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Tainted
The Monster You Made
She ran from the man who ruined her.
Now he’s burning the world to bring her back.
Vera Calloway disappeared without a trace.
No body.
No goodbye.
Just silence and shadows where she used to be.
The world thinks she’s dead.
Lucian Dane knows better.
He feels it in the way the city holds its breath.
He sees it in the cracks she left behind—too careful, too deliberate.
She didn’t vanish.
She vanished from him.
And that was her first mistake.
Because Lucian doesn’t lose.
Not control.
Not power.
And never the woman he’s already claimed.
Now Protocol Seven is active—
a scorched-earth directive designed to dismantle governments, erase identities, and flood the streets with silence.
He’s using it on his own empire.
And every shattered rule, every vanished ally, is a message written in
Come home. Or I’ll tear down everything you touched.
But Vera isn’t the same woman he lost.
She’s colder now. Sharper.
No longer prey—she’s learned how to stalk the dark.
She knows how he thinks.
Because he taught her.
And now she’s ready to burn the man who lit the match.
Lucian wants her back.
On her knees.
On his terms.
But this time, she won’t break.
This time, she’ll make him bleed for every secret he ever kept.
He made the monster.
Now she’s coming home to show him what it means to belong to one.
Trigger
Dark themes, coercion, obsession, power imbalance, stalking, psychological manipulation, explicit sexual content, emotional trauma, trauma recovery, references to trafficking and violence, D/s dynamics, morally gray characters.
18+ Mature Content. This is a dark romance. Read with caution.
Now he’s burning the world to bring her back.
Vera Calloway disappeared without a trace.
No body.
No goodbye.
Just silence and shadows where she used to be.
The world thinks she’s dead.
Lucian Dane knows better.
He feels it in the way the city holds its breath.
He sees it in the cracks she left behind—too careful, too deliberate.
She didn’t vanish.
She vanished from him.
And that was her first mistake.
Because Lucian doesn’t lose.
Not control.
Not power.
And never the woman he’s already claimed.
Now Protocol Seven is active—
a scorched-earth directive designed to dismantle governments, erase identities, and flood the streets with silence.
He’s using it on his own empire.
And every shattered rule, every vanished ally, is a message written in
Come home. Or I’ll tear down everything you touched.
But Vera isn’t the same woman he lost.
She’s colder now. Sharper.
No longer prey—she’s learned how to stalk the dark.
She knows how he thinks.
Because he taught her.
And now she’s ready to burn the man who lit the match.
Lucian wants her back.
On her knees.
On his terms.
But this time, she won’t break.
This time, she’ll make him bleed for every secret he ever kept.
He made the monster.
Now she’s coming home to show him what it means to belong to one.
Trigger
Dark themes, coercion, obsession, power imbalance, stalking, psychological manipulation, explicit sexual content, emotional trauma, trauma recovery, references to trafficking and violence, D/s dynamics, morally gray characters.
18+ Mature Content. This is a dark romance. Read with caution.
- GenresDark
434 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2025
100 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 19, 2025
**ARC REVIEW**
⚠️ Content Warning: Check trigger warnings before reading — this book contains dark themes.
The Monster You Made" by Tatiana Creed — Book 2 in the Tainted Series — is a dark, addictive, and fast-paced read that kept me hooked from start to finish. With intense worldbuilding, relentless action, and sky-high emotional stakes, this book doesn't let up. Tatiana's writing pulls you into a twisted, dangerous game of power, obsession, and survival.
Vera Calloway ran from the man who ruined her. Now Lucian Dane is setting the world on fire to bring her back. But the woman he's trying to reclaim isn't the same—she's sharper, colder, and more dangerous than before. Trained by the very man who broke her, she's not returning to beg... she's coming to burn everything down.
The gripping plot, well-developed characters, and psychological intensity kept me on edge the entire time. The push and pull between Lucian and Vera is electric, dark, and absolutely enthralling. The banter hit, and the spice? Chef’s kiss. If you're drawn to morally gray characters, revenge arcs, and high-stakes power dynamics, this one delivers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and voluntarily leaving this review.
⚠️ Content Warning: Check trigger warnings before reading — this book contains dark themes.
The Monster You Made" by Tatiana Creed — Book 2 in the Tainted Series — is a dark, addictive, and fast-paced read that kept me hooked from start to finish. With intense worldbuilding, relentless action, and sky-high emotional stakes, this book doesn't let up. Tatiana's writing pulls you into a twisted, dangerous game of power, obsession, and survival.
Vera Calloway ran from the man who ruined her. Now Lucian Dane is setting the world on fire to bring her back. But the woman he's trying to reclaim isn't the same—she's sharper, colder, and more dangerous than before. Trained by the very man who broke her, she's not returning to beg... she's coming to burn everything down.
The gripping plot, well-developed characters, and psychological intensity kept me on edge the entire time. The push and pull between Lucian and Vera is electric, dark, and absolutely enthralling. The banter hit, and the spice? Chef’s kiss. If you're drawn to morally gray characters, revenge arcs, and high-stakes power dynamics, this one delivers.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and voluntarily leaving this review.
October 10, 2025
Chains Can Bind The Flesh, But Not The Soul
The Monster You Made is incredible storytelling!
Tatiana Creed has written a beautifully contstructed story. The plot, the characters, the tempo, the structure, and all the minute details in between are just superb. A perfect illustration of a character-driven story in a world that has fallen into madness!
With Protocol Seven in effect, Vera and Lucian have become shadows. Dwelling and preparing for the ultimate battle. But, for them to have any hope of winning, they’ll need to find one another again.
When Lucian began to lay waste to the secret society operating within the government, he also had to incinerate his own empire. He desperately wants Vera back. Although, he should be careful what he wishes for because Vera has changed. She’s no longer his prey, she’s become a strong, fierce hunter.
*Please read the trigger warnings.*
10/10 recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Monster You Made is incredible storytelling!
Tatiana Creed has written a beautifully contstructed story. The plot, the characters, the tempo, the structure, and all the minute details in between are just superb. A perfect illustration of a character-driven story in a world that has fallen into madness!
With Protocol Seven in effect, Vera and Lucian have become shadows. Dwelling and preparing for the ultimate battle. But, for them to have any hope of winning, they’ll need to find one another again.
When Lucian began to lay waste to the secret society operating within the government, he also had to incinerate his own empire. He desperately wants Vera back. Although, he should be careful what he wishes for because Vera has changed. She’s no longer his prey, she’s become a strong, fierce hunter.
*Please read the trigger warnings.*
10/10 recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2026
Edit: I tried to finish, I really did, but I couldn’t. I hated this book that much it became my first ever DNF. It’s like someone decided to go through AI and say “make a sequel to the first book.”
Vera’s last chapter in the first book, someone finds her and it ends with “just the quiet before the scream” yet in the second book, her first chapter is about her crossing borders? Did she just teleport away? Why the time period shift as well. First book is heavy technology, and now horse drawn buggies, cloaks, waterskins, parchment, bows, and blades? The book is so repetitive and never ending. I’ve lost count of how many times I heard or read “Rourke cursed under his breath”
I want to DNF and probably should, but I hate not finishing a book.
I have tried reading it, and listening to it, but the AI voices are making the story even worse. I’ve heard better stories from my 8 year old niece.
Vera’s last chapter in the first book, someone finds her and it ends with “just the quiet before the scream” yet in the second book, her first chapter is about her crossing borders? Did she just teleport away? Why the time period shift as well. First book is heavy technology, and now horse drawn buggies, cloaks, waterskins, parchment, bows, and blades? The book is so repetitive and never ending. I’ve lost count of how many times I heard or read “Rourke cursed under his breath”
I want to DNF and probably should, but I hate not finishing a book.
I have tried reading it, and listening to it, but the AI voices are making the story even worse. I’ve heard better stories from my 8 year old niece.
October 17, 2025
Story 5 ⭐️
Spice 5 🌶️
The Monster You Made takes places right after the events in Dark Soul, and is a very fast paced read. It is non-stop action as Lucian and Vera are fighting against the Crown after Lucian initiates the Scorched Earth Protocol.
The events in The Monster You Made are very different to those in Dark Soul, and the setting is very different. Also, be prepared for a lot of scenes of dub-con and CNC between Lucian and Vera and for it to feel like they stepped 100+ years into the past.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Spice 5 🌶️
The Monster You Made takes places right after the events in Dark Soul, and is a very fast paced read. It is non-stop action as Lucian and Vera are fighting against the Crown after Lucian initiates the Scorched Earth Protocol.
The events in The Monster You Made are very different to those in Dark Soul, and the setting is very different. Also, be prepared for a lot of scenes of dub-con and CNC between Lucian and Vera and for it to feel like they stepped 100+ years into the past.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 19, 2025
First off, please read the trigger warnings.
This was an intense book. There were parts of it that once read, left me breathless.
Vera vanishes without a trace and Lucian doesn't believe she's gone forever. When he tracks her down, the Vera he once knew is gone and in her place is someone stronger, harder, and a far cry from the Vera of the past.
I definitely loved this book and can't wait for more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was an intense book. There were parts of it that once read, left me breathless.
Vera vanishes without a trace and Lucian doesn't believe she's gone forever. When he tracks her down, the Vera he once knew is gone and in her place is someone stronger, harder, and a far cry from the Vera of the past.
I definitely loved this book and can't wait for more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 19, 2025
Use her. Lose her. Burn for her.
Intense conclusion to this thrilling suspenseful psychological mind games.
Lucian and Vera's story is twisted and veiled in darkness. They are both changed after all they have gone through. They both fight to take down the corruption that goes deep.
The lengths he went to for her were on another level. His obsession and possessiveness now have no bounds.
Check TW
Intense conclusion to this thrilling suspenseful psychological mind games.
Lucian and Vera's story is twisted and veiled in darkness. They are both changed after all they have gone through. They both fight to take down the corruption that goes deep.
The lengths he went to for her were on another level. His obsession and possessiveness now have no bounds.
Check TW
October 20, 2025
A fast paced story, that had all the right feels! This was intense and i spent most of the time on the edge of my seat. I love stories where the hero moves heaven and earth to get his woman back and then his woman has turned into something stronger without him...it made for intense and gripping spicy reading! I loved the push and pull...a well written story!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 21, 2025
DNF! Should’ve been 0 stars! I’ve never been so confused about how we started in modern times and I missed the time travel to swordplay, cloaks and parchment.
It very much seemed like the book was thrown into an AI generator, but wasn’t told a time period because the characters are still the same and repetitive but they’re no longer in modern times like the first book.
After the author had an out of body experience writing this book, did she go back and actually read it before publishing?
It very much seemed like the book was thrown into an AI generator, but wasn’t told a time period because the characters are still the same and repetitive but they’re no longer in modern times like the first book.
After the author had an out of body experience writing this book, did she go back and actually read it before publishing?
December 23, 2025
Well... after the first book I was anxious to read this one. It was a difficult book to read. There was SOOOOOO much repetitiveness it became boring. And I felt like we time traveled from modern day tech heavy time back to swords and armor. I forced myself to finish this book. I wanted to know how it ended. But to be honest it felt like half the book was just the same scene over and over with only slight variations. I am relieved to be done.
December 28, 2025
I’m honestly so disappointed with this book. The first one was great! A 4 star rating from me, I just couldn’t get into this book. Firstly, there was a HUGE shift in atmosphere, in the type of reader who can have a movie playing in my head as I read the words and with this book it was hard to imagine. The smut scene felt recycled and everything leading to the last battle was just .. idk I had to rush through it to mark it as read.
October 29, 2025
this book was a slog to read
This book was so hard to read. It’s set in modern times but the anti hero uses a sword? And there are horse drawn wagons? The repetition of the spicy scene was so predictable and after reading the same thing over and over it became obnoxious. Don’t waste your time reading this trash.
This book was so hard to read. It’s set in modern times but the anti hero uses a sword? And there are horse drawn wagons? The repetition of the spicy scene was so predictable and after reading the same thing over and over it became obnoxious. Don’t waste your time reading this trash.
October 27, 2025
I really enjoyed the monster you made me which was Lucian and Vera’s story. It was an intense and intriguing read. I received an early copy. And voluntarily leaving this review.
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November 20, 2025Review Coming Soon
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November 20, 2025Review coming soon
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews