darquedreamer's reviews
652 reviews

So I Lied by Chelsea Ichaso

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This one gave me The 6th Friend movie vibes. It had so many twists and turns! And drama galore. It had the satisfying, unreliable narrator trope, but I won't tell you who. 😘 It was an edge of your seat thrill ride. Non stop. Compulsive. Shocking! It was maybe a little more tell than show then I would have liked, but all the surprises were worth it. I didn't see most of them coming! 😱 And, that ending, oh my! It was a banger of a puzzle, with all the pieces coming together to create an exciting read in the adult thriller genre!

Thanks for the e-arc Netgalley!

The Last to Die by Kelly Garrett

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The Book of Lost Enchantments by Jessica Dodge

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely adored this one! It was breathtakingly magical. It had The Holiday and Under the Tuscan Sun vibes. It was about figuring out what you want in life. Facing fears of change and the unknown. Finding magic in real, mundane life. It was about the beauty in memories and stories.

It was Cozy. Atmospheric. And, just like Jessica's other two books, it was amazing how the past and present were woven together. A story within a story, within a story. It was like a faerie tale coming true in modern day.

It was utterly bingeable, but also unforgettable for those who don't have that luxury. It was dreamlike. It was that moment when the world goes silent as Kim is dancing under the "snow" falling from Edward's ice sculpting (Edward Scissorhands, for those who have not seen one of the best movies ever).

The connections to the first two books were 👌🏼. Nora and Alistair were 🤌🏼. There was beauty, mythology, and folklore, oh my. It was elegant and satisfying, like a perfect, snowy Hallmark movie!

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait to buy the finished, physical copy to reread with the first two books!

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

adventurous emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely soul shattering in the best way possible. 

Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Killer House Party by Lily Anderson

dark funny 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

4.5

Witty, dark, and thrilling!

4.5 haunted stars!

This one was one of the best YA horror comedies I've read in a while. It was John Hughes meets Fear Street at Bogey Loenstein's party (if you know, you know 🤣), in the Monster House with Can't Hardly Wait vibes, but with gloriously diverse, dynamic characters. It was campy, cheeky, and compulsive. It had nods to great horror movies that came before it, and held its own as a new entry in the genre.

It took me just a little bit to really get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It had me smiling and laughing and thinking about all the best horror movies. It even had some skin tingling moments. It was a satisfying, spooky season read with some Thriller vibes, and I think fans of the genre will love it!

Thank you Mac Kids/Henry Holt BYR for the e-arc!

After The Forest by Kell Woods

relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This one was Queen of the Damned meets Terminator and John Carpenter's Vampires, sprinkled with Fright Night. It was a little hard to get in to, but worth it toward the end. It was gory and gritty with some nice body horror (you don't hear that every day 🤣). The monster horror was horroring. It was a different type of vampire story, in the vein (pun intended) of 30 Days of Night and Let Me In.

I definitely enjoyed it, and I actually want to reread it in the future. The story was intriguing, even though I only cared for a couple of characters. One of the villains was an absolutely shit person who thought they weren't, and felt justified in their revenge rampage. So, I hated them. But, most of the time you are supposed to hate the villain, right? The other villain and their back story was super confusing, which is why it took me a little bit to get into it, but it came together in the end and turned out quite intriguing. Sarita had both likeable and unlikeable moments, and Angelo was a super interesting character.

All in all, it was horrifying in the best way possible. It was a fresh take on a vampire story that I didn't realize I needed. Definitely worth a read, especially in spooky season.

Thank you Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for the e-arc.

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

Going to dnf for now. Honestly, some books are not meant to be audiobooks. This one is too long and drawn out, with way too much going on, and too much that needs further explanation. I've spent 20%of wondering if there was another book I was supposed to have read first for world and character introductions... 

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall

emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

I wouldn't quite say this was Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic. It had a little essence of Gilmore Girls. For me, it was The Good Witch meets Practical Magic, Hope Floats, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies, without the weddings. Super cozy and satisfying.