Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Corupt

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Corupt by Penelope Douglas

135 reviews

wanderthelimit's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Very emotionally confusing. I didn't really know who I was rooting for the whole time. The back and forth between past and present really kept me on my toes.

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readwithames's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Listen.. this series was so hyped, I got behind the whole she's forbidden blah blah.. I was so excited and in the end, it felt like a let down? I almost had fun reading this to the end.

What pissed me off was the constant boys terrorizing

and the basic assaulting of

her and the 'love interest' Michael just standing and watching it happen!! I understand it's dark romance and I really am a dark romance lover but this was dark in a different way. Maybe because some of the terrorizing that occurred I could relate so hard to and it made me SICK.

Also chapter 25? What the fuck. I'm so annoyed it's written into the plot? Idc that it was written. I just think it was NOT needed.

It was a threesome between her, Michael, and Kai. If you don't think about who and why it happened the way it did, it was hot. Like out of everyone- it's your "BEST FRIEND'S" GIRL???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME. However, I'm confused on WHY it had to happen. I understand she was trying to help Kai because of his issue but it was so unwarranted for! IT MADE ZERO SENSE. I'm just angry about it. Because I thought these men were possessive and I know this attribute can still happen in RH/why choose. Also, I understand that threesomes or whatever can happen in this book as well, it's just... idk. DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! Now my friend told me this shit happens constantly in the other books too between the group. Like *face palm*. I want the possessiveness to stay between the MMC AND FMC!!!

I think overall a lot of plots/dialogue written into this book was a big WHAT THE FUCK. Also what the fuck is up with PD's obsession with writing in/about minors? I mean when "things start happening", it's not until Erika is of age but just the overall atmosphere of minors. It's a weird ass energy.

↪ 𝕸𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖊𝖑
I don't understand the people who love him or ship him and Erika because he's a POS. I try to understand the reasoning behind his actions as his character and it just makes sense because he's so ???? Idek. Questionable as hell.

IMO, He's a 'hands-off'/'my hands are tied' type of energy. Like everything that happened between him and Erika? It's like all he did/said was "yoU LiK3 f3@R" then would instill fear into her... but when it started it go real bad- it's like he watched to see how bad it could go before stepping in. BUT AT THAT POINT, THE BAD IS BAD NO????

↪ 𝓔𝓻𝓲𝓴𝓪
Everyone is pissed about Erika but honestly, I loved her. Justice for her and I'm SO ANGRY for her- I NEED A FULL VENGENCE PLAN IN PLACE NOW. Because

fuck Michael and the guys. The way they just terrorize her after thinking she leaked the videos to the press about their little night of fun but it was that fucktwat Trevor. They want revenge TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO ASSULT HER. If it wasn't for Damon's big ol' mouth and Erika continuing to scream at them- Michael would have let it happen!!! IDGAF! He was hellbent as well for them and the plan. BTW HE COULD HAVE ASKED HER THAT FUCKING NIGHT IF SHE LEAK IT. SHE WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS FUCKING FACE. OH I AM SO ANNOYED AND FUCK TREVOR. He deserved WAY WORSE.

Justice for her!!! And the fact that they just have a party after the attempted assault like what the fuck? I would have run after that because fuck the guys and them telling me to stay.
I would have not let Michael have a piece of me because he can WORK FOR THAT SHIT. She needed to give a run for his money; He needed to grovel!!!! . I'm angry if you can't tell. I just know she just wanted to be loved and deserves so much better than Michael! Maybe I'll change my mind when I get to see their future in novellas or in the next books IDK. All I know is I'm PISSED now.

Anyways, I feel like I was constantly trying to understand the actions/dialogue behind the plot and I get that. And I get it's them or whatever. I was still intrigued by the book and wanted to find out what happened. But OMG am I irritated. The way I feel so betrayed. UGH!

Side note: Before starting this, I thought I would love Damon but omg they all were so questionable in this- I JUST ?! I smell a redemption arc??? Will I jump into book two??? Questionable as well.

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honeybeewitched87's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

1.5

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emma_lynne's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

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hawkesprincess's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a reread but I still love this series soooo much

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kimmytanzone's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Erika pissed me off so bad. Where is the self respect lol. The plot was good which was why I finished it, I was really curious why this was all happening, but it also took SO long to get to the point/reason. The spice itself was good and not constant, but Erika realllllly gave me secondhand embarrassment. Her choices and reasonings - and everyone else’s - solidifies they all need help lmao.

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amanda_reads13's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Three years ago, 3/4 horsemen were arrested and thrown in jail. Now they are out to get revenge on Erika (Rika), the woman they blame.

We flipflop between the present and 3 years ago. It is within those snippets of the past that we learn about the men's motivation. They believe that Rika is responsible for 3/4 of them ending up in jail.

For some stupid reason, they film their "pranks" and two videos get released.

I felt as though the characters were lacking depth. We don't really get much background information on the men and an idea of what is motivating their behaviour. These men are cruel and horrible to everyone, especially women. There was so much potential to demonstrate the depth of these characters, it comes out in the very end when we get a flashback in the epilogue of

Michael taking care of Rika when she was 13

. We needed more of this depth to really connect to and want to understand these me. Unfortunately, what we get is a bunch of impulsive and misogynistic men who try to justify horrible and abusive behaviour.

We get a snippet of why Damon is the way he is within the last chapters of the book. We learn why he is so angry that Rika has "invaded" the group of men, and his fear of his brotherhood being ripped from him. But his character does not have any growth at all and these limited glimpses into his past do not redeem him.

his mother was abusing and raping him as a child.

Rika was incredibly naive and annoying. She is not the strong woman that she thinks she is. She is impulsive and seems to have no survival instincts. She is incredibly immature and throws tantrums when she can't get her way (ie. Running into the gentleman's club when she wasn't allowed in). She is determined to live her life on her own and by her own rules, but panics the second her money is gone, because she is actually completely incapable of providing for herself. Plus, she forgave these men WAY too quickly.

I did really like Alex. She was unapologetically herself and had no shame about what she had to do to pay her bills.

(escorting)

. She owns her life/decisions and was a complete badass. I think her character really highlighted all of the weaknesses in Rika.

Overall, the plot was interesting and there was a lot of potential. Unfortunately, the characters were lacking depth and I just couldn't get past the their lack of growth. The sauna scene (iykyk), was very spicy, but otherwise the romance fell flat and was not really believable.

Tropes: found family, revenge, brotherhood

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alybookishqueendom's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense

4.75

reread; january 2024 | 4,75 stars

upon rereading, i would rate it a 4,75 stars. i absolutely love it but it was missing something for it to fully be a five stars. i think i found one part a bit too long and it got to me a little but it's an absolute guilty pleasure to read.

are the characters all fucked in the head? yes. is the plot chaotic? of course! BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S MEANT TO BE! chaotic, dark, fun and sexy as fuck.

double point of views, past and present timelines and good spice. honestly, if you love dark romances and need a distraction from your life this is it. you just want to know what will happen next and let's just say that penelope douglas knows how to write smut scenes 🥵.

rika is a little annoying sometimes with how naive she is but gosh honestly the rest of her personality just makes you love her anyways and michael is just trying so hard to be hard and strong and big meany alpha but he is so soft for her. he's just not big in showing any kind of emotions except for lust and challenge and mean 😂 honestly, i still love him. if i am being honest it would annoy the fuck out of me going out with this type of man but damn does this man knows how to dirty talk 🫣. i know they wont be my favorite couple out of the series but it's a good ass first book to get to know everyone and to just escape into rich people drama ahaha.

first read; may 2021 | 5 stars

THIS IS EVERYTHING

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willsnow's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

0.25

F*ing atrocious, read it because I thought there would be spice. There were like three scenes but they all came after the most twisted F ed up attempted rape moments. The MC is genuinely insane and not a normal human

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starspacecorn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

I honestly don't think I can describe just how much I despise this book. Aside from the romanticizing of sexual abuse, the amount of absolutely unnecessary sex these characters have is bonkers. ALSO! The story switches between the main girl and her love interest's points of view- both 3 years ago and in the present. And uh, 3 years ago Ms Girl was 16. A minor. And this man even admits that "yeah she's 16 but that won't stop me." I really tried to like Michael. I really did. But he did TOO many things that are absolute no-nos. The amount of times Rika said 'no' to him but he messed with her anyway was absolutely ridiculous. Also I hate all of his friends. Kai was okay until the absolutely unnecessary threesome he has with M and R at the gentlemens club. I think why I'm mostly angry is because this story could have been so good, but no of course not. The plot was so messy, there was too much smut and not enough world building, and there was SO MUCH SEXUAL HARASSMENT/ABUSE. Red flags all around. Literally the main group of guys Rika is so desperate to be a part of went to prison for beating up a police officer, arson, and R**ING AN UNDERAGE GIRL. And the story's like, "yeah but they have abs." And then they hold so much resentment towards Rika for ratting them out that they (Michael included) burn down her house, steal all of her money, send her mom to a mental hospital so Rika can't talk to her anymore and are seconds away from r**ing her and killing her when then suddenly "oh she didn't do it? All is forgiven 🤪🙏" I am also upset at how obsessed she was with M bc he is literally such a horrible person and keeps playing games on R and only sees her as a piece of meat. Everytime he sees her he decides to mention that he got hard just seeing her and he wishes he could take off her clothes. Rika isn't that great either, tho. She's obsessive, dumb, and doesn't answer her phone toward the end when she KNOWS she's in danger, just because she's cocky and it's convenient for the plot. Also there is SO much sexual tension between her and the only other woman in this story, Alex, and when they actually do it, the scene is told through the POV of Michael watching them. Rika only did it to make M jealous and then he basically throws poor Alex out and Rika doesn't even give her a second glance. This makes me so angry because the only slightly gay scene in this entire thing was for a man's pleasure and I wish they wouldn't have even put that in there because it furthers an idea that lesbians only exist for the pleasure of men and I must say shame on Penelope Douglas. Anyway there's this completely unnecessary chapter after the epilogue of when M was 16 and R was 13 and he picked her up from practice and she was crying and she watched him kill a dog (poor thing was already dying, he just made it go faster) and she was angry and visited her dad in the cemetery and he took her home, and anyway the whole point of the chapter was to show that Rika was the one who inspired M to make his group of assholes and it was just so unnecessary. I could have lived the 20 minutes that chapter wasted from my life, but no I had to get unnecessary background at the very end. Also, I don't understand how these characters always notice the nipples getting hard? Like, as a woman I barely ever notice unless I'm freezing cold, so that's unrealistic. Also R casually mentions she likes fencing and then doesn't bring it up until the end of the book. And when she puts on the fencing uniform she mentions that "it rubs against [her] clit." LIKE GIRL GET BETTER PRIORITIES ON WHAT TO THINK ABOUT. Because THEN she gets turned on by the uniform rubbing against her that she goes and has a threesome in the bathroom. I can't make this shit up. I can't. Anyway I hate this book and I will never read it again.

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