Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

30 reviews

dianasofia8's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

jsumner1125's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

I don't know why I like this series.  Damon was a horrible guy and I really didn't see any redemption for him that I could be satisfied with but he may be my favorite character now.  Totally selfish unless you are his people.   He had to have super special love and Winter was perfect. I loved how he treated her disability as a non issue, he let her truly live.  I am really liking the growth of all the charcters, the town story line of wealth and intrigue and I am super excited to finish with Will's story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse

_youfloweryoufeast_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.0

3 ⭐️


Genre: Dark Romance
Age group : Adult
POV : First person / dual POV
Characters: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Plot: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Setting/Themes: 3/5 ⭐️
Writing: 2/5 ⭐️
Spice : 4 ⭐️

• Please check TWs & CWs
• mature language, sexual scenes, violence, mentions of kidnapping, vandalism, sexual assault, mentions of statutory rape, child abuse, pedophilia, sexual violence murder, attempted murder, guns, substance abuse, mentions of mental illness, slut shaming & more.
• Dark romance (heavy triggers)
• Tropes :Miscommunication, Childhood lovers (but make it dark & gritty)
• HEA

“Nothing was a lie.”

Surprisingly, once I came to terms with the term “dark romance” and got past all the horrible and questionable behaviours, this wasn’t bad. I did quite like the flow of the story, of course it was extremely problematic in a sense. It was Beth toxic too obviously, but I ate After up like nobody’s business so I’m not one to complain.

Winter. I liked winter. A lot. She’s proof that strength and capability is truly in the will of a person. I loved her passion for dance and I truly loved The way she perceived things. 

Damon. I hated him in the first 2, now I can’t help but love him. I am an advocate for healing past trauma and not using trauma as an excuse to be a douche but Damon. I can’t even begin. Please be warned that Kill Switch delves into the darker and very detailed parts of Damon’s abuse as a child. 

My issues: 

- the Misogynist tendencies obviously 
- slutshaming
- glorification of trauma (in a sense)

Did I love it? Maybe not, but I did like it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Minor: Mental illness

coligmueller's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Incest, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

romanysky's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Death, Death of parent, Car accident, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug abuse

queenie_ofthe_void's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

Easily my favorite of the series so far! My only big problem was I went straight into this after finishing Hideaway and I felt like I was missing something. I know the author likes non linear timelines, but this was even more than that. I felt like I had missed a book. 

But I pushed through and it was still amazing. I loved digging into Damon's history and his relationship with Winter [Corrupt spoilers: even if it was traumatic at times]. Honestly though my favorite plot line was Damon and Will's relationship.

Their initial conforntation by the pool shed was the best scene. It was packed full of every emotion these books bring to the table. Then ending it with a sword cross and finally Will's cutting word... just damn. So good. Chef's Kiss. And finally ending with Damon saving him from drowning, Winter calming his panic attack in the shower, and the amazing three-way. I felt it pack more of an emotional punch than Rika/Michael/Kai.

This book made me so excited to learn more about Will. He's been left on the sidelines for too long and I hope the gang finally steps up to help. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Animal death, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, and Alcohol

crispyrafael's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Definitely don’t read this book if you’re not a fan of dark romance because this is nearly as dark as it gets. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Rape

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

noveltay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.75

I’ll be honest… This series gets better with every book. I do think Damon has the best character development out of all of them, and it really is strange falling in love with him. I like the flashbacks, the “ghost”, and a lot of their relationship, but I will say- Winter is really annoying. I know her memory was vague about her past with Damon, but I don’t get why she was so adamant about hating him. I enjoyed this book the most out of the first 3 of the series, excited to read Will’s story, but I’m really unsure how it will get any better than Damon being sweet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Bullying and Car accident

Rape was talked about heavily in this book. It was hard to read at times, if you are a victim I’d advise you to proceed with caution.

oliviaskye's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was definitely very intense. Damon, one of the main characters, has a lot of trauma which we get to learn more about in this book. Winter, the other main character, also has trauma from her childhood, and it was interesting to read how both of their past experiences fit in with the other. 

I do HATE the trope where the love interest is to marry the main character's sister, especially when it's clear he doesn't care for the sister at all but is only doing it for a reaction from the MC. It frustrates me way too much and the whole time I'm practically ripping my hair out, but, I really did enjoy Damon and Winter's relationship. I mean, the scene where he goes to Winter's house after he learns that the video has been leaked and she figures out who he really is and she's pissed but Damon just says that he just wanted to hold her one last time...yeah, that lives rent-free in my mind.

I only recommend this book if you are comfortable with dark romances and have checked out the TW's.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

sierrachenee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Somehow this series presented me with Damon, a convicted felon, attempted murderer, and just all around screwed up character who terrorized everyone including the girl he loved and by the end of this I am in love with him. 

This book is confusing for my brain but I loved it. I don’t know how some things got redeemed but this book really does make you think. It’s very morally gray in a lot of areas and extremely dark so I would not recommend for everyone. It was so heartbreaking every step of the way. 

Some parts were a bit too much or out of character or tied up too nicely but the good out balances the bad. 

Winter is also my favorite lead women in this series so far. She is blind and I liked that Damon didn’t coddle her like a lot of others did. She was very determined, smart, strong, but also very caring. Their relationship was extremely messed up but they worked so well together. His relationship with Will too is my favorite. 

If there wasn’t more in a series this book would provide me with a major book hangover and I’d be wandering around for a week or two trying to figure out what to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, Murder, Gun violence, Bullying, Pedophilia, Incest, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Drug use