Reviews tagging 'Torture'

A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair

48 reviews

llcardenas's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Suicide

Minor: Torture, Kidnapping, and Car accident

shellballenger's review against another edition

slow-paced

• 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

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

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Stalking

Minor: Rape

megmeb's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

vampyrsoul's review against another edition

emotional

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Rape and Suicide

whatkatyread87's review against another edition

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

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Suicide and War

nonotyoshi's review against another edition

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 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, and Sexual harassment

faith_mikey's review against another edition

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

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

aliyahoff's review against another edition

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? Yes

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Car accident

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

tiffanne11's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

3.5

You know the part in romance books where something happens and the couple breaks up but you know they just need to work it out and communicate? That is this whole book.
The on again off again saga of Hades and Persephone. While there are compelling elements, too much of it was surrounding the volatile nature of their relationship. 

Someone please tell me why Hades dogs keep leading persephone into dangerous situations. Because it's happened twice now and no one is mentioning it. 
Also the entire random stalker plot that really didn't get any attention and felt like it could've been cut out. 
Also, while we can all understand the pain that comes with death and the desire to avoid that, it is clear that the queen of the underworld should've been a bit more at peace with the whole thing. 
The most compelling thing was the end when Demeter declared war with snow.

Overall, everyone in this book was a lot more irritating with the exceptions of Hermes and Hecate. They remain perfect in every way. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Stalking, and Murder

ninahuynh's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-paced

• 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

3.75

I like the dive into Apollo and his character arc, and Hermes. I like how Persephone has grown as a character and how her flaws make her that much more real. We could do with a sex scene or two less- there were times it felt like they use sex to solve their problem, never really communicating their sorrows/problem.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment