bellebookcorner's reviews
1228 reviews

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

“We all think we’re trying to protect each other, but really we’re just keeping secrets.” 
 
Set in the eerie, atmospheric Appalachian town of Caball Hollow, Bittersweet in the Hollow perfectly blends mystery and paranormal elements! 
The local legend of the Moth-Winged man also adds another layer of darkness drawing me into its well-crafted world-building. 
 
What sets this novel apart is the unique supernatural abilities possessed by Linden (the FMC) and her sisters—such as tasting people's lies and feelings. 
I also love the descriptive writing style; the way the author vividly brings the setting to life right down to the mouth-watering details of the food. 
 
The first half part unfolds at a measured pace, but it’s the second half part that truly captivate me as the plot thickens and long-buried secrets are uncovered, making it nearly impossible to put down. 
 
As for the romance element, the complex relationship between Linden and Cole adds emotional depth to the story. Their intricate history and the gradual rekindling of their connection is a nice touch which adds as a satisfying romantic subplot. 
 
Overall, this is a fantastic YA read, brimming with dark secrets, vivid descriptions and a satisfying conclusion! 
I wasn’t ready to leave this small town so I was thrilled to learn there’s a second book in this series featuring another sister. I’m looking forward for another adventure in the next book! 
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A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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

5.0

“I would choose you over her —over anyone —a thousand times in a thousand lives.” 
 
A Promise of Lies served as an epic conclusion to Kat and Bastian’s story! 
It’s the perfect book to close out 2024, it was definitely worth the wait! 
 
The plot picks up right where the previous book left off, with even higher stakes, especially as Kat and Bastian are separated between two courts at the beginning. 
Secrets are revealed one after another, keeping me on the edge of my seat with each twist! 
It was also great to see more of Sepher and Zita making appearances and even scheme their way in here! 
 
I love seeing the gang (Rose, Faolan, Kat, Bastian and Ella) interact with each other as they scheme their way through, when they support each other, bare their feelings towards one another. 
Kat and Bastian are truly one of my favorite couples! 
Their bond is commendable as they are tested by numerous obstacles and secrets, yet they continue to support each other. 
Especially Kat toward Bastian, who has a lot to work through in this book. (I won’t speak more about it cause I don’t want to spoil the book for you!) 
 
For those who have been waiting for some of the sexy and spicy scenes, I can honestly say you won’t be disappointed! 🥵 
We get to finally see those promises aren’t just words —especially the one in the cabin! 
 
Overall, this was a wonderful conclusion with a heart-warming scene at the end! 
I was happy to see my beloved characters dreaming about their futures, but I’m also sad that now I have to part with them…. 
It has been a great adventure in Elfhame and I will definitely keep my eyes open for more books by Clare in the future! 
 
I received an advanced review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖:  death, threat of sexual violence, violence, murder, prejudice and discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism, fat shaming, grief, familial abuse, pregnancy, infertility, dealing with trauma present and past. 
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Smoke and Mirrors by Claudia Cain

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adventurous challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

Smoke and Mirrors is the sequel to Silver and Bone, following the vampire detective Jennifer Jones as she tackles another intriguing bizarre case, this time with a brand-new partner! 
 
What I love most about this series so far are the characters. The author has written them so well that it’s hard not to feel connected to and love them. 
I adore their strong friendship and how well they work together as a team, with a few sassy comments sprinkled in which liven up the story! 
 
The storyline is also fascinating, beginning with a twist — a person came back from the land of the dead and was seen walking about the street! 
The mystery kept me hooked from the start, and the last few chapters are quite intense, leading up to the big reveal. 
 
While the ending of Smoke and Mirrors tied up most things nicely, another unknown danger is still waiting for them all... 
The cliff-hangers at the end definitely made me with I have book 3 in my hands because I needed to get on with the next adventure with these awesome characters! 
 
Overall, this book is a fantastic addition to this series – a heart-warming and thrilling story which is a must-read for urban fantasy mystery lovers! 
 
I received an advanced review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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The Heartbreak Show by Jesikah Sundin

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adventurous hopeful 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

2.75

To be honest, I had mixed feelings about this companion novel. 
 
The Heartbreak Show focuses on Cian and Glenna’s story, I was excited to get to read this book after enjoying their characters and sassy comments in the previous book, The Night Market. 
 
What I love about this novel is the lovely characters and their adorable familiars! 
The important theme of acceptance is well-portrayed through Cian’s journey, as he grapples with his fears, his magic, and his unexpected true identity. 
 
However, I found Cian’s quest confusing at the beginning. It took until the end for me to fully understand it, which slightly diminished my enjoyment of the book. 
The romance also lacked the burning spark; I didn’t feel the chemistry between Cian and Glenna as much as I did with the previous couples in this series. 
 
If you’re looking for something unique with adorable familiars, chosen mates, a found family and loveable characters then give this one a try. 
But be warned — some events happened in this book will spoil for the previous two books, so I highly suggest reading those first before diving into this one. 
 
I received an advanced review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: A complete list of content considerations can be found on the author’s website. 
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On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

5.0

Intriguing storyline with an easy-to-read writing style, epic world-building, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance and beautiful friendship, all set against the backdrops of dangers lurking in every corner of this universe makes this book so hard to put down! 
 
Medra is a fierce, determined and curious girl who found herself in a strange world and betrothed to a vampire prince. 
 I really enjoyed following her story as she navigates through this new world – seeing how she tried to survive and made friendships with Florence and Naveen. 
 
Blake is a mysterious, cruel and arrogant guy, although he also has a soft side which we see more of from his POV. 
I liked seeing Medra and Blake’s attraction grows into something more as we delved deeper into the story. However, his possessiveness towards Medra can be slightly alarming. 
After that last chapter, I’m curious to see how their relationship will progress in the next book. 
 
There were lots of twists and turns near the ending, as betrayals and dark secrets starts to come out one by one. 
I’m hoping we’ll get to explore more of the world building and also get to know more about the dragons and their rider’s history in the next book. 
 
Overall, this was an entertaining and addicting dark academia romantasy! 
I was hooked right from the start and I’m looking forward to read the sequel coming out very soon! 
 
I wasn’t aware that this was a spin-off series to the Blood of a Fae series, but don’t worry I enjoyed reading this book without any problem and I’m sure you will too. 
If you want to know more of the land where Medra comes from, then you can check out the Blood of a Fae series.  
 
I received an advanced review copy through, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!<
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Full list of trigger warnings can be found in the book. 
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Dosa Malaikat by Keigo Higashino

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Kasus misteri pembunuhan yang mengejutkan, nyaris sempurna… 
 
Gaya penulisan yang mudah dibaca dan alur cerita yang menarik membuatku melahap halaman demi halaman 
Pembaca diajak untuk menginvestigasi satu kasus pembunuhan ‘mustahil’ ini mengungakp setiap petunjuk Bersama para detektif dalam pencarian mereka akan kebenaran. 
 
Ketika para detektif sepertinya menemui jalan buntu, salah satu dari mereka akhirnya meminta bantuan Prof. Yukawa. 
Hal-hal menjadi lebih menarik saat dia bergabung dalam penyelidikan. 
Pemikiran kritisnya dan pengamatan yang mendetail Prof. Yukawa memang tidak tertandingi! 
 
Sebenarnya, aku cukup yakin kalau tebakanku tentang siapa pelakunya benar, tetapi yang tidak kebayang itu adalah gimana kejahatan itu dilakukan. 
Aku punya teori-teori sendiri saat membaca buku ini, tetapi semuanya salah! 
Pengungkapan besar di akhir, ketika Profesor Yukawa menjelaskan bagaimana hal itu dilakukan, benar-benar mengejutkan! 
 
Secara keseluruhan, Dosa Malaikat menunjukkan keterampilan penulis dalam menyusun misteri pembunuhan yang ditulis dengan baik dan menarik! 
 
Highly recommended buat kalian yang menikmati kasus pembunuhan yang tampaknya mustahil (seperti misteri ruang terkunci) dengan keterampilan investigasi yang brilian, dan tentu saja, tikungan dan kejutan yang tak terduga! 
 
⚠️ Peringatan: Pembunuhan, perselingkuhan, kematian, kehamilan, infertilitas, bunuh diri, kesedihan 
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Malice - Catatan Pembunuhan Sang Novelis by Keigo Higashino

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Malice mampu mengejutkanku dengan plot twist yang tidak terduga! 
 
Buku ini jauh dari sekadar novel misteri pembunuhan sederhana. 
Menemukan pelakunya bisa dibilang cukup mudah; tantangannya adalah mencari tahu motif kejahatannya, yang membuat cerita ini tidak seperti cerita detektif misteri pada umumnya. 
Aku semakin tertarik dengan buku ini, terutama ketika pelaku menolak untuk mengaku, yang membuat Detektif Kaga harus menemukan alasan sebenarnya sendiri. 
 
Tapi harus diakui, membaca dari sudut pandang Detektif Kaga cukup menantang. 
Di bab terakhir, ketika kebenaran terungkap, aku harus membaca beberapa baris berulang kali untuk memahami apa yang dia bicarakan karena cara berpikirnya yang begitu kompleks dan rinci. 
 
Malice mengeksplorasi beberapa tema yang memicu pemikiran, seperti kecemburuan, bullying, dan pentingnya berpikir kritis seperti yang dilakukan Detektif Kaga. 
 
Meskipun temponya kadang-kadang bisa lambat di beberapa bagian, Malice adalah novel misteri yang ditulis dengan baik dengan alur cerita yang menarik dan karakter yang kompleks dengan kepribadian yang rumit. 
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Bullying, pembunuhan, kematian hewan, pemerkosaan, kekerasan seksual, sekilas menyebut perselingkuhan, kecelakaan mobil, bunuh diri 
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My Feral Romance by Tessonja Odette

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

“Even if you don’t love me back, you’re enough as my friend, and I want to keep you in any form.” 
 
Highly recommended for those who loves: 
✨️ Friends-to-lovers
✨️ He Falls First
 ✨️ Forced Proximity
 ✨️ Touch Him and You Die 
 
Intriguing storyline, beautiful writing style, well-paced, and loveable characters make this book so hard to put down! 
I was glad to see familiar characters like Briony and Thorne make an appearance as well as new adorable character like Araminta, whom I adore! 
 
I’m loving the chemistry between Monty and Daphne. They’re not perfect, but their flaw makes me love them even more as I get to know them throughout the story. 
I love their banter, which shows how comfortable they are with each other without having to pretend and just be free to be themselves. 
My favorite part would be the moment where they finally open up to each other about their deepest fear and raw feelings. 
 
As you can tell from the title, the romance is feral, messy and a bit rough so if you like spicy romance then you won’t be disappointed with Monty and Daphne! 
 
I read this book along with the audio version I got from Netgalley. Both narrators did a great job in delivering this story! 
However, I noticed there’s one chapter missing from the audio version when I was reading the book. 
 
Overall, My Feral Romance is an incredible read and definitely going into my favorite list of books in 2024! 
The bonus epilogue at the end was the perfect preview for the next book. I can’t wait to get my hands on that book next year! 
 
I received an advanced audiobook copy through Netgalley and the e-arc from the author through Book of Matches Media Tour, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: adult situations, explicit language, fantasy drug use, childhood trauma, descriptive on page sex scenes (medium spice), sexual activity in public spaces (without an audience), violence, blood, illegal fighting sport and mild gore. 
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My Perfect Husband by Georgina Cross

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

3.5

If you’re looking for a quick and engaging psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then pick up this book! 
 
The great writing style, fast pace, and intriguing characters make this book hard to put down! 
I was hooked right from the start and eager to uncover the truth of what happened that night 12 years ago. 
I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline, which provides insight into the events leading up to Ellie’s disappearance and the present-day investigation. 
 
There’s a couple of red herrings, making it challenging to figure out the truth before the big reveal at the end. 
 
However, I must say the way this book ends wasn’t to my liking; I was expecting more but the book concluded rather abruptly. 
 
Overall, it’s an entertaining, enjoyable and gripping story to read! 
 The world-building is vivid, making me feel like I’m walking down the street in New Orleans, and the unexpected twists kept me engrossed throughout the story. 
I’m looking forward to read more books by this author in the future! 
 
I received an advanced review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!
A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

4.75

“Because if he could see her, see the truest and most private parts of her, and love her still, then that love was something worth facing a thousand monsters for.”
 
If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers story between a vampire and a vampire hunter, look no 
further—this book is for you! 
 
The plot was well-paced and well-written; I was hooked right from the start until the end following Carolina and Lalo tackled the vampire issue. 
The characters are loveable and I especially enjoyed the funny teasing between the siblings, which really enlivened the story! 
 
Carolina is a badass character whom I admire and love. She’s a fierce fighter and lover, often quite reckless and prideful, and finally she meets her match in Lalo—the sweetest and sometimes awkward guy who always riles her up but also becomes one of the few people who can comfort, understand and support her. 
 
I loved the chemistry between the two of them. It was delightful to see their banter and slight flirting! 
I was rooting for them the entire time and curious to see how or whether they would get their happy ending while saving mankind from vampires. 
 
Overall, this was a very enjoyable and entertaining YA vampire romance that comes with a satisfying ending! 
I’m definitely keeping an eye out for more books by this author in the future! 
 
Thank you to Hear Our Voices Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
 
⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Grief, animal death, blood, gore, violence 
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