thebookishmechanic's reviews
275 reviews

No Place to Hide by Harper Ashley, Wren Hawthorne

dark tense fast-paced

4.0

Blair is your typical well behaved rule following pretty girl, who wants to keep everyone happy and has only dated that one guy from the football team. 

Jackson is a carnie, because after he left prison he had no where else to go. He likes to mind his business and keep to himself. 

This book gave me everything I wanted from a dark romance, spooky carnival read. When Jackson confronts Blair's ex-boyfriend he didn't expect anything of it, but she was dead set on thanking him. 

Neither of them expected to end up playing a game that would forever change their lives. 

With a trigger warning list a mile long this book is a wild and sexy ride from start to finish, and I loved every second of it. The descriptions painted a clear picture of the carnival atmosphere, right down to the scent of junk food and sweat. I loved that this was a fun, spicy, quick read but I also felt we could have fleshed out the characters a bit more in a full length novel, however this is not a criticism. I would have loved a full length novel. The spicy scenes were a fresh take on sexy dark romance. 

If I can say anything specific to draw your attention just let me say. Sexy hide and seek. 

Thank you to Harper and Wren for sharing an ARC with me, it was a sexy and wild ride.

The Sacrifice by Shantel Tessier

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

Tyson Crawford is a L.O.R.D with different rules. Tyson gave up his perfectly planned out life for revenge, and it's time. Laikyn always knew she would someday marry a lord and be his lady but she didn't expect to be forced to marry the man she believes killed her sister. 

In this forced marriage dark romance Tyson is out for revenge, and even though Laikyn didn't do the crime she's going to pay the leader of the underworld with her body. This story is full of betrayals, twists, murder and of course toe curling spice. Shantel has one again written an MMC that never leaves us wanting and an FMC who takes shit from no one, except her lord. 

Tyson will watch the world burn for his little darling and I couldn't look away for a second.

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

3.5

These books have been so hyped by booktok and bookstagram and even the people around me, so I went in really expecting something great. I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book I just didn't love the book. 

I love the whole "he has a heart of ice but for her he'd burn the world" thing but there really wasn't much world burning happening. The brothers best friend trope was an exciting one I was ready to dig into but with Josh being away for the majority of the book there really wasn't enough sneaking around for me. 

There wasn't enough detail surrounding Ava's father and everything that happened there. I feel like the entire plot of the book could have been fleshed out just a little bit more. 

Overall I did enjoy the book and I will read the next one. 

I always enjoy the overly rich morally grey bad boy who hates everyone but his girl trope.

Praise by Sara Cate

medium-paced

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

4.5

After much cajoling by my book club and an unreasonably long wait for Amazon prime to actually have it in stock I am so glad I read this book. It was everything I was looking for. 

When misunderstanding lands Charlie on her knees in the middle of Emerson's office, things can only heat up from there. The dynamic between Charlie and Emerson is tense, sensual and everything i needed in my life. 

Charlie is a 21 year old, fresh out of a crappy relationship and moved back into her mom's (garage). 

Emerson is her ex boyfriend's rich handsome dad who also happens to own a sex club. You heard me. 

"You mean, will people think it's wrong? That sounds like a them problem." 

This book is spicy in all the right aways but isn't just a spice. There are emotions and feelings sprinkled throughout this book in ways that definitely *didn't have me tearing up 

*I did 

Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

I'm a bit behind on finishing and reviewing this book-life happens! In fact, l'm so behind that I already have the arc for Heart loaded up on my kindle! 

I've been fortunate enough to ARC read every book in this series (though I received Trial Of the Sun Queen at the same time as Rule). Each book has surpassed the last, and this one is no exception. Literally I beg people to read these books. Beg and plead. 

The added points of view and new information they provided kept me on the edge of my seat, literally shouting at my Kindle. 

Returning to characters l've grown to love in such a unique fantasy world has been an absolute joy. The developing relationships and the intense slow burn were everything I could have hoped for and then some. 

Though I typically prefer my romances hot and fast, the tension Nisha J Tuli builds in these relationships kept me eagerly coming back, and the + climax*+ was precisely what we've all been waiting for. 

Our FMC, Lor, is a breath of fresh air. Her blend of strong independence and the willingness to learn to rely on those around her is compelling and inspiring. 

The cliffhanger ending is nearly too much to handle, but I'm relieved to have the next book ready on my Kindle so I can dive right in! 

Thank you, Nisha, read forever publishing and netgally for the chance to read and review this book. I have loved every second of it. On to the next ! 

Cold Sweat by Vera Valentine

adventurous fast-paced

3.0

Unhinged by Vera Valentine

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.5

Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

“He’s the Devil, and she’s his wicked game”

If you like serial killer romances, if you like symbolic ritualistic occult style reads, this book is for you. If you like an MMC who is completely obsessed with the FMC you need to read this book. Halen is an expert on all things crime scene, but Kallum, the last man she put away is the only one who can help her decipher the information in front of her. Will she offer freedom to a man she thinks is a serial killer in exchange for his help catching another one? 

I won’t lie to you, there is so much happening in this book and so many riddles that sometimes my head was spinning. I had no chance of seeing where we were headed but I loved every second of it. 

“It’s the lovely bad things that steal into our thoughts in the middle of the night and tempt us across the line between good and evil.”

One of the things I love most about this book is that it’s a dark romance but it’s not filled with SA, non con or CNC. 

Trisha’s writing style paints a dark and vivid picture, filled with tension. Sebastian York and Lucy Rivers do a fantastic job bringing life to Halen and Kallum. Kallum is a beautiful dark professor who lures you in, is halen strong enough to evade is pull? This was 100% a top audio book for me this year and I can’t wait to dig into the next one. 

I know this review is all over the place, I can’t put my feelings properly into words. I’ve read a lot of reviews that mention how much you would benefit from knowing Socrates, Aristotle, or Plato and while I’m sure having a grasp on that would add to the experience I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It didn’t take away from this experience for me. It was refreshing to have a plot that I couldn’t immediately guess.  This was my first Trisha Wolfe book but it won’t be my last.

Thank you Trisha Wolfe for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. I really did love it. 

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book series is arguably one of my top series of all time so imagine my surprise when I realized that despite all the people I have pressured to read this book I haven't written a formal review for it yet. 

Maybe that's because I don't have a way with words, maybe that's because it's impossible to explain how good I think this series is. Whatever the case it's time for me to finally try. 

Poppy has been living a life of solitude thrust onto her the day she was born. A maiden must not be social. A maiden must not show her face. A maiden is duty bound, the fate of the kingdom rests on her shoulders alone. When Hawke a golden eyed ambitious guard waltzed into her life and showed her what temptation really is poppy's life is flipped upside down. Will she be found unworthy or is everything we know a lie? 

If you like bad boys with a soft spot for the girl this book is for you. Don't ask questions just read it. 

If you life strong PLUS SIZE female characters who aren't afraid to stab you this book is for you. Seriously 

From Blood and Ash is filled with steamy swoon worthy forbidden romance, witty banter, strong story building and so much more. 

Thank you JLA for writing a plus size character who is desired by her partner, who is both curvy and strong, that women like me can see themselves in 

The P*ssy Next Door by Amy Award

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Wild child Willa is the first character I've ever read who made me feel seen. Willa is a short, dark haired plus size girlie with cats, whose favourite book trope is fated mates, sound familiar? 

Hayes is a skinny (nerdy let's be honest, he studies a lot (3) gamer boy, with very little experience with women. 

If you love INSTA insta love this book is for you. Hayes is patient and understanding when Willa isn't sure what she wants or needs out of a their relationship. 

The 

Kingman men always preach enthusiastic consent or nothing. 

These boys are fun, fluffy romance books. It's important to go in to them knowing that there are silly names, silly comments and over all just a ton of plus size positivity. I loved every second of it, my only 

*small* gripe is I felt like the insta love was just a little too instant, there wasn't enough build for me personally. 

Thank you Amy, for writing a book that I can see myself in! Thank you for the chance to read this arc and thank you love notes pr for giving me this arc!