Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

There Is No Devil by Sophie Lark

9 reviews

aepompu's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

I didn’t love this one as much as the first in the duet, however it did have a very satisfying conclusion so thank God for that. 

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Violence, Stalking, Physical abuse, Gore, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit

erinlaura's review

fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

3.25⭐️ 

I think the novelty wore off in this one unfortunately. By the middle I really wanted to look away from the train wreck but I’m not a quitter, and I don’t feel right reviewing books that I haven’t finished. So I finished it, and it lived up to my fairly low expectations. 

The first one was interesting in its unpredictability. The second one.. not so much. This went down pretty much as expected. More murder, dealing with “unfinished business” all over the place, and everyone continuing to treat the FMC Mara badly (except for the MMC Cole and his staff of course). 

We learn more about the exceedingly terrible childhoods of both of the main characters. None of it is particularly surprising, but we get to hear lots about Mara’s trauma and see her put it to use in her art, that of course is suddenly wildly successful because of course it is. 

Like in book 1, the couple has frequent interludes where they spout off eye-rollingly cheesy thoughts and dialogue. They seem to love to wax poetic about themselves and one another in a way that seems completely at odds with their usual behaviour.

The beginning started out spicy but didn’t really escalate much or stay central to the story. Of course there were little snippets, and comments made, but I really expected them to get even more unhinged as they started murdering together because sex and violence really seem to go hand in hand with these two. 

All in all, Cole still creeps me out, Mara’s clearly still very damaged from her childhood

despite some late-book catharsis

and this reads more like a cautionary tale than a romance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexual content, Gore, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror

amyrae64's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, and Toxic relationship

allymurphy's review against another edition

adventurous 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

Very enjoyable, almost seems like both books could’ve been one with each being a different part. Finished both in one sitting each

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Grief, Abandonment, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Sexual content

isabelleroyall's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexism, Gaslighting, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcohol

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Car accident, Grief, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

ktkeps's review

adventurous dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Death, Murder, Child abuse, and Blood

stacy_gets_lit's review

dark 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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cannibalism

Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction

ymread's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death

Minor: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Sexual assault, and Sexual content