stellyshadows's reviews
379 reviews

Forbidden fiancé by Ashley Sands

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challenging hopeful 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? No

3.0

This is a dual pov with Natalie and Luke and it’s spicy with insta-lust and attraction. Natalie’s engagement unravels and she has an encounter with a mysterious man that catches her attention and quickly the two get caught up in a steamy romance and attraction very suddenly. Natalie’s ex fiancé, Ethan soon finds out about her affair and things take a turn for the worst. Ethan is furious and will do whatever it takes to ruin Natalie’s life.  The dialogue from Luke to Natalie in spicy moments are very repetitive, if that doesn’t bother you and you love spicy insta love/lust novellas then I totally recommend just wasn’t for me much.. Ethan just really grated on my nerves about how childish he was acting. Just not for me, it got annoying a little… just loved the romance.
Saints and Sinners: An Angela Wilkins Novel by Piper Leigh Ion

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adventurous challenging 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

4.0

This is first in a series about a medical coroner for a detective team like CSI and we follow Angela Wilkins but she secretly leads a double life. She is really good at working in the morgue and doing what she does at crime scenes but she is also out for vigilante justice. The banter between her and her team mates are great and her inner monologue is fun too. This is categorized as a dark romance but it’s really not. It has a romance between Angela and a guy on her lab team who’s Johnny. She keeps falling deep in love with him and she doesn’t want him to find out the darker side of her. If you love crime romance then I recommend this but this isn’t really thriller imo. Just your regular mystery/crime with romance as a sub plot.  

Shallow River by H.D. Carlton

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

This is such a deep dark read. I loved it but it involves really hard topics so please look up triggers for this. If you love dark romance and don't mind toxic relationships, cheating, abuse, r*pe etc. then I highly recommend. I listened to the audiobook and it's narrated really well and it brings the story to life more.
The Reunion by M.A. Hunter

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

3.5

 Thanks to the author for this arc! Thanks to the author for this arc. This is a psychological thriller about 4 friends from childhood as adults. Zoe, Dan, Lily and Rob and they are back together for Rob’s wedding. The story is just told from Zoe’s and Dan’s POV from flashbacks and some chapters are from Saul’s diary from before he died. (This isn’t a spoiler because it’s told that he died in the beginning.)They are reunited for Rod’s wedding to Belle but before that happens they go to a party and all 4 of them have no memory of what happened the night before. As they figure stuff out, secrets are unraveled between the group and it starts to have them all on edge. Typical group of friends thriller with lots of lies and betrayal and secrets. This has a lot of I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes. It’s a fast paced fun read if you wanna be entertained but some parts are boring… and some characters really lacked certain things but I still enjoyed this. If you like lies and secrets and betrayal this is your thing. 
Run by Holly Crocco

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful slow-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

 This is a contemporary romance that is very emotional and it’s a slow burn. It’s second in a series and it is dual pov from Ari and Ethan who knew each other as kids and we see them growing up together. Ari goes through a lot of hardships in her life with abuse being one of the main things. the tropes are childhood friends to lovers, found family and trauma bonding. This is an intense read and very emotional so please check the triggers. I really loved the story between these two characters, there’s so much character development and Ethan has always protected Ari. The nickname Red for her from him is so cute too! I loved their dynamic. This really pulled on my heart strings a bit. I highly recommend if you love this stuff. 
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Widow by Kate Bonham

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thanks to the author for this arc. I absolutely loved this novella from beginning to end. This is a dark suspense novel with romance between a Widow who is named The Black Widow because she kills her husbands and she never gets caught. The detective who knows the most about her slowly gets feelings for her and as they go back and forth between him trying to take her down, she toys with him and they have a steamy little romance. Very fun and very fast read. I wanted more! 
Heart & Hope by Alexandra Banks

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funny hopeful lighthearted 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

3.75

This is second in a series, the first being Tough Love. This is contemporary small town/cowboy western romance which I love! It’s giving Catherine cowles and Elsie Silver. It’s fake dating and we follow Ruby and Reed. It’s dual pov. The romance between them in the beginning was so sudden it was kind of unbelievable for me and it’s a little bit of insta attraction at the least. It has close family bonds and the banter is really great. I really loved the characters in this too, it’s a very cozy cute cowboy romance with a little spice.
Satan's Affair by H.D. Carlton

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

4.5

His to Slash by Mae Celeste

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

4.0

 Thanks to the author for this arc. This is a quick horror/dark romance novella. We follow our FMC who comes back to the town Red Hallow and is left to uncover secrets about her family from the past. There’s a serial killer that comes around the same time every year and has an interest in our girl but not the way she thinks. She is very well connected to this man who is Greyson and their families are connected so that’s why he is interested in her. There have been rituals done around the killer and that has caused him pain nobody else sees but Carly. She hates the fact that she is scared of him and attracted to him all at once and wish he could leave her alone but begins to fall for her as she uncovers the truth of what her families secrets are. If you like short, spicy horror novellas, I highly recommend. 
Jake by Victor Peter

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75