06/03/2026
🖤♟️ Series Review: Society of Villains by L.J. Shen ♟️🖤
So far, only the first two books in this planned seven-book series have been released, and after finishing Bad Bishop and Twisted Pawn, I am both completely hooked and devastated that I now have to impatiently wait for the rest 😭
This mafia family dark romance series immediately sucked me in. I love that each book focuses on a different couple within the same family while still continuing the larger storyline and interconnected dynamics. It makes the world feel layered, messy, and incredibly immersive.
Honestly, I can’t even decide which book I liked more because each couple brought something completely different to the table. The characters feel raw, flawed, and realistic, carrying real trauma and emotional baggage instead of feeling overly polished or romanticized. The relationships themselves aren’t easy either, which made them feel so much more compelling to me.
One thing I especially appreciated about Bad Bishop was the representation of a deaf FMC and how deeply that aspect shaped both the storyline and character dynamics. It added so much depth and emotion to the story rather than feeling like a surface-level detail.
Then Twisted Pawn came in with a true love/hate relationship dynamic—and not in the cute, playful kind of way. The tension, conflict, emotional damage, and chemistry between the characters had me fully invested from beginning to end.
What I really love about this series overall is that while both books deliver happy endings, they don’t feel overly soft or cutesy. The stories still maintain their darker emotional edges, which fits the tone of the series perfectly.
And that second book? It absolutely started dropping hints about future couples, upcoming struggles, and potential pairings, and now I’m completely on edge waiting to see how every single storyline unfolds 👀📚
