Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

God of Malice by Rina Kent

57 reviews

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book is everything you'd expect from Rina Kent: dark, twisted, and emotionally intense. From the very beginning, the story dives into heavy themes and never really lets up—so trigger warnings are a must.

Killian is exactly the kind of morally gray, chaotic character I love to read about. He’s terrifying, magnetic, and entirely unpredictable. His backstory added some much-needed depth and gave a glimpse into the madness that drives him.

Glyndon herself is a bit of a mixed bag. She has an interesting emotional foundation—depression, insecurity, and an existential crisis—but those themes are barely scratched. It’s like all of that disappears once Killian enters the picture and gives her a reason to feel brave. I wish her development had gone a bit deeper.

There’s something deeply broken in both of them, and instead of fixing it, they just… fall in love. Somehow, it works.

The emotional tension was strong throughout, though the dramatic moments sometimes leaned into over-the-top territory. Personally, I prefer subtler, one-on-one scenes over full-blown emotional showdowns—but that’s just taste.

Despite a few overly dramatic moments, I flew through the story. It's dark, messy, and full of obsessive, morally questionable romance. And honestly? It delivers exactly what it promises.

Content warnings: Violence, dark themes, emotional and physical abuse, manipulation, and other mature content. Definitely 18+ and not for every reader.

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dark fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

So.... That was really intense. As a dark romance initiate, I kinda went against all my fluffy romance beliefs and morals with this read. There were many things, of course, that were simply unhinged to me and really made me question if this is the genre for me, but I pushed through. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing, I feel like it was a bit repetitive and some of the word choice was just not my cup of tea, but I guess this being the first book in the series means that it will get better as I continue reading. Overall, it was an entertaining read, though I did have to constantly remind myself that this is fiction and of course none of this would be okay in the real world. That aside, I am planning to go ahead with the next book. 

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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vj_thompson's profile picture

vj_thompson's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 25%

DNFed at 26% or page 116 (on KU). The scenes in the book are a bit choppy. For an example, the main characters are doing something then they are suddenly in a different setting or they are talking about something completely different. The writing is juvenile and the first book pretty much introduces everyone but the background of the main two characters? I am also a bit lost with what the point of the book is, and I’ve enjoyed books that are all vibes and no plot. I didn’t mind the dark aspect but wish the writing was a bit better. 

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

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dark emotional reflective 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

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dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense 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: Yes

There is a lot to unpack here.

This book contains so many triggers, so before reading PLEASE consider them all. I understand why some readers find it extremely difficult and even DNFed it.

The reason why I personally find the book a "4 ⭐" interesting is the physiological approach and understanding of both FMC and MMC. Although most readers will describe the book as a dark romance or even a smut book, I find it more almost like a textbook for a lot of neurodivergent personalities, and mental issues. From the sociological and anthropological side, I'm impressed with the way the author described social media and the false perception it offers to society (and mostly to teens and young adults).

I will continue reading the series as I'm wondering if the author will continue with the same approach (discussing mental health as one of the most important issues of modern society).

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