bookishbillijean's Reviews (586)

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

Ada Blackjack: A True Story Survival in the Arctic by Jennifer Niven follows the harrowing true story of Ada Blackjack and how she survived 6 months alone in the arctic. 

I have been trying to read more non-fiction this year and this was recommended to me. It was fantastic. So well done. The resilience and perseverance of Ada during this extremely difficult time in her life is astounding. 

She spent 6 months alone when the rest of their group had either died or disappeared. Two years in the arctic and the last 6 months alone hoping someone was going to come save her. 

She taught herself how to survive and when was finally found and rescued she didn’t want the fame she didn’t want the heroism. She just wanted to get home to her sisters and her son. 

An excellent read if you enjoy non-fiction and a true story of survival. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 5/5 ⭐️
 

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose is the first book in The Perfect Marriage series. Sarah Morgan is a successful criminal defense attorney. Her life is going exactly as she had planned. One morning her husband Adam is arrested for murder and Sarah is coming to his defense. Can she really be his wife and his attorney? 

This was addicting! It took me a total of four hours to read it! Sarah is a powerful lawyer who is partner at her firm and Adam is a writer who had one hit novel and is now struggling to write another hit. Their relationship while seemingly perfect is strained with how much Sarah works and how little money Adam contributes. 

Fast-paced psychological thriller with dark secrets, betrayal, and tense marital conflicts. I really enjoyed the crime procedural vibes this gave me. The being a part of the investigation and following along with Sarah and Adam as the story unfolds. 

The ENDING! Holy cow. That is all I will say on that. 

I love Jeneva Rose and this did not disappoint. 

Seriously read it if you love those psychological thrillers with marital conflicts, police investigations, constant guessing, and emotional intensity. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️
 

The Perfect Son by Frieda McFadden is a psychological thriller following Erika Caas and her seemingly perfect family. After a young girl goes missing her son is the top suspect and what will a mother do to protect her son!

This was a super quick read! I was on the edge of my seat. The setting was very engaging and the way the characters are introduced. I really enjoyed the different POV as we get a little bit of all the sides. 

I wish we would have had Liam’s POV as I think that would have gave it a little more depth in that area. Overall though this was a solid thriller with some twists and tension. 

I wasn’t able to guess the main twist but had guessed some of the little ones but it was still a thrilling ride!

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 3/5🌶️

Break My Fall by Chloe Walsh is the first book in the Broken series. Lee has fled her childhood home in search of a fresh start and landed at her best friend Cam’s home. Turns out Cam shares a house with a super arrogant handsome devil and she loses all sense. 

This was so sad. I definitely was not expecting it to be so sad but man was it. If you could see the amount of tabs this book got… I just know that there is going to be more heartbreak in the books to come as there is so much left unresolved right now. 

Lee is so broken but trying so hard to move on and be strong. To weather her storm and find her place. Kyle is a jerk but with a big heart. 

I will say the back and forth throughout the book really had me fuming. I understand it but I just hate it when it is constantly through the whole book. The only reason this did not get five stars from me. I am definitely going to be continuing with this series though.

I would recommend this to those who like emotionally charged, overcoming trauma, and romance. I would read trigger warning though. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4.5/5 ⭐️
 

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb is book two in the Farseer Trilogy. Fitz is recovering after his first mission as the king’s assassin and he vows to denounce his fealty and live a quiet life. However, events lead him back to Buckkeep and the intricacies of royal intrigue and betrayal. 

I loved this book more than the first! It felt much more fast-paced to me and maybe because the world has already been built and we are now into the nitty gritty of the story. 

Fitz grew a lot in this book. He had heartbreak, grief, some joy, and some serious will power. He was thrown blow after blow but he continues to rise to the occasion and show his loyalty and courage. 

I loved the relationship between him and Verity. I thought it was nice for him to have someone besides Burrich. Nighteyes was one of my favorite characters too. 

I seriously am really enjoying this series and cannot wait to start the next one. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 4/5🌶️

City of Ruin by Charissa Weaks is book two in the Witch Walker series. This book starts up almost immediately after the first book ends. Alexus and Raina are fighting to thwart the Princes’ end game and to prevent the empire from returning to an age of gods. They fight to stay together and to stay alive. 

This is a solid sequel! It was a little spicier than the first book but I think it was well balanced with the plot. This had a lot of action but it also had a lot of slow paced moments which made it kind of hard for me to stay engaged. 

That CLIFFHANGER though! That was everything, it definitely makes me want to continue the series and see how it plays it!

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 5/5 ⭐️

𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 3/5🌶️

Arcana Academy by @ is book one in the Arcana Academy series and will be published on July 22, 2025! Clara Graysword is an illegal arcanist and after a job gone bad she is sentenced to prison for using the magic of tarot cards illegally. After being imprisoned for what feels like forever it seems her luck might just be changing when the Prince offers her a chance to escape. 

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

I do not want to give too much away about this book but you need to pick it up!!! This was so unique for a dark academia book. I loved the tarot cards magic and how they are used, inked, and read! What an interesting concept. The academy setting is high-stakes. 

Clara is resourceful, powerful, and confident! She does not doubt herself even at her lowest point! Prince Kaelis is everything we love about a morally grey shadow daddy. I loved their dynamic. There was a lot of good banter and romantic tension. 

The way the author blended slow burn romance, political intrigue, unique magic systems, and morally complex characters is ASTOUNDING. I enjoyed the writing so much in this book! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in this series!!

I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy dark academy, complex magical systems, morally grey characters, and romantic tension! 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 3/5🌶️

Forged in Frost by Jasmine Walt is the second book in the Of Dragons and Fae series. After defeating King Aolis Einar and Adara thought it would be smooth sailing but they are now three horse are trying to claim the power thrown off balance. Adara must decide how to make it right while struggling with her powerful feelings for Einar. 

This second book is just as captivating as the first book. I love how Adara has grown. She is starting to accept her heritage, embrace it, and learn her magic. Einar is everything! A powerful and protective DRAGON!. Yes, please. 

The ending had me gasping!!! She is a badass and I hope she gets everything she wants at the conclusion of this series. Will definitely be continuing on! The only thing is there were a lot of POV’s in this I think 4 maybe? I am not exactly sure and it did get kind of confusing switching around so much. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4.5/5⭐️

You Killed Me First by John Marrs is a psychological thriller with complex female characters. Three women with three secrets but who will make it out alive. Anna, Margot, and Liv are all living in the same neighborhood but not everything is as it seems. 

This got me good! I could not guess anything for the life of me! I love it when a book can do that. I thought the writing was really well done. I enjoyed the different view points and the little supernatural aspects throw in which gave it a little more depth. 

It is so hard to like some of the characters but you end up doing it anyways. I would say this book has a good blend of strong female leads, dark suspenseful secrets, and betrayal. 

This is slower paced. I would say a medium-paced thriller with some supernatural vibes. This is my second book by this author and this one I definitely enjoyed more than the first!

I would definitely recommend this to those who like slower paced thrillers with character-driven domestic suspense and a little of the supernatural thrown in. 

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 3.5/5⭐️

The Asylum Confessions by Jack Steen is a part of the Confessional Files series. This was a dark and twisted horror. 

Jack Steen is a night nurse at an asylum for the criminally insane. He is known as the angel of death to these criminally insane patients. If they give him their untold stories of their crimes he makes their deaths easier. 

This was so strange to me. I listened to it on Audible. It almost read like a non-fiction but it is fiction. I was confused and kept checking the Goodreads page to make sure it really was fiction. 

Definitely a believable type story, clearly. It was just the type of true crime type feel, with fast-paced plot, and a way of making you see red. 

The editing wasn’t great and the narration could have used some work but other than that it was a decent read.