imskylow's review against another edition
I had to DNF this book. The writing felt very juvenile. The words don’t have weight. The prose is stiff and unyielding and the emotions felt dry to me. There was also a big lack of imagery. I tried to skip forward to see what the book would feel like later and I was not terribly impressed by what I found. This plot of this book is merely a vehicle for the smut. I say this as a reader who enjoys smut: I feel like each tool an author uses in a story should be carefully placed, crafted, and utilized. Smut just isn’t interesting when there’s a lack of believability and a real sense of tension.
I received the digital version of this book as a ARC books from NetGalley, which is interesting because Goodreads says this book was published back in 2020. Not quite sure why this available for review now in 2023.
I received the digital version of this book as a ARC books from NetGalley, which is interesting because Goodreads says this book was published back in 2020. Not quite sure why this available for review now in 2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Confinement
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Self harm, and Suicide
Minor: Rape and Antisemitism
booksalacarte's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
2.5⭐️ 3🌶️
Mafia dark romance
Beauty and the beast retelling
Enemies to lovers
Professional ballerina
Opposites attract
“Touch her and die”
The writing is really stilted int he beginning. Maybe it’s the dual first person POV. And it’s needlessly repetitive. Something said in chapter 2 is almost verbatim in chapter 6.
The monotonous replay of a specific scene in the other POV in first person isn’t interesting, it’s boring.
The characters are under developed. There is such potential, but their character arcs are rushed and their relationship arc hardly goes beyond Stockholm syndrome. Their on page interactions are very few, making their relationship seem very immature. There is very little on page tension because they hardly ever interact.
But it was a quick and easy read.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books/Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader Copy of the ebook in return for an honest review.
Mafia dark romance
Beauty and the beast retelling
Enemies to lovers
Professional ballerina
Opposites attract
“Touch her and die”
The writing is really stilted int he beginning. Maybe it’s the dual first person POV. And it’s needlessly repetitive. Something said in chapter 2 is almost verbatim in chapter 6.
The monotonous replay of a specific scene in the other POV in first person isn’t interesting, it’s boring.
The characters are under developed. There is such potential, but their character arcs are rushed and their relationship arc hardly goes beyond Stockholm syndrome. Their on page interactions are very few, making their relationship seem very immature. There is very little on page tension because they hardly ever interact.
But it was a quick and easy read.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books/Sourcebooks for an Advanced Reader Copy of the ebook in return for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Cursing, Suicide, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Murder, Stalking, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Rape, Violence, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment
carla20's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
a_libra_library's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Drug use, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Death, Self harm, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Abandonment, and Blood
boomwormbrittany's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Stolen Heir is the second book in the Brutal Birthright series. This book follows Nessa, the youngest Griffin child who is kidnapped by another mafia boss, Mikolaj, who is bent on revenge against her family. However, as they start to become closer, it's harder to keep her captive.
I really loved this book. It gave me a darker Beauty and the Beast vibes and I loved that. I thought the writing was so well done. I love Sophie Lark's writing because it's so easy to fall into. I always find myself flying through her books when I am reading because it is so accessible and addicting.
I really loved Miko and Nessa as characters. I thought that they were really interesting and distinct from one another. I really loved that Nessa was a dancer and that she was very focused on her dancing. I thought Miko was really interesting to read from as well. He had a very rough start to it and the beginning of this had me heartbroken for him.
The reason this book got a four and a half stars was because the relationship between Miko and Nessa seemed to have developed really quickly without them being around each other as much as I expected. However, it was acknowledged in this book and I appreciated seeing the way Sophie Lark brought them together.
I would say if you want a very accessible and well written mafia romance, definitely pick up this series.
I really loved this book. It gave me a darker Beauty and the Beast vibes and I loved that. I thought the writing was so well done. I love Sophie Lark's writing because it's so easy to fall into. I always find myself flying through her books when I am reading because it is so accessible and addicting.
I really loved Miko and Nessa as characters. I thought that they were really interesting and distinct from one another. I really loved that Nessa was a dancer and that she was very focused on her dancing. I thought Miko was really interesting to read from as well. He had a very rough start to it and the beginning of this had me heartbroken for him.
The reason this book got a four and a half stars was because the relationship between Miko and Nessa seemed to have developed really quickly without them being around each other as much as I expected. However, it was acknowledged in this book and I appreciated seeing the way Sophie Lark brought them together.
I would say if you want a very accessible and well written mafia romance, definitely pick up this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder
bethsbookrecs'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Mikolaj is so sexy, I can’t even talk about it. Nessa is perfect.
I loved the sweet & innocent vs. bad boy vibes in this🥹
I loved the sweet & innocent vs. bad boy vibes in this🥹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
darkclouds's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Wasted potential really.
Miko's character was much more compulsive and for the most part, I could bear the leads for this story. What Sophie Lark couldn't sell me on was the immediate empathy between them two following ONE dinner and a dance. We went from Nessa being frightened, to a forced dinner playing dress up and dancing like Beauty and the Beast (which this story tried so hard to reimagine) to suddenly placing niceties and an odd shared compassion for one another.
It did not flow. At all.
We knew the Stockholm Syndrome vibes was already toeing the line but there was barely any development for them to have reached an understanding after 2/3 interactions. Also Nessa being SO SMART that she could speak Polish that fluent after reading translated books of her favourite children books? Being receptive when it comes to learning choreography in dance is NOT the same as adeptly learning a whole new language. Especially one so difficult.
A whole lot was happening and yet nothing at all. Because it's just narrated to us without actually showing us what's happening. So the whole book went on Nessa being pampered. Miko stalking her on CCTV. Lot of food and scenes with bonding with the Polish speaking maid whom Nessa easily understood. Intelligence you guys. Remember?
We went from lowkey slow burn to instalove in moments I don't even know how that was possible.
It was a messy wrap up but it was a degree better than the first story that's for sure.
Miko's character was much more compulsive and for the most part, I could bear the leads for this story. What Sophie Lark couldn't sell me on was the immediate empathy between them two following ONE dinner and a dance. We went from Nessa being frightened, to a forced dinner playing dress up and dancing like Beauty and the Beast (which this story tried so hard to reimagine) to suddenly placing niceties and an odd shared compassion for one another.
It did not flow. At all.
We knew the Stockholm Syndrome vibes was already toeing the line but there was barely any development for them to have reached an understanding after 2/3 interactions. Also Nessa being SO SMART that she could speak Polish that fluent after reading translated books of her favourite children books? Being receptive when it comes to learning choreography in dance is NOT the same as adeptly learning a whole new language. Especially one so difficult.
A whole lot was happening and yet nothing at all. Because it's just narrated to us without actually showing us what's happening. So the whole book went on Nessa being pampered. Miko stalking her on CCTV. Lot of food and scenes with bonding with the Polish speaking maid whom Nessa easily understood. Intelligence you guys. Remember?
We went from lowkey slow burn to instalove in moments I don't even know how that was possible.
It was a messy wrap up but it was a degree better than the first story that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide
__romancereader__'s review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book i think this one is my favorite so far in the series so Stolen heir is my number 1 and Brutal prince is my number 2 so far i cannot wait to read the rest of these books i loved the beauty in the beast things that were happening in this book i don't really know if that makes sense i hope it does i did also really love that Mikolaj was her first ifykyk and her last ofc these books are very good i read them fast there good story's i love the couples in these books so far i loved how even trying to hate Nessa in the beginning Miko still wouldn’t let none of his men touch her or even think about hurting her i love these crazy things that happen at the end but go by fast it gives me enough time to enjoy the ending without my anxiety kicking in this book was so good i love how in these books so far also you get to meet the next book’s character in it overall i lived this book the most and i rated it obviously five stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥰🥰🥰🥰
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Not all content warnings are about the main characters some are and some are about the characters you meet/hear in the book 🫶🏼🫶🏼🥰🥰Enjoyecravens's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child death, and Death
haleyash02's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death, Cursing, Blood, Suicide, Kidnapping, Gore, Eating disorder, Stalking, Murder, and Grief