Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

7 reviews

witcheep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

The relationshis in this book are messy, and I love it! The FMC witch Rune and the love interest MMC witch hunter Gideon both decide to seduce each other for information, but begin to develop feelings for each other. They both have strong-minded friends who have opinions about what they should do regarding the flirty foe, and this makes the relationship even messier.

While the seduction game is ongoing, the surrounding society is trying to slaughter every last witch, and a revolution of rebel witches is quietly forming in the sidelones. There are murmurs of old enemies, whispers of wished allies, and hopes for a future where no one needs to suffer anymore. Both sides must ask themselves what kind of world they want to live in: one where there is room for mercy, or one where the end result can be chased after by any means necessary. Moreover, Rune and Gideon must ask themselves if they can find room for love in their lives between the opposing sides in this current society. The book does this well, wrapping questions of prejudice, justice, classism, and revenge into an entertaining romantasy plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Body horror, Torture, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Confinement

spatterson7's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Genocide, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Sexual content, Cursing, Gore, and Grief

Minor: Drug use, Gaslighting, Addiction, Self harm, Abandonment, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Child death, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

straybutterfly's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Abandonment, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol and Cursing

doahdancer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

This is going to be my dark horse of 2024. I was expecting only 25% of the amazing story that was delivered. This has epic enemies to lovers, amazing plot twists, yearning, spice, a well designed magic system... when a reviewer I trust DNF'd this book I seriously questioned if I should bother, but as usual, letting myself make up my own mind was the best choice.

Hard disagree with this being labeled YA. This is solidly NA as the themes are intense. Mind the TWs, but barring those, run, don't walk, to read this book.

Sequel coming Feb 2025.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Death, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Child death

caitlinspeachyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I struggled to put this book down, I wanted to read it at every free second! I will be thinking of the characters a lot, ugh hurry up February 2025….

I cannot think properly after that ending….what, why, how? I guessed the big twist, but there are clues throughout the book. Now I have to wait 7-8 months to find out what happens…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Slavery, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Torture, and Rape

kirsty_irwin's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Genocide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Violence

Moderate: Violence, Torture, Outing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Self harm, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual assault

chasinggrace's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional fast-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

4.0

Overall, I really liked this book. I was invested in the fake courting between two characters, rooting for the underdog, and anxious during the attacks. I was worried this was going to be a typical “two brothers and a girl” love triangle story, but it really was more than that. You truly come to understand each character’s motivations, why they are who they are today. By the last 20 pages, I was crying. 

Now, there are a few things I would change. In the first 100 pages, the author repeats herself a LOT, with very similar sentence structures and identical descriptions (of a witch’s first bleed, of how Rune played into her Nan’s death, etc.) I found it annoying and it took me out of the story. Secondly, boxing? The way the characters speak and dress and transport themselves, this story takes place in the “past.” But boxing? With gloves, in a ring? This could’ve easily been a fighting ring or sparring, but boxing took me out of the story as well. It didn’t seem to fit. 

Seeing as Rune and the witches have escaped to Cailis on the Continent, I’m excited to see what happens in book 2 as the world expands. My heart is BROKEN that this is now an Enemies to Lovers back to Enemies story, but I’m rooting for them. They just need to talk it out😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Classism, Addiction, Body horror, Rape, and Sexual content