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heathermoodreads's reviews
677 reviews
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I liked this one a lot more than the first book in this series. The overall story kept me captivated, and the writing in this story was a lot better. I thought the atmosphere of this book was great, and the detective work was pretty good as well. Elin and Steep's partnership made this detective story flow really well.
Elin is trying to get back to her job as a detective and has been given a new assignment. She's heading to a secluded resort on an island with a dark and deadly past. Someone has died mysteriously, and she and her partner are on a mission to solve the death, regardless of whether it was an accident or murder.
Hana and her siblings aren't close, so she's reluctant to go to the resort with her sister, Jo. The first night that they are there, something horrible happens, and someone ends up dead. Hana isn't sure if she can trust her family or the detectives on the job. The island is unsettling, and the group isn't trustworthy.
There are a lot of red-herrings in this book. I'm not going to lie that the last reveal surprised me in a good way. The island's dark past was done really well!
Elin is trying to get back to her job as a detective and has been given a new assignment. She's heading to a secluded resort on an island with a dark and deadly past. Someone has died mysteriously, and she and her partner are on a mission to solve the death, regardless of whether it was an accident or murder.
Hana and her siblings aren't close, so she's reluctant to go to the resort with her sister, Jo. The first night that they are there, something horrible happens, and someone ends up dead. Hana isn't sure if she can trust her family or the detectives on the job. The island is unsettling, and the group isn't trustworthy.
There are a lot of red-herrings in this book. I'm not going to lie that the last reveal surprised me in a good way. The island's dark past was done really well!
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
This book was beautiful. Soledad and Judah were literally perfect for each other. I loved how patient they both were with each other and their relationship. I also loved how devoted they both were to their families. The coparenting in this book was phenomenal.
I felt for Soledad through this book. Edward was a piece of work, and Soledad and their girls suffered because of him and what he did to them. But, in a way, it was good for Soledad because she was able to prove to herself that she could survive on her own and provide for her girls. I loved her friend group and sisters just as much as I loved Soledad and her daughters. Everyone was super fleshed out, and I felt super connected to everyone in this end.
Judah was a fabulous father to his boys and friend to his ex-wife. I loved that he didn't take crap from his job, but he was so soft and caring to his family and Soledad and her girls. I definitely had heart eyes the entire time.
I also liked that Soledad and Judah were older and mature. They were able to figure their relationship out in a realistic way and communicated openly with each other about their feelings. Basically, I loved this book so much! I'm so glad that I was given an early copy to read and review. Thank you, NetGalley, Kennedy Ryan, and the publisher for the opportunity.
I felt for Soledad through this book. Edward was a piece of work, and Soledad and their girls suffered because of him and what he did to them. But, in a way, it was good for Soledad because she was able to prove to herself that she could survive on her own and provide for her girls. I loved her friend group and sisters just as much as I loved Soledad and her daughters. Everyone was super fleshed out, and I felt super connected to everyone in this end.
Judah was a fabulous father to his boys and friend to his ex-wife. I loved that he didn't take crap from his job, but he was so soft and caring to his family and Soledad and her girls. I definitely had heart eyes the entire time.
I also liked that Soledad and Judah were older and mature. They were able to figure their relationship out in a realistic way and communicated openly with each other about their feelings. Basically, I loved this book so much! I'm so glad that I was given an early copy to read and review. Thank you, NetGalley, Kennedy Ryan, and the publisher for the opportunity.
The Perfect Ruin by Shanora Williams
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was messy-messy and I enjoyed every bit of it! Everyone in this book has their own greedy agenda, and no one was likable. I'm a sucker for a book with unlikeable characters who are all morally gray. The author also did a really good job with making you feel for the characters as well.
Ivy lost her parents at fourteen, which caused her life to be a living hell. When she finds out who took her parents from her, she is determined to ruin that person's life. She becomes obsessed and forms a plan on how to bring Lola Maxwell and her empire down.
Lola is a socialite who everyone loves. She also has her own agendas and secrets. She has the perfect husband, home, friends, and a huge following on social media. She is an advocate for young moms and children as well. When she meets Ivy, she instantly decides to take Ivy under her wing.
There are other key players in this story who are ready to put Lola in her place as well, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Just know that if you're looking for a faced-paced thriller that is messy and full of self-righteous rich people, this one is for you!
Ivy lost her parents at fourteen, which caused her life to be a living hell. When she finds out who took her parents from her, she is determined to ruin that person's life. She becomes obsessed and forms a plan on how to bring Lola Maxwell and her empire down.
Lola is a socialite who everyone loves. She also has her own agendas and secrets. She has the perfect husband, home, friends, and a huge following on social media. She is an advocate for young moms and children as well. When she meets Ivy, she instantly decides to take Ivy under her wing.
There are other key players in this story who are ready to put Lola in her place as well, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Just know that if you're looking for a faced-paced thriller that is messy and full of self-righteous rich people, this one is for you!
The Taming of LaRue by L. Loren
emotional
reflective
fast-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
2.5
Unfortunately, I did not ship Mouse and Ace. Separately, I enjoyed their characters, but together, they just didn't work for me. I wasn't a fan of the way they quickly fell for each other, nor did I enjoy their overall romance. Their relationship was purely sexual, though they both talked about how they needed to communicate and talk through their issues.
Mouse had been through some traumatic things, and she didn't get the help that she needed. I found her behavior also off-putting because she was supposed to be a feminist, but she was super quick to talk down to other women and also become violent with them. I understood having to keep up a persona, but I felt she went about it the wrong way most of the time.
Ace was a brooding character, but soft to Mouse when they were by themselves. He was rude as hell to Mouse around the other members for the majority of the book because he had to "keep Mouse in line," along with everyone else even though he had respect already. Their dialogue was also pretty cringe at times.
I did enjoy the side characters and wanted to learn more about Baby and Matrix! I also enjoyed the found family aspect of this book. The overall business part of the MC was interesting to learn about as well, and I wanted more of that. Overall, this was a quick read and was steamy, but it wasn't my favorite in the end.
Mouse had been through some traumatic things, and she didn't get the help that she needed. I found her behavior also off-putting because she was supposed to be a feminist, but she was super quick to talk down to other women and also become violent with them. I understood having to keep up a persona, but I felt she went about it the wrong way most of the time.
Ace was a brooding character, but soft to Mouse when they were by themselves. He was rude as hell to Mouse around the other members for the majority of the book because he had to "keep Mouse in line," along with everyone else even though he had respect already. Their dialogue was also pretty cringe at times.
I did enjoy the side characters and wanted to learn more about Baby and Matrix! I also enjoyed the found family aspect of this book. The overall business part of the MC was interesting to learn about as well, and I wanted more of that. Overall, this was a quick read and was steamy, but it wasn't my favorite in the end.
The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
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
Usually, I'm not a big fan of world building in stories that are super long. I love a good character driven book and find world building incredibly boring, but not in this book! I ate up the world building, the characters, the side characters, everything! It was so so good, and that ending got me hard.
Dianna and Liam are both morally gray characters, which I loved. They are enemies to each other, which I loved even more. Their banter and the builf of their relationship were fantastic. Dianna is someone who loves deeply and will do anything to protect her sister, even if that means killing and destroying. Liam is the World Ender and doesn't want to be.
They have to come together to take down Kaden and get the sacred Book of Azreal. Their journey to get there is full of action, horrible people, and a lot of angsty feelings. Perfection.
I can't wait to read the second one!
Dianna and Liam are both morally gray characters, which I loved. They are enemies to each other, which I loved even more. Their banter and the builf of their relationship were fantastic. Dianna is someone who loves deeply and will do anything to protect her sister, even if that means killing and destroying. Liam is the World Ender and doesn't want to be.
They have to come together to take down Kaden and get the sacred Book of Azreal. Their journey to get there is full of action, horrible people, and a lot of angsty feelings. Perfection.
I can't wait to read the second one!
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
This was such a read depiction of a teenage romance. While it took me a little bit to get truly invested, I thought this story was really well done. Celine and Brad are both adorable in their own way. They both have deep feelings for the ones they love and aren't afraid to show their affection towards those people.
Celine and Brad were friends growing up, but once they reached high school, they had a falling out. Now, they have found themselves in the same class at school and are having to interact with each other. They also find themselves involved in the same BEP experience to try to win a full ride scholarship. I enjoyed the wilderness aspect to this story so much!
Brad struggles with OCD and Celine struggles with abandonment issues. Both characters have to find ways to cope with their issues, and once they find themselves being friends again, you can really see that they know how to help each other through their episodes. I loved that as well. Such a great book full of representation and actual teenage struggles that aren't far-fetched!
Celine and Brad were friends growing up, but once they reached high school, they had a falling out. Now, they have found themselves in the same class at school and are having to interact with each other. They also find themselves involved in the same BEP experience to try to win a full ride scholarship. I enjoyed the wilderness aspect to this story so much!
Brad struggles with OCD and Celine struggles with abandonment issues. Both characters have to find ways to cope with their issues, and once they find themselves being friends again, you can really see that they know how to help each other through their episodes. I loved that as well. Such a great book full of representation and actual teenage struggles that aren't far-fetched!
Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Overall, this anthology was a win. There were a few duds for me, but that's pretty normal in an anthology.
My five-star stories included Eye & Tooth, The Other One, The Norwood Trouble, and A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree. Needless to say, all of those had some sort of supernatural or paranormal elements to them, which is usually my favorite type of horror.
My overall rating of this anthology is a 3.5⭐️, but I'm going to round it up to a 4 because I will be continuing/checking out over half of the authors from this anthology.
My five-star stories included Eye & Tooth, The Other One, The Norwood Trouble, and A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree. Needless to say, all of those had some sort of supernatural or paranormal elements to them, which is usually my favorite type of horror.
My overall rating of this anthology is a 3.5⭐️, but I'm going to round it up to a 4 because I will be continuing/checking out over half of the authors from this anthology.
Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this so much. Rafe is a big teddy bear and literally the sweetest. Sloan is a go-getter and badass surgeon who just wants the best for her two girls. What's not to love?
While this was a fast-moving romance, I wouldn't say insta-love, but insta-attraction was definitely a thing. Usually, I'm not a fan, but this book was done right! I really enjoyed how sweet Rafe was with the girls and how he just wanted to care for Sloan. Sloan was also one of those characters I instantly connected with. She was kind, loving, and fair. But she also didn't take any crap from anyone, including her ex-husband.
Yes, I'll be continuing with the series!
While this was a fast-moving romance, I wouldn't say insta-love, but insta-attraction was definitely a thing. Usually, I'm not a fan, but this book was done right! I really enjoyed how sweet Rafe was with the girls and how he just wanted to care for Sloan. Sloan was also one of those characters I instantly connected with. She was kind, loving, and fair. But she also didn't take any crap from anyone, including her ex-husband.
Yes, I'll be continuing with the series!
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
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? It's complicated
4.0
This book was like watching a reality show, and I enjoyed it! Marlee couldn't catch a break, and I felt like the author's knowledge of what it feels like to be an NFL wife really shined through. I was glad to see that Marlee had really good friends because the other women in this book were horrible. But, I feel like that is extremely real in the world of professional sports.
Marlee finds out that her long-term boyfriend has cheated on her, and she leaves him - finally. She is saved by Gavin, who she had a one-night stand with four years previously, and they start a whirlwind of a relationship. I really liked both of their characters separately and together as a couple. Marlee is eccentric and funny, while Gavin is serious and extremely caring. They made a good couple.
One thing that drove me crazy throughout the book were the hashtags. I started skipping over them. I also didn't like the miscommunication at the end, but I was glad that Marlee and Gavin figured out their differences. I'll be continuing with the series.
Marlee finds out that her long-term boyfriend has cheated on her, and she leaves him - finally. She is saved by Gavin, who she had a one-night stand with four years previously, and they start a whirlwind of a relationship. I really liked both of their characters separately and together as a couple. Marlee is eccentric and funny, while Gavin is serious and extremely caring. They made a good couple.
One thing that drove me crazy throughout the book were the hashtags. I started skipping over them. I also didn't like the miscommunication at the end, but I was glad that Marlee and Gavin figured out their differences. I'll be continuing with the series.
Death Note: Black Edition, Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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
5.0
This hooked me from the beginning. I love stories like this where we know who's wrecking havoc and get to see the detective work at the same time. The twists in this story were fantastic. The overall thought process of Light and his reasoning behind everything he didn't make me dislike him, and I want to know more about L.
I definitely will be continuing on with this series.
I definitely will be continuing on with this series.