Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry

10 reviews

jnvreads's review against another edition

3.5

Appetite for Innocence by Lucinda Berry - Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

A serial rapists goes after virgin teenage girls. Stocking their entire lives on social media and until he gets the timing right to take them. Holding them in his basement until he’s ready to take the innocence. 

Once in captivity, we get the heartbreaking story that flips from being captive to the hospital after escaping as it follows two of his victims’ stories that they had to endure. 

LIKES:

👍🏾 The story was plausible and informative. The author did a great job handling a difficult subject matter. Mostly in being able to see the traumatic deep routed scars that are left on a person after something like this emotionally, mentally, and physically.

👍🏾 The main characters were beautifully written. My heart ached for Ella. I’ve never wanted to burst out into tears so hard for someone in a book like this. John was the perfect villain. He was disgusting and revolting. And Sarah made me want to yank her by her hair with her Stockholm Syndrome. She was the perfect side kick and villain to finish out the story. It all added these multiple layers to the reality of the situation. 

👍🏾 The pacing was kept well throughout especially with the short chapters and flipping between narratives and timelines. 

DISLIKES:

👎🏾 I found the ending rushed when it came to John. I wish the book explored more about the kidnapper’s motive and background though, since the means and opportunity to commit the crime were so detailed.

👎🏾 There were a couple times the story dragged a bit, I think more towards the end with the girls coming home. A lot of repetition and parts that could’ve been taken out that wouldn’t affected the overall story. I also wouldn’t consider it exactly a thriller. 

👎🏾 Jocelyn, especially as a mother, annoyed the hell out of me. How do you tend to every physical and emotional need of another child over your own? Especially after you lost her for MONTHS. I got the sympathy, but I can’t imagine not hanging onto everything my kid needs over forcing her into it all. 

Overall, I would definitely check all the trigger warning before getting into it, but a good fast read! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Abortion, Gore, Drug use, Pregnancy, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Torture, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Murder, Miscarriage, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

jordanthefryingpan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

angel6446mc's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The plot of the book was great! It was fairly face paced and you wanted to know what was going to happen next. The ending was a bit lackluster compared to the rest of book. There wasn’t enough for what happened to John. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Body horror, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual violence, Death, and Stalking

cooncemarissa's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Death, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Confinement, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Murder, Kidnapping, and Sexual violence

corywbowers's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

lele_t's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book at times confusing followed the story of three young girls and the devastating situation they are placed in. Unlike other stories this book also follows them after their traumatic experience, however I felt the ending was abysmal 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Blood, and Infertility

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Bullying, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism

carla_williamson2023's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

BERRY HAS DONE IT AGAIN! 

I would give this book 1000 stars if I could 

this isn’t my first rodeo with Lucinda Berry and this is by far my favourite book of hers. 

This book is EXTREMELY disturbing so please do check the trigger warnings before reading. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Sexual content, Abortion, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Alcohol, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

marasnextread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Rape, Confinement, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, Stalking, Torture, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Child abuse

ericamgallo27's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

nabaraditi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

 First and foremost, beautiful depiction of after abuse and 

  how substance abuse begins. As a psychology student, I have read in my textbooks, heard from my teachers that people drink or smoke or do drugs to forget the things they had to endure in the past. But reading it in a book makes you realise how it actually happens. 

 

Another thing I really liked it Ella's mother. 

  She represents our society and how we as a society expect victims to just be up and fine and go back to being the way they were before their trauma because now they're safe and not arond their abuser. 

 

And and, another perspective of the victim and how individual differences come to play. How two victims cope very differently with the same abuser. Brilliant!. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Confinement, Alcoholism, Blood, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder and Rape

Minor: Sexual content and Stalking