Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

104 reviews

megthecatlady's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

This is one of the best series I've read thus far. I'm sad I only have two more books before it's over. 

The character development for Persephone in this book was so freaking good. The development of her relationship with Hades was also great to watch. I love that the author has continued to make the side characters have stories just as interesting as the main characters and that they each bring something to the table. I'm also really glad that Persephone has friends - I feel like that's so rare to get in romance novels because it's usually just the hero and heroine pining for each other with no time for anyone else. Or maybe that's just my lack of knowledge in the romantasy genre speaking. I love, love, love this series and this was probably my favorite book of the series so far - I'd give it more than 5 stars if I could. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Rape

ninahuynh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.5

3 things:

1. A few of the sex scenes are confusing, some of which I think could do without. As the amount of explicit scenes increase and how they arrive to it feel... sudden and might I say, cheap. I makes their relationship's foundation as sex. In some cases, it just feels out of place.
2. I like how Scarlett St. Clair illustrates the deep trauma that comes with boundaries violation and sexual assault. I like that it wasn't just glossed over or simplified; everyone deals with trauma and heals from trauma differently.
3. Who is Theo? Dunno if that's a typo in my ebook but could not find who Theo is. First scene with Theseus.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Cursing, Body horror, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic, Misogyny, Gore, Sexual content, Hate crime, Grief, Vomit, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Death of parent, Abortion, Alcohol, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, War, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual assault, and Death

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, Child death, Torture, Cannibalism, and Vomit

erkadahl's review

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

The third in the series, this was the best of the first 3 books, thus far. I was hooked and enjoyed the growing relationship between Hades and Persephone, and enjoyed seeing Persephone come into her own in this book. All the things that made the 2nd book in the series annoying about her personality seemed to mostly resolve and no longer be, allowing the story to be the focus and not Persephone’s insecurities. The cliff hanger at the end has me already downloading book 4!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, War, and Death

lenavejar's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault

renee_fae's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Gore, Death, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, Self harm, and Rape

lethridge's review

emotional hopeful 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

4.5

synopsis: Persephone and Hades are engaged. In retaliation, Demeter summons a snowstorm that cripples New Greece. When the Olympians intervene, Persephone finds her future in the hands of ancient gods, and they are divided. Do they allow Persephone to marry Hades and go to war with Demeter or prohibit their union and take up arms against the God of the Dead?

I don’t want this series to end! I need more!

Tropes- Fated Mates, Fantasy, Possessive MMC, Alpha male, Praise k1nk, Grumpy/Sunshine, Independent Heroine, Hate to Love, Romantacy, 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Grief

Minor: Alcohol

r1vana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

"I love him, Hecate. The world wants to take him from me, and I fear if I do not release him, there will be war." 

"Oh, my dear," Hecate said, a note of melancholy in her voice, "No matter your choice, there is no avoiding war."

Character growth for Persephone. FINALLY! Such a difference from the first two books.
Surprisingly I enjoyed this book better then the previous ones. She is still whiny but tolerable . I don’t like the excessiveness of smut in this. So out of place and repetitive. 
In general, this whole story could have needed in two books. 

"You are my everything, he said. "My first love, my wife, the first and last Queen of the Underworld."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Rape

mmontemurro's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

4.0

 

I really enjoyed this final book from Persephone's POV (with the exception of one final chapter). Synopsis  ---  Adonis (Aphrodite's favored) is found dead and there is suspicion that this was an act against the divine. Persephone is called a "Lemming" by a mortal stranger (blind follower of the Gods). This stranger, Lara, was raped by Zeus, and has an understandable hatred towards Gods because of it. Harmonia, Aphrodite's sister, is assaulted and nearly dies. A net was used to restrain the God and make her lose her powers. Demeter is suspected to have something to do with the attempted murder. Persephone is tasked to determine who is doing these acts, as she is close with both mortals and Gods alike. Persephone finds out that Hades cannot father children, as he has given up the ability to give a mortal woman divinity. Persephone meets Theseus, the leader of Triad, and immediately senses his off-putting nature. Hades and Persephone have sex at Demeter's temple in retribution for her snowstorm. Persephone learns how to heal herself (by cutting herself over and over again), and gets help from Hypnos to sleep, as she is having nightmares about the kidnapping she endured. Helen leaves Persephone's business to join with Theseus in Triad. Thanatos is spending time with Lexa in Elysium, and they are becoming more intimate. The goddess Tyche is killed at the Panhellenic Games by Okeanos, a son of Zeus. Persephone is hurt by her own power and Hades arrives just in time to heal her. Whisking her away to their island of Lampri, they spend a weekend together away from the chaos. Hades is summoned to Olympus for a meeting about Demeter's storm. Persephone listens with The Helm of Darkness, making her invisible. Tyche tells Persephone that Demeter kept her a secret in part because of Hades, but mostly because Demeter was raped by Poseidon. Zeus refused to punish Poseidon for this, and it could have led to Demeter's hatred for the Olympians. Hades postulates that Triad is restraining Gods with a new version of Hephaestus's net and stabbed with a Hydra-poisoned arrow - a relic. At the Olympian engagement party, Zeus' oracle predicts that their "marriage will produce a god more powerful than Zeus himself." Hades convinces Zeus that this is not possible, as he cannot father children. If ever their was a child, it would be killed. Hades and Persephone marry that night, so as to not wait for Zeus to change his mind. Persephone and Thanatos talk about Lexa - Thanatos knows Lexa will one day reincarnate, and he does not want to fall in love with her because of his fear of losing her.  Persephone wishes for Thanatos to tell Lexa he loves her anyway.  Persephone finds Theseus in Sybil's apartment, and Sybil and Harmonia have been kidnapped to make Persephone cooperate. Hades owes a favor to Theseus for him returning a relic back in book 1, and claims it by making him stay behind while he kidnaps Persephone. Persephone knows Hades will follow, so she restrains him, and leaves with Theseus. Theseus takes Persephone's ring, seemingly knowing that Hades can track her through it. They are all held in a hotel room (Persephone, Harmonia, and Sybil). Zofie tries to save them, but is killed by Theseus in the process. Theseus wants to enter the underworld through Lerna Lake and wants to use Persephone to help him get The Helm of Darkness. Hades tries to find Persephone by tracking her ring, and ends up in a maze made of Adamant which could bind Gods. A net traps him as he finds the ring, and he is unable to move or use his power. Persephone leads Theseus to the arsenal, and Hecate helps to save Harmonia and Sybil. Demeter arrives and Persephone unintentionally kills her with the weapons in Hades' arsenal - Hecate informs her that Demeter's thread is cut anyway, and there is nothing they can do. At the end, Theseus releases the Titans from Tartarus. Hades' fate is unknown.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death

Minor: Rape

Overall, a really great read. Persephone is really growing as a character, learning to heal, and properly harness her powers. Hades is starting to see that Persephone is becoming a powerful Goddess, and can take care of herself and of his people in the Underworld. The real challenge will be saving Hades this time, and it will be up to Persephone to do so. I also love the development of Thanatos/Lexa, Harmonia/Sybil, and Apollo/Ajax/Hector pairings. I also hope that Hephaestus and Aphrodite are able to reconcile before the end of the series.

sam_the_panda's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Violence

sreynaud's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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: Suicide, Rape, and Sexual content