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Author: Jackie Malloy

Book Reviews · Horror

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw–ATLP Book Review

January 30, 2024September 18, 2024

“The Salt Grows Heavy” is a tale we’ve heard for generations: a young mermaid falls…

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DIARY OF A READER

Welcome to my blog!

I'm Dominique. As an avid reader and book lover, my job is to inspire you to read my favorite books. So, grab your favorite drink, and stay a while. We hope you find a new love.

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Heartless Heathens by Santana Knox: A Dark Romance Obsession

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Dominique Florence | Book Blogger

diaryofthereader

Book Reviewer | Fantasy, Romance, & Thriller Reviews
Probably Reading
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APRL READING WRAP UP Here’s everything I read i APRL READING WRAP UP Here’s everything I read in April, told in feelings, not just stars—because that’s how we really remember books, right? 🧛‍♀️ Bound in Blood by Sadie Kincaid 5 stars — Vampire. Why-choose. Brutal and blood-soaked with a kiss that ruins you for mortal love. I didn’t read this—I devoured it. 💠 Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham 4.5 stars — A thriller that crawled under my skin and whispered, "What if you’re in danger?" Still haven’t caught my breath. 🪄 Ascension by S.T. Gibson 4.5 stars — Gothic. Sensual. A high priest, a witch, and a love that bleeds guilt and grace. This one tasted like sin and silk. 🌙 Give Up the Night & Draw Down the Moon by P.C. & Kristin Cast 2.5 stars — Potential whispered on every page, but too many threads unraveled before they could become tapestry. 🐺 Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale 5 stars — Fate doesn’t ask—it claims. Soulmate romance with energy that scorched me in the best way. 🚢 Harbinger by T.D. Chase 3.5 stars — Not perfect, but a smutty good time. Demons and chaos that made me smile more than I expected. 🚢 Grandstand by T.D. Chase 3 stars — A fast, high-stakes game with secrets, strategy, and shifting alliances. Like chess with heartbeats. 👻 Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson 3 stars — A love story haunted by more than ghosts. I wanted it to go deeper, but it still lingers like a soft ache. 🌟 A Court Bright and Broken by Amy Patrick 3 stars — Beautifully built, but I never quite belonged. Like watching a fairytale unfold behind frosted glass. 🎨 Under the Paint by James Michaels 3 stars — Marketed as dark romance, but felt more like it whispered dark. I missed the obsession I came for. The Book of M by Peng Shepherd 3 stars — Haunting and philosophical. A dystopian question mark about memory and identity, but my heart stayed just outside the story. Question: What book let you down—but still won’t let you go? PS: Save this for the next time your TBR feels like it’s missing teeth, twists, or truth. Hashtags: #AprilReadingWrapUp #BookstagramRecap #MonthlyReads #BooksThatHauntYou #VampireRomance #ThrillerBooktok #RomantasyReads #BookishFeels #DarkRomanceReads #TBROverflow
✨ AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: ANA HUANG ✨ 💥 You ha ✨ AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: ANA HUANG ✨ 💥 You haven’t lived until a fictional man by Ana Huang has ruined your standards. From the emotional chaos of first love to the explosive tension of forbidden desire—Ana Huang doesn’t just write romance. She wrecks you in the most beautiful way. Whether you're new here or ten books deep, here's your reading roadmap: 📚 Start soft with the If Love series—where longing lingers, heartbreak hits deep, and second chances feel real. 🔥 Crave the heat? Enter the Twisted Series—four antiheroes, four jaw-clenching slow burns, all dangerously unputdownable. 🖤 Need darker? The Kings of Sin are waiting—ruthless, addictive, and written to destroy your last shred of emotional stability. Ana writes the kind of stories that stay under your skin. Her characters haunt you—because they feel like versions of the love you never dared to want out loud. So tell me: Which Ana Huang series lives rent-free in your head? And if you haven't started yet—what’s holding you back? ⬇️ #AnaHuang #IfLoveSeries #TwistedSeries #KingsOfSin #RomanceBookstagram #BookRecs #SpicyReads #BookTokRecs #BillionaireRomance #FriendsToLovers #EnemiesToLovers #AuthorSpotlight #SlowBurnRomance
You ever read a book and think—“This is brilli You ever read a book and think—“This is brilliant… but maybe not for me right now”? That was Buried Heroes by Beth Ball. It’s giving: druids, titans, shifters—yes, all in one world. The kind of immersive, deep lore fantasy that doesn’t rush to impress you—it lets you earn your place in the story. Beth Ball’s writing? Elegant and immersive. The druidic magic and layered politics gave me everything I didn’t know I was craving. It’s fresh. It’s slow-burning. And it’s complex in a way that serious fantasy lovers will devour. But here’s my truth: I wasn’t in the headspace to give it what it deserved. The story’s intricate threads and dark undertones need presence. Focus. The kind of attention I just didn’t have this time around. Still—I felt its brilliance. I saw the craft. This is one of those books that finds its reader. And if that’s you? You’re in for something powerful. Save this if you love: — Slow burn epic fantasy — Political + magical tension — Intricately woven ensemble casts — Worlds that unfold like ancient maps Drop a “YES” if you’re a mood reader who’s ever shelved a book to come back later. Because same. Thank you so much to @hiddenhollowbooktours and @bethballauthor for sending me a copy of Buried Heroes To review. #BuriedHeroes #BethBallBooks #EpicFantasyReads #FantasyBookReview #BookstagramThoughts #MagicAndPolitics #DruidFantasy #SlowBurnReads #FantasyTBR #BookCommunityLove
HAPPY BPUB DAY TO KING OF ENVY by @authoranahuang HAPPY BPUB DAY TO KING OF ENVY by @authoranahuang What happens when the villain writes the rules— and you're the prize? Just Dropped: King of Envy by Ana Huang Morally gray. Obsessively possessive. A slow burn that tastes like sin. This isn't your typical love story. It's dangerous, delicious, and unapologetically dark. He doesn't care about redemption. He wants power—and maybe… he wants you too. If you've been craving a billionaire who burns slow but hits hard, this is your next obsession. ❓️Question: You get one night with a billionaire villain. Do you run… or play his game? #KingOfEnvy #AnaHuangBooks #BillionaireRomance #MorallyGrayMC #NewBookRelease #RomanceBookstagram #SpicyBookRecs #SlowBurnRomance #RomanceTropes #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #AprilBookReleases #EnemiesToLoversBooks #DarkRomanceAddict Flat lay of Ana Huang’s King of Greed, King of Sloth, and King of Envy arranged aesthetically on a neutral background, showcasing the covers of the Kings of Sin series in a visually cohesive, moody palette.
🌸 New May Book Releases That Will Ruin Your Sle 🌸 New May Book Releases That Will Ruin Your Sleep (In the Best Way) 🌸 Tell me why May’s book lineup feels like a personal attack on my TBR — and honestly? I’m ready to surrender. 🤭📚 If you live for fresh book releases, must-read 2025 debuts, and that heart-racing moment when you hold a brand-new story in your hands, this post was written for your soul. 🖤 ✨ This month’s lineup is STACKED with: — enemies-to-lovers romances that will wreck you — thrillers darker than your coffee — fantasy worlds you’ll wish were real (but maybe without the dragons) ⚡️Pro Tip: Save this post so you can flex your book haul later. ⚡️Tag a book bestie who needs to lose sleep with you. 🖤 Bookish question: Which May release would you sell your soul to read early — and why? (I’m collecting receipts. 👀) #MayBookReleases #NewBookReleases #May2025Books #UpcomingBookReleases #TBRPile #BookstagramRecs #BooksOfInstagram #FantasyBooks #RomanceBooks #ThrillerReads #BookAddict #BookCommunity #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLover #BookishLife #BookObsessed #BookInfluencer
It’s Shelfie Sunday, Readers — and around here It’s Shelfie Sunday, Readers — and around here, that means a reset. A fresh stack. A new focus. Another chance to build the life we’re reading toward. This week, I’m choosing stories that challenge me, heal me, and remind me why I show up — not just in books, but in life. What’s the first book on your reset shelf this week? Drop it below — your next chapter starts now. #ShelfieSunday #ReadingReset #WeeklyTBR #BooksThatMoveMe #ShelfGoals #TBRRefresh #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLoversUnite #MyReadingLife #StoryReset #BookshelfReset #BookishFocus
This book? It stayed. It haunted. It howled. Cresc This book? It stayed. It haunted. It howled. Crescent Kingdom is easily a new favorite—dark, tender, unforgettable. I poured everything I couldn’t say into the caption of my last post. Go read it. Then come feel it with me. Hashtags: #CrescentKingdom #FantasyBookRecs #ParanormalFantasy #EmotionalFantasy #BookReel #BooksThatStay #BookTokMadeMeReadItme.
📖✨ Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale Book Review 📖✨ Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale Book Review From the moment I cracked open this book, I knew I was in trouble—in the best possible way. Wren isn’t just a heroine on the run. She’s a weapon, a balm, and a heartbreaker wrapped in one. The pack she finds? Ferocious. Possessive. Addictive. It’s fated mates meets found family with just the right amount of spice to leave you breathless and begging. The tension? Divine. The pacing? Fast enough to devour. The emotion? Real enough to wreck you. And let’s not even talk about that scene on the couch in the gym. I needed a glass of ice water. Immediately. The pack: 🐺 Kingston — the alpha 🐺 Locke — the golden retriever 🐺 Puck — the charmer 🐺 Brix — the broken protector 🐺 Ender — the anarchist (the one I’ll probably fall hardest for…) We first met Wren in Dragons of Ember Hollow, but Crescent Kingdom is where she becomes unforgettable. 💬 Bookish Question: Which “pack member” archetype do you always fall for—the alpha, the charmer, or the one who’s too emotionally broken to function? 📌 Save this if you love: — Fantasy romance with spice — Found family tropes — Broken boys who don't know they're worthy 📲 Share this with your bestie if you’ve ever screamed “TOUCH HER AND DIE” at your Kindle. Check out my full review on my blog (🔗 in bio) #CrescentKingdom #TessaHale #FatedMates #TouchHerAndDie #FoundFamily #ParanormalRomance #BookRecommendation #BooksWithWolves #SpicyBookRecs #WhatToReadNext #SlowBurnRomance #WolvesofCrescentCreekSeries #DragonsOfEmberHollow #BookishObsessed #FatedLovers
When love growls instead of whispers… do you sti When love growls instead of whispers… do you still fall? If your TBR isn’t haunted by paranormal romance books—what are you even doing? These stories aren't just love tales. They’re fated, forbidden, sometimes bloody... always unforgettable. From vampires who taste more than blood to shifters who guard your soul, this list was crafted for the readers who crave supernatural seduction and high-stakes heat. You want angst? Check. You want clawed kisses and time-traveling touches? Got it. You want female protagonists who’d die for love—but would rather kill? Absolutely. 🔖Save this list, 📛tag your ride-or-die reader, and 🗣tell me: Who’s your favorite non-human book boyfriend... and what makes him unforgettable? Hashtags: #ParanormalRomanceBooks #FatedMates #FantasyRomance #UrbanFantasyReads #ShifterRomance #VampireRomance #RomanceBooksOfInstagram #ForbiddenLoveStories #RomanceWithBite #FemaleProtagonist #SupernaturalRomance #BookLoversUnite #RomanceGenre #FantasySeries #FictionThatBleeds #DarkRomanceReads #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #TBRList #ParanormalReads #BooksWithBite #FatedLove #ChristineFeehanVibes #FantasyForAdults
✨ Dual Review: Moonstruck Duology ✨ Draw Down ✨ Dual Review: Moonstruck Duology ✨ Draw Down the Moon & Give Up the Night by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast 2.5 stars ⭐⭐💫 The Moonstruck duology had all the right ingredients: moon magic, zodiac-laced power, a secret island academy, elemental trials, and a love that flickers under starlight. But instead of burning bright, it barely simmered. Wren’s story should have glowed. Lee’s arc could have soared. But despite a dreamy premise and bursts of beauty, both books felt like they were skimming the surface of something deeper. The romance? Clean but cliché. The trials? Mostly forgettable. The pacing? Like a spell gone sideways—rushed, then dragging. Still, this might be your moonlit moment if you’re easing out of middle grade and want something soft and mystical to land on. 📖 The full review is now on the blog (link in bio). Spoiler-free, brutally honest, and written under the stars. 🌙 Bookish question: What’s a fantasy book you wanted to love but couldn’t quite get into? 👇 Let’s talk heartbreak reads. #MoonstruckDuology #DrawDownTheMoon #GiveUpTheNight #PCCast #KristinCast #FantasyBookReview #YAFantasyBooks #BooksOfInstagram #CleanRomanceReads #FantasyBooks #MagicalReads #BookLoverCommunity #ReadingUnderTheMoon #BookReview #BookstagramFeature #FantasyDuology #ZodiacBooks #NewBookReview #BookishCaptions #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #BookstagramMagic
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