bekah-reading

[bekah-reading]

38/50

5/5

I read this author’s middle grade horror series, and this is their new novel that came out in February. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

This is a historical, WW1, gothic, horror novel. I really enjoyed it. It was so immersive and atmospheric. Arden did an amazing job bringing the war into her novel. This was bleak and it was dreary and it was depressing. The horror was so stark in contrast that when it was introduced, I had a bit of shell shock (pardon the pun).

The characters were very well fleshed out. I got a bit attached to one of them. This is following Laura, who is in 1918, and she was a combat nurse who was stationed at a field hospital when it got bombarded. She is now home in Nova Scotia, discharged and has a limp. Her brother was a soldier and she’s trying to find out what happened to him. Freddie, is in 1917, in the thick of it. He is Laura’s brother and we follow him as he was in a pillbox that got bombarded and collapsed with him inside. He’s trapped inside under the rubble in dirt.

I was so invested in this story from the get go. If you like short chapters, this one is for you. It has short chapters.

With stories that have a past and present timeline, I normally find myself invested in either or; but this time, I was invested in both of them and could not put this book down.

#booktok #booklr #bookblr #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #gothic novel #historical fiction #world war one #2024 reading #2024 goodreads #2024 reads #2024 reading challenge #2024 books #anticipated reads #the warm hands of ghosts #katherine arden

[bekah-reading]

37/50

A re-read. 5/5 stars I love this series. ❤️❤️💕

63/75 2022 Reading Challenge

5/5

Ugh! The next book is coming in May of 2023! This is why I don’t normally start series unless I can have all the books.

This western fantasy series is about James Crowley who ends up being an undead Hand of God hunting down demonic entities.

In this universe demonic entities include demons, nephilim, werewolves, etc. This book series is reading like The Witcher but it’s a Western, complete with James Crowley bonding with his horse.

The writing style is very atmospheric and it’s told from Crowley’s POV. The way he looks at the world and interacts with it is written very well. Crowley is certainly one of my favourite characters that I’ve been introduced to this year. I would recommend to get the novella Dead Acre before this one- it’s referenced a lot. I also would say the best way to experience these stories are for sure the audiobooks! They are narrated so well, I will never be able to imagine James Crowley without this voice.

I am going to be waiting on eggshells for the next one.

#2024 reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 goodreads #2024 reading #2024 books #western book #fantasybooks #western fantasy #bookblr #booktok #booktube #rhett c. bruno #cold as hell #the black badge series

[bekah-reading]

36/50

4/5

I was reading this in the background all month. I wanted to take it slow.

I really enjoyed it. The writing was really good, and the story was immersive and atmospheric and compelling.

There were a few hiccups here and there, but I overall really liked it. It was slow and felt like it started up a bit jumbled but it got better as it went on. I’m glad to have read another Stephen King.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #bookblr #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reading #2024 books #2024 reads #the institute #stephen king

[bekah-reading]

36/50

5/5

I had a few trips in town this week and I listen to audiobooks in the car. However, instead of the ones I should read that I haven’t touched yet- I picked up a favourite of mine. This is my third read of this book. lol. I will probably re-read the others in the series tbh. I can’t wait for the next book coming out next year.

35/120

5/5

It’s a re-read, which I don’t normally do, but I feel like doing some of those this year.

I listened to Dead Acre sometime last year, I loved this right from the starting line.

This book series is narrated by the voice actor from Red Dead Redemption 2 that plays Arthur Morgan- and you can tell that this man is just perfect for Crowley’s character. As well as the western genre as a whole.

Crowley is an anti-hero, and I absolutely love him as a main character.

The 2nd book, Vein Pursuits is coming out really soon- and I wanted to re-read the other books before then so it’s all really fresh in my mind. This proved to be a good idea and a bad idea- this put me off the other book I was reading because this just amped my impatience for the next book.

#rhett c. bruno #dead acre #2024 reading #2024 reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 goodreads #2024 books #goodreads goal #western book #fantasybooks

[bekah-reading]

34/50

4/5

As always I love Stephen King’s writings. I loved this story and while it didn’t help this weird funk I’m in; it was a good immersive, atmospheric read.

The plot was good; if not fantasy-esque. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. This one started out slow but it picked up around the first third mark.

This is a nice coming of age story of a young boy who ends up working for his grumpy, loner, elderly neighbour. Our MC ends up saving his neighbour’s life; and as a result he ends up volunteering to watch the neighbour’s elderly dog, Radar. Radar was a good girl and I loved the MASH reference. Some parts were slow and a bit lacklustre; but overall this book is a wild ride and a really good book that’s very solid.

Definitely recommend this book whether you’re an old Stephen King fan or a new one or haven’t read from him yet.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reading #2024 reads #bookblr #book blog #stephen king #fairy tale

[bekah-reading]

33/50

3/5

I had bought this duet because of it being a stalker romance. I really enjoyed Haunting Adeline and wanted more from that. This- this wasn’t it.

I had a hard time getting into the writing. But I did enjoy some pieces of it. The characters were, fine. Not like the best or that flushed out. I definitely think this was more hyped than it deserved. The FMC seemed a bit dull and dumb, and I didn’t like it at all. I will not be continuing this duet.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #romance books #dark romance books #stalker romance #2024 reading challenge #2024 goodreads #2024 reading #2024 reads #bookblr #possessing her duet #once you’re mine #Morgan bridges

[bekah-reading]

32/50

3/5

I enjoyed this book for what it was. It was a nice mixed media type book. It had some articles and interviews for chapters which added a lot to the narrative. I found the story okay.

I grabbed this because of vampires. That’s it.

What I got was a book that is relevant to present day because of the social-political nature and the way the vampires are talked about in the book. This reads like World War Z but with Vampires.

I’m not too big on politics and so I didn’t enjoy that part of the overall story, but other than that it was okay. I feel like it was a good read, and I don’t regret it and I’m glad I picked it up.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #2024 reading #2024 reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 goodreads #2024 books #bookblr #book blog #vampire books #a people’s history of the vampire uprising #raymond a villareal

[bekah-reading]

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #romance books #scifibooks #fantasy books #dark romance books #2024 April TBR #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reading #2024 reads #2024 books

[bekah-reading]

31/50

5/5

I loved this book. Like Oh My God! Sin is my favourite between him and Ryat. I loved the stalking aspects in this one. I loved it and enjoyed it way more than the first book.

This was a dark romance. And while I’m not a huge fan of college books, these don’t like focus on the college aspect too much so it doesn’t bug me as much.

I loved the writing. The characters were amazing. And I loved the plot and the immersion and atmosphere of this book. I can’t wait to read the others in the series.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #2024 reading challenge #2024 goodreads #2024 reading #2024 reads #2024 books #dark romance books #romance books #L.O.R.D.s series #the sinner #shantel tessier

[bekah-reading]

30/50

5/5

This is the sequel to What Moves the Dead. The first book is a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe. This book is the continuation of that first book, so you do need to read them in order.

This was such a vibe. I kinda wish I saved it for fall or a more spooky time. I loved it. I love the writing, this author is doing amazing with this series. I kinda hope this is the last one though, but I wouldn’t mind more. I already have a few other books from this author on my watchlist that I want to get.

I love the setting, this was immersive and atmospheric. It was a bit creepy, and gothic and just amazing. I loved it. Definitely recommend people grab the first book and this one.

#booklr #booktok #bookblr #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #2024 reading challenge #2024 goodreads #2024 reading #2024 reads #2024 books

[bekah-reading]

This is like something out of Redwall. I love it. 🖤🖤🖤

some Lord of the Rings characters as critters

#lotr #lord of the rings #tolkien #redwall #booktok #booklr

[bekah-reading]

Holy cow- I just got this yesterday. And now it’s like taken over my life. I know it’s on Goodreads. Does this count as a book I’ve read? This is way more involved then I was expecting. Like bro- it has a whole story line and everything.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #murdle #2024 reading #puzzle #puzzle book

[bekah-reading]

29/50

5/5

This is the last Trespass book, and the one I was really looking forward to. I love this author, and want to read more from her. This book was so good. I loved it. The writing was super good, it was very interesting.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reading #2024 reads #2024 books

[bekah-reading]

PHYSICAL TBR

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #romance books #scifibooks #fantasy books #dark romance books #ya fiction #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 reading #physical tbr

[bekah-reading]

28/50

5/5

I had already been looking forward to this when I heard about it, but I definitely was excited when I saw Chelsea Abdullah blurbed it.

This is a Middle Eastern Fantasy, that’s more Egyptian based. I loved the world, I loved the characters. I feel like I needed a good fantasy and this delivered. I really can’t wait for the sequel, I need it. This was so immersive and atmospheric.

I will say it did take like 2-3 chapters to get into it. This book kinda just throws you off the deep end and doesn’t explain a lot of stuff, like the magic system or certain things about the world. Personally, I love those types of books but I know, it’s not for everyone.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #fantasy books #Middle Eastern fantasy #the jasad heir #sara hashem #2024 reading #2024 reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 goodreads

[bekah-reading]

26/50

4/5

This one was a bit all over the pace. I really like this Amazon Original Series; Trespass. These are horror novels, that are focused around environmental topics. This one definitely needs to be dived into blind.

27/50

4/5

I really enjoyed and loved the writing style. This short novella was historical fiction and told through letters. I really liked it.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #horrorbooks #2024 goodreads #2024 reading challenge #2024 reading #2024 reads #goodreads #stag #Karen russell

[bekah-reading]

25/50

Halfway! Woot!

5/5

I feel like this is telling on myself but it’s not really surprising since I love the Order of the Unseen books (Scream for Us). Halloween is my favourite slasher franchise and so I saw this and had to get it. It’s a short novella, and it’s a dark, taboo romance book.

Damien (Michael) and Aurora are amazing. I love the writing and I loved the premise and the plot of this book. I am definitely going to be looking and watching this author for more of this kinda stuff. I’m hoping they do more of Slasher/Horror movie retellings like Friday the 13th or My Bloody Valentine.

I’m biased in this, so take my review with a grain of salt; I’m a huge simp for Michael Myers.

#booklr #booktok #reading #reading challenge #2024 reads #2024 reading challenge #2024 goodreads #2024 reading #dark romance books #romance books #myers #Michael myers #halloween #zepphora