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dmackreads's reviews
110 reviews
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I loved this, I don’t care lol. This is one of the best romance novellas I’ve read in a long time, it’s very short and it easily could’ve been made longer but that’s not the point. I felt like I read a full length book in basically 70 pages because it was written well enough that you got to really know the characters and I felt emotional for them. There were a couple spots that were a little cringe for me but whatever. This got me out of my reading slump, loved it!
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Do not come for me with this review because I am a diehard Fourth Wing lover and really thought that I would feel the same about Iron Flame and I just don’t.
During some parts I really did love it, or was at least very invested and intrigued and didn’t want to put it down but during other parts I found this book to drag on (it definitely was too long) or getting irritated at some of the verbiage because it made it hard to follow. I love Violet and Xaden so much it’s really why I was so attached to the story and even liked the second book as much as I did. A major positive is how much I love a lot of the other characters in this series.
I do not think I will be reading the third book in the series though and if I do it’ll be awhile because the ending?? I’m not sure what I expected. I heard it ended on a cliff hanger but I was NOT expecting that direction and I’m not just sure I have interest in seeing how that plays out..
During some parts I really did love it, or was at least very invested and intrigued and didn’t want to put it down but during other parts I found this book to drag on (it definitely was too long) or getting irritated at some of the verbiage because it made it hard to follow. I love Violet and Xaden so much it’s really why I was so attached to the story and even liked the second book as much as I did. A major positive is how much I love a lot of the other characters in this series.
I do not think I will be reading the third book in the series though and if I do it’ll be awhile because the ending?? I’m not sure what I expected. I heard it ended on a cliff hanger but I was NOT expecting that direction and I’m not just sure I have interest in seeing how that plays out..
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
slow-paced
2.5
I wanted so badly to love this book, I just didn’t. I did eventually get invested in Jest & Cath but the storyline was hard to follow & I didn’t like it. The ending was also horrible, so abrupt & it felt completely unfinished. It didn’t bring out much in me for emotion & I truly considered not finishing the book around 40%.
Intercepts by T.J. Payne
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Okay so, I’m likely going to have nightmares and serious paranoia for awhile now (I’m sensitive okay)
I really wouldn’t classify this as horror but more gory sci-fi in a way with lots of torture, death, and in depth injury detail. I think the plot is there but the execution could’ve been better. Maybe I’m just dumb but I had no idea what “intercepts” were meant to be as far as the context of this book and we didn’t get an explanation on what was going on until over halfway through so it made it hard to know exactly what was happening and in turn, hard to follow at times. Even still, this story gripped me and I wanted to binge it as fast as I could.
I really wouldn’t classify this as horror but more gory sci-fi in a way with lots of torture, death, and in depth injury detail. I think the plot is there but the execution could’ve been better. Maybe I’m just dumb but I had no idea what “intercepts” were meant to be as far as the context of this book and we didn’t get an explanation on what was going on until over halfway through so it made it hard to know exactly what was happening and in turn, hard to follow at times. Even still, this story gripped me and I wanted to binge it as fast as I could.
Ward D by Freida McFadden
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Starting with the good, this book was INSANE. I genuinely did not know where this was going or what was going to happen. It made me sick and as much as mental health scared me before, it scares me 10x more now.
I will say a lot of things seemed very unrealistic to me and the story was very slow moving. I don’t know why so many people say this is “fast-paced” because it absolutely is not. A slow moving thriller isn’t bad if there’s little hints as to what may happen or little things happening that make your heart jump throughout but I was getting kind of bored because I didn’t really feel much until the last 30ish% of the book.
But, the ending was insane, unexpected, and very good.
I will say a lot of things seemed very unrealistic to me and the story was very slow moving. I don’t know why so many people say this is “fast-paced” because it absolutely is not. A slow moving thriller isn’t bad if there’s little hints as to what may happen or little things happening that make your heart jump throughout but I was getting kind of bored because I didn’t really feel much until the last 30ish% of the book.
But, the ending was insane, unexpected, and very good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting
The Amendment by Kiersten Modglin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
DNF @ 68% : this just isn’t for me. I did really enjoy the first book but going into the second one, it’s basically after the wife finds out her husband is not just a murderer but a 🍇ist, actually she knew the whole first book but still chose to stay with him anyways. And it turns into basically a killing fest. Everyone in this book is completely fucked up and it’s just not the direction I was hoping this series was going to go in so I’m done.
The Arrangement by Kiersten Modglin
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
WHAT THE FUCK?! I don’t even know how to review this. What I thought the plot was, in fact was not. There is an underlying twist to this that I did NOT expect at all.
There needed to be slightly more detail to make it a little more believable but other than that, the book left my mind all twisted in knots trying to figure out HOW all of this was possible. I am actually mind blown right now because I did not see that ending coming. Things started coming to light and I was like, oh this is fucked up.. this is bad. Then it was OH THEY’RE BOTH FUCKED IN THE HEAD. Yikes, this was definitely a roller coaster ride.
I feel I’m noticing lately that a lot of books are lacking in detail or just overall explanation and it takes what is otherwise a really unique or good plot and leaves you feeling like you needed more. It can be frustrating, but other than that this book was wild and not at all what I expected! It reads really fast and then eventually hooks you.
There needed to be slightly more detail to make it a little more believable but other than that, the book left my mind all twisted in knots trying to figure out HOW all of this was possible. I am actually mind blown right now because I did not see that ending coming. Things started coming to light and I was like, oh this is fucked up.. this is bad. Then it was OH THEY’RE BOTH FUCKED IN THE HEAD. Yikes, this was definitely a roller coaster ride.
I feel I’m noticing lately that a lot of books are lacking in detail or just overall explanation and it takes what is otherwise a really unique or good plot and leaves you feeling like you needed more. It can be frustrating, but other than that this book was wild and not at all what I expected! It reads really fast and then eventually hooks you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Stalking, Murder
A Welcome Reunion by Lucinda Berry
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
I was left with so many questions after the first book ended so this short story gave us better insight into the family and Janie later in life. I still think Christopher is a shit excuse of a man and a husband. Hannah and Piper are really the only two characters that I loved and as a mother, I understand.
The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
I understand being empathetic to trauma and wanting to give someone a chance that’s never had one but at a certain point there is NO FIXING CRAZY. I would’ve punted that kid like a fucking football, there’s no way in hell I would’ve ever signed them adoption papers, and as far as ChRiStoPhEr, I would have NEVER forgiven him and I do not CARE if that’s an unpopular opinion. DIVORCE the second I got my mental health under control. And for another thing, I actually agree with Greg :)
This book was unreal. It made me angry and sad, I actually shed a couple tears. I almost gave it a low rating because I hated some of the people so much and the story was horrific but I chose not to because I binge-read it in a day and was just thoroughly consumed.
The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
4.0
I KNEW IT. Just under 15% of the way in I had a theory on how the book would play out and I ended up being right. But about 30% of the way in I was completely confused and started coming up with other theories because I didn’t understand how my original theory would work out. But as time went on, pieces started to come together and fit like a puzzle and it was just sickening truthfully. The only reason I rated it a 4 instead of a 5 is because about halfway through I caught myself wondering if I was going to DNF, it was extremely slow moving and you don’t get to “the point” until the very end, like 80-85% of the way through. I was just getting irritated. Although I will say that I kept pushing because I just needed to know the end because the author did do a great job of keeping you guessing and theorizing potential endings. I’d recommend!