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katiebella_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
2⭐️
As a child, she was kidnapped, raped, and left for dead. As an adult, she is out for vengeance against those who hurt her and those who failed to save her.
As a boy, he was kidnapped and forced to listen to the little girl in the room next to him being hurt. He thought she had died. As a man, he has sworn to destroy those who facilitated her death.
My Thoughts
The opening chapter of this book is DARK. I don't think I was mentally prepared for just how dark. Check your triggers. The chapter is the attempted rape and murder of a child. It doesn't go into detail, but you know it is happening. You also know this isn't the first time.
The book graphics are gorgeous. I couldn't get enough of them. Every chapters first page was black overlayed with a grey picture and white words. Whoever they used as a male photo model looked like a young Chris Pratt. By the end, I was seeing his face as Sev ( the MMC POV)
The romance was underwhelming and predictable. He walks into a bakery, steadying her from falling, and surprise, she is practically drooling at his hotness! The instant attraction diminishes the build-up and angst I've come to expect from a dark romance. It was sort of a turn-off.
It's smutty. I'll give the book that. The problem is the sex scenes feel like they are written by a man who doesn't quite understand how a woman's body works. This would be bearable if it HAD been written by a man. It's written by a woman FOR women. She should know better or have at least read more spice before trying to write it. It made me uncomfortable to read. The author has a weird obsession with nipples.
You can tell the author is self-published and unpolished. It's a dark mafia romance, wrapped up in a Sweeny Todd/Hamlet/Medusa rewrite. I had such high hopes for it, but it feels like a "booktok made me buy it" regret.
The "Sweeny Todd" rewrite part is basically he's a barber who murders with a razor, and she's a baker. The "Medusa" rewrite is basically a scorned woman's vengeance. The "Hamlet" is he's after his uncle for the murder of his father. This isn't so much a rewrite as a play on themes. Easy to spot in the first few chapters.
It's not well written and way too long. It feels more like fanfiction or wattpad. The characters are fleshed out and likable, but their speech...... no one talks like that. It's the way a teen in middle school would write a story. The whole thing is disjointed. I had to constantly reread sentences to make them make sense.
The Tale had just enough plot to keep me reading, but it felt more like I hate read it just to find out what happened.
The ending was lackluster and anticlimactic. I wish I had saved my time and money on this one.
As a child, she was kidnapped, raped, and left for dead. As an adult, she is out for vengeance against those who hurt her and those who failed to save her.
As a boy, he was kidnapped and forced to listen to the little girl in the room next to him being hurt. He thought she had died. As a man, he has sworn to destroy those who facilitated her death.
My Thoughts
The opening chapter of this book is DARK. I don't think I was mentally prepared for just how dark. Check your triggers. The chapter is the attempted rape and murder of a child. It doesn't go into detail, but you know it is happening. You also know this isn't the first time.
The book graphics are gorgeous. I couldn't get enough of them. Every chapters first page was black overlayed with a grey picture and white words. Whoever they used as a male photo model looked like a young Chris Pratt. By the end, I was seeing his face as Sev ( the MMC POV)
The romance was underwhelming and predictable. He walks into a bakery, steadying her from falling, and surprise, she is practically drooling at his hotness! The instant attraction diminishes the build-up and angst I've come to expect from a dark romance. It was sort of a turn-off.
It's smutty. I'll give the book that. The problem is the sex scenes feel like they are written by a man who doesn't quite understand how a woman's body works. This would be bearable if it HAD been written by a man. It's written by a woman FOR women. She should know better or have at least read more spice before trying to write it. It made me uncomfortable to read. The author has a weird obsession with nipples.
You can tell the author is self-published and unpolished. It's a dark mafia romance, wrapped up in a Sweeny Todd/Hamlet/Medusa rewrite. I had such high hopes for it, but it feels like a "booktok made me buy it" regret.
The "Sweeny Todd" rewrite part is basically he's a barber who murders with a razor, and she's a baker. The "Medusa" rewrite is basically a scorned woman's vengeance. The "Hamlet" is he's after his uncle for the murder of his father. This isn't so much a rewrite as a play on themes. Easy to spot in the first few chapters.
It's not well written and way too long. It feels more like fanfiction or wattpad. The characters are fleshed out and likable, but their speech...... no one talks like that. It's the way a teen in middle school would write a story. The whole thing is disjointed. I had to constantly reread sentences to make them make sense.
The Tale had just enough plot to keep me reading, but it felt more like I hate read it just to find out what happened.
The ending was lackluster and anticlimactic. I wish I had saved my time and money on this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
laylareadsthings's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.25
LOVE Sev and Talia. Dreadful might be my favorite from the Tattered Curtain series. Really nice mix of plot and character development, everything is woven together organically and I never felt like the story stalled. The romance was angsty and deep and so lovely (and a little psycho!) once they finally get together. If you’ve read Rouge, there are some moments in this you’ll appreciate nods to. The story unfolded at a strong pace, twists and turns were believable and character motivations stayed true. This is definitely the most dark and depraved TC book, but also the most emotional. I finished this in one sitting - which is really the highest praise I can give!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment