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k_champagne 's review for:
Heavy Crown
by Sophie Lark
“Men age like wine; women age like milk.”
FU Alexei Yenin
This series has been one amazing ride after the other, & I loved it all… but Sebastian & Yelena already held a special place in my heart from reading the Kingmakers series, & I was SO EXCITED to finally get their backstory.
Sebastian
Ugh. Beautiful, tragic Seb. In the first book the series, his now brother-in-law & previous enemy, was responsible for the smashing of his knee cap. As a basketball player who had a real chance at the pros, the injury completely changed the trajectory of his life.
Seb has been spiraling into a dark numbness, not quite knowing where he belongs in his family, while also battling his own demons, ever since, dealing with conflicting emotions he doesn't know how to deal with.
When he meets Yelena, he is instantly drawn to her. She's almost like a light at the end of tunnel that seemed to have no end. But then, because #mafiafamily, he has to stay away because their enemies. It's another blow to him, and it feels like it's nonstop & he's the only one getting the shit end of the stick.
He finally goes through some healing.. though it takes the words of circumstances & loss to get there. Aida & Callum come through for him, they've been trying to reach out & help him all along, he just was in a place so dark it was impossible to really impact him... until shit hit the fan.
Aida is honestly the best person ever & her & Callum KILL me. I just love them.
Yelena & Adrian
I knew from Kingmakers there was a history between the Gallos, Yelena, & her twin brother. It's mentioned that she's tried to reach out since some massive falling out, but Adrian, a recluse who lives in Russia, doesn't give a single fuck.
He's hateful, angry, & hoards in a house that he & his son live in that should surely be condemed. Since that's all I knew of Adrian, it was hard to imagine another version of him that was close with his twin sister, friendly, & funny, though it was mentioned. Reading their background in this book made it hit harder. Here we see another side - the before.
The twins relationship is stronger than can be put into words, like most twin bonds, they know each other inside & out. Their eachothers best friends & biggest fans.
Seeing this early side to the story, makes Yelena's loss so much more heartbreaking. I also wanted grab Adrian & scream at him to GET THE F AWAY from their father, to stop doing as he was told. Everything could have been different (all the cry face emoji's)
Reading the progression from THIS
FU Alexei Yenin
This series has been one amazing ride after the other, & I loved it all… but Sebastian & Yelena already held a special place in my heart from reading the Kingmakers series, & I was SO EXCITED to finally get their backstory.
Sebastian
Ugh. Beautiful, tragic Seb. In the first book the series, his now brother-in-law & previous enemy, was responsible for the smashing of his knee cap. As a basketball player who had a real chance at the pros, the injury completely changed the trajectory of his life.
I live in this strange alternate reality where the Griffins are our closest allies. My sister Aida is married to the man who ordered his bodyguard to smash my knee.
The funny thing is, I don’t hate Callum.
He’s been good to my sister. They’re wildly in love, and they have a little boy together......
They’ve been loyal partners. But I’m still so fucking angry. It’s this churning, boiling fury inside of me, every single day.
Seb has been spiraling into a dark numbness, not quite knowing where he belongs in his family, while also battling his own demons, ever since, dealing with conflicting emotions he doesn't know how to deal with.
I don’t know how to express that I feel impatient and uneasy.
Maybe I’m jealous of Dante leaving for Paris with his wife. Maybe I’m jealous of Aida and Nero, too. They seem sure of their path. Happy in their lives.
I’m not.
I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.
When he meets Yelena, he is instantly drawn to her. She's almost like a light at the end of tunnel that seemed to have no end. But then, because #mafiafamily, he has to stay away because their enemies. It's another blow to him, and it feels like it's nonstop & he's the only one getting the shit end of the stick.
After all this time, when I finally see something worth chasing . . . I’m supposed to ignore her. I’m supposed to let her go. Because of my family. My goddamned family. Somehow they always manage to take away the only things I care about.
He finally goes through some healing.. though it takes the words of circumstances & loss to get there. Aida & Callum come through for him, they've been trying to reach out & help him all along, he just was in a place so dark it was impossible to really impact him... until shit hit the fan.
Aida is honestly the best person ever & her & Callum KILL me. I just love them.
“We can’t leave Seb alone in this,” she says. “You owe him Callum, you know you do. And so do I. The night that brought us together fucked him over. He’s never blamed me. He’s never complained. And besides that Cal, Alexei Yenin is a fucking psychopath—no offense, Yelena. He is coming after all of us. If we’re going to join World War Two, let’s do it now, and not after Pearl Harbor.”
Callum frowns. “Don’t use the History Channel against me, Aida.”
Yelena & Adrian
I knew from Kingmakers there was a history between the Gallos, Yelena, & her twin brother. It's mentioned that she's tried to reach out since some massive falling out, but Adrian, a recluse who lives in Russia, doesn't give a single fuck.
He's hateful, angry, & hoards in a house that he & his son live in that should surely be condemed. Since that's all I knew of Adrian, it was hard to imagine another version of him that was close with his twin sister, friendly, & funny, though it was mentioned. Reading their background in this book made it hit harder. Here we see another side - the before.
The twins relationship is stronger than can be put into words, like most twin bonds, they know each other inside & out. Their eachothers best friends & biggest fans.
I love Adrian, and I love his playfulness. He’s been my best friend since birth.
Seeing this early side to the story, makes Yelena's loss so much more heartbreaking. I also wanted grab Adrian & scream at him to GET THE F AWAY from their father, to stop doing as he was told. Everything could have been different (all the cry face emoji's)
Reading the progression from THIS
I think if I didn’t have Adrian, I would have killed myself a long time ago.
Since our mother died, he’s the only person who’s loved me. The only person who’s brought me any happiness.
"I hate it here,” I tell him.
“Why?” he says. “The weather’s better. The food is better. The shopping too! You can get anything here. And you know it’s real—not some knockoff. Which is why it’s all so goddamned expensive,” he laughs.
“I just thought . . .” I sigh.
“You thought it would be different,” Adrian says. He always knows.
“Yes.”
“It will be, Yelena. Give it more time.”
to THIS“The ambulance is coming,” Yelena cries. “Hold on . . .”
“This . . . this . . .” Adrian grunts.
“What?” Yelena says. “What are you saying?”
“Your fault . . .” Adrian hisses.
He’s not looking up at his sister with love, or even relief that she’s still alive. He’s looking at her with pure hatred.
It’s just brutal
But life goes on. The mamas get pregnant, the happy couples life in wedded mafia bliss.
At the end, we get this little tidbit, & it's EVERYTHING!They won’t be cousins by blood, but they’ll be cousins-in-law, or second-cousins, or whatever you want to call it. I’m glad that Nessa and I are swiftly becoming friends, so I’ll have someone to share this experience with.
Aida is over the moon when I tell her.
“That’s fantastic!” she shrieks. “I didn’t think Miles was going to have any cousins around on my side. I was so annoyed with Dante moving Serena away before we even got to know her. Ours will only be a year or two apart in school—that’s barely anything!”
That's the start of the MF'ing Kingmakers squad that I love so much
WARNING if you haven't read Kingmakers! Below this includes some discussion about the kids in that series. There are NO real spoilers, but general info. Avoid if you don't want to know anything of it!
I read this series before reading Brutal Birthright, which maybe should have been the other way around since the prior follows the children. Now that I've read the Gallos & Griffins back stories, it's easier to understand their motivations, old grudges and loyalties. It also makes who the kids are, their character traits, that much more entertaining!
THE KIDS
Book 1: The Heir
Leo Gallo Son of Sebasian & Yelena
This book leaves off with Nessa & Yelena becoming friends, bonding over their pregnancies. Then, in the prologue 18 years later, Yelena sees an acceptance letter from Kingmakers for Leo. Seb tells her Mike & Nessa let Anna decide for herself, & she chose kingmakers, so obviosly, Leo will too.
Leo is described as tall, and almost godlike. Everyone likes him. Like his father, he plays basketball.
Anna, Daughter of Miko & Nessa is his best friend. She, like Nessa, is a dancer. She has her moms compassion, but her fathers edge & style, prefering gothic makeup, & combining dance styles.
Book 2: The Rebel
Miles Griffin, Son of Callum & Aida
Ugh AIDA!!!! My absolute favorite. I love her. She is all honesty, reckless, jokes, & spunk, where her husband Callum is all ruthlessness, calculation, & control. They're both witty as hell.
Put that together & you have a receipe for the delicousness that is Miles
He inherited ALL of those traits. He makes jokes, seems like he doesn't care much about anything... but in reality he's a genius. He makes things happen. He is the contrband king of Kingmakers, networking to a level that he has connections all over.
Book 3: The Bully
Dean Yenin, AKA Spice Daddy, Son of Adrian Yenin & rando home nurse
Dean is by far my favorite mafia boyfriend. I love him.
After what went down between Adrian, Yelena, & the Gallos, Adrian's hate took over his life.
That's what Dean knew. Hate. Grudges. Unhappiness. He went to Kingmakers ready to take down Leo. Let's just say, things don't go according to plan, & Dean's story & his subsequent glow up is one the most tragically beautiful (& sexy) things ever.
Book 4: The Spy
Sabrina Gallo, Daughter of Nero & Camille
Nero is a playboy that is described by everyone, in every book, as the most beautiful man they've ever seen. Camille is a baddass B who did what she had to do & took no shit (for the most part). Their daughter Sabrina is all that & more. She is one of the youngest of the cousins, but she's always lurking around. Miles has run ins with her, and watches her take down grown men. That's something she has in common with her dad - her looks get EVERYONE'S attention. She is snapping necks left & right, but like her mom, she has her eyes on the prize always, & it never goes to her head, & she does whatever she needs to (like her dad) to get there.
While this book doesn’t center on her, after only having small glimpses of her, Sabrina is a central supporting character in this one. I really can’t say much about this one because it is a plot twist that’s hinted at the whole series (yes the Spy’s parents have a book as well)