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baya_111's review
4.0
Won this in a giveaway and I have to admit that I had not properly checked the tags/categories it was in so I did not expect this at all. I only realised when I got to the warning list at the beginning of the book. That being said, I really liked it. The main character felt, if not relatable, logical and understandable. I really, really enjoyed her internal thoughts, especially at the beginning of the book. Not something I'd have read of my own volution but it was good. Only thing that I didn't like was the epilogue, it felt very abrupt and unnecessary in a way?
shadow77's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
booksbymonth's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
4.0
My first gothic romance. This was intense. It was dark, twisted, and has lots of triggers. Be sure to read the trigger warnings. It was an interesting and unique take on BDSM with some other items thrown in.
esmays_library's review
emotional
sad
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
3.75
captainbella's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
3.0
loathey's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
gothsyrup's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Wow. Genuinely, this sucked.
The butler was the best character and the author describes him as looking like an anime character. Next to nothing was described in the book as to setting, which was often contradictory. Is it a gothic castle? Is it a "modern home"? Is it a church? All of these are brought up as to the primary setting, yet none of it is explained! There's nothing really gothic or romantic about this book-- look, write all the erotica you want, but please, for the love of god, at least have a grasp of basic kink and BDSM terminology. The sex scenes are unsexy, laughable at best, and all of the characters are unlikable. The "Master" is your average sexyman with zero characterization. The narrator's characterization either sucks or just isn't there at all. Example: she's an artist who is 'depressed' and hates her art and herself, yet all of her art is erotic self portraits that sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. You could go on a long-winded explanation about how this contradictory self-objectification is a symptom of her low self worth, but the author doesn't put in the legwork, so it's just Bad.
Everyone sucks, there's no plot, and the porn isn't good. The writing, especially the author's handling of the first-person perspective, is some of the worst I've ever read. It could be a good example of what NOT to do as a writer, but even then, I wouldn't suggest reading the whole thing. I'm not even going to start with how the author handles mental illness or dark themes. The trigger warnings were... Certainly there, which were probably helpful to some, so .5 stars for that. There's only one scene that I would consider actually dark, which lacked impact at all because it was shock value for the sake of shock value, written badly like everything else.
The typos in this book (scones instead of sconces, for example) are the best part about it, along with the stupidly colorful way the narrator describes her butthole. Read this out loud with a friend or at a party and let the hilarity and rage ensue. That's the only way I can recommend this book in good faith.
The butler was the best character and the author describes him as looking like an anime character. Next to nothing was described in the book as to setting, which was often contradictory. Is it a gothic castle? Is it a "modern home"? Is it a church? All of these are brought up as to the primary setting, yet none of it is explained! There's nothing really gothic or romantic about this book-- look, write all the erotica you want, but please, for the love of god, at least have a grasp of basic kink and BDSM terminology. The sex scenes are unsexy, laughable at best, and all of the characters are unlikable. The "Master" is your average sexyman with zero characterization. The narrator's characterization either sucks or just isn't there at all. Example: she's an artist who is 'depressed' and hates her art and herself, yet all of her art is erotic self portraits that sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. You could go on a long-winded explanation about how this contradictory self-objectification is a symptom of her low self worth, but the author doesn't put in the legwork, so it's just Bad.
Everyone sucks, there's no plot, and the porn isn't good. The writing, especially the author's handling of the first-person perspective, is some of the worst I've ever read. It could be a good example of what NOT to do as a writer, but even then, I wouldn't suggest reading the whole thing. I'm not even going to start with how the author handles mental illness or dark themes. The trigger warnings were... Certainly there, which were probably helpful to some, so .5 stars for that. There's only one scene that I would consider actually dark, which lacked impact at all because it was shock value for the sake of shock value, written badly like everything else.
The typos in this book (scones instead of sconces, for example) are the best part about it, along with the stupidly colorful way the narrator describes her butthole. Read this out loud with a friend or at a party and let the hilarity and rage ensue. That's the only way I can recommend this book in good faith.
trou6le's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
foryouathena's review
emotional
fast-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
3.0