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amaranth_wytch's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Cursing, Death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Child death, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kristanjenkins'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
2.75
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical content, Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
marinajonesreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
But I will say, the cover, binding and sprayed purple edges are beautiful. The purple and black is such a solid choice. Love the Verenmore gold foil.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Incest, Blood, and Death of parent
mae_dexter_author's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
lexcellent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
lindsayhwrites'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
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Incest
hobbit_at_heart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The whole time I thought Vad Deverel was going to end up being a vampire or something and that never happened. So that was a touch disappointing. The smut could have been a touch better, but I won't complain.
I suck at reviews, but all-in-all, a good story. Definitely New Adult vibes. At first I was under the impression that this was set in an older timeline, however it was fairly modern with random things like the use of phones and internet was stuck in. Some of the writing was kind of cringy and I sped read through a LOT of fluffy bits that simply weren't all that necessary to have even been put into writing. Overall, good book. If Goodreads would do a 1/2 star system, this would be a solid 3.5 for me but I rounded up for the sake of having enjoyed the plot twist at the end bc I never would have seen it coming. Wild ride at the end!
HEA was corny as SHIT.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Toxic friendship
cheesybird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
dosxhime'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? No
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
Minor: Rape
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
It follows Corvina, who gains acceptance (and a scholarship) to the University of Verenmore, a mysteriously secluded Castle-turned College—a fresh start Corvina hopes will lead to bigger and brighter things. But what she doesn’t expect is a school tangled in secrets, lies, unexplained deaths—where students are forbidden from entering the woods. And whose strange goings on may be even be linked to nearly a century’s worth of missing persons cases.
Nor does she expect Vad, the part-time professor who captures her attention and her heart, but they both know their infatuation (and deep attraction) for one another cannot be—even if fate has other plans for them.
But when Corvina comes close to unraveling the mystery of what happened to the people who’ve disappeared every five years for the past century , things begin to take a dangerously escalating and sinister turn…
I’m not usually one for Dark romances (even if I am a bit of a sucker for Dark Academia) but I did (surprisingly) kind of enjoy this. There was some really beautiful and lyrical descriptions that enjoyed and definitely felt they harkened back to that hauntingly dark aesthetic we’ve all come to associate with Gothic literature.
I loved the mystery aspects which were utterly intoxicating —It definitely brought to mind novels like Dracula (which does get several mentions throughout the book) and the compelling undercurrent of danger and uncertainty that lurks on every page kept me on the edge of my seat. I just wish we got more answers instead of questions! Though given a prequel has just been announced, maybe that was intentional.
I also have to applaud RuNyx for continuing with the boundary pushing themes that made Gothic fiction soo shocking for the age, having Gothikana touch upon contemporary taboos that will similarly make a lot of people rather uncomfortable (the ethical and moral implications of a student/teacher relationship being one of the biggest.)
The romance, likewise, is incredibly well done-the spice is definitely off the charts and not for the faint of heart, particularly thoses who don’t enjoy relationship dynamics involving quite domineering or controlling men. As somewhat of a novice to the genre I also think that maybe I was a little out of my depth my for this one, as one scene (Corvina’s first time with Vad) did feel a little too uncomfortable for me to truly enjoy and (for me, at least) did feel like it was blurring the boundaries of consent. That being said it is reiterated that Corvina (who is twenty one) was consenting both before and after the fact.
The other romance scenes later on in the book were far more enjoyable for me and I can honestly see why soo many people are raving about it. But, I do think I may just be a little too vanilla to truly appreciate this one.
Also a massive thank you to Casey Ann over at Solaris books for the absolutely stunning proof.
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Stalking
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault