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books_and_bakes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Torture
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual violence
shaykay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked this one up purely because of the covers that the author shared in the Sweetgrass Author event. I wanted to know if the series was something I would like and find out if it was something I wanted to splurge on. Plus, it's been a few weeks since I read something so dark, so I couldn't wait to get into this one. It ended up being intense. The age gap was cringy in the beginning. Still, I was really curious about the reverse age gap, plus them being students/teachers. But I was hooked once the story started going about 20-ish% into the book and couldn't put it down. I was literally about to DNF it when I finally got hooked. There were so many LOL moments, but this one had a little of everything. We had the age gap, the student/teacher, the motorcycle club, plus even ex/small-town chaos. To the point that I could not wait to read the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Rape
Minor: Cancer and Sexual assault
ermunleybooks's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Homophobia
ladylaurenexplorer's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
I’ll start at the end of the story I definitely cried at a certain part having to do with her brother.
This was really really good. It also has me invested in the other storylines that will be popping up in the next books.
I love King’s pursue meant of Cress. How he knew what he wanted, and was trying to get it before things could fall apart. I also love that they have a shared common interests that made them even more compatible in closer together.
I do truly wish that maybe later on in life, she will have forgiveness in her heart for certain people particularly one person.
Other than that this book is definitely a reread, and I truly loved it!
This was really really good. It also has me invested in the other storylines that will be popping up in the next books.
I love King’s pursue meant of Cress. How he knew what he wanted, and was trying to get it before things could fall apart. I also love that they have a shared common interests that made them even more compatible in closer together.
I do truly wish that maybe later on in life, she will have forgiveness in her heart for certain people particularly one person.
Other than that this book is definitely a reread, and I truly loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Drug abuse
Minor: Torture
ednam0dewannabe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Kidnapping and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, and Sexual assault
drishthings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i did not like the hero and the way they treat women
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape
niyahneal's review against another edition
dark
funny
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia
vicktorea's review against another edition
It was nothing really about the plot that stirred me away from this(I was actually pretty intrigued by it); I just don’t think Giana Darling’s writing (maybe just [hopefully] in this book bc I’d like to read her others) is for me. The way she wrote King’s (and even Zeus’s) dialogue was just so cringe to me 🥴 everything ended in “…in’” (i.e. fuckin’, suckin’) like just write it out properly 😭 it made the characters sound like hicks in my head and I just couldn’t get past it.
I know this series can be read as standalone but also links to the other books so maybe I’ll pick up another one!
I know this series can be read as standalone but also links to the other books so maybe I’ll pick up another one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
muftiat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I'll preface this by saying I've been reading this series out of order. Also this book is single POV, which I surprisingly didn't mind because I usually prefer dual POV for romance books.
I really liked this book. I wasn't sure I'd been a fan of the reverse age gap considering King was only 18 and I prefer to read about older men, but I also consistently forgot he was 18 because he was written as if he was much older which I believe was intentional.
Gianna Darling is great at delivering hot scenes and great chemistry. The plot was also pretty interesting especially since the main conflict/third act breakup wasn't the typical conflict you'd expect with a student/teacher relationship which is always the school finds out or something along those lines.
I really liked King as character. Cressida was annoying at times but I knew that was due to her upbringing and how repressed she had been that caused her stick her foot in her mouth often. She wasn't so insufferable that I didn't enjoy the story though.
I really liked this book. I wasn't sure I'd been a fan of the reverse age gap considering King was only 18 and I prefer to read about older men, but I also consistently forgot he was 18 because he was written as if he was much older which I believe was intentional.
Gianna Darling is great at delivering hot scenes and great chemistry. The plot was also pretty interesting especially since the main conflict/third act breakup wasn't the typical conflict you'd expect with a student/teacher relationship which is always the school finds out or something along those lines.
I really liked King as character. Cressida was annoying at times but I knew that was due to her upbringing and how repressed she had been that caused her stick her foot in her mouth often. She wasn't so insufferable that I didn't enjoy the story though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Murder
zabeishumanish's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
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
4.25
You absolutely will get sick of the phrase "rough-and-tumble queen" but these two are absolutely adorable. I got nervous at the midway point of the book when it felt like that would have been a good place to end the book, but the ended was actually really good and not overly traumatic. There are very difficult themes in this book so please check trigger warnings before reading.
Interestingly this is the first romance I've read in a while that is single perspective. We only ever hear Queenie's narrator voice.
I did have to skip some portions of the book because a few of the student-teacher romance aspects felt morally gross. But for the most part, this was a damn good younger male lover type of book.
The thing I hated the most was that the rival MC, the actually illegal bad guys, were Mexican, and that was their only defining trait. So that bit of blatant racism is pretty shitty.
Interestingly this is the first romance I've read in a while that is single perspective. We only ever hear Queenie's narrator voice.
I did have to skip some portions of the book because a few of the student-teacher romance aspects felt morally gross. But for the most part, this was a damn good younger male lover type of book.
The thing I hated the most was that the rival MC, the actually illegal bad guys, were Mexican, and that was their only defining trait. So that bit of blatant racism is pretty shitty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Homophobia, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Torture
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Cancer, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization