Fatal Genius of an Arrogant Bastard: Zero: Vol. II by J. Hunter
Antidote to Predictable Sequels
Where to begin? I could say I loved this book—but that doesn’t even scratch the surface. If you haven’t read Volume I yet, pause here. Seriously. Put this review down, hop over to Kindle Unlimited, and start from the beginning. Reading Volume II first is like jumping into the middle of a chess match and wondering why everyone’s mad at the bishop.
Now, for the return of our favorite narcissistic, sharp-tongued genius: Zero Vol. II kicks everything up a notch. The stakes? Higher. The action? Wilder. The emotional punches? Surprisingly sincere. But the real magic? It’s in the details—and one of my favorites is the structure. There’s no “Chapter One” here, and we’re never getting one. The half-chapters, quarter-chapters, and decimal breakdowns are peak chaotic charm. It fits the voice of the story so perfectly, I found myself grinning every time the next title popped up. It’s a subtle touch, but it says a lot: this book refuses to play by the usual rules.
Without the heavy lifting of world-building (which Volume I handled with flair), this sequel dives straight into the story. And no, I’m not going to call it “anime-inspired” because frankly, I don’t watch anime. What I do know is this book blends genres with fearless creativity. It’s not borrowing tropes—it’s setting fire to them and building something entirely its own. Teen drama, psychological thriller, offbeat comedy, and heart-tugging friendships all wrapped into one relentlessly fun ride.
The core trio—Zero, Marina, and Briar—returns with reinforcements: Myles and Alina, who feel like they’ve been part of the squad all along. The team dynamic is addictive. The banter is razor-sharp. The emotional beats hit just right. And while Zero is still a sardonic mess of a person, he’s changed. He’s not flirting with death anymore—he’s fighting for life, for his friends, for something bigger than himself. Growth, but make it chaotic.
And then there’s X. A villain who isn’t just evil—he’s unnerving. Less “bad guy disrupts school” and more “obsessive psycho with a control complex.” He stays one step ahead of the gang almost the whole book, which makes every small victory feel earned—and suspect.
Still, it’s not the mystery of X that has me itching for Volume III. It’s the team. This delightful mess of a found family. I want to see what nonsense they pull next. I want more drunk Zero, more fake-dating Alina, more wildly elaborate plans that probably shouldn’t work but somehow do. They’re like the Scooby gang if Scooby were a nihilistic super-genius and everyone else had unresolved trauma—and I mean that in the best way possible.
Even the side characters come into their own, each bringing a spark to the twisting, turning plot. And there’s one particular meta-moment—a literary sleight of hand so clever it made me stop and say, “Did that really just happen?” Spoiler: it did, and it was brilliant.
- Hunter has taken a brooding, arrogant wreck of a character and turned him into the beating heart of a story that somehow juggles dark themes, laugh-out-loud absurdity, and genuine warmth. Vol. II isn’t just a worthy sequel—it’s proof this series has found its voice and isn’t letting go. Bring on Volume III. Not for the answers, but for the ride.
Fatal Genius of an Arrogant Bastard: Zero: Vol. II by J. Hunter
