Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Vipers and Virtuosos by Sav R. Miller

14 reviews

lorraine19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.0

This book is problematic to put lightly. Tries turning r@pe into a romance by playing it off after the fact as kink when that's not at all how that kink works in reality. The mythological connection in this book is very obscure and forced. Even serious scenes the author tries forcing sexual tension and it just does not work. The only redeeming factors are that there are some good scenes and some decent dialogue on healing (but most of that is clouded with trauma bonding and toxic relationships).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Toxic parental relationships, trauma bonding

binghamhunter13's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Trafficking, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

brookelynnrn's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

naaytaashreads's review against another edition

4.0

To anyone else, the gesture might seem warm and romantic. But when his palm lands on my back, searing me through the thick fabric I have on, I feel his fingers dig into me. Clawing. Claiming. It's not romantic, so much as it is Aiden asserting his dominance over the situation. Over me."

After reading Vipers & Virtuosos, I rate this 4 stars, and for the first book, I would down a star to 3 stars.
Vipers and Virtuosos have more content in the plotline, it moves, and there is a development in the plotline and characters.
The chemistry of their relationship was built up, even if there was a sense of instant romance.
This enemies-to-lovers romance gives a different kink of bullying and stalking.

The beginning of the book was quick and got my attention so fast.
I was hooked and addicted to the tension it builds.
It excited me; curiosity filled my mind with Riley and Aiden's past.

When part 2 started, it slowed down a bit, following each of their POVs, more focused on their emotions and the tension they built.
However, the downside was that there were many holes in the plotline.
There was a lot of unanswered question that built throughout the plotline.
I still got questions about Aiden and Riley's childhood history; I wish there were more action in Riley and Boyd's family mafia world.
I wanted to know more about Aiden's past and family, what led him to feel that way, his career and his scars.

The ending felt quite rushed.
The tension that built between them is down upon them no communication.
The romance focuses really through the bullying and the smut.
I wanted to see more relationships between the side characters.

While I enjoyed it more than the first book, it gave me an unsatisfactory feeling when I was done reading it.
However, the writing hooked me, and I will continue the series.

"Okay, then. Let's kill Riley Kelly."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

wicked_bones_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, and Stalking

aylalynnwhite's review against another edition

dark

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

cmcgrew47's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

dkgreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

I liked this book better than the first one in the series. The chemistry between Riley and Aiden was more palpable and I appreciated that. Their story is dark and emotional; Aiden had some issues and wasn’t exactly a hero. And I felt so much for Riley and all she had been through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, and Stalking

melissaslibraryy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Wow. This is my first read by Sav R. Miller and I was not disappointed. 

I have been hooked on this book ever since I read the blurb for it. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading and annotated/tabbed the hell out of it because I wanted to be able to pick it back up and enjoy what I thought my first time around. 

I loved the stalker romance/bully trope because it was written in a way where it’s not over doing it for the reader and their relationship doesn’t have that creepy Stockholm syndrome dynamic which was enjoyable. Their banter and seeing them genuinely fall for each other throughout the story was amazing and if you thought  the chemistry in their first meeting was great, expect it too get better by the end! Aiden (MMC) was truly possessive of and obsessed with Riley (fmc) since he’s been following her around in order to get the truth behind a rumor he believes she started after their auction date, which ruined his reputation while she left NYC and started a new life. 

We get a reunion 3 years after the incident and it only gets better from there. I definitely recommend if you haven’t read already. Can be read as a stand-alone but a side character is mentioned throughout the story from the first book in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

mkc_0423's review against another edition

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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Stalking

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction and Alcohol