itsmorganbailey's reviews
121 reviews

First to Fall by Laney Hatcher

lighthearted 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

2.75

This book felt like having ai watch Bridgerton and then ask it to write a story akin to it. The plot and characters were fine but I found the writing to be pretty remedial. It was like the author looked up a few phrases that fit the time period and threw those in as much as possible but wasn’t consistent about it so some dialogue sounded much more modern than others. 

Also, I hate when a female protagonist’s main trait is that she is so much better than other women because she doesn’t like inherently girly things. You can not enjoy those things but also not put down other women who do. Emery was constantly shitting on literally EVERY SINGLE GIRL in London just to seem different. 

Overall, it was an easy read and a good story, but nothing terribly special.

Lights Out by Navessa Allen

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.0

I need to stop having high hopes for booktok recommendations unless I’m in the mood to read straight pornography transcripts. I picked up this book because of the humor I saw from it on social media but once the two main characters started having sex, that humor flew out the window and I lost all personality from either character. 

It wasn’t a bad read by any means, although the accidental murder/hanging out with the mafia was a very sudden left turn and made me feel like the author just wanted to throw in more to the plot so that she had an excuse to continue writing smut. No hate girl! Loved Josh! Just not my favorite read.

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

No notes. 10/10. New favorite series. #bringbacktrilogies

The Wicked King by Holly Black

funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Oh my god. I am in love with Cardan. I love Jude. This series is incredible!

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Hendrix is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. His “horror” stories are so well rounded that I can hardly classify them as true horror. They are funny and scary and inspiring and incredibly well written. This book had me laughing, crying , and turning each page with a new excitement for what was to come next. 

Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale

dark informative fast-paced

3.0

I’m not typically a true crime person but when I saw this, I knew I had to read it. It was chilling but I learned so much about this case that I don’t remember ever hearing when it first went public. Hale is an exceptional writer. Her storytelling is incredible while she doesn’t stray from the facts that were presented to her. 

I will say, if you’re looking for a book that is equally unbiased in regard to Morgan, Anissa, and Bella, this isn’t it. Hale admitted in the preface that the only people who would speak to her were Morgan and her family so this book mainly follows their story, but it is an interesting perspective nonetheless.

The Lost Sisters by Holly Black

informative 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

5.0

Oh how I love to hate Taryn!🥰

Listen, I get her whole life has been traumatic and that she’s a literal child, but as a sister, I cannot imagine putting my sister through the humiliation and pain Taryn put Jude through simply for a guy! A guy who doesn’t give one flying f about either of them!

I am a Nesta girlie to my core so I’m always trying to support female characters going through trauma and dealing with it in a way others don’t find pretty. The problem with Taryn is that she isn’t trying to deal with it at all. She lives in a freaking fantasy world where all she cares about are make believe stories. Even when trying to word her apology to Jude, she spins it so that she’s the victim. 

Jude is a flawed character (she literally murdered so many people) but she knows it and she owns it. Taryn claims she knows that what she did was wrong but I just don’t believe it. She’s going to need a HUGE redemption arc if I’m supposed to like her at all. 

Oh and that last line? It gave me chills. Kudos to you, Black!

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Um… Wow! I feel like a lot of times the books that blow up on social media are never quite as good as people hype them up to be but this one was! I cannot wait to binge the rest of the series!

Among the Bros: A Fraternity Crime Story by Max Marshall

tense slow-paced

2.0

 Found it hard to keep track of the subjects in this book. While it was well written, it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be. 

A Connecticut Family's Nightmare by Jason McLeod

dark tense fast-paced

3.0

This book was incredibly horrifying! Knowing it was a true story made it even scarier. I met McLeod in person at a convention and I know that he was being genuine when talking about his experiences. This book could use a bit more editing as there were multiple spelling and grammatical errors.