Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli

11 reviews

xapoptosisx's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

All I need to say is I read this book in one sitting and I need the next book now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cursing, Addiction, and Classism

Moderate: War, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

andi885's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is filled with tense mystery, adventure and suspense. I ate it up so fast.  
I'm a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers trope - and I mean a real one. I want the hate to be so intense that it seems they will never be able to love eachother. This book didn't disappoint in that regard. 
The plot was mysterious and suspensful and it kept me on the edge of my seat guessing the outcome. 
It was so well written and almost perfection. 
My cons with this book is sometimes the sweet moments of the romance felt a little forced because of how intensely the main characters were supposed to hate each other.

I also felt like Gideon just suddenly fell in love with Rune without any real epiphany moment, or solid reasons for changing his mind about her. It wasn't blatant enough to knock too many points off my rating though.

 
I can't wait for book two, and I'm so sad it won't be released for another nine months!!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Rape, and Sexual violence

mr05e's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

This book had a great set up to be an amazing story, but it ended up falling short for me. 

The world-building didn’t seem very well thought out. Some of the details made it sound like it was a Victorian-inspired fantasy story, but then the author uses words like “leggings,” “bralette,” “sundress,” and “hooded sweater” (what’s wrong with just a cloak 🥹). Those parts would take me right out of the story. 

I also wish Rune was given more time to shine as a vigilante-witch! It’s just explained that she has saved a bunch of witches from prison and helped them escape. I wanted  part of the plot to be her saving people and being a badass. It’s a lot of talking about what her plan is and her internal struggle as a witch in hiding. Just wish there was more of her taking action/vigilantism to supplement her internal conflict. 

The plot twist with

Verity actually being Cressida in disguise

was a bit predictable so I found myself wanting the characters to hurry up and get with the program.

And sadly, I think we all knew Alex wasn’t going to be long for this world, the enemies to lovers plot is obviously going to favor the enemies lmao

 

The  enemies to lovers aspect of this romantasy was solid, probably the best part of the book. A little more “cat and mouse” action would’ve made it even better (aka more scenes where Gideon and Rune interact as blood guard vs crimson moth,

like when he sets up the trap in the mines

). I feel like it would’ve added more interest to their enemies dynamic. And once we get to the actual “lovers” part of the trope

it was well written: good balance of angst, consent, communication, intimacy, and spice that definitely made the way they parted ways at the end more emotional as opposed to just being fanservice-y

 

📚TLDR: Good enemies to lovers plot, just wished the characters and the world they are in were fleshed out better—more “show” and less “tell”.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Blood, Gun violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: War

Male victim of sexual/emotional/physical abuse

megnut's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

Minor: Classism

dcnireads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Genocide, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Slavery, Addiction, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Minor: Misogyny

ruth_a's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Religious bigotry, Drug use, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Grief

gibbse97's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexual content

mindsplinters's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

So... when is the second book coming out?  February 2025?  Um... I guess I can wait.  Maybe!  When it comes to cliff hangers, Heartless Hunter is like an enthusiastic leap off a short pier at the top of a mountain and you are only mostly sure you tied the bungee cord right.  In other words, it is just the right amount of fear and anticipation for the next book to keep it bubbling until you get there.  Magic, intrigue, romance, a not-quite love triangle that is thankfully not a real focus, and some lovely olfactory descriptions.

I just hope we don't go splat.  Because this is a pretty strong book and it needs a very strong follow-up!  While there were a few hiccups in world-building, the author still made things feel real enough and balanced between familiar and fantasy that my mind could overlook some of the minor gaps in the world logic to submerge into a world that is a mix of post-Revolution France, Regency England, alchemical fairy tales, and derring-do.  I love derring-do.  I enjoy it even more when the one doing the derring is not completely perfect at it but tries hard and doesn't make the stupid mistakes... 

Other than the fact that, well, Rune and her accomplices are teenagers so there willl still be some inherent stupidity.  Which is alright because they rarely tip into the kind that makes me eye-roll.  Rune herself is an unsteady mess of guilt and bravery and brains and foolishness which works, given her background and all.  You can't help but appreciate how she wants to do the best she can while also realizing that, wow, girl, you're unhealthy and probably need a qualified therapist to work through this baggage.

Ditto for Gideon.  He gets more depth to him than you would expect in a YA Romantasy, helped by the alternative POV chapters.  You can still think he's a bit of an ass but you understand where he is coming from.  The fact that he opens up to Rune?  Shockingly mature, despite his alleged reasons for it.

While I saw some of the reveals coming, I am pleased to say that there were still some surprises.  One of which had me hollering "you dumbass!" at a character.  He totally deserved it.  I mean, I get it.  Morals and all.  But, dude, you had one job.  (Don't worry.  I still love you.)

Now for the real question... What would my magical signature be and what does one do if you're such a dominant rightie that carving casting marks with your left hand leaves you with scars that look like they were done by a drunken kindergartener?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Sexual violence

mysticserenity's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

I was completely blown away by this book. Unfortunately I cannot go into how much without giving too much away. Wonderfully executed. If you want something that engages a troupe and makes it better you are in for a ride. Fair warning this society is doing, and has done, brutal things to each other. It’s at times shocking and devastating. Definitely dark and dangerous. That ending crushed me. I cannot wait for the next one. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, War, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Death, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Murder, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Hate crime

suzi_is_cake's review against another edition

Cannot believe this book is so hyped. I’m stopping this book for my own sanity and am gonna leave it at my local station reading library cause omg the triggers in this book that are not mentioned and the fact this is a YA when it should obviously be an NA. I don’t mind enemies to lovers but this was not that it was basically just everyone needs therapy and instead are awful to each other. I was gonna try and power through to the end but it was just too much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Self harm