Category: Romance

Posted in Horror, Romance

Such Sharp Teeth

Posted on by Mama

Title: Such Sharp Teeth

Author: Rachel Harrison

Pages: 325

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Romance

A young woman in need of a transformations finds herself in touch with the animal inside in this gripping, incisive novel from the author of Cackle and The Return.

Rory Morris isn’t thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it’s only temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby’s father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she’d put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she’s attacked.

Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She’s unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver – and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She’s changing into someone else – something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she’s putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside her the key to acceptance?

This dark, comedic love story is a brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage and vulnerability.

Hey Brave Bookworms!

This novel caught me by surprise because it’s more then meets the eye. At it’s heart it’s a werewolf story wrapped in real human experience and life crisis. The author does a brilliant job with the writing; combining humor, body horror and emotional introspection and growth.

The novel follows our protagonist Aurora “Rory” Morris, a sarcastic and emotionally guarded woman who returns to her small town to help her pregnant twin sister, Scarlett. However, one night while driving on a dark rural road coming home from the bar, Rory hits what she thinks is an animal….a very large animal. When she goes to see what she’s hit, well…things take a turn for the worst and she finds herself in the woods being attacked by something.

She survives, clearly! But something is very different, wrong even.

Soon Rory begins to experience strange symptoms she can’t explain. Yes, you guessed it, she’s turning into a werewolf.

Instead of the novel focusing on the sheer monstrous horror of the classic werewolf tale, the story leans into personal transformation. Rory has to deal with her strained family dynamics, an unexpected romance, and the terrifying realization that she may be dangerous to not only strangers, but those she truly loves.

The horror is real, bloody and visceral, but it’s also deeply emotional.

Ahh Rory, well I’ll be completely honest, I had a love/hate relationship for this character. At times I loved the fact that she was imperfect, real, funny, sarcastic, but has a strength that is undeniable. But she was frustrating due to being so extremely guarded, defensive, self-sabotaging and emotionally distant. It was clear that she is used to running from problems and people that make her emotionally uncomfortable. For good reason, I do have to admit.

However, her messiness makes her feel real and authentic.

She has a complicated relationship with her sister Scarlett. They are close in the way twins often are, but their childhood holds a lot of baggage. Scarlett’s life is completely different then Rory’s; she is expecting a baby, more settled down and trying to main some semblance of family stability. All foreign to Rory and her life back in the city.

The tension between them adds emotional depth and weight to the novel, almost like a static in the air. There relationship definitely has it’s ups and downs, but between them both, their love trumps all the negative in the end.

Then there is Ian Pedretti, who is Rory’s blast from the past and a emotional turning point for her. He is patient, kind, and surprisingly understanding. The romance between them doesn’t feel forced due to their history, but instead provides moments of warmth, affection and humanity in a very chaotic situation.

I actually really loved Ian as a “leading man” because he wasn’t this cookie cutter bad boy. He was sweet and caring, but pushed her emotional buttons. Challenged her to stop pushing those she cares for away, which I thought was a wonderful addition. He ultimately became her emotional grounding point when nothing else made sense.

Her transformation ultimately forces her to confront suppressed emotions and memories: anger, grief, fear and extremely vulnerability. Her strength and resilience isn’t born from the suffering she experienced, but the choice to rise beyond it.

Her transformation also isn’t just a physical one, but shows her that it’s okay to stop hiding from who she is and who she truly wants to be now. It causes her to find a balance in her life with the creature she is becoming and her humanity.

Such Sharp Teeth is certainly not your average werewolf novel, though it has some classic tropes about it.

This is not your nonstop creature horror, and by the end of the novel it felt less like a werewolf story, but instead focusing on romance and a reflection on what is means to live life, even when things are messy.

So, if you are looking for an action-packed, blood-soaked werewolf horror, this one may not be for you. However, if you are looking for a bit of comedy and emotional growth wrapped in some classic werewolf tropes, this one should be thrown onto your TBR list.

Just a word of advice, whenever you are diving into werewolf fiction, please keep silver nearby. It’s basic book safety!

Hope you enjoyed the review and until next time…

Meet you after dark

💀Your cozy-macabre book bestie

Posted in Fantasy, Romance

The Ex Hex

Posted on by Mama

Title: The Ex Hex

Author: Erin Sterling

Pages: 308

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

Never mix vodka and witchcraft

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths… and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “Orchard Hayride” -scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendant of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual Fall Fair turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little ex hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous windup toys, a pissed-off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off-the-charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the breakup curse before it’s too late.

Evenin’ Brave Bookworms!

I’ll start by admitting this isn’t my usual reading lane. But I was in the mood for something light, a little mischievous, and preferably sprinkled with a dash of paranormal chaos. You know… the literary equivalent of a cozy night with a candle, a cup of tea, and a ghost that’s mostly harmless.

I actually bought this book ages ago because the premise practically winked at me from the shelf. A witchy rom-com? Say less. My curiosity was officially summoned, and honestly… my instincts were pretty spot on.

This is the first of three books in the series, and yes, I do fully intend to make my way through the rest. Because if you’re anything like me, once you start a series you feel morally obligated to see it through to the end. It’s a commitment. A pact. A slightly unhinged promise to fictional characters.

That said, there is a limit. If a series has, say… twenty five books? Suddenly I develop selective amnesia and pretend I never started it in the first place. Even the most dedicated reader has boundaries.

Though I will admit, I devoured this in three days.

This story introduces us to Vivienne “Vivi” Jones, a young witch who had a whirlwind romance with a charming young male witch named Rhys Penhallow, while they were both in college. Like many intense romances, it burns very bright and fades just as quickly, leaving Vivi with a broken heart.

So, what do most of us teenage girls do when we’re nursing a broken heart and maybe a slight buzz?

Well…if you’re Vivi the teenage witch, you grab your cousin and cast a curse upon your ex! Nothing serious of course. Just attack his hair and maybe his sexual prowess.

Or so she thought.

Fast forward nine years and Rhy is forced to return to Graves Glen, the charming magical town where Vivi resides. Even with reluctance, his family as the founders of the town, have a responsibility to recharge the town’s magical ley lines and attend the Founder’s Day festivities. However, the moment he arrives, strange and increasingly dangerous occurrences begin to happen to Rhys. It only becomes exasperated for the town, after Rhys has an incident with the ley lines.

Objects attack people in town. One really pissed-off ghost. Along with magic that goes haywire for every single witch residing or practicing witchcraft within town limits and the general vibe is pure magical chaos. That’s when Vivi has a bit of a horrifying epiphany….

That tiny breakup curse may have worked….a little too well.

Now Vivi and Rhys are thrown together to unravel the spell before the magic spirals completely out of control and potentially destroys the town along with it. In doing so, they uncover a piece of magical history tied to both of their families, a dark secret that was buried for far too long.

Of course, being stuck together while solving this magical disaster means the sparks of the past begin to surface and confronting the past they never quite resolved.

Vivi is such a wonderfully relatable protagonist. She’s emotional, chaotic, sarcastic, bubbly and vulnerable in the mistakes she makes. Despite coming from a pretty powerful witch family, she has always been hesitant about her abilities and embracing them to their full potential. She struggles with her confidence as a witch throughout the whole story, but slowly but surely she steps into her power, which is satisfying to see her growth.

Rhys, on the other hand, is almost obnoxiously charming, smooth, witty, and a little mysterious. As the story unfolds, you get to witness a deeper side to him, one he doesn’t let most people see, his vulnerability. He carries a lot of family expectations and emotional baggage that he tends to hide with humor and charm. But as Vivi comes back into his life and is thrust upon him nine years later, his softer side becomes more apparent.

The chemistry between these two is tangible, incredible, however you’d like to say it. The sparks instantly fly again, or maybe they just never left? Regardless, their romance flourishes quickly throughout the book.

However, I do have to admit the intimate scenes were a bit lackluster for my taste. Especially after nine years of separation, but then again, I shouldn’t expect it to be pure erotica. It is a romance-fantasy novel after all. I just would have liked a little more….heat.

An honourable mention is Gwyn, Vivi’s cousin, who is a breath of pure comedic relief and frankly a delight the whole story. She is by far my favourite and I feel like her an I would be friends if she actually existed. Gwyn doesn’t hide from who she is, she embraces her magical identity fully and brings a lot of humor, warmth and light-hearted moments to this novel. She’s confident, creative and just a touch of chaos that makes every scene with her a little more fun and the need for her scenes to be just a little bit longer.

Overall, The Ex Hex is a light, playful paranormal romance that leans heavily on the cozy witchy vibes rather than the darker fantasy elements. The plot is fairly predictable and some scenes feel a bit rushed, especially toward the end of the novel. It’s definitely the kind of read when you want something comforting, a little magical, and just enough drama to keep things interesting and moving along.

So, if you enjoy small town settings, second chance romance and just a splash of witchcraft…this just might be the charming little read for you.

Just remember, maybe think twice before mixing alcohol and casting spells on your ex.

Hope you enjoyed the review and until next time…

Meet you after dark

💀Your cozy-macabre book bestie

Posted in Romance, Young Adult

The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy

Posted on by Mama

Original post from my Mom blog here – https://mamaonthemove1.wordpress.com/2026/03/03/book-review-the-summer-i-turned-pretty-trilogy/

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy


Author: Jenny Han


Genre: Romance, Young Adult, Fiction


Number of Pages: 896


My Rating: 💋💋💋💋


Book Summary:

Belly has always lived for the summertime because it means all her favorite things: swimming, the beach and the Fisher boys, Conrad and Jeremiah. She has spent every summer with them at Cousins Beach for as long as she can remember. She has always been in love with Conrad and finally, one summer, it seems like he might have feelings for her too. But it turns out, so does Jeremiah.

As the summers go on, Belly has to choose between two brothers who love her as she comes to the realization that she will have to break one of their hearts.



For the first time, all three Summer novels are in one collection, including The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You and We’ll Always Have Summer.

My Thoughts:

Let me start by saying that I watched the show before reading the books and I watched all three seasons before I picked up this trilogy.

I enjoyed the television show, with some minor problems of the social political climate sprinkled in unnecessarily in my opinion. But unfortunately that’s all television and movies now a days. Also, notably after reading the books, it followed most of the story accurately, however there were story lines that didn’t even show up in the books and even some characters were changed to other roles within the show.

I was pleasantly surprised and actually grateful that none of that was within the novels. I will be honest that I tend to enjoy the novels more then the shows or movies, but there have been a few contenders in the past that were neck and neck.

Conrad was not as brooding and miserable in the novels as they make him out to be in the show. I found Conrad to be introspective, guarded and emotionally complicated. He internalized everything and shuts down when he’s hurting instead of reaching out for help. His silence feels cold, but it always came from the pain he was feeling and not from indifference. Contrary to what is portrayed, he was always very aware of his emotions.

He loves deeply for those he cares about, especially Belly. His feelings for her were consuming and so intense that he struggled to express himself in healthy ways. But it was always sincere and steady. He carried the emotional weight of his family, especially when it came to his mother. That responsibility and weight caused him to mature in some ways and break him in others. He often pushed people away when he needed them most because he believed he could handle everything himself. Even though he was incredibly intelligent, that made you mildly frustrated with certain decisions he made, even though deep down you knew he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

But he had a magnetic personality without trying, he was brainy and athletic and an all around golden boy. I was personally Team Conrad from the beginning.

But if Conrad is the ocean before the storm, then his brother Jeremiah is sunshine.

Now let’s jump into Jeremiah.

Jeremiah is warm, outgoing, affectionate, and emotionally open. He loves very easily, wears his heart directly on his sleeve, makes everyone feel included, enjoys having a good time and is very easy to be around.

Even though he is playful and flirty, he is deeper then just surface level which I found to be a nice twist for the sunshine boy. When he falls for Belly, he doesn’t hide a thing! He chooses her with no hesitation, no guessing games unlike Conrad’s unpredictability. Though he tends to hide his hurt behind jokes most the time, especially when he feels second best. Being in Conrad’s shadow allows some of his insecurity to bubble to the surface on occasion.

Though don’t underestimate Jeremiah, he’s not just the “nice brother.” He can get jealous and competitive. Sharp when he feels betrayed and his pain will run deep, especially when it comes to Belly and Conrad’s relationship. Jeremiah will show you his love outwardly as much as his hurt, he doesn’t swallow it and suffer in silence like Conrad.

If Conrad is longing and Jeremiah is warmth, Belly is the tide pulling between them — sometimes calm, sometimes chaotic, always changing.

See what I did there? *Snickers*

Isabel or better known as “Belly”, has been spending years feeling like the awkward little sister tagging along at Cousins Beach next to her brother Steven and the Fisher boys. However this summer changed everything, starting with her all around transformation and I’m not just talking purely physical but mentally and emotionally as well. But beneath her transformation, she is still trying to figure out who she is, but that doesn’t mean the boys who never noticed her before don’t begin to.

Belly is a true romantic at heart and believe in epic love. She is the type that holds on to memories like little treasures, replaying them over and over, especially when it comes to her first love Conrad. Her heart tends to lead first and logic follows later. She feels intensely about nearly EVERYTHING. She makes sometimes rash decisions without thinking about the long term consequences. She can be naive and selfish at times, however she is young and learning.

Belly is eventually torn between her dream since she was a kid, Conrad, and Jeremiah which represents the love that’s right in front of her. Belly’s journey is really about understanding the difference between wanting to be chosen and ultimately choosing for herself.

What makes Belly interesting isn’t perfection, but watching her growth throughout the novels. She messes up. She hurts people. She gets hurt. But across the trilogy, she slowly matures. She starts to understand that love isn’t just about butterflies. It’s about timing, communication, and knowing who you are outside of someone else.

Now let’s talk about some minor characters before I jump into my final conclusion.

Steven is Belly’s older brother. Steven is sarcastic, competitive, and very big-brother coded. He pretends not to care, but he’s protective underneath the jokes.

Laurel is Belly’s mom who is reserved, intellectual, and emotionally guarded. She loves deeply but doesn’t always express it warmly. Laurel struggles with grief in a quiet, internal way, which sometimes creates distance between her and Belly. She’s strong, but not soft about it. She is best friends with Susannah Fisher and has been for nearly her whole life.

Susannah is mother to the wonderful fisher boys, Conrad and Jeremiah. She is truly heart of Cousins. Susannah is warm, romantic, and almost ethereal in how she loves her people. She believes in soulmates and summer magic. Even while battling her illness, she tries to preserve beauty and joy for the kids. Her presence shapes everything — and her absence shapes even more.

Taylor is Belly’s best friend (and my least favourite character if I’m being completely honest). Taylor is bold, dramatic, and fiercely loyal. She pushes Belly out of her comfort zone and isn’t afraid to say the thing everyone else is thinking. Yes, she can be impulsive and attention-loving, but she rides hard for her best friend.

In conclusion, do I love this trilogy?? Absolutely!

It was such an easy read and I flew through all three of these novels in record time, unable to put them down at all. I love the growth of each character, especially Belly and Conrad. However there were times, some of the characters made me want to shake their shoulders and say “GROW UP! Stop being brats and self-centered!” And I’m not just talking about the kids….

It was so wonderfully pure, raw and simply beautiful. From the atmosphere it was set in to the relationships between the character, I can’t rave about it enough. I would highly recommend this as a summer read for sure and will definitely allow my own daughter to read these when she’s older.

I hope you enjoyed this very lengthy review….sorry!

But I have some news! I have made the decision to make this blog strictly mom/kid related content and will be moving my book reviews to my new blog. So I hope you will join me at https://beneaththebooklight.blog/.

Ciao!

Posted in Dark

He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

Posted on by Mama

Original post from my Mom blog here – https://mamaonthemove1.wordpress.com/2026/01/03/book-review-he-sees-you-when-youre-sleeping/

Title: He Sees You When You’re Sleeping


Author: Alta Hensley


Genre: Fiction, Dark Romance, BDSM, Christmas


Number of Pages: 308


My Rating: 💋💋


Book Summary:

It’s the night before Christmas and I’m alone in the house…

Popular jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman is steeling herself to spend another holiday on her own. Instead, she finds herself drawn to two different guys…a smoldering hot fan of her secret, seductive online persona, and a sexy fireman named Jack who looks out for her in their NYC neighborhood.

She has no idea that I know her better than she knows herself. Her deepest secrets, her darkest desires – she’s careful, but I’ve been watching, never leaving footprints in the snow outside her home

Jack was the first responder to the accident that stole a beautiful young woman’s family two Christmases ago, and he’s been quietly guarding her ever since. When Jack uncovers Chloe’s secret account, his obsession only grows. Both he and Chloe are drawn to the darkness that mirrors their own.

She’s my Christmas wish come true. And I’m hers. She just doesn’t know it yet.

My Thoughts:

You want my honest thoughts on this one?

Meh.

I feel like the author glorified stalking, which not really something I’m particularly into. The background behind why Jack, the male lead, is stalking Chloe is a bit weak in my humble opinion. It felt like every chapter was him justifying his stalking and how he couldn’t stop, which felt repetitive.

Chloe, the leading lady, is a bit annoying. I don’t really understand her actions, considering her daily job has a morality clause, but then she moonlights as a cam girl on a BDSM site. Why put your income in jeopardy to statisfy your kink? She also wants to be part of the BDSM community and clearly find a Dom so she can be edgy and dangerous, but at the same time be the proper little lady.

It felt like the author just kind of Google searched BDSM, took generic and entry level involvement like spanking, and roleplay and attempted to make it erotic and dangerous. It’s tame at best, a few spanks and having Jack growl “You’re mine.” BORING.

The slow burn romance was blah, the sex scenes were mediocre at best and the conflict, well you could see that coming from a mile away, but also the resolution was predictable and unrealistic.

I honestly felt like this was subpar and lazily written. I have the second book, but I might just pass these two along and try to sell them off. Hopefully who ever receives them, likes them better then me because I don’t think I can read through the second one if I struggled to get through the first.

Really not sure why this one was so hyped up, but I know better then to listen to “book tok” or any of that other crap again.

This is a hard PASS in my humble opinion. Do not waste your time. Also the reason why I don’t read many romance or smut novels. They tend to be a disappointment for me.

Hope you enjoyed and keep an eye out for the next review which will be the novel Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy. This one I recently finished.

Ciao!