Take a photo of a barcode or cover
- “You should wait… and it doesn’t have to be for anything specific. I’m just saying—wait for the weight of the world to pass. Wait until the tremors that wrack through your skull drift into the depths again. Wait until the sun rises, and the light makes you feel a little less pointless.”
- I’m afraid of what I can do when I’m not myself, in the brief moments when too many horrible thoughts run through my mind. This is why I hate myself. Because I do awful things to people I care about.
- I laugh and kiss him deeply, our tongues exploring one another before I whisper, “I’ve had an IUD since I was twenty.” “Have you ever had one pulled out of you?” he asks darkly. I shake my head, dizzy and drunk with lust. His teeth brush against my tender nipple and he breathes against it. “I can do that someday for you, if you ever crave to swell with my child.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail
There were so many things I was not expecting going into this book. First of all, the entire premise is something I haven’t seen before and I can appreciate that because I love a unique story. The focus on each of their feelings about life and death and the ability of, what I am guessing is a lot of readers, to identify with one of the three main characters and their mental health struggles feels important. Dark… but important.
There was really only one thing I didn’t like that much about this book and that was the odd voyeuristic nature that was Harlow Sanctum and it’s weird ideals around therapy (like rooming two people together who were totally going to just end up banging).
It took a little bit of time but I ended up loving their relationship and how the three of them supported and kept each other accountable for their actions. The love shared between this group was something I will think about for a long time.
I didn’t expect to be near sobbing at the very end of the book. He deserved the world and every time I think of him now my heart aches a little. 😔
Respectfully… fuck you, K. M. Moronova.
You kinda broke my heart and my therapy bill is on you!
Currently sobbing just thinking about Liam… 😭
Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder
The story is told from alternating first person points of view between Wynn and Liam. When Wynn is admitted to an unorthodox mental health institution, she’s paired off to room with a dark masochist named Liam. During her time at Harlow, and with the help of Liam and his best mate Lanston, the three embark on a healing journey.
But there are unsolved mysteries lurking in the basement of the Harlow institution… and the trio finds that secrets don’t always stay buried…
Overall I really enjoyed the dark themes within this book. The tension between Wynn and Liam was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Solid character development and arcs for all three of the main characters, and a filthy mouth on Liam that’s to die for.
However I did feel like the plot hopped around quite a bit. We have dark and bulky romance elements, murder mystery, horror thriller, almost a why choose? It was a lot packed into just under 300 pages.
Nevertheless, it gets a 4⭐️ from me, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys dark romantic thrillers. Please be aware to check triggers though, countless in here 🫶🏼
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol
As someone who has been institutionalized for a suicide attempt, I found the characters and their humor to be 100% relatable. There’s just that sick part of our brain that copes with humor in a way that a lot of people wouldn’t understand. There are dark parts to all of us, and they can be portrayed so very differently. I also really appreciated that this book talks about suicide attempts and self harm for people who DO want to live, DO want to feel alive but have ulterior motives or can’t help themselves. The characters are good. The spice is good. The story is good. If you can relate to any of this review, give the book a go and always remember to check in with yourself and someone you love while you read.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury