Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Kingdom of the Wicked, by Kerri Maniscalco

8 reviews

amicamerlo's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Murder, Violence, Death, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Gaslighting, Alcohol, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

sirkeili's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

This book took me a while to get through, but overall I found it quite intriguing. Watching Emilia comb through clues with her reluctant sidekick was quite amusing, even if her denial of fact was a tad frustrating. 

The plot really picks up towards the end, and some lore is actually given, albeit a tad predicatable if you are reading the context clues correctly.  

I mean, you're telling me that this-

Spoiler

“No one knows for certain, (...) Some believe it refers to the use of light and dark magic. Few think it means a prince will fall in love with a witch."

-isn't the plot of every enemies to lover's romance, I am supposed to remain oblivious???  I think the fuck not, and I honestly love and respect that it doesn't shy away from the trope, but rather embraces it wholeheartedly.

Overall, this book was a tad slow on the uptake, but it was quite a nice starting point for the series. Emelia's revenge has only just started, and I am eager to see the wrath (yes, I went there) she brings down upon the princes, and those who ultimately have caused Vittoria's death. I am also keen to see what Wrath's part to play will be, as he was little too quiet and unnaturally withdrawn at the end. I know he's strategizing, but how he plans to fulfill his plan is something look forward to watching. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Confinement, Drug abuse, Genocide, and Kidnapping

selestre's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Injury/injury detail

Minor: Blood, Bullying, Death, Abandonment, Cursing, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, and Mental illness

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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

It’s fine. It’s nothing spectacular, and I expect the spice to be way better in Kingdom of the Cursed. The idea is cool, I just don’t know if it was executed as well as it could have been. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Gore, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Death, Blood, Grief, and Injury/injury detail

roosveld's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Confinement, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

mellysay's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

AAAAGGHHH OMG THIS BOOK😩😩😩
I loved it so much<333 this is really a five star book and I will recommend it to everyone I come across. I’m gonna order the next book like right now because i need to find out what’s going to happen with Emilia!! I laughed, almost cried, bit my tongue in anger while reading this book. I admit it wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, the first 60 pages were very boring and confusing, I was about to the put the book on dnf. I’m glad I didn’t! The main character is amazing. I love her so so so much, she is the best. I also live Wrath but we will se how that turns out in the second book. However easily a 5⭐️ Book 📚 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, Blood, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Gore, Grief, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual content

politewriter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

4.0

A rather thrilling fantasy novel. The world building had some rather fantastic depths and color to it. It was really easy to see how the author incorporated their personal experience. I really liked how that meshed. Some elements of their story seemed to get muddled at times, and I found myself needing to go back to reread something in order to understand what was happening. Lots of characters, but the author does a good job of keeping them all straight— as well as their alliances and organizations. However, FL seemed to have very little development throughout the story. She made a lot of odd choices, and that really took away from the tension of the story. I liked the chemistry between the FL and the ML tremendously. I hope to see that further developed in the second volume. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Stalking

Minor: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Torture

sunsetcity's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence