Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton

119 reviews

dyanimae's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Rape, Suicide, and Child death

Minor: Death of parent, Rape, Child abuse, and Incest

skyhigh_99's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I put this book off for a while because of the shark scene that everyone was talking about, but I also read Haunt/Hunting Adeline and those books were traumatizing. However this book, while still dark, was amazing. I like how they started off as a hook up and Enzo wants to get revenge on Sawyer for stealing his identity (which seemed kinda fair). Throughout the book there are some questionable situations, but i liked that Sawyer and Enzo were overall equals. They seemed to have a mutual respect, even as enemies, and continuously would give and take power/control pretty equally. After getting stuck on the island with Sylvester, you know something is off with him and as the couple get to know him a little more the unease with them on the island grows. This book also had a ton of twists that I didn’t see coming and I couldn’t put this spicy thriller down for even a second!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Incest

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Incest, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

sizzlesteaks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death, Child death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Incest, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Blood

Minor: Police brutality

bellamartins's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

carolinerose9's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This was a really good book but sometimes the amount of spicy scenes seemed forced and unnecessary. However, they were always well written and I liked them. I also loved the ending, but the first half of the book felt a little slow to me. Overall, would definitely recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Incest, Murder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Gore, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

auburn_phoenix_15's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Well H.D. Carlton has done it again and written a fantastic novel. I know most people find her stories to be strange and very disturbing but I like that her novels all show that everyone of her characters is slightly broken and how they fix themselves.

It felt like a little bit of a murder mystery in some places and it was definitely a psychological thriller in the majority but the characters and ending was spectacular.

Read this if you have strong stomach and want a little bit of horror/thriller and also mystery but otherwise keep away from this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Incest, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Murder, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Death, Child death, Blood, and Sexual content

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcohol, Confinement, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Pedophilia, and Panic attacks/disorders

awrittenwood's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

H.D. Carlton makes me question the purity of my soul, and I'd prefer no one provide an answer because I enjoy the corruption. 

Yes, the plot could be outlandish at times, but what sort of thriller doesn't bend our belief system a bit? 

Enzo is a stronzo (asshole), and he doesn't really become not an asshole, but if we're being honest, that's what makes us clench our thighs about some of the men in these dark romances, right? 

I hated the "favorite toe" joke, but that could be because I don't particularly like toes. Other than that, I liked Sawyer. She may have seemed a little immature at times for her age (28), but that could also be attributed to what her character went through. 

That fucking shark scene?! Good God, holy hell. I didn't know what to feel, and I'm uncomfortable about that...but not in the worst way, sooooo...

Anywaaaaaaay...this was another spit-in-my-mouth-pull-my-hair-tell-me-you-hate-my-guts-and-then-rearrange-my-guts-and-tell-me-you-hate-that-you-love-me type of book for me. #noshame 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Murder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Blood, Child abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Abandonment, Car accident, Police brutality, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

mrsgames2u's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It was more tense than i expected and I couldn’t put it down. Even though I like morally gray MMCs, Enzo was a bit too sadist for my taste. However, the writing was great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Incest

christiansenmy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, Torture, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Toxic relationship

l_piller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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: Child abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Incest