sammidavies88's reviews
67 reviews

Until You by Penelope Douglas

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

Penelope Douglas does male POV so well. 

This book is Jared's version of Bully, all from his POV. It gives much more insight into his actions and motives. The character development is spot on.

It also sets it up perfectly for future books in the series. 

Manacled by SenLinYu

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Alice Feeney has a way of completely blind siding you with the twists she throws in, making her books so enjoyable. I didn't see any of it coming!! I absolutely devoured this book, desperate to know what was going to be revealed next. I could not put it down. 

It's giving Gone Girl meets Secret Window. I love a plot where you can't tell if the narrator is reliable or if they are losing their mind. I even ended up questioning myself whilst reading this. Feeney really makes you experience the paranoia her characters are feeling. 

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for allowing me to read an early release copy of this book. 

Reckless by Elsie Silver

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Unbreak Me by Sophia Belle

emotional hopeful sad 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? No

4.5

The emotions this book will make you feel!!

I instantly fell in love with the characters and the plot had me in pieces. The spice is right out the gate and is recommended as an 18+ book.
It has all the loved tropes like small town romance, second chance, childhood sweethearts, possessive MMC.

The dual POV keeps the pace moving and gives you an insight in to both main characters turmoil.

This is the first in a series and I cannot wait to read more!

Torn by Honor by Stephanie Amaral

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I had been waiting for this book after Bound by Deception ended on such a big cliffhanger and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I don't know how she does it but Stephanie Amaral manages to pull every emotion out of you. Her writing makes you care so deeply about the characters and become so invested in the Mafia world they live in. Be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. 

The Coven by Harper L. Woods

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I was not expecting that!!

This is a gothic, dark academia with magic. It's dark and mysterious keeping you guessing what will happen next. There is an element of enemies to lovers and slow burn romance where you don't fully trust either side. Told in dual POV you get to see their inner thoughts.

This ends on a cliffhanger and I am itching to get my hands on the next installment.

Please ensure you read the trigger warnings before reading.

Thank you to Random house publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Where Good Girls Go To Die by Holly Renee

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.25

I'm not usually a fan of the 'brothers best friend' trope, but this actually had me hooked. 

This second chance romance had me rooting for the main characters, consequences be damned! Their chemistry is undeniable. 

I loved how the story bounced between the past and present, gradually revealing bits of their backstory, allowing me to fully understand their relationship.

The side characters are entertaining and leave you wanting to know more about their stories. 

This was a quick, enjoyable read. 

Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I went into this blind, I had no idea what to expect. 

This was dark, twisted, passionate and totally unexpected. 

⚠️ As always, read the trigger warnings! ⚠️ 

As with all HD Carlton's books, I am obsessed! I had no idea which way the story was going to go and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. 

A dark romance with a bit of thriller mixed in, absolutely perfect. 

Every Last Suspect by Nicola Moriarty

mysterious 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

4.0

The story starts with an internal monologue from Harriet, who is lying in a pool of her own blood, trying to work out who could be responsible for her murder.

We follow her main suspects and go over their actions from the day leading up to the murder. Following each character closely you feel like a fly on the wall watching their every move and unraveling each motive.

I found it fast paced and suspenseful. Each character account built on the story, interconnecting at parts, and the twists kept me hooked. 

Another great book by Nicola Moriarty.

Thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for this ARC.