beckyyreadss's reviews
299 reviews

The Butcher and the Wren, by Alaina Urquhart

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? Yes

3.0

Thank you to Michael Joseph Publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has two points of view. The first one is the killers. He is a methodical killer with a taste for medical experimentation and he is hard a work completing his most harrowing crime yet, all while the authorities are desperately trying to catch him. The other point of view is the Forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller. She is the best in the business. Armed with a enormous amount of knowledge of historical crimes and years of experience working in the M.E. Office, she’s never had a case she couldn’t solve. Until now.

This book had the potential to be so much more and it just sort of fell flat. I don’t know if it’s because it was a short book, like it’s 230 pages and I just wanted more gorge and thriller side of it. It was just bland. From the cover of like “She’s hunting him” I would have loved to see Wren go off the rails a bit and try to obsessively find this killer and actually managing to get him, the fact that this books ends up with more questions than answers annoyed me, I know it was for suspect but with crime books, I like the bow tied and seeing justice served but that didn’t happen.

I think the context of the book could have been brilliant, I think more depth was needed in this book.

Content Warnings

Final Offer, by Lauren Asher

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. I have been so excited and wanted it to be my first reads of February and I am so glad I did. I loved this series and I've always loved Rowan and then I read Declan’s book and loved Declan and I thought Cal was funny in Declan’s book. But reading about Cal’s struggles hurt my heart that I don’t think I can choose just one of the brothers. This is the third and final book in a series of interconnected standalones following the billionaire Kane Brothers.

This book has two points of view. The first one is Callahan Kane. He is the Kane brother that everyone gossips about behind closed doors. He is the trust fund brat, the washed-up athlete and the high-functioning alcoholic. No one knows the real Cal expect Lana. Lana is his childhood best friend and the only woman Cal has ever loved. He broke her heart six years ago and left Lake Wisteria and vowed to never return. He has kept his word until his grandfather’s will changed everything. For Cal to receive his inheritance, he was tasked with spending the summer at the family lake house before selling it. The request was simple in theory until the entire plan was shattered on his first day back. Lana lives in the house and she claims to own it too. The second point of view is Alana Castillo. She feels like falling in love with Cal Kane was a mistake. He told her that before breaking her heart and their friendship six summers ago. When he promised to never come back, she believed him. But then Cal has showed up again, intending to sell his grandfather’s lake house. But there is a big flaw in his plan – her name is on the deed. She is determined to stay and fight for this house and to get Cal out of her life as soon as possible.

Okay, I don’t know what Lauren Asher puts in these books but it’s like crack - I can’t get enough and I'm addicted. I want more. I started to fall in love with Cal when I saw how much he protected Iris from Declan. I was so excited for this book and then Lauren goes and produces this masterpiece. I love that this book was about love and family and trust. I love Cami and I think she is adorable and I just love her attitude to life. I loved Alana - I love that she is trying to be this protective and strong woman but then on the inside still has all these dreams and feeling that she doesn’t know how to cope or where to start on funding her dreams. I love Cal and Alana’s relationship and how there is a lot of banter but also a lot of serious conversations and topic were discussed. I think it is important to note that I loved how Lauren tackled the serious and sensitive subjects in this book. She didn’t glorify it or try to make it out that addiction is a fluffy conversation, there were very serious topics and I liked how she managed to write it.

Overall, all three of these books could have 100000 pages long and I still would have wanted more. I am very sad that the series is over considering I devoured all of these within six months. But I love this series, I will reread this series for the rest of my life and still not be bored of it. I would love maybe a prequel for this book like from Brady’s point of view of how he went alone with the will and the inheritance and maybe the love story between the Kane’s parents.

I’m going to go and hibernate now until Lauren Asher’s next book is released.

Content Warnings

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

I decided to read this book because I brought a poster with 100 books to read in your lifetime. This was the eighth book on the list. I also wanted to read this as I have heard good things about this book and the tv series. However, this book is brutal.

This book is based on a character called Offred, she lives in the Republic of Gilead where she is given one option: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like all dissenters, be hanged at the hall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire – neither Offred’s nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.

This book was so brutally yet beautifully written. It was in the way that I was hooked yet I wanted it to end and cry and fight for these women. These women are so strong and they broke my heart with how the fight was being sucked out of them. The book was brutal, I recommend to check trigger warnings before reading this completely due to the harsh things these women go through. The characters saved this book; however, I do think the storyline needed more. I felt like some chapters just dragged a bit and needed a bit more.

The way this book ended on a cliff hanger was mean but a good way in making sure you read the next book. I will be picking this next book up but I am not making it a priority at the moment

Content Warnings

The Bane Chronicles, by Cassandra Clare

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adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I absolutely love Magnus Bane, I want him to be my best friend and he is such a fashion icon. I am waiting for the other books in the series to arrive, but I was missing the shadow world, so I decided to go back by reading about the adventures that Magnus has been on.

There are eleven short stories about the famous warlock in the Downworld – Magnus Bane. Magnus has appeared in all of the series that Cassandra Clare has wrote, so we have seen him play the hero, loyal friend and supporting partner in all series, but we’ve never seen it from his point of view. Until now. Magnus has so many stories up his sleeve that it could fill many books, but these stories shed a little light on his character and how he came to be where he is now. These are the stories he probably wishes never got out.

My favourite short stories of this one was chapter or story eight which was called What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who has Everything (And You’re Not Officially Dating Anyway). As you can tell by the title it was set in between City of Ashes and City of Glass and it was the story of him trying to find the perfect present for Alec, even though they aren’t together. I think I loved this story so much because we’ve always seen Alec as the shy and inexperience one, yet in this story we see Magnus as the nervous one stressing about the perfect gift. Plus I loved Isabelle’s appearance in this short story to tell him that she wants them to be together. I loved the addition of the demon as well trying to give his input after Ragnor and Catarina were not helping.

I liked all these stories and I loved to know Magnus more and I can’t wait to read more of these short stories.

Content Warnings

Fifty-Fifty, by Steve Cavanagh

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challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed the first four books in the series. I was glad to see Eddie again and this trial is almost as chaotic as his last trial.

This book has multiple point of views, but it mainly follows Eddie Flynn who was once a con man, an ex-lawyer who has had an interesting cases recently including fighting for his life against the Russian mafia, helping David Child, a major client of a corrupt law firm and Leonard Howard who wanted to find his daughter. He is still recovering from his last trial of helping Robert Solomon who was accused of murdering his wife. Eddie is wanting a stable job so that he could go on a date with his co-worker, Harper and enjoy some time with Harry now that he has retired. However, he receives a phone call from one of his connections saying he has got an opportunity to represent a high profiled case. The ex-mayor of New York has been murdered and the two witnesses in the house who are sisters are accusing each other of committing the crime. All the evidence points to the sister with the mental problems, so Eddie decides to represent her after believing she is innocent. Now Eddie must find the evidence and try and stop her from going to prison. This is an adult fictional legal thriller.

This novel is great because it grips you from the very first chapter. The storyline is intriguing. The characters are easy to love with a lot of development and the plot twist is amazing. My favourite chapters in any type of these books are when the main character figures everything out and has a game plan. You feel hype out for the character and want him to succeed. The one thing I would say that I didn’t like personally, a book peeve of mine, is small chapters. However, for once it worked. Especially as the tension was building and then changed to somewhere else. This was the second time this series had multiple POVs which just made it better and I loved it. Especially as you don’t know exactly which sister did it. So Eddie was thinking it was someone completely different and we believed him and it all didn’t come out until the end.

I liked this book but I thought it was slower than his previous books and obviously due to the events of this book, I was missing one key person in this book and it hurt me and I was Eddie to have a happy life please.

Content Warnings

Chain of Iron, by Cassandra Clare

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I absolutely love Cassandra Clare. The infernal devices is my favourite series to date and I loved the mortal instruments and it’s what got me into reading. When I found out that Cassandra Clare has written a series about the kids of the infernal devices, I was so excited! This first book did not disappoint, so I was really excited for the second book in the series.

This book mainly follows Cordelia Carstairs who we met in the first book. She seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood and London’s most eligible bachelor. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming friends, the Merry Thieves, she is also about to be reunited with her father who is now healthy again and she has her legendary blade of Cortana. But the truth is a bit different. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it and her father has grown bitter and angry at the community that has shut him out. To make matters worse, there is a serial murderer that is targeting the Shadowhunters of London and then vanishing without a trace. Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James and Lucie must follow the trail of the killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each are keeping a dangerous secret – Lucie plans to raise Jesse from the dead, Cordelia is sworn to a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power and James is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself might be the killer they seek.

This book hurt my heart, I didn’t like the tension or the secrets in this book. I like the gang working together against a bad guy, not the gang working alone and hiding their secrets. I hated the tension. I didn’t like love triangle aspect in this book being Cordelia, James and Grace and Cordelia, James and Matthew (thought for the second one I am now rooting for Matthew based on the end of this book not James!). I just really, really want Cordelia and Alastair to be happy they both deserve it. I enjoyed the storyline in this book and I know the next book is going to hurt my heart, I can feel it and I'm not ready for it, but at the same time, so ready for it.

Cassandra Clare manages to do it Every. Single. Time - you don’t have to read any of the other series to know what’s going on, some immortal characters make an appearance but you could read this series on its own without having to read The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, The Dark Artifices or The Eldest Curses.

Content Warnings

Gleam, by Raven Kennedy

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is still based on Auren. King Midas made her the woman she is today. The thing about being confined is that she believes it’s to keep the bad out, until Auren realizes it’s keeping her in. She is in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies but she is refusing to sit idly by and let herself wither. There is something that is lingering from the pit of her repression. Something dark and something angry. But the last thing she expected was for her anger to call out to him – King Ravinger. He is sinister and powerful and a bit seductive. She has learned her lesson trusting manipulative kings, so why does Auren’s chest constrict every time he is near? She needs to tread carefully, or she is at risk of losing more than just her freedom. Regret and revenge war inside of Auren and she needs to figure out a plan fast before she gets tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens. Auren is refusing to go back into a cage again. No, this time, she will be setting the trap. Auren is hoping her heart comes out unscathed.

I loved this book, there wasn’t a lot of plot or storyline, but the character development had me in a choke, as this book went on, I went from feeling sorry for Auren and hoping she would be safe, to hoping she would kick some King’s ass. I loved her character development and I hope she learns to live with her power. I loved the banter between her and Slade and how they went from being disappointed in each other and ashamed to fighting for each other and literally threatening each other. I loved how Slade knew she had hit her limit and knew she was going to lash out. I’m really glad that Auren was the one to kill Rip and that he literally melted him away, he deserves the worst for what he did to Auren and Digby. I wanted to throw the book across the room in the last 20% I was on the verge of tears with what Rip did to Auren. I’m really glad he won’t be in the next book, because I was getting sick of him. I loved that we got to found out who Fake Rot was and I want to know more about him please.

This book managed to slowly suck me into this world and series, I struggled with the first book, enjoyed the second one and screamed and cried at this book. I cannot wait for the fourth book in this series.

First five star of 2023 and I didn’t expect it to be this book but I'm glad it is.

Content Warnings

The Bromance Book Club, by Lyssa Kay Adams

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

I have seen this book all over the book community. I was dying to read it as it seemed right up my street. I was right. This book should be hyped up. It was funny, cute, a small amount of spice – the whole works.

This book has two points of views. The first is Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always been faking the Big O. After he finds out, he loses his cool and it was the final straw on the already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce and Gavin realizes he has let his pride and fear get the better of him. Gavin is desperate and he finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read: Courting the Countess, a steamy Regency novel, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it will take a lot more than fictional words and flowers to get his girl back. The second point of view is Thea Scott. She has been married for three years and even though she loves her husband, she hates some part of his job. Mainly having to socialise with the other WAGs. See, she isn’t like the rest of them who plan their life around being a WAG. She is a mother first, a mother who gave up her dreams of being an artist three years ago when she got pregnant with twins. She has to be a solo parent for 50 percent of the year whilst Gavin is away and she hasn’t told him she doesn’t like going to all the social events that Gavin goes to. She is trying to make sure that her girls don’t witness any of the fighting as she grew up witnessing her mum and dad fight. Will she be able to forgive Gavin? Will she ever give him the Big O?

I think this story is adorable, and so heart-warming. For a story that I was expecting a lot of spicy in, we didn’t get it but it was made up with a cute and fast-paced storyline with the portraying of the real issues of marriage and you know having to keep the marriage alive by working on it and being open and honest with each other. I loved the twins I think they were adorable and having Thea see the fact that one was like her and one was like her sister when it came to the family dynamic was sweet and heart-breaking at the same time due to the fact that Thea was working so hard to avoid that. I have seen that this book is a series and I really hope that Thea’s sister get a book and I would have loved to seen more of Del in the future.

Overall, I loved the MCs and the storyline was realistic but also funny, like all I’m imagining now is grown men saying they are going the pub or the gym but instead they are going to the basement of someone’s house to read romance books to try and impress their significant others. However, I do think men should read some romance novels because why not. I am looking forward for the next one in the series.

Content Warnings

My Killer Vacation, by Tessa Bailey

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious fast-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

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I absolutely love Tessa Bailey. I loved the Bellinger Sisters series and I love mystery and with the added spice I thought I would enjoy it. I really did, I thought it was a really good read.

There are two points of view within this book. The first one is Taylor Bassey. She is on vacation. It was supposed to be relaxing trip in sweet, sunny Cape Cod – just her and her younger brother – but after discovering a corpse in the rental house everything changes. Now a rude and distasteful bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe that Taylor can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening and the fact that she teaches second graders. The second point of view is Myles Sumner. He is here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, he thinks she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She's also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in him is a threat to his peace of mind. Before he sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, he needs to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take Taylor away from Myles before he realizes the road has been leading to her all along? A bounty hunter and an elementary schoolteacher – the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to the attempts on both of their lives, they have stuck together.

Tessa Bailey does it again! I absolutely loved my damaged little Myles I just wanted to hug him the whole time reading this book. I love me some broken fictional men and this man was broken but so so good. I love the spice and I love the way they both showed the way they wanted to love each other. Taylor was so loving; her heart was huge, and I want her as a best friend please. Jude trying to help his sister get laid but also being disgusted on his sister’s love life just made me giggle. Jude gave this book so much life and I swear to god, I wanted more of him. The only thing I would say is a weakness is I wanted more of the suspense it was like 75% spice 25% suspense where I would have loved it to be more of 50/50 or even more suspense less spice. I also think Tessa does better with bigger books. I was surprised when this book was only 290 pages, I wanted more and was used to more. I think if it was slightly bigger, it could have had more suspense. I’m not a fan of the insta-love either and much prefer the slow burn that Tessa is good for but it worked with this book due to the vacation vibes.

Overall, I love Tessa’s work and would have loved for this to be a series, I want Jude to be happy and there is such a back story behind him, and Dante and I have so many questions between what happens with them, I would like to know. Please. I beg you.

Content Warnings

The League of Gentlewomen Witches, by India Holton

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adventurous challenging dark emotional lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Thank you, Michael Joseph Penguin Publishing, for sending this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is based on Charlotte Pettifer and she belongs to a secret society skilled in a very particular art. That is to say, although she can’t say it too loudly, witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely the pirates in the Wisteria Society. When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the words scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else – like Charlotte’s heart. This book is a romance historical fiction.

Okay, if you are wanting a pirate, action-packed feminist book, don’t read this book. It’s a romance book with a bit of action. Not saying that I didn’t enjoy this book, I just didn’t expect it to be all romance and a bit of action. I wanted it the other way around. After I read the new book in the series, I knew what I was getting into, but I still really wanted a more action-packed novel. I liked Charlotte and Alex’s relationship. I loved Alex in the first book so seeing him as the main character in this book was funny as. He sort of reminds of Damon Salvatore as a private. I think this book would have been better if it was a slow burn as both books sort of have an insta love trope in it which I'm not really enjoying in this series. It could have been 100 more pages for the slow burn and I would have liked it more. I liked the multiple POVs during this book.

I just was expecting more and wanting more from this book and it just never happened. Hopefully the next book in this series is better.

Content Warnings

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beckyyreadss's reviews 299 reviews

beckyyreadss's reviews
299 reviews