Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers

12 reviews

bookshelf20's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I loved this book. I ate it up in one sitting, unable to put it down, eager to see what crazy thing Malachi would do next. I rated this book 4.75/5 stars because I felt that it was very well done. I was definitely not ready for it to end and wanted more and more of the story and the characters. 
I felt the plot was well organized and paced nicely so it didn't feel like anything was dragging, and it didn't feel like things were moving too fast. I felt that the characters were well-described so I knew their personalities and their intentions well. 
I loved how depraved and insane the MMC was, he had me on the edge of my seat wanting more of him as the pages went. I loved how intense, protective, and possessive he was of the FMC. I felt like the sign language and mute nature were a great addition to the story that you typically don't get to see with this type of storyline. I loved that the FMC was so innocent and naïve with her brother, but on some level, she was just as depraved as he was with her desires, and he was willing to fulfill every one of her fantasies. 
I highly recommend this book, after having read Haunting Adeline and loving it, I was told by others that "Zade walked so Malachi could run." And even though the stories are very different, I do feel like the story lived up to the hype. I enjoyed it very much and can't wait to read more from this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Blood, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, and Violence

marieke17's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Abandonment, Blood, Kidnapping, Body horror, Rape, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Incest, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

brookey8888's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Listen I don’t even know. This is really not for everyone and I even had to skim read a part because that was a little to much for me, but other than that this was good. I thought the dynamic was interesting and not something I usually read. The stalker didn’t happen until like the second half of the book which I wasn’t expecting. Honestly if you don’t read dark romance do not read this and if you want to venture into dark romance don’t start with this. The list of content warnings at the beginning gagged me because spider play. I just reread the content warnings and I must of skipped past the warning of what I skim read( but it’s because that was her “dad”). The writing also wasn’t the greatest either. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Incest, Mental illness, Murder, Grief, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Rape

lokidotter's review

dark sad fast-paced

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

2.75

It’s like if you took a bunch of booktok books into a blender and sprinkled them together. I couldn’t stop reading it though…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Incest, and Sexual content

waywarddaughter91's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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 was an interesting read. I tend to read books without knowing anything about them besides what genre they fall under even though I don't know about all of them. When I realized it was about two people who were adopted by the same people I thought oh ok I can work with this since they don't see it that way but throughout the whole book it contradicted between Oh you are my sibling to Oh I don't see you that way so that made it a hint uncomfortable at times but I get that's a trope that a lot of people are into. It doesn't bother me but it also doesn't do anything for me. The spice was fantastic and quite dark. I felt for the MMC and my heart broke for him and the MFC. Overall I enjoyed this book. I don't know if I will go back and ever read it again but it was enjoyable

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Blood

Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

once_upon_a_storybook's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.0

This was something for sure 🤔 I went into this with an open mind, I know it’s taboo because they’re adoptive siblings but the amount of times they called each other ‘big brother’ & ‘little sister’ made me want to crawl in a hole, they literally got off on the fact they’re siblings 🤢 Then if that wasn’t enough, the whole arranged marriage plot point was awful, literally the mom was giving her daughter to anyone, it made no sense to me. Her mom literally sold her virginity for 5,000 😬 Also her ‘brother’ SA’d her multiple times in this. Only reason I even gave this 2 stars is because it was entertaining and completely unhinged and I did enjoy that aspect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest and Sexual assault

alijaywat's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Jesus fucking Christ, what a ride
Check your triggers warning for the love of god

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Incest, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, and Physical abuse

hannaspages's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

2.5

This book feels like a fever dream… 
I was told that Malachi was a Zade dupe but he is giving schizophrenia/ an autistic joker vibe instead. 
Some of the scenes really threw me for a loop though,

like when he shoved a skrewdriver up the fmc’s ass?

I would say that this book is more like ‘The Dare’ and not Haunting Adeline, it’s definitely heavy on the kinks.
Some of the scenes don’t make sense as well, like the end

where the father that Malachi almost killed and whose blood he fucked his sister in, suddenly just accepts that his kids are in a relationship…

The 2 stars I gave are for the narrators because they were actually good, but the story lacked plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Blood, and Violence

alxisrae's review against another edition

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

4.5

Though taboo with a stepsibling dark romance. I can’t take away from the fact this was a good story. Joe Arden really brought Malachi to life despite the character being mute. I’m not sure if this book would’ve gotten such a high rating if I didn’t listen to the audiobook. The two voice actors really put the emotion behind the words and you were able to feel the pain, conflict, desperation and love between Olivia and Malachi. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Drug use, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment

rossi29's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

my new favorite book. I honestly picked this book up because I saw some random tik toker talking about the trigger warning page and that the audiobook was going to be done by Joe Arden. Other than that I went into this book completely blind and honestly i'm happy I did because it was a wild ride lol. Malachi is possibly one of my favorite characters i've ever read I love him so much. He's comply unhinged and had me feeling literally all the emotions. I desperately hope that the author gives them another book or at the very least gives us some bonus scenes because I need more Malachi in my life.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Stalking and Kidnapping

Minor: Child death, Child abuse, and Sexual assault