beatha_82's reviews
153 reviews

A Merry Christmas for Art... and His Tentacles by Shannon Mae, Amy Bellows

funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

 Wonderful book, very sweet and romantic and really festive. It definitely put me in the mood for Christmas. I also liked a lot the world the story was set, it was very interesting.
Art was adorably clueless and Dean was a sweetheart. I adored how they both took care of each other and how supportive they were. And their chemistry was absolutely explosive. I loved them together.
Another thing that I enjoyed very much was learning about all the shifter traditions. I thought that this was a great addition to the story and made me connect with Art and his family.
I finished the book in one sitting and had a blast reading it. I would definitely recommend it. 

More than a Spark by Christie Gordon

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I can't believe this is the last book in the series, I'm going to miss those guys. I don't want to let them go! They are such and amazing group of friends. So supportive and generous and I just love the way they tease each other.
Ryder fit perfectly with them and he was great with Milo.
I love love love reading books about childhood friends falling in love. I liked all the history Milo and Ryder shared and I adored the closeness between them. Their chemistry was chef's kiss, they were a perfect match. I loved reading their story. Their book was one of my favorites in the series.
I also really enjoyed reading about Ryder's bi awakening journey. I appreciated that the author showed how you actually have to came out many times and it's not easy even when it's someone you know they'll accept you.
The narrator was brilliant as always, there are a lot of characters in the book and they all had distinct voices. The audiobook quality was great.

 

Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf by Isabelle Taylor

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

 "Accidentally wedded to a werewolf" is the second book in the series but it's a standalone. Both books are set in a fictional small town in Alaska were monsters can live safely and openly. In this book we follow a family of werewolves that run an inn and Luna, a rich girl who gets stranded in the town. Oliver is next in line to become the alpha but after a traumatic event that affected the entire pack the current alpha doesn't feel he is ready yet. Oliver is grumpy and has isolated himself. Luna on the other hand is pure sunshine and very social. The two of them accidentally end up magically bonded and until the bond is broken they have to be close to each other.
I loved so many things in the book. I adored the small town setting and all the different monsters that live there. I loved how Luna helped them and how they accepted her. The found family theme was also beautiful and heartwarming. Oliver's pack embraced Luna and gave her something she was always missing and Luna helped Oliver heal.
The forced proximity was very entertaining and the chemistry between Luna and Oliver was explosive. Both Luna and Oliver grew so much as characters and I loved following their journey.
I can't wait to read more books set in this small town! 

Aqua by Louisa Masters

adventurous funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

A great second book in the series. I'm really liking the plot and I'm super curious to see what will happen next.
I enjoyed the romance very much. Aqua was such a likable character, I wanted to be his friend. He was sweet and funny and absolutely adorable, a really kind and pure being. I love how him and River met. It was extremely entertaining. River was also wonderful and a perfect match for Aqua. I really liked them together. I can't wait to read the next novella in the series.

 

Finding Home at Randy's by Abrianna Denae

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

In this book we follow Luka, Grae and Denver and their journey to happily ever after.
I really connected with Grae. He was a writer and an introvert and a father of a teenager and I found myself relating a lot with his character. And I loved both his son and his ex husband. They were wonderful side characters.
Luka was a sweetheart, I wanted to hug him and make him smile. Such a kindhearted person. I adored him and I loved seeing him gain confidence and grow.
As for Denver, I don't usually relate with characters that are outgoing but Denver was special. They were a caregiver and just wanted to help everybody and I found that very endearing. I would have loved to have a friend like them. They ended up being my favorite.
Navigating a relationship between three people is not easy but they just worked so well together. I loved their dynamic and their chemistry.
The book had great representation and diverse characters and I liked the pacing. I do wish it was a little bit longer. I wanted more.
Fantastic addition to the series. 

The Story of Danny Rose by Cara Dee

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

"The story of Danny Rose" is the first book in the Hillcroft group series. It's set in 1998 and we follow Emerson and Danny. We first met them in the Renegades series but this book is a standalone. It's a prequel, it's how they met, fell in love and how Danny left the army and started working for Hillcroft as a PMC.
I devoured this book. It's another favorite by the author. I honestly adore the writing style and her characters are always so beautifully written and realistic. They are real people that I end up loving with all my heart. Danny, was wonderful, his backstory broke my heart and I loved his strength and his sass and his ability to grow and learn. The story is from Emerson's pov and I thought that it was a great choice. I felt like I was Emerson and I was falling in love with Danny. I connected with both of them so much and I adored their chemistry and their dynamic. They were perfect together.
The cameos in the book are pure gold. If you are a fan of The game series by the author you are going to fall in love all over again with young River and Reese. And if you haven't read the game series I promise you'll want to start it after meeting the twins in this book.
Amazing book, I had a fantastic time reading and I'm so excited to read the next one! I can't wait!!

 

Warrior's Walk by Raquel Riley

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Oh my God. Oh my dear God, this book. This book broke my heart into a million pieces and then put it back together.
I was sobbing, hurting so much for Rhett. This man went through hell. And I really felt for Riggs, he was in a difficult position and wanted to protect his heart but he was so brave a took a chance. Honestly, words can't describe how much I loved this book. It hurt, it really hurt and I just wanted to hug all the characters and make their pain go away but I couldn't stop reading (and crying). Such a powerful and inspiring story.
And truly one of the best hurt/comfort and found family books I've read.
I haven't read the first two books in the series (each book can be read as a standalone, they are companion novels) but I most definitely will and I hope Mandy will get his own story too because that man needs all the happiness.
Amazing book, I highly highly recommend it. 

Aether by Louisa Masters

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This was absolutely perfect! I was always fascinated by the idea of reincarnation and past lives and I really loved the twist with that concept this book!
Aether and Perry were amazing together and my God they had explosive chemistry!
The plot was brilliant and I really love the author's writing style and sense of humor. I can't wait to read more about these characters. I'm so hooked!!

 

Grave Matter by Karina Halle

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Grave matter is a horror mystery romance with a dark Academia vibe. Our main character is Syd and we follow her journey when she is accepted into a prestigious summer research program on an isolated island. She soon discovers that strange things are happening on the island and she doesn't know who to trust.
The book was very very atmospheric, I adored the setting, it was very creepy and some scenes were really gory. Syd was an amazing main character, I loved being in her head. The plot was super interesting and had me hooked, I did figure out part of the big reveal but the book still had a few surprises for me. And even though I had guessed some things I enjoyed seeing Syd find out the truth.
The pacing was great, the book kept my interest from the beginning until the end.
This is a perfect read for the season and if you enjoy dark books in general. 

The Depth Of The Water by Bob McGough

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

I really enjoyed following Marsh on two new mystery adventures. I found them both very interesting and entertaining. I also really liked that with each story we discovered more about his family history and I appreciated that there was some character growth too. It was small but it was there and it made sense for Marsh's character. And the last chapter of the second story was extra awesome.
The narrator was absolutely fantastic. Very expressive with distinct character voices. Great audio quality too.
I'm intrigued, I'd love to read more stories about Marsh!