bookishbackcountrybelle's reviews
66 reviews

Sanctum by Jane Henry

dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I loved this second installment in the Wicked Vows series!  If you are looking for a “who did this to you?” , arranged marriage, and enemies to lovers romance then I would say grab this one!  The pacing was perfect and the development two main characters was well done. It was an easy quick read for me and I cannot wait for the third installment. I definitely prefer Alex over Mikhail (from the first one).

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is a haunted house story told from the perspective of an 8 year old girl. Each part seamlessly blends horror with childhood innocence. I devoured this book. It gave me the chills and “what was that noise” feelings the entire time. It was such a unique take on a haunted house story because most of those stories are told from the perspective of the adults in the house and the child or children are side thoughts. Malerman decided to bring the readers into the mind of a child who has a new friend. But when that friend keeps pushing her to give up something she holds dear, she knows something is wrong. Enter the parents and the secrets they hold dear.  

I would definitely recommend this to any and all horror readers!  Just be sure that you know what in your closet before you do. 

Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Sovereign: A Dark Bratva Forced Marriage Romance by Jane Henry

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.25

Aria stuck her nose where it didn't belong and now, she has to throw herself at the mercy of one of the most ruthless mafia leaders in the area. She doesn't know what his protection will entail, but she has no choice at this point. 

Mikhail knows time is running out for him to marry and solidify his family's place in their world. It doesn't matter that so far, every girl he has been set to marry ends up dead. When the solution to his problem hacks into his security system undetected, he realizes he may have just been given his bride on a silver platter. 

This story will keep you coming back for more. It has the suspense that a reader needs to keep going, and the spice level in the story is on par with what you would expect for a dark romance. This book didn't have any lull points for me. I would have liked to see a little more character development for both MCs, specifically their past and how they got to the spot they are at in the beginning of the story however, I enjoyed the ride.

If you enjoyed forced proximity, arranged marriage, and Dom daddy vibes - pick up this book right away. As always, please be sure to read the trigger warnings first to know what you are getting into.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Alex Easton is back! After they deal with the terror at Usher Manor, Easton, and Angus head back home to the family hunting lodge in Gallacia. Upon arrival, they discover the caretaker for the lodge is not only missing but dead. With Ms. Potter arriving in a few weeks, Easton sends Angus out to find another caretaker for the property so that they can get it in order before her arrival. No one wants the job, but Angus manages to find someone to take the job. Easton is plagued with dreams of a woman visiting them at night in their room and a deafening silence that seems to follow them wherever they go. When rumors of a breath-stealing monster reach their ears, Easton chalks it up to a folklore legend meant to scare kids. It can't be real...right?

I enjoyed the first book in this series, What Moves the Dead, so when I was allowed to listen to the follow-up book, I did a happy dance. I was happy to see that they kept the narrator the same for this follow-up story as they had in the first one. The cadence of the narration was perfect and lent to the mystery and suspense of the writing. The voice of the narrator is perfect for how I imagined Easton sounded. This story is told from their POV. Regarding other characters interacting with the Main Character, the narrator did a good job differentiating their voice. As a reader, I could feel the anxiety as the story progressed and the MC was trying to derive what was happening as events unfolded. I did not have any places in the story where the narration dragged and before I knew it the story was over. I love all the characters in this story, Easton, Angus, and Ms. Potter. We are even introduced to new characters who held their own in this short story. The author provided a satisfying conclusion which can be difficult with shorter stories. There were no loose ends left that would cause the reader to say, "Well what happened here?"

If you enjoy gothic horror, I definitely recommend picking this book up when it comes out!

The Sinner by Shantel Tessier

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Heathens by Alta Hensley

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

You have purposely avoided your dad’s best friend. And for good reasons. But after your father’s death, his best friend steps into the guardian and protector role. Now what? 

Storee is determined to make it on her own. She doesn’t need her dad’s blood money to survive.  If this means working two jobs, then so be it. At least she will have done it her way. But there’s still an itch she needs to scratch. When her friend convinces her to participate in an annual ritual, The Hunt, Storee can’t decide if she made the right choice or not. Locke has tried his best to help and protect Storee, but that girl is more like her father than she likes to admit. When she he insists on betraying his trust and putting herself in danger. Locke decides it is time to teach her a lesson once and for all. The question is whether either of them will survive this lesson. 

This is a unique take on a stalker romance and I am here for it. You have age gap, forbidden romance,Daddy’s best friend, AND CAT AND MOUSE?  Sign me up. This is a quick enjoyable read. I loved the spunk that Storee has throughout the story. The banter between the 2 MCs is hilarious. The author created such an enjoyable pace throughout the story, that before the reader knows it, the story is over. I enjoyed the way the author developed the characters. Storee is such a relatable character to anyone who is determined to make it on their own. Her strength and adaptability is evident through the progression of the story. I didn’t have any places where the story dragged for me. 

Be sure to check the trigger and content warnings before you read. 

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 Two serial killers who compete every year and then fall for each other?

Sign Me Up!

I chose to listen to this book as an audiobook due to the reviews I saw. I was NOT disappointed! The performance of the narrators was fantastic! I will compare all other dual POV audiobooks to this one. LOL. These narrators played off each other with each chapter. While each chapter had a POV focus (Blackbird or Butcher), the narrators performed together for all chapters. To be able to hear the banter between the two MC's from each actor created a unique listening experience for the readers.

I do not have any criticism for this book. I enjoyed the storyline, the character development, the pacing, the narration...I loved it all. I cannot wait for book 2 to come out. This will be one of my top reads for the year for sure! 

Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Ever wonder if the actors of your favorite show are actually “together”? Well then this is the book for you!  This story follows Lilah and Shane, two actors who have been the main stars in a television series for the last nine years. You get to see what happens when on screen chemistry bleeds over into their personal lives as well as what happens when everything implodes. 

This is one for those who love a cutesy hallmarky romance. It’s not my typical choice when I reach for a book but I have to say, I wasn’t upset about it. The writing made this an easy fast read. For me, the characters were loveable yet irritating at the same time. But that didn’t take away from the storyline. This is one of those slow burn romances where you are turning the page to see if they finally move out of their own way.  The characters were believable and the author used flashback chapters to further develop the characters and show what happened in the past that led them to where they are. 

I would recommend this to those who love a cutesy slow burn romance.

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0