Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

God of Malice by Rina Kent

62 reviews

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

I was mildly disappointed because I've heard good things about the Legacy of God series and Rina Kent. but I found this first book to be irritating as hell. And it isn't even really the story or the taboo nature of the topics, but I have everything against Rena Kent's writing choices.
She comes off like a teenage Wattpad author forcing banter and using extremely over exaggerated phrases to get points across. it's dumb shit like Remi always saying "my lordship" or Ava and her dumbass shirt slogans. It's using dumb descriptive phrases about glyndon's honey balayage and the unironic usage of the words "god" and "god like" to describe these twisted 19-year-old men. I don't know what she thought she was trying to do but it just came off forced and ridiculous. I will say that it was a little easier to listen to the audiobook version then it was for me to read. 
I also clearly have an interest in dark romance but I really didn't like the portrayal of this relationship. For me a good dark romance needs to have a good balance between the two main characters and the dark themes that they're exploring together. Obviously there will be a power imbalance often but it should be shifting between the two of them. Killian was fine but Glyndon felt like a victim. and there's no romance in that for me. I understand battling with any sort of morals or beliefs when faced with a dark person in your life is one thing, but I don't think Rina did a good job selling the Glyndon was into this for 80% of the book. She came off as a victim and I never really saw that improve until the very end when the big twist was revealed (which I saw coming). 
I am going to give the other books a chance because they're so highly rated and I'm hoping to just write this one off as a mistake on Rina Kent's part.

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adventurous challenging dark funny tense medium-paced

3.5 stars. This book got dark from the first page and I was not prepared! If you are going to read this and you need warnings about content, look before reading because you don’t get much time to be ready. I’m interested in seeing how the other couples in this series play out, and how the over-arching storyline plays out. There was a lot of suspension of disbelief required, but that can be fun when you want it. 

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dark
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Did y’all not read the same book I did? 

This book glorifies rape and SA and should not even be considered a “dark romance” - there is nothing romantic about it. 

Not only is the main plot line SA every other page, the story is awful, the writing is redundant, and the characters are annoying. Why a publisher thought it was a good idea to put this book out into the world (warning notice be damned) is emotionally abusive to all readers. 

Rina, (and frankly, all the readers who gave a favorable review) are you ok??? Blink twice if you need help. 

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Where to begin. Y'all. We all need some serious therapy... cause wth did I just read?! This was sooooo....dark? Twisted? Disturbing? The opening alone has me worried for all of us for not DNFing and rooting for them by the middle of the book. I obviously read the unedited/censored version with "the scene" and my jaw was on the floor!! Did I continue? Yes.  Did I enjoy it? Yes, but not as much as God of Fury! That one is still my favorite. I'm excited for Mia and Landon's story though!! Even though I hate Landon! lol Anyway, Rina, girl! Are you alright? I'm sure we can get a group therapy discount!

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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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challenging dark emotional 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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challenging dark 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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