Kinda feel like the serial killer took a backseat in this one? Is that the phrase? The spice outweighed the thrill in my opinion. Review coming up shoKinda feel like the serial killer took a backseat in this one? Is that the phrase? The spice outweighed the thrill in my opinion. Review coming up shortly. My brain is a little fried for the night.
The most terrifying monsters aren’t found in dreams …
Um hello - this sounds so freaking good! And I'm just going to go right ahead and move it right to the top of my pile.
ETA- This duet is currently free included with Audible membership. ❤️
「✦ Nola is a single mum whose been through a lot. Her little boy Oliver watched her husband, his dad get murdered, is now mute and therapy isn't working.
Voss is ex military, and a hitman. Who was abused by his uncle, a prolific woman killer. Either someone is being a copy-cat murderer or his uncle isn't dead, but he's been sent to find out as 'The Sandmans' next victim is Nola.✦ 」⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ ╰⪼ ...more
Thank you to Liv , who unknowingly put this book on my radar ... I can't wait to dive into this.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ A feverishly taut Hitchcockian story about two Thank you to Liv , who unknowingly put this book on my radar ... I can't wait to dive into this.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ A feverishly taut Hitchcockian story about two college students, each with his own troubled past, whose escalating obsession with one another leads to an act of unspeakable violence.
ೃ⁀➷♡ Dark Academia ೃ⁀➷♡ Obsessive Relationship ೃ⁀➷♡ Toxic Co-dependency ೃ⁀➷♡ Destructive Affair ೃ⁀➷♡ MM Romance ೃ⁀➷♡ Thriller
♡ 'All they were—all they had ever been—was a pair of sunflowers who each believed the other was the sun.' ♡
♡ 'What a lonely, dreary thing it is to know the truth. What a relief it is that now neither of us has to be alone in knowing. I hope you looked west while I was looking east, and that for a moment you met my eyes without knowing it. I know you never look away, even when your eyes are closed, but I’m never certain you can see what’s really there.' ♡
“She wants to kill me the next time she sees me? By all means. Anything for my beautiful wife.”
“I won’t. I mean it. Y
What a shitty end to the series.
“She wants to kill me the next time she sees me? By all means. Anything for my beautiful wife.”
“I won’t. I mean it. You can shoot my other arm and I will walk to you. If you take my legs, I’ll crawl to you.” “Are you crazy?” “When it comes to you? Possibly.”
This series isn't particularly good but I can't stop reading it.... book 3 here we go.
There's so much that I can't say in this review because it would spoil the whole book since it picks up right w Omg. What a beautiful story!
4.5 Stars
There's so much that I can't say in this review because it would spoil the whole book since it picks up right where the cliffhanger from book 1 leaves off but I did want to jot down a few thoughts and feelings.
I often find that dark romance doesn't always have the best of writing. Usually it comes across kinda clunky and maybe it's just because my tastes have matured that I've noticed this and so I've avoided much of the more recent dark romances- BUT! Rest assured because Pepper Winters SLAYS.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ The writing is incredible. The story is dark and emotional with characters that have such a multitude of layers and depth.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ A love story about two people torn apart by power and control, circumstances and madness. It's heartbreaking, suspense-filled romance of the forbidden; torture and pain.
This book had me sobbing! There's twists and turns, so much heartache, loss and despair. There's acceptance and the fight to live as Neri recounts her story about a life of anguish and loss, love and acceptance.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆ೃ⁀➷ Lunamare is a retelling of soulmates tied to one another through love, and the beating of the heart.
Highly recommend! Please keep in mind that this is a dark romance, forbidden love, taboo story. Please check trigger warnings.
I had to sit on this one for the night and really let my thoughts marinate. I'll admit, I've always been aWhew - what a ride this book was!
3.75 Stars
I had to sit on this one for the night and really let my thoughts marinate. I'll admit, I've always been a huge Pepper Winters fan. I think the first book I read from her was about 10 years ago, but I've really only read a couple and while they were dark romance, they didn't necessarily walk the line of taboo.
The two most recent books that I've read from Pepper are very much taboo, and if I'm 1000% honest with all of you, there's been a couple of times that I thought I was going to bow out. With this book and with The Boy and his Ribbon.
╰┈➤ Both are coming of age taboo stories with age gap. Pepper walks a fine line (for me) between- I might cringe, this is a little uncomfortable but she always seems to swing it around to pure enjoyment. Clearly she's extremely talented- I'm a tough critic. Once and author starts to lose me, they usually don't redeem themselves. But let me go ahead and focus in on this one for you.
The story opens up with a boy and his family ending up in an accident - they're in the ocean and drowning. The boy's family doesn't survive and the boy- our MMC Aslan, is rescued by our FMC Nerida and her family, who are marine biologists (why they happened to be in the right place at the right time in/near the ocean)
There is a secret that Aslan is keeping, and no one knows what it is, not even us as readers- but he's is in a very precarious position. He's in a foreign country (Australia), no documentation, identification, no money. No family left. Clearly traumatized and vulnerable.
He's just a boy of 16 years old who has just lost his family, has no where to go and nothing but the clothes on his back - err. Not even that as he went to the hospital. So, Nerida's parents take him in with a few conditions and to start, on a week to week which turns into a year by year and eventually permanent basis.
That's about as far as I want to go with a brief description as to what the book is about, and I will say this- I loved the beginning of the book. I found the characters all very real and well rounded. The story was engaging and entertaining.
In the middle chunk of the book though, I feel like Winters could have benefited from some editing. The book didn't need to be as long as it was and could have cut out much of the back and forth between Aslan and Nerida.
╰┈➤ I found it so frustrating and annoying. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the author was trying to convey her age even more at this point? (She starts out at 12 years old but is 16 or 17 in this reference) I often feel that when the girl is the younger one in an age gap novel, she begs and pleads for the MMC to admit he has feelings for her.
This is exactly what happened here and it just grates at me. I don't find enjoyment in the begging and pleading for a man's attention. That is a me thing, take it with a grain of salt.
╰┈➤ The ending, while predictable was no less a punch to the gut. I was left with all kind of questions as secrets are revealed, memories are shared and emotions fly high.
Winters leaves you hanging on a huge cliffhanger, screaming in frustration. Thankfully, I already have book 2 downloaded.
So, while I did have a few issues here and there, the story came through for me as a whole and I did enjoy it immensely. I can't wait to crack on with the second book.
I would say that this book is comparable to Nicholas Sparks as stated in the blurb only in the fact that the story portrays a bone deep and soul connecting kind of love that stands the test of time - please don't forget that this is a dark, taboo and age gap romance. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys this brand of tea ...more
'My light died a long time ago—flickering with the many exhales of disapproval until finally, with one big breath, it was blown completely out. Like a'My light died a long time ago—flickering with the many exhales of disapproval until finally, with one big breath, it was blown completely out. Like a withering candle left out in the cold, surely to hush and diminish as expected.'
'This lovely phantom is the very image of tragedy. She is a ballad of mournful movements, bones, and tattered lace—a symphony unlike any I’ve endured.'
"I want my love to haunt you. Until the stars die-until all the water in the ocean dries and we're all that's left in this cruel, dark world."
: ̗̀➛ Alexa -Play Chemtrails Over The Country Club by Lana Del Rey
'The snake felt like a gift. A promise. That someday, someway, I'd be able to move on from this horror- shed my old skin and be reborn something st'The snake felt like a gift. A promise. That someday, someway, I'd be able to move on from this horror- shed my old skin and be reborn something stronger. Something powerful and terrifying.'
"Most people are terrified of snakes." "Most people are afraid of you." "But not you." "Not me." "You make me feel a lot of thing I've never felt before, but not fear."
Many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out to give me the opportunity to read her book in exchange for an honest review! Looking forward to On pause...
Many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out to give me the opportunity to read her book in exchange for an honest review! Looking forward to diving into this ARC! ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ♥︎
So, you know that feeling of dread you get when you are really not liking much at all about a book but you want to know what happens at the end 1 Star
So, you know that feeling of dread you get when you are really not liking much at all about a book but you want to know what happens at the end so you're basically torturing yourself?
I can't even say how many times I put down my kindle and verbally complained to the book gods saying 'OMG this is so MF boringgggg' - literally. So much I hated about this book.
Okay, so it's been an extremely long time since I've read anything from Mia Sheridan, I think the last book I read was Archer's Voice back in 2017. I didn't even know she wrote dark, thriller, suspense type books. When I clicked this as one of my choices for October Prime First reads I was completely under the impression that it was a romance novel.
After hearing some feedback, it was my understanding that this book was being referred to as Saw meets Hunger Games. A dark-romance, thriller, suspense, mystery novel. Well, hello- right in my wheelhouse. But no.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ Our two main characters Noelle and Evan have both been abducted and wake up to find themselves locked in cages in a dark room. Sworn enemies because Leonard Sinclair - father to Evan is responsible for killing Noelle's mother after she allegedly broke into his home, being a scorned and obsessed woman after Sinclair broke off their affair.
Not only are the two MC's abducted, they quickly discover that it isn't random. Forced to play a game of 'this one loses a body part or you allow yourself to be "rented" ' in order to survive, they are being watched. They don't know by who or how many, but decide to band together , take the punishment that is doled out and attempt to escape whole and together.
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ ⚠️I want to highlight that this contains very dark themes including but not limited to r@ape, murder, torture etc. I never even do this because it is stated that the book is dark- however since I was under the impression that it was a romance, I'm thinking others may as well. I do want to say that the majority of these heinous acts are done behind closed doors and not on page- it is known r@pe occurs but there are no gory details.⚠️
Now, the watchers- we don't know who they are with the exception of 'The Collector' who is very intrigued with our two MC captives. This is very much a dark and devious game that is being played by very wealthy individuals. They abduct people, put them through all sorts of different mental and physical torture and place bets-on a winner I suppose.
This is about the first 20% of the book and so far-meh okay.
The next 80% of the book spans over the course of 7 years after the abduction, Noelle goes off to figure out her life, while Evan does the same. During this time they meet up from time to time having a strong trauma bond. Evan is now a P.I. and finally catches a break in the case 7 years later and needs Noelle's help. Together again, they dig for clues to get to the bottom of who kidnapped and tortured them, why and how many.
For me, I don't hand out 1 star ratings like candy, it means I couldn't find anything about the book I liked - to the point I hated it. I liked the premise of this book, but that's it. And for me, that's not enough.. anyone can have a great idea.. For this one, the execution sucked.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ The most interesting character exits stage left around 20% - I found myself wishing I would turn the page and it would be a chapter for the collector , but alas it wasn't.
I was so disconnected from the two main characters , and I think that is because Sheridan didn't deliver early on. This was definitely a case of the story is all telling and no showing. It always felt so surface level to me- even being held in a cage. It was just going through the motions , I never felt connected to the characters or the story.
There was way more internal dialogue going on than actual dialogue. Super frustrating, the miscommunication trope is heavy.
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ The romance is agonizing and not in a good way, so frustratingly awkward and weird.
Instead of a third act break up because the two were not together, we get third act bullshit.. all the sudden the FMC is 10x more annoying and the miscommunication is more present... I think Sheridan was trying to create tension but it was heavy eye roll worthy.
Overall, when I read a suspense thriller I expect to be hooked .. and to have twists and turns to keep me entertained. I didn't get any of this... It didn't even feel like a thriller to me to be honest, it was some weird mash up of trauma romance that was so awkward and disconnected, and not because of the events they endured together, but because the characters are just poorly written - complete with the random tossed in (view spoiler)[ a secret pregnancy. (hide spoiler)]
Put it this way, I was at 90% last night after speed reading the majority of the second half and my daughter came home from work and wanted to watch Harry Potter together and I tossed this to the side with 10% left without a second thought.
⁀➴ˎˊ˗ I was not moved to keep reading this. The ending was such a lack luster let down. There was no shock value.
The writing was poor- I think I saw another reviewer post that the word breath was used close to 200 times in the first 20% - imagine how many breaths were released that they didn't know they were holding in that time. LOL. I can't.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ I think there's probably a ton of people that will enjoy this, but I've read too many books far too similar that are much better executed and for me this one just didn't deliver.
✄┈┈┈┈
I've heard this is being called Saw meets Hunger Games?
Maybe I've just read too many gothic mystery books in my day? The story was enjoyable enough - hence the 3 stars. The writing and the vibes were fine.Maybe I've just read too many gothic mystery books in my day? The story was enjoyable enough - hence the 3 stars. The writing and the vibes were fine.
I just feel like I've read this story already? Within the first couple of chapters I'd already guessed the conclusion - so that was a little bit of a let down.
I received the audio arc and while the female narrator was enjoyable, the male narrator was horrible. The ick for real.
❥・ Gothic ❥・ Mystery ❥・ Spicy ❥・ Dark Academia ❥・Dark secrets ❥・Distressed heroine ❥・Emotional scars ❥・Grieving lover ❥・Sinister circumstances ❥・Creepy House
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bea Northwick for the complementary audio copy in exchange for my thoughts. ...more
I'm probably not the target for this book, so take my rating and review for what it's worth.
Okay, so. I recently had someone's review come across my I'm probably not the target for this book, so take my rating and review for what it's worth.
Okay, so. I recently had someone's review come across my feed saying that this book gave her total TVD and TO (The Vampire Diaries and The Originals) vibes and this flew to the top of my to read list on that alone. I have been searching for something that screams TVD and or Sookie Stackhouse. With the small town, human and all other supernatural beings.
I could see that in the beginning.. but by around 50% I was pretty much over it..
Let's just say that FOR ME the ratio of plot to smut was off. Demon meets girl, demon instantly likes girl, all the sudden demon and girl are fucking non stop and I had no idea what happened to the storyline. I'm all for smut and hot sex, but it's rather nice to feel a connection between the characters.
If you're someone who loves spice served from the moment two characters meet and don't need any tension - you'll probably enjoy this much more than I did.
The FMC Rae , is well .. super mf weak and TSTL-I was really irritated with her throughout.
I've seen these characters called the fictional Megan Fox and MGK... I can second that. LOL
Since this is an older book and has been reviewed to death I'll just say..
Well. I guess I'm just in the middle of the road on this one. There is absolSince this is an older book and has been reviewed to death I'll just say..
Well. I guess I'm just in the middle of the road on this one. There is absolutely nothing bad about it, I think in the beginning it just felt like their relationship was a little rushed.. I mean they had just met and I blinked and it was this all consuming I'll kill for you love. Just makes me feel off about the relationship.
I think if the book was a little longer it would have been more fleshed out and would have made it that much better. Other than that it has all of the elements I love in a dark romance.
♥︎ Heather ⚔
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