hexentart's reviews
551 reviews

Snapdragons by January Rayne

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

There's an unspeakable evil that wears the face of a man and a lab created monster with a loving, if unconventional, heart.

Mickey is new to town, after narrowly surviving a horrific ordeal at the hands of the man she used to love. Her siblings, Milo and Minnie, join her and together they run away to start a brand new life.

But their new home town has secrets of it's own and something lurks in the dark, waiting to claim Mickey.

It's a story of fated mates with a twist and not for everyone. This book, well the series actually, contains content that will be upsetting to the average reader. This is a dark romance, heavy on the word dark. Non-con is just the tip of the iceberg.

🚨MIND YOUR SQUICKS🚨

This world is rich, intense, horrifying, spicy, and dark as hell. It's delicious!

YMMV, of course.

I look forward to the next installment, Hollyhocks, due out at the end of December (2024).
Twisted Tales of Halloween Horror by The Sisterhood of the Black Pen

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

So many variable and disturbing tales.

Every one was an absolute treat. 
Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones by Micah Dean Hicks

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

5.0

So much hurt, pain, loss, and tragedy.

This book brought me to tears and hurt in the best ways.

A horror novel made me cry. Repeatedly.

Damn.

This book will haunt me for a while and I welcome it. 
The Most Bizarre Paranormal & Ghost Stories: A Compilation of Short Cases Featuring Haunted Houses, Demons, UFOs, & More by Henry Bennett

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.
Due to the ridiculously overbearing legal disclaimer forbidding quotes, paraphrasing, or discussion of content without express author or publisher permission (Paraphrasing here. Sue me.🖕🏻) & the fact the content is pretty much just brief synopsis of other folks experiences, it's a DNF.
Quarter to Midnight: Fifteen Tales of Horror and Suspense by Darcy Coates

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

A nice selection of creepy tales, though none I found particularly frightening.

One story I had figured out only a few sentences in (due to my own nerdery and not a fault of the author), but was still a very enjoyable read.

There are 2 tales that involve mannequins and although they differ in plot, the endings were almost exactly the same. This collection would have been better served by only including one of them instead of both.

Regardless, it was an entertaining collection to read during Spooky Month and I look forward to more of the author's anthologies in the future.
Terror in Brief: 200 Two-Sentence Horror Stories by D.T. Adams

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dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Exactly as advertised; a quirky little book.

Not every tiny tale was a hit, but overall it was a fun and creepy read.
Splinter by Jasper Hyde

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

4.0

An enjoyable reimagining of a classic.

The characters, the premise, everything was beautifully created.

However, numerous errors stop this book from being great. Missing words from sentences, incorrect word variants (such as "magical"  where "magic" should be), and sentences that seemed to have been edited, but fragments of the original phrasing remain embedded still within. This novel deserves better editing to really shine like it should.

Still, it was a good story and a worthwhile read. Just right for spooky season. ✌🏻
Long Shot by Marnie St. Clair

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Breakneck Hockey by S. Legend

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Tumultuous, spicy, and a little darker than your average hockey romance, Breakneck Hockey is a wild ride from start to finish. 

Mitch Sutter and Casey Alderchuck have TERRIBLE coping mechanisms, but they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle doused in gasoline.

They may seem crazy, but they're crazy perfect for each other. 

If only they can get out of their own way long enough to figure it out.
Sweet Hereafter: A Cozy Urban Fantasy Witch Romance (The Witches of Owlscroft Coven Book 3) by Marnie St. Clair

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0