amanda_reads13's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Dean knows Cat's secret and is using it to manipulate and control her.
This is Dean's redemption book. In the past 2 books and in the beginning of this book, he was absolutely horrible. His arc throught this book was pretty well done.
We already know a fair bit about Dean's past coming into this book. As we progress through the book, we get more of an insight into Dean and the childhood he suffered through. He has been abandoned time and time again. Years of heartbreak and rejection has turned him resentful and hateful.
Cat, WTF! She just goes along with Dean's blackmail and allows him to treat her like garbage and degrade her?
Ok so, Dean did get better through the book, as he works with Snow and starts to fall for Cat. BUT their relationship is very twisted.
I enjoyed the Snow/Sasha cameo. I'm pretty sure I know who the spy is...
Tropes: mafia, enemies to lovers, bully
This is Dean's redemption book. In the past 2 books and in the beginning of this book, he was absolutely horrible. His arc throught this book was pretty well done.
We already know a fair bit about Dean's past coming into this book. As we progress through the book, we get more of an insight into Dean and the childhood he suffered through. He has been abandoned time and time again. Years of heartbreak and rejection has turned him resentful and hateful.
Cat, WTF! She just goes along with Dean's blackmail and allows him to treat her like garbage and degrade her?
Spoiler
How did this go from carrying his books and feeding him grapes, to EVERYTHING that happened in that tower? Cat, where is your self-worth and self-respect? The lines are blurry, did she really consent at first, or did she go along with him out of fear?Ok so, Dean did get better through the book, as he works with Snow and starts to fall for Cat. BUT their relationship is very twisted.
Spoiler
At first it is solely based on Dean dominating and controlling her... *Cough* dog collar *Cough*. Yes, they eventually "fall" for each other, but their relationship is extremely toxic.I enjoyed the Snow/Sasha cameo. I'm pretty sure I know who the spy is...
Tropes: mafia, enemies to lovers, bully
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Bullying, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
sam019's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this series - one of my new favourites for sure! When I began reading Sophie Lark's Underworld series, I DNF'D at the second book. Then I read her Brutal Birthright series and enjoyed it. Now, reading the Kingmakers series I'm absolutely in love. I love this series so much it's got everything Iove: academia, castles, new countries, intricate and dark romances, found family, etc. I will definitely be re-reading this series as I'm sure I'll pick up more details the next time around. I'm thinking of even going back and trying to read the Underworld series again because I love how all of these characters are interconnected! I'm going to be in such a reading slump after thks series is over...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Torture
ktkeps's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Bullying
andeng's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Torture, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
shector1's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very steamy🌶🌶🌶🌶 very emotional
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Grief, Cursing, Sexual content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Violence
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny
weelasswithabook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
CW parental death, parental abandonment, torture/interrogation
I'll be honest, I was going to skip this one in the series. I can't express my loathing for Dean in The Heir, so I had no idea how Sophie was going to make me fall for him.
Well, I was proved the fuck wrong because this is my favourite of the series so far 😂
If you know me, you know I love character development. I want in their heads and see why they are how they are. I want to see their vulnerabilities come to the surface and see them soften. I also like seeing someone gradually realising their strength and self worth. This was a prime example of that well executed in both characters.
Bully romance rarely works for me. More often than not, I'm not a fan. But this had just enough of the "bully" aspect to create a negative push and pull between the MCs, instead of causing extreme discomfort. Straddled the line between bully and enemies to lovers, if that makes sense.
I can't sign this off without mentioning the bell tower scenes 👀 10/10 *chefs kiss* round of applause. I love a D/S dynamic, it's my bread and butter 😍
I'll be honest, I was going to skip this one in the series. I can't express my loathing for Dean in The Heir, so I had no idea how Sophie was going to make me fall for him.
Well, I was proved the fuck wrong because this is my favourite of the series so far 😂
If you know me, you know I love character development. I want in their heads and see why they are how they are. I want to see their vulnerabilities come to the surface and see them soften. I also like seeing someone gradually realising their strength and self worth. This was a prime example of that well executed in both characters.
Bully romance rarely works for me. More often than not, I'm not a fan. But this had just enough of the "bully" aspect to create a negative push and pull between the MCs, instead of causing extreme discomfort. Straddled the line between bully and enemies to lovers, if that makes sense.
I can't sign this off without mentioning the bell tower scenes 👀 10/10 *chefs kiss* round of applause. I love a D/S dynamic, it's my bread and butter 😍
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Bullying
kyeruhh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Death, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, and Abandonment
shaipanda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
BROOO OMG IM SO GLAD I KEPT READING LIKE WTF KENDRA_READS was 1000% righttttt like wtf this is so gooddd
Like so fucking dark like all of them are by holy shitttt
Also I’m way too proud that I literally guessed who the spy was from the 1st or maybe it was early in the 2nd book I forget - I thought it was someone else for a minute there cause that other person was also hiding something that you learn later but my original guess which I came back to pretty quickly was right
ALSOOO - Holy shit this was so hotttt like damnn - exponentially better spice and shit even tho I still had some of the same issues with it like no mention of birth control or anything plus with them I wish there was more mention of explicit boundaries and safe words and stuff on page
Like so fucking dark like all of them are by holy shitttt
Also I’m way too proud that I literally guessed who the spy was from the 1st or maybe it was early in the 2nd book I forget - I thought it was someone else for a minute there cause that other person was also hiding something that you learn later but my original guess which I came back to pretty quickly was right
ALSOOO - Holy shit this was so hotttt like damnn - exponentially better spice and shit even tho I still had some of the same issues with it like no mention of birth control or anything plus with them I wish there was more mention of explicit boundaries and safe words and stuff on page
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
katsbookedout's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
psydneigh's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I don’t usually like bully romances, but I liked this one a lot. It was nice to see Snow again and it peaked my interest to see what happens in the next one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
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