Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers

8 reviews

huitthuitt's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

1.0

Yeesh.

What I don’t understand is why Olivia would testify against Malachi. Like if you’re gonna make adoptive siblings fuck in the blood of their adoptive dad after the MMC beat the shit out of him, don’t do a 8 year time jump. 

Malachi had so much control over Olivia to the point where (in my opinion) Olivia wouldn’t have testified against him if she truly “loves” him.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Stalking, Physical abuse, and Incest

devsreadsnrambles's review

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is not for newbies of the Dark Romance genre. I have read quite a few dark romances and this one is definitely dark. I have tried to include a list of content warnings, however it is not exhaustive as there is content in the book that is not available from the provided options. 

If you choose to read this, READ THE CONTENT WARNINGS. 

On to my actual review- 

This book is wildly insane. I have learned many new things about myself whilst reading it. It is not for the feint of heart. There is fake brother/sister relations (both adopted separately) and lots of inappropriate touching between raised siblings.

That being said, I really did enjoy reading this twisted little book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Blood, Cursing, Torture, Sexual content, Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Kidnapping

kasara_elisa's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Blood, Torture, Sexual content, Gore, and Violence

alijaywat's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Jesus fucking Christ, what a ride
Check your triggers warning for the love of god

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Incest, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, and Physical abuse

cheeserue's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.25

"run, little stranger"

This book was an absolute rollercoaster. It's one of the more disturbing stories I've read.

Putting aside the brother-sister thing (I know they're not actually related), they both have absolutely no character. Malachis' whole personality is that he has an ASPD diagnosis. He's the "dark and mysterious" mute that wears black, has shaggy hair & probably wears too much eyeliner. Don't even get me started on Olivia. She has even less personality than her "brother." She does anything and everything that anyone tells her to do, especially her parents. She goes through four (maybe five) betrothals throughout the whole thing (including going along with her mother selling her virginity.) she makes me want to rip my hair out.

I'll gloss over the fact that they fucked raw-dog on top of their fathers beeding out body and then at the end her father (for some unknown and unwritten reason) completely flipped his script and was okay with his daughter running away from her wedding with her brother.

“Go,” Dad says, kissing my cheek. “We’ll deal with them. Be happy, angel."

Like WHAT THE FUCK?!

That ending was absolutely horrible. It felt rushed, like they were tired of writing and wanted to wrap it up.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Addiction

howboutjane's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

OBSESSED... 

I f'kin inhaled this book. Leigh pushed the limits of dark + taboo with this novella. It is deranged and twisted. Nothing about what happened in this book is okay. But it was also beautiful and raw and had me bawling like a child by the end of it.

This is not feel good or cozy. It's heavy smut with taboo kinks and fetishes. If you're one of those people that like to skip trigger warnings...Don't. Do not set yourself back years of growth + recovery because you wanted to f'ck around + find out.  If you've read the synopsis, trigger warnings, took time to reflect and think you can handle it then buckle up and get ready for the darkest ride of your life. Malachi is THAT psycho. 

"Run Little Stranger" 😈

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, Physical abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Murder, Rape, and Sexual content

Minor: Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Death of parent

hannaspages's review against another edition

fast-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

2.5

This book feels like a fever dream… 
I was told that Malachi was a Zade dupe but he is giving schizophrenia/ an autistic joker vibe instead. 
Some of the scenes really threw me for a loop though,

like when he shoved a skrewdriver up the fmc’s ass?

I would say that this book is more like ‘The Dare’ and not Haunting Adeline, it’s definitely heavy on the kinks.
Some of the scenes don’t make sense as well, like the end

where the father that Malachi almost killed and whose blood he fucked his sister in, suddenly just accepts that his kids are in a relationship…

The 2 stars I gave are for the narrators because they were actually good, but the story lacked plot.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Blood, and Violence

poupimali's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This was… interesting.
Obviously taboo af.
The development of the FMC was not consistent enough for me. Like she switched to a sweet girl to a most devious person than her brother. It was a bit odd. 

But that’s okay. 
This book is right on top of my « WTF AM I READING? » shelf.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Blood, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Child abuse