Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Shadow Princess by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham

5 reviews

csantos's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Torture, Addiction, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, and Cursing

shorthannah's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• 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

1.0

No book has ever made me as angry as this one, I wanted to punch the screen multiple times. I grew to hate all of the main characters because of their stupidity and refusal to learn from mistakes we've seen them make over and over throughout the series, and I'm still not convinced it was worth finishing it. I persevered this far based on reviews saying the series improved in books four and five but this was the most infuriating one yet. Rather than having character development they actually got worse; for a bunch of characters who are meant to be at least 18 they were unbelievably immature and really haven't had much real character development. Perhaps that is down to the bizarre pacing of this series because while we have slogged through four increasingly, unnecessarily long books, only about one semester has passed in the plot, with most of the books being filled out with constant repetitive bullying. Not to mention this book was filled with my two least favourite lazy tropes: miscommunication and the dreaded betraying body trope. I wanted to shake the characters and scream at them so many times. Take tory for example,

Spoiler

rejecting Darius and becoming star crossed

was the most sensible decision she made when it came to him. 
I'm torn over whether or not I want to continue reading this series. I'm a sucker for magical academy settings and I'm desperate to see the Vega's grow into their powers and earn their place on the throne but it feels like these authors refuse to let them catch a break. Any time there is hope for them the Heirs or Lionel do something even more horrific to them (and then no doubt a vega will "get back at them" by immediately screwing them *cough* toxic Torius *cough* and make me want to throw my phone at a wall), so I don't know if I could put up with more of the inevitable bullying and abuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Excrement, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Blood and Adult/minor relationship

charhollyx's review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

What the fuck was that ending for? Do the writers ENJOY inflicting that kind of heartbreak?!
Honestly this book had me along the entire spectrum of emotion, turning my love for some characters into hatred and my hatred for other characters into love. 
There wasn’t a great character development for the main and side characters, whilst one characters development crashed and burned entirely.

Spoiler

if Orion is dead I’ll scream. 
I can’t believe Tory and Darius and Elysian Mates, it doesn’t really make sense. Yes their desire is deep but their hatred CLEARLY ran deeper. It makes me question whether Darcy and Orion are mates because his love outweighed any other feeling and responsibility he had.
I wouldn’t mind if Tory died, sacrificing herself for Darcy as she keeps foreshadowing. Soon, ideally.
I get the reason she had for rejecting the bond, but did she really HAVE to reject it anyway? She saw that her mother loved her evil father despite his flaws, why couldn’t she follow suit?!
Diego is 100% evil, I’m calling it.
If book 5 doesn’t mend my heartbreak then idk what I’m going to do

Xavier is the best character. Nobody else will compare. If he dies I’ll scream. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Bullying

_savannahreads_'s review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

katvou's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Child death