Debbie
If you eat up true crime anything as much as I do then you know who M. William Phelps is. Either from TV, books or podcasts. For me it's from tv ( and the podcast Paper Ghosts which you MUST listen to) as some years ago I switched from reading true crime to watching it. So this is actually my first Phelps book and I went in super excited. I know that sounds horrible because this book means someone got murdered but if you love true crime you know what I mean...BUT I DIGRESS.
I didn't know about this particular case so it was good going in with zero details. Mary Yoder was a very healthy and vibrant woman who died painfully from something that should have never been in her system. Now comes the who and the why. Who could possibly harbor any ill will for a woman that everybody seemingly likes/love?
Not really surprising to me but Phelps can write true crime just as well as he can talk about it on tv. As it goes with these kinds of books, the less said the better. Just know that I found it to be well written and well researched. The details are there without it reading as boring or confusing but he also knows how to write about the people well. The victim, the killer, everyone else around them. It's not just about the crime. He does the footwork and gets to know everyone involved. I have zero regrets using my Bookish First points to claim this book.
I like contemporary romances....but it's been a minute since I've read a handful here and there. So when my awesome friend MJ not only recommended this book/series/author but gifted it to me as it is one of her faves I was excited...but also nervous because I was afraid I wouldn't love it as much as she does. No worries were needed because I loved it.
Was I always in love with the MC, Joss Butler? Not at all. She was very frustrating. Understandably so but still so. So what saved her for me? Therapy. ( Not me in therapy. The book didn't wreck me like that
Before seeing this book on Bookish First I had never come across any of this authors books. As shocking as it may seem that is something that happens all the time. Many thanks to BF for putting this series in my path.
I must admit that when I saw that this book was not centered around Keeley I was a bit worried. I liked her so much and wanted more of her and Caid that I didn't know if I would even care as much about Gemma. Luckily I didn't let that stop me from enjoying yet another wild ride of a series.
Gemma and Keeley are alike and yet so different. They are alike in that they are both bad ass women in many ways. Different because they don't see people and situations in the same way AT ALL. Where Keeley sees the good in everyone, Gemma absolutely does not (I mean...I relate to her somewhat there LOL). She may be a tough nut to crack but it's absolutely worth it when you do.
This books gives us all the the great world building, family dynamic, banter, fight scenes that we got in book one. And it's all still fun to read. Just like The Blacksmith Queen the romance takes a back seat to the main focus of the story. It's there. It's just not in your face. If you blink you miss it sort of. This is not shapeshifting smut (Although do hit me up with them recs though.). There is more to this than that. It's been a fun journey so far and I can't wait for more.
Imagine this...you don't believe in ghosts. Now imagine you go along with your best friend while they ghost hunt because that's what best friends do. Now imagine that you find out the hard way that ghosts are indeed real. Now imagine that you can touch them. Bananas, amirite?! Of course if you can touch them that means that THEY CAN TOUCH YOU.
My favorite thing about this book, hands down, are the relationships. Shay and Max are very relatable. I have a best friend who I would do anything for and this really struck a cord with me. The characters are pretty diverse too so that was a definite plus.
I wasn't left shaking in my boots scared...but I also don't read or watch spooky stuff only in October. So that's not a deal breaker for me. I'm definitely interested in the next book because I'd love to see how the characters grow from here.
4.5 stars
This book was brought to my attention because of BookishFirst. The blurb for book two ( didn't realize it wasn't the first at the time) was calling to me so hard that I used my points to secure an ARC for it and I regret nothing. So then off I went to borrow an e copy of this one. My only mistake was not buying the book ( Soon she shall be mine).
Not only is the female lead strong but so are all the other women and I'm always down with that (girl power and all that jazz). Now throw in hilarious sibling arguments ( just because you love them doesn't mean you have to like them
This was a much needed solid fae read. I didn't realize how oversaturated I was on SJM's fae world ( in reading and bookstagram). I was craving a new fae fantasy and this fit the bill.
Told in two POV's the story follows Ara ( high fae) and Temir ( lesser fae). Two people on the opposites sides of the social status who want the same thing...to fight back. Ara is on a quest to find out who she really is after finding out the hard way that her parents trained her from birth for a reason. A very big reason. Temir is a lesser fae better off than most because of his rare ability. In reality he is trapped and has some dangerous choices to make.
The book sucked me in from the beginning. It has action, political intrigue and a light romance. If you're looking for a new fantasy you really can't go wrong with this.
I am now and have always been Twilight Trash. Unapologetically so. With that being said I thought I would devour this book. I shocked myself by taking my time with it and just enjoying being back in Forks.
In terms of plot, you aren't going to get anything new. If you're expecting that then you aren't paying attention. What you do get is to see Bella through Edward's eyes. His infatuated, stalkery eyes. With that being said he can crawl through my window whenever he wants (Alexa, play Come To My Window by Melissa Etheridge). He doesn't see her the way she sees herself, of course, so it's almost like you're getting a whole new Bella. You also get a lot more of the Cullens, which was absolutely missing from the original series. That would have made the books even better because I was interested in them all and their backstories.
Edward was always intense in the OG Twilight but from his POV he is INTENSE. Make no mistake I am #TeamEdward now and forever but sometimes I just wanted to tell him “You don't need air but breathe, baby. BREATHE.” I'm sure living for eternity with your whole family of couples while being able to hear their every thought would get to us all, so no judgement here. I would probably also fall in love with someone whose thoughts I couldn't hear because OMG WHAT A HORRIBLE POWER. EVERYONE SHUT UP TWICE.
This book is absolutely for die hard fans. And maybe the wait for a book that was never going to come out made it better but I'm happy with it. But I still hate that cover. Ew.
If you are looking for a gothic, dark romance with a dash of psychological thriller, look no further. This was a beautiful, dark read and I know my review will do it zero justice...but here I go anyways.
Trauma in any sense (sexual/physical/verbal etc.) stays with you forever. No matter how it is that you carry it, there it will always be. Sometimes it's tucked away sealed up in a box all the way in the back...And sometimes you can feel it all over your skin like bugs running up and down and all over. Now take two such broken people and put them together and you'll get one of two things....more destruction or salvation.
Isadora Quinn has heard all of the rumors about Lucian Blackthorne. The Mad Son. The Devil of Bonesalt. The Monster of Tempest Cove. She also doesn't believe any of them since she was raised in the same small fishing town and knows exactly how true the rumors about her are. So when a job opportunity shows up at his castle she takes it. She needs the money to get the hell away from the rumors, the trauma, the memories and just try and start somewhere new. She is about to get more then she ever imagined.
The story is told in dual POVs. I loved the pacing of the book which was pretty steady throughout (until maybe the last 20 percent where shit got wild for a hot second). There are triggers and this book is absolutely not for everyone. But I found it to be haunting, sad and beautiful. And now off I go to look up more of Keri Lake's books.
What would you do for a love and bond that transcends generations, distance and earthly planes? What happens when you learn that sometimes love and hate are two sides of the same coin?
It's been three years since Miya's world ended in Black Hollow. Now she and Kai follow nightmares to hunt the demons responsible for them and the tragedies that follow. Mason is trying to get back to work in the “real world” and forget all about Dreamwalkers and small town lore and just how real those stories can be.
Miya is struggling with how she fits into this new world and just how powerful she is. Or could be if she learned to trust herself as much as she trusted those around her. Her path to self discovery isn't a pretty one but it is certainly a sight to behold.
Kai is more than happy to traverse all over and back with his best friend and lover...but this time he's bound to her in more ways than one. Kai is not your regular textbook bad boy. He is so much more and he is certainly not for everyone and quite frankly...he doesn't give a fuck. He is raw emotion and pain in its harshest and most honest form. In the process he must learn he is more than just blood and fists.
Mason is still not minding his own business and finds out what happens when you go looking for answers to questions you should have never asked. Mason frustrated me in THG and continued to frustrate me here (It's okay. Some characters are meant to be.) He learns that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that sometimes the best way to rectify a past mistake is by walking away and leaving it alone.
The Echoed Realm is definitely more intense than The Hollow Gods. Gone is the slow, melodic pace. Here we have everything coming to a head in a wilder ride.
AJ has managed to do in this duology what some authors can't do across a massive series. She showed us brilliant, story telling, raw emotions, side characters who matter and add to the story and not just take up space and a perfectly timed backstory that melded past and present beautifully.
Come prepared to feel all of the feelings.
I'm writing this review with such a heavy heart. The synopsis screams DEBBIE, READ ME! The cover screams DEBBIE, READ ME! The end result screamed ZzzzzZzZzz.
The story is told from two POV's across two different timelines. Usually not a problem for me....unless I'm bored to death apparently. Viv ( past) and Carly (present) are so similar that more than once I forgot who's chapter I was reading. Or it read like the same chapter back to back. Not even the ending saved it for me.
What makes this all the sadder is that The Sun Down Motel itself is quite creepy. The descriptions there were deliciously eerie and atmospheric. But that wasn't enough to stop me from putting this book down numerous times before finally finishing it.
It seems that the Vardan siblings can't stay out of trouble. Book one , Xandra was running to help Dede. Now it is Val. Not to mention the political mess she is in, coming to terms with her new identity, new relationship, PLUS she's the main suspect in a murder investigation. Xandra has a lot on her plate and she needs to get her shit together ASAP. Luckily she has people in her life who remind her that 1. Not everything is about you and 2. It's time to shit or get off the pot.
The books isn't without flaws(What book is though). It gets a bit repetitive and thus, Xandra gets a bit too whiny. But I don't care. I repeat I DON'T CARE. I love this world, the characters, the storyline and I want to be in it forever.
Side note: Vex is still perfect. Good day.
Audio book review
This is the fourth book in and Pepper Winters had managed to still keep me on the edge of my seat. This has been a wild ride and I'm sad to see that the next book is the last but I'm also hoping Eleanor and Sully some time to actually build on their relationship.
Make no mistake, Sully is a villain who has done villainous things..but seeing him fight and lose the pull of Eleanor has softened me to him. I want him to finally have a happy ending. I also want him to kill his brother who is absolutely a sociopath and shouldn't be left around any living thing.
Let's not leave Eleanor behind though. She is stubborn, brave and still absolutely regal. She isn't blind as to who Sully is and makes no excuses. In a short amount of time she knows him better than he knows himself and has no problem calling him out on his bullshit. I love her LoL.
The two narrators have done a fantastic job once again. This one had a bigger cast especially towards the end. But not once did they take me out of the story with the voices. ........also Sully's voice is hot.
When a non-magical Snow White western retelling was up for grabs I had to give it a shot. I was even more intrigued because Snow White is black. The author did wasn't isn't normally done...showing that POC's were pioneers as well.
Don't let my 3 stars scare you. This book had great character development and the research was absolutely done. I simply found out that I'm not that big on westerns. It's not the books fault I didn't fully realize that I'm just not that into that particular genre.
The ONE thing I do wish were different is that it instead of Levi narrating that it was Hopeful instead(Snow White).
This is everything a circus themed book should be! I feel like this book is being slept on and I'm here to tell you that you are missing out.
The MC is Lace, a princess excited for her visit to Pandemonium. The excitement is cut short when she witnesses a murder and the circus disappears never to be seen again. Until now. Fast forward five years...her parents are dead, her brother just sold her off to be married to their enemy.....and Pandemonium is back.
There's mystery, magic, secrets, plot twists and a love triangle. I need say no more.
Victoria M. Patton did in 166 pages what some authors can't do in double that. You may think that a standalone psychological thriller novella wouldn't work because the one thing you need in that type of story is the time to build up the suspense. Not if you're VMP.
Chandra is a painfully shy, newly successful author. She is convinced she has a stalker while the few people around her think that it's just her shyness and apprehension at being the center of attention that has her paranoia acting up. She even tells herself she's being silly....but is she??
I need to take a second to talk about the ending. Holy. Shit. Snacks. That's all I'm going to say about it.
For me, the biggest honor I can give a book is giving it a place on my shelves. Not to knock ebooks..I have plenty of those and love being to take all the books with me when I head out. After having this series in its ebook counterpart, I'm so happy to finally have a hard copy. Why? Because I absolutely love this series/world. I love the steampunk elements. That's a genre I don't get enough of even though I do love it.
Xandra Varda is a member of the Royal Guard in a world full of humans, vampires, werewolves and goblins. Up until this point in her life everything was great. Not perfect..but great. Then something happens to her sister and everything goes tits up. She's about to find out what truths are lies. Even the ones about her. I like Xandra. I find her quite kick ass. (She fights in a corset!. It IS Victorian London after all). She had a touch for the melodramatic at times...which is a plus for me. “What have you brought us?” “Meat.” (Do let me know when you get to that part because I fooking LOVE it.)
I can't leave without talking about Vexation McLaughlin. Alpha werewolf extraordinaire. Does he have a big role in the book? No...but the book isn't about him. He can stand next to me and do nothing all bloody day. Is he delicious nonetheless? Yes ma'am. Is that all it takes for me? Apparently.
Mennik Thorn is a second rate mage. He's also kind of a fuck up. He gets on people's bad side and it's not even intentional. Barely scraping by a living, he's dragged by his best (and only) friend for a “simple” job. This was immediately after botching the job he was just on. Botched job means no pay...
The book doesn't necessarily start off slow...but for a quick bit there you kind of start to get over how seemingly pathetic Mennik is and how much he gets his ass kicked. Even the 11 year old isn't afraid of him. She's definitely way scarier than he is LOL. Then you get to the one page where it all makes sense. With one sentence you get it. Why he seems unambitious. Why he won't work for a mage and go up in rank. Why he wants nothing to do with the people in power, with power and about power. After that it's a wild ride.
Flawed and likeable characters, good world building, magic, fantasy, mystery and it was well done. I read it as an e book but this is a book I definitely want on my shelves. I'm on board for book 2.
This was a very cute enemies to lover rom-com situation. We have Emily, who's life is up in the air at the moment and has moved in with her older sister and niece to help out after her sister's accident. Then we have Simon who seems to “have a stick up his butt”. The banter was absolutely the best at the Ren Faire when they were each in their alter ego as bar wench and pirate. I was really enjoying the whole Ren Faire background because I've always wanted to go to one.
This, all in all, was a cute and easy read ( I don't mean that in a bad way). It didn't rock my world but it wasn't a waste of my time either.
Paul Adams returns to his hometown, where he hasn't been in a very long time, to visit a mother he had no idea was gravely ill. He had zero plans to ever return. He wanted to forget all about the things that happened with his friends 25 years prior. Now things are happening all over again and it's time to figure out what's what.
When this was first up for grabs (on Bookish First) I knew I was going to use my points because after reading (and absolutely loving) The Whisper Man last year, I knew I had to have it. Do I regret that? Not at all. Did I love the book? No. Did I hate the book? No. Am I comparing this to The Whisper Man? No. The book was simply just okay. It's a psychological thriller so I expect the way this was paced. It's supposed to sink it's claws into your brain and you notice way too late. I felt more like..i was mostly reading to see what happens at the end. I couldn't really immerse myself in the now of the book. I can absolutely see why people are loving this but for me it was just okay. This, by no means, mean that I won't be as excited whenever he writes another book.
I knew two things going in....the formatting of this book was the same as Illuminae (YAY!)...Ezra, Kady, Aidan aren't the MCs here (WHAT? NO? WHY?). To that I say, how dare I question Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. This was just as much a wild ride as Illuminae. I love Kady and Nik is a new cinnamon roll baby for me to love.
Something about the pages just does it for me. Reading a book full of documents sounds boring...but this just isn't. Opening up a page with bloodstains on it? GASP! NOOOO. SOB. I don't want it to be over. Obsidio is next and last and then it's over. I DON'T WANT IT TO BE OVER. But you know what, I know nothing about the next and last book. I haven't even read the blurb. I'M READY. LET'S GO.
Possible spoilers
Even though this is only my second CoHo book she seems like the kind of author that likes to mess with your head and make you feel all kinds of feelings. And I'm definitely okay with that.
Regretting You is told from two POVs. Morgan and her 16 year old daughter, Clara. Being a teenager is a difficult time...being one while tragedy strikes makes it all the worse. Morgan became a mother very young and her whole life revolved around her husband and daughter. It's not until he dies in a tragic accident that it comes to light that maybe Chris isn't as wonderful as everyone thought he was.
Finding out your spouse is having an affair after he/she is dead is seriously fucking heavy. There's no one to direct your anger to. No arguments to be had. No questions answered. Morgan has to deal with this while her daughter also takes out her grief on her. Clara is just a teenager who just her father whom she was incredibly close to. Neither one seem to be able to get on the same page about anything. Which is normal but difficult under the best of circumstances.
I liked that Clara found out about the affair...not because I wanted her to hurt. But I wanted her to see that her mother was human with a fuck ton on her plate and she was navigating shit as best she could. Morgan resonated a lot with me. I understood her. As a mother ( a SAH one at ) that I felt a kinship with her. What stopped me from giving it five stars was that we find out nothing else about the affair. I feel like it was the crux of this whole book/situation. Why did it start? When did it start? For how long? I didn't want there to be chapters about it. But some closure? There were letters but at the end of it all Morgan decided she didn't need to know the minute details. And I feel like I did want to know
Audiobook Review
I'm going to start this by saying that the endings of these books give me life. Luckily the series seems to be almost completed so I don't have to wait.
This is book three and it's still going strong. Sully and Eleanor battling their feelings for each other is still good because Pepper Winters ( cool fucking name fyi) knows what she is doing. It's not drawn out and she's not milking it. There are so many layers that you can't be bored.
About halfway through ( I think it was halfway
Audiobook Review
Book one ( Once A Myth) was such a tease. This one though..it kicked up all the emotions more. More passion, more anger (Sully is completely losing his shit and his anger in my headphones as I adult works for me let me tell you), more raw energy. Never mind that there is something going on behind the scenes off the isles. That is something I hope plays out more in the next books.
Eleanor is making Sully lose his mind and she's not even trying. She's not trying to lure him in or trick him. She doesn't kowtow to him and she's certainly not afraid of him. She feels something for him that she knows she shouldn't. It doesn't stop her from wanting to or trying to get off the island.
I enjoyed getting background on Sully and some of how he became who he is now. I also like that so far the books start right where the last book ended. Because at the end of this one I feel like Eleanor fucked up BIG TIME.