Overall, this dark, graphic, murderous, gritty trilogy is one that will live on in my reading memory as one of the strangest yet interesting, unique and impossibly gripping series I've come across in a long time.

I’ve loved this series from the first book and while I still think Not Even Bones is the strongest of the series, this was a solid finale. I’m once more blown away by how Schaeffer makes me love a serial-killer-level character and want to continue justifying her actions as I read. Nita is truly spectacular in that way. Kovit deserves a shoutout too and I’m so glad he played an even bigger role than before as things wrapped up. The worldbuilding is darkly intriguing. The action is sharp enough to draw blood. I thought the plot was stronger than book 2 as well. Really, the only complaint I had with this one was the pacing. Too many moments were bogged down with extra words, extra time spent when I wanted to keep going. The beginning was great, the ending great, but all the stuff in the middle just wasn’t moving as quick as my mind needed it to stay engaged. That said, still a strong third book, and honestly a series I can say is strong all the way through. I’ll read anything by this author at this point.

Rebecca Schaeffer hit it out of the park again with this latest addition to the series. If you're a fan of the previous books, you'll love this one and the development of the characters.

I was eager to read the final installment in this series, and it delivered! The conclusion was realistic and satisfying, but didn't wrap thigs up in a bow. This series would appeal to fans of the show Dexter.

YES, YES, YES. This conclusion did not disappoint at all. I am sad to see these characters go but I am so happy that this trilogy held up through all three books!

I absolutely LOVE this series and fell in love with the main character Nita from the first novel, Not Even Bones. She is a strong female character, full of life and fight, so much personality, and not afraid to voice her opinion or fight for those she loves and for what she believes in. She is full of determination, not afraid to get her hands dirty when she needs to, and is a fun character to read and follow along. Then there is Kovit, a mean and nasty Zannie, who you will eventually come to love (or perhaps still despise) as you read through this series of books and follow along on his adventures as well. We are introduced to both characters in the first novel, and all three novels in this series follows them along on their life and adventures. I enjoyed how this last novel delved deep into Kovit’s life growing up, and it gives us some insight into what he went through as a young child and young man, to help mold and shape him in to the man and person he is today.

I don’t want to give too much away in this novel for those of you who are new to this series and have yet to read and first two novels in the series, however I can say that if you haven’t read this series yet you are truly missing out on a great series! You need to go and grab your copy of this series today, you will love the unique storyline and the unique characters throughout the series.

Well done Rebecca! I loved this series and I am looking forward to seeing what you come out with next!

I've been a huge fan of this series from the start. This book has sat at the top of my most anticipated of 2020 since the release of the last book Only Ashes Remain.

I did not love this book, but I think it was because I listened to it on audio and did not care for the narrator. Did I enjoy it, yes. Was it a good book, yes. Did I get the answers I was looking for, yes. Also, the series itself is dark and messy, and though we get that with this final book, I felt it was missing something.

I felt the book could have either been longer, or we really needed another book. So much happens in the book, yet I kept feeling like it was going so slow. I guess it was just that most of the action happens in the second half of the book whereas in OAR, it was action packed from start to finish.

We have all of our key players with Nita, Kovit, Fabricio and Nita's mother. We also get glimpses of Adair, more background on Zebra-stripes and how INHUP started. So many things fell in place and there were so many twists. It was also great watching our characters work through emotions and come together to get shit done.

As I write this review, I am realizing how much I really did enjoy this book. Taking the time to actually think about what I read in this context makes me feel like I just wanted MORE, I'm not ready for this series to be over! 4.5 ⭐

Rebecca is an outstanding writer with a fabulously creative mind. PLEASE write another book for this series, even if it's just a novela! That being said, Ican't wait to see what else Schaeffer comes out with.

Thank you the Netgalley and HMH Teen for copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

When Villians Rise is the grotesque and explosive finale to the saga of Nita and Kovit begun in Not Even Bones. Nita must team up with Fabricio, the boy who betrayed her, in order to save Kovit, the monster she's come to love. When the world learns that Kovit is a zannie after he's placed on INHUP's Dangerous Unnaturals List, Nita travels to Argentina with Fabricio and Kovit to break into Tacunan Law to get the secrets to take down the organization and the List once and for all. But When Villians Rise wouldn't be a Market of Monsters book if there wasn't some good old fashioned betrayal thrown into the mix, and soon realizes that her true enemy is not Fabricio, nor is it even just INHUP, but someone much closer to home.
When Villains Rise was an electricfying ride from start to finish. Schaeffer is a masterful writer of morally grey and complicated characters. To call Kovit and Nita flawed is an understatement, and the two must grapple with the horrible things they've done, but you can't help but root for them to survive and achieve a different future for themselves. I loved how twisty this book was. It was one betrayal after another after another that I just did not see coming. I especially enjoyed what Schaeffer did in regards to Fabricio and Nita's mother in this book. When Villains Rise is a satisfying and fast-paced conclusion to Nita's story, one that deals with issues of morality, toxic parental relationships, and ultimately hope that even the most flawed people can have a hope for the future.

First off, I'm a huge fan of this entire series, and waiting a year for book 3 was hard when I was DYING to know what happened next with Nita and the rest of the characters.

This entire series is full of morally grey characters, that leave the reader asking themselves what they'd do under the same circumstances. I wasn't sure how the author would wrap up all the different plot lines and unanswered questions with just one book, (is it too late to beg for a 4th book - pretty please?), but despite just wanting more of the characters and the world, this was a wholly satisfying conclusion to an action-packed, heart-stopping, unapologetically dark ya-fantasy series.

I can't wait to see what Rebecca Schaeffer does next. Fans of VE Schwab should absolutely pick up this series! Schaeffer is on my auto-buy list for life!

When Villains Rise by Rebecca Schaeffer left me utterly speechless. For days. I couldn’t even talk about it until now. I was captivated from start to finish and although the plot deviated from my own expectations, I was left satisfied with how it all ended. That’s an amazing feat for any writer and their work. I’m sad to see these characters and their stories end, I will miss them dearly, but my goodness these books are amazing. I can sincerely say that I have never read anything quite like the Market of Monsters trilogy. Nita will always be one of my most favourite morally grey, badass main characters that have graced the YA genre. If you need a refresher before I start things off with the latest and last book in this ruthless trilogy, feel free to check out my review for the book that came before, Only Ashes Remain and if you haven’t already read this series, check it out!

Spoilers ahead!

Having Nita burn down the Black Market was a monumental feat for her in the Market of Monsters trilogy, but I wasn’t so sure what would happen in its next instalment as both books featured this storyline. That being said, I’m glad to report that this was an absolute stunning conclusion with a strong story and wrapped up plot that will satisfy any reader. When Villains Rise follows the threat of Kovit joining the kill on sight list of unnaturals. Everyone will be given the okay to kill him if they see him, which coincided with their victory of burning down the market, so any safety they felt went out the window with this threat. Nita and Kovit are inseparable and despite this being a ‘Kovit only’ issue, she remains by his side and does anything she can to save him, much like Katniss Everdeen with Peeta Mellark in Catching Fire.

I couldn’t believe how many villains came to rise (pardon the pun) in this conclusion. They were either defeated or resolved, new and old. Zebra Stripes makes an appearance and his demise is swift, which might leave a few stunned because he seemed to be very centre-stage in the other novels. However, this didn’t bother me because the shocking, an unexpected villain made sense and it was thematically dramatic (I won’t spoil because it was thrilling to see that twist happen, it was fast and vicious). I liked what happened with Fabricio as well, no spoilers but it seemed to fit with Nita’s growth as well as his own. But the most important theme which I loved and found completely fitting for these books was the great debate on what makes someone a monster. At one point, Nita is discussing this exact question with Gold, the girl with the mafia connections, and when Gold says that she will rid every monster, she wasn’t talking about the human ones like Henry who tortured Kovit and forced him to do the same to others for his own gain. Despite already loving the vicious and ruthless Nita, she calls her out on it and if she didn’t, I would have been angry because I would expect nothing less from this confident girl who’s grown so much since being sold on the black market.

‘It’s an honest question. Henry was human, but I would argue he was a far worse monster than Kovit,’ Nita commented mildly.

Unlike Gold, Nita isn’t blind or ignorant when it comes to humans and monsters and their less than favourable proclivities, dangerous or otherwise, and this quote below is an important message to take away from these books.

“Kovit is evil. I’ve never denied it.’ Nita admitted easily. ‘But he’s still human, and he has good sides. I won’t disagree with calling him evil, but I will always disagree with painting him as a one-dimensional monster from a slasher film.”

There’s never only one side to anything, whether it be a story or a person because life is complicated and it’s never that simple. You can never assume and this suits these books to a tee. As soon as you think you have the story all figured out, Schaeffer throws a well-written, beautifully crafted curveball that will knock the reader on their ass (in an amazing way). This is what makes these books addictive and thrilling! There’s no beating around the proverbial bush with Nita and there’s nothing better than that. If she thinks it’s BS, she says so.

As weird as it sounds, I was forgetting how evil Kovit could be in this last book. He was introduced right away as a terrifying zannie who lives for pain and has to feed on it to feel good. He was even tasked with torturing Nita during captivity and yet I couldn’t stop feeling bad for him the whole way through this book. You see this side of him reach out and ask for help and being his friend, Nita strives to help him. He wants to be seen for who he is apart from his zannie side, the side he cannot change and you see him as himself quite a lot like here with Fabricio. There’s a common joke that’s gone around these books because Kovit is a walking contradictory. He doesn’t like keeping prisoners but rather wants to befriend and only wants see the good which doesn’t work when he’s tasked to hurt them and torture them. This is a prime example of him as Kovit, not as a zannie.

“Kovit sighed, closing his eyes. ‘Because for all his manipulation, he saw me. He looked at me, even after I hurt him, and he didn’t see a monster. He saw a human to be understood. He might be manipulating me, but he thinks I’m a real person.’ His voice was small. ‘You’ve seen how rare that is.”

And this is how he wants to be seen by everyone. It’s sad and tragic because he can’t help that he was born with this evil side, but he does fight it every chance that he gets and that is very prominent in this book. It was a great way to let his character now shine and grow just like Nita got to, and it was done the exact same way as her where situations forced them to adapt and that’s something that Nita and Kovit are experts in. Seeing this side makes you feel for Kovit, differently than the first two books because we finally see the depth in which he hates that one part of him, that part he can’t change and this is relatable to everyone. We all have things (granted not as drastic as Kovit) that we would like to change, but sometimes that’s not in the cards and you have to work hard at it.

“His smile was soft and genuine, and he shifted slightly to press their foreheads together for a moment and whisper, ‘Thank you.’ Nita wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. ‘Always.’ They curled up like that, arms wrapped around each other, as they slowly drifted to sleep.”

One thing I do want to address (because for me I was seriously hoping for more of that romance teased in Only Ashes Remain) was the potential love match of Nita and Kovit. Although what I got wasn’t exactly how I thought it would go, I was completely for it. To me, it made sense and stayed true to the characters and how they are different and process relationships in a non-traditional way that has so much to do with how their lives are going. It was definitely a welcome surprise and one that I think people won’t understand in the beginning, but will by the time they reach the end of the series. I’m a hopeless romantic so I know where and why readers will be disappointed, but I hope you keep your minds open to it and respect the characters that Schaeffer has brought to life for us because I do think that this angle she makes is appropriate and 100 % in character for these two.

“But it felt empty. Hollow. Like the whole world had lost its colour. She didn’t need Kovit to achieve her dreams. She didn’t need his help against the market. Kovit wasn’t a tool she’d lost, or a change of plans. Kovit was Kovit. He was the person who held her when she cried. Who entwined his enemies with hers, so that she wouldn’t be alone. He bought her breakfast and told corny jokes. He slaughtered the people who tried to hurt her. He made her smile.”

I loved the romance I did get between these two because they were so cute and most importantly, they value each other and have seen all the dark that comes with the light.

When Villains Rise is equal parts Nita and Kovit. They both grow so much by the end, it’s crazy! And for all things considered, Fabricio is kind of like Jon Murphy from The 100 TV series in the fact that although you hate him, he is a survivor and only does what is necessary to live another day. You’ll hate these characters or you’ll love them and for me, by the time I finished this book, I came to understand him much like Nita did (that’s all I’ll say on that). He does what many of us deem impolite and he has no shame on it because at the end of the day, he’s alive and that’s also something we as humans like to forget because when it comes down to it, if it was your life or a strangers, you would pick your own and for Fabricio, he doesn’t let that guilt bog him down. He shows what humanity would do but would like to forget. These books are all about human nature, good and bad. It showcases beauty and betrayal, the lovely and the ugly and the everything in between.

I will recommend this series until I am blue in the face because although it sounds gritty and gory (which it is), it has so much substance and it really stands out as different in the YA genre. I have never read anything like these books so I don’t have any similar books to recommend, but if you haven’t read these already, go do it! This is a great series to get you out a slump because of its unique story and lovely and ferocious morally grey characters. There are definitely no ‘good girl’ stereotypes, or ‘dumb naive’ characters to be found in Nita or any of the other characters. They’re all bad and they embrace it, which will lead you to love them and hate them and enjoy the rollercoaster that Schaeffer throws you on because you’ll end up loving the ride even if the story doesn’t go your way. The dark nature of these books is perfect for the fall which I know a lot of people are looking forward to and these are perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween!

What a phenomenal ending to a jaw dropping series!!! This book was wonderfully surprising as the plot continued to surprise. It was fantastic to see all the characters grow and their relationship change, and some of the things the author gives you to process about certain characters is gasp worthy. I could not give it less than a five out of five. I would recommend this series to teens and adults. It is perfect for the upcoming autumn with its monsters and murder. This book would also be a good one to talk about in a book club due to its characters attempt to decide what classifies as human and humanity. Again, very much recommend!!

Enjoy visiting the market of monsters? This trilogy will literally grip your heart and I don't mean in an endearing way. I highly recommend reading the first two books, otherwise not only will you be confused, but you'll spoil the ending to this twisted and delightful trilogy.

We are thrown right back into the action as Nita comes face-to-face again with one of her many nemesis, Fabricio. Enter Kovit, who has been in and out of Nita's life, but he's a zannie. What's that you say? You must read the first book to understand! Back to Kovit, he joins Nita as they fight off all the true monsters in the world. INHUP being the biggest monster of all, or is it?

Read this book that is full of may twists and turns as Nita and Kovit face the world, try to take over INHUP and lead what normal lives they possibly can.

When you deal with bad people, sometimes there are no good choices. And if you keep dealing with them, well, you might just find it’s no longer about bad choices, but the choice to be bad. To be monstrous.

Monstrousness has always been the heart of this trilogy, and the question of what makes a monster is all the more pertinent in When Villains Rise. Is it birth, nothing more than a genetic quirk that somehow plunks people to one side or the other of a moral black and white? Is it upbringing? The nature vs. nurture question is old, and Schaeffer doesn’t debate it so much as explode it entirely. What if your nature and your nurture were both on the wrong side of the moral line—would you then have to judge yourself by degrees, make morality a spectrum? And who would this morality be for—for yourself? For society? Whose society? Whose laws do you abide by when your nature, your existence, is a crime?

In this final volume, it’s not people Schaeffer is examining but whole institutions. We know that the INHUP, the Inhuman Police, are corrupt. And now we begin to see how their corruption interplays with politics, with the cycles of profit and exploitation on the black market, and with the media perception of supernatural beings, aka “inhumans.”

If the world doesn’t let you be human, then whose fault is it, exactly, when you act according to their expectations? The whole trilogy has been wrestling with this question as well, and it comes to some very interesting conclusions through Nina and Kovit, our beleaguered duo whom we last saw having a heart-to-heart as two prisoners awaited torture in other rooms.

Ah, sweet murder-babies. It’s good to see you again.

Nina and Kovit have more to worry about in this book than vengeance. Their survival is now interlinked with their fellow inhumans, and with the system that judges whether they’re safe or dangerous—aka, whether they can be killed on sight without consequences. (Let that one sink in for a second.) The INHUP is behind the policies, but it’s the public that effectively “enforces” them, supporting and even participating in government-sanctioned killing. The media is a constant threat across all three books, not always immanent but always at least in the back of everyone’s minds. Nita has always thought privacy was safety, but in When Villains Rise, she realizes she can take control of her narrative. And she’s going to do so as thoroughly as she knows how: by getting to the roots of the INHUP and all their secrets.

In this battle of information, Nita and Kovit’s self-knowledge isn’t trivial. What they know of each other, and how they understand their relationships, matters on a large scale. Rarely do I see someone so skillfully blend the larger themes and issues of the book’s plot into the intimate and interpersonal issues that the characters are struggling with.


I don’t know if this book will resonate with everyone who has experienced abuse, but it certainly resonated with me. Each of the teen characters has a parent or parental figure who treats or treated them with extreme violence and manipulation. Kovit, Nita, and Fabricio each emerged from uniquely bad situations, but they share a common understanding of the intense love and intense fear that accompanies long-term abuse. The intense feeling of monstrousness: both of the perpetrator and of yourself as you struggle to disentangle yourself from what they call “love.”

Learning to recognize abuse isn’t easy. It only really happens when there’s something to contrast it with, something that makes you realize that it isn’t normal. And once you do, it’s not as if feelings and relationships stop. I was particularly moved by Kovit’s mourning for his “mentor,” the man who forced him into torturing others. Henry was evil in every way imaginable, and yet he provided the only structure and support Kovit received for much of his life. Reconciling—or at least encompassing—those many contradictory feelings is a difficult process, and Schaeffer gives us a window on it without any tint of judgement.

She similarly gives us a window into Nita’s relationships with her parents, only in this case, Nita is looking at her own life alongside us. Nita has never fully understood the strangeness and terror of her upbringing, but as she fights to save Kovit and understand his past, she’s forced to reckon with her own, too. Schaeffer ties it into the larger issues with the INHUP very nicely, making for a very emotionally charged mystery, and a very thoughtful conclusion.

Although it fortunately never goes the trite route with “the monsters were the humans all along,” there is an important dimension of the book that asks how we can have compassion for people who do monstrous things, and what boundaries can (or should) still exist. This is a complex, real-world compassion that can be powerful, but maybe isn’t so nice. This whole book is not nice. It does not end with the tearful redemption of every evil deed in a blindingly bright act of self-sacrifice and romantic love. It takes the much more difficult tack of forcing characters to live with their remorse, accept their guilt, and do something about it. That’s not as neat and pretty, but it’s honest, and it also leaves room for real, meaningful relationships.

It’s nice to see some Asexual representation and exploration. Nita and Kovit may have a very unusual bond, but Schaeffer makes clear that being Ace is completely normal (perhaps the most normal thing about either of them). Both characters’ ability to be thoughtful and honest about their emotional and physical desires is incredibly sweet.

I especially adore how Nita still finds a way to grow and develop her relationships, discover her sexuality, and develop herself as a person—one who knows how to ask for help! and makes collaborative, not unilateral, decisions!—while also being increasingly ruthless and murderous. Pushed a little further, it would be hilarious YA satire. As it is, When Villains Rise still plays it straight. We get to take Nita’s progress and also her violence seriously, which I think is the right call. 2020 isn’t really the time to be treating extreme violence as a laugh, but it’s definitely the right time to think about the political and psychological ramifications of violence. How Nita, Kovit, and others cope with violence—either directed against them or directed by them—is far more interesting than whether they participate.

Schaeffer walks that line to the very end, never falling. The tightrope metaphor breaks down a bit, though, when you think about how many, many lines she’s walking. It’s more like she’s skipping from tightrope to tightrope, discussing wealth and power and the political ramifications of unchecked violence, and doing so through characters marked by complex trauma. It’s a virtuoso performance.

I’m sorry to say goodbye to these characters, but this really was a perfect place to end the trilogy. I’m hopeful that this isn’t goodbye to this strange, scary parallel world. It’s a great setting, and there’s a lot of incredible potential for more stories. But regardless, I know I’m not saying goodbye to Rebecca Schaeffer. Her dark, insightful work has a proud place on my shelves, and I look forward to when I can add more of her books to my collection.

I was very excited and high expectations for this finale, and I hate to say this but it fell flat for me. Since it’s the finale of one of my favourite series, I was expecting so much action and romance and a good wrap up to an exciting storyline. I really wanted more romance between Nita and Kovit. They were setup so well in the second book, and I get the reasons for the lack of romance, as it was explained in the book, but I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers romance and it was missed in this book. There also could’ve been more action. I felt that the exciting scenes were over too fast.
I liked how Nita’s character arc transitioned throughout the series. She realized who she was meant to be because of Kovit. Their friendship was wholesome and good for both of them.
I wish we could’ve seen more of Mirella, and she could’ve come to see how much Kovit and Nita had changed. Nita really needed a girl friend and Mirella could’ve been that support for her.
I feel like the end was left open-ended and I’m holding out hope for another book or even a spin-off series. I still really enjoyed the book but I guess my expectations were too high and this finale fell flat for me. I will still recommend this series to anyone and everyone because it’s amazing and unique!
Rating: 4 stars

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the Market of Monsters series from start to finish. While the first book, Not Even Bones, is still my favorite, both follow up novels were just really fun to read and great continuations of the series. This held true for the finale, When Villains Rise. I had a great time reading it, and even if it wasn't the strongest entry in the series, it was still a really good ending.

My favorite aspect of these books has always been the world building. It just feels so unique. When Villains Rise just built on an already solid foundation, adding to and moving within a world like no other. All of the creatures, the cutthroat situations, the evil Death Market and corrupt government agencies, it all adds up to something really special and really unique to this series.

The characters would then have to be my second favorite aspect of these books. Nita has been complex from the start, and her motivations, her drive has always been clear. I love how decisive she is, and she really stayed true to herself in this last book. I liked getting to see more of Kovit in this one, and it made his character even more complex and compelling. The characters were very well done in this installment, beyond even just Nita and Kovit, but I want to leave the rest for readers to discover on there own.

My one and only issue with When Villains Rise was the pacing. The beginning was fantastic. There was all this great setup, promises of action and confrontations, tough decisions and of course, villainy. And all of that did end up in the book. It all just felt so dragged out. Lots and lots of talking between big moments, and while some of it was insightful or even endearing, a lot of it had my mind wandering. It honestly felt to me like this whole book was a really drawn out final couple of scenes. I do wander though, if it would benefit from being read immediately after the previous books.

Overall, When Villains Rise was a very satisfying end to a series I love. It tied everything up nicely while still leaving some to the readers imagination, which is exactly what I want in my endings. Now that the whole series is out, I would highly recommend binging all of the books, and plan to do so myself when I reread them. I just think that will be a really fun way to read them and I think the stories flow together so nicely that the experience would benefit from them being read one after another. If you like monsters, morally gray characters, and intelligent writing, this is definitely a series you don't want to sleep on.

I have loved this series so much - probably more than is normal considering its subject matter... The morally ambiguous characters and the fact that Rebecca Schaeffer isn't afraid to get really dark make for an incredible trilogy!
When Villains Rise is the explosive finale to a series that has seen Nita and Kovit, two potentially dangerous unnatural beings, navigating a world that wants to see both of them dead.
ext, and it kept me gripped throughout. This book has non stop action and a touch of gore, keeping me engaged the whole way through.
I really hope that this is not the last we see of Nita and this world!

Such an awesome ending to such a great trilogy!!! I’ve been hooked on this series since Not Even Bones so for everything to come to a head and finish like it did *chefs kiss*

This was a good ending to the series but I was a little disappointed about a certain aspect. The writing was wonderful and loved the dialogue!

I didn;t read the description carefully enough and did not realize that this was the final book in a series, which explains some of the confusion I felt at the beginning of this read. The romance in this book was okay and left a lot to be desired. I did enjoy the mystery elements and the characters within the story.

The finale, plot-wise, was everything I could have wished for.

My only issue is with the romance, which - to frame it bluntly - took a long walk off a short pier.