Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight

118 reviews

geesusbeesus's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Genuinely gave this book a shot because I saw so much hype about it on TikTok. I feel like it was overhyped a little, but there were also some really good parts worth reading. I really loved how they touched on a lot of sensitive subjects, and I'll give it credit for having some laughable moments. Some of the smut scenes were decent. I'll never judge anyone for how dark they like their books, I love dark romance, so that's not why I gave it such a low rating.

The cringe level just made it really difficult to read, I almost DNFd half way throught and part of me regrets reading the rest. It was giving 2015 Wattpad vibes and not in a good way. Roxanne is very "im not like the other girls, im a badass, just one of the guys lol" and the guys' personalities were overexaggerated. It felt like it was dragged out way too long and I found myself skimming the last 200 or so pages of the book. Definitely couldve been shorter. Not to mention the ultra-unrealistic feel to it. I get it, it's fiction, but majority of this book is simply not realistic or on par with "mafia/gang". Fair warning, there's a lot - and I mean a lot - of violence and smut in this. Every other scene is either torture/maiming/murder, or smut. It's a bit over the top. 

Also, finding out how quickly this all progresses was a shocker. I was surprised at such a fast pace, I thought this took place over the span of maybe a few months. 

Going into specifics-

The funeral for Sam was a good idea, but it also didn't make sense because they didn't really show her developing a friendship with him like that. I loved Roxy in the beginning, but she kinda turned into a power hungry and rude person towards the end, specifically noting when they were in the casino towards the end and she treats a security guard like crap... for what reason? This one is more of a personal pet peeve but the whole play on words with Vipers thing was kinda overplayed - using venom, coiled, like a snake, the snake pit, ect. - and the overuse of the petnames gets to me too - using "love" at the beginning and end of every sentance. And the sheer amount that they maimed/killed people.. theres a club scene where, in the span of probably about 15 minutes, Roxanne runs into a guy who calls her a whore and she beats him up, then a security guard mistakes her for a dancer and Garrett beats him half to death, and then the first guys brother confronts them and Diesel kills him. Its a little overkill, pun intended.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, and Violence

cait's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Self harm, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, War, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Child abuse, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Stalking

megthecatlady's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Torture, Death, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Deportation, Death of parent, and Addiction

bekaboo's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Car accident, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Murder, Torture, and Violence

silverlynings's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Torture, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Violence, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Death, and Child abuse

dauntlessorchid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

*Review contains character development spoilers but not main story line spoilers* 

This whole book was a roller-coaster ride that I never wanted to get off. 
 I appreciate the length of the book especially, because it gave the author ample time to give each character their own back story and personality. Instead of the normal RH cliche where the most interesting thing about the men is that they are hot and they all want the girl, each man is so unique and love Roxy for their own reasons. 

Ryder, the leader, spends his time trying to control everything. Taking every step he can to protect his brothers. He's cold and distant. Scary. In reality, he's scared. He's just a little boy in a man's body still trying to protect his little brother from his fathers horrible wrath. He learns to lean on others and that he doesn't have to shoulder their world alone. 

Kenzo, the gambler, little brother to Ryder, is a smooth talking ladies man. He can charm the pants of anyone and always plays "the good cop". Insatiable addiction to gambling and playing games. In actuality, he really is a sweetheart. He loves doting on those he loves in any way he can, taking care of those around him that he cares about. Doesn't like gambling for the money, per se, but more so because he is top at reading people. 

Garrett, the enforcer, a giant of a man with scars and tattoos. He's scary and threatening and doesn't let anyone beyond his brothers close to him or touch him. (Barely even his brothers). He's strong, made of stone and ice. Permanent scowl on his face. Underneath all that is a man who is suffering from PTSD, nightmares and flashbacks. All from being brutally tortured and maimed by a woman he loved on their engaging night. 

And lastly, Diesel, the psycho. He is terrifying and unhinged. He lives to torture and kill and he gets off on it.
 ......
 And yeah that doesn't really change through the whole book haha. Hes unabashedly him and his madness. Still, he was raised by a junkie mother who he loved, despite the fact that she would beat him and sell him for her next hit. He still loved his mother. And he watched her be burned alive, not being able to get to her and save her. 

All in all, this book was a 5 star read for me. It was spicy and dirty, and it was also lovely and wonderful. The plot was well established and the characters were well rounded and likeable. 

I will say that the last few chapters of the book, including the epilogue, weren't strictly necessary. They were fun, sure, and maybe tied up a few loose ends, but really they were little fluff pieces after the main story came to its finale. I didn't hate them, by any means, but I wouldn't have missed them either. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Cursing, Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Murder, Sexual content, and Torture

bunandababy's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Addiction, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, Animal death, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Stalking

_terah_hansen_'s review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

roznn's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Rape, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Sexual content, Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

zwe's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A solid 3 because the writing was not great and some parts I only got thru by skimming (but they're also British which made the weirdness less weird somehow). The writing was just... honestly downright awful at points and it got a bit cringy at some parts too. Buttttttttttttt the sex was hot so it gets a few points for that. 14 year old me would've loved this book idk what that says about me but. it was enjoyable enough and pretty hot. In my mind Roxy would end up with Diesel if she ever settled down with one of them. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Gore, Abandonment, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Violence, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, and Addiction