Reviews tagging 'Murder'

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

44 reviews

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

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

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.

ophelia_so_sad's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Murder and Death

Minor: Grief, Kidnapping, Torture, and Death of parent

rchulin1's review

challenging dark emotional funny 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Vomit, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, War, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, Death, Dementia, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, and Panic attacks/disorders

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

kitten's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Death of parent, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infertility, and Stalking

slipinski9's review

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Blood and Murder

maxinesf's review

adventurous dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Alcohol, Murder, Torture, Sexual content, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Infertility

scarlett_f's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

2.0

Well, I read all three books, hoping the writing would improve. The story is constantly interrupted by whatever sex scene can be whipped up next. It seemed like the author used the Karma Sutra page by page to come up with something. I'm not opposed to sex and romance. It's just all of it was so repetitive, overdone, laughable. Roll-your-eyes boring after a short while. It forces you to start skimming. Literally, nothing got done within the storyline due to the constant sex scene interruptions and no exaggeration that it happened every other page. Very poor and disappointing, choppy writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, War, Confinement, Infertility, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Vomit, Murder, Rape, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Disappointing writing.