bee

The story follows and switches point of view between the two main protagonists, Gemma and Jack after they have a one-night-stand with one another. They continue to cross paths, Jack views it as fate and Gemma is adamant that it's not.

I enjoy everything that I have read from Jennifer so I was super excited going into this story.

As someone who is pansexual it was really refreshing to see a main character. It genuinely made me really happy to see because I don't see it very often.

What I think would've made this book better was for there to have been more deeper conversations between Gemma and Jack. I feel like that would've helped me feel more connected to the characters. I loved the time jumps but I would've loved if there was more details in between them, for the same reason of it would've helped me connect with the characters more.

Overall, this is the perfect read for anyone who is going through a reading slump or if you're looking for a short read to help with your reading goals. I'll definitely revisit this in the future.

Thank you to BookSirens and Jennifer Ann Shore for providing me this arc!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I went into this book with an open mind and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved how the author brought into the pandemic and corporates it into the story so that it felt modern and very current.

I feel like this book was quite hard to follow and I struggled at times to get a grip on what was going to happen next for it to flow. I couldn't feel attached or feel any connection to the characters except for Laura.

Laura's character stood out to me the most with her realistic thinking and her having to grow up fast to raise her sibling. I would've liked for there to have been less detail about minor things in the story and more detail about the characters and what lead up to the conclusion of this book.

Overall, this book was a fun journey and I'm interested to see what other works this author has.

Thank you to BookSirens and Nicky Webber for providing me this arc!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

”It was a long time ago.”“And yet I imagine it's not the kind of thing that ever really leaves you?”

This was the first Sally Hepworth book that I read and I can honestly say I absolutely loved this. Every single second of it.

The fact that it was set in Australia and written by a fellow Australian too just made it even better for me.

There were so many twists and turns in this book that was easy to struggle with who to trust which is what I love in books, especially ones like this.

Each character had their own struggles and secrets from the past or from the present. I felt like I was going on a journey along with the characters as they figured it out themselves.

I will definitely revisit this in the future.

Green House Haunting is the perfect level of mystery and eeriness that leaves you grasping the edge of your seat as you wait to see what happens next.

The story is set in the 1980s and follows Andy, a freelance writer who accepts a job from a woman named Lillian to stay in the abandoned house where her younger brother had vanished when she was a child. Andy views this as the opportunity of a lifetime but soon finds herself overwhelmed with the memories of her past and the darkness that surrounds the house.

I found myself hooked from the first chapter. The characters each brought something to the story and had edges to them that left me wanting more.

My only issue with the book (without mentioning any spoilers) is that halfway through I had started to piece together what had happened. I am a Nancy Drew when it comes to mysteries so it is of no fault of the authors though. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I would love to revisit it in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lilac Ink Books LLC for providing me this arc!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thrillers are one of my most favourite genres to read so I was truly excited for this one. I am happy that I wasn't left disappointed.

The story jumps between before and after the disappearance of Abbie's daughter Sarah and how having no answers after six years of her being missing without answers still haunts her.

“It's okay to be happy.”“I know.”“Do you?”

I had a miscarriage when I was seventeen years old and there were so many times when I would have to remind myself that it was okay to find happiness in moments in my life so this quote hit me really hard and I had to immediately highlight it.

It might be a silly thing to be happy about but the author is Australian and this story is set in Australia. It's not often I see things being set there so it made me really happy to be able to read this and support a fellow Australian.

I was so invested in this story from start to finish. It kept me on the edge of my seat and left me anxious to see what happened next which is exactly what you want when it comes to stories like these. I would definitely recommend this to people who enjoy thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me this arc!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was when I received the arc of this book. I have been passionately searching for a book just like this and I am so happy to say that I was not disappointed. If you love Grey's Anatomy, you're going to love this story.

Sam and Grant's interactions left me giddy and had me wanting to kick my feet and squeal as if it was actually happening to me, that's how you know it's good writing.

Sam, Duke and Jehan have the cutest friendship and it really was the highlight of this story for me. I loved every moment between the three of them. There's something so special about found family tropes, especially in a doctor/hospital setting. This was everything I was searching for and wanted.

”If you want to kiss me, this is your moment.”

I am not proud of the sound that left my body when I read this line but I couldn't help myself.

The important lesson that this book explored is that it's okay to be selfish. It's okay to ask for help when you need. I think that's really important and I'm really happy that it was something that was addressed and shown in the story. I loved being able to see Sam learn how to set those boundaries and stand up for herself.

I really enjoyed this story and I can happily say that I would definitely revisit it in the future.

Thank you to the Publisher, Montlake for providing me this arc!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“I've got to figure out before I die whether I want to be happy or I want to be right.”

Before I get into this review, I do just want to give a disclaimer that there are triggering subjects and scenes in this book that go into graphic detail so maybe check out the trigger warnings beforehand.

Now into the review...

I have been wanting to read some of Karin Slaughter's books for so long. She has always been an author that has been hyped up when it comes to Thriller and Mystery books. I am so happy to say that I was not left disappointed.

The Good Daughter, from the very moment it started, had me hooked by its twisted and eerie atmosphere. When I'm reading from this genre, I want to be left feeling unsettled and this did that so perfectly.

I didn't want to put this down because I felt sucked into the whirlpool that had so many questions that needed answers. The mystery? The plot twists? This was everything I was wanting it to be. I can't express how many times I went out to my family and uttered the words “Karin Slaughter? What a writer!”

Usually, when books jump between two timelines it can become quite confusing and difficult to follow but the way it was written in this book was executed so well and left me wanting to read more from both timelines.

I can see myself revisiting this book in the future and I am so excited to read more by this author!

I just realised I never posted a review for this but this was nothing like anything I had read before and I am excited to watch the series because it looks fantastic and twisted :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Inferno Road follows the main protagonist Ben who was just trying to get home to his family when an unthinkable disaster occurs. He's now faced with the difficult task of surviving so he can make it back to his family.

This was a thrilling ride and I found myself hanging onto every single page. This would make a fantastic movie, I couldn't help envisioning it in my head as I read along.

I would've loved for me to have been left with less answers than I was once I had finished the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this and I would love to check out more by this author!

Thank you to BookSirens and K. Lucas for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Reverse grumpy sunshine? Absolutely.

I had so much fun with this. I always love reverse grumpy sunshine tropes because I feel like the strong and broody male protagonist is done too often and I just love myself a grumpy woman.

Thea was such an ideal main character. She was strong and opinionated and she is the type of person I strive to be when it comes to standing my ground and letting my voice be heard.

This is the first book from this author that I've read and I think this definitely won't be the last.

Thank you to Ellie Owen for providing me with an ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Frost and Shadows was such a fun ride to be on. I knew from the very first chapter that this was going to be a book and a universe that I was going to fall in love with.

The magic system was so cool and I found myself not wanting this book to end. It's unbelievable the amount of thought and detail the author put into this.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm going to have to wait for the second book now because I definitely need more and I'm excited to see what comes next in this series.

Thank you to Jessie Vallée for providing me with an ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Bachelorette meets second chance romance? I was sold from the very first page.

This is the type of energy that you want when you pick up a second-chance romance. You want angst, you want slow pining and you want the urge to bang the two character's heads together so they finally get back together. I loved this. I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoyed how messy and chaotic it was.

Emily is a character that you couldn't help but fall in love with. She's been through so much and I instantly felt a connection to her. I wanted to hug her and erase any of her suffering but her strength was unmatched and I was just wishing for her deserved happy ending throughout the entire book.

Jake's fear of breaking everything he touches and the trauma of his childhood continuing to follow him into his adulthood resonated with me deeply. It was truly heartbreaking to read about his struggle with his past but I loved reading about his growth and journey to self-acceptance and forgiveness.

I am so excited to read Sam and Cooper's story. I knew from the minute they both appeared in the story that I would love them and want more of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marie for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lynn Painter, you've done it again.

I can't explain what exactly it is about Painter's writing that has me kicking my feet and swooning like a teenager again. The best way to get close to an explanation would have to be because every time I read one of her works I feel like I'm being transported back to when I was in high school, experiencing the highs and lows of growing older and the feeling of falling in love for the first time. It's so nostalgic in the best way possible.

I loved Emilie and Nick's characters. For her whole life, it was about having control, being perfect and making sure everything was on track and in order. Nick comes into her life and shows her that there's more to life than that and helps her learn to be herself and have fun. Nick is so smitten and swoon-worthy. I genuinely want to keep him in my pocket always.

They had the best banter and I found myself giggling on multiple occasions but I expect nothing less when they are written by Lynn Painter.

I knew from the premise that I would be sold. Groundhog's Day set on Valentine's Day? Absolutely.

I won't say anything more because I don't want to spoil but I had so much fun with this and I am so happy I finally decided to pick this up.

This was the first time I've read anything from Helena and I am so excited to read what else they have up their sleeve because I LOVED this.

This book covered some important subjects such as PTSD, alcoholism, abuse and many more. These topics are not often represented in literature in ways that are painfully realistic and close to home.

Speaking of close to home, The Quiet and The Loud also explores the anxiety and heartbreak of the 2019 Australian Bushfires that left our nation devastated. I personally found this an event that should be explored more often and I loved how the author managed to tie this in with the story and the characters.

I loved reading about George's journey of finding love for the first time, learning to be kinder to herself and seeing her navigate her way through finding her own voice.

This story had everything you could possibly want. It has mental health LGBT and POC representation and was just beautifully written.

Thank you to Pan Macmillian for providing me with this copy to review.

This was such a fun and tense read that had unexpected turns from the very first page.

It was so easy to lose yourself in the pages of The Night I Died. I didn't want to put the book down because I was so intrigued by finding out the truth of what was happening and getting to the bottom of it along with the characters.

I can honestly say I didn't see half of the huge plot twists coming and that's what I love about books like these.

I do have to say that personally, I felt like some things could've been left out of the book as it wasn't necessary or needed for the plot.

Overall, I had great fun with this and I am excited to see what comes next from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Fall has been on my TBR for the longest time and I went into the book with such high expectations. I'm so glad I wasn't let down.

I went into this wanting to be left on the edge of my seat the way that Thrillers usually do and The Fall had me hooked! There was no shortage of twists and turns and I loved trying to work out what happened to Caily along with the other characters. I personally really enjoy unreliable narrators because I love the idea of there being no clear innocent character so the reader is left questioning everyone.

I can wholeheartedly say that I did not see the ending coming from a mile away and that's how you know the author has done a great job!

Without giving too much detail so I don't give any spoilers, the issue that I had is that I didn't like the implication between two characters. I felt it was inappropriate and unnecessary and it made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

I think what I loved the most about this book was the characterisation and how these characters felt so real. Their struggles, their fears and their anguish throughout the book felt like it was flowing from the pages.

Thank you to Harlequin for providing me with this copy to review.

I want to start this off by emphasising that this book touches on very heavy subjects such as abuse, sexual abuse, addiction and many more. Please don't read this memoir if those are triggering subjects for you.

This wouldn't have been an easy story to tell, or an easy story to relive so that they can write it down to share in this book so I want to commend Brittany's strength for sharing this with others.

No one should ever have to go through half of the things that Brittany did throughout her life and I have no words to describe how proud I am of them for using their voice and for sharing their story. As a victim myself, I look at her strength and it helps me remember that I'm not alone.

I can't wait to see what comes next for Brittany and I can't wait to be there to support her in any way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zibby Books for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's been a while since I've read a cute romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet. I am so happy that I picked this up!

I loved that the storyline jumped between the present day and the past. It made me feel like I was watching Aspen and Rome fall in love with one another in both timelines.

Roman has to be one of my favourite male protagonists that I have read. He is so selfless and supportive. I could not think of a single red flag when it came to him. He is the definition of the perfect book boyfriend.

I loved that this book was inspired by the Taylor Swift song and I loved how sweet this story is. I also love that each chapter had a song dedicated to it.

I would've loved to have a chapter written from Rome's point of view.

Overall, this was a super sweet romance that would be great for anyone who is stuck in a reading slump or just wants a cozy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Parson Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Every time I read a book from the Thriller and Mystery genre I am reminded just how much fun they are to read.

I was impressed with the level of uncertainty that surrounded the house and the characters who lived there. I tried my hardest to try to guess who the killer possibly could be but I was way off and I loved that I wasn't able to figure it out.

The atmosphere of The Simmonds House Kills was tense and nerve-racking. This is a perfect read for spooky season.

You could never make me stay in that house even if you paid me. I would also run in the opposite direction of any of the residents that live there.

What I would've loved was there to have been more scenes between Emma and Henry. I didn't feel overly attached to the romance between them because I felt like I didn't get to see it develop as much as I would've liked. However, I loved the scenes we did get and loved their interactions.

I think I also need to mention the underdog that is Tyler. He was such a fun character for me and I loved his quirkiness.

Thank you to Meaghan for providing me with this copy to review.

I love books that are linked with mythology, particularly Greek mythology. There's just something about it that scratches an itch in my brain, I can't explain it.

You can tell by reading this book that the author put a lot of love and research into this. I feel like though I know a lot about mythology already, I learnt a lot just from reading.

Hades brought all the great elements that you would want when reading something like this.

This was slow-paced and action-driven which I personally don't usually enjoy but I think this was done extremely well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“Do not change the parts of yourself that you like to make others comfortable. Do not try to mold yourself to fit the standards someone else has set for us.”

WOAH.

This is another perfect example of when I read a book and get mad at myself for taking so long to read it.

Belladonna is not like anything I have ever read before. This was the perfect gothic mystery and fantasy combination for me.

The writing of Belladonna was so beautifully poetic and I found myself absolutely enthralled by the story from start to finish. I honestly could not put this book down and I was cursing myself for needing sleep because I just wanted to keep reading.

I loved the character progression of Signa and seeing her grow into herself. I was always so excited to read the interactions between her and Death. They had great chemistry and I am not afraid to admit I grew a massive crush on him...

The Wife You Know follows widower, Luke Driskell who hadn't planned to fall in love as fast as he had with his new wife, Ashley and stepdaughter, Joy. Everything seems to be going great until his wife lands in the hospital after heroically saving all the children at a daycare centre, causing her to be the centre of attention by the nation's media stations. The next morning, Luke discovers that his wife and stepdaughter have vanished. As he attempts to locate them, Luke begins to unravel the lies that surround his new wife and stepdaughter. Ashley and Joy aren't their real names and he isn't the only person searching for them.

This book was fantastically paced and I was hooked from the very first page. I loved feeling like I was investigating the mystery alongside Luke. I feel like this would be a great movie.

While trying to avoid giving spoilers in my review, I do wish I was able to get some closure surrounding the people that were to cause of the disappearance and lies told by Ashley. I understand why there wasn't but now I'm left thinking about the what-ifs and the scenarios of what will happen after the events of the books have taken place.

However, I think this is a fantastic Thriller and I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Puzzle House follows six strangers who arrive at the home of a renounced Puzzle Master for the reading of his will, only to discover that they are now apart of a puzzle themselves. The prize? Their life.

I went into this book with the hopes that it'll be like the horror movies that surround escape rooms. The book wasn't exactly what I was hoping for but I still got all the great horror elements that make it a fantastic read.

This was a fast-paced and entertaining read. There were so many twists and turns that left me hanging onto the next page. The puzzles in the house were not the only ones that the characters needed to solve as their pasts and secrets were entwined with the house too. I loved that the atmosphere of the book made me feel as if I were one of the people in the house.

This is a great book to pick up if you want to get out of a slump or if you want to try to get more into the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“We're all lucky, not because every thing works out, but we get to wake up in the morning and take chances and make mistakes and keep trying not to.”

The Lucky List is a fantastic sapphic romance that centres around grief, loss, self-acceptance and coming to terms with your identity. I loved She Gets The Girl so I went into this with high expectations and I am so glad that it didn't disappoint.

I think this book will leave a significant mark on people who have experienced the loss of a loved one. I know it certainly left one on me. I loved how authentic it felt. It was almost like you could feel the pain flowing from the pages and the characters and that's something that truly resonated with me.

The slow burn of the romance between Emily and Blake was beautiful and I loved that it was a slow burn because I feel like if it had been faster paced it would've lost something. Dealing with grief is slow and we can't expect finding love with someone can help mend that so I appreciated that it took its time and it helped the readers savour Emily's journey of acceptance with her loss and her relationship with her sexuality.

This was a great read!

Frosty Proximity follows Kara who is left stranded for the holidays after her plans to travel home are scrapped due to a snowstorm. Her client, Peter, feeling apologetic invites her to spend Chanukah with his family. This was a fast, heart-warming holiday-themed book. I loved the characters and what they each brought to the story.

I would've loved it if the romance between Kara and Peter was more detailed. I wanted to have tiny moments that lead up to their relationship being just clients to more so that it would feel more authentic to me.

However, this is such a great book to pick up if you're in a reading slump and you want something short and sweet. It's also a great book to read if you need an easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.