midnight_rose_reads's reviews
196 reviews
Below Zero, by Ali Hazelwood
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Injury/injury detail
Magnolia Parks, by Jessa Hastings
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Magnolia Parks is the first book in the Magnolia Parks Universe series by Jessa Hastings. It revolves around Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballantine and their group of friends who live in London. They are all fabulously wealthy high society socialites.
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about two people navigating a complicated relationship. There’s gorgeously written passages about how Magnolia and BJ feel about each other. It’s definitely a book where you’ll feel a lot of different emotions. There’s also a nice side setup for the next book with Daisy, Christian, and Julian. I can’t wait to continue this series!
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about two people navigating a complicated relationship. There’s gorgeously written passages about how Magnolia and BJ feel about each other. It’s definitely a book where you’ll feel a lot of different emotions. There’s also a nice side setup for the next book with Daisy, Christian, and Julian. I can’t wait to continue this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Child death
The Serpent and the Wings of Night, by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in the Nightborn duet, which is a book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series. Oraya is the daughter of the Nightborn vampire King Vincent. She’s a human who Vincent rescued from the wreckage of her old home in Salinae. He trains her to protect herself against the vampires around her. There is a tournament named the Kejari that Oraya plans to participate in in order to win the Goddess Nyasia’s prize. While in the tournament she meets a mysterious fellow contestant named Raihn who may be more than what he seems.
It was interesting learning about the two different Nightborn vampires the Hiaj and the Rishan. We also get a glimpse at the other two vampire houses, House of Shadow and House of Blood. I’m looking forward to their two books.
This was a stunning start to a exciting series. There’s high emotion, propulsive action, and shocking twists. If you enjoyed Jude and Madoc’s adopted daughter/father relationship in the Folk of the Air series, you’ll enjoy the bond between Oraya & Vincent. If you enjoyed the tournament aspect of A Court of Thorns and Roses you’ll like the Kejari. If you liked the death goddess aspect of the Nevernight Chronicle you’ll like Nyaxia. And if you like the epic fantasy romance- that happened to have vampires in it of the Blood and Ash series you’ll enjoy this series.
It was interesting learning about the two different Nightborn vampires the Hiaj and the Rishan. We also get a glimpse at the other two vampire houses, House of Shadow and House of Blood. I’m looking forward to their two books.
This was a stunning start to a exciting series. There’s high emotion, propulsive action, and shocking twists. If you enjoyed Jude and Madoc’s adopted daughter/father relationship in the Folk of the Air series, you’ll enjoy the bond between Oraya & Vincent. If you enjoyed the tournament aspect of A Court of Thorns and Roses you’ll like the Kejari. If you liked the death goddess aspect of the Nevernight Chronicle you’ll like Nyaxia. And if you like the epic fantasy romance- that happened to have vampires in it of the Blood and Ash series you’ll enjoy this series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Death, Grief, War, Rape, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Self harm, and Sexual content
Moderate: Torture and Sexual assault
Hell Bent, by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
Hell Bent is the second book in the Alex Stern series. Alex and Dawes are attempting to rescue Darlington from Hell. There are also a few other sub-plots such as Alex helping Turner (who is a detective you meet in the first book) look into the death of two Yale professors, Eitan a man from Alex’s past who wants her to use her supernatural abilities for his financial gain, and Michael Anslem who is a member of Lethe and someone who Alex wants to obtain money from so she can relocate her mother from L.A. so she can be protected from Eitan.
There is some more world-building aspects as you come to find out while reading that add to the lore of the first book. You also get to know more about the side characters as well as Alex.
This book wasn’t quite the five star read the first one was for me. It wasn’t as tightly edited as I felt Ninth House was, and went on a little too long than it should have. Some things were a little repetitive. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this contemporary dark fantasy series and look forward to the next installment.
There is some more world-building aspects as you come to find out while reading that add to the lore of the first book. You also get to know more about the side characters as well as Alex.
This book wasn’t quite the five star read the first one was for me. It wasn’t as tightly edited as I felt Ninth House was, and went on a little too long than it should have. Some things were a little repetitive. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this contemporary dark fantasy series and look forward to the next installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Bullying
The Stolen Heir, by Holly Black
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
3.0
The Stolen Heir is the first book in a new duology that takes place in the world of Elfhame by Holly Black. It is a story about Suren or ‘Wren’ the Queen of the now disbanded Court of Teeth, and the High Queen of Elfhame Jude’s little brother, Prince Oak.
It was lovely to encounter Madoc in this story as I’d throughly enjoyed the character in the Folk of the Air trilogy.
Suren is not as strong a main character as Jude was in the Folk of the Air series. That made it hard to connect with her. However, I’m curious about the plot going forward, especially with how it ends. I’ll be picking up the second book to see how it all wraps up.
It was lovely to encounter Madoc in this story as I’d throughly enjoyed the character in the Folk of the Air trilogy.
Suren is not as strong a main character as Jude was in the Folk of the Air series. That made it hard to connect with her. However, I’m curious about the plot going forward, especially with how it ends. I’ll be picking up the second book to see how it all wraps up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Violence, Injury/injury detail, and Child abuse
Moderate: Kidnapping, Bullying, Death, and Emotional abuse
Anastasia, by Sophie Lark
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Anastasia is a historical fantasy romance standalone from Sophie Lark, and her first ever fantasy book. It was a well researched emotional and harrowing read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Torture, War, Death, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Injury/injury detail, and Murder
Kincaid, by Laurelin Paige
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Kincaid is the third book in the Dirty Duet. A very solid conclusion to Donovan and Sabrina’s story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Child death, Sexual content, Grief, and Miscarriage
Her Soul to Take, by Harley Laroux
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Her Soul to Take is the first book in the Souls trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Injury/injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Cursing
The Nature of Witches, by Rachel Griffin
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
The Nature of Witches is a gorgeous debut about Clara Densmore who is a student at the Eastern School of Solar Magic. She’s an ‘Everwitch’, meaning she can control all four seasons and not just one. After much tragedy in her personal life, Clara starts living off campus away from the rest of the students at her school. She vows to get ‘stripped’ of her magic when the next equinox happens, so she’ll no longer be a danger to others. Enter Mr. Burrows a teacher from the Western School of Solar Magic, and a student there, Sang Park. They’ve traveled to the Eastern School so that Sang can help train Clara with his calming Spring magic, and Mr. Burrows can oversee the training. Reluctantly, Clara agrees.
Really lovely debut!
Really lovely debut!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content