Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

9 reviews

smilestarshine's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Torture, Gaslighting, Violence, and Rape

klsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Death, Addiction, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Torture, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pregnancy

cash_mama's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Sexual content, Death, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Pregnancy

quietmarki's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

1.0

Please send Shantel Tessier to therapy please! This book is bad, has every trigger warning that exist!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Physical abuse, Stalking, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, Classism, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Abortion, Addiction, Blood, and Sexism

caroline_bel's review against another edition

dark fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Rape, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Sexual assault, Cursing, Torture, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Death, Blood, Misogyny, Death of parent, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Addiction, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

leanneod1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Torture, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexism, Pregnancy, Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark tense 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

2.0

Brighton University is home of the LORDS. A secret society that runs on  violence and includes the most powerful men in the world. Trying to escape her expectations of her parents, Blakely is thrown into this chaotic world when she agrees to be Ryot's "chosen". 

You need to check the TW before reading this one and check your feminism at the door, because this was dark. 

The LORDS, a glorified frat, have high expectations for their members. Their initiation process includes forced celibacy and murder. After three years of celibacy, each man gets to chose a "chosen" (essentially a sex-slave). Of course Ryat, psychopath that he is, is a member. 

Blakely's boyfriend of 3 years (another psychopath) is also a member of the LORDS, but she has no knowledge of it. She is also in a forced arranged marriage with this douche, no biggie. How has she been in the dark this long, considering both her boyfriend and father are members? 

Anyways, Ryot choses Blakely as his "chosen" after being told to do so from her FATHER. WTF! and it spirals out for control from there. 

Ryot is your typical controlling, possessive, jealous asshole. Blakely is the innocent virgin who is magically into all these intense acts .. ya ok... She is honestly the most idiotic and naive character. 

Their connection was very forced, shallow, and based on a physical connection. He protects her, she gives herself to him, that pretty much sums it up. This is basically Stockholm Syndrome at its worst. 

Tropes: dark, secret society, touch her/you die

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexual content, Stalking, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Blood, Murder, and Sexual violence

cait's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Confinement, Infertility, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Body horror, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

misswirum's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I am torn between giving this book 5/5 or 4,5. It may be my all time favourite, but I need a couple of days to digest this book, because it's soooo good!!!
I thought The Royals of Forsyth was my darkest read, but The Ritual is a close second! Or.. have Angel Lawson found her match?? 
It dosen't beat Lawson's writing, but the TW and kinks is more advanced in The Ritual. The plot is good, but maybe a little bit confusing at time? I'm not sure it's because of the writing or because I'm a non-english-speaker.

This book is DARK and has all kind of TW, kinks and spice. You are warned. Enjoy the ride 😏

4,75/5⭐️
3,75/5📝
5/5🌶

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting