amy_reads4's reviews
188 reviews

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

PenPal follows an unnamed man’s journey through his childhood, uncovering sinister secrets as he goes, through both memory and conversations with his mother.

Whilst I did enjoy the story it wasn’t what I was expecting personally, I was expecting a fast paced horror story but found this to be a slow paced thriller, with lots of filler, information, and the whole book itself is only 5 chapters, which made it a bit of a battle for me to read.

Please check your trigger warnings when reading this, as this book contained one of my only triggers so I think that will add to my experience of the book, which is a fault of my own, not the authors.

The end of this book was truly harrowing and not something I think I will forget for a long time coming. The author does a great job of taking you along on the protagonists journey. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I need to start off by saying my rating for this would have been higher until the last 5 pages! I hated the ended to this book, and without spoiling it for anyone I felt it was unnecessary to take the story in that direction, we’d spent the whole book waiting, rather frustratingly, for Xaden and Violet to sort out their issues, and then the ending kicks in and I realised this whole series is going to be just as frustrating with the back and forth and issues between them, and I really don’t enjoy that in a series. Whilst I do not mind some back and forth I feel like it’s never going to resolve and the whole series is going to be based around that. I’m sure that what happened at the end won’t stick (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve read it) and they will figure it out but I feel like the whole ending was unnecessary and so out of character. 

I really enjoy this world, the magic system and especially the school setting and all the different trials and tribulations that come with that. I love learning their histories and what they have all had to face, and watching their friendships grow. I would love to see more of that moving forward but am really worried that won’t be the case. Whilst I am frustrated at the ending I do really enjoy this world and hope that moving forward we get to see more of this.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I knew I was going to love this book but I didn’t realise quite how much I was going to love it, I devoured it in 24 hours. This is one of the most engaging books I have read in a very long time, I could not put it down!

Fourth Wing follows Violet, whose mother is a general at the Basgiatb war college, Violet was always going to be one of their scribes, literary and gentle, until her mum decides otherwise and Violet is forced into the Dragon Riders Quadrant of the college, one where death is almost guaranteed. Violet watches as class mates fall around and she herself is targeted because of who her mother is, but all she needs to do is hold on and hope that a Dragon will choose to bond with her when the time comes.

I loved the trails and tribulations that’s Violet and the riders had to go through, who doesn’t love a trial in a story, and this one is full of them.

Its an enemies to lovers story, yet I feel there is much more turmoil to come for the couple, and I cannot wait.

The end of this book had me in tears and I’m not quite sure I will ever recover from the devastation. I cannot wait to read more!

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Housemaid follows Millie, who is desperate to find a job having been fired from her most recent one, and now living in her car. When the perfect live in housemaid job comes up, she here Millie has her own room with a rich family, even if they do seem to have their little quirks.

This story then follows Millie’s life living with Nina, her daughter Cecelia and her husband Andrew Winchester. We follow their daily lives and the increasing madness that comes along with this.

This book has lots of twists and turns, and whilst I did see them coming I still really enjoyed them, I had such a sense of vindication at the end of this book and I cannot wait to see what happens next for Millie.

I would highly recommend this book as a thriller starter, please do check trigger warnings.

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Lover Awakened is the 3rd book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and I absolutely devoured it. I think this might be my favourite one so far!

Zsadist & Bella’s love story it so full of ups and downs, trauma and growth, and the ending of this book was beautiful.

We learn the true depth of the trauma Zsadist suffered being a blood slave and the deep damage this did to him, we watch Bella try and battle with this, trying to move them forward but he just can’t do it.

I also really enjoyed the progression of the relationship between Zsadist and his twin brother Phury, although I am intrigued to see where Phury’s story goes after the end of this book and knowing that his brother no longer needs him in the same way.

The relation ships between the Brotherhood is something really special, and you can feel the losses they suffer alongside them, and this book really broke my heart in so many different places, at times it left me with tears on my face!

I know this is a long series but I look forward to each and every book and the development of this world, J.R. Ward has done such a fantastic job at building the vampire world within ours!

Spare by Prince Harry
Did not finish book.

This book was hard work to even get through the first few pages, which I could not. With bizarre references to a deceased parent, and poor writing I could not finish this. 

Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton

emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

For a life long Harry Potter fan this book was everything I wanted it to be and more! Tom let us into his world and memories of the wizarding world, alongside his own. 
He was also vulnerable enough to show us the darker sides. 

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Lover Eternal is the 2nd book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and I am so happy to be back in this world! This story follows Rhage and Mary, Rhage is one of the infamous Black Dagger Brotherhood warriors who has carried a 100 year curse set upon him by the Scribe Virgin for the last 9 years, whenever Rhage is close to losing control he turns into a beast. Mary is a lost soul with a vampire for a neighbour. When a young boy comes into Mary’s life he unexpected brings her and Bella into the life of the Brotherhood, and nothing will ever be the same for Mary from there.

I found Mary’s story particularly painful to read and process, having lost her mother and being in remission from lukemia, she knows when it has returned. I loved watching her relationship with Rhage develop, seeing the internal struggles they both faced letting another in.

This book further fleshes out the fight between the Brotherhood and the lessers, along with the new lengths the lessers are willing to go to in their quest to find the Brothers. The elements of the modern world mixed in with vampire culture make it so easy to visualise their world.

When John appeared, with the symbol of the Brotherhood and patchy dreams I immediately felt I knew who he was, but I shall save that idea until we get further into the series.

I cannot wait to get into the next one and fall in love with even more of the Brotherhood and their lives. I throughly enjoy their bonds and friendships with each other also.

All Hallows by Christopher Golden

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I went into this book expecting something completely different to what I got, but I’m not mad about!

All Hallows introduces you to the residents on Parmenter Street on Halloween night in 1984. This book had so much back story and world building for these characters, with each family on the street having their own secrets, problems and battles. You get immersed into their lives straight away, feeling their loves and hates alongside them, and willing them to win when the darkness starts to unfold.

When strange children start turning up all over the neighbourhood and a man with flames for eyes appear they all begin to realise their lives are in danger. I knew pretty quickly what was going on and that everything wasn’t quite as it seems. There were lots of twists and turns within this book, alongside being gore filled. I really enjoyed how this pulled you into the world of Parmenter street. This book is written in multiple POVs which has you racing

through chapters to get to the answers you need.

Filthy Rich Vampire by Geneva Lee Albin

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I really enjoyed this book and am in desperate need of the second one to find out what happens! This book follows Julian and Thea, Julian is a centuries old vampire and Thea is a cellist, their paths cross unexpectedly and their journey begins from there. I loved the world this was set in and the vampire lore. When Julian takes Thea to Paris he shows her their hidden world and all the secrets that come along with that, I found this world really beautiful and magical. I cannot wait to follow more of their story, and I hope Julian’s family will embrace Thea moving forward and fight the new laws in place to help them being together. There is also a vampire war raging and that has left so many unanswered questions, I need answers! Julian is top tier vampire boyfriend!