Tag Archive for: Book of the Month

,

Phantasma

PhantasmaTitle: Phantasma
Author(s): Kaylie Smith
Series: Wicked Games #1
Genre(s): Romantasy
Format(s): Audio, Hard Cover
Pages: 497
Length: 13h 12m
Narrator(s): Laura Horowitz
Source: Owned
Reason(s): Book of the Month
Rating:
Spice: 4 Flames

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored this dark, gothic, romantasy. I thought the levels of Phantasma were a creative nod to Dante’s Inferno and the nine circles of Hell.

I loved the characters, especially Blackwell and Poe (even though Poe’s just a cat). I thought Smith’s depiction of Ophelia’s struggle with OCD was very realistic and enlightening of how true OCD affects its victims.

While some of the spicier scenes made me roll my eyes, I really adored the banter and tension between Ophelia and Blackwell. (I’m sorry but no guy’s penis is so big around that a 5’9” woman can’t grab it without encircling it completely. Well, unless she has such small hands that that’s all people would notice about her.)

Anyway, I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.

A Killing Cold

A Killing ColdTitle: A Killing Cold
Author(s): Kate Alice Marshall
Genre(s): Thriller
Format(s): Hard Cover
Pages: 304
Source: Owned
Reason(s): Book of the Month
Rating:
Spice: 1.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed A KILLING COLD. It was suspenseful and the cast of characters made for an intriguing tale.

I loved the setting and the unraveling of the story one thread at a time. The ending was a bit disappointing because I needed more comeuppance but it didn’t ruin the book for me.

, ,

The Soulmate

The SoulmateTitle: The Soulmate
Author(s): Sally Hepworth
Genre(s): Thriller
Format(s): Audio
Pages: 327
Length: 7h 44m
Narrator(s): Barrie Kreinik, Jessica Douglas-Henry
Source: Owned
Reason(s): Book Club, BotM Backlist
Rating:
Spice: 1.5 Flames

My Thoughts

This is the second Hepworth book I’ve read. With both books, I really enjoyed the suspense, but I struggled with the mental health aspects. I feel like Hepworth uses diagnoses like Borderline Personality Disorder or Bipolar Disorder as a crutch to explain why her antagonists are psychotic. Also, the ending in this one wasn’t very satisfying.

Despite THE SOULMATE’S flaws, the story was intriguing. I liked the dual narrators and the back and forth between the then and the now. The suspense kept me reading because I wanted to know the whole story.