Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

34 reviews

lillerstehund's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Vomit

klsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy

alexklop's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

4 Stars!

I can’t say this was the best dark romance book I have ever read, but I can say with 10% certainty that after reading half of the book and then attempting to sleep. I got no sleep. I couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen next, and how Blakely and Ryat were going to either fall in love or kill each other... Most likely the latter. 

While there were so many amazing kinks in this book, I did find myself tensed and anxious at how some of them were portrayed and played out in the book. I wish at some point during their relationship a little more discussion about boundaries, hard limits, and safe-words would’ve happened, but alas… it will not keep me from reading the next book in the series next time in I’m the mood for something super dark and kinky!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

kbugz724's review against another edition

dark emotional

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

2.75

 Honestly... wtf. I had such high hope for this and they just all fell super flat for me. I love a good spicy dark romance and this one def had the spice but NO PLOT. I mean I am exaggerating there was obviously plot. But there would be one plot point to move the story further and then just an absurd amount of the same smut over and over. 
The " plot twist" literally came out of left field so hard that it made no sense. 
This was just NOT my cup of tea. At all. 

CHECK THE FREAKING TRIGGER WARNINGS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

jrandol7's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

It's dark and not a closed door romance. The flashback scenes are great for development, but pause some of the plot action. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

bethxbooksss's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

elliot_37's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

Amazing read, couldn’t put the book down. Blake is a great FMC and Ryat is incredible. 😍😍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

mlouise2974's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

annikenr's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

bergha1998's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad 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

3.75

Woah this is a dark romance, check those TWs. The plot was great, I’m not usually into college romances, but it being so secret society focused kept it very interesting. The spice is crazy: drugs, primal, dubcon, breath play, and a lot of BDSM. I loved how possessive Ryat was from the start. 

Dark Romance, Arranged Relationship, Secret Society, 4 1/2 🔥

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail