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bookishbabbles's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy shit. I’ve never been so scared(I don’t read horror) and excited at the same time. I’m in love!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Miscarriage, and Car accident
Minor: Sexual content and Cannibalism
avialaeleigh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It was a decent book for being such a short read. I really enjoyed the audio book voice actors that read it to me.
Enjoyed the characters and the setting, I just wish that it was more mystery based then romance based but that's just my preference.
Can't wait to start the next one especially with this one having ended on a cliff hanger.
Enjoyed the characters and the setting, I just wish that it was more mystery based then romance based but that's just my preference.
Can't wait to start the next one especially with this one having ended on a cliff hanger.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
sydneykidny's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
tieraneysreadingcorner's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
2024 reread:
omfg the way i am looking at this book in a whole new light! my review still stands, the philosophy shit fucks with your head no matter how many times you’ve read it.
i can’t believe all of the things that come to light are *right there*
initial read:
my brain hurts after reading this mindfuckery.
i love the serial killer x fbi agent/psychiatrist trope so much, but only some authors can write it well. trisha wolfe put her whole authussy into this.
the intricate plot was phenomenal. i quite literally have no words to describe how good this book was.
kallum was such a hot, sexy character 😩😩 i swear i would be on my knees in an INSTANT if he said any of those words to me 🧎🏻♀️that’s me.. assuming the position
omfg the way i am looking at this book in a whole new light! my review still stands, the philosophy shit fucks with your head no matter how many times you’ve read it.
i can’t believe all of the things that come to light are *right there*
initial read:
my brain hurts after reading this mindfuckery.
i love the serial killer x fbi agent/psychiatrist trope so much, but only some authors can write it well. trisha wolfe put her whole authussy into this.
the intricate plot was phenomenal. i quite literally have no words to describe how good this book was.
kallum was such a hot, sexy character 😩😩 i swear i would be on my knees in an INSTANT if he said any of those words to me 🧎🏻♀️that’s me.. assuming the position
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
samflowerv6's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Kallum Locke….. lord have mercy. This man is insane and ya know what? I ate up every second of it. He was a little scary but I loved it!! Am I insane for enjoying this? Maybe. I blame the wattpad books I read in middle school for my occasionally depraved taste. TRISHA YOU FED US DARK ROMANCE GIRLIES. The part that really sucked me in…. The plot is so interesting. I’m actually so excited for the second book!! Kallum is insane, obsessed with the FMC, smart and cunning. He was a philosopher professor before he was committed into an insane asylum.. he calls her things like little Halen, his muse and sweetness. THE TWISTS HAD ME BY MY THROAT !! And the ritual scene broke my brain in the best way…. I love love love love Hollow’s row and my insane book boyfriend Professor Locke. He’s not even morally grey, he’s pitch black and I’m down.
But what is art and beauty if not pain? Anything which comes too easily is an insult to both the creator and the consumer.
“I will make you see god for damn sure.”
My fingertips memorize the erratic beat of her pulse as she slips away. Bah-dah-bump. Bah-dah-bah-dah-bump. I want to carve it in my skin.
But what is art and beauty if not pain? Anything which comes too easily is an insult to both the creator and the consumer.
“I will make you see god for damn sure.”
My fingertips memorize the erratic beat of her pulse as she slips away. Bah-dah-bump. Bah-dah-bah-dah-bump. I want to carve it in my skin.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death and Medical trauma
kshertz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Some books you read to find out what you’re into…some books help you find out what you are not into. Sociopaths and detectives are not a trope I can get behind. It’s so toxic and this man does not have a single redeeming quality. His obsession with pain and fear just grossed me out so it was hard to stay in the story. I just wanted everyone to get away from this main character. I can’t root for a sociopath, much different from a villain or a person who’s been harmed and appears grumpy. But to each their own!
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
redrxse222's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
READ TRIGGER WARNINGS
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
tianabooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is for the criminal minds girlies. In fact, this is for the girlies who wanted to read something with tension and interactions like the cat/spencer scenes but a bit more unhinged. 😇
Definitely check your trigger/content warnings before going into this if you know there are things that might make you uncomfortable or put you in a vulnerable position. At least in terms of violence and gory descriptions, there are several ones on page.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you."
"You are the bad thing."
"And you are the loveliest bad thing."
There is not a single green flag in sight. Nothing at all lmao.
And I guess that's the whole point, morally at least it's challenging and HIGHLY questionable but it somehow works?? The relationship and interactions between Halen and Kallum are what made the story interesting. They don't trust each other, they're trying to outsmart one another, and you can't tell half of the time (if not all the time) if it's attraction or vengeance that drives their actions. Which works here very well. You don't know who's reliable and who isn't.
This book can at times be heavy on the pagan/occult lore and elements as they're part of the plot and it's Kallum's area of expertise. So I'd also say be mindful of that before going into this. I personally didn't mind this aspect but that might not work for everyone.
I don't know how to feel about the ending yet. Lots of twists and turns and lots of revelations but I think I'd like to read the second book and then come back and revisit my feelings on this! It’s not a bad ending and it definitely insinuates that there’s a continuation to the story.
I'll say though: I was reading this on my kindle AND listening to the audiobook at the same time and it was the best experience honestly. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden narrate this and LET ME TELL YOU. I'd heard both of them before in your usual contemporary romance but never in a dark romance and they both did such a good job. I am now a changed person. 😮💨🫠 also the narration fits the atmosphere perfectly!
Oh and definitely leave your moral compass behind going into this lmao.
Definitely check your trigger/content warnings before going into this if you know there are things that might make you uncomfortable or put you in a vulnerable position. At least in terms of violence and gory descriptions, there are several ones on page.
"I won't let anything bad happen to you."
"You are the bad thing."
"And you are the loveliest bad thing."
There is not a single green flag in sight. Nothing at all lmao.
And I guess that's the whole point, morally at least it's challenging and HIGHLY questionable but it somehow works?? The relationship and interactions between Halen and Kallum are what made the story interesting. They don't trust each other, they're trying to outsmart one another, and you can't tell half of the time (if not all the time) if it's attraction or vengeance that drives their actions. Which works here very well. You don't know who's reliable and who isn't.
This book can at times be heavy on the pagan/occult lore and elements as they're part of the plot and it's Kallum's area of expertise. So I'd also say be mindful of that before going into this. I personally didn't mind this aspect but that might not work for everyone.
I don't know how to feel about the ending yet. Lots of twists and turns and lots of revelations but I think I'd like to read the second book and then come back and revisit my feelings on this! It’s not a bad ending and it definitely insinuates that there’s a continuation to the story.
I'll say though: I was reading this on my kindle AND listening to the audiobook at the same time and it was the best experience honestly. Lucy Rivers and Joe Arden narrate this and LET ME TELL YOU. I'd heard both of them before in your usual contemporary romance but never in a dark romance and they both did such a good job. I am now a changed person. 😮💨🫠 also the narration fits the atmosphere perfectly!
Oh and definitely leave your moral compass behind going into this lmao.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
whiskersdottir's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
jcsmith95's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Miscarriage and Toxic relationship