bekahzabel's Reviews (327)

I was intimidated by this one for so long. I’m now accepting pats on the back, kudos, and praise for finally having the courage to brave through this 800 page THICKUMZ. 

Let me start by saying: My expectations were very high. ACOTAR and TOG marked pivotal parts of my reading journey and completely rewired my little brain. 

The reason for 4 stars and not 5 is because it took a solid 150 pages for me to figure out wtf was happening after the info dump (I will say it wasn’t as daunting as I expected though), and about 400 pages for me to be totally involved and immersed and that’s just A LONG TIME TO HOLD ON FOLKS. Alas, I knew it would pay off and boy oh boy it did. 

My conspiracy theories are off the charts. And Lehabah?????? If you know you know. 

What I LOVED about this one compared to SJM’s other two series is coming out the gate with a female friendship. It wasn’t just about a mate or a conquest for a man, HOEAB really highlighted the unshakeable bond of female friendship. Healing through grief was a big theme here and I adored the sentimental passages along the way. 

I could also relate to Bryce FAR more than Aelin or Feyre. Which brought me a sense of comfort because I was a bit skeptical about the urban fantasy theme but SJM really did it right here in my opinion. 

Last 200 pages was a fxcking roller coaster per usual and I’m undoubtedly hopping straight into book two.

Overall very much enjoyed this one and I encourage y’all who were intimidated like me to give it the good old college try. 

A plethora of mythological beings, hidden artifacts, forbidden love, coming into power, corrupt hierarchies, well rounded side characters, fully immersive world building, broody but soft inside alphahole with sassy and powerful FMC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 // 0.5 🌶️

Profoundly thought provoking, Blood Over Bright Haven completely exceeded all of my expectations.

This fantasy stand-alone is action packed with beautifully written character arcs, political discourse, feminine rage, alchemy, and strong written prose. All the details come together between these covers to make one hell of a novel. 

ML Wang is one to keep an eye on for fantasy lovers. I’m very much looking forward to Sword of Kaigen after falling in love with her writing through this one. This book is a prime example of when we say, “Reading IS political.” It will challenge you to reevaluate things you’ve believed true in society since school ages, constantly encouraging your mind to step out of its box. 

I highly recommend this one to fantasy lovers who enjoyed similar reads like Poppy War Trilogy and The Green Bone Saga.  
6 ⭐️// No Spice 

Always a treat to dive into a new HD Carlton. 

If you have a dark twisted and sick mind, that is… which indeed, I do.

Loved the pacing, the tension between Genevieve and Ronaldo, and that little Zade & Addie bonus blip at the end :)  

Dark stalker romance, jam packed with triggers, steamy AF. 4⭐️//🌶️🌶️🌶️

not me thinking this was a stand-alone and being so confused as to why i had twelve pages left and still so many questions????? 

i loved the gothic elements and imagery, but this slow burn almost had me crashing out fr. as much as i loved it, it wasn’t grabbing me as much as i expected it to. i’ll definitely read the next one though, zevander is zaddy tier

I am FERALLLLL!!!!!!

These books are creeping their way into some of my favorites of all time. The world building and getting a look into the other planets and realms had me awestruck. There’s additionally some really intense character development throughout this journey, we see Mal and Maeve dive deeper into the villainous darkness as chaos ensues. The  magic system is so intricate and interesting I simply couldn’t get enough. 

There were multiple twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and hot damn am I already chomping at the bit for more. If you love villains, dark fantasy, shadow magic, banter, and world to completely immerse yourself in… this series is the answer. 

6 gold stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️//🌶️🌶️.5

A riveting tale that follows the rise and fall of notorious art thief Stéphane Breitwiesser. 

Stealing over 200 famous pieces of art between 1995-2001, Finkle dives into Breitwiesser’s motives, methods, and complete obsession with stealing and coveting beautiful works from museums all over Europe. 

I really enjoyed how fast paced and informative this book was, I listened on audio and it’s a great place to start for anyone wanting to add more non fiction to their palette. With first hand accounts and extensive research, I learned a lot and was engaged through every chapter.

3.75 ⭐️

did i cry? yes, so that means it was a success. 
was it an ugly sob for the last 50 pages? yes. 

is noah riley the spitting image of what we want every man to be for us? also yes. 

arianna was eating and leaving no crumbs in this man’s kitchen, quite literally.

my mom always taught me: the way they treat their mother is the way they will treat you….. noah riley sure checked that box now didn’t he???? 

themes: 
love triangle,
finding self in first year of college,
he falls first, hard
dual POV
protective older brother & supportive best friends,
finding love after heartbreak, 
college football romance 

there were a couple plot twists that really worked for me. i also love that there were multiple side characters that i grew fond of and it wasn’t strictly focused on the MC’s. i loved the beach house to college setting, and i loved the slow burn and tension.

the dialogue did feel a bit choppy to me occasionally, and at times there was a more juvenile tone to the romance but overall i really enjoyed this one. I mean they’re young adults so it makes sense as to why there were juvenile moments but it warmed my heart to read a first true love story esque plot. 

3.75⭐️/🌶️🌶️

A smutty Christmas cabin in the woods experience indeed. Pure smut, 3 ghosts, one girl 🫣👀