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persistentlynerdish's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
✨This book was sent to me by the publishers for review consideration, but all opinions are honest and my own.✨
Spice rating: 5/5
I had a lot of fun reading this book. It was a wild ride that I very much enjoyed!
As a softie soft FMC-coded lady, I really do appreciate Rain, the FMC. She’s not to everyone’s tastes but I related to her a lot before her ‘corruption’/character arc. Early on in the story, she goes through something insanely traumatic and her first immediate thought is of how her mom will react! She’s 100% so real for that and I loved it! And after her corruption, I could vicariously live out female rage through her and that was great. Some readers may find her transformation and lack of conflicting feelings toward’s Elijah’s initial actions to be jarring, and I can understand that but I think it suited the mood of the story and I’ll explain why further down.
I adored Elijah. He is peak unhinged MMC. His instant obsession with Rain started immediately on the highest level and stayed there throughout the story. If you’re not a fan of instalove, he may not be for you! However, he is insanely protective over Rain, and that plus his general unhinged-ness makes him a classic dark romance book boyfriend in my opinion.
The plot itself is unhinged, similar to Elijah. It is very dark and gritty, but NOT in the realistic, down-to-earth sense. It is dark and gritty in the manic, chimerical sense. I got a bit of a shadowy, surreal feel while reading it, and in my opinion this is what allowed me to accept the insanity of it all, how quickly the FMC changes and how instantly obsessed the MMC is - it fits the energy. This book is very much not trying to be practical and rational but is instead embracing craziness and surrealism with confidence. This unconventional approach allowed me to suspend disbelief and immerse myself in the fantastical world crafted by the author.
The pacing of the story matches this energy too with how fast it is, which can feel rushed at times. However, the frenetic energy contributes to the overall sense of unpredictability and excitement, making it feel like a wild journey from start to finish.
Overall, I had fun reading this book and I would recommend it for those seeking a thrilling escapade filled with passion, intrigue, crazy spice, and a touch of madness. I’m excited to read what comes next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Incest, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Death, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Body horror
caras_reviews's review
challenging
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A first for me by this author and I enjoyed it. It's definitely dark and gory in some parts, so if you have a weak stomach, keep that in mind! I definitely had to take deep breaths and work up to pushing through!
This was a different storyline for me, I haven't read anything like it before and I loved that. While there were some parts I did feel the writing became a little choppy, it didn't quite flow, however, despite that, it's easy to read and the story keeps you invested. I was keen to see where it was headed.
These two characters are definitely different! They are perfect for each other and will do whatever it takes to protect the other. It was a short read for me, once I find a book I like, I can't put them down!
After what happened to Rain, she easily embraces the darkness. Like it has been calling to her all along. It was like a part of her recognised itself in Elijah and vice versa, they did seem very attuned to each other.
Loved the spicy scenes, really hot and steamy and had me blushing!
Very interesting read, I'm looking forward to read more of Elijah and Rain. A book I would recommend for the gore and horror lovers, who like a bit of spice mixed in!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Murder, Stalking, Torture, Gore, and Sexual content
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