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Book Reviews

Book Reviews · Fiction

The Viking Epic You Need to Read Among Historical Fiction Books

May 12, 2025May 12, 2025

Born a Viking: Blot might be your next unforgettable read if you love historical fiction…

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Book Reviews · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

I Wanted to Love The Devils by Joe Abercrombie—I Didn’t

May 9, 2025May 7, 2025

There’s a certain thrill when Joe Abercrombie releases a new fantasy book—especially one that promises…

Read More I Wanted to Love The Devils by Joe Abercrombie—I Didn’tContinue

Book Reviews · Dark Romance

Heartless Heathens by Santana Knox: A Dark Romance Obsession

May 7, 2025May 7, 2025

They warned me. Said Heartless Heathens would swallow me whole—and they were right. If you’ve…

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Book Reviews · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Ascension by S.T. Gibson: Gothic Desire, Divine Obsession

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025

There are books you simply read. And then there are the ones that feel like…

Read More Ascension by S.T. Gibson: Gothic Desire, Divine ObsessionContinue

Book Reviews · Thriller

Forget Me Not: The Book That Played with My Mind

April 25, 2025April 25, 2025

There’s something about a psychological thriller that hooks you by the throat and doesn’t let…

Read More Forget Me Not: The Book That Played with My MindContinue

Book Reviews · Fiction · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

I Devoured Crescent Kingdom and Now I’m Starving for More

April 21, 2025April 20, 2025

I should’ve known better than to start Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale on a weeknight….

Read More I Devoured Crescent Kingdom and Now I’m Starving for MoreContinue

Book Reviews · Fiction · Young Adult

Dual Fantasy Review: The Cast’s Witchy New Duology

April 18, 2025April 16, 2025

The Moonstruck series by New York Times bestsellers P.C. and Kristin Cast promised gods, grief,…

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Book Reviews · Dark Romance · Favorites · Thriller

Book Review: Under the Paint – When Perfect Starts to Rot

April 16, 2025April 14, 2025

On paper, Under the Paint should have wrecked me—addiction, secrets, a marriage on the verge….

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Book Reviews · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Shadowfall Is What Happens When Magic Burns

April 14, 2025April 11, 2025

Oftentimes, books aren’t what you expect. Sometimes… they’re worse. Sometimes, they’re better. In the best…

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Book Reviews · Sci-Fi & Fantasy

A Deadly Bargain: Court of Blood and Bindings Review

March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

What happens when the deadliest weapon you’ve ever feared becomes the one person you have…

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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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The Viking Epic You Need to Read Among Historical Fiction Books

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diaryofthereader

Book Reviewer | Fantasy, Romance, & Thriller Reviews
Probably Reading
Helping You Find Your Next Obsession
[email protected]

Happy #StackSaturday Is it a TBR or a cry for hel Happy #StackSaturday

Is it a TBR or a cry for help? Because honestly… I might be in my “just one more stack” era.
⠀
Paperbacks teetering. Hardcovers hiding. A sequel with no sign of book one. These stacks aren’t curated — they’re confessions.
⠀
Unread books I forgot I bought. Books I swore I’d read “next.” And a few that just stare back at me like, really? Still nothing?
⠀
Some titles peek through, and others stay buried — but that’s the best part of being a reader. Sometimes, the story finds you when you’re finally ready to meet it.
⠀
📚 I’ll go first: One book in this stack has been haunting me since 2021. I’ve started it. Abandoned it. Moved it to three different shelves. Your turn. What book have you been skipping… but can’t let go of? 👇
⠀
#UnreadBooks #TBRStack #BookStacksOnBookStacks #ReadingConfessions #BookishChaos #BookLoversUnite #BooksEverywhere #ReadersLife #StackSaturday #BookishVibes #WeekendReads #BookAesthetic #InstaBooks #BookObsessed #ReadersOfInstagram #BookFlatlay #BooksBooksBooks 

--
Let’s talk about Ascension by St. Gibson — a 2 Let’s talk about Ascension by St. Gibson — a 2025 release I couldn’t stop thinking about the second I turned the last page of Evocation. If you’re into character-driven fantasy romance with just the right amount of chaos, longing, and emotional devastation... this one belongs on your TBR immediately.

Rhys is now High Priest of a secret society in Boston — powerful, complicated, and haunted by both demons and desire. Moira is his witch wife, the grounding force he doesn't always deserve. And David? David is temptation incarnate. Their dynamic is electric — a triangle that twists, burns, and bleeds with feeling.

What I love most about Gibson’s writing is how it mirrors her characters. The prose spirals, seduces, and cracks at the edges — just like Rhys. This isn’t just fantasy. It’s a feeling. It’s obsession. It’s what happens when power and love pull you in opposite directions.

If you’re craving something messy, magical, and emotionally immersive — Ascension is the one.

🖤 Queer dark fantasy
🖤 Found family meets secret society
🖤 Emotional slow burn
🖤 Witchcraft, demons, love triangles
🖤 St. Gibson is one of my auto-buy authors

⚡️Full review up on my blog!

Thank you so much to @angryrobotbooks for sending me this stunning ARC to review. 

#Ascension #StGibson #FantasyRomance #BookReview #DarkFantasy #SecretSociety #BookstagramRecs #QueerBooks #WitchWife #2025Reads #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #BooksWithMagic #CharacterDrivenStories #TheDiaryOfAReader #BookReview #Ascension BookReview
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
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