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booksthrilljessica's reviews
401 reviews
The Unraveling by Vi Keeland
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When Meredith McCall’s famous hockey star husband sustains a serious injury while playing he soon becomes addicted to his pain medication. Meredith lives in a state of denial of who her husband Connor has now become. Ironic since she is a psychiatrist, however this allows for a series of tragic events that will end up altering her life forever.
When Connor steals Meredith’s prescription pad to sustain his addiction he finds himself not only dead due to his reckless actions but also responsible for running over a mother and her child killing them as well.
Meredith is having a difficult time adjusting to her new life as a widow, and now being held responsible for her negligence. But when she sees Gabriel Wright, the father of Connor’s victims on the street, she has no control over her own actions or thoughts. She must follow him, she must know how he is doing. And now seemingly unbeknownst to Gabriel he has come to Meredith for psychiatric care unaware of who she truly is.
Overall rating 3/5
The amount of denial, and unprofessionalism exhibited by Meredith is unbelievable. How can she truly be so unaware or bury her head in the sand in regards to Connor’s behavior let alone her own. A psychiatrist who openly stalks, and takes advantage of her patient/victim is so volatile. I did not like this character, but maybe that is the way Keeland wanted the reader to see the MC. I do wish the storyline moved faster or added another POV. I do like that there was a happy ending of sorts and feel that this whole story represents unhealthy relationships, but maybe at only a surface level.
*Thank you to Vi Keeland, Atria Booksand Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
Wings of Lies by M.S. Quinn
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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? No
4.0
When Lucille Chiara wakes from a deep slumber she has no recollection of who or where she is. The only thing she does know is that a man in a cowboy hat is after her. As Lucille finds out what she truly is, a Nephilim (half angel, half human) through her magical ability to dream walk, she must also come to terms with being betrayed by the only two people she has trusted, Oliver and her mother.
The more Lucille is able to dream walk the more her memories come back to her slowly filling in the gaps of who she is and what she is ment to do in this new world. But when held captive by the devilishly handsome Aspen, Lucille must face certain memories that she has suppressed whether she is ready or not. Will she finally find and confront her mother or will she not like the answers she seeks?
Overall rating 4/5
I do feel like this story was a bit bogged down in the beginning with the different characters and world building which made it hard to follow. That being said I did enjoy Quinn’s visualization of angels and demons, and truly appreciated that at the end of every chapter certain words/phrases were defined. The slow burn, enemies to lovers dynamic between Lucille and Aspen was remarkable. I can’t wait to see what will happen if there is book two and from whose perspective.
*Thank you to M.S. Quinn and BookSirens for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
Decoding Jessica by Amber De Torfino
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Jessica has always known that she was different…. she has always known that she is a psychopath. But she has learned to embrace this difference, and put it to good use as a NYPD detective. This ability to think like the monsters she hunts is what has set her apart from the rest, and has helped her become the best. However, her newest case is her hardest one yet. On the hunt for a serial killer with a dramatic MO, Jessica has just realized that the latest victim is none other than her sister. This will ultimately change Jessica’s life and the way she thinks about the monster she is pursuing and the monster she must become. Luckily, Jessica has a new partner, Cole Bellamy, a professor of forensic psychology who has helped the police with criminal profiling in the past. Will they be able to find out who this killer is before they can strike again? Will Cole see Jessica for who she truly is? And most importantly when will Jessica get her next cup of coffee?
Overall rating 4/5
I can’t help but find kinship in this character for her first name alone and her obsession with coffee. The fact that Cole never mentioned or led on that he knew Jessica was a psychopath instantly drove me crazy. I do believe that this was because of his family history, and the fact that he embarrassed her dark side. I also struggled with Jessica’s apparent onset of “emotions” however, I do know that studies show that traumatic events can shift one's mental state which I feel that on multiple occasions this is likely what has happened to Jessica. I am flummoxed by the ending and want more. I can not wait until the next book to find out what happens to Cole, and the monster that Jessica has to become yet again, and maybe this time more grittier….
*Thank you to Amer De Torfino for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
The Lucky Widow by Samantha Vérant
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Emma’s marriage has been on the rocks for years now. She has even openly joked with her friend and staff that she wishes her husband would just die. It would certainly make her life easier. He has dominated her ever since they got married but no more, Emma is now ready to reclaim her life. After a vacation to Paris with her best friend, Emma finally has the proof she needs of her husband’s infidelity to end this marriage and ask for a divorce. Upon returning home however, Emma finds her husband face down in the pool….dead. And the police suspect she has something to do with it, and will do anything they can to prove it.
Overall rating 3/5
I was hooked by the opening of this book but it soon dragged on for me in the following chapters. The middle of the book I felt was just a bandaid to hold us over until the ending twist and ultimate conclusion. I would have loved more of the hilarious banter given in the beginning between Emma and her friend. Or more development of the relationship between Emma and her children. I did like the multiple layers of twists at the end.
*Thank you to Samatha Verant, Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review
The Queen's Blade by Evelyn Ward
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
As the Queen’s blade Fey has done her fair share of unpleasant assignments on behalf of the Crown. Fey is an assassin just like her three witch sisters who comprise the Queen’s Blade. As the Queen’s blade one must live and die to serve the queen.
Since the War of the Fallen, it is known that the First Queen and her ancestors are the only witches who possess the ability to control all four magical elements making them targets that must be protected by the very skilled Blades.
Fay, Lilith, Joy and Alice have been sisters in arms for a long time. When the death of Alice, rocks them to their core, they must complete their circle and recruit another witch to fill the hole she has left. But Fay feels it in her bones that something is just not right with the way Alice was killed. Taking it upon herself, Fay decides to investigate what her sister was doing the night of her death. Along the way she meets a devilishly enigmatic vampire, Alastair, that she just can not shake from her mind or her bed. Can Fay find out who killed Alice? Will the same fate happen to her?
Overall rating 5/5
This book takes on the trope of a futuristic world filled with witches, vampires and all sorts of mythical beings and spins it in a new way that is extremely creative. I loved that this world takes place after the human race is extinct and how only a select few even remember what it was like when they did. The tensions and character dynamics between the characters was both well thought out and tangible. I truly loved this book and the intricate plot with twists, lust, desire and sisterhood.
*Thank you to Evelyn Ward, and BookSirens for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review