booklloveer101's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Addiction, Gun violence, Bullying, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Blood, Deadnaming, Kidnapping, and Mental illness
amanda_reads13'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
2.0
You need to check the TW before reading this one and check your feminism at the door, because this was dark.
The LORDS, a glorified frat, have high expectations for their members. Their initiation process includes forced celibacy and murder. After three years of celibacy, each man gets to chose a "chosen" (essentially a sex-slave). Of course Ryat, psychopath that he is, is a member.
Blakely's boyfriend of 3 years (another psychopath) is also a member of the LORDS, but she has no knowledge of it. She is also in a forced arranged marriage with this douche, no biggie. How has she been in the dark this long, considering both her boyfriend and father are members?
Anyways, Ryot choses Blakely as his "chosen" after being told to do so from her FATHER. WTF! and it spirals out for control from there.
Ryot is your typical controlling, possessive, jealous asshole. Blakely is the innocent virgin who is magically into all these intense acts .. ya ok... She is honestly the most idiotic and naive character.
Their connection was very forced, shallow, and based on a physical connection. He protects her, she gives herself to him, that pretty much sums it up. This is basically Stockholm Syndrome at its worst.
Tropes: dark, secret society, touch her/you die
Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexual content, Stalking, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Blood, Murder, and Sexual violence
bergha1998'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
3.75
Dark Romance, Arranged Relationship, Secret Society, 4 1/2 🔥
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Gore, Murder, Alcohol, Body horror, Drug use, Confinement, Bullying, Cursing, Sexual content, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Rape, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, and Violence
teebearrr's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spoiler
I’m surprise there was no growing relationship with her biological mother (I guess she disliked her that much)Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Blood, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
wyvness'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? It's complicated
5.0
Prepare to be ensnared by the allure of this Dark College Romance that's bound to leave you breathless.
"The Ritual" introduces us to Ryat and Blakely, two students at Barrington University, a prestigious institution in Pennsylvania harbouring a covert secret society, the Lords. This clandestine group shapes its male members into the future power players of the nation, wielding untold influence.
Initially, the story's pace might seem a tad slow, but let me tell you, it takes off like a rocket after the first couple of chapters. And when it ignites, it's a storm of twists and turns, each more unexpected than the last. The book serves up a whirlwind of craziness that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
Ryat emerges as a dominating force, exuding possessiveness and control that perfectly match his fiery yet submissive counterpart, Blakely. However, Blakely's occasional susceptibility to outside influence did prove irksome, occasionally leading her astray.
A word of caution: "The Ritual" comes laden with trigger warnings, and it's certainly not suited for every reader. This tale is a playground for those with a taste for the dark and twisted, for the ones who relish stories that defy the norm.
"I was forced to pick her as my chosen, but she continues to choose me every day. And that is what I call heaven. Because life without her would be hell."
In a nutshell, "The Ritual" is an intoxicatingly intense, addictively dark, and utterly twisted tale that sprawls over 500 pages you'll find impossible to put down. If you're drawn to the allure of dark romance, don't hesitate—seize this book and let yourself be carried away.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Alcohol, Rape, Gun violence, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Medical content and Pregnancy
haileighv96's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Confinement, Cursing, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Drug use, Murder, Death, and Bullying
atranscryptid's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Domestic abuse
amorrison's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Rape, and Sexual assault
naaytaashreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a 3 star for me. It could have been a 4 if not for the slow burn for like 50% of the read in the beginning.
I enjoyed the concept of the plotline of secret societies, Lords and Lady's. BDSM, thriller and all.
However, for most of the first half of the book, I was utterly confused.
Like so many things were happening, but nothing was really happening other than the nonstop sex fest.
I guess the first half of the read was focused on the sexual tension, chemistry and build-up of Ryat and Blakely.
We get to see the crazy side of Ryat. In a way, some sneak emotions of how he feels towards her and his loyalty to the Lords and his responsibility.
While Blakely in the first half was on a journey of trying to understand her love for all her kinks, this new world it introduced her.
The plot threw some plotline of secrets, betrayal, family arrangements etc.
Later on, in the second half of the book was where we see all the plotline strings together.
Of the secret all these people were hiding, which, let me tell you, is a lot. I can't bloody hell trust anybody.
The plotline picks up with more adrenaline and action.
However, sometimes the plot can be quite confusing and predictable.
Yes, Ryat is a huge possessive alpha, but I love we get to see his emotions and fluffy scenes of him and Blakely.
I see little character growth for Blakely in terms of individual, but I guess her character development focused was more towards her trust and loyalty to Ryat.
The author has a push and pull in, making me hook to her plotline.
I definitely would love to read her other works.
Hoping she writes a story for Ty.
"I wanted to fight for him. For us. In a world full of smoke and mirrors, he's something real. We got here by chance, but we're still together by choice."
Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual content, Stalking, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Violence
bettyboop_x's review
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Blood, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence