A review by inked_orca
Heart of a Monster by Shain Rose

3.0

Katie is trying to help her sick father find comfort in his last days. Her father knew the path she took will lead towards darkness she won’t be able to escape. When he warned her and told her to stop, she told him they needed the money. After his death, she was already mixed up with the wrong people, with no way out. Her father used to mow a mafia boss’s lawn, and they considered him family.



When she went to foster care after his death, the mafia used her as bait to get them the information they needed since she was already in the middle of a disaster bigger than she thought it to be. Her path kept crossing with the one guy who intrigued her ever since they first met. Rome’s darkness seemed to match her own. With the people whom she knew too much about after her, Katie and Rome get closer. When everyone else uses her as bait, she takes things into her own hands, trying to stop a human trafficking ring so other girls don’t do through the same pain. 



I’m wasn’t sure how to feel about this one. The writing style got me confused at first. A few words and phrases are overused and repeated, as if forcing the reader to see the point. Katie is one hell of a confused woman. She wanted to belong, doing everything she could to fit into a world she wasn’t meant to be a part of. Rome was portrayed as the broody mafia man. The love triangle felt forced, and it only showed Katie’s confusion more. But it somehow fit her story, with her past and her role in the family.



I enjoyed reading about Rome’s past, and how he turned out the way he is. Once I got used to the writing style, I enjoyed it. The plot progresses in a way that makes the story move forward intriguingly, with a lot of plot twists that came out of nowhere. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I felt like something was missing.

Some topics mentioned in the book might be triggering.