libraryofjess_'s reviews
491 reviews

The Scattered Bones: A Dark Fantasy Romance by Nicole Scarano, Nicole Scarano

5.0

✨5 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 2 spice 🌶️

“I will love you until I am nothing but dust, and even then, I’ll still love you.”

GODS. This book. I absolutely loved it. Such a breathtaking story of strength, love, and tragedy.

The goddesses vessel and the god of thieves acolyte.

I honestly devoured this book. I didn’t want to put it down ever. I loved the character development we see over time for the FMC Sellah. Her love making her into a strong character without dimming her compassion was such a beautiful story.

I loved how this book alternates the characters present to past so though we are moving a long in the story and know what happened we can see it as the characters progress. 

I loved these characters, Kaid, Sellah, and the stranger were such amazing characters and I really enjoyed reading about them.

I seriously cannot recommend this book enough. I loved the gods and goddesses aspects and the power love has for the main characters and how it strengthened their characters. Truly loved this.

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Happy reading 🤍

Lights Out by Navessa Allen

4.25

✨4.25 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️

’It was time to find out just how serious Aly was about wanting to walk into her house and find a masked man waiting for her in the darkness.’

This book was insane. Dark but also hilarious. 

I went into this blind and had no idea what to expect. But what I got was so good. I mean come on, a masked man stalker but he’s also a gentlemen? Yea, I said what I said. Also, didn’t know I needed a fictional boyfriend who becomes a cat dad…

This was super easy to read, VERY spicy with a lot of chaotic energy. I feel like this was a perfect read after finish ‘Leather and Lark’ by Brynne Weaver. I also didn’t realise how much I liked dark and funny romances until this month and now I’m addicted.

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Happy reading 🤍

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver

4.5

✨4.5 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 2 spice 🌶️

“Are you a serial killer?"

"No." She scoffs. It's entirely forced. 

"Of course not. No. I'm more like a…I'm more like a multiple deleter."

Brynne Weaver has done it again. 

No one can make me love serial killers as much as she does. 

This was hilarious, fun, sweet, and filled with glitter. It was so good and I couldn’t put it down. 

Of course I love Sloane and Rowan from B&B but I can make room for Lark and Lachlan. 

I love that this wasn’t plot heavy. I really did need a romance solely focused on the characters. This was just *chefs kiss*.

Also, I can’t stop thinking about the snow globe…left me absolutely CACKLING. Why do I kinda want one…if you don’t know what I’m talking about then read this book asap! 

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Happy reading 🤍

The Consulate by Allison Carr Waechter

4.0

✨4 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 2 spice 🌶️

“Eyes on me, Ember. They can watch you, but your eyes are mine.” 

Thank you to Haus of Fables for this eARC (that I was very late to reading so the book is already out…but good thing for who’s reading this review is that you can read it now!) Like always, here is my honest review! 

These girls are girl bossing real hard and I love it. 

This was so fun, honestly loved the characters. 

I will say it did take me a minute to be able to catch up with the world building but once I was caught up it was all sails ahead. 

The storyline was amazing, loved the heist and the characters being brought back together but of course what really stuck out for me was the romance. 

Ares and Ember…perfection. The similarities between them, the feeling of loneliness they both experienced, but also being polar opposites. Chefs kiss. 

I loved the writing in this. Super easy to read. Amazing characters. Just pick this book up! 

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Happy reading 🤍

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

adventurous dark mysterious

4.5

✨4.5 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 2 spice 🌶️

“In a different life, in a fair one, I would’ve kept you until my eternal soul withered away to dust,”

This was so fun. This was like Caraval but make it dark, spicy, and a violent. 

I really enjoyed the whole preface of this book. Having deadly challenges and paranormal characters really made this book stand out for me. 

Let me say right now, Blackwell. What a man. And then add Blackwell with Ophelia, perfection. And what a mouth Blackwell has, for example, “I promise you’ll prefer where my mouth is going next.”…what more can I say.

Ophelia’s character development was so well done in this. She was such a strong character in this. I also enjoyed seeing representation of OCD for her character. 

I will say I did rate this lower than five stars just because I felt the ending didn’t really have the impact that I was expecting. Yes, it was good but I feel that it was a little bit rushed in a sense.

In saying that, I did enjoy the book as a whole. Loved the atmosphere and the characters. The games were intriguing and the romance was perfection. This was a standalone and I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series! 

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Happy reading 🤍

Spectacular by Stephanie Garber

3.5

✨3.5 stars ✨ 

’Ready to play?’

Christmas came early this year! First off, I would like to thank Hachette Australia for sending me this book, here’s my honest review:

I missed the Caraval characters so much. The illustrations in this were just magical and so so well done, truely gives the Caraval magic that we know and love.

I would have loved to see more Julian and Scarlett in this but I actually loved how this story went.

I will say I am a sucker for all the characters so I absolutely loved seeing sassy Donatella again. She totally would be the character stressing about Christmas so this fits well. 

This was so feel good, fun, and easy to read. Definitely enjoyed it and love getting more of the characters!!

Check TWs and CWs

Happy reading 🤍

The Poisoner by I.V. Ophelia

4.0

✨4 stars ✨
🌶️ 2 spice 🌶️

’I never thought I could reach the point of craving someone aside from a simple hunger. Starving for her would be more painful than any true hunger. I would rather perish. I was wholeheartedly, pathologically addicted to her.’

This was wild. Perfect dark and twisted read for spooky seasons.
It really gave a gothic atmosphere with lots of twisted plot. I honestly enjoyed this book I think specifically for the FMC, I found her character so interesting and my dark little heart really loved how violent she truly was.

I have to admit I’m a sucker for a vampire gothic fantasy and I will say the beginning of this I actually loved. If I could sum this book up perfectly for people, think Haunting Adeline with vampires. 

My only let down was the last quarter of the book otherwise I would have given this a higher rating.
There wasn’t too much of a solid plot going on at the beginning of the book, it more came half way through. 

It was an interesting dynamic between Alina (the poisoner) and Silas (the creature). It truly was a twisted romance between the two filled with secrets. 
I do need to see what happens next after that cliffhanger, so I definitely will be continuing on. 

I’m gonna say this loud and clear. This book is not going to be for everyone. It does have major triggers so please if you do consider reading this, read the trigger warnings and content warnings! Your mental health matters

Happy reading 🤍

Grimstone by Sophie Lark

3.0

✨3 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️

”…How many waves are in the ocean?” 

“Infinite.” 

“And how many mistakes will we make?” 

“Infinite.”

This definitely the right book to read for spooky season…especially when you like spicy book like me, yes, I know I’m crazy.

Anyway, this was super easy to read. I actually really enjoyed the atmosphere of this and the plot twists and mysteries. I will say that I wasn’t too fond of the FMC just for the fact I felt at some moments her character felt very forced. 

I do love how Sophie Lark adds illustrations into her books, think it’s a very fun way to make the story really come to life. 

This book definitely had the spooky atmosphere as well as some interesting characters, so I will say I enjoyed it. 

Super easy read and interesting! 

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Happy reading 🤍

Fairydale by Veronica Lancet

4.75

✨4.75 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️

’One day at a time. 

One loved one at a time. 

In the end, only memory remains.’

Okay, wow. This book threw me for a loop. Everytime I thought I knew what was going to happen, boom, another twist. 

Let me just start by saying that this book was truly hypnotic. I loved the atmosphere and the mysterious nature of the story. I truely was never bored and this was the definition of expect the unexpected. 

One thing I absolutely adored about this book was the ‘finding each other in every life’. I found it so interesting in the way Lancet told all the past life stories and how it intertwined with the present.

We really saw how peoples views and manipulation can make a person into villain. I was reading this and I was thrown back in forth thinking, wait bad guy? no good guy? 

This story I feel also changes drastically from the beginning to end. I feel that the use of timelines and atmosphere really changed the story which honestly kind of enjoyed. 

Anywayyy, it wouldn’t be a review by me if I didn’t mention this…but yes, there is spice. And yes it was good spice. And also yes, I fell for the villain…or are they the villain? 

Definitely a good read for spooky season, really enjoyed it and definitely recommend! 

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Happy reading 🤍

Blood of the Sands by

adventurous challenging

3.5

✨3.5 stars ✨ 

🌶️ 1 spice 🌶️

“You’re not a sword though. You’re a man.” 

“I haven’t wanted to be. Not until—not until I met you.” 

First off, I would like to thank the Nerd Fam for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. I will say that I did kind of struggle in the first half but honestly when I got to the 50% mark I soared through this. 

Absolutely loved the atmosphere of this story. I feel like I was really able to envision the desert with the way that this was written. 

I really enjoyed the main characters in this as well. I enjoyed the mysteries behind their pasts and the internal battles that they have with being at different sides of a war. 

I feel that the romance started more towards the halfway mark and I really liked seeing the changes in both characters. I feel like the Viper (MMC) was such an interesting character and I feel like this character was such a mystery but I loved how it unfolded with Keera. 

I’m definitely gonna need the next book asap after that ending. So curious on how it is going to play out! 

Check TWs and CWs

Happy reading 🤍