hookedbythatbook's reviews
3166 reviews

You Can Kill by Rebecca Zanetti

5.0

Heart-stopping action and intrigue at the center of this gripping thriller had me glued to the pages. 

You have got to admire the sheer audacity of Abigail and Zeke. I was also amazed at how similar these two were, and yet so different. And how they both wanted to be close to Laurel, but each for sinister reasons of their own. 

Things got quite chaotic, with Laurel’s team scattered all over and Huck receiving more unwanted attention than he’d like. I felt like there were more enemies than friends around. Abigail and Zeke were their usual unpleasant, disturbing selves, with Abigail being significantly stealthier about it. Rachel was extremely annoying as well, as expected. 

The murder suspects were a bit more predictable this time, but the way it unfolded wasn’t. Laurel and Huck’s relationship was also thoroughly put through the wringer. Despite everything thrown their way, they stayed true to each other. I love the two of them so much. 

I thoroughly enjoyed every chilling reveal, every Huck/Laurel interaction, and even all the uncomfortable moments with Abigail and Zeke. This series is an excellent choice if you like suspense and romance. It is best to read the books in order. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Gravity by Dannika Dark

4.0

Spectacularly bad decisions thoroughly test the loyalty and staying power of these friends and lovers. 

I’m not gonna lie, I was very tempted to throw my book against the wall quite a few times. Silver’s actions were beyond aggravating. And I found it very hard to understand how she still didn’t trust her friends to have her back, even after everything they already went through together. Luckily, it all came together in the end and I liked how it was resolved. 

Justus finally had his moment of growth and I loved the way the story unfolded between him and Page. Logan was absolutely the best character this time around. And I really liked Christian. He was still acting exactly like you’d expect him to, but he proved that his loyalty was absolute and that there was more to him than meets the eye. Silver herself also showed tremendous growth, especially when it came to her relationship with Logan. And the developments surrounding the genetic experiments and Silver’s heritage did not disappoint. 

The plot was fast-paced and despite my feelings of frustration, I was very invested in the outcome. 

I am eagerly looking forward to the next book and can highly recommend this series if you like a steamy urban fantasy with magic. It is best to read these books in order. 

Mr. Heartbreaker by Piper Rayne

4.0

Readers, be ready to get your fans out for a super hot, captivating hockey romance. 

The chemistry was off the charts right from the start. Kyleigh and Rowan couldn’t keep their hands off each other and it showed. There was no doubt as to how they felt. Every interaction between them was charged, yet lighthearted, showing how well they fit together. 

I was amazed how long Kyleigh was able to keep both Rowan and Conor in the dark. Conor was a stupid head. He would’ve been a really likeable character if it wasn’t for his overprotective streak. But that aside, all the other characters were vibrant and delightful. I loved how the conflict was resolved in the end. 

This was a fun read and I can highly recommend it if you like a steamy hockey romance. 

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Bastard King by Donna Grant

4.0

An undiscovered Dragon King with a murky past enters the fray in this gripping tale of dragons and magic and revenge. 

Bastard King is part of a brand new duology in Donna Grant’s Dark World, which is a huge universe made up of interconnected series. This duology fits in with the Dragon Kings series and advances parts of the plotline of that series. If you’re up to it, I’d say read all of it, it’s well worth it. You can also start each series on its own, as long as you start that series at the beginning. Each book builds on the previous one. 

I knew going in that this was part of a duology and would most likely end in a cliffhanger, but that one was quite a doozy. Along with some other unexpected twists, the ending had me gasping out loud while clutching my heart. Despite some slow-moving parts and me wondering at times where this could possibly be going, I was heavily invested and couldn’t stop reading. 

This book added another interesting dimension to the history of the dragons on Zora. I would say that you need to read some of the Dark Kings and Dragon Kings series to get the necessary background for this world. The author doesn’t do much explaining of why things are the way they are in this book. We get some of Derek’s background, but there is definitely much more to his story. The same goes for Kora. I was way more interested in uncovering all the secrets than in Kora and Derek as a couple. I can recommend this entire series if you like dragon shifters, magic, and steamy romance. 

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

5.0

This book was pure pleasure from start to finish. I loved Cole and Storee so much. They had heaps of electric chemistry and amazing growth. I also loved Max and the other secondary characters in this quirky little Christmas town. The best parts were the narrator's rhyming and the back-and-forth between Cole and the narrator. That was unexpected and hilarious. The plot flowed seamlessly, the banter was top-notch, and the competition fierce. 

Sunlight by Devney Perry

5.0

An overload of chemistry and an accidental pregnancy set the scene for this emotional journey to love. 

I finished this book in one day. It was impossible to put down. There were so many things to love. The adorable way Jax and Sasha opened up to each other by sharing their pain and fears. The way Sasha’s past was slowly and meticulously revealed. And how wonderfully complex Jax turned out to be. 

There were some parts that were slow, but that frustration disappeared when juxtaposed against all the other emotions this book evoked. I loved Jax and Sasha together and their incredible chemistry. Their developing relationship had an edge of agony to it, with a constant push and pull, a sense of urgency and uncertainty interspersed with exquisitely tender moments. And the ending was *chef’s kiss* perfect. 

I can highly recommend this if you like your steamy romance with multifaceted characters and all the feels. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Hunt for Mr. October by Tabetha Waite

3.0

Plenty of racy, sensual moments that were delightful on their own, but didn’t quite come together for a believable, cohesive relationship. 

Elwood saw Meliah as a challenge to conquer and she saw him as a means to an end. His reasons for asking her to go with him were somewhat mercenary. I enjoyed the slow seduction at the hunting box and there were some very sexy moments, but I wasn’t all that convinced of their feelings. 

Unfortunately, this story fell a bit flat for me, even though I really loved the title. There were a lot of actions, thoughts, and pieces of dialogue that were inconsistent. Elwood, Meliah, and Elwood’s parents contradicted themselves more than once. As a whole, this is a very charming series and I am looking forward to the rest. 

Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

4.0

I love this series so much. The events here are very similar to what has happened before, and Eric and Casey respond to the crisis in their predictive no-nonsense style. Max was so brave and I adored him. Usually, I don't get too invested in a particular resident, but it was impossible not to get attached to Max. I also love Eric and Casey together and the little developments that are taking place in their relationship. These books can be read on their own, but I think there's more value in reading them in order, and even better if you can read the Rockton series first. 

The Fake Wedding Project by Pippa Grant

4.0

A surprise fake engagement leads to a heartwarming, toe-curling, enchanting romance. 

The romance between Dane and Amanda wasn’t like getting struck by lightning. Instead, it was more like a warm, cozy blanket that wrapped you up and you just wanted to stay there forever. Their friendship developed first and that quietly spilled over into falling in love. You could see it happening on the pages. 

I loved how Dane put himself out there when he agreed to go along with Amanda’s deception. He supported her, no questions asked, and Amanda did the same for Dane. They may have had a fake engagement, but every interaction between them was honest and real. 

The feud was something else. The way these families nursed their mutual hostility for a slight that no one remembered. I enjoyed Dane and Amanda’s attempts to get to the bottom of this hatred and how fed up the latest generation was with all this nonsense. 

This was an amusing and lovely story, told from both Dane and Amanda’s viewpoints, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who loves a steamy romance that starts off with a pretend relationship. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard

3.0

The cheeky heroine seduces the inexperienced hero who is hiding his own secrets. 

Lord Huntington’s request that Gage keep Effie occupied started out innocuous enough, until his true nature was revealed. He was truly icky. Viola didn’t present as very endearing herself and I was mostly annoyed by her. 

Effie and Gage were very likable characters. They were nothing like you’d expect from their positions in society and clearly they surprised each other as well. I enjoyed their banter and interactions, but they didn’t stir any overwhelming sweeping feelings. 

The overall tone and dialogue were more what you’d expect from modern times, but it didn’t bother me. This book was interesting enough, and would work well for lovers of light-hearted, steamy historical romance. 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.