Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton

33 reviews

squidney36's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Creepy in a good way
Stalker
Abuse
Misguided but lovable

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Gore, Incest, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Sexual content

ashnoel's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

So after reading a couple of books from H.D. Carlton... I didn't mind this one. I do think it had much more sexual content than I was expecting... because I was really interested in the horror subplot about the man that took them in at the lighthouse. Like especially wish I had known more about how the wife died. Considering he literally tortured his family because he refused to accept change. Maybe it would've been nice to know too if like since people had come forward with accusations for Kev, that like Sawyer wouldn't actually be convicted of something that was--in reality--an act of self-defense. Idk, I'm conflicted. As much as I love spice in books, this may have been a little too much spice because the plot was very interesting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, Incest, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Grief, and Kidnapping

rchulin1's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Not sure how the author was able to fit so much into a relatively short book but she did it. Such an interesting concept this book I very much enjoyed it

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Gaslighting, Gore, Blood, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Alcohol, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Body horror, Medical content, Vomit, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Confinement, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

theartistreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Abandonment, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Body horror, Murder, Slavery, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Death, Pedophilia, Confinement, Incest, Medical content, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse

asiaah's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This book needs to die.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Incest, Murder, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

he dips her head in shark infested water after he bites her lip and continues to f her while sharks try to eat her face off. Continues on to tell her “she’s nothing and never will b nothing” and more degrading shit while still wanting to fuck on her and she’s just like “I deserve to b sexually assaulted bc I steal credit cards” that’s the whole plot of this book.

mznerdy's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Torture, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Violence, Confinement, Grief, Incest, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Blood

our_smutty_corner's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Incest, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death, and Gore

meganashlee27's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Confinement, Gun violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Rape

ewindtberg's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

This is the fourth book that I’ve read from this author and it did not disappoint. I kind of-sort of knew what the plot was going into it based on short summaries but I didn’t expect it to be what it was (in a good way). That shark scene though?! Bonkers. The ending was crazy and creepy. Did I still read it and recommend this book to friends afterwards? Most definitely lol. Check the TWs as this book is not suitable for anyone under 18.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

2.0

Sawyer is on the run and hiding in  Australia. To get by, she has been stealing people's identities. Fate throws her in to Enzo's path and bed. After realizing his identity has been stolen, Enzo sets out to track down and punish the woman responsible.

The idea behind this book was interesting to me.

Two people who hate each other get shipwrecked on an isolated island where there is nothing but a creepy old man and some noisy "ghosts".

I liked the mystery vibes to it. That said, the dark romance edge didn't really work for me and the twists were super predictable. 

First off, I didn't like either of the characters. Sawyer has a really fucked up past and is dealing with all sorts of PTSD from it. Enzo is a psychopath shark expert. There was nothing redeeming about him.

A woman steals his identity, and his reaction is that shark scene? WTF! Truly a psycho.

I just didn't care about either of them. It's a shame because with Sawyer's background, there was so much potential for readers to make an empathetic connection.

Second, both characters felt flat and there was a lack of chemistry between them. It was all about who could hurt the other more. Together they are completely chaotic and explosive (not in a good way). There was no real character development in this book. Neither were likable, nor were they really redeemed by the end.

I feel like this would have worked better as a regular thriller without the dark romance edge to it. Parts of this book just dragged so much, and they were always the dark romance parts.

Tropes' forced proximity, enemies to lovers, morally grey, one bed

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Gun violence