Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Twisted by Emily McIntire

5 reviews

kaelizaco's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Sexual content

chelle22's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Child abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Slavery, Stalking, Terminal illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Gore

__romancereader__'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book so much read it in 1 sitting it was amazing i love julian and yasmin the book is definitely getting a five star from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, Bullying, Blood, Cancer, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death, Gun violence, and Hate crime

Not all content warnings are about the main characters some are and some are about the characters that come along in the book🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

r1vana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.5

“I want to reach into your chest and hold your heart in my hands, making sure it only beats for me. 
But I don't want your firsts, Yasmin. I want your forever.” 

This is one of the most anticipated books of 2023. With the last book being a hit for me, I had high hopes and Emily Mcintire did not let me down this time!

This was so good. I read it in one shot. Left no crumbs.

There are some ups and downs…

This is a retelling of Aladdin but the villain gets the girl as always in this Never After series. 

I have always loved Aladdin. So when I heard that the author is gonna make a retelling, I was kinda scared and hesitant to read it.

In this book, we are introduced to Yasmin and Julian.

Julian Faraci wants everything. When I mean everything it’s Yasminems father’s diamond business that he helped for years. But in order to do so, he needs to marry Yasmin in order to own Sultan's.

On the other hand, Yasmin wants nothing more than to be able to love Aidan, the man she loved as a child. She just want to truly love him openly. However, due to her father's dying wish, marrying someone of his wish so the soon to be husband will become to heir of his company. 

•Tropes? 

Slow burn with banter

Age gap (13yrs) with arranged marriage by forced. 

Forced proximity and sexual tension.

Enemies to lovers

“If you touch her, you die.”

“My wife!”

The slow burn was slow. Which sometimes made it seems that the plot was getting dragged, but when they got together, the plot got real fast.

Also, I wished that Yasmine had a backbone. Because sometimes it was frustrating to read whenever she let people walk all over her. This book has some misogyny. Julian is hot and cold. But the more we get to see his childhood, the more I have come to care for him:
Your first mistake was not recognizing who I am... Your second mistake was disrespecting my wife. 

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The author easily portrayed Julian as a villain who is truly avaricious and toxic, but deep down, he is a man who has always known what he wants. 

Until Yasmin tries very hard to exploit his weaknesses against him. All the secret scheming and the tension was stressful were almost unsettling. 

I like that his character didn't immediately progressed to a happy lolly changed-man persona that usually comes with dark romances.

By the time I finished the book, his villainous side was still strong as ever but his wife has become his first priority. He is a man who would not hesitate to commit crimes for the people he loves without ever feeling guilty.

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This book also has a love triangle. Something I don’t really like. But in this case since it is a forced marriage with a “villain(antihero) gets the girl”, I let it pass.

And why the heck did he named his snake Isabella. Julian definitely did not look villainy… on that part.

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At the end of the day, Yasmine is sweet and Julian is spicy. They have come to balance each other:
 "My love for you is dangerous.”

PSA: Julian has a very filthy mouth. He is for the street. He’s an Italian villain:
"You're an angel, gattina. And I'll break your wings just to keep you by my side.” 

The spice level depends on the reader…

degradation; spanking; daddy kink; choking; voyeurism

"Sei bellissima quando implori."

“You look beautiful when you beg.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Kidnapping, and Violence

Child abuse

andeng's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Violence