Tuesday Reviews: Pretty Vicious by Lexi Davis

Laurel just wanted to survive college, keep her father fed, and fly under the radar.

Delivering pizzas was supposed to be the safe kind of side hustle, until the night she witnesses a murder at Ashford House, the most elite and secretive fraternity on campus.

Now she’s a prisoner of The Order, a blood-bound society that controls everything from politics to police. They rule with ritual, obedience, and violence, and they’ve decided Laurel doesn’t get to leave

At the center of it all is Carrson Ashford, heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.Cold. Commanding. Infuriatingly magnetic. Under the rules of The Order, he “bonds” her, marking Laurel as his.

Body. Mind. Soul.

But Laurel isn’t here to be claimed. Not without a fight.

To save her father and her future, Laurel must navigate a twisted realm of initiation rites, brutal secrets, and a bond that may destroy them both.

In this world, there’s one rule: obey or die.

But love doesn’t follow rules. And neither does Laurel.

Pretty Vicious was one of those books that grabbed my attention fast and didn’t let go. I don’t usually jump into unfinished series, but the dark academia + secret society combo completely sold me—and honestly, I’m glad I took the chance. Definitely check the trigger warnings going in, because this story doesn’t shy away from heavier topics and darker themes.

Laurel is such a compelling FMC. She starts out just trying to survive college life and take care of her father, and then one wrong moment flips her entire world upside down. Being pulled into The Order and forcibly bonded to Carrson was intense, and I loved that she didn’t just accept her fate quietly. Carrson is peak morally gray MMC—cold, controlled, powerful, and clearly wrestling with the beliefs he’s been raised with. Their relationship starts off rough (like really rough), but the slow shift from enemies to something deeper felt natural and emotionally charged. The way they challenge each other and slowly peel back each other’s layers was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The mystery around The Order kept me hooked the entire time. The secrets, power plays, and unsettling traditions added so much tension, and the pacing was great—it built steadily without ever dragging. The romance was steamy but never overwhelmed the plot, and I appreciated that the danger and stakes stayed high throughout. I knocked off a star mostly because of the cliffhanger (I’m still recovering 😅) and a few loose threads I hope get addressed in the next book. Overall though, Pretty Vicious was dark, addictive, and emotionally intense, and I’ll definitely be picking up book two the moment it drops.