dirtyhallowz's reviews
346 reviews

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely magical read. Dark, gritty and beautifully crafted. The intensity of the imagery Layla weaves into such a grotesque and singularly masterful story is just perfection! I don’t even have something to reference this against, it’s such a unique read.

Braving the Storm by Elliott Rose

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adventurous emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Reaped by S.I Carter

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dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Sleet Kitten by S.J. Tilly

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emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-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

4.0

The Red Room by Lexi Gray

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emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This was like Praise vs Sons of Anarchy had a baby, totally vibing this mash up.

Elodie is a socially isolated 23yo virgin whose father is a complete mobster bad guy. He’s trying to sell her virginity off because he’s a sad, sad little man with emotional control issues. So her pen pal signs her up to a BDSM club run by a biker club and Elodie says live laugh toaster bath and gives the goods away to our MC VP Henley in a smeggs club (as one does). Naturally, what happens after doesn’t go so well for her.

The premise of this book was bangin’ (no pun intended) and the fast pace was definitely a win. There were some general character motivations that I was personally confused by, some of the language choices a bit jilted and I felt that detracted a tiny bit from earning a 4th star.

Tropes/triggers:

🐰instalove

🐰age gap

🐰biker x virgin

🐰non-con

🐰domestic abuse (not between MCs)

🐰found family

🐰d/s

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🌶️.5

Born Reckless by Keary Taylor

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adventurous funny 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? No

3.5

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 41%.

REALLY slow plot, I felt like 200 pages of nothing much happened. The old fashioned language was a choice I understood but felt like someone just when ham with a thesaurus a little too much. Took 100 pages to figure out what time period we were even in, and even then I’m still not 100% certain.

Slay All The Way by Nova Kane

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dark funny fast-paced

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

4.0

What if I told you might have a deranged stalker but your dead shit boyfriend goes on a one way vacay, Santa gives you special jewellery, you get to have your own
🎶 do you wanna build a snowman 🎶 moment AND there’s a bath with vanilla candles on Christmas morning waiting for you?

IRL: girl….run. Get yourself a concealed and run!

In this context: running makes it worse, just relax into it 🙂‍↕️ we love Johnny the unhinged Santa 🎅

The fact Mason de Fous, a dark very-much-not-romance only JUST came out and Nova KNEW the dark girlies would be begging to see more of Johnny even when we were specifically told not to, makes her the queen of unhinged men, and I won’t be told otherwise.

My only disappointment is I wanted more feral Johnny, but that’s likely entirely a reflection on my own damage rather than the actual book here 🤣 I know there’s got to be more of this story coming. Alaska is set to outstrip Sibby as far as feminine unhingedness goes, especially in the hands of Nova Kane. I’m so fucking here for it 🙋‍♀️ buckle up bitches!

Tropes:

⛄️ unhinged Santa

⛄️ corrupting the good girl

⛄️ she takes his icicle

⛄️ murder for fun

⛄️ the couple that conceals a murder together, stays together

⛄️ Christmas in a log cabin

⛄️ not for beginners!

⛄️ wtf did I just read

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶️🌶️.5

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