Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Corupt by Penelope Douglas

60 reviews

queen_'s review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Stalking

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

questionablereads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

2.25

I was on the struggle bus throughout this read. This was seriously one of the most convoluted stories I’ve ever read. 

It’s a dual perspective read that follows Erika AKA Rika, and Michael. They’re both within the same world of the elite, as Michael is the son of a wealthy man and Erika’s father has business ties with Michael’s father. This is every bit a story of the rich and ridiculous and the pair grow up side by side, even living under the same roof where parents just don’t see anything wrong with the wild and crazy party lifestyle of their children. Can’t relate. 

The book also goes back and forth from past to present, which I didn’t mind too much, but a lot of this book rides on discovery, and you don’t quite understand the connection that Rika has with anyone. Things become clear about seventy percent into the book, and even then, I just found all of the characters to be annoying. Rika just goes along blindly with what Michael and his band of misfits do, and because you don’t quite fully grasp this vital piece of their past, it all just plays out so silly. 

Then there were moments that just came out of left field. There were spicy moments, and definitely sexy for sure (and yes, I loved that) but it didn’t add to the story or the relationship between Michael and Rika at all. I think it was supposed to strengthen their bond, but it just left me feeling cringe. 

Overall, I did not enjoy reading this until Chapter 23, which is page 363 out of 500, and the more that I take a step back to sit on this book, the more annoyed I am at how everything turned out. Basically, weirdness all around. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

zc2's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

I didn’t like how

micheal never apologizes to her like it was a really traumatizing event and he straight up was like huh that sucks wanna make out? end

the whole tense plot of why are they in jail and why is it Rikas fault really had me on edge wondering what’s gonna happen next. Recommend if you like romantic thrillers!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

gabi_w21's review against another edition

2.0

I liked this book, sort of? The romance didn’t feel like a romance. All Michael did was treat Rika like absolute shit, threaten her, stand back while his friends torture/torment her and joke about raping her, and he did one nice thing (the fencing tournament) at the end and THAT'S what made Rika love him? Rika was an idiot who thought with her vagina and not her head, and I hated the Alex/Rika scene because it felt way too much like fetishization. I hated how Rika never really stood up for herself despite all this lip service about how strong and fierce she was. 

And don’t get me started on the abundance of rape threats & jokes. Those aren’t funny nor do they make the story interesting. 

Why didn’t Rika just ask why Michael was ignoring her? Why are they so stupid? 

These idiots really

planned to torment this girl because they thought she leaked all the information to the cops without ever confirming it?

These dudes are predators, dangerous, and entitled. They've never been told no and are the epitome of the privileged white boys. They do whatever they want. Rules for thee, not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

alicecaillau__'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

Le personnage féminin est intéressant, fort, mais l’amour entre Rika et Crist paraît assez peu crédible sur la fin du roman… Le personnage de Damon semble presque excusé à la fin, ce qui est dérangeant
Mais le suspense est très bien maintenu, on a envie d’aller au bout du roman.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

becflourish's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ecravens's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

moonlina's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

0.25

It troubles me how the autor overlooks rape in this book and make its sexy. (especially how rika gives a fnck abt it)if its your kink go off dude but for me it was trauma triggering (wich is my fault) so be careful <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Kidnapping and Stalking

It troubles me how the autor overlooks rape in this book and make its sexy. if its your kink go off dude but for me it was trauma triggering (wich is my fault) so be careful <3

jen1804's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.75

This book is an absolute rollercoaster. I read it within 24 hours because it just got me totally hooked. This is a very dark and twisted romance with a lot of dark and twisted sexual content thrown in. Alongside that is a really interesting and mysterious narrative with P Douglas flitting between the present day and the past, keeping the reader engaged and wanting to find out more about what happened three years go. Despite how fucked up the characters are in this book, I actually really dig them? I love that I can get lost in this dark fantastical story which is full of the type of guys I’ve been taught from a young age to avoid, all from the the safe confines of my own reading space. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series and exploring the rest of the four horsemen’s stories.
Drops points because some of that shit I read was disturbing and also because of the high number of spelling/grammatical errors! Penelope, get a new editor girl.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

midnightrose_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Corrupt is the first book in the Devil’s Night series. It’s about a young woman named Erika Fane and a young man named Michael Crist. Erika and Michael have felt a connection to each other that they’ve both tried to ignore their whole lives. It finally comes to a head on Devil’s Night, and changes all their lives forever. This was a strong start to an exciting and well loved series. Michael and Erika have a crazy amount of chemistry together. Also reading about his friendship with his fellow friends The Horsemen (Kai, Damon, and Will) was really enjoyable as well. The found family aspect of their friendship was really beautiful. Suspenseful, sexy and shocking this is definitely not a book for the faint of heart!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Incest, Sexual assault, and Death of parent