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Necole (36 KP) rated The Patient in Books

Nov 24, 2021  
The Patient
The Patient
Jasper Dewitt | 2020 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Asylum Fright
November 20, 2021

I just got done reading The Patient by Jasper Dewitt and was not expecting to get sucked into a one morning read-a-thon. I think I read it in maybe 2 ½ hours. With that being said, I gave this book a 3-star review, although it should be a 3 ½-star review. I will start with the good and end with the bad.

A young, overconfident psychiatrist gets a new job at a mental asylum and chronicles his attempts to treat a profoundly disturbed patient who has been in the hospital since early childhood through a series of online posts. Each chapter is a new day and a new post that Parker has shared with the readers. This manuscript writing style was a unique way to give us Parker’s perspective and account of what occurred with patient “Joe”. I also enjoyed the transcripts and the audio tapes added into the chapters. These few thing added more layers to the story, sucked you in deeper, and gave an unexpecting twist to the book. It was like you were really reading a true account from whom it occurred to.
After reading all the hype and the synopsis of the book, I was hooked and reeled in. A psychiatrist, a mental patient, an asylum set in my home state of Connecticut, strange occurrences to those who have treated patient “Joe”, misdiagnosis’, undiagnosis’, a 30 plus year mystery … The Patient seemed to have it all!!! Even dark, creepy, supernatural horror!!! A perfectly blended cocktail of psychological thriller and supernatural horror.

Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I kept anticipating more twists, turns, gore and scare. I wanted this book to haunt me well after I finished. The ending felt rushed and not well thought out, I felt like I was cheated out of being scared out of my mind. There was enough horror, suspense, thrills and mystery to keep me reading but after completing The Patient, I just felt let down. I feel like even as the story unfolds, Jasper could have gotten more in depth with the creepy and horror factor but instead it was almost basic. I tried to let my imagination scare with the images the author tries to put in your mind but again I was disappointed.
If you want a quick read that will scare you a little but will keep the suspense up, then pick this up because one person’s opinion is not another’s and who knows, you might scare more easily than me.
  
Kill Switch
Kill Switch
Penelope Douglas | 2019 | Contemporary, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
🔞🔞🔞

17 of 235
Kindle
Kill switch ( Devils Night book 3)
By Penelope Douglas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I've done far worse than what I went to prison for. She has no idea how bad this can get."

WINTER

Sending him to prison was the worst thing I could’ve done. It didn’t matter that he did the crime or that I wished he was dead. Perhaps I thought I’d have time to disappear before he got out or he’d cool off in jail and be anything but the horror he was.

But I was wrong. Three years came and went too fast, and now he’s anything but calm. Prison only gave him time to plan.

And while I anticipated his vengeance, I didn’t expect this.

He doesn’t want to make me hurt. He wants to make everything hurt.

DAMON

First thing’s first. Get rid of her daddy. He told them I forced her. He told them his little girl was a victim, but I was a kid, too, and she wanted it just as much as I did.

Step two… Give her, her sister, and her mother nowhere to run and no fuel to escape. The Ashby women are alone now and desperate for a knight in shining armor.

But that’s not what’s coming.

No, it’s time I listened to my father and took control of my future. It’s time I showed them all—my family, her family, my friends—that I will never change and that I have no other ambition than to be the nightmare of their lives.

Starting with her.

She’ll be so scared, she won’t even be safe in her own head by the time I’m done with her. And the best part is I won’t have to break into her home to do it.

As the new man of the house I have all the keys.


For gods sake this woman knows how to kick you in the guts with trauma! This has so many trigger warnings. This book makes you feel everything it’s quite graphic and she doesn’t hold back! Whether you like this series or not the woman writes abuse better than anyone I’ve read she gets you feeling all the emotions. I still can’t stand these men but there is a catalyst for each one of them that being the worlds worst parents they certainly didn’t do their kids any good. One thing I love is these women are strong and ruling the world is on the agenda!
  
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City #3)
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances (Love in Mission City #3)
Gabbi Grey | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ryan's trauma is front and centre, Simeon's is not.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Mission City series. I have not read all of book 1 and book 2 not at all, YET. They can all be read as stand alone, and will only really give you spoilers for the previous book. I WILL get to them, I really enjoyed this one.

Ryan is at The Healing Horses Ranch for some major healing, both physically and mentally. Being in a war zone will do that to a man, add in all his team NOT coming home, and Ryan is a mess. Simeon is the handy man at the ranch and after a fraught first meeting, they begin as friends and develop into more. But Ryan will be leaving soon. Can Simeon give his heart only for Ryan to take it with him?

What I loved MOST about this book, was that while Ryan's trauma was front and centre, Simeon's was not. There were hints and clues dropped along the way but it wasn't til Simeon admitted it, even if to himself, what his trauma was. I wasn't able to put the clues together fast enough. My book brain was whirring, but not in the right direction.

I loved that Simeon felt comfortable around Ryan, right from the start. His stutter was not really a thing for Ryan. Simeon was just Simeon and very quickly Ryan found a safe place with Simeon.

It's fairly midrange angst, and is a SUPER slow burn, but I LOVED that it took til near the very end of the book, for Ryan and Simeon to get to the main event. Oh, its steamy and smexy but the smxey times are not what this book is about. It's super gentle, and sweet and almost warm and fuzzies but due to the emotional aspect.

It's about finding your forever person, when you least expect to, and being accepted into an extended family in a way your own family didn't really did.

Oh, I loved that Ryan's dad came good. Ryan had a complicated relationship with him before he left for the Ukraine, and it took time to repair that. I wasn't sure he would, to be honest.

As I said, not really necessary to read the other books first, but I will go back and read them.

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Seer (The Secret Tales #3)
The Seer (The Secret Tales #3)
Vicki Stiefel, Sanna Brand | 2025 | Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Theo was very much attracted first to Claire's mind but he soon became besotted with her!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Secret Tales series, but it can be read as a stand alone. The couple from the first two books do take part here, but you don't need to have read their stories to follow this one. I did, however, LOVE those first two books, so as a personal recommendation, read them.

But this one?? I don't know what it is about this one, but I couldn/t love it, and it did take some reading. I might be able to wiggle it out my book brain as I type, but we shall see.

Claire has a theory about the white on the Greek marbles and statues: they are not meant to be white. But as a woman, no one will listen. Theseus finds Claire's mind attractive but he is well aware of the constraints on women of his time. A trip to Greece is just what they both need: Claire to prove her theory and Theseus to return some Greek marbles to their rightful home. But someone is out to stop him, and it might just get them both killed.

I liked that this faded to black and it was a very slow burn. Theo was very much attracted first to Claire's mind but he soon became besotted with her. Especially after she befriended his sister and managed to shoot some bandits! But apart from some kissing, he waits until they are married to do anything else, and I did like that.

I did like the twist with the bad guy! I did not see that one coming at me.

Theo's sister, Penny plays a part here. She does get a say too, but I think I would have liked Spyros as well as Penny, given as to what happens to them.

There are many descriptions about the Greek statues and the history of them. I found these a bit too much, to be honest and I struggled to follow them all. I think *THIS* might be why I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first two.

I did like that we caught up with Lottie and Patrick, and Rosie and Rhys. They are all blissfully happy and their families are growing.

What I did LOVE though, was the epilogue!

4 very VERY good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Fanning Fireflies (The Limerent Series #3)
Fanning Fireflies (The Limerent Series #3)
LS Delorme | 2024 | Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
FANNING FIREFLIES is the third book in the Limerent series, although it can be read as a standalone. I have read Caio before this one, which was also a 5-star read. Caio does make an appearance in this story, but as a side character.

Veronica has an inherited gift of being able to see and talk to ghosts, as well as an affinity for fire. Both of these things, she keeps under wraps. After all, in 1944, such things weren't possible... were they? She lives with her mother and brother, Franklin. Her father disappeared, but it was no great loss. The reason Franklin stutters is because of their father. Money is scarce, but both Veronica and her mother have jobs at the local cigarette factory, which helps. Veronica's story really starts when she works for the Draft Board for some extra money and gets to meet some young Black Americans who are signing up to fight in the war. One of them, Lazlo, sticks in her mind, and she acts courageously, even though it might not seem such a big deal nowadays. They meet twice before he is sent overseas. But staying at home isn't safe for Veronica, not with the Knights of Harrisville taking over the town, the Klan in all but name.

This book was simply unputdownable! Once I started, I couldn't do a damn thing until I'd finished it. During my time reading, I had tears, horror, sadness, and anger. I can easily say this is an emotional read. And it isn't done for shock value, either. It gives you an accounting of a time and place that has been well-documented, but with a personal touch that makes it seem real.

I loved the epilogue and the information it gave me, although I was also sad at coming to the end of Veronica's story. And Franklin! Oh, my poor heart.

Anyway, this is a fantastic read that had me gripped from beginning to end. Because of Caio being mentioned, I really want to re-read his story again now, too. Unfortunately, I no longer have the e-book, so I guess it will have to wait until I can get all of these as physical copies. Yes, they're that good! Simply awesome and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 18, 2025
  
Unhinged
Unhinged
Cassie Lein | 2025 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dark and deadly but oh so good!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

What this is is, right, is a masterclass at making someone NOT see. I did NOT see that this was first person, present tense AND MULTI POV! Not until I was filing it on the shelves, and I had to go back to check. And that, my dear peeps, is what I mean. I did not SEE, as I was reading, the tense it was written in, because I was grabbed, right from the prologue, and I was not let go til the very end.

This book is dark. There are triggers and I suggest you heed them. They did not . . . not bother, cos some parts did bother me . . .more they did not trigger me, but I feel that some things might trigger others.

I loved that EVERYONE gets a say, Gidge, Gears, Acid and Arrow all get a fairly equal say. I loved that Gidge was not gonna let the guys in easily. She had suffered, and she was fighting as best she could to make things right for omegas in this world. She is, afterall, The Alpha Slayer.

Now, what I loved most about the guys was this: They wanted Gidge, full stop. As a woman, as an omega but mostly because she was The Slayer. The level of violence in this book in high and graphic but I really feel that it was needed to get many MANY points across. I loved that the guys all knew she wa theirs, and if they wanted her in any way, they were going to have to share.

Arrow was the sweetest of the three an he fell first. I loved that Gidge made Gear pay for what he did to her in the beginning by making him wait: for any sort of feelings and for the full mating. he knew he had wringed her and he took it on the chin. He didn't like it, but he knew he had to show Gidge that he really was sorry.

Loved how the guys all took to Judge and quickly declared him their son and that Judge felt right at home with the guys.

LOVED the twist with Marcus! Did not see that coming!

I've read one other book by Ms Lein and I gave that 4 stars, mostly because it was the second in a series and it was also written first person/resent tense but this one??

It can ONLY get 5 full and shiny stars, especially after that epilogue!!

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Her Last Goodbye
Her Last Goodbye
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
As with any mystery, it is amazing to have that suspense with a tad bit of danger. After all, the excitement is in the wondering who did what and what may have caused an event to happen. However, Her Last Goodbye is more than just that. It allows the reader to see into some of the worries and dangers it is to be a parent, how romance can lead to vulnerable states of mind (which we all know can lead to some acts of intimacy), as well as how some people have some complicated views on how a relationship should work. It was even more shocking and terrifyingly real than the first book in the Morgan Dane series. I found myself ridden with anxiety, fear, and concern through out the book. Having so many difficult situations to have to sort through and ideas, I found this book hard to put down, even when it got too intense to keep reading at the moment.



First of all, Morgan having three children is always nice to see. With her concern about her children's livelihood always about her, it wasn't hard for her to connect with the missing woman, Chelsea, who was a mother of 2 small children, and how she wasn't likely to leave her children that she adored so much. It was, however, rough for her to try to come up with clues and facts to prove that the woman just didn't run away from her family. To see Morgan struggle through that idea and then to end up having her own children threatened on multiple occasions by a variety of men, only made things worse. I found those parts exceptionally hard to read. Having a child myself, I don't think I would have been as rational or as brave as she was. Just the thought of the things she went through and the ideas of a mother just abandoning her children, has me shaken. Even though, as stated in the book, mothers sometimes do strange things like that, it still isn't easy to process or understand. Then to watch a mother go into Mama Bear mode to protect her own, kept my own mind whirling. I like to think I would do anything to protect my daughter, but my own problem with conflict would have been enough to make sure I got out of whatever situation that would put me in that rough spot. It had fuel Morgan even more though. She pushed harder to find and get rid of the person behind her own children's danger. This only makes her even more loveable. It is actually inspiring to have such a strong woman character, who would do anything to protect her loved ones. I can't help but feel more drawn to her in this book, and I feel that my admiration and love for her will grow in the future. Even so, I still found a lot of other disturbing things within the story.



We all know that there are people out there who believe women should be completely submissive to men, but it was still really hard to read and stomach a character who had this belief. To kidnap, condition, and even train another person seems extremely harsh, yet a they existed. I found it harder to read how they would torture another human being to break their mind and their spirit, just to train a woman to think and be something they weren't. Especially when said person was supposedly in love with their prey. I did find it inspiring on how, even being tortured, a woman can overcome it and try to escape and get back to her family. In fact, the thought of her family propelled her and kept her trying to get back home. It really made me happy to see that family was her motivation. Though, it was rough to get through, it made me wonder how many women could go through what she had and still find the courage and strength to keep trying to figure out a way to escape and get home. Even though, it was clear she was traumatized, it was clear she was more concerned with getting home to her children than how she could be caught and tortured and punished for trying. I found this to be a pleasant idea to have about someone who was captured. After all, wouldn't you end up within just a few days of being hurt over and over, give up and just conform to whoever was trying to condition you was ways? I probably would have. But this woman character definitely shed some light how nothing else mattered where your family is concern.



I found how strong feelings for someone and their family can really change how you view things to be a nice delight. I hadn't expected Lance to end up falling for Morgan's children the way he did to happen. It had been hinted that he loved and wanted a relationship with Morgan, but to see him fall in love with her girls and want to protect them as much as Morgan did, was really a pleasant sight. I know there are men out there like that, but its still rare and to see how his love for Morgan ends up extending to her children was just the right about of sentiment and love the book need to keeps things from going overboard. I enjoyed how he tried his best to make sure her girls were safe and even let them into his house to keep them protected, to be exhilarating and touching. It is always nice to have some wholesome love and concern to help break up some of the tension in a storyline and Leigh's way of adding this to Lance's character was a nice call. It helped keep the danger presented while showing a parental side to Lance and offering up how your friends and potential lover's can easily adore your children as much as you do.



Overall, I would rate Melinda Leigh's Her Last Goodbye 5 stars out of 5 stars for how well written and emotional filled the book was. It could stand alone as it gives refreshers on what happened in the last book, as well as had its own storyline. Though, the character developments increased and they continued to grow through out the story, the reader wouldn't feel like they missed a whole lot by reading this book first. I have to say that has to be something that is delightful. After all, wouldn't is just bite if you had to read the first book to even think about picking up the second. Sometimes you don't always realize what you are grabbing and having a series that has books that could stand alone if they needed to, makes it so much easier to start by whatever book you happen to pick up first. I definitely recommend this book to all our thrill seekers. Its not for the faint of heart, but is still extremely excellent to read.