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DNF

Book Reviews · Dark Romance · DNF

DNF Diaries: My Failed Attempt to Love Emperor of Rage

October 28, 2024October 27, 2024

So, let’s chat about Emperor of Rage by Jagger Cole—a 2024 mafia romance entry that was definitely on my must-read list, given the hype around Jagger’[……]

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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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Dominique Florence | Book Blogger

diaryofthereader

Book Reviewer | Fantasy, Romance, & Thriller Reviews
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✨ First book: pure obsession. Second book: soul- ✨ First book: pure obsession. Second book: soul-crushing perfection. That’s the magic of fantasy duologies that wreck you in all the best ways. 💀 Sometimes, two books are all it takes to create a world so vivid, characters so unforgettable, and a story so devastatingly good you’re left wondering how to go on. Here are five duology fantasy reads that deserve a spot on your TBR: 📚 Raybearer & Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko Tarisai doesn’t just fight for her destiny—she rewrites it. A dazzling world, main characters you’ll adore, and a love story that feels like a promise. If you’ve read Leigh Bardugo or Renée Ahdieh, you need this in your life. 📚 For the Wolf & For the Throne by Hannah Whitten Dark forests, ancient gods, and romance that’s as wild as the world they inhabit. If you’re into gothic vibes and swoon-worthy tension, I highly recommend this. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Rebecca Ross. 📚 This Savage Song & Our Dark Duet by V.E. Schwab What’s scarier—the monsters in the dark or the ones inside us? These books explore what it means to be human in a world filled with violence, with main characters that’ll rip your heart out. Schwab’s genius shines here. 📚 All the Stars and Teeth & All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace Imagine if a pirate king, dangerous magic, and a cursed princess joined forces. This seafaring duology is as wild and unpredictable as the ocean itself. Fans of Tricia Levenseller will really like this one. 📚 Strange the Dreamer & Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor Lyrical prose, heart-wrenching romance, and gods who refuse to stay buried. Taylor’s world will break you and make you fall in love at the same time. For fans of Hafsah Faizal and poetic fantasy, this is a must-read. ✨ Which one would you pick to read forever, and which deserves 5 stars on Goodreads? Let’s rank these duologies in the comments—because the chaos of choosing is half the fun. 💬 Save this for your next reading binge. Share with a fellow book lover who’s overdue for a new obsession! 🖤 FantasyDuology #EpicReads #TBRPile #BookishFantasy #FantasyAddict #RaybearerDuology #ThisSavageSong #StrangeTheDreamer #FantasyLover #MustReadBooks #BookRecommendations
✨ The TBR Spiral: a tale as old as time we don’t have to read all these books. ✨ You know the feeling—you eagerly add the must-read fantasy, romance or that gothic fiction masterpiece to your ever-growing pile, promising yourself, This one’s next! Fast forward six months, and there it is, buried under a mountain of other equally irresistible reads, looking at you like, “Remember me?” But let’s be honest—the TBR isn’t just a list; it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s that bittersweet mix of ambition, forgetfulness, and rediscovery. Adding books is like shopping with Monopoly money: reckless and guilt-free. Forgetting them? A reader’s rite of passage. Rediscovering them? Pure magic. Tell me, what’s the last book you forgot about, only to stumble upon it again? Drop it in the comments—misery loves company. 😏 📚✨ Let’s spiral together, book lovers. Save this post for when your TBR comes for your soul. #TBRSpiral #MustReadBooks #BookishHumor #GothicFiction #FantasyReads #BookLoversUnite #WorldsToGetLostIn #ReaderGoals #TBRConfessions #UpcomingReleases
Some books aren’t just reads—they’re lifelin Some books aren’t just reads—they’re lifelines. These favorites had me staying up all night, clutching the pages like they held the meaning of life (and maybe they did). From haunting gothic tales to heart-stealing romance, these books reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place. Want to add some must-haves to your "forever growing" TBR? This reel is your sign. Now it’s your turn: What’s the one book that made you feel everything, all at once? Drop your recs—I’m always hunting for my next obsession. 📚 Add your #1 recommendation in the comments and let’s build the ultimate TBR together! Hashtags: #BookishFavorites #FantasyBooks #GothicNovels #ContemporaryRomanceReads #MustReadBooks #BooksToBinge #BookObsessed #TBRStack #BookishRecs #ReadersOfInstagram
✨ Happy #ShelfieSunday, friends! ✨ This shelf ✨ Happy #ShelfieSunday, friends! ✨ This shelf? Deceptively innocent. One minute, it’s all, “organize me!” The next, it’s pulling me into gothic chills, swoony contemporary romance, and fantasy worlds I’ll never leave. (Seriously, who needs reality when you’ve got this?) 💬 Let’s chat! If you could swap shelves with any fictional character, who’s it gonna be? Are you team Belle’s library, Feyre’s ancient texts, or Hermione’s restricted section? Drop your pick below! 👇 📚 PS: Like this post if you’re shelf-obsessed, save it for inspo, and tag your BFF who needs to dust their bookshelves. (No judgment, just love!) ✨ #TBR #BookshelfGoals #BookishVibes #WorldsToGetLostIn #BookLovers #ReaderGoals
BOOK REVIEW • DREAMCURSED • 🌑 Dreamcursed BOOK REVIEW • DREAMCURSED • 🌑 Dreamcursed by C.K. Franziska is a darkly exhilarating ride through a kingdom where nightmares are real and the stakes are high. From the very first page, I was hooked—tight with anticipation, feeling like I was on the edge of something monumental. The dual moons of Heliosia, 🌕 🌑 the looming Shadowfall, and the Nightmares unleashed create a world that’s impossible to ignore. This is a book that builds tension with every chapter, and I couldn’t help but think it would be perfect for the big screen. 🔥 However, there were moments where the story felt a bit repetitive, pulling me out of the tension just as I was sinking deeper into the narrative. And the reveal of Dreamcursed itself wasn’t made until the end, which felt a bit out of place. But despite that, this is a story that keeps you reading, with every twist and turn keeping you on the edge of your seat. 💫 Overall, it’s a must-read for anyone who loves dark fantasy with a side of suspense. Can't wait to see where this story goes next. If you love high stakes, atmospheric world-building, and characters who are just as complex as the world they inhabit, this book is for you! Question: What book has had you gripping the pages with anticipation, unable to put it down? 🔮📚 There's a full review on my blog! Link where links go. Dreamcursed is officially out now! It's definitely worth adding to your TBR! #BookRecommendation #Dreamcursed #CkFranziska #DarkFantasy #FantasyReads #Bookstagram #TBR2025 #MustRead #Nightmares #Heliosia #Bookish #FantasyWorld #ReaderGoals #BookReview #BookLove #BooksToRead #UnforgettableReads
📚 Being a bibliophile means living in chaos: te 📚 Being a bibliophile means living in chaos: teetering TBR stacks, fictional heartbreaks that hit harder than real ones, and the eternal struggle of ‘I have nothing to read’ while staring at 300 unread books. ✨ It’s not just a hobby; it’s a wildly romantic, occasionally tragic obsession with stories that make you laugh, cry, and question your entire existence. 💀 Gothic fiction, twisted fantasies, swoony contemporary romances—no matter the genre, we’re here for the worlds we can get lost in. 🖤 Tell me: What book cracked open your soul and made you fall for this beautiful madness we call reading? Drop it in the comments.👇 #UpcomingReleases #TBRDrama #MustReadMadness #FantasyObsession #ContemporaryRomanceFix #GothicReads #BookAddict #ReaderGoals #WorldsToGetLostIn #BibliophileProblems
📖 Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victor 📖 Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by Victoria Schwab: Where Secrets Hum and Bones Bite 🌙✨ The scent of damp earth clings to these pages, and Schwab’s whispers of forgotten names will send shivers down your spine. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil (out June 10th) is a reckoning—a story where lives tangle, roots bite, and the midnight soil remembers everything we wish it wouldn’t. From Santo Domingo de la Calzada in 1532 to Boston in 2019, Schwab unearths three women who refuse to stay buried. Maria, the escape artist. Lottie, the wildfire. Alice, the quiet storm. Their lives are messy, sharp, and deeply rooted in history, and they’ll sink their teeth into you. If The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a quiet whisper of immortality, Bury Our Bones is a full-throated howl of hunger. Schwab doesn’t just write stories—she conjures them, raw and wild, leaving you tangled in their web long after the last page. 🌟 What Bit Deepest: Prose that feels like poetry, dipped in darkness. A visceral reminder that immortality isn’t just a gift—it’s a cost. Maria, Lottie, and Alice—three women who fight, claw, and haunt you in the best way. ⚠️ Where It Stumbled: The pacing occasionally tripped over its roots, but even that couldn’t bury the magic. 💬 Your Turn: If the soil beneath your feet could whisper one secret, what would it say? Drop your darkest thoughts below. 🖤 #BuryOurBones #VictoriaSchwab #GothicFiction #FantasyBooks #TBR #ReaderRecommendations #BookLovers #UpcomingReleases
📚💸 "POV: Me, after spending my entire payche 📚💸 "POV: Me, after spending my entire paycheck on 'just one more book'... again." 💳😭 Who needs groceries when there’s a special edition calling your name from the shelves? Asking for financial assistance (and maybe a book intervention) because this TBR tower isn’t gonna grow itself. 👀✨ 📖 Because in the end, a full bookshelf is priceless... right? RIGHT?! 👉 CTA: Share this with your fellow bookaholics and let them know they’re not alone. Drop your favorite excuse for buying just one more book in the comments—bonus points if it made you laugh or cry! 💭 Question: If someone did give you financial assistance for book shopping, what’s the very first book you’d buy? 🛍️ Hashtags: #TBRConfessions #BookShoppingAddict #MustReadBooks #SpecialEditionHunt #ReaderHumor #BookishLife #GothicFictionLover #FantasyReads #BookishMemes
☕ You deserve to take a breath, grab a cup, and ☕ You deserve to take a breath, grab a cup, and let the world wait. Some days, self-care looks like a hot coffee and a book that feels like an escape hatch. The kind you read slowly, letting every word wrap around you like a cozy blanket. So, here’s your reminder: You don’t have to rush. Let the plot twist later—right now, it’s your moment. What’s your ultimate slow-read companion? A broody gothic tale or a spicy romance? Let’s trade ideas—because, honestly, we could all use a few more excuses to pause. What's in your cup this morning? 📖💭 Save this for your next self-care session or tag a friend who needs a reminder to slow down. #ReaderGoals #CozyReads #SelfCareMoments #BookishEscape #TBR #WorldsToGetLostIn #FantasyReads #GothicFiction
✨ Ready to add some must-read upcoming releases ✨ Ready to add some must-read upcoming releases to your TBR? These books are packed with everything from dark magic to forbidden love, and they’ll make your reader heart race! 😱📚 Which one’s stealing the spotlight on your list? 🖤👇 📖 The Knight and the Moth – Divining the future’s never been this dangerous. Sybil and a devilishly handsome knight must team up to solve a deadly mystery, but sparks fly along the way. 📖 Oathbound – Bree Matthews made a deadly deal with the Shadow King. Now she’s his protégé, and things are about to get complicated...and dark. 📖 Our Infinite Fates – Evelyn and Arden’s love spans centuries, but there’s a catch—they kill each other in every life. This time, Evelyn’s determined to break the curse and save her sister. 📖 Alecto the Ninth – The final chapter of the Locked Tomb series is here! Get ready for necromancy, swordplay, and a conclusion you won’t see coming. 📖 A Drop of Corruption – Detective Ana Dolabra is on the hunt for a murderer who can predict her every move. This case just might be the one she can’t solve. 📖 The Staircase in the Woods – Five friends, an oath, and a mysterious staircase that leads to nowhere. What secrets will they uncover 20 years later? 📖 Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil – Three women, tangled in time and bound by a hunger they can’t escape. Uncover their dark history and prepare to be hooked. Swipe through to discover your next obsession—and save this post for your reader goals list! 📖✨ What’s your most anticipated release? Tell us below! 👇 #UpcomingReleases #TBRGoals #FantasyReads #GothicFiction #BookLovers #NewReleases #FictionAddict #Storytime #ComingSoon #HistoricalFiction #ReadMore #BooksToDevour
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