firequeen_ash23's review
- 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
5.0
Author: Shantel Tessier
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
I really have enjoyed these standalone dark romances by Shantel Tessier that are all in the same world that follow individual characters. The Sinner follows the story of Sin and Ellington. Sin and Ellington grew up together as next door neighbors and now both attend Barrington College. Sin is a Lord and has decided that he will do whatever it takes to make Ellington his lady.
But Ellington is on the list of ladies that Sin can choose from and so he decides that no matter what he has to do whether it's kill, steal or blackmail anyone and everyone to have what he wants most. But nothing is as it seems and there's so much going on behind the scenes that Sin isn't aware of and is working against Sin and what he wants.
Ellington didn't have a normal childhood especially after her father died. Elli's mom is a lady and her father was a lord. So when her father died, her mom remarried to a different lord but he wasn't trying to be a father at all. Elli suffers at the hands of so many and Sin doesn't find out until the damage is done but it makes Elli the perfect match for him. Will Sin be able to save Elli from the past and present? Will he be able to have her when all is said and done?
This story was so dark and smutty. I loved everything about Elli and Sin. Their story was hearts and flowers but more chains and pain. I love Sins obsession with Elli and what he does to show her that she belongs to him. He doesn't let her self destruct and instead protects her. 🖤i
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Death of parent, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Stalking, Sexual assault, Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death, Alcohol, Torture, Blood, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Sexual violence, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Mental illness
thelibraryoflovelythings's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Incest, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Self harm
mard3ytv's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Spoiler
If you like “DARK just for the sake of it being dark I bow down to you. I was having a hard fucking time after the plot twist when we found out that Elli’s dad was a fucking twin!! Good gracious 🫢 I should have been expecting it since it was so off the walls crazy!! I was intrigued by Elli but it started getting crazy after all of the drugs she had… that girl would be barely functioning… she’s not that big. Anyway, Sin & Elli were alright… I just wish there was more things in it that made sense. Spice was fine 👍🏾Spice was definitely there, and if you are into forced intimacy this is probably the book for you!
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Death
lexrae33's review
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Self harm, Bullying, Misogyny, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
skooterpike's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, and Sexual assault
peyton5907's review
- 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
4.5
“When I burn the world down and they ask me why, I’ll tell them the devil asked me to do it. And I wanted to make him proud.”
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Addiction, Sexual content, Stalking, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Rape, Bullying, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Minor: Self harm
mhairi_reads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
POV: Dual - Sin & Elli
Easton “Sin” Sinnett and Ellington “Elli” Asher were born into a secret society run by the Lords. They grew up together and have been raised to carry on the next generation. We follow Sin and Elli, now students at Barrington University. The host of the Lords secret society.
Successful Lord graduates go on to become the next generation of powerful, elite leaders across the country. Ladies are essentially a Lords for the taking, raised to be obedient lap dogs.
Sin as a Lord is more than happy to abide by the rules set forth by the Lords. Elli, unfortunately saw the dark side of the society. She has been trained for the wrong reasons and has had an absolutely horrific upbringing - I felt so incredible sorry and protective of her. The experiences she had growing up and the things she was made endure were abhorrent.
Sin wants Elli and he will have her, one way or another. But if he wants Elli he needs to face the consequences. Sin is possessive of Elli bordering on obsessed. He claims her as his, kills for her and quite literally brands her only to continue to break her heart time and time again. One minute he loves her and the next he’s saying they belong to other people, talk about whiplash.
This was an emotional rollercoaster!! Literally from the very beginning. I felt so many emotions. At times I was sad, others I was disgusted. I went from absolutely livid to moments where my spine tingled. I do feel as though the dark elements of this book really took away from the overall story. The romance was hidden behind Sin’s sadist tendencies and Elli’s need for degradation and humiliation.
⚠️ Content Warnings: There are genuinely too many content warnings to list.
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Stalking, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Cursing, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
rmorairty's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Blood, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Classism, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Murder, Torture, and Toxic relationship