Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic

8 reviews

brookeklebe's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Rape, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Sexual content

kateyoutka's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

This was so hard to read, and yet, I couldn't put it down. I was desperately rooting for Roan in every moment, unsure what would happen next. It's horrifying, and I can't necessarily say I liked or enjoyed this book, because every second of it was gut-wrenching. But it's incredibly well-written and emotional, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has the emotional bandwidth to read it. Look up all the trigger warnings before. picking this one up, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death

pollyhall's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Alcohol, Infidelity, Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Abandonment, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

dosxhime's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Dark Horses really was up there for darkest books I read so far. 

The abuse Roan suffered from her family was all too real and it made her circumstances all the more tragic. Here only real hope was Jasper, Will, and horseback riding. There was very little for her to look forward to in the face of her father's abuse, however her growth was satisfying and cathartic to read. I cheered when she cut her hair and called her father out for what he is. 

I will say that the romance aspect was a little meh. It kinda just felt like they were there and treted each other decently/normally and that was why Will and Roan fell for each other. The resolution between Roan and her father wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be since it kind of felt half-assed I guess. He doesn't get ruined in the way that I hoped. 

Anyways, Roan's growth was impeccable and is really the bread-n-butter of this novel. 

4.5 / 5 A- 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Rape, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Animal death, Violence, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Confinement, and Bullying

deezy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

happiestwhenreading's review

I am not a sensitive reader and dark subject matter does not bother me. That's why it speaks volumes that this is a dnf for me, and honestly, I wish I wouldn't have ever picked it up at all!

I knew heading in that it dealt with incest (father/daughter relationship) and pedophilia. I felt like I could handle it. But the manner in which the author handles this inapporpriate relationship was a no-go for me. I felt like she was almost glorifying it. Making it seem like it's ok, even though it's not. 

Instead of listening to my instincts, I kept going. When Roan begins to develop a sexual relationship with a peer, Mihalic implied that certain sexual acts were off-limits because then she wouldn't be 'daddy's girl' anymore. I think the point of this was to show how mentally difficult it is for a child to separate the acts with her father to the outside world, but it literally made me sick to my stomach. It didn't come across to me as a tragedy; it felt more like sympathy and that was when I realized this book is a total dealbreaker for me.

I'm disappointed in it's 3.99 Goodreads rating. I cannot understand the reviews that are saying it's a good book despite the content.

I would not recommend this for anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

thespinystacks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

First things first - huge trigger warnings in this book. Please check them out.

This was an incredibly challenging read. I’m not faint hearted but I was physically shuddering and felt ill at times during this book. That being said, it felt purposeful and never like you were being told the graphics just because. I appreciate that.

I felt the ending was very rushed. There was a huge tension build up for 90% of this book, there was a release and you’ll have a reaction for sure, but then - it was rushed through to conclude. That let it down just a little for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Car accident

lilacsandliterature's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Roan Montgomery is a 15 year old champion horse rider, following in her father’s footsteps and hoping for Olympic stardorm. And while she is often interviewed and in the public eye showing a perfect life and a loving coach for a father, behind closed doors is an entirely different world. Roan has been abused by her father for almost as long as she can remember, and her mother is lost in her own world, drinking away the reality of the situation. ⁣⁣⁣
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This is hands down the most difficult book I’ve ever read on this topic. There is nothing left to the imagination about the abuse Roan suffers at the hands of her father. It’s set in the world of horse riding, which is something I didn’t know a thing about. I struggled with this book just as I did with My Dark Vanessa. I understand that the entire grooming process makes the abused question everything they know about right and wrong, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read.⁣⁣⁣
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This is a shocking book but the takeaway is this - this does happen more than anyone is aware of and while it’s shocking to us, for many people it’s a reality. It took me a while to read as the content was so difficult and I did not find any of the characters likeable at all. ⁣⁣⁣
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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence