Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

10 reviews

angelofthetardis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Hades and Persephone should be ecstatically happy. They are madly in love, engaged to be married and rulers of their own domain. Except Persephone is still struggling to process her recent trauma, her mother is holding New Athens in an icy grip until they separate, Zeus is yet to grant his blessing on their union, and a conspiracy to topple the Olympians is afoot. 

Overall, I think it's the best paced and most enjoyable story of the series to date. I'm enjoying seeing Persephone grow into her powers and the slow expansion of the 'found family' (even if most of them are actually related in some way...), the twists and turns of the over-arching narrative and Hades just being Hades. And for the first time, I didn't get annoyed by Persephone's immaturity - her character has shifted in to something a little more befitting of the future Queen of the Underworld; she's still a little bit immature and naive in places, but the darker thread of her power coming to the surface and the development of her persona to match Hades, gaining satisfaction from the torture of the souls of those that wrong people makes her feel far more rounded. 

That being said, there's a small part of my brain berating me for liking this. I think my main issue is that, while the trauma Persephone went through in the last book is addressed and it does affect her relationship with Hades, it only feels like it's addressed on a surface level and then discarded in favour of a quick recovery. Likewise, the sufferings of other characters are dismissed fairly quickly and one dimensionally - the author had a great opportunity to give us a deeper insight and context into Demeter's motives, but instead it's referred to in a single sentence and she's branded a hopeless case. 

I also think the author has come to rely on the spicy scenes as a bit of a crutch. Persephone claims that she feels at her most powerful when in bed with Hades, and that could be illustrated so, so well to add layers to the story. But instead, it feels like the choice was quantity over quality, and for the most part Hades is the one in the position of power IMO. She can certainly write the scenes, I just think she needs to be more selective about placing them.

As before, I do like the way the author has seamlessly weaved in elements of various myths to expand the world, and reading some of her explanations in the Author's Notes really make these moments stand out. In particular, I like the twist in the character of Helen, the development of Apollo's character and acknowledgement of his past errors, and the continued back and forth between Aphrodite and Hephestus.

The writing is far from perfect and I would kill for more depth, but I couldn't help but enjoy this. Looking forward tonreading Hades' POV shortly!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Torture, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Stalking, Infertility, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Child death, and Blood

lethaltea's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

2.0

plot what plot?? 

no but seriously - these books usually have a fair amount of smut but this one was literally just sex scenes with the teensiest, tiniest little iota of plot in between. 

not that i’m complaining but it was a bit of a let down following the previous two books in the series. 

what i did like is that hades and persephone actually spend time together in this book - i really enjoyed them working together and this was refreshing compared to the other books. 

i have a Game of Gods and i tend to like the Hades books better, so hopefully that one has the missing plot lolol. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child death, Torture, Death, and Car accident

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Sexual assault, Confinement, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Self harm, Sexism, Outing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Stalking, Toxic friendship, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Abandonment, and Alcohol

frantically's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Brought me back what I missed in the second book! The combination between plot & smut/romance was so much more graceful (where before the plot honestly just felt a bit unnecessary) and I feel like we've finally gotten to action-filled parts, especially with that ending! Hades and Persephone were so sweet in this book and I love that their wasn't a lot of drama in their own relationship, just drama from outside. I don't want to spoil anything but gosh, that one plot point just made go 🥰🥰🥰. This is such a fun & intriguing universe and I'd love books about more of the other gods (who am I kidding, I just have a massive crush on Hecate).

I just remembered that I hoped we'd see more of Hades' criminal underworld and while that didn't happen in a big extent we got dark!/spicy!Hades instead and honestly I'm not mad about that. I do wish Hades was more involved in the plot sometimes tho! Hades & Persephone often give off Ken & Barbie vibes, with him just being there to worship her (but also not really complaining here) (need myself a man like that)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Kidnapping, Vomit, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: War, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Confinement

Minor: Abortion and Suicide

raiderqueen23's review

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Violence, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Car accident, Child death, and Grief

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Child death

Minor: Suicide, Rape, Gore, Vomit, and Blood

kyrstin_p1989's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.0

While I still love the characters and the world St. Clair built, the story arc was missing for me in this one. I love Hades and Persephone together and on their own, but it just seemed like everything that happened in the last 10-15 chapters could’ve happened way sooner. Persephone especially seems not to do anything (other than have sex with Hades) for 80% of the story. She slacks on her training, she slacks with her work, she slacks in her personal relationships. I hate when people lose themselves in their relationships in real life and I hate it in this book too. Although I’m still looking forward to book 4, I’m glad that it’s going to be awhile before it comes out so I can have a bit of a reprieve from the disappointments of this magical series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Death, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and War

raphaela's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

They are fighting. Every. 10. Pages. I am so over this story, I had to fight hard to even finish the book, only to find out, it's not the final one? Like, there's a cliffhanger???
The way the issues of the characters are dealt with drives me insane,

like they argue about him not telling her something every single chapter but nothing changes, ever. And the way she just casually addresses that he's an alcoholic??? Like I get that there are more pressing matters happening atm but hello?? She's not even that concerned or worked up about it.

I don't really get them anymore tbh. 
Also, there is so little plot happening over several chapters (basically most of the book) and suddenly everything is happening too fast with way less details than required to actually make me care. At least the smut is kind of okay, although it becomes a bit repetitive over the course of the book (like I can read about them fucking on their bed and in the bathing rooms only so many times before I just start skimming - also, they bathe like three times a day??).
Hermes and Apollo really carried this book, I don't know if I could have finished it without them appearing from time to time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Kidnapping

Minor: Car accident, Pregnancy, and Rape

msta9789's review

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

this book really was something else

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, Blood, and Body horror

kaseybereading's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Car accident, Blood, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Rape