WHEN HATE BECOMES OBSESSION… beast.
Because Mischa Stepanov isn’t a mindless monster—he’s a wolf, and she’s the unwitting doe caught in his midst.
Unraveling the torment of his past may be her only hope of salvation…
Or the secrets uncovered may destroy them both.
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Lana Sky is the most talented writer I’ve ever come across thus far. Filled with loads of dark twisted characters, you won’t find any other story such as this one.
I loved this dark romance. Can’t wait to read the next two books in the series!
Compelling complications
—>>> You are right there alongside Elena as she is taken from one predator’s lair to another one, witness to the brutal, unrelenting and raw force that is Mischa Stepanov – a man whom she cannot read – yet. Any information begged for is begrudgingly given to her, almost petulantly, from this man who does not know what to do with this young woman who is now his toy as well as his pawn in his arsenal towards a revenge twenty-four years in the making. Elena flirts with death, but in the end, her curiosity for her captor is what keeps her soul yearning for more, for him to see her as more, for her life to mean more. On the edge of my seat to read the next installment!
This book was beyond five stars! It’s the first book I have read by Lana Sky and I can hardly wait for Book 2. At the point of exhaustion, I felt so bad for Ellen from the time she was a child until the present. She never knew love. Especially not from her husband. But when Mischa kidnaps her and is taunting her she wishes she was back with her husband. She is a very torn and broken person. I am looking forward to how the author is going to spin the story in Book 2.
That phrase is played repeatedly in Ellen’s head as she goes from one abusive situation to another. It starts when she is a child living in the shadow of Briar, her ‘sister’ who treats her like a servant and Robert, the boy who would later trap her into an abusive marriage, stripping her of her dignity. If she thought being the wife of Robert Winthorp was demeaning,
she is then kidnapped by a maniac enemy of her family. His name is Mischa and his connection to her family goes back years. As Ellen tries to survive day by day with her captor, he drags her into his world of violence, money, and very dangerous people. And as day by day goes by she is drawn to Mischa, uncovering her painful past. What is shocking is that Ellen truly has no idea what horrors had been going on while her was living at the Winthorp manor, suffering her own nightmare. As for the ending, Kudos Lana Sky! Not only was the ‘rug’ pulled out from Ellen/Elle’s feet, so is ours trying to put the pieces together in this dark romance.
So I first read XV when it was first published as a rough draft on Watt-pad and I’m so so happy with the changes that Lana has made to the series. The new published version has more suspense in terms of Ellen’s past and more meaning behind her relation with Mischa. Based on Mischa’s dialogue you can tell that, even with all his power and wealth, he’s just a lonely guy who doesn’t want to trust Ellen’s motives. Ellen, on the other hand, is afraid of the changes that Mischa brings because he could just as easily ruin her. All in all, this book IS AMAZING! Another great dark romance by Lana Sky packed with intensity and a captivating storyline! Cannot wait for what VII has in store!
This isn’t as dark as i want this book to read. I’m hoping that the second book will be more darker and have the story that will be brought out throughout this book.
Another classic dark romance by Lana Sky. This book is a must read. Can’t wait to read the 2nd book.
Okay I am obsessed with this book like seriously this book is AMAZINGGG!!! def worth five stars!! This book is dark but a good kind of dark, it get’s you hooked on the story and it made me read it in one take!
This story of mistaken identity is one of mystery, intrigue, suspense, depravity, mental illness, twists and turns, which takes the heroine (Ellen) through a slew of emotions. Ellen has experienced darkness before and survived, although this is a whole new level of darkness, she is still determined to survive yet again. This is a very dark book and is loaded with possible triggers. However, if dark suspense is your thing then hold on tight as this book shall leave you breathless!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely have no words for this amazing book. I was completely blown away by this dark, intense, twisted, page turner. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.
Mistaken for her beautiful half sister, Ellen Winthrop is taken captive by a madman who declares that she will be his fiteen: the fifteenth victim of a vicious mafia blood fued. Armed with only her insitncs, Ellen must resist her captor for as long as she can-whihc is easire said than done the more she’s exposed to the complex man beneth the beast. Becasue Mischa Stepanov isn’t a mindless monster-he’s a wolf and she is the unwitting doe caught in his midst. Unraveling the torment of his past may be her only hope of salvation. Or the secets uncovered may destory them both.
Fifteen is the first book in Lana Sky’s War of the Roses series. This is a dark romance and might hold some triggers for some people. You should also be prepared for a huge cliffhanger since it is the first book.
I will go ahead and tell you that by the time you are done with this book you might just need a tank of oxygen to suck on and a bottle of tequila to calm your nerves. I read dark books all the time but this one is really really amazing. Your going to be hooked from the prologue alone. I could not put it down and spent more time one the edge of my seat that I did in it. This is the story of ELen and how she is take by a Mafia man who thinks she is her half sister. What will happens when he figures out he has the wrong girl? You have to read to find out as I do not want to give a thing away. If you love dark books thought you do not want to miss this one at all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Left me breathless. Truly moving and captivating story.
I’m speechless… I don’t know where to start with my review, so I will start at the end. In truly master-like style the cliffhanger left me wondering, thinking, conjuring up possible scenarios. Like in the best psychological thriller movies, you watch for the whole time with pounding heart, trembling hands, sometimes you want to close your eyes so no to see those horrible scenes and you think you are closer and closer to solve the mystery… and suddenly… – ‘Bang! THE END!’.
Dirty, raw, almost horrible – but so mesmerizing in the ugliness that I couldn’t stop reading. Perfect psychological study of victim being held captive, of victim suffering from years of physical and psychological abuse. And the beast, the monster just pictured perfectly. All emotions presented on pages are raw, almost animalistic. Two broken souls trying to survive in the cruel world that took from them everything that could bring them joy, happiness, peace and love. In this world there is no place for this kind of feelings. There’s only cruelty, abuse, lies, vengeance, betrayal, anger and searing pain.
The plot flows just in a right pace, full of angst, mystery and suspense. I loved that as a reader I don’t know everything, it added to the mystery and suspense. Made me guess, made me wonder, made me think. All the characters and their qualities presented in the book are thought through perfectly. Reading this book gave me feeling like watching really good movie. Great, fantastic read! Kept me captivated from the first to the last page. Now, I can’t wait to read the next part. I just need to breathe…
A must read for this plot and characters. I volunteered to read an advance copy for an honest review.
“The known is always better than the unknown” – Ellen
I am not sure which way is up and which is down and I’m not sure how I feel about it
This is the first in a series and Sky lays a lot of groundwork in the first half of this book. We meet some of the major players and some of the minor ones, who possibly may become major ones. A few of the possible plot-lines are presented and all kinds of dark and nasty secrets are hinted at but very few are fully revealed. Still, no idea who is on the dark side, you think I jest, at this point I honestly think the only person I trust is the one I completely loathe.
It felt like there is a lot more going on in the background and I am just missing a couple of pieces to put this all together, though I have some thoughts.
I admit this is one of the things I both love and loathe about Sky’s work. She keeps me on edge throughout her twisted tales. I begin to question everyone’s motives and I have found that the cruelest of deeds can actually be the kindest of mercies.
With XV I felt liked I was constantly thirsty for more, I needed answers and I only found questions!!!
The suspense is truly killing me!
Be warned this ends on a bloody big cliff hanger!
Ellen has me on the fence as to my feelings regarding her mental stability. I swear there are times I want to shake some sense of self into her. Only getting glimpses of her past bothered me as I tried to fully grasp her thoughts. I truly wish we had been given more as to Why? How?
Her brother and sister also left me questioning WTF? And Robert?
Mischa will never be redeemable as far as I’m concerned.
I need answers – I need them now
This is a graphic story – lots of blood, torture, darkness – all the gooey stuff vengeance is made of – just a heads up if this isn’t your usual cup of tea you may want to skip this one.
Hold on to your hats because this is one amazing ride! This book is not for the faint of heart. The secrets will keep you captivated, the monsters will seize your attention, but beware of the beasts lurking inside – they’re not what you think. Never read anything by Lana Sky before and this will definitely not be my last.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lana Sky’s writing is like a highly addictive substance. I know my heart will be shredded and ripped apart but I still come back to her dark twisted stories every time. XV is no exception. She has taken me right back to the depraved, deviant and dark corners of human mind.
Lana Sky created another beautifully broken and haunted woman in this story. Ellen has been through the most disturbing tortures since childhood but she was not ready for the monster called Mischa. Mischa has snatched her from her present hell to an even worse one. But all monsters are not same. Mischa has shades of red, grey, black and white. He is an enigma. Someone I hated and wanted to die at the same time being intrigued and captured by his mysterious, forceful and heinous ways.
Lana Sky has an undeniable flair in writing psychological thriller mixed with dark romance. This story will definitely disturb you and repulse you. This story is violent, raw and desolate. I held my breath for the glimpses of light in the cruelty. I denied to accept that Mischa is beyond redemption. This was a blow to my soul but I was morbidly curious to see where the story is going. Since it’s a trilogy you will have to suffer the cliffhanger and it was so frustrating!
XV by Lana Sky is written with blood , sweat and tears of the characters. And it made me bleed as well. The story was intense as hell and satisfying as heaven.
Received ARC for Honest Review
“It’s dangerous to sneak around at night,” Robert says, his voice soft. “Don’t you know that’s when the monsters come out?”
Wow, this story was suspenseful and action packed! Not to mention the secrets that have been hidden away. Ellen is a pawn in a game she does not know how to play with a monster she doesn’t understand. Mischa is a complicated guy. He is brutish and cruel and yet deep down, way down, I think there is the capacity for good. He’s just been through so much and experienced so much pain, it’s hard for him to show mercy.
This is a dark and gritty story. Ellen is a little naïve in thinking that Briar cares about her. It’s obvious that her sister doesn’t care for an ounce for Ellen. She views her more as a servant than family and it’s sad because Ellen doesn’t feel that way about Briar. Ellen however finds herself with a new monster, one she doesn’t know or understand. Mischa is a fascinating man. He doesn’t like showing mercy or a softer side. He is cold and harsh and it is understandable. Mischa has experienced some intense moments in life and one cannot blame him for his hatred of the Winthorp’s.
There are so many secrets still to be revealed and so much more to learn about Ellen and Mischa. Like how did Ellen end up in her prior situation? And who is the absent woman? Questions continue to whirl around in my head. What is going to happen? Who is Ellen now? And how will she survive? I’m eager to see what awaits us!
XV is book one of this new series from a new to me author. It tells the story of Ellen, who was hidden all her life for the dirty secret that she was. She was the half sister to the beautiful Briar. They look alike so when she was mistakenly taken by Mischa, a man who has a score to settle to the Winthorp family, it was inevitable. All her life, she was used one way or another by the Winthorp family. First by her half sister Briar, for always taking the blame for her any misdeeds and Robert, who sexually and physically abused her.
This story is far from your picture perfect love story. It is dark, raw, harrowing, twisted mafia romance story. My mind and emotions worked in overtime trying to process everything and taking it all in. I feel so much for Ellen. She doesn’t have anyone to stand up for her and she always has to rely on herself. It is admirable how she, in her own little way, tries to fight to see the light. Mischa is a hard, ruthless man but I can see a glimpse of softness when it comes to Ellen. It is safe to say that this story is not for the faint of heart but if this is your thing, then prepare to have your mind blown. It is very well written, engaging story line and great world building that I have devoured this book and could not put it down. After reading this one, I’m absolutely going to read and check out the author’s other work. Oh and that ending killed me, OMG! I cannot wait for second book!
What an absolutely great book. It is definitely intense, dark, with all twists and turns that will keep you hooked from page one and not let go. My emotions were definitely all over with one. I, for one, could not stop reading and now I need and can not wait for book 2!