Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Hideaway by Penelope Douglas

26 reviews

curicastic's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

THIS WAS A JOURNEY, PEOPLEEEEEEEEEE. 

PSA: This is a dark book and I went into it knowing that. They're not my fave books but I read them once in a while.

I  liked this one. Kai Mori is more balanced than Michael (First Book), and so he had more interesting feature instead of JUST being an asshole. 

And Can we talk about Nikova Banks? Girl... I need to take you to therapy YESTERDAY. I felt awful for her the whole book. Damon is a piece of shit. 

I sense a Penelope Douglas pattern here... this book could've been 100 pages less. The mystery wasn't really misterious, I'm beginning to think that Douglas is just a little too in love with her ideas and repeats them a lot. It's still good, but I think it'd be a stronger book if it was filtered (not the evil/fucked up stuff, but the editing standpoint where you don't overstretch your scenes and plot devices.).

For Example, Banks being Damon's daughter was an interesting fact... for the first few dozen scenes. But when you freaking pull it until the (almost) whole book? It gets repetitive and low key boring. Michael not telling him? Weird.

I'm honestly worried about book 3... I don't think I can like Damon after all he's done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Addiction

rorolovesbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Abandonment, and Violence

fevalente's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Child abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm and Rape

midnightrose_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Hideaway is the second book in the Devil’s Night series. Its Kai Mori and Banks story. The journey of me reading this book is a interesting one. I like Kai a lot but only thought Banks was an okay character. I know some people don’t like the heroine from the first book (Erika), but I actually like that character and think that Banks is actually a much more unlikeable character. Obviously, the way she grew up was really unfortunate, but there was chunks of the story where I couldn’t stand that characters personality. The way that Kai and Banks meet is intriguing, but they don’t have me in the absolute chokehold as Michael and Erika did in Corrupt over their entire book. I also didn’t buy that Banks fell in love with Kai given the fact that she was so resistant towards him for a good portion of the book. In lust with him, sure. They have physical chemistry and I think Kai comes to care for her as the story goes on, but them being in love is a stretch. Near the end of the book it felt like they were getting to know each other more which could lead to the love, but didn’t  feel convincing at the time when they said their ‘I love you’s’. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Rape, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Incest, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

jen1804's review

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? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed this book, though not as much as book 1 in the Devil’s Night series. The story for me this book felt just that little bit too chaotic. I don’t really know how to explain. But on the whole I really liked it. There were some scenes that I absolutely adored too (confessional scenes/father Kai scenes/chase scenes, all defo big yesses from me).
I like Kai and Banks together and their dynamic where they’re both so stubborn, and with the forced proximity trope and the power play. Though I find I’m left feeling that their love story was lacking somewhat. I can’t really pinpoint it, I kinda feel like it all happened too quickly even though it probably actually didn’t, but having finished the book that’s the feeling I’m left with. I also feel that their emotions were a bit too up and down with each other a bit too often, too much so that it started to seem a bit too unrealistic. Anyway I look forward to hearing a bit more about them in future books in the series and how their story continues to unfold and progress.
It was interesting to uncover more of the sad complexities about Damon in this book and I’m really looking forward to reading his story next even if it is probably going to hurt. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Incest, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body horror, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Confinement, Death, Abandonment, and Mental illness

niyahneal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Death, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

ladylovestead's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This is the second book in the devil's night series. You do need to read the first book in the series to understand what is happening in this one. It helps to read the first one as well because Rika and Michael are in this one and you get to enjoy seeing their relationship develop a bit more. This romance focuses on Kai and Banks. Banks is one of the most interesting characters I've read about in a long time. I absolutely loved her and she is one of my top favorite characters of all time. Her transformation in this story was so wonderful, and this would have been a great book if that's all it was, but it was more than that. Not only did we see this wonderful character transformation in Banks, but we get to know Kai and see how he struggles with this inner battle between the dark and light parts of himself. The book also has thriller elements with the storyline about Damon that continues from the first book. This was a great read if you like dark romance and I'm excited to read book 3! I don't like to share triggers because some find them to be spoilers, but if you need to know triggers, do look them up before reading.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Stalking, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Blood, and Murder

_youfloweryoufeast_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

2.5 ⭐️


Genre: Dark Romance
Age group : Adult
POV : First person / multiple POV
Characters: 3/5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Setting/Themes: 3/5 ⭐️
Writing: 2/5 ⭐️
Spice : 4 ⭐️

• Please check TWs & CWs
• mature language, sexual scenes, violence, arson, mentions of kidnapping, vandalism, sexual assault, mentions of statutory rape, child abuse, implied blasphemy, murder, attempted murder, guns, substance abuse, mentions of mental illness, loss of a loved one, slut shaming & more.
• Dark romance
• Tropes : Brother’s best friend (but make it dark & gritty)
• HEA

“Run. Because I turn into a very different person when no one’s looking”

Okay so, did I like this better than corrupt? Yes. Was it a lot more problematic, too? Of course. But I saw a tweet today speaking of how we’re not allowed to berate dark romances for it’s problematic aspects as that’s the entire point of the genre. And that if we intend to, we might as well not read it. While I do particularly disagree, I’m not going to complain about it, I will highlight a few though. Overall, the plot intrigued me. I liked the suspenseful, horror esque elements in the book, I really did. 

Nikova Banks. Okay, for the most part, her judgement and her jaded view of love for her brother and how she thought he was right all along pissed me off, but it did make me understand how victims of abuse felt. It’s heartbreaking, truly. I liked her strength and grit, though. I liked how she had the ability to think, and I do think she’s particularly intelligent. On top of it all, I liked the way she functioned. She’s a badass. 

Kai Mori. Dare I say I liked Kai? I did not like Michael but I did love Kai. Sucker for strategic, intelligent and calculating men (people in general) also a sucker for simps, that mess up and grovel after. 

My issues: 

- the misogynist tendencies of all the men in the book (toy or tool, iyk, yk)
- the fetishism of WLW for the sake of the men’s satisfaction 
- the shaming of escorts/sex workers 
- slut shaming 
- usage of berating names (not in a kinky way, but a really mean way) 
- the sexual interaction between an 18 & 17 year old ?!
- the way women were berated 
- a brother talking horribly about his sister 
- the Japanese rep?¿ she could’ve done it better, truthfully

Welp, there’s so much more. But as I said, no complaints, yes? Will I continue on with the rest of the books in the series? Yes, since I impulsively bought them all.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment and Child abuse

Minor: Murder

There’s a lot more triggers, please search it up.

jlaz_13's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

tearstoflowers's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-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? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Toxic relationship