Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Satan's Affair by H.D. Carlton

8 reviews

raedynfae's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Trafficking

scarlethgiselle's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

kimmytanzone's review

dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

lolalastname's review

dark medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

0.5

In both Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline, Sibby’s presence in the narrative felt odd and out of place. Though I didn’t have high expectations going into Satan’s Affair, I had the tiniest sliver of hope that this novella would make sense of her character. Boy, was I wrong.

To put it plainly, I don’t know why this novella exists. Many fans of the series urge newcomers to read Satan’s Affair before reading Haunting Adeline “to avoid spoiling the twist.” I disagree. The novella was published between the release of books 1 and 2- long after Haunting’s social media virality. The “twist” isn’t a twist at all, simply Sibby’s most identifiable trait (and the punchline of every scene she’s in). The upcoming 2 novels starring Sibby as the lead render Satans Affair little more than a rushed exposition dump.

The most damning strike against Satan’s Affair is its own prose. While Sibby’s point of view is a nice break from Adeline and Zade’s grating internal monologue, it comes with its own problems. I tried and failed not to notice the writer behind the curtain, but the authors overwhelming presence in the narration completely broke my immersion in the story. I didn’t read Sibby’s thoughts and feelings- the writer told them to me, and explained exactly how to feel about them. The constant shift between first person present and past tense at random intervals was also extremely distracting.

Even though Satan’s Affair is  full to the brim with blood, guts, and gore , it lacks the tooth and grit needed to get me to buy what it’s selling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Slavery, and Trafficking

apalershadeofwhite's review

challenging dark 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder, Slavery, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.0

Before I start this review, please check trigger warnings and please note that I don’t condone the actions during this storyline, but I was absolutely hooked on this book and I love Sibby. I felt guilty for enjoying this book as much as I did.  

This book is based on Sibby, who we met in the Cat and Mouse duet. This is her story. Every Halloween, Satan’s Affair will come to you. They travel the country, offering the best haunted houses, thrilling rides and the tastiest food and with every passing town, Sibby cleanse this world, one execution at a time. She hides within the walls, casting her judgement for those that reek of evil, singing lullabies to their rotting souls. Once you’ve been chosen, there’s no escaping her henchmen – they cater to her every desire. You can run and hide, but it only excites Sibby even more. Take a walk through her dollhouse, where your screams will blend and the cute little pleas will go unanswered. Sibby can’t promise it will be over quickly.  

I went into this book knowing that Sibby’s henchmen weren’t real and that I shouldn’t get attached to them or to Sibby, but I couldn’t help it. Sibby’s henchmen being hot, erotic and overprotective. Sibby being in the absolute bad ass she is. I really liked that H.D. Carlton gave Sibby a personality and a backstory (even if the backstory broke my freaking heart). I loved seeing Zade again and how Sibby and him met.  

This novella was brutal and I wanted to give Sibby a hug the whole time. H.D. Carlton could write her shopping list and I would still read it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pedophilia

sinful_reads's review

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Abandonment

bekand1's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail