bookwyrm_in_kc's reviews
104 reviews

Nocturne by Karina Halle

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Mix together 1 part true crime, 1 part detective noir, 1 part romance, 1 part Jekyll and Hyde, and 1 part vampire tale and what you get is the amazingness that is Nocturne. 

Hired by the family of Elizabeth Short, PI Victor Callahan tackles the Black Dahlia case, not knowing that it will turn everything he knows about life on its head. Initially, all evidence in the case points him in one direction: towards Lena Reid, Elizabeth's friend. He finds himself plagued by blackouts and hours of lost time as well as a burgeoning obsession with a certain sultry singer.

But nothing about the case, or Lena or even Victor himself is as it seems. Before long, Victor and Lena are dealing with their growing attraction to each other while dodging mob enforcers and mysterious, powerful Europeans.

I love how the story deftly weaves together vampire lore with a true story of true crime and decadence in 1940s Hollywood. And how fiercely Lena and Victor protect each other? *chef's kiss* And the cameo of another notorious criminal in the epilogue? Chills.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence

Call of the Fathoms by Emma Hamm

adventurous challenging dark hopeful medium-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

5.0

While I am sad this is the final book of the series, it couldn't be a better ending. With each book we get deeper into the dark secrets of the undersea cities. And the secrets of Tau? They're as dark as the abyss.

The MMC Fortis has shown up in the previous books and I was really unsure how the eerie (and TBH kind of crotchety) depthstrider was going to fall for one of the achromos he so despised. But Alexia slowly dismantles all of his assumptions about humans. 

I love that Alexia isn't described as some great beauty. She's all hard muscles, towering stature, harsh angles: the first human that Fortis finds to be a worthy opponent. And the mutual respect for each other's strength that Fortis and Alexia develop eventually grows into something more as the ever growing alliance of humans and People of the Water plan the the fall of Tau. (Because let's be honest, the Originals? They really, really suck and totally deserve everything coming to them.)

A Spell on Sycamore Street: A Boss's Daughter Paranormal Workplace Romance by Caroline Laine

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

5.0

It was such a joy to go back to Haven's Hill and read about warlock Blake getting his HEA. 

Cozy romance is my new favorite thing and A Spell on Sycamore Street delivers all the cozy, spicy vibes I love. As a perfectionist introvert, I identified with the struggles of both Blake and Nic. It took them a little bit, but it was so satisfying when they both got out of their overthinking spirals and confessed their feelings. 

Give A Spell on Sycamore Street a try if you love:

-cozy paranormal/fantasy romance 
-LGBTQIA+ rep
-FWB to lovers
-Workplace romance 
-a hellhound who is the bestest boi

Thank you Caroline Laine for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

Pretty Perfect by JoAnna Illingworth

emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-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

5.0

Pretty Perfect is equal parts small town pageant drama, YA rom-com and whodunnit mystery, and it's packed with small-town Tennessee charm. The story centers around the Miss Friendly Pageant and the protagonist, June Bell, has lived her entire life preparing to be crowned Miss Friendly. 

This is the last pageant before June and all her friends go off to college and they've determined to make it the best pageant ever. But accidents keep happening, putting the pageant contestants in peril and soon June finds herself being labeled as the #1 suspect. 

June struggles to clear her name, save the pageant and keep her lifelong friendships from crumbling under the pressure of competition and accusations while juggling a blossoming relationship with a boy she meets at a bakery as the story races to its explosive finale.

Wave Song by Emma Hamm

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A Storm of Shadows by Willow Quinn

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

If you like enemies to lovers where there is actual animosity (and for good reason) this is the story for you. 

Onora had horrible experiences with demons that drove her to be a hunter and Dryston had horrible experiences with hunters. But they keep finding themselves in situations where they have to work together to survive. That forced proximity causes them to eventually see each other in a different light (though it takes Onora a lot longer to come around).

The progression of their relationship from enemies to reluctant allies to tentative friends to passionate lovers is *chef's kiss* and the mysterious evil hinted at in  the ending of the previous book comes to a head in the last 1/4 of A Storm of Shadows!

Thank you, Willow Quinn and BookSprout for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. 💜

Accidentally Vacationed with an Incubus by Belle Blakley

challenging emotional hopeful medium-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

5.0

In Briar Coven, the witches made a pact ages ago with an incubus clan and now every witch can summon her fated mate on the Samhain after she comes of age. But the protagonist, Jen, found herself in a human prison for 9 years and now that she's free she doesn't think she deserves love, so she refuses to do the summoning.

Poor Jen's story starts out completely heartbreaking, but she gets her redemption and closure with the help of the sexy demon who was vacationing at her home and her friends (who never believed for a minute that she committed the crime she was imprisoned for). 

The "whodunnit" part kept me guessing for most of the book and the natural growth of the relationship between Jen and Devlin was a delight. And Jen's magical, sentient house has so much character. 😆

Love is Trash in Hallow's Cove by Emily Antoinette

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

As a life long, self-proclaimed weirdo, I have to say that Love is Trash is my new favorite cozy rom-com. Hayley and Jake are delightful, oddball sweethearts and their mannerisms remind me so much of myself and my (equally as weird as me) spouse. 

When you don't fit the mold of "normal" you spend so much if your life either feeling like you're not enough or that you're waaaaaay too much. But when you find your person/people it is immensely liberating to finally just be yourself. I love how Love is Trash explores those feelings and shows how learning to love and accept yourself and all your quirks makes you happier and more confident. 

Bewitched & Bewildered by Elle Lavendelle

emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

I have been on a cozy fantasy romance kick recently and Bewitched and Bewildered scratched that itch so well. It's got strong Gilmore Girls vibes, but with witches. 😍

I loved this story so much. I am an eldest sister and so much of Juniper's story resonated with me. Even though they start out as rivals, Juniper and Ozan eventually help each other reach their full potentials in such a satisfying way.

Definitely give this story a try if you love:

-Cozy, small town vibes

-rivals-to-lovers

-black cat/golden retriever relationships 

-protagonists in their 30s

-witchy romances

I really hope there will be more stories set in Starbrook, because I need more of the Hawthorne family hijinks in my life!

My Demon Hunter by Aurora Ascher

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

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

5.0

My Demon Hunter takes us on a tour of the inner workings of the least human-like of the demons introduced in My Funny Demon Valentine. For millennia Mishetsumephtai, or Mist, has been bound to a queen of Hell, forced by magic to hunt down any being who draws her ire. He is feared by all, because nobody has ever escaped him. 

But he's tired of doing all of his mistress' dirty work so he forms a blood pact with Bellial and his brothers: they help him find a "human pet" and he won't betray their location to Hell. He and Eva fall into an easy friendship, but even with her guidance, Mist is woefully bad at pretending to be human. 😆

He has a meet-cute in the ice cream aisle with Lily Donavan, a curvy blonde witch who refuses to practice her craft, and he's instantly smitten. I won't go into details about how Lily discovers and deals with the fact that he's a demon, because that would be *spoilers*, but their relationship has to go to Hell and back (literally) before they get their well-deserved HEA. 

I really loved how Mist and Lily loved each other exactly as they were: she didn't care that he was a giant, terrifying demon (once she got over the initial shock) and he didn't care at all that she was plus sized. Lily becoming confident in herself and embracing her power and Mist embracing all the emotions he had repressed for so long was icing on the cake. 💜

Thank you Aurora Ascher and Kensington for the opportunity to read and review a physical ARC.