Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

In the Ravenous Dark by A.M. Strickland

40 reviews

kestrelfire's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Strickland certainly knows how to write nonbinary characters to be near and dear to my heart.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, and Transphobia

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I thought this was a really interesting story premise and how the magic system was something contacted to one's family and bloodline. I did think the writing was a bit jarring at times with pacing or word usage, but it was still a really enjoyable read.
I will say there is a romantic subplot that felt a bit shoehorned in. I could still keep reading the book without much issue with it but it is something that should be noted if you are already someone that is not a romantic subplot lover.

Over all I still loved the premise of the book and how the world works. The ending was super cute and honestly a different way to end a book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

katerinovaaa's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

I am OBSESSED with Beyond the Black Door which is why I decided to read this one and I was NOT disappointed. Strickland's writing is simply magical and her books always make me gasp, laugh and cry out loud (which I usually don't do).
The plot was super fast and there was plot twist after plot twist and I couldn't catch a breath (in a good way). I found the main character Rovan annoying at times (and her drinking) but I understand that her decisions were important for the story. I love that it was poly and not a love triangle! Always down for a shadow daddy. 🥰

The betrayals hurt, and trust me, I cried, but thankfully, they didn't give me an anxiety attack, which I'm grateful for. The story was much more complex than Black Door.

Honestly, she had me at mysterious black magic and blood-sucking. 🥰 I just wish this was a series and not a standalone because I think it has a huge potential and I would love to see some parts longer and more detailed.
It also felt like the spicy scene was there just because the author felt obliged to put it there but wasn't comfortable with writing it but...it wasn't cringy? 

TW: I was worried about SA but it was unnecessary, nothing happened to MC. I skipped the parts where they mentioned the way women used to be/are "mistreated" by some characters and everything was fine.

Re-read:
Still 5 stars, this time I only cried once haha. The betrayal does not even seem like a betrayal and did not make me anxious at all this time. When she says "I'm on a warpath" you know it's about to go DOOOOWN.🩸 I'm obsessed.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence, and War

melissafelicia's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I loved the worldbuilding and the atmosphere of this book a lot! A story about bloodmages with undead protectors, full of court intrigue, set in a Greco-Roman/Gothic city surrounded by a deadly blight? And it's queer as well? Amazing. There were multiple interesting scenes and twists in the story. I had trouble relating to the main character at times, because she was quite impulsive and quick to anger, but on the other hand that did bring the story to interesting places.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

kaiiyo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The casualness with which the author writes queer characters and relationships is extremely refreshing. Unique and engaging plot and setting that leaves you wanting to keep reading about this world long after the last page. Beautiful imagery combined with engaging and multifaceted characters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Grief, and Classism

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Acephobia/Arophobia, and War

maggiegirouard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Classism

issy_lj's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

the mystery of the book was engaging, if predicatable the further you went through the book. I really enjoyed the diversity of the book, although it felt a bit forced when the nature of the characters was centered on commentary on their sexuality and gender in a patriarchal society - although this might just be a me thing bc this book is set in a fictionalised Ancient Greek polos and I study classics so it was a little removing for me to see modern views in an ancient context. I liked the dynamics between the characters, the ending was fast paced which I enjoyed, but overall the writing was a bit removing and modernist for my taste :(

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content and Blood

Minor: Misogyny and Classism

_p0ssum_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual content

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

drupelets'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this read but honestly I would call this more of a NA book than YA book just given the demographic of the characters and also how graphic the scenes can get. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Antisemitism

in chapter 31 a character says they "didn't know they were walking into a canal" (or something along those lines) & I think that Jewish readers may want a heads up because it was a pretty unexpected antisemitic phrasing?