Book Review: Hell Night in Hopewell

Hell Night in Hopewell (2021) by Wofford Lee Jones

Fiction | Horror | Thriller

Disclaimer: In every review that I complete, I try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind and include spoiler warnings when necessary.

Hell Night in Hopewell by Wofford Lee Jones

About the book (from Goodreads)

The seven were just looking for a paranormal experience, but what they found was far worse than anything they could have ever imagined…

The Hopewell Sanatorium has plenty of history for a group of local actors to explore on their night off the stage. Once a nationally recognized tuberculosis hospital and then an asylum for the mentally unstable, Old Hopewell has long been a source of urban legends, and its spooky, abandoned hallways are perfect for the theatre group to get some Halloween thrills.

But what the seven friends don’t know is that they’ve just encroached on someone else’s territory. And he is ready for some Halloween fun of his own...

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Note: I read this book with one of the Facebook Book Clubs I am a part of:Turning the Page.

Bookstagram Photo: KaysSecretLibrary

My Review

I'm spending most of February reading Romance novels (in celebration of Valentine's Day), so reading a horror book was a GREAT way to mix it up. Anyone who knows me well knows that I not only love all things spooky, but I'm super into haunted houses, horror films, scary books (including the corny ones), and I collect classic horror.

I am pleased to say that I will be adding all of Wofford Lee Jone's books to my tbr, as I believe this was a perfect fit for the genre.

The Good Things

1. Just LOOK at that gorgeous, spooky cover. It's creeptastic and sets the book's dark tone before you even start reading!

2. This book certainly delivered concerning the genre! The horror aspect of the story is fantastic.

3. The Halloweeny-Haunted-Asylum vibes are on point, as are the dumb young actors who decide to enter the old abandoned asylum in hopes of a scare. I'd be happy to read this around Halloween or on a random dark and snowy night in February. I definitely plan to re-read it in October, though.

4. The gory parts are super detailed, and I LOVED it.

5. Billy. That's it, just Billy. He was creepy in all the right ways.

The Bad Things

1. Readers should be warned that the book is extremely gory, violent, and contains a LOT of cursing. I have no problem with these things (I curse like the sailor I'm married to), but I want people to be aware before reading.

2. The introductions of the characters seemed a bit rushed and felt more like a super corny horror movie in the beginning. There are a lot of super dialogue-heavy parts during these parts (in the first 20%). However, once you push past that, the book is absolutely fantastic.

My Final Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆/5

Purchase this book from Amazon by clicking here! To view some of Wofford Lee Jone's other books (all on my tbr), click here!

Feel free to leave comments concerning how you liked -or didn't like, no judgment here- it! I would love to hear your thoughts!

Book Review: On Schedule (arc)

On Schedule (The Wedding Business Series #2) (arc) (2022) by Summer Dowell

Fiction | Romance | Comedy | Rom-Com

Disclaimer: In every review that I complete, I try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind and include spoiler warnings when necessary.

About the book (from Goodreads)

I’m a huge fan of love and marriage and all that gushy stuff. Just for other people. Not me.

Avery: I’m a simple woman. All I want is for my wedding planning business to thrive. That’s it. I don’t want some annoying photographer (Okay, I'll admit it. He's attractive. In a guy-you-want-to-hate kinda way) that tries with moderate success to get under my skin. I don’t need some adorable stray puppy that’s just dying to make me a dog mom. I don’t want any of it. All right?

Tyler: I mean, am I attracted to Avery? Sure. If you're into the big brown eyes and full soft lips kinda thing. She may or may not have sneaked her way into my film roll more times than I can count this week. But as enticing as Avery is, she has a bite to go with it. Like a tiger, just waiting for you to come close and count its stripes so it can attack. But what if there's more to her than the human checklist vibe she gives off? And what if I'm drawn to that part?

A laugh-out-loud, clean romance that is full of all the sarcasm and swoons! ♥♥♥

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Note: Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me access to this arc! Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My Review of On Schedule

I'm trying to read as many romance novels as possible in February, and I was beyond thrilled when given access to this arc. To get a feel for the series and the author, I decided to read the first two (standalone) books in Dowell's The Wedding Business Series. I've had fun reading the series because the main characters in each book are all close friends who work in the wedding industry. I am happy to say that I've enjoyed them all, but this was was by far my favorite, which is probably because I'm a sucker for an enemy-to-lover trope.

The Good Things

1. Just like the first two books in the series, the cover and title fit the genre and the book perfectly!

2. Avery, the main character, is a level-headed perfectionist who has inherited her parent's workaholic tendencies. She is by far my favorite of the main characters in this series, and I love how she is woven into the other two books AND is still a strong leading character in her own book!

3. Tyler pushes Avery's buttons at every chance he can get, and I absolutely LOVE it. As I said, I'm a sucker for enemy-to-lover tropes.

4. Elvis. That's all I'm going to say to avoid spoilers. Elvis owns my heart.

The Bad Things

1. I'm having a really hard time finding anything BAD to say about this book.

2. It's a CORNY rom-com, so if that doesn't fit your style, move along, my friend!

My Final Rating: ☆☆☆☆/5

Release Date: February 17, 2022. Pre-order this from Amazon by clicking here! After being given access to this arc, I decided to read the other standalone books in Summer Dowell's The Wedding Business series first! Click here to see a review of It's Perfect (The Wedding Business Series #1).

Click here to see a review of It's Just Business (The Wedding Business Series #2).

If you have access to this ARC, please feel free to leave comments concerning how you liked -or didn't like, no judgment here- it! If you don't have access, let me know if this is on your tbr! I would love to hear your thoughts!

Book Review: It's Just Business

It's Just Business (The Wedding Business Series #2) (2021) by Summer Dowell

Fiction | Romance | Comedy | Rom-Com

Disclaimer: In every review that I complete, I try my best to avoid spoilers of any kind and include spoiler warnings when necessary.

About the book (from Goodreads)

I despise him. I despise everything about this business-stealing man who has eyes the color of hot chocolate and a perfectly sun-kissed tan I can’t stop thinking about...Like I said, despise.

Having grown up with a mom who had more boyfriends than a flower has petals, I have zero fairy tale aspirations of true love. It doesn't exist. But when a dreamy man with the perfect smile and a propensity for volunteering keeps running into me, I start to think maybe I was wrong all along.

That is until I realize he's the scumbag that stole my flower shop right out from under me.

I know I should be the bigger person. Move on. But somehow, revenge seems the only answer. Pity, revenge seems to be showing me that Austin might actually be a good person instead of the villain I painted him to be.

In the end, it's all just business though, isn't it?”

A laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers romance that is full of all the sarcasm and swoons!

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My Review

I'm trying to read as many romance novels as possible in February, and I'm reading Dowell's Wedding Business Series as a part of that. I can solidly say that I enjoyed this book more than the first!

The Good Things

1. Yet again, Dowell has the perfect title and the perfect cover that fits not just the genre but of the entire story.

2. The characters are in-depth, especially the main character. Haley has a tendency to be super awkward at times (especially around Austin), and I am here for it.

3. I love the drama in this one because it involves vengeance, despite the character's CLEAR chemistry. I cheered for Haley so many times when she was enacting her plan.

4. Austin's character. You WANT to hate him so much for what he did to Haley, but seriously, you just end up adoring him. What the heck, Dowell?

The Bad Things

1. Certain of Austin's job seemed a bit far-fetched, but I'm not in the restaurant industry. Do owners really pass off SO MUCH of the work to others?

2. Only pointing it out because not everyone LIKES the cheesy aspects of romantic comedies. I, however, enjoyed the clean and corny parts. of this story, and can't wait to read my arc copy of the third book, On Schedule!

My Final Rating: ☆☆☆☆/5

This book is currently available for purchase and is on Kindle Unlimited.

After being given access to this arc, I decided to read the other standalone books in Summer Dowell's The Wedding Business series first!

Click here to see a review of It's Perfect (The Wedding Business Series #1).

Click here to see a review of On Schedule (The Wedding Business Series #3) (arc).

Feel free to leave comments concerning how you liked -or didn't like, no judgment here- it! If you don't have access, let me know if this is on your tbr! I would love to hear your thoughts!