Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Anathema by Keri Lake

37 reviews

becxreadz's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

5.0

Liked
*Dark and creepy with sinister vibes
*Keri Lake knows how to hook readers
*An interesting magic system
*Slow burn 
*One bed
*Death power
*Family dynamics
*Animal familiar
*Pierced for her pleasure

5 ⭐️, 1 🌶, 3 🧪 
Rating, smut, chemistry

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Fire/Fire injury

riddikulyssreads's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

"You are mine, Lunamiszka. For all eternity and whatever lies beyond it. No soul has ever been more intricately woven into mine than yours."

Maevyth is a nineteen-year-old girl living in a highly religious community. Having been found next to the dreaded Eating Woods as a baby, she has always been looked at as cursed and shunned by her community. Through the Eating Woods and beyond the magical forbidden boundary resides Zevander. Cursed from infancy, he has become the coldest and most calculating assassin for the king of Aethyria. In order to break his curse, Zevander needs Maevyth’s blood…all of it. Through a series of unfortunate events, Maevyth unexpectedly finds herself on the opposite side of the divide - the first human to do so. Their worlds collide - unraveling a trail of unanswered questions, long-lost history and unexpected emotions. His obsession with her threatens to ruin everything he’s worked so hard for. But only the banished know what lies beyond the woods.

This book is a dual POV and the first in The Eating Woods Duology. It’s perfect for readers who love gothic dark fantasy with a little bit of added horror. Be warned, it’s a true SLOW BURN. Keri does add a disclaimer for that in the beginning. If you want fast romance, this is not for you. This book is plot-HEAVY and fantasy-forward. It has tropes such as enemies-to-lovers, one bed and found family.  

This was my first Keri Lake book and I’m HOOKED. I can’t wait to read more of her work. Her writing is so intricate and immersive. I got visually lost in this world and I did NOT want to come out. I’ll admit, I dragged this out a little because I truly didn’t want it to end. Every interaction and scene in this book was necessary to experience the full immersion of who the characters are and how the world works. The unique magic system was captivating. I never felt bored or like I was overwhelmed by too much fantasy. It was a perfect blend. The glossary was very helpful for reference. This story was dark, gritty and hauntingly beautiful. The angst and tension of the slow burn has me aching for more. The side characters are multi-layered and I can’t wait to learn even more about them. The MCs’ chemistry is on literal fire. I am DESPERATE for Eldritch after that ending!!

⚠️ Please read all trigger warnings before reading this book! ⚠️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 (lots of tension, spice towards the end)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Addiction, Genocide, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Child death and Pregnancy

maggiekapitan's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

atsy6's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

It was an intensely complicated world. Tons of world building. I really appreciate the map, the Glossary and race descriptions. I frequently had to reference them. It was pretty slow going for the first 60%. After that the plot really started moving and things were developing. Overall I'm very intrigued by this world and story line and I hope the next books can focus on the plot now that the extensive world has been set up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy

wideawakenow's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Torture

Moderate: Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy

throneofbooks7's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Excellent first installment. Maevyth irritated me here and there but I look forward to her continued growth over the series. Rykaia was my favorite character!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Classism

melissalivanos's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Torture

julietrblack's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Very dark book with some pretty heavy topics. Highly recommend looking at all the trigger warnings first. This book has every trope you would want: touch her and you die, one bed, dark and brooding MMC, and mates. Even though I've read these tropes many times, this still ended up being a fresh and new story. I'm usually not a fan of gory and graphic horror scenes, but for this book I made an exception. The world is so fascinating and I loved how the magic system worked. Nothing felt like filler and the side characters were beautifully written as well. It does end on a cliff hanger, though, so be prepared.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

doahdancer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

There was so much here to love, but not enough to say this will be in my top ten at the end of the year.

The MMC was a broody, traumatized burnt marshmallow of a man. The gothic atmosphere reminded me of One Dark Window, but with more abject horror. It was easy for me to get lost in the environment and adore the characters.

Still, the first half was paced too slowly and the second half rocketed the slow burn romance to levels I didn't feel had been earned. There were some interesting plot twists which cast doubt on the motivations of seemingly reliable characters, but they were delivered so abruptly and without fanfare that I was left more confused than surprised.

This would be 5 stars if the romance developed more slowly and the plot, which completely turned itself inside out and became sort of shapeless in its twisting, regained clarity and drive before the end.

Will keep the next on my TBR.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent

nicoleb_trippin's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic