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dedicated_reader's reviews
74 reviews
The Wastelander: A Post Apocalyptic Romance by E.S. Luck
adventurous
dark
4.0
Liked ✅
- Claire
- The vibes
- John 😍
- Last quarter action
Thoughts 💭
Take The 100 and The Book of Eli, sprinkle it with a little spicy dust and you have the vibes of The Wastelander! Set in my home province of Ontario we get to experience the difficulties of having to acclimate to a completely different world through the prescriptive of Claire our FMC.
While being sheltered for so long with the amazing guidance and understanding of Kim and John, she learns the foundation of surviving in the world with cannibalistic gangs. With the occasional switch to John’s (MMC) perspective we see how completely different their worlds have been prior to their meeting.
John takes morally gray to a whole other level. He provides, protects and is ruthless in all the perfect ways for you to swoon over him. Claire adapts so well, gaining an enormous amount of strength in herself and skill set. The foundation for their relationship is a focal point of the majority of this book.
The last quarter is full of action, with a lot of points being brought forward that hook you in for more. I can't wait to see the continued evolution of their relationship and to learn the answers to all the questions I have.
- Claire
- The vibes
- John 😍
- Last quarter action
Thoughts 💭
Take The 100 and The Book of Eli, sprinkle it with a little spicy dust and you have the vibes of The Wastelander! Set in my home province of Ontario we get to experience the difficulties of having to acclimate to a completely different world through the prescriptive of Claire our FMC.
While being sheltered for so long with the amazing guidance and understanding of Kim and John, she learns the foundation of surviving in the world with cannibalistic gangs. With the occasional switch to John’s (MMC) perspective we see how completely different their worlds have been prior to their meeting.
John takes morally gray to a whole other level. He provides, protects and is ruthless in all the perfect ways for you to swoon over him. Claire adapts so well, gaining an enormous amount of strength in herself and skill set. The foundation for their relationship is a focal point of the majority of this book.
The last quarter is full of action, with a lot of points being brought forward that hook you in for more. I can't wait to see the continued evolution of their relationship and to learn the answers to all the questions I have.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
4.5
Liked ✅
- Well thought out novel
- Legends & stories
- Amazing narrator
- Unexpected ending
Thoughts 💭
Dan Brown has yet again, not disappointed with the Robert Langdon series. The way he presents religion, and explains the legends behind secret societies is amazing. The narrator does an amazing job with pronunciations, and changing accents for different characters. Considering the length of the books in this series, I expected to have moments where my attention would wonder. I didn't experience that at all while listening.
Recently, while listening to mysteries I subconsciously choose not to attempt solving the mystery, I just let myself enjoy the ride of the story. This perspective left me shocked at who was responsible for setting the events in motion.
However, I was concerned that the framework for this book was very similar to Angels & Demons and there would be little differences between the two. I can honestly say the ending made up for the similarities! The intricate ties to the item and other members of the secret society were everything to make Da Vinci Code feel very different from Angels & Demons.
- Well thought out novel
- Legends & stories
- Amazing narrator
- Unexpected ending
Thoughts 💭
Dan Brown has yet again, not disappointed with the Robert Langdon series. The way he presents religion, and explains the legends behind secret societies is amazing. The narrator does an amazing job with pronunciations, and changing accents for different characters. Considering the length of the books in this series, I expected to have moments where my attention would wonder. I didn't experience that at all while listening.
Recently, while listening to mysteries I subconsciously choose not to attempt solving the mystery, I just let myself enjoy the ride of the story. This perspective left me shocked at who was responsible for setting the events in motion.
However, I was concerned that the framework for this book was very similar to Angels & Demons and there would be little differences between the two. I can honestly say the ending made up for the similarities! The intricate ties to the item and other members of the secret society were everything to make Da Vinci Code feel very different from Angels & Demons.
Hiding Lies by Stephanie Rose
fast-paced
4.0
Liked ✅
- Criminal Minds vibes
- Dual POV
- Fast paced read
Thoughts 💭
As a teen who was obsessed with TV shows like Criminal Minds, this book encompassed the vibes of profiling, and understanding a killer's motive perfectly. I loved the added bonus of the preliminary profile report being included.
With dual POV from a forensic photographer and the killer, we get behind the scenes of both characters and their personal experience with being present during/after the crimes. I anticipated the budding romance, but thought it might continue down a different path after certain events.
Hiding Lies is extremely fast paced at 246 pages. Make sure to read the content warning included at the beginning of the book. With the dark themes, and dark twists this is a great book to add to your Thriller TBR.
- Criminal Minds vibes
- Dual POV
- Fast paced read
Thoughts 💭
As a teen who was obsessed with TV shows like Criminal Minds, this book encompassed the vibes of profiling, and understanding a killer's motive perfectly. I loved the added bonus of the preliminary profile report being included.
With dual POV from a forensic photographer and the killer, we get behind the scenes of both characters and their personal experience with being present during/after the crimes. I anticipated the budding romance, but thought it might continue down a different path after certain events.
Hiding Lies is extremely fast paced at 246 pages. Make sure to read the content warning included at the beginning of the book. With the dark themes, and dark twists this is a great book to add to your Thriller TBR.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Bewitched by Laura Thalassa
dark
funny
tense
4.0
Liked ✅
- Internal dialogue
- Banter
- Magic system
- Dark & twisty MMC
Thoughts 💭
For October's book club pick, I wanted a book that had all the awesome fantasy elements plus witches. Bewitched definitely fell into that category.
Selene (FMC) loses random memories when she uses her magic, notebooks and excessive sticky note reminders are her way of holding on to what she no longer remembers. With pockets of her memory being eaten away at random by her magic, she finds herself in quite a bit of trouble. Her internal dialogue is hilarious, definitely a highlight of the book for me.
The main focal point for book one is the story of Selene and Memnon. How she initially stumbled upon him and how there may be far more to their story than Selene remembers. Memnon is the definition of morally gray, dark and twisty. I spent a lot of this book morally conflicted on whether I wanted Selene with him or if I wanted her to burn him alive. I still currently have no idea which I would rather… They could be so protective, kind and loving to one another. But they could also be vengeful, fiery and manipulative.
With some nefarious subplots happening in this one, I’m interested to see where this goes in book two. With the ending being one red flag after another, I have no idea how Laura Thalassa is going to fix this relationship.
- Internal dialogue
- Banter
- Magic system
- Dark & twisty MMC
Thoughts 💭
For October's book club pick, I wanted a book that had all the awesome fantasy elements plus witches. Bewitched definitely fell into that category.
Selene (FMC) loses random memories when she uses her magic, notebooks and excessive sticky note reminders are her way of holding on to what she no longer remembers. With pockets of her memory being eaten away at random by her magic, she finds herself in quite a bit of trouble. Her internal dialogue is hilarious, definitely a highlight of the book for me.
The main focal point for book one is the story of Selene and Memnon. How she initially stumbled upon him and how there may be far more to their story than Selene remembers. Memnon is the definition of morally gray, dark and twisty. I spent a lot of this book morally conflicted on whether I wanted Selene with him or if I wanted her to burn him alive. I still currently have no idea which I would rather… They could be so protective, kind and loving to one another. But they could also be vengeful, fiery and manipulative.
With some nefarious subplots happening in this one, I’m interested to see where this goes in book two. With the ending being one red flag after another, I have no idea how Laura Thalassa is going to fix this relationship.
Soul Bound by Renate Rowland
dark
tense
4.0
Liked ✅
- Emotional roller coaster
- Character depth
- Emotional cliffhanger
Thoughts 💭
The #1 con to being an ARC reviewer is having to wait for the next book from an author with little to no recaps available because they aren't “mainstream”. Indie authors deserve to have recaps plastered all over the interweb, especially when another book is coming out in the series. Thankfully for the search bar, I was able to piece a lot of the story I had forgotten back together again!
Now for the meat and potatoes of Soul Bound. I found it better than the first, a lot of the world building and foundation is already established from the first book so it really jumps right in. I was excited to see how Kjan and Eve were doing and what turmoil was going to happen in this book. I was NOT expecting the intricacies of the plot so quickly off the jump. I didn’t anticipate the roller coaster ride of feelings I would have while reading.
There were moments where I was frustrated with Kjan, wanting to knock some sense into him. Then times where I was angry with Eve’s decisions and would often facepalm myself when her angst would get her into more trouble. I personally LOVE characters that aren’t always the smartest/most lovable. It was beautiful reading about how much they fought and loved one another.
With 1 final book left in the trilogy, Soul Bound ended on an emotional cliffhanger. Was there too much damage done? Will they be able to come back from everything that happened? I am looking forward to the release of Oath Bound, coming in the spring!
- Emotional roller coaster
- Character depth
- Emotional cliffhanger
Thoughts 💭
The #1 con to being an ARC reviewer is having to wait for the next book from an author with little to no recaps available because they aren't “mainstream”. Indie authors deserve to have recaps plastered all over the interweb, especially when another book is coming out in the series. Thankfully for the search bar, I was able to piece a lot of the story I had forgotten back together again!
Now for the meat and potatoes of Soul Bound. I found it better than the first, a lot of the world building and foundation is already established from the first book so it really jumps right in. I was excited to see how Kjan and Eve were doing and what turmoil was going to happen in this book. I was NOT expecting the intricacies of the plot so quickly off the jump. I didn’t anticipate the roller coaster ride of feelings I would have while reading.
There were moments where I was frustrated with Kjan, wanting to knock some sense into him. Then times where I was angry with Eve’s decisions and would often facepalm myself when her angst would get her into more trouble. I personally LOVE characters that aren’t always the smartest/most lovable. It was beautiful reading about how much they fought and loved one another.
With 1 final book left in the trilogy, Soul Bound ended on an emotional cliffhanger. Was there too much damage done? Will they be able to come back from everything that happened? I am looking forward to the release of Oath Bound, coming in the spring!
Fable by Adrienne Young
4.0
Liked ✅
- Book cover
- Fable’s resourcefulness
- Found family
- Blood thirsty traders
- Hints of romance
Thoughts 💭
Fable is a survivor, whether that was her choice or not, it's exactly what she has become. Does she make the best decisions all the time? No, but she's extremely resourceful and being someone who has never built proper relationships, she manages quite well with the crew of the Marigold.
I enjoyed how immersive this book became for me. The writing and audio narrator were perfect for this story. The dangers of being a trader, a dredger and having vastly more experienced enemies adds to the adventure of a ship being crewed by this group. As readers we get to experience treacherous storms, ruthless helmsman, revenge, romantic love, found family, and so much more.
Adrienne Young has done me dirty with that ending! I knew there was a second book in this series/duology and I knew chances were high for a cliffhanger. But OMG, Fable had achieved almost everything she had dreamed of, and in an instant it all changed. Was the author playing homage to the storms that change at the drop of a hat? Maybe 🤔 but regardless I'm ready for more!
- Book cover
- Fable’s resourcefulness
- Found family
- Blood thirsty traders
- Hints of romance
Thoughts 💭
Fable is a survivor, whether that was her choice or not, it's exactly what she has become. Does she make the best decisions all the time? No, but she's extremely resourceful and being someone who has never built proper relationships, she manages quite well with the crew of the Marigold.
I enjoyed how immersive this book became for me. The writing and audio narrator were perfect for this story. The dangers of being a trader, a dredger and having vastly more experienced enemies adds to the adventure of a ship being crewed by this group. As readers we get to experience treacherous storms, ruthless helmsman, revenge, romantic love, found family, and so much more.
Adrienne Young has done me dirty with that ending! I knew there was a second book in this series/duology and I knew chances were high for a cliffhanger. But OMG, Fable had achieved almost everything she had dreamed of, and in an instant it all changed. Was the author playing homage to the storms that change at the drop of a hat? Maybe 🤔 but regardless I'm ready for more!
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
adventurous
informative
tense
4.5
Liked ✅
- Informative
- Robert/Vittoria duo
- Thrilling
- Edge of your seat suspense
Thoughts 💭
I would like to start this review off by apologizing to the masses. I've had this book on my bookshelf/TBR list for nearly a decade, and have failed to pick it up until I had the opportunity to listen to it via audiobook. This book is a work of art!
The amount of knowledge and factual information poured into the plotline of it puts it on a whole other level. I felt like I was learning interesting nuggets of history, religion and science. Robert Langdon felt like a fountain of information on religion, while Vittoria Vetra was his scientific counterpart, the perfect duo!
The thrill of an intense timeline keeps you on your toes, unexpected twists and truths are wild. Third person POV allowed for the reader to dip into many characters' prescriptions of the events unfolding. I think the narrator was phenomenal! Definitely a must read.
- Informative
- Robert/Vittoria duo
- Thrilling
- Edge of your seat suspense
Thoughts 💭
I would like to start this review off by apologizing to the masses. I've had this book on my bookshelf/TBR list for nearly a decade, and have failed to pick it up until I had the opportunity to listen to it via audiobook. This book is a work of art!
The amount of knowledge and factual information poured into the plotline of it puts it on a whole other level. I felt like I was learning interesting nuggets of history, religion and science. Robert Langdon felt like a fountain of information on religion, while Vittoria Vetra was his scientific counterpart, the perfect duo!
The thrill of an intense timeline keeps you on your toes, unexpected twists and truths are wild. Third person POV allowed for the reader to dip into many characters' prescriptions of the events unfolding. I think the narrator was phenomenal! Definitely a must read.
The Kiss of the Nightingale by Adi Denner
inspiring
tense
4.0
Liked ✅
- Magic system
- Cleo’s story
- Beautiful ending
Thoughts 💭
The unique magic system is what piqued my interest when I read the description for this book on NetGalley. The idea that gems can be imbued with magic that will heighten different types of talents in people, then be passed down through generations. It was something I've never heard of!
Although I was in love with the idea of Talents, it quickly took a backseat to Cleo and her story. To be a girl that wants to do everything to help set up her and her sister for a better life. But to then experience the reality of hard decisions. I did not expect to be so consumed by Cleo’s feelings.
I started this book wanting to hold and protect Cleo, to give her advice to make better decisions going forward. Then I turned into a proud parent as she lays everything on the line to fix her story and change the narrative for others. The ending was a beautiful way to experience the closing out of Cleo’s story.
I'm honestly so thankful I took a chance on a cool description and a gorgeous cover because as a reader I feel lighter and happier after finishing this book!
The unique magic system is what piqued my interest when I read the description for this book on NetGalley. The idea that gems can be imbued with magic that will heighten different types of talents in people, then be passed down through generations. It was something I've never heard of!
Although I was in love with the idea of Talents, it quickly took a backseat to Cleo and her story. To be a girl that wants to do everything to help set up her and her sister for a better life. But to then experience the reality of hard decisions. I did not expect to be so consumed by Cleo’s feelings.
I started this book wanting to hold and protect Cleo, to give her advice to make better decisions going forward. Then I turned into a proud parent as she lays everything on the line to fix her story and change the narrative for others. The ending was a beautiful way to experience the closing out of Cleo’s story.
I'm honestly so thankful I took a chance on a cool description and a gorgeous cover because as a reader I feel lighter and happier after finishing this book!
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Thoughts 💭
This was a dark and twisty book. My biggest regret was that I listened to it instead of reading it, I felt like I wasn’t totally involved in the plot until EVERYTHING started blowing up.
Alex is someone on a journey out of writer's block while trying to find purpose. Unfortunately, her time at the Blackbriar Estate becomes one traumatic experience after another. She builds new friendships while mending old ones. She meets her idol and learns about her literary muses.
I enjoyed the experts of Alex’s book being peppered throughout. I felt like it broke up the day to day of being locked up in a mansion on a writing retreat. The last 75% went off the handles, it flipped the whole plot on its axis. There was backstabbing, secret relationships, blood shed, poisoning and Houdini escapes. The last chapter was a gut punch for me, it felt like a thank you letter from Alex to the main person who did her harm, and the last couple minutes of the book solidified that.
Ultimately, as an audiobook I felt like I missed a lot of the attachment I gain by reading and visualizing the book. It most definitely didn’t disappoint when it comes to being a spooky/thrilling read for the season.
dark
3.0
Liked ✅
- Excerpts from Alex’s book
- All kinds of bodily harm
- Wild and Twisted
Thoughts 💭
This was a dark and twisty book. My biggest regret was that I listened to it instead of reading it, I felt like I wasn’t totally involved in the plot until EVERYTHING started blowing up.
Alex is someone on a journey out of writer's block while trying to find purpose. Unfortunately, her time at the Blackbriar Estate becomes one traumatic experience after another. She builds new friendships while mending old ones. She meets her idol and learns about her literary muses.
I enjoyed the experts of Alex’s book being peppered throughout. I felt like it broke up the day to day of being locked up in a mansion on a writing retreat. The last 75% went off the handles, it flipped the whole plot on its axis. There was backstabbing, secret relationships, blood shed, poisoning and Houdini escapes. The last chapter was a gut punch for me, it felt like a thank you letter from Alex to the main person who did her harm, and the last couple minutes of the book solidified that.
Ultimately, as an audiobook I felt like I missed a lot of the attachment I gain by reading and visualizing the book. It most definitely didn’t disappoint when it comes to being a spooky/thrilling read for the season.
Divorce Towers by Ellen Meister
2.5
Liked ✅
- Addison’s chapters
- Addison’s love match
Thoughts 💭
I felt like this book could be a great option for a palate cleanser. It would be a good book to read if you are looking to veg out and not have to think too hard while reading. It's very much just a follow along and enjoy the ride type of novel.
Addison experiences a love triangle, as she's trying to reflect on her life being a mess. I thought her personal growth could have been a more prominent plot point throughout. Thankfully, she chooses the better of the two men. I wish we got to see more of their relationship afterward.
With the multiple POV chapters it took away from Addison, and that's what I was enjoying the most. I understand the goal may have been to show different types of romances/relationships and to add to the mystery element of the book, but it wasn't something I enjoyed. I would skim the majority of those chapters wanting to get back to Addison.
I went into this book thinking it was going to be an interesting romance. I assumed there would be some earth shattering great love for Addison and maybe she would get her HEA, with everything else going on I didn't feel that way at the end.
- Addison’s chapters
- Addison’s love match
Thoughts 💭
I felt like this book could be a great option for a palate cleanser. It would be a good book to read if you are looking to veg out and not have to think too hard while reading. It's very much just a follow along and enjoy the ride type of novel.
Addison experiences a love triangle, as she's trying to reflect on her life being a mess. I thought her personal growth could have been a more prominent plot point throughout. Thankfully, she chooses the better of the two men. I wish we got to see more of their relationship afterward.
With the multiple POV chapters it took away from Addison, and that's what I was enjoying the most. I understand the goal may have been to show different types of romances/relationships and to add to the mystery element of the book, but it wasn't something I enjoyed. I would skim the majority of those chapters wanting to get back to Addison.
I went into this book thinking it was going to be an interesting romance. I assumed there would be some earth shattering great love for Addison and maybe she would get her HEA, with everything else going on I didn't feel that way at the end.