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A review by rewritingrosie
The Poisoner by I.V. Ophelia
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
❛ —- ARC REVIEW ෆ
[ SMALL SPOILERS, NOTHING BIG! ]
RATING:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
CW :
* dub con / non con
* bdsm
* detailed gore, murder & depictions of violence
* substance use
* sa survivor
* discussion of sa
KINKS LIST:
* impact play
* primal / chasing
* knotting ( but a unique twist! )
* biting & blood play & spitting
* mutual stalking, we love to see equal obsession
* definitely brat / brat tamer, switch chaos
GENRES:
* horror
* erotica
* romance
REVIEW:
Oh, dear friends, you are in for a ride!
I’d recommend this to anyone fond of all books decadent as they are grim, provided the reader is mindful of the tw’s! As a gal who is obsessed with crimson peak & penny dreadful, I can say for sure — I.V. Ophelia absolutely delivered! From the jaw dropping aesthetics, the snarky dialogue ( accompanied by equally viscous characters ), and the unique take on vampires, the storyline grabbed me by the throat, and refused to let me go.
I absolutely adored Alina! Bewitching and hungry for knowledge, it was a true delight to see a woman taking vengeance by the balls. Her headspace was unique, cunning, and her twisted sense of justice felt satisfying & unnerving in the same breath, reminiscent of Cassie from promising young woman. You climb into this world, expecting a sweet mouse to get devoured by the snake — Silas — only to realize who the danger has been all along.
As for Silas, I tried SO long to cling to my morals, and ignore the devilishly charming nature of this vamp, but characters with psycho golden retriever energy are just TOO good to deny. His obsessiveness was almost comedic at times, and as the story progressed, the transition from seeing Alina as a means to an end ( food & entertainment ) to much more was tastefully done. The chasing, the fighting, and the way he assisted her in the name of stem ( wink wink ) had me clamped with a hand over my mouth, attempting not to scream.
Out of it all, I cannot for the life of me, however, brag enough about the existence of Vipera. I.V. Ophelia did their research, and brought a creature of fantasy into my favorite era via science, and it was so satisfying to see the beginning thumbs of politics. I am drooling while awaiting book 2, and need it immediately on my bookshelf! ( pronto! )
SOME NOTES ( please read ):
* If you are heavily triggered by writing of SA, dubcon, or noncon scenes, I recommend checking your heart, and making sure you’re able to handle reading this without affecting your mental health. As an SA survivor, I found the way IV. Ophelia wrote about the subject to be very thoughtful, while brutal, and she was ALWAYS checking on the arc readers ( me included ) to make sure I was okay with the content. I had to take a moment break during chapter 48, it was HEAVY, and to me, was very noncon, though I understand people thinking it to be more dub con. I was a bit disappointed regarding Silas’s reaction towards the villain after finding out what the villain did, but I know that as with everything, IV. Ophelia writes with purpose, and the ending has us ALL hanging on by a thread. Overall, just be mindful to trigger warnings, be kind to yourself, and if it’s not something you can handle, please don’t feel bad!
LAST WORDS:
* thank you, IV. OPHELIA for the arc, and for being so kind to all of us readers! We see your passion, and you are also an amazing person overall! I’m so proud of ya, and can’t wait to see what you bring to the table in the future!
[ SMALL SPOILERS, NOTHING BIG! ]
RATING:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
CW :
* dub con / non con
* bdsm
* detailed gore, murder & depictions of violence
* substance use
* sa survivor
* discussion of sa
KINKS LIST:
* impact play
* primal / chasing
* knotting ( but a unique twist! )
* biting & blood play & spitting
* mutual stalking, we love to see equal obsession
* definitely brat / brat tamer, switch chaos
GENRES:
* horror
* erotica
* romance
REVIEW:
Oh, dear friends, you are in for a ride!
I’d recommend this to anyone fond of all books decadent as they are grim, provided the reader is mindful of the tw’s! As a gal who is obsessed with crimson peak & penny dreadful, I can say for sure — I.V. Ophelia absolutely delivered! From the jaw dropping aesthetics, the snarky dialogue ( accompanied by equally viscous characters ), and the unique take on vampires, the storyline grabbed me by the throat, and refused to let me go.
I absolutely adored Alina! Bewitching and hungry for knowledge, it was a true delight to see a woman taking vengeance by the balls. Her headspace was unique, cunning, and her twisted sense of justice felt satisfying & unnerving in the same breath, reminiscent of Cassie from promising young woman. You climb into this world, expecting a sweet mouse to get devoured by the snake — Silas — only to realize who the danger has been all along.
As for Silas, I tried SO long to cling to my morals, and ignore the devilishly charming nature of this vamp, but characters with psycho golden retriever energy are just TOO good to deny. His obsessiveness was almost comedic at times, and as the story progressed, the transition from seeing Alina as a means to an end ( food & entertainment ) to much more was tastefully done. The chasing, the fighting, and the way he assisted her in the name of stem ( wink wink ) had me clamped with a hand over my mouth, attempting not to scream.
Out of it all, I cannot for the life of me, however, brag enough about the existence of Vipera. I.V. Ophelia did their research, and brought a creature of fantasy into my favorite era via science, and it was so satisfying to see the beginning thumbs of politics. I am drooling while awaiting book 2, and need it immediately on my bookshelf! ( pronto! )
SOME NOTES ( please read ):
* If you are heavily triggered by writing of SA, dubcon, or noncon scenes, I recommend checking your heart, and making sure you’re able to handle reading this without affecting your mental health. As an SA survivor, I found the way IV. Ophelia wrote about the subject to be very thoughtful, while brutal, and she was ALWAYS checking on the arc readers ( me included ) to make sure I was okay with the content. I had to take a moment break during chapter 48, it was HEAVY, and to me, was very noncon, though I understand people thinking it to be more dub con. I was a bit disappointed regarding Silas’s reaction towards the villain after finding out what the villain did, but I know that as with everything, IV. Ophelia writes with purpose, and the ending has us ALL hanging on by a thread. Overall, just be mindful to trigger warnings, be kind to yourself, and if it’s not something you can handle, please don’t feel bad!
LAST WORDS:
* thank you, IV. OPHELIA for the arc, and for being so kind to all of us readers! We see your passion, and you are also an amazing person overall! I’m so proud of ya, and can’t wait to see what you bring to the table in the future!
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence