Reviews

After the Fall by Giana Darling

melinda1962's review against another edition

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5.0

5+ stars. This book follows the same couple from book 1, King and Cressida. The ongoing story arc through the series is so good, almost as good as each book’s storyline. The one thing this book had was me crying over it. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

thebookplatypus91's review against another edition

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5.0

I swear each book in the series gets better and better.
And that says a lot when I gave five stars to the first book.

I read a lot. I try to read a book at least every two days. And let me tell you, I have found some amazing books but when it comes to expressing emotional pain, grief, and the sheer brutality of what it feels like to lose the person that you love most; there’s not many authors out there that can grasp that emotion to where it can drive a reader to tears.
Giana Darling did that in this book. She captured the raw emotion and fucking horrible feeling of losing a loved one. I had to literally shut my Kindle off two times during this book and try to gather up my own emotions because I was so overwhelmed with a characters sadness and I desperately wanted to bring the loved one back. This book was so beautifully written. I mean I think I’ve said that with all of the books I’ve read by her so far but this was honestly the most emotional book ever!
And then she twisted my freaking heart and then plummeted my emotions into a 180 towards the end of the book. Omg.
This isn’t necessarily even a review it’s just me wanting to give Gianna Darling a high five and letting her know that she can capture a characters emotions and feelings so well that I as a reader can feel them as if they are my own.

Okay so, this book.. a shit ton happened.
“I need you to know that I would fall from grace again and again if it meant living in sin with you.”

Cress and King are couples goals. They are literally the most passionate and romantic couple I have ever read about in such a long time. The fierce loyalty between those two is unbreakable. And I’m gonna be honest Cressida was not my favorite character in the series. And probably my least favorite female character. However this book completely changed my idea and I absolutely fell in love with how strong she has become since being part of the Fallen family. Relationship with each and every other character especially Zeus was is so beautiful.

This book is going to take in my head for a very long time. And that’s when you know you found a author to stalk for a long time.
I genuinely hope Wrath and Lysander become more frequent in the series. I am desperately wanting both of these broken men to have their own HEAs.

Anyway. Five beautiful stars for an incredible book.

filthylittlereader's review against another edition

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5.0

King Kyle Garro, just when I didn’t think I could love you more I was proven so very wrong. I was absolutely slayed by the words that left this man’s mouth. Oh Giana Darling, you really played with my heart like it was mush. Woman, you left me a crying fool in the middle of the nail salon. The good, the bad and the ugly…I felt it all during this read and I’m waiting for my heart to recover.

bookishteresa's review against another edition

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5.0

Did I cry through like the last 30% Absolutely. I knew I was unprepared for the emotions that After the Fall would put me through. I love King and Cress and how perfectly they were made for each other. Cress has come into her own, fully embracing being a Queen and King grew into a man worthy of a crown.

This overlaps with some of the events in book 3 so I appreciated that they were touched on because let’s be honest, I didn’t remember much from them. The Fallen are much more than a MC club and family. Their bonds run deeper than that.

I obviously can’t say much because of spoilers, but definitely read Lessons in Corruption first. Getting the start of their love story is so worth it.

sophieasreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

4/5⭐️ this was a very good conclusion to King and Cressida’s love story. This book just reaffirmed my love for Zeus, King, and Ares.

Also the bonus epilogue made me think Ares and Angel will get together…maybe??

bailey_readss's review against another edition

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dnf at 142

inniebin's review against another edition

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5.0

'Bone of my bone. Of me, meant for me.'
.

'After the Fall' is book 4 in The Fallen Men series and is the continued story of King and Cressida, who was first introduced in their book 'Lessons in Corruption' which is the first book in the series.

It slayed me. To be fair - all these books are slaying me. I cried like a baby in parts of this book.
So far I don't think I've gone one book without crying. For an MC romance, it's not super dark, but it can get a little dark, so I do consider it to be in the dark category.

King writes a lot of poetry to Cress, which is so beautiful and puts an even heavier need for cleaned.

--- * ---
In whatever planes of existence there are
On any star or parallel planet
You and I are together
Infinitely Inevitably
Because nothing makes sense
In any language or any place
Without our love to decode life’s purpose

Darling, Giana. After the Fall (The Fallen Men Book 4) (p. 238). Giana Darling Publishing. Kindle Edition.
--- * ---


After reading After the Fall I need a little bit of a break. It does have a HEA but for a time there I was struggling. I consider this to be one of the heaviest books in the series that I have read so far.

But apart from that, this book was brilliant. It's well written, the characters have very good arcs, the relentlessness of the villains just doesn't stop and I guess in a way it's a little more "realistic", showing us that sometimes evil is bloody near winning.

I could not put this book down (just like the previous one) and even though this series can be read as a stand-alone - I do recommend you read them in order.

I am so glad I found this author and I can't wait to read more by Giana Darling.

klindtvedt's review against another edition

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5.0

This One Will Rip Out Your Heart and Crack Open Your Soul...

There is something about this series I simply cannot ignore, a heaviness I both relate to and appreciate even when it cleaves my heart in two and weighs down my soul until I lose my breath. I have read many MC romance books, have even loved a few, but this series is one of only two that have seared itself into my very DNA for all of eternity. And this book, the forth of Giana Darling’s, The Fallen Men Series, and second full length book devoted to King and Cressida, is beyond anything I have ever read before. I cannot even fully put into words the emotions “After the Fall” will foist upon you as you navigate a story so fraught with peril it will leave you irrevocably altered.

Here Darling begins close in line with the end of book three, a short time after King decides to prospect for the club, delving a bit further into his reasons for it. It begins benign enough with the first third of it laying down some of the finer relationship and day-to-day living details of him and Cress, as well as, their individual and collective relationship to the club.  However, while the love portrayed between them will make you swoon you will quickly become aware of a darkness hovering above, evil looming, waiting to pounce. As despite the nonthreatening nature of the scenes before you, other bits woven into the fabric around them will make your senses prickle with unease from the end of the very first chapter.  The initial unease quickly shifting to an understanding that all the seemingly mundane details have sharp and dangerous points of purpose, all driving toward a set of events so surreal, so absolutely mind-bending you will scramble to understand how all could have gone so terribly astray.

I was stunned at the events in this installment, so much so I cannot even provide my normal story synopsis as it would simply give too much away. So instantly perilous, so powerfully all consuming is this story, it will lock you in a literary death grip until the very last page, refusing to let you go even when you begin to beg for mercy. And. You. Will. Beg...

Never have I read a book that so quickly and easily made me so afraid to turn the page. Never have I read prose so steeped in unapologetic, heart piercing decisions that it made me terrified to read the next paragraph, the next sentence, or at times even the next word.

I would like to say this one will continue the intense but dreamy feeling deep in your belly that began in the earlier installments. However, this one will stoke a much different sort of feeling. Rage. Rage at the corruption. Rage over the targeted, abusive methods employed. Rage at the lengths some are forced to go to in order to keep those they love safe. And even more rage at the decisions themselves, as they alter the course of the lives and relationships of everyone involved forever.  This installment made me seethe with unbridled, gut churning rage that simmered long and low and left me torn and emotionally spent. All while simultaneously basking in the beauty that is the unbreakable love and loyalty of the chosen Fallen family.

The emotional rollercoaster that is this book is almost beyond comprehension. So heavy will the events portrayed within lay on your heart, you will cease to be able to breathe, to think, to momentarily exist as you process the words before you. The feelings thrust upon you so intense you will shatter, splintering into a million tiny fragments as understanding takes root within you. Yet despite the emotional exhaustion you will feel as the last words cross your mind’s eye, and despite the absolute agony this story will put you through, it is worth every, last, bit of torture. And you will jump immediately into book five in order to continue the literary high. 

saltylittlebooknerd's review against another edition

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5.0

I am so not okay after that! Giana!!! You will be receiving a bill from my therapist!
All joking aside, that was beautiful....BUT I NEED MORE!!!!!!!!!

cliteratureandco's review against another edition

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4.0

In After The Fall, we come back to King and Cressida’s story and it takes place a bit before and after the cliffhanger in Good Gone Bad.

I initially thought we would just learn more about what happened in the background from King and Cressida’s perspective as well as how they’ve grown in their relationship, which is what happened. But also, Giana decided to rip out my heart near the end. I’m not a crier, but I SOBBED at the major plot twist. And I definitely don’t usually skip ahead in books to see what happens, but I had to take a sneak peak for my emotional wellbeing. And even though I had an idea of the ending, I still cried multiple times! The story writing was amazing and connected with my emotions so much!

Once again, Giana hit it out of the park with another great book as part of the Fallen Men series