Think twice if…
- Content warnings: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorders, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationships, Murder, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Abuse, Manipulation, Classism, Violence, Hazing
House of Pain
by Karolina Wilde
Book 1 in Precious Villains
This is dark-academia romance with teeth: house rivalries, witch politics, a deadly school Game, and Alecto and Blaze making hate look dangerously close to hunger. The heat is not subtle, and neither are the red flags.
goodreads 3.46/5 396 ratings
Quick fit
Is this story right for you?
A decision-first view of the reading experience.
Length476 pages
Series statusCompleted series · 3 books
Spice4/5 · Passionate / intense
PacingFast
Story profile
What the story promises
The strongest reviewed signals about romance, fantasy, and the reading experience.
Romance promise
- Enemies to lovers
- Male/female pairing (M/F)
- Medium burn
- High
- Passionate / intense
- Feral brain activated
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- Morally gray
- Love/hate tension
- Rough / primal
- Book hangover incoming
- Anti-hero
- Morally gray love interest (LI)
- Power dynamic
- Adrenaline rush
- Dark/tortured soul
- Power imbalance
- Dirty talk heavy
- Mysterious stranger
- Push and pull
- Fantasy / supernatural intimacy
- Found family
- Kinky / adventurous
- Rough but consensual
- Power exchange soft
- Dirty talk (sweet/playful)
- Tension
- Anticipation
- Jealous/possessive during intimacy
- Power exchange
- Rough/aggressive intimacy
- Magic-infused intimacy
Fantasy promise
- Dark romance
- Academy / campus
- Academy / school
- Witches/wizards/warlocks
- Bully romance
- Secret society / club
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- Demons
- Dark academia romance
- Competition / games
- Games/trials romance
- Secret society
Reading experience
- Dual POV
- Fast
- Dark
- Heavy
- Witch/mage
- MC 20-30
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- Seductive
- Fast-paced
- Outcast/loner
- Tense
- Gothic
- Dramatic
- Ambitious schemer
- Unhinged
- Deadly trials
- Battle of wills
- No one is safe
- Power corrupts
- Addictive pacing
Similar stories
Similar in ways that matter
Matched by the most important shared story signals, with the tradeoffs made explicit.
360 pages Completed
The King's Maiden
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Similar because
Found family · Games/trials romance · Deadly trials
Different because
Spice is higher (5/5 vs 4/5). A shorter read (360 vs 476 pages).
318 pages Completed
Kill or Be Killed
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Similar because
Found family · Mysterious stranger · Deadly trials
Different because
A shorter read (318 vs 476 pages).
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Things I Wanted to Say
Monica Murphy
Similar because
Academy / school · Dirty talk (sweet/playful) · Unhinged
Different because
Spice is higher (5/5 vs 4/5). Medium pacing rather than Fast.
Book details
- Length
- 476 pages
- Publisher
- Karolina Wilde
- Language
- English
- Format
- Book