Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - A Touch of Ruin

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: I had read 'A Touch of Darkness' and honestly, wasn't the biggest fan but it wasn't horrible. I recently found myself in the middle of a bunch of serious books and just needed something that I knew I wouldn't have to think with and that had just enough spiciness to be a complete change from the serious reads I have going.

Overall rating: If it's possible, Persephone becomes even more of a sniveling, wishy-washy, no-backbone character who doesn't know how to hold up her side of the story. I'm not a fan of the progression of two characters in particular. One makes sense but was done sloppily

Lexa

and the other makes no sense and feels like an afterthought

Pirithous

. I also refuse to believe that Hades and Persephone have been together so long and Hades hasn't mentioned the no-go spots in the Underworld...or you know

the places that will legitimately mess with your mind if you go there.

You'd also think that Persephone would just be smart enough to figure out how not to keep putting herself in danger in the very world she's going to be queen of. Ugh, I hate that 'A Touch of Ruin' was such a good distraction read, it makes it harder to hate it. 😂

Reader's Note: 'A Touch of Ruin' includes themes of stalking, conversations of rape, suicide, death, sex, blackmail, retaliation, and torture.

Content Warnings

whatkatyread87's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This could’ve been an email

Content Warnings

nonotyoshi's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Tandem reading this with a Game of Retribution is a must if you don’t wanna go insane

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cscharfway's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked this sequel better than the first book, and could seriously not put it down.

I feel like the character of Persephone goes through significant emotional growth throughout the book, something I found lacking before. She is just frustrating enough to make the plot interesting and gives the book some depth without making her storyline insufferable.

I still feel like there is one too many sex scenes between her and Hades (not that it’s always a bad thing!) but it is less ridiculous now, and served a purpose to emphasize how completely intertwined their souls are with each other.

The choices that Persephone has to make over her friend, Lexa, are just gut wrenching and really raise significant issues about life, death and morality. I also love seeing how her powers have manifested and grown alongside her confidence. I love the goddess and queen she is becomming.

One issue I have is about Persephone as a journalist/writer. From what little of her work we see in this text, she sounds kind of gossipy, cheesy and definitely not award-winning in her diction. I hope we see more of her abilities now that she has *spoiler* branched off from the newspaper, and I really hope her articles become more mature and less like the vindictive notebook of a spurned teenager.

Content Warnings

faith_mikey's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

It would’ve been a 3.5 star, maybe even a 4, but a lot of the later “plot” elements felt unnecessary and like they were added for drama or to be edgy. I’m also disappointed in the fact that it seems like every chapter has some mention of sex or wanting it, it’s like the main character’s relationship cannot exist without it which does not build healthy foundations and ruined the book for me personally. And then the spicy chapters had less of an impact due to the over abundance of sex talk.

Content Warnings

buchhoas's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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lizgom's review against another edition

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I decided to stop reading this at 42%.
I adore Persephone & Hades but I can’t stand them in this retelling. Which is a shock to me because the development they got from book 1 was wiped when continuing to book 2. Persephone was just immature & her actions were always so contradictory. Hades was just *there*.

Content Warnings

starfire_rhexia's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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