fatedhearts_lorilee's reviews
216 reviews

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was so well written, and I loved getting to see the story unfold through Constance’s perspective. There were so many ups and downs as the “family” went through their lives, and I definitely grew to hate the never-named Dracula character. 

I loved the relationships between Constance, Alexi and Maggie, and the way that they grew together especially towards the end of the book. 

I loved Alexi’s narrative as a way to end the book, so we got to know him a bit better. 

Manacled by SenLinYu

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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SKIN: A Dark Fairy-tale Retelling by Sybil Knight

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I liked the premise of the book, and I generally liked the idea of the characters. I felt like the central relationship could’ve been developed further — a lot of the time, especially in the “present” I felt like I didn’t get to see enough interactions for their relationship to feel real. I also felt like some of the voices for the characters sounded a  bit too similar, when the way they said some things didn’t make sense to me. 

Spectacular by Stephanie Garber

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

For a holiday special, I really really enjoyed this! The illustrations were gorgeous, and I loved how they were interspersed throughout the book. The artwork really added a special element to the book! The storyline was quick paced and cute, perfect for the holiday season!

Finale by Stephanie Garber

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Loved it just as much (or more) the second time! I really loved getting to have both Tella and Scarlett narrating this time. And of course getting to spend more time with Jacks, Julian and Legend. 

Grave Matter by Karina Halle

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.25

Legendary by Stephanie Garber

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Re-read. I still love this book! I love Dante and Jacks, even though I miss Julian. I remember reading this for the first time, it was jarring to switch from Scarlett to Tella’s narration, but I was more prepared this time. 

I love the mystery and the romance, and I still had so much fun even knowing generally what was coming, although of course I forgot some things, which is also fun!

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the chance to read and review this e-ARC! 

This was a really interesting novella - I enjoyed the fantasy element of the vaguely humanoid spider-like being, the Archaic One, Anatema. This was combined with the mystery of determining who stole from her. 

Dália becomes the new keeper of the keys after Matilde is killed by Anatema; she has to navigate Anatema's changeable moods to avoid being eaten, while also trying to find out who is the thief. As she does, she must "be bold, but not too bold." 

I really liked how Dália got to learn more about herself throughout this process. She was taken in as an orphan and doesn't know anything except for life at the Capricious House. She has to decide what it is that she actually wants out of life, which is a very relatable feeling! She also has fun walking the line of what is bold vs. too bold, which I appreciate. 

This was a very quick read, and I was curious to find out how things were going to come together in the end!

Unbroken Bonds by J. Bree

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was super freaking creepy!!