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bigbookslay's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, and Death of parent
rahma8's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Run.florixer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
First, Micheal doesn't like to explain him self most of the time, which often ends in miscommunication. Also they often treated Rika like shit and when she said No to the actions they often still continued and said stuff like, but I know you want it so bad. And also she never really seemed bothered by it most of the time.
The story line though was really interesting, sometimes a little bit confusing, but it was written in a way you couldn't put the book down. I'm not really sure yet if I want to continue the series, but if you have a high tolerance rate it is okay to read. But if you can't read story's that are sometimes a little bit unmorally than this might not be the right book for you
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Rape, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Child abuse
zc2's review against another edition
- 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
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
curicastic's review against another edition
- 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? No
1.5
I never know how to rate dark romance books because they're an entirely different breed for me, as far as books go.
I heard the hype, I guess it kind of lives up to it. I was a bit slow, the back and forth between the present and the "three years ago" POV was a little tiring at times. I think this book could be 100 pages less and it would change nothing, there where scenes where the character repeted themselves and it was eye rolling.
I might continue the saga because these type of books are like crack, there's just something about em. There were a few moments where I laughed and I was SURPRISSSSSSSSSSED, LEMME TELL YOU.
Penelope Douglas makes assholes look good, that's an art.
PS2: Oh my god. The whole "Rika got us arrested" was so stretched out thin I nearly fell asleep during that. I even thought it might've been more fun is someone stole the masks and did something with them that oh so special night. But I repeat myself, this book needed to be edited DOWN at least 100 pages.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
anastashamarie's review against another edition
- 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
If you take the 2006 film The Covenant, remove the magic, flesh out the plot a little more, and add smut...that's what this book is. An untouchable group of mischief-causing, incredibly attractive bad boys who enthrall everyone with their mystique. Old money posturing and politicking that leads to a revenge plot that uses the sweet blonde FMC as a pawn. Dramatic confrontation scenes that could have been resolved with a much-less-attractive, logical conversation. Some unexpectedly homoerotic tension that I don't think was intentional. The vibes are identical between the two.
And those vibes are immaculate for the first 2/3 of the book. But around 67.5%, this takes a weird atmospheric turn that I didn't vibe with as strongly. Idk how to explain it, but the storyline just didn't carry the same oomph after the 67% mark (the spicy scenes still did for sure, but I'm talking specifically about the actual storyline). It went from this hot push and pull between Rika and the whole Horseman group, to a different dynamic that I didn't enjoy nearly as much.
Also as much as I enjoyed the Rika and Michael circling each other, I really just felt bad for her the whole book because everyone around her objectively sucks. This girl deserves better than the thousand red flags surrounding her entire social circle. I hope she finds a genuine friend eventually or that at least the ones she does have treat her better.
But this was greatly enjoyable as a guilty pleasure read. I see why people like Penelope Douglas if this one was any indication, and I am going to read the next one for sure.
⚠️ TWs: lots of sexually explicit scenes, sexual assault/harassment, violence, murder, arson, gaslighting, manipulation, bullying, alcohol use, death of a parent, death of a dog (side note: wtf did this need to be in here for?)
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
A dog dies in the last chapter; I feel like you can just totally skip that chapter and feel like things are neatly concluded.assesgrass's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
ecravens's review against another edition
- 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
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
annareadz's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying and Gaslighting
Minor: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
quietmarki's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism