Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Gothikana by RuNyx

9 reviews

kristanjenkins's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, Death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death of parent, Torture, Body horror, and Dementia

marinajonesreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I got through it. Solid 2. The writing was at time pedantic and the plot lacked a lot of substance. I think we I saw “gothic romance” I was thinking along the lines of Adalyn Grace’s “Foxglove” — a slow burn, out of time, dark romance. This was dark. I will give it that. I would strongly advise one check the content warnings before reading. But the ending just lacked so much. It kind of was just there. I felt like we’d been building to something supernatural or even just unexpected. But we instead get a Scooby Do-esq storyline. And I was still left with so many questions. And not in a fun way. This felt, at times, like one big spicy book with words around it in the vague wispy form of a plot. Ironic, I know. Would I recommend? Probably not.

But I will say, the cover, binding and sprayed purple edges are beautiful. The purple and black is such a solid choice. Love the Verenmore gold foil. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide, Grief, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent, Incest, Blood, and Bullying

mae_dexter_author's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Mental illness

Minor: Blood, Terminal illness, Stalking, Grief, Gaslighting, Death, Dementia, and Death of parent

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

0.25

This doesn't even deserve a quarter star. This is the worst book I've ever read. Wanted to find something to redeem it but no. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Murder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual assault

lindsayhwrites's review against another edition

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

2.0

Clearly never saw an editor, was wrapped in pretty packaging but full of plot holes while also not having much of a plot. Very disappointing. Particularly the negative implications and claims about mental illness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Vomit, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Ableism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Incest

hobbit_at_heart's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.5

 

I really enjoyed this story! However, I will say I do not see any correlation between this story and comparing it to "dracula and beauty and the beast" aside from a girl falling for a "devil" in a castle.

The whole time I thought Vad Deverel was going to end up being a vampire or something and that never happened. So that was a touch disappointing. The smut could have been a touch better, but I won't complain.

I suck at reviews, but all-in-all, a good story. Definitely New Adult vibes. At first I was under the impression that this was set in an older timeline, however it was fairly modern with random things like the use of phones and internet was stuck in. Some of the writing was kind of cringy and I sped read through a LOT of fluffy bits that simply weren't all that necessary to have even been put into writing. Overall, good book. If Goodreads would do a 1/2 star system, this would be a solid 3.5 for me but I rounded up for the sake of having enjoyed the plot twist at the end bc I never would have seen it coming. Wild ride at the end!

HEA was corny as SHIT.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Suicide, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Vomit, Medical content, and Stalking

Minor: Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Incest

straker's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault, Self harm, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

dosxhime's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking

Minor: Rape

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

A deliciously dark romance that fans of broody, mysterious and domineering love interests will absolutely eat up. But do be aware it deals with some really dark themes so I do advise checking the TWs before reading.

It follows Corvina, who gains acceptance (and a scholarship) to the University of Verenmore, a mysteriously secluded Castle-turned College—a fresh start Corvina hopes will lead to bigger and brighter things. But what she doesn’t expect is a school tangled in secrets, lies, unexplained deaths—where students are forbidden from entering the woods. And whose strange goings on may be even be linked to nearly a century’s worth of missing persons cases. 

Nor does she expect Vad, the part-time professor who captures her attention and her heart, but they both know their infatuation (and deep attraction) for one another cannot be—even if fate has other plans for them. 

But when Corvina comes close to unraveling the mystery of what happened to the people who’ve disappeared every five years for the past century , things begin to take a dangerously escalating and sinister turn…

I’m not usually one for Dark romances (even if I am a bit of a sucker for Dark Academia) but I did (surprisingly) kind of enjoy this. There was some really beautiful and lyrical descriptions that enjoyed and definitely felt they harkened back to that hauntingly dark aesthetic we’ve all come to associate with Gothic literature.

I loved the mystery aspects which were utterly intoxicating —It definitely brought to mind novels like Dracula (which does get several mentions throughout the book) and the compelling undercurrent of danger and uncertainty that lurks on every page kept me on the edge of my seat. I just wish we got more answers instead of questions! Though given a prequel has just been announced, maybe that was intentional. 

I also have to applaud RuNyx for continuing with the boundary pushing themes that made Gothic fiction soo shocking for the age, having Gothikana touch upon contemporary taboos that will similarly make a lot of people rather uncomfortable (the ethical and moral implications of a student/teacher relationship being one of the biggest.)

The romance, likewise, is incredibly well done-the spice is definitely off the charts and not for the faint of heart, particularly thoses who don’t enjoy relationship dynamics involving quite domineering or controlling men. As somewhat of a novice to the genre I also think that maybe I was a little out of my depth my for this one, as one scene (Corvina’s first time with Vad) did feel a little too uncomfortable for me to truly enjoy and (for me, at least) did feel like it was blurring the boundaries of consent. That being said it is reiterated that Corvina (who is twenty one) was consenting both before and after the fact. 

The other romance scenes later on in the book were far more enjoyable for me and I can honestly see why soo many people are raving about it. But, I do think I may just be a little too vanilla to truly appreciate this one. 

Also a massive thank you to Casey Ann over at Solaris books for the absolutely stunning proof. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Stalking and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault