beccaannekent's reviews
635 reviews

No Way Back by Santana Knox

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Didn’t think the second could beat the first on depravity and absolute batshit crazy-ness. Yet, it did. 

I’m almost impressed at how more insane every page got. Such a lot of stuff happening in such a short period of time. This feels like true horror. 

And there’s going to be a third?! I actually cannot fathom what the author will need to produce to come even close to this book. 

No Way Out by Santana Knox

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Um, WHAT?!

An absolutely bonkers plot twist I wasn’t expecting! No short novella has gripped me like this before. 

Burn for Jack by Aiden Pierce

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

3.5

You don’t normally get a lot of backstory of characters and the world in a story this short, but this author has managed it! The book is all the better for it. Enjoyable, snappy and dark spooky read. 

Riding The Headless Horseman by Molly Likovich

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

This is silly and a little bit cute. I know it’s only a novella, but I reckon this could’ve been something a little bit more if it was double the pages (yet still remaining a novella). Building on that chemistry between our MCs 

Hallowpeen by Holly Wilde

funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.5

I’ve read some weird shit in my time, but this might just top the lot.

Completely batshit crazy, how the author rammed in 3 POVs in a novella I’ll never know.

Halloween Mating by Kyra Keys

funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Short and sweet. One I picked up as part of a Halloween Novella read, but really it’s more alien than Halloween.

Mary I: Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

The third and final instalment of the Tudor Rose trilogy brings us to Mary I. If I’m entirely honest, probably one of my least liked Tudor Monarchs, as her short 5 years on the throne was always shortened to Lady Jane Grey / Philip of Spain / Tragic non-pregnancies / Death. 

It was enjoyable to read a more detailed viewpoint of her childhood and how much her father’s actions would have affected her (obviously as a fictional take, but nonetheless interesting). However, one area of this book that could have been improved is also her childhood years. It did seem to drag, however this may have been my own personal issue as I did want to get to the adult Mary, and her problems with her siblings and personal life. 

History is generally written by the victors, and of course these were also men. So Mary has never been written favourably. “Bloody Mary” is seen within this book, signing many documents for the punishment of heretics. Despite this, Alison Weir’s choice to name the book “Queen of Sorrows” certainly feels more apt. A princess, then a bastard and then a Queen, there were not many enjoyable times in Mary’s life and even though this book is a work of fiction, it certainly has made me critique Mary much less and empathise much more. 

Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

Sobbed.

Loved it. 

Devastated it’s over. 

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Age difference gave me the ick, yet I still absolutely inhaled this. 

I dunno what Thalassa puts in her books, but it’s addictive. The same happened with the Four Horsemen series!

A very interesting end with an intriguing enemy that id like to know more about so I shall be reading book 2!  

The Romanov Oracle by Molly Tullis

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

2.75

Sadly, not Molly’s finest work. I understand it is an alt universe Romanov retelling, but there were too many inconsistencies. It also felt insta-love like rather than enemies to lovers. 

Also, not quite sure I can picture Rasputin and Anastasia together because in my head all I could see were the animated movie versions and I got the ick.