bellebookcorner's reviews
1228 reviews

You're Dead To Me by Amy Christine Parker

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dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-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

I devoured this book in just one day! 
The easy-to-read writing style, loveable characters, and short chapters build great suspense throughout the story, making it easy to get lost in. 
 
I was hooked right from the start by the mystery and paranormal element involving Ruby’s ghost from the future, who keeps showing up as a time bomb for a dark future awaiting her. 
I have to admit, the ghost appearances were quite creepy and vividly described. 
I wished this phenomenon was explained further; I would’ve love to know why it’s happening to her in the first place. 
 
I liked seeing Ruby's character develop in this story and realizing her actions as the person behind the Reputationkiller account by outing others' secrets is not the right way to do justice. 
I also love the friendship of Ruby with her other two friends, Anton and Xavier. 
They showed strong friendship by having each other’s backs, even in dangerous situations while investigating. 
 
Despite having to suspend my disbelief because some events might seem a bit too far-fetched, I thoroughly enjoyed following Ruby and the gang as they uncovered the truth. 
One unexpected twist near the ending really surprised me! 
However, I kinda wish the last few chapters weren’t so rushed despite being wrapped up nicely in the last chapter. 
 
Overall, this is a fun fast-paced YA thriller with a dash of romance. Such a page turner! 
Highly recommended for teenagers, and I’m definitely keep an eye out for more books by this author in the future! 
 
Thank you to TBR and Beyond 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!
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The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

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

3.0

I have mixed feelings toward this book. 
 
The Egyptian elements give a unique vibe to this fantasy world-building since I don’t see often in a fantasy books. 
I also enjoyed following Sylvia’s journey — learning about her pasts and how it influences her thoughts and actions throughout the story.  
 
However, a few aspects prevented me from fully enjoying this book. 
The uneven pacing was one of those aspects, with some parts feeling dragged out, while the action-packed were reserved near the end.  
The magic system confused me; I had a hard time trying to understand how the magic works. 
I’m also not a huge fan of the long chapters which made this storyline felt longer than necessary. 
 
As for the romance, I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, Arin and Sylvia. 
I actually prefer slow burn romance in a book, but this one was a bit too slow for my taste. It felt like a subplot. 
But, I’m still curious to see how their relationship evolves after the events of the last chapter. 
 
The Jasad Heir is a debut novel with a unique world-building, and it has the potential to be a good book. 
However, some aspects like the romance and the long chapters were not my preference, and I’m hoping the sequel will be better. 
 
If you like the sound of Egyptian inspired fantasy with thick political intrigue, a bit of enemies-to-lovers romance and a character with hidden identity then this one might be a new favorite of yours. 
 
I received an advanced review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!
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The Broken Places by Mia Sheridan

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

If you think a police procedural thriller with a dash of spicy romance sounds interesting, then this one might be for you. 
However, I highly suggest to check out the trigger warnings below before diving into this one! 
 
I was intrigued the first few chapters; it wasn’t just a simple ‘whodunit’ murder mystery. 
The story also covers some deep, heavy, thought-provoking topics, offering an eye-opening view of the two different sides of San Fransisco. 
 
The storyline was well-written, and the mystery and romance were well-balanced. 
The mystery kept me interested from the beginning until the end, racking my brains with theories upon theories to guess the twist at the end. 
 
I really enjoyed the investigation regarding the suspicious new drugs with Inspector Lennon and FBI Agent Ambrose. They make a good team, and I also liked getting to know their history as they slowly got closer to each other. 
 
Overall, The Broken Places was a captivating and emotional read, it explores about trauma, love, loss, grief, and second chances. 
This is not my first book by Mia Sheridan and it won’t be the last. I’m looking forward to reading 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!
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Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

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adventurous challenging 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

4.25

“If you fall in love someday, whoever they are, make sure it’s with someone you can be your whole self with. 
It’s dangerous to love half of a person.”
 
It took me a while to get hooked into the story, but my eyes were glued to my Kindle once I got to the part where the FMC, Ross Quest, entered a cutthroat competition to claim the prize – saving her mother. 
 
There are three phases in the competition, my personal favorite is the second phase, which includes longer schemes and forces the competitors to work together to succeed. 
Despite needing to suspend my disbelief here with teenagers planning such a complicated heist, I found it fun and thrilling to see how they strategize to stay ahead of the game, execute their plans, and improvise when things go awry. 
 
Ross has trust issues, which lead her to make questionable decisions throughout the story that at times felt slightly frustrating. But, deep down, she always craved a life like a normal teenage girl. 
I’m glad to see her slowly step out of her comfort zone with making new friends and rekindling her friendship with Noelia. 
I can’t say the same for the romance though as I didn’t feel the spark between Devroe and Ross, despite Devroe being a mysterious charming character. 
 
The last few chapters were quite intense as the stakes gets higher for the remaining competitors. Mind-blowing twists lead to a huge cliffhanger at the end! 
I'm excited to see what will happen next in the final book of this duology. 
 
Overall, Thieve’s Gambit is such a page turner! 
Highly recommend picking up this YA Thriller if you love: 
✨️ Heist Competition 
✨️ Rivals-to-Lovers 
✨️ Scheming                                                     
✨️ Betrayals and Alliances 
✨️ Shocking Plot Twists 
✨️ Diverse Characters 
 
I received an advanced review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!
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Lethal Kings by Victoria McCombs

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-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

“Games are always riveting until they take something you weren’t willing to give.”

Lethal Kings serves as a fitting conclusion to the Fae Dynasty duology with all the questions I had from the first book finally answered.
There are a lot of twists and turns as each secret is revealed when a mysterious figure called the Gamemaster shows up.

I enjoyed this story even more than the first book; the stakes are higher for the Mortal Queen’s fate. 
The Gamemaster creates a very intriguing game and I loved seeing how Althea tries to solve the riddles and pass the trials with the help of her family and friends.

While I appreciated the plot’s mystery and unexpected twists, I was hoping for more development from Althea and Bash's romantic relationship.
Instead, I often felt frustrated with how Althea act towards him. I was also disappointed not to see them work together as a team this time.

Nonetheless, this was a really good YA Fantasy series!
It’s highly entertaining with epic world-building and mind-blowing twists.
The ending was bittersweet—I can’t say more without spoiling the story, but one event truly shocked me and broke my heart….

Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
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Mortal Queens by Victoria McCombs

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

“Strategize with your head, never your heart. 
Your head can save you. 
Your heart will only lead to him, and ruin lies there.” 
 
Embark on a fun and thrilling journey of a human queen trying to survive in a realm of mischievous and deceptive Fae. 
Mortal Queens is recommended for those who enjoy: 
• Forbidden romance 
• Clean fantasy 
• Puzzles and riddles 
• Epic world-building 
 
I absolutely enjoy seeing Althea learn her way around the Fae with the help of Talen and Odette (my fav side characters!) 
She learns to differentiate who is sincere and who is hiding something up their sleeves. 
She becomes stronger and clever enough to evade traps/curses through hard lessons which open her eyes and build a stronger character. 
 
The world-building is captivating, but danger lurks in every corner. There is a dark mystery, especially relating to the history of the mortal queens. 
There are still many unanswered questions that left me wondering, and it felt like we barely scratched the surface, so I’m hoping we get some answers and more exploration in the next book. 
 
Overall, this is a well-written YA fantasy with lots of twists and turns! 
I’m excited to pick up the sequel to see whether Althea will succeed in her mission. 
 
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily! 
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Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

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adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

5.0

Wow what a fantastic conclusion to the Artefacts of Ouranos series! 
It’s the thickest book compare to the other in the series, but the long journey was worth it to witness Lor, her family and friends’ happily ever after! 
 
This long journey is packed with action scenes, heart-breaking and heart-warming moments, and lots of twists and turns.  
Told from multiple POVs—Gabriel, Nadir, and Lor—we also gain more insight into the Aurora King through flashbacks, revealing a background story I didn’t expect. 
 
The last few chapters are my favorite part, with the series beginning with a deadly trial and ending it with another one! 
Lor has been through a lot of stuff, and I feel so proud for the person she becomes at the end of the series. 
 
The romance also never disappoints. Lor and Nadir deserves their happy ending after fighting so hard for each other and their dreams, despite almost losing each other in the process. 
They make such a great team during the trials, their chemistry is off the charts! 
 
Overall, this was a great book to end the series and I love this series as a whole! 
I have mixed feelings whenever a good series end; I felt sad to say goodbye to these characters but also felt satisfied with the thrilling epic journey the author created for us. 
 
I’m really 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!
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The Red Woman and the White Bear by Fern A. Ellis

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adventurous dark 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

3.5

The world-building in this novel is nothing short of enchanting, unique, and exceptional! 
It’s written so vividly that it makes me feel as if I’m right there, experiencing the Seelie and Unseelie Courts through Aisling’s perspective. 
 
I really like the fact that both Courts are depicted as morally grey; they are neither wholly good nor entirely evil which makes the events that unfolded near the ending felt like a fitting end for the good of the Wild. 
 
As much as I adore the world-building and the characters, the pacing wasn’t entirely to my liking. 
The story felt rushed at the beginning and then slowed down in the middle, leaving little room to explore the characters’ depth. 
I would’ve preferred a slower pace to gain more insight into the characters, especially Aisling who is central to the story and the prophecy. 
 
Overall, for a debut novel, this was a pretty good with a captivating writing style that kept me interested from the beginning until the end with its epic world building. 
I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel and hope the sequel focuses more on the character development. 
 
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
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Bound Paths by Jillian Witt

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adventurous challenging funny 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? Yes

4.25

The Compass Points trilogy finally concludes with Bound Paths.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this book, and I’m satisfied with how it ends! 
 
Bound Paths picks up right after the ending of the previous book, Tangled Powe. 
Rose and the rest of Compass Points now have to rescue their friend, Luc while also figuring out a way to eliminate an evil god—a challenging task even with the help of two gods. 
 
I love seeing how these characters have grown throughout the series. 
Rose has come so far, from a mere weapons master to a Norden Point. She made the impossible possible by bringing all the Compass Points working together, even with the gods and goddess. 
Although, I was a bit sad that Rose and Luc were separated for much of the story, but I found myself rooting for them nonetheless! 
 
The addition of the new character, The Lady of the Veil, was a great touch to the story. Her background story was fascinating and I have a feeling we’ll get to explore more about her domain—the land beyond the veil—in the next series featuring a new couple! 
 
Overall, this was a wonderful conclusion for Rose and Luc’s story. They finally get to work on their dreams of creating a better continent with their friends. 
I’m looking forward for the next series in Compass Points universe and other books by this author in the future! 
 
I received an advanced review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!
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The Songbird & The Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

Another masterpiece from Carissa–it’s definitely going into my top favorite books of 2024 list for sure! 
 
I’ve been eagerly awaiting Mische’s book ever since I got to know her in the previous books. 
I would suggest reading The Serpent & the Wings of Night and The Ashes & the Star-Cursed if you haven’t to have a better understanding. 
 
I really enjoy getting to know the main characters, especially Mische. Learning more about her heart-breaking background when she was human made me love her character even more. 
And Asar is not the scary, ruthless Warden Mische thought. There’s more than meets the eye; he’s a selfless, patient, understanding guy with just the right amount of brooding and grumpiness. 
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Mische and Asar. Watching them slowly form a bond as they made their way to the Underworld to complete the dangerous mission was delightful and captivating.  
The romance is a slow-burn, but their chemistry is off the charts!!–I can’t wait to see how their relationship will develop in the next book! 
 
The writing style never disappoints. The author excels at conveying the emotions of each character, a fair amount of action scenes, and crafting a unique world-building, especially the Descent into the Underworld. 
 
Overall, this is a well-written action-packed and emotional journey about love, pain, and forgiveness and vulnerability making it impossible to put down! 
I’m definitely looking out for the sequel because I need to know what happens next after that HUGE CLIFF-HANGER!!!! 
 
I received an advanced review copy for free through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!
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