melissaslibraryy's reviews
318 reviews

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

Miss Chloe Gong has done it again! I loved this book from beginning to end and thought she did an amazing job for her first New Adult fantasy. I love how the games in the book remind me of The Hunger Games in terms of having a single Victor win after the rest of the players are dead and be rewarded with a ton of money that makes one think will get them out of poverty, but a better life will always be slightly out of reach. I had a feeling something was gonna happen at the end so when it did, i was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t expect it ☺️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This novel was a beautiful take on the struggles of marriage and how quickly people can go from love to resentment, and resentment with a side of love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content

Losers: Part I by Harley Laroux

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I have loved Harley Laroux’s work ever since i first read her book Her Soul to Take and knew she’d be an auto buy author after reading its sequel Her Soul for Revenge. This book was all hits no misses and trustttt Im about to start Losers 2 as soon as i finish this review🤭 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

Another cute, short and sweet novella by Ali Hazelwood! I wished we got an epilogue showing the progression of the main couple since this book is only 4 hours long, as well as a brief mention of the side couples bc they were cute too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

5 trillion stars all around for this beautiful novel that had me crying tears of joy and sadness from beginning to end. I’ve heard such amazing things about this book so I had no choice but to read it myself, and it’s a decision I’ll always be grateful for. 

Our main character Lucy is a kindergarten teacher who is trying to foster then adopt one of her orphaned students Christopher, who she has formed a wholesome bond with over the past two years but is facing some financial setbacks that is stopping her from meeting the requirements to foster her baby boy. She would read her favorite childhood book series to him whenever he needed comforting from his trauma of finding his parents passed away and it was an outlet that helped him heal, so when the author of said series who has been on hiatus for years suddenly posts about a challenge to solve various riddles for a shot of winning his newest book Lucy has no choice but to accept his invitation.

This was a beautifully written story about family, heartbreak, and finding new love in the most unknowing situations. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in reading it or to those who’ve never heard of it, and definitely see myself rereading this eventually bc yes it is just that good❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was dark and wild and I am soooo reading the next book in this series🤭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy

Black Rose by Karina Halle

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Too much smut, not enough plot. While that may not be bad for some (me included sometimes) I thought the premise of the book was pretty good and might’ve been more intriguing then the previous one in the duet, so I was hoping for a stronger plot line and dialed back smutty scenes only to be disappointed (hence the 3 star rating.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy

Blood Orange by Karina Halle

dark emotional mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was ok and there were some parts where the pacing was a bit off and felt like the book was progressing rather quickly, and while I didn’t necessarily mind it I do wish it slowed down so the relationship between Dahlia and Valtu came more naturally and you can truly feel their connection. Their ending lowkey caught me off guard😭 so im interested to see how this new plot line is established in the sequel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey

emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I thought their relationship wouldn’t be so insta-lovey & evolve as quickly as it did so that was a bummer to read. I also assumed the book would have darker themes and be slow to medium paced, but it read more as an erotica with very slight mafia affiliation mentions than anything. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Kidnapping