re considering whether or not to read or listen to the 8-book series prior to this story, you might as well first read those because this book will spoil a lot for you if you were to read that series after this one.

In this spin-off we follow a previous tormenter-turned-good-friend of Rory, the MC from VoRA. Cressida’s parents are one of the most prestigious families in Fearmancer society. And on opposite sides as the new barons. Those opposed to them call themselves the reapers.
After changing sides 2 years ago by leaving her parents behind for the heirs in the battle against their parents, Cressida has become a great friend to the new barons.
But the new barons still have enemies. The Reapers.
So after someone informs the new barons of a mysterious plan plotted against them, Cressida plays spy, with the ruse that she has seen the errors in her ways.


It is the same world, with the same intrigue and politics but a nice change of view. Never imagined I would want to follow Cressida but it has been insightful to see what’s going on in her mind. Struggling with the guilt of acting out of self-preservation instead of really wanting to take the heirs’ side in that epic conclusion, she still wants to prove her loyalty. I can’t help wondering whether it is guilt that drives her or low self-esteem. After all, how would we be if our parents kept on terrorizing us just to prepare us on being strong and holding our own in a world where loyalties mean nothing and everyone can, and most likely will be plotting against you... and everything can and will be used against you.
We get the lonely-as-hell but-clever enough to secondguess everything said and done around you side of Faermancer society vs. the warmth and genuineness of the current heir to the barony who’s her handler while she’s undercover.

So although it’s the same cruel world and the same politics, it’s a whole new story with more of a redemption feel instead of a “tumbled in this cruel world filled with injustice I won’t tolerate” and with love interests that aren’t bullies. Which is clever because we get more of this wolrd but the way we get to see it is different so it doesn’t get boring.
And oh my, that ending... I need book 2 now lol