The Initiation

4Horsemen Series, Book 1

By: Elena Monroe

Narrated by: Toby James, M.K. Blackwood

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Abigail:
LA wasn’t home. Just home for now.
Transplanted here to model, I learned Hollywood isn’t where dreams survive the harsh reality of millions all sharing that same dream.
Executive assistant is who I am now.
Slave.
Hollywood’s darling took a liking to me. One not easily ignored when they give you a taste of the high life.
I was supposed to give up hope and give in to LA’s bad reputation, but I had rules.
Well, just one: read the rules before you break them.
Unwilling to abandon all my morals, the filter came off my life to see the world I was one foot in was invitation only....

Grimm:
I’m not sure I was ever really Jason.
Whoever he was, they are a distant memory now.
Grimm is who I am now.
Death.
I abandoned my birth name, companionship, and happiness that wasn’t shaped like Xanax all because I was expected to be the kind of elite that pulls the strings.
Pull the strings but follow the rules.
No distractions.
No serious relationships.
Keep what we do secret.
Born into a rite I didn’t ask for, a society of puppeteers.
An invitation I marked not attending.

©2021 Elena Monroe (P)2023 Spectrum Audiobooks

The hunt

It took me awhile to get into this story. Some aspects were similar to another story I have read. The story was all over the place, I got really confused when the point of view switch between the male characters.

It did get better toward the end which why I gave it 3 stars.

Terrific Story & Narration🎧Gripping & Intense!

Holy moly, what a dark and twisted world Elena Monroe created, a secret society of depraved individuals who live and abide by their own rules, individual with power and influence. This is my first book written by Elena Monroe and she had me with her imaginative spin on the Four Horsemen and her impressive writing style. She created a story that is original with interesting characters and storylines that are complex and captivating from start to end. Abigail moved to LA for a modeling career, but that did not work out so good for her, but she landed another job that pays her bills. Her boss sends her on an assignment, one he did not think she would come back from, but she does and the next thing she knows she had a new boss, Grimm. Grimm never wanted an assistant, but there was something about Abigail that made him feel at ease, a rarity in his tormented mind. And as much as he pushes her buttons, she pushes his right back. I thought these two were great together and for each other. Issues in her past made her stronger and she can see things for what they are and accept things most wouldn’t and that is exactly what a person needs to do in Grimm’s world, except no outsiders are let in. Grimm’s parents have his life all planned out, who he is going to marry to what he is going to do with his life. He is not capable of love, or maybe he is, either way is not willing to give up Abigail. And his partners in crime, Vic, Khaos and Bowen, are going to have to get on board and help him out, parents be damned. This dark and intense story is cleverly plotted, with plenty of drama, angst, twists and turns, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Elena Monroe, thank you for this amazing story and the wild and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧 And for terrific narration, Toby James and M.K. Blackwood did an amazing job portraying these characters and did so with a complete understanding of who they were, giving each a voice that suited that character’s persona and was believable in every role they played. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and projected them into their performance. These versatile voice artists are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this great listen. 

Very intriguing world building

This was not my normal read but I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. I really liked Grimm’s development arc. The other horsemen are intriguing as well, so I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. I have a few unanswered questions/loose ends that I expect will be answered in the other books. This was my first book by this author, but won’t be my last. Narration was excellent. These narrators were new to me, but I’ll be looking out for more of their work.

Need book #2

This was my first book by Elena. What caught my attention was not only the blurb being that it's a pnr but, also book #1 in The 4 Horsemen. Listen treat and new that I had to get my hands on this book and I'm so glad I did I believe I just found myself a new author. Romance, suspense, dark, intrigue, wonderful characters and a great story I'm looking forward to the next book.

Different

I've been feeling like I've been reading the same book over and over lately, because everything I've listened to seems so similar. This book was unique, and the premise with the four horsemen was interesting. The main character wasn't just a misunderstood hero. He is truly dark and messed up. I wasn't a huge fan of Toby James' narration, but it could just be me. I've become a bit spoiled by the likes of Joe Arden, Shane East, Troy Duran, and a few others. It really wasn't bad enough to stop listening, just not up to the standard I've gotten used to. The female narrator was great though. All in all, I'd recommend.

Different but in a good way!

I usually go into books blind so i didn’t know what i was walking into with this one. It peeked my interest but i wasn’t sure what i was enjoying but my the middle i knew. This was fun. I definitely want to read the rest bc i need to know more. Btw i love Chaos ❤️

dark romance

the 4 horsemen, all.part of a cult, old money rules, decisions made for each.
Grimm, aka Jason, a monster inside, his plans already made.for him. they dont include Abigail
Abigail, strong, fierce and independent, what Grimm didn't expect. She intrigued him.
His parents had other ideas.
The twists , the plots, the secrets, all kept me interested in this dark, bully romance.
The narration by Toby James and MK Blackwood is very good, grasping all the emotions of the characters, mAking this an enjoyable listen. I was gifted this audio and offered my honest review

Very intriguing story

Went into this story blind and this was a first-time read from this author. I have to say I didn't know what to think, when I started it, but it pulled me in and made me want to keep reading to learn more about Grimm and Abigail and this secret society. My heart hurt for Grimm the most, but I'm so happy he was able to accept and find love. I hope the author continues the story because I'd love to see more of them. I just needed to learn more! So, hoping with other books from this world will give us a peek into their world more. I l would love to get to know the other guys better too. Will definitely recommend to my friends.