midnightrose_reads's reviews
339 reviews

The Alliance by Matt Brolly

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Alliance is a fast paced thriller with a killer premise that would have been right at home as an episode of the Criminal Minds television show! Hilary Huber narrates the audiobook and is really fantastic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage

emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.0

Swift and Saddled is the second book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. This was a quick, spicy read! Had unexpected moments of depth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Emotional abuse and Mental illness

Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Done and Dusted is the first book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. I throughly enjoyed this debut! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

For She Is Wrath is a dark gender bent romantic fantasy taking inspiration from the themes of The Counte of Monte Cristo.

I liked this book of female rage but phrases and words like ‘huffed’, ‘bit her(his) lip’  and others were used far too frequently, imo.

Even though this is a standalone, the character of Noor feels like she was set up so that she could possibly get her own book. So perhaps this will have a companion book down the road.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content

The Doll's House by Lisa Unger

dark emotional fast-paced

4.0

The audiobook is narrated by Kimberly Woods and Mia Barron.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Mental illness and Death of parent

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

3.5

The Songbird and the Heart of Stone is the third book in the Crown of Nyaxia series and the first book in the Shadowborn duology. Mischa Ilae teams up with Asar, bastard son of the Shadowborn King. They must traverse the underworld to resurrect the god of death (a task that Asar has been given from Nyaxia herself). Little does Asar know that, Miche has also been given a task from her Sun god, which is to kill the god of death upon his resurrection.

There were interesting moments of world building in the book, it’s just unfortunate that I don’t think Miche overall is as compelling of a main character as Oraya is. I do think the second book in this Shadowborn duology will be a significant improvement (particularly with how this first book ends) that I’m hopeful for the next entry. Carissa is still one of my fav fantasy romance authors! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Torture

Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco is the next book in the Prince of Sin series. This Cinderella-esque story focus’s on Prince Gluttony (aka Gabriel Axton) and his rival Adriana Saint Lucent a scandal sheets journalist that we’ve met before in previous books. There’s a history between the two that slowly gets unraveled as the story goes along.

I had SO much fun with this one! The ice dragons and that whole mystery combined with Gabriel and Adriana’s history were a joy to explore. The wintery setting was very atmospheric. Chemistry was off the charts (no surprise there as readers have witnessed their fiery exchanges in other books of this overall series), and the spicy scenes were quite satisfying. Definitely recommended for people who’ve read the first book Throne of the Fallen in the Prince of Sin series, and in my opinion it’s an even better installment of this series than the first book was.

I’ll add that I NEED Prince Pride and his wife’s book IMMEDIATELY. I honestly hope their book is next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse

The Exorcist's House: Genesis by Nick Roberts

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

The Exorcist’s House: Genesis is a follow-up prequel/sequel to Nick Roberts’s The Exorcist’s House. It follows two different timelines: 1967 and Merle Blatty and his adventures as an amateur exorcist, and 1997 where we catch up with the Hill family 3 years after the events of the first book.

It was really fun to be back in this world again! Bigger scares, humor, and touching moments. Highly recommend both books!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Look Closer by David Ellis

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

Look Closer by David Ellis audiobook is narrated by Will Damron, Hilary Huber, Elizabeth Garrett, and Steve West.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, and Stalking

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Mental illness

Now Comes the Mist by Julie C. Dao

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

“I feel half drunk with my own power over these men who rule London society.”

‘Now Comes The Mist’ is a Dracula retelling, this time from the perspective of Lucy Westerna who is of Vietnamese descent. Being beautiful, rich, and flirtatious she enjoys the life of a well-bred lady. But what no one knows is that she is fascinated by death, ever since her beloved father passed away. Her loved ones don’t know the extent of her fascination however, despite her frequently sleepwalking and ending up in the graveyard near the Westerna mausoleum.

One night while she’s dreaming she meets a mysterious figure that intrigues and fascinates her. She feels a connection with him and feels he understands her as no one else has, even over her best friend Mina Murray or her mother…..

This was an equal part beautiful and heartbreaking story. You really feel for Lucy and  the position she was in being a woman in the Victorian era, when this story is set. The expectations for women were enormous and suffocating to a free spirit like her. You can very easily understand how seductive the possibilities that she could have with Vlad influenced her decisions. Can’t wait to read book 2, ‘So Blooms The Dawn’, next year!

Thank you to Podium Entertainment for the gifted copy of this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail