bchristian541's reviews
181 reviews

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Naomi left her hometown on the day of her wedding to come to her up-to-no-good twin sister's aid, effectively escaping the biggest mistake of her life. When she gets to the little town called Knockemout,  irrestible Knox Morgan gives her a less-than-friendly welcome, thinking she's her twin sister. Upon arriving, she finds that her twin sister Tina, has a daughter, who she abandoned while also stealing Naomi's money and car. Left with nothing, Knox Morgan comes to her aid. Knox, attracted to Naomi, but not wanting things to get complicated, tries to keep him self distant from Naomi. Does Knox succeed in avoiding her or does the gorgeous, intelligent newcomer find her way into Knox's heart? Find out in "Things We Never Got Over".
Some characters are loveable, others you want to hit over the head with a frying pan, while others surprise you time and time again. I enjoyed every moment of this book. I did not want to put it down. The spicy scenes were perfect and not too much. I can't wait to read the next one.

The Crimson Thread by Aspen Kilgore

dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

Elle and Gingel had fled their home to save their lives. Their father was killed and they believed the same to have happened to their mother. While finding a place to settle, the sisters found Arit. Together they made a little family and a home until one day, Gingel is severely injured and death is looming over her. Her death has a guide, one only Elle can see. This guide, she names Eth, was once a man himself and he holds Gingel's thread of life. Can Elle and Arit save Gingel or does Eth collect Gingel? What is this Crimson Thread that has also appeared? Find out in The Crimson Thread.
I loved this story. It is a quick read with lovable and relatable characters. It has just the slightest bit of spice. I can't wait to read more.

Bonded Nightmare by E.M. Rinaldi

dark hopeful tense fast-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

5.0

Eryn, the last unbonded Nightmare, has been in hiding for her entire life. Her faction was hunted to near extinction by the tribunal because of their powers. Upon returning home one day, she finds her house ransacked, her mom bruised, and her dad missing. As everything unfolds, she finds that her bond is a warlock Heir. The Heir of the faction that hunted hers. 
Kai, the warlock Heir, is in search for Eryn. Not to harm her, but to bond with her. He has waited for years to even meet her. Eryn wants nothing to do with Kai. Can Kai play his cards right and find his bond? Can Eryn overlook the pasts of the factions? Find out in Bonded Nightmare.
The characters are lovable and have relatable feelings. I did not want to put the book down. It has a good bit of spice mixed with action and mystery. I cannot wait for the story to continue. 

Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Roland, Jake, Eddie, Oy, and Susannah continue on their journey to the Dark Tower when they are followed by a group from the town Calla Bryn Sturgis. A town where singletons are rare. Every few decades, "wolves" come to the callas and kidnap a twin. The twin is returned "roont" (their term for mentally handicapped). They turn to Roland and his ka-tet in hopes that they can save them from the wolves once and for all. While all of this is occurring, Susannah is going through her own struggles. More mysteries arise as others are solved. Can Roland save the people of Calla Bryn Sturgis? 
This is full of twists and turns and loveable people. The detail is grand and Stephen King proves once again how masterful of a storyteller he is. The books make references to Harry Potter, Wizard of Oz, and Star Wars, among others which I found amusing. I can't wait to continue the series.

A Long Time Dead by T.L. Bequette

emotional hopeful mysterious fast-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

5.0

Owen Prescott is accused of murdering his professor. The professor that is suing Owen for stealing credit from him for Owen's book. His dad, not wanting to have a bad reputation on the family, tells Owen to go out of country and stay hidden, so Owen does. Owen thinks everything is going good, he even has a girlfriend. Then, truths start to come to the surface. Each truth becomes crazier than another. Is Owen truly innocent, or did he murder his professor? Find out in "A Long Time Dead".
This installment of the Joe Turner series follows Joe's friend, Owen, instead of Joe himself. The feelings and actions were realistic. 
I really liked the changed view point. I loved the twists and turns. It made me never want to put the book down. If you like legal thrillers, don't miss out on the Joe Turner series.

Blood Perfect by T.L. Bequette

adventurous hopeful 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

5.0

Attorney Joe Turner dropped all other cases when a long-time crush reached out to him, asking him if he would take up a case. Tough-looking Allston Walker is accused of attempted murder. All signs point to Allston being guilty, but Joe believes him when he says that he is innocent. As the trial occurs, Joe's long-time crush starts to act as though she has feelings for him. As truths come to light, not everything is as it seems. Did Allston really do it, or was it someone else? Find out in Blood Perfect.
All of the feelings each character has are relatable. The story is believable and the reader feels as though they are sitting through the trial with them. This is a nail-biting thriller that you'll never want to put down. 

Vale by Tess Bentley

emotional 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

 Vale was unhappy in a toxic marriage when one day, while visiting the neighborhood cemetary, she was visited by a strange man by the name of John Emberley. John grabbed Vale's hand and the next thing she knew, she was in England during the 1800's. Completely terrified, Vale ran and tried to hide in a tree. The master of the manor where the orchard is located found her and coaxed her down. The master, Edward Emberley, took Vale in and cared for her. Vale is stricken with grief when she realizes that she is stuck in that time period and cannot return home, fearing she will never see her two small children again. One night, Edward awakes her to see the witch family of the ton. There, Gildi, tells Vale of a vision that she saw. One were Vale has her children with none other than Edward himself. Gildi warns Vale that the only person stopping her from ensuring that this happens is Vale herself. Can Vale overcome her depression and some obstacles that try to get in her way or does Gildi's vision come true? Find out in 'Vale'.
All of the feelings in this book are realistic and many of the characters are lovable. Some you will learn to love as the story progresses. Twists and turns occur towards the end of the book. The beginning of the book focues on the trials that Vale endures while being in a different time period and while grieving her children. I do feel like there was too much focus on Vale's depression, even though it was understandable, and less on the other characters and their stories. The very beginning drew me in and then I did not get fully interested in it again until about halfway through. "Dear reader" was used a good bit as well and it threw me off. I like to feel as though I am a part of the story myself, but the use of that phrase took that aspect away.
Overall, I enjoyed "Vale". It was my first time-travel romance and I am glad that I read it. It is a slow burn with some suspense as well. 

It Ends with Knight by Yasmin Angoe

adventurous dark 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

5.0

Nena is still coming to terms with Witt's "retirement". Noble has put Nena in Witt's position and she is facing backlash, even though the only ones that know about what really happened to Witt are Nena, Noble, Delphine, and Elin. The Tanzanian government is trying to make a deal with miners, but a couple of adversaries are making it hard. With Elin being a new mother, Noble tasks Nena with ensuring that the miners get a fair deal. Tragedy makes the easy political job turn into something much more sinister. Not to mention, someone from Nena's past has decided to show their face again. Does Nena prevail, even with everything pointing against her, or is this the end of Nena Knight? Find out in "It Ends with Knight".
Even though you can tell who the bad people are from the get-go, twists and turns made the ending entirely unexpected. I did not want to put the book down. As always, the main characters are loveable and the story is written in such a way that the reader feels like they are with Nena the entire time. If you haven't read the Nena Knight series yet, you're missing out.

Because of Her by Devon May

emotional hopeful fast-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

5.0

 Cassidy is healing from a tough breakup, followed by bad date after bad date. Her and her roommate, Amira, reside in Melbourne on the third floor of an apartment complex. Callum is healing from a divorce and separation from his 5-year-old daughter, Maisie. Callum and Cassidy used to be co-workers and best friends, until one day they shared a kiss and their relationship turned awkward. So awkward they didn't see each other for 10 years, until Cassidy gets a new neighbor across the hall. Looking at the man from her balcony, she thinks she recognizes him but is unsure as to how. Unsure until she realizes that her new neighbor is Callum. Is it fate or is it coincidence? Find out in 'Because of Her'.
'Because of Her' is a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance that has some spiciness mixed within. The spiciness increases as the novel goes on. Callum and Cassidy go through relatable emotions and issues, some that can be triggering, such as infertility and anxiety/ panic attacks. There are even glimpses into Madison's life from 'Because of Us'.
If you are looking for a slow-burn, roller-coaster of a romance, with some spiciness and surprises, look no further. You can't go wrong with 'Because of Her'. 

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

An enchanting story written by a master storyteller. The Wind Through the Keyhole gives the reader a look into Roland's past after his mother was killed. Follow Roland through an adventure in his younger years while he tells a story his mother used to tell him as a child. The Wind Through the Keyhole is a story within a story within a story.
I did not want to put it down. I enjoyed every moment of it and wanted to read on to see where Roland's adventures took him next. I enjoyed getting another little peak into his childhood and learned more about the stories behind the Dark Tower. I look forward to reading more.