It’s Top Ten Tuesday time once again friends! This week the prompt is cozy/atmospheric reads and I love me a cozy book so here are 10 I’ve read in the last year of so that I adored!
10 Cozy Reads
Tag: Rachel Harrison
5 Favs under 500 Pages
Around this time for the last few years I’ve been posting 5 of my favourite books over 500 pages but I’ve found this year I’ve been drawn to a lot more shorter books and novellas. So I figured why not post 5 of my favourite shorter books that I would highly recommend to you all:
Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison – 289 pages
This book was gripping, shocking, fun and entertaining!
Sugar by Mia Ballard – 261 pages
I was on the edge of my seat throughout the course of this book!
Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy – 160 pages
I really enjoyed the gradual buildup of tension and anticipation throughout the story.
Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson – 208 pages
I almost wish that I didn’t read the synopsis and was just surprised by what was going to happen because this was just so well done.
Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson – 203 pages
I like the fact that this book elicited so many emotions from me. It starts off so unassuming and quite cute so I was a unprepared for the wild ride that was about to ensue.
Another 5 Fav Fantasy Stand Alones
I’ve missed this the last couple of years but around this time I usually post my 5 of my favourite fantasy stand-alone books that I read in the year previous. So I figured I had to get back into the swing of things and continue on and list another 5 more for you all!
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
The Book of the Most Precious Substance by Sara Gran
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison
Black Sheep Review
*BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD*
Nobody has a “normal” family, but Vesper Wright’s is truly…something else. Vesper left home at eighteen and never looked back—mostly because she was told that leaving the staunchly religious community she grew up in meant she couldn’t return. But then an envelope arrives on her doorstep. Inside is an invitation to the wedding of Vesper’s beloved cousin Rosie. It’s to be hosted at the family farm. Have they made an exception to the rule? It wouldn’t be the first time Vesper’s been given special treatment. Is the invite a sweet gesture? An olive branch? A trap? Doesn’t matter. Something inside her insists she go to the wedding. Even if it means returning to the toxic environment she escaped. Even if it means reuniting with her mother, Constance, a former horror film star and forever ice queen.
Vesper felt like quite a refreshing main character. She is very self aware and her cynicism and snarkiness was highly entertaining to read from. She does go through quite the emotional journey throughout the course of the storyline and I can’t say I agreed with every decision she made, and yet I was here for it! She definitely shouldn’t of went back to the farm the second time but the series of events that occur after was crazy.
I have to say that first twist that this religious cult Vesper comes from is actually a satanic cult actually shocked me.. I was NOT expecting that at all so that was quite fun. Again, it was quite a refreshing change from the usual cult tropes I’ve read from before. And the fact that the plot gets more and more unhinged as everything unfolds really sucks you in. I really liked how we are introduced to Hells Gate and how their whole way of life is explained. I wish we would of gotten more clarity about Constance though. She was such a compelling character and backstory that I wish we would of learnt more about her life and how she was ‘chosen’ by Lucifer and why she didn’t love Vesper.
I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen at any point of this book and there was just this overall creepy atmosphere and tone of dread laced throughout that added a nice contrast to how over the top and wild the concept which was quite surprising. This is another book where you really need to suspend your beliefs and just follow along for the ride.
⭐️4/5 stars gripping, shocking, fun and entertaining!
January Reading Stats
Amy Leigh Reads 