This is Book 2 from Elena Monroe in her latest series about the 4Horseman. The Test focuses on the characters Vic and Justice. We initially met both of these characters in the first book The Initiation that tells the story of Grimm and Abigail. I was so excited to return back to this world and really get into the details of the next Horseman, Vic. While I did not relate with Vic and Justice nearly as much as I did with Grimm and Abigail, it was a wonderful story with plenty of great information.
Vic is the Rockefeller family heir and he was raised and trained to be the thinker of war strategies and manage tactics. To really understand Vic you have to understand how he grew up. The weight of family expectations that are placed on him to be the absolute best and knowing that nothing compares to the glory of winning. He treats everyone and everything in his life as a conquest and when he realizes that Abigail’s friend, Justice, is exactly that – something to be conquered – he can feel the pull towards her. Watching Vic and Justice verbally spar with one another was tantalizing and wildly hot. They both have a competitive streak that really stems from their inability to let people get close to them.
On the other hand, Justice was a fascinating character. We only really got glimpses of her in the first book and she was intriguing with her social justice calls and disregard for social norms. I truly love her as a person and a friend, even if I don’t relate with her character. Her background and the fact that she found a way to shield herself from emotional attachment, keeping people at bay, is where I was able to relate with her and appreciate the struggles she overcame in her life.
When these two start to get too close though and some of the founding families’ dark secrets start to rear their ugly heads, these two either have to walk away from the first person in their lives to really make them feel something, or learn how to fight for what they want together. That’s really where I got hooked into this one – the emotional ties and distress that drew them together along with their dark pasts that continue to be revealed throughout the story, really made this an amazing story with a ton of foundation.
Plus, I got to see my main man Grimm quite a bit in this one, as well as the other two Horseman, Khaos and Bowen. The brotherly dynamic between these four is engaging to watch, especially as the series continues to develop and their animosities towards one another seem to be finding a balance. There is still so much to explore in the next two novels and I’m ready and waiting for them!
The 4 Horsemen
Grimm – Death
Vic – War
Khaos -Chaos
Bowen – Famine
The Series
Book 1 – The Initiation (Grimm)
Book 2 – The Test (Vic)
Book 3 – The Sacrifice (Khaos)
Book 4 – The Control (Bowen)
About the Author
Elena Monroe grew up in Florida scribbling down stories from a very young age. These stories were really just wavy lines filling the paper, but she knew each word, each emotion, each character’s name, and there was no tricking her into forgetting what each line signified. Just like her unconventional way of writing as a toddler Elena is setting her own rules and just telling stories.
Much like her debut novel, The Best Years, life certainly imitated art. Transplanting from the South to the East Coast, Elena currently lives in Connecticut with her husband, reformed bad boy.
Find her on her social media through Twitter at @elenamonroe, Instagram at @elenamonroewrites, Facebook at @elenamonroewrites, and more!
Adventures in Literature 
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