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autumn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
But, I’m trying to push myself out of my comfort zone with my reading this year, in case I might find that I enjoy something I never bothered to try. It worked with another title (following two serial killers’ romantic tryst), so why not this?
Well. I’ll tell you why.
The male main character. Ugh. He’s a super-hacker who is also a super-spy and super-stealthy super-soldier who rescues “trafficking victims” by killing bad guys. He devotes his life to saving “girls and children” (as written in the book), but upon seeing a poster of the FMC outside a book shop decides he is going to stalk her and force her to love him. Huh??? Where’s that savior complex now, dude?
Of course, the first trafficker we encounter is described as a “Mexican” man. The next predator we are introduced to is part of a group of politicians who participate in Satanic rituals of drinking kid’s blood, and - wouldn’t ya know it - he’s got a stereotypically Jewish last name! Bigoted stereotypes, ahoy!
All the “trafficking victims” are portrayed as loved and cared for little English-speaking girls who were snatched up by evil immigrants and will be returned to loving families, furthering this ridiculous notion that these trafficking rings are snatching up middle-class white women and their tow-headed children Braydynn and Braxxlyeigh from the children’s section of Target, rather than portraying the reality that most trafficking victims are groomed by family or close friends, or are a part of marginalized communities that are easily exploited or taken advantage of.
The “hero” MMC murders a man and leaves his hands on the FMC’s doorstep, sexually assaults her multiple times (once with a handgun), and then she falls in love with him because he bangs her so good. He’s a disgusting hypocrite, and she is a dimwit.
We’ve also got a potential ghost (?), a drug dealing crime family, a 1940s mafia, a crazy “broken doll” who works in a haunted fair and murders people…the list goes on.
The FMC was maybe (?) haunted in this book, but the fact that people can find anything redeeming in either of the main characters of this book is what will haunt me.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Slavery, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Blood, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Torture, Vomit, Antisemitism, Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
melodyramirez's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism
spinebinding's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Violence, Antisemitism, Torture, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Pedophilia, Child death, and Child abuse
A major aspect of the book deals with a fantastical and highly fictional depiction of the human trafficking of women and children for the purpose of being sexually abused by people in political or financial power. While brief descriptions of violence is given, the sexual abuse of children is never depicted or described in detail. This is a dark romance novel, heavy on the dark, and the author gives trigger warnings in the beginning of the book. Take them seriously.schenanigans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
And this is a re-released, edited version? Did they edit out blood libel? Why does a smut book even have this in it to begin with?
I signed up for the dark romance, the stalker, the dub-con/r*pe, that’s all what I picked this book up for. And it did that well enough...
What in the hells is this plot? A super hot sexy hacker guy best in the world that saves women and children from tr*fficking but also…stalks/r*pes a woman and has a WEIRDLY PLACED DDLG fet!sh?
Every single second of this book spent on this weird politicians and upper class are Devil worshiping p*dophiles conspiracy that tries to paint Zade in a good light…WHY
Firstly, I signed up to read a book about a creepy stalker, don’t endear me to him! I don’t want a little anti-hero boy with a heart of gold, I want a repulsive b*stard!
Secondly, it isn’t even endearing. It’s…it’s f*ckin’ weird. Once the doll thing happened, I just started skipping entire pages that didn’t have smut because I was over it.
Why was the doll there. What did that serve.
I hated 9/10 of this book.
But I will be reading the next one, thank you
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence
c1e1r1n's review against another edition
Graphic: Stalking, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Antisemitism, and Torture
louiepotterbook's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Gore, Infidelity, Violence, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Confinement, Car accident, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Stalking, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Rape, Murder, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
christinabrunette's review against another edition
- 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
1.0
Even if you out the blood libal, antisemitism, rape, lack of consent, and clear dog whistles aside…It’s just not well written! But also like why the fuck would you put any of that aside??!?! The characters lack true depth, make choices that go counter to their backstory and development (which them gets written off as some primal instinct they unlock in each other, and the pacing and plot felt unplanned and like things were shoehorned in or dropped into the plot to suit random whims.
Listen I’m all here for everyone having their smutty good time and not into yucking other people’s yum but there has to be a line y’all. And this just ain’t it. I even read the whole thing just to give it a fair shake it’s just soooo bad.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Trafficking, Stalking, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Antisemitism
lolalastname's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
To paraphrase Tyra Banks “It’s so bad I want to give you a zero. But that’s not possible, so I give you a 0.25.”
Graphic: Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Child death, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Torture, Racism, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Vomit
mickeygod's review
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Stalking, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Antisemitism, Body horror, Cursing, Murder, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, and Confinement
Minor: Child abuse, Trafficking, Alcoholism, and Child death
serenareadsx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Stalking, Trafficking, Violence, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Child death, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture