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jacjacs's review
3.5
this is a reread for me and it has reminded me of how fucking stupid Natalia and Diego are omg
xoacp's review against another edition
3.0
If I had to pick one word to describe this book, it would be telenovela. The whole time I read this I could just think of an El Señor de los Cielos type of vibe which is probably why this is the first book that I've read in a while and finished in one day.
This “love triangle” reminded me a lot of the first few seasons of The Vampire Diaries. From the naïve “I hate my boyfriend's brother because of the horrible things I wrongly believe he's done” to the heroic younger brother who gets the girl first and supports every dumb idea that comes up in her mind and the evil older brother who has black hair and is absolutely intimidating but the heroine feels allured to his darkness but refuses to give in because she loves the younger brother and will ride or die for him.
And let me tell you something: Natalia wasn't the reason I finished this book because she is definitely in my top 2 most aggravating heroines of all time. She claims she wants nothing to do with the cartel life, she wants out since her mother died 11 years ago... but she's too curious and she has to eavesdrop on her dad's conversation with Diego. She has to sneak into a party she was prohibited from attending because the guests were dangerous people. She has to ask all of these questions because she's so curious it overrides her desire for a normal life. So much so that she's willing to go into a nightclub to try and get information from the man she thinks killed her mother. But at least she wants out of the cartel life.
Don't get me started on how she tried to act all shocked that her dad killed a man. She admits she knew he'd probably done things like that but "he killed someone and I saw it!" no shit Sherlock, you weren't supposed to be at the stupid party in the first place!
She has this idea that Diego is all sunshine and rainbows and just wants out of that life like her (even though the man has made zero efforts to try and show that he wants to actually leave). She wants her daddy to accept their relationship and send them off on their merry way to California and live happily ever after... But when her dad, who is by no means crazy, has actual valid reasons and actually wants his daughter to get out of that life and knows that she won't be able to escape it if she marries someone from the cartel, explains that you just don't leave the cartel life of your own free volition, the little girl just cannot accept that fact and then goes to visit her lover boy after being prohibited from seeing him once her dad noticed how attached she was to him... The woman loves Diego so much that she goes to see him after her dad threatens to kill him. Me, personally, if I were her dad, I would do it just to show her that I wasn't bluffing like she assumed. But that's just me.
Next is Diego. I didn't trust him from the moment the book started. And then he just got increasingly more annoying, especially after it's revealed that he resents his brother because he got his parents killed by snitching on them and going to Costa... Said parents were human traffickers, by the way. He starts saying "If Cristiano was capable of betraying his own family then how could anyone trust him not to betray them?" Bitch I would. Because I'd snitch on my parents as well if they were trafficking people! Especially when it was apparently a well-known rule between cartels that you don't do that shit... Be fucking for real now.
It drove me crazy how absolutely stupid their relationship was... It is absolutely insane the loyalty Natalia has towards Diego and it's as clear as day that the girl has been brainwashed from the second she was rescued from that tunnel... If she continues to be so blindly devoted to Diego after that ending, I fear she is more hopeless than I thought.
Also, it's absolutely insane how it is stated in the book and it's explicitly said in this book's summary that they are best friends but he's a whopping 7 years older than her so when her mom died and she was 9, he was 16. Why would a 16-year-old be besties with a 9-year-old? And by the time she's 16, he'd be 23 and I can't picture a normal 23-year-old wanting to be friends with a teenager... Be so for real, please.
And then there's Cristiano. The only character worth caring about. From the prologue, you just know he's innocent. And the more the story moves forward, the more you realize he couldn't have killed Bianca or R worded her as they insinuate. The only person dumb enough to not see it is Natalia. Cristiano is a character that I think was dropped into the wrong book. This man is just so much more superior to the other 2 moronic main characters he's stuck with. He’s the type of character you'd expect in a story with an actually thinking heroine and a worthy opponent, not his lame excuse of a brother.
Anyway. I might read the next book, see how it starts, and decide if I'll continue the trilogy.
This “love triangle” reminded me a lot of the first few seasons of The Vampire Diaries. From the naïve “I hate my boyfriend's brother because of the horrible things I wrongly believe he's done” to the heroic younger brother who gets the girl first and supports every dumb idea that comes up in her mind and the evil older brother who has black hair and is absolutely intimidating but the heroine feels allured to his darkness but refuses to give in because she loves the younger brother and will ride or die for him.
And let me tell you something: Natalia wasn't the reason I finished this book because she is definitely in my top 2 most aggravating heroines of all time. She claims she wants nothing to do with the cartel life, she wants out since her mother died 11 years ago... but she's too curious and she has to eavesdrop on her dad's conversation with Diego. She has to sneak into a party she was prohibited from attending because the guests were dangerous people. She has to ask all of these questions because she's so curious it overrides her desire for a normal life. So much so that she's willing to go into a nightclub to try and get information from the man she thinks killed her mother. But at least she wants out of the cartel life.
Don't get me started on how she tried to act all shocked that her dad killed a man. She admits she knew he'd probably done things like that but "he killed someone and I saw it!" no shit Sherlock, you weren't supposed to be at the stupid party in the first place!
She has this idea that Diego is all sunshine and rainbows and just wants out of that life like her (even though the man has made zero efforts to try and show that he wants to actually leave). She wants her daddy to accept their relationship and send them off on their merry way to California and live happily ever after... But when her dad, who is by no means crazy, has actual valid reasons and actually wants his daughter to get out of that life and knows that she won't be able to escape it if she marries someone from the cartel, explains that you just don't leave the cartel life of your own free volition, the little girl just cannot accept that fact and then goes to visit her lover boy after being prohibited from seeing him once her dad noticed how attached she was to him... The woman loves Diego so much that she goes to see him after her dad threatens to kill him. Me, personally, if I were her dad, I would do it just to show her that I wasn't bluffing like she assumed. But that's just me.
Next is Diego. I didn't trust him from the moment the book started. And then he just got increasingly more annoying, especially after it's revealed that he resents his brother because he got his parents killed by snitching on them and going to Costa... Said parents were human traffickers, by the way. He starts saying "If Cristiano was capable of betraying his own family then how could anyone trust him not to betray them?" Bitch I would. Because I'd snitch on my parents as well if they were trafficking people! Especially when it was apparently a well-known rule between cartels that you don't do that shit... Be fucking for real now.
It drove me crazy how absolutely stupid their relationship was... It is absolutely insane the loyalty Natalia has towards Diego and it's as clear as day that the girl has been brainwashed from the second she was rescued from that tunnel... If she continues to be so blindly devoted to Diego after that ending, I fear she is more hopeless than I thought.
Also, it's absolutely insane how it is stated in the book and it's explicitly said in this book's summary that they are best friends but he's a whopping 7 years older than her so when her mom died and she was 9, he was 16. Why would a 16-year-old be besties with a 9-year-old? And by the time she's 16, he'd be 23 and I can't picture a normal 23-year-old wanting to be friends with a teenager... Be so for real, please.
And then there's Cristiano. The only character worth caring about. From the prologue, you just know he's innocent. And the more the story moves forward, the more you realize he couldn't have killed Bianca or R worded her as they insinuate. The only person dumb enough to not see it is Natalia. Cristiano is a character that I think was dropped into the wrong book. This man is just so much more superior to the other 2 moronic main characters he's stuck with. He’s the type of character you'd expect in a story with an actually thinking heroine and a worthy opponent, not his lame excuse of a brother.
Anyway. I might read the next book, see how it starts, and decide if I'll continue the trilogy.
bbulman's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sonialusiveira's review against another edition
3.0
Natalia was just nine years old when she witnessed her mother being murdered by someone close to her. So all her life, she tried everything to form a future without the Cartel her father ran. But the man of her dreams is a soldier of her father, and so she wanted to do everything to free herself and lover from the Cartel. But is the man she loves really who she thought he was?
I love the story but most of the time I really find the female character annoying. She isn't a doormat and somehow a strong female character but her stupidity is just a bit ridiculous. The tension and mystery surrounding the two brothers were unfolding with a good pace. All in all, a nice read and I'll read the next book.
staceycarr1060's review against another edition
5.0
📚 White Monarch Trilogy
✍️ Jessica Hawkins
🎧 Emma Wilder, Brian Pallino, Christian Fox, Gomez Pugh
**
4⭐️
**
3🌶️
**
✅ “my wife” 🥵
🛑violence, kidnapping, tourture, miscarriage, lies, miscommunication, talk of human trafficking
**
Review: ♥︎Cristiano de la Rosa is top tier my friends♥︎
The story follows Natalia, Diego & Cristiano and their lives within the Mexican cartels. There are several twists that you don’t expect that make the story so good. Cristiano did it for me 100% of the time. Every time that man said “my wife” I was on the ground. Not only was he possessive but he taught her to see her own strengths and how to use them. He was definitely good for her in all ways.
The first book was a 5⭐️ for me & the other two were a 3/4⭐️ but the trilogy as a whole was engaging, fast paced & hot! 🥵 There was not too much spice but when it did happen, Cristiano made it HAPPEN. Again, I’m obsessed with him.
There is a HEA but they had to fight to get there & it’s very different than what normally happens in an HEA. Another reason why this trilogy is so good!
pattyfgd's review against another edition
5.0
Violent Delights
White Monarch, Book 1
By: Jessica Hawkins
Narrated by: Emma Wilder, Brian Pallino, Christian Fox
I am not sure where Jessica Hawkins has been hiding in my library, but I am so glad I found this one! Dark, gritty, full of all the feels, this book brings everything I love to life. It features Natalia, the daughter of a mafia boss. Diego and Cristiano are brothers, both taken in by her family. The death of her mother is a catalyst in all of their lives, resulting in betrayal, mistrust and violence. Each scene builds on the one before, creating thrilling suspense and high emotions. I was completely caught up in the story and I can't wait to see what happens next! It's a wild ride!
The casting of this story is spot on! Told mostly from the point of view of Natalia, Emma Wilder comes through with a narrative that is second to none. She nails each voice, each accent and keeps the story full of thrills. The spotlight appearances of Brian Pallino and Christian Fox bring voices to Cristiano and Diego, each having the sound I expect. Pallino gives Cristiano that gritty edge making him sound dangerous and delicious! Fox nails the personality of Diego. It is an incredible listen!
White Monarch, Book 1
By: Jessica Hawkins
Narrated by: Emma Wilder, Brian Pallino, Christian Fox
I am not sure where Jessica Hawkins has been hiding in my library, but I am so glad I found this one! Dark, gritty, full of all the feels, this book brings everything I love to life. It features Natalia, the daughter of a mafia boss. Diego and Cristiano are brothers, both taken in by her family. The death of her mother is a catalyst in all of their lives, resulting in betrayal, mistrust and violence. Each scene builds on the one before, creating thrilling suspense and high emotions. I was completely caught up in the story and I can't wait to see what happens next! It's a wild ride!
The casting of this story is spot on! Told mostly from the point of view of Natalia, Emma Wilder comes through with a narrative that is second to none. She nails each voice, each accent and keeps the story full of thrills. The spotlight appearances of Brian Pallino and Christian Fox bring voices to Cristiano and Diego, each having the sound I expect. Pallino gives Cristiano that gritty edge making him sound dangerous and delicious! Fox nails the personality of Diego. It is an incredible listen!
dduaneroche's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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
4.5
beckyrendon's review against another edition
5.0
Pulse pounding, nerve wrecking, and adrenaline fueled page turning. Violent Delights is everything you want and need in a mafia/cartel novel. It's full of fear, intrigue, and duplicitous acts. Constantly on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop, you are lulled into a false sense of....everything.
Cockroaches can survive just about anything and tell biggest one surely does. Don't be fooled by pretty things. This book has jagged edges and will cut you to the bone. One pretty butterfly wing at a time!
What an incredible way to start the series! I am hooked. I was actually a reluctant reader. I loved the blurb and the genre, of course, but I had misconceptions of this book based on another by this author. I'm glad I didn't let my prior distaste ruin this intense and riveting journey. I look forward to everything that's in store.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Cockroaches can survive just about anything and tell biggest one surely does. Don't be fooled by pretty things. This book has jagged edges and will cut you to the bone. One pretty butterfly wing at a time!
What an incredible way to start the series! I am hooked. I was actually a reluctant reader. I loved the blurb and the genre, of course, but I had misconceptions of this book based on another by this author. I'm glad I didn't let my prior distaste ruin this intense and riveting journey. I look forward to everything that's in store.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
kaylawhite17's review against another edition
2.0
This book drug so much I though about not finishing it.
Freaking Natalia was sort of the worst. She literally was so naïve I wanted to die. I couldn't comprehend how someone raised by a single parent mob boss had literally no life experience in that world. She was just this delicate little flower, constantly shocked by the evil that happened around her. I wanted to throttle her the entire book.
She constantly repeats Cristiano's words about not trusting anyone but then fully and completely trusts fucking Diego?? Like you couldn't feel the slime coming off that dude? He was absolutely atrocious. He constantly puts her in dangerous situations and then abandons her. From the moment he sent her to the club to try and get information from Cristiano I knew he was bad news. Cristiano has his hands all over her and Diego was happy as a clam hiding and watching.
Then Diego takes her fucking virginity while lying to Natalia's face. Oh no you didn't you little slime ball. I wanted to puke. He was the most despicable self serving human being. Which, I guess was the point of his character.
I did appreciate Natalia being so loyal to Diego, even if it was misplaced. She was going to go down swinging with him. Which made it all the more heartbreaking when he so easily gave her up to save his own skin.
Cristiano is still so much of a mystery. I can't tell if he actually like Natalia or is just using her to get back at Diego. I also for the life of me can't tell if Diego really loves Natalia or not. I mean with how he treats her I'm assuming he doesn't. But he might have some real feelings hidden way down deep.
Again, this was a hard book to finish. The plot moved at a snails pace but I'm invested enough to try out the second one.
Freaking Natalia was sort of the worst. She literally was so naïve I wanted to die. I couldn't comprehend how someone raised by a single parent mob boss had literally no life experience in that world. She was just this delicate little flower, constantly shocked by the evil that happened around her. I wanted to throttle her the entire book.
She constantly repeats Cristiano's words about not trusting anyone but then fully and completely trusts fucking Diego?? Like you couldn't feel the slime coming off that dude? He was absolutely atrocious. He constantly puts her in dangerous situations and then abandons her. From the moment he sent her to the club to try and get information from Cristiano I knew he was bad news. Cristiano has his hands all over her and Diego was happy as a clam hiding and watching.
Then Diego takes her fucking virginity while lying to Natalia's face. Oh no you didn't you little slime ball. I wanted to puke. He was the most despicable self serving human being. Which, I guess was the point of his character.
I did appreciate Natalia being so loyal to Diego, even if it was misplaced. She was going to go down swinging with him. Which made it all the more heartbreaking when he so easily gave her up to save his own skin.
Cristiano is still so much of a mystery. I can't tell if he actually like Natalia or is just using her to get back at Diego. I also for the life of me can't tell if Diego really loves Natalia or not. I mean with how he treats her I'm assuming he doesn't. But he might have some real feelings hidden way down deep.
Again, this was a hard book to finish. The plot moved at a snails pace but I'm invested enough to try out the second one.