Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Carnage by Shantel Tessier

14 reviews

heathertalksbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

I loved this book so much. It was intense though, at one point I was so in my feelings I thought I couldn’t continue.  I am so glad I did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Trafficking, Car accident, and Abortion

bookoholicanom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

So much goes on in this book and it’s just wow. But there is a plot twist I didn’t see coming that had me stopping my car to listen without distraction. At this point I love all of these books in this standalone series and it’s hard to pick a favorite now. Hayden is my favorite and he’s not even the main main character. I loved this book and the characters and the storyline. All of it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

claudiagomes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? N/A

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Murder

ahbee_p_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

2.5

2.5 stars purely for entertainment value.
The FMC needs serious therapy. 
The second half of this book was messy, and the flashbacks were repetitive. 
MMC isn't "morally grey," he's abusive.
I've read other books from the L.O.R.D.S series, so I went into this with a fairly open mind.. overall, I was disappointed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

thmallory's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

carolxleigh'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: Cursing, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy

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

4.0

This book seemed like pure smut towards the beginning (not complaining) and i felt like I really got to know the characters, though they jad brief appearances in the previous standalone novels, I didn't get the opportunity to properly get to know the , so I appreciate  that opportunity.

 Shantel Tessier is (imo) iconic for her plot twists, and I knew something HUGE was coming. And when it arrived...well, it bent me over and had its way. Because I was not expecting it...any of it!!!!!

The story starts off slow, but it does set up the history of the characters really well. I also really liked how this particular novel started to really build on the relationships she characters had from the other interconnected standalones. 

Dark and gritty are what springs to mind when I think about this book (very dark, in fact).

I got to the final 47 pages, and all hell was breaking loose. I was so worried. I would be left with questions that would go unanswered. Whilst I do have questions, a lot were answered in those final 47 pages. I think the other questions (like all of the series) are to set up to maintain a relationship with future novels. I'm OK with this. It's ST'S MO.

Now, for those of you who dont know, ST is the queen of the tease
 And what the plot twists hit, oh man, do they slap- HARD!!!

Plot 4.5/5
Spice 5/5
Book boyfriend 4/5

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Trafficking

misswirum's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.25

This book deserves 3 stars, but I'm giving it 4 and it's all because of how much I love Saint&Ashtyn😍

I have a love/hate relationship with this series.

I'm not a fan of the author's writing style. Her L.O.R.D.S-books are hard to read, but not because the writing is "difficult". It's just badly written. I have to read dozens of sentences multiple times and even then they don't always make sense. Her descriptions of people and the world surrounding them is also.. off. She's not giving us anything to work with and some things changes every time. I still don't understand how Carnage looks like. (In my head) it changes from being a bunker to a skyscraper to a small town. Which is it??

I'm not the only one complaining about the author's writing style because after every book there's a dozen post on the author's SoMe asking what the plot was and what they're missing 😂 

We're also been told through the last 3 books that "The Lords" are the most powerful people in the world (lol). But suddenly the Kings in Las Vegas can match their powers? Okay...

The author is also not a girl's girl. No FMC have a single thought behind their eyes. They HAVE been going to the university for four years, but I guess nothing really stuck? 
I totally understand the vibe Carnage's suppose to give, but I don't understand why the women can't be powerful in the end?
The SA's of the women in this series is also off the charts!! Like, can we dial it down? The scenes screams "written for shock value". 
In the next books I NEED the characters to question the Lords! WHY do they follow the rules? WHO'S giving the instructions??

Why am I giving it four stars when I have so much to rant about? Because the romance was cute and seemed real.
Ashtyn is my favourite of all the FMC in this series. There is just something about her 🥺 Saint's my favourite after Ryat.

The 🌶 is unreal in this and definitely one of my faves😏

4⭐️
2,75/5📝
4/5🌶

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

krimzunfire84's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

If you like dark romance, this series is a must read. Always check your trigger warnings. Reading this book after the ones before allowed me to understand all the characters that had been brought to life in all the previous books and shed light on them from a different POV. I would say, most definitely, the darkest of the series so far, but only because of the setting and characters involved. I can't wait to read about the other Spade Brothers, this one is Saint's. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

chauntel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt