Corruption by Penelope Douglas (review)

Wow. Okay wow. First of all this is the hundredth book I have read 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳. I've been meaning to read this for months, and Penelope rarely disappoints. Welp, this did more than not disappoint IT WAS AMAZING. 

The spoiler-free version is that the plot was incredible, the writing and smut was fucking amazing, I'm in love with the main character and not only did Penelope show off a sexy kick ass gay character in the perfect way but in a fucked up round-about way, I found it to be quite the feminist read. Now lets get to business 😎.

First up, the goddamn story line

Most romance books I read are only okay at the storyline. What I mean by this, is that, outside of the romance, there is nothing. Like, the actual trope will be good, and you feel like you know the characters, but romance is the only aspect to the book. This on the other hand 🤯. It was like a horror, mystery and romance all wrapped up into one whilst including, I hate every girl but you and bad boy trope. LIKE, HOW DO YOU PULL THAT OFF?
Putting it simply, the book switches between past and present and eventually threads everything together. You see how Erika, or Rika as everyone calls her, was in love with Michael from an early age and we realise that he liked her just as much.  Can you remember when I mentioned the bad boy thing? Well, every hallow's eve (dubbed devils night) he and three of his friends (the horsemen) get into some trouble. One year Rika ends up joining them and shit goes wrong, only to be resolved three years later.
The switches from past to present keep you on a constant cliff hanger and desperate to know the ending. Penelope could not have done a better job.

Characters

I loved pretty much all of the character's personalities (ignoring their shitty actions) because they were multi-layered and you got to see how they developed due to certain events. Later on in the series I'll be able to go into greater depth for the other horsemen, but for now, I'm just focusing on Micheal and Rika.

Rika, was so entertaining. Like she has me full on crying from laughter to the point were my uncle was like, "are you chocking?" I can't say I agree with the ending, in which the two get together, but her as a person I loved. Honestly I didn't see it as a romance so much as her development, meaning I could I get past the ending without screaming.

Micheal was a coward. It was fun to watch him grow some balls. End of story.

AND DON'T YOU DARE THINK I'M FORGETTING ABOUT ALEX. She was brilliant. Seriously. I want a lesbian threesome with her and Rika 💀 (I hope my mum never sees this)

Equality or Misogyny

I'm not going to lie, to easily persuaded girls, this is gonna fuck with their head in a "my boyfriend owns me" kinda way, but to smart girls, they're gonna laugh. Actually taking a step back from everything, I found the shit the guys said funny. I mean think about it, all the boys are pricks. The way that they treated Rika, whether she put them in jail or not, it was beyond shitty. Micheal's a coward, his dad's a cheat, Damon's a rapist, Will burns down the business his crush owns and Kia is the most reasonable but still a sexist shit. 

Now let's look at the female characters. Rika is a badass who knows how to push limits, Alex is hot and making money on her own, Will's breif love interest is mentioned as a nerd aka smart, and even Rika's mother has a reason to be depressed.

From my perspective, it's saying all men are shit and women are incredible. Granted, I don't think that it was the intention but it was damn well the impression I got. Not to mention, I love how Alex was portrayed. Instead of just throwing in that gay besty, or cracking some joke about dicks wanting dicks, they made the prostitute bi 🤧.