Dana
If Jane Austin had LBGTQIA+ themes! It almost felt like a very gay Emma retelling or they took inspiration at least! Lots of complicated relationships and hidden feelings. But don't worry; it has happy end and I really enjoyed it. And an interesting history lesson at the very end and just overall, very well done!
WHAT? THAT ENDING WAS CRUEL.
Admittedly, I was not the biggest fan of Rachel Gillig's first series. I though the first book was poorly written, the plot didn't make sense, and the insta-love put me off. Book 2 was MUCH better written and I did end up liking that romance... but this book.
A masterclass in a smoldering enemies-to-lovers romance that left me breathless. Oh to have a hot knight kneel at your feet and devote himself to you in body and soul. Rory, the man that you are.
And Six???? Sybil Delling, ma'am, I'd also like to pledge my allegiance because wow she's incredible. I felt for her; her entire world is not only torn apart and turned upside down, but the truth of her Diviners broke me. I was as emotional as the batlike gargoyle (who ALSO broke me).
I did really enjoy the plot of this one. I felt the worldbuilding was well done and that the magic system was well explained. I really enjoyed all the characters we got to know; even the Diviners! I was sad that we wouldn't be able to spend more time with them.
It will be a long, cruel wait for book 2, but I am VERY MUCH looking forward to it.
Cute! It was definitely cozy! I just expected a little more.
It definitely delivered what it promised; a cute, cozy, baking competition with an adorable found family. But if you're looking for details, this isn't it. I didn't care for the pacing, it's very slow at the start and end which would have been fine if the actual competition part was also slow and more detailed but it was so fast!
I wanted so much more of the actual competition! Yes, describing the baking part isn't necessary and I liked how she summarized it but I wanted so much more from the PLOT! It was kind of predictable and because it was so fast, too easily resolved.
The writing is nice but feels like a self-published novel. A little clunky, but there's absolutely promise there!
I would read more in the series but only from the library. Overall, a cute, quick pick but not very detailed.
I would give this five MILLION stars if I could.
I have a fondness for many tropes; grumpy x sunshine, 30 year old ladies going on adventures, one bed, protective sexy men, curious innocent women, nonbinaries along for the ride, the list goes on.
This book checks every mark for me. It'd almost be cozy if there wasn't so much stabbing.
I love love loved Halla. She's curious, smarter than she appears, and so kind and gentle, it warmed even the hardest of hearts. I loved how she would protect herself by spinning these long winded tales that made her seem incompetent, but was going a phenomenal job at diffusing the situation. She's just so good and I adored her.
And then Sarkis; the off brand Witcher equivalent with a tortured past that wound up in him trapped in a sword. He's grumpy, only scowls, and yet so loyal and protective and was so patient with Halla and her endless questions (and eventual experiments).
Honorable mentions to the side characters because I loved Zale and Brindle SO MUCH. They had such great personalities.
The plot... was good. It made sense and while it was a lot of going here, going there, going back here, back to there, BACK AGAIN to here.... it wasn't too boring. It was surprisingly action packed!
As for worldbuilding, this book PACKS it in. I definitely agree with others saying that reading the Saint of Steel books first would help, I read this without reading the others just fine. In fact, I want to read the Saint of Steel books immediately because of it!
AND THE ENDING!!! Cliffhanger? Somewhat. I know there will be another book and I really hope Sarkis and Halla are in it (I feel like they have to be, but their story did feel finished at the end of this). I'm so very much looking forward to book 2.
Overall, a new absolute FAVORITE of mine!
Ahh this one was so action packed! And we get the happily ever after I hoped for.
I really liked how this story was an adventure and a half! There was so much going on and it's fairly well paced for it too! The only part of the pacing I wasn't fond of was that this all impossibly took place over three days? It was just A LOT happening.
But I really liked meeting Brielle and how she coped with her side of the story. I think both girls were in the right and wrong at the same time but I was glad that Brielle could finally see Valera side of the story and came around. I hope she gets to meet her brother in law in the third book.
I did wish the ending was a little longer. The climax happens then we had about a chapter left to deal with the aftermath then done. I wanted to see maybe 6 months later or even a year after, where were Valera and Erolas then? Ruling the home confidently and lovingly? With kids yet? I just wanted a touch more.
I definitely want to pick up book 3 now! I saw reviews it's some people's favorite in the series!
ARGH that was a very good cliffhanger! I wish it wasn't!
I think the description of ‘Beauty and the Beast' and ‘Eros and Psyche' is very apt! I really enjoyed seeing Valera grow from an abused, scared woman into a person full of passion and joy was so nice. I liked that she was skeptical and questioning, even if she was naive about it. I liked her little assistants and the personality they bring while not being distracting.
The only bit I didn't like was the “m'lord” and “m'lady” bits but that's only because it made me think of incels. It wasn't so distracting that I couldn't continue the story.
I do wish there had been a bit more of a conclusion. We end, what feels like, abruptly and I wanted to see maybe her reunion with her sister and discover that her sister betrayed her or something. As it stands, the ending is making me pick up book 2 ASAP anyway so I think it still succeeded its goal of getting me to want more!
The romance, while not spicy, was smoldering. The mutual pining and lust was palpable and I really REALLY enjoyed it. I hope they might have a spicy scene in book 2, but I'm not sure she writes spice. It was still super enjoyable.
Easy five stars. I really enjoy books about books, writing, and give that library-like feel. This is absolutely adjacent to that feeling!
While I liked Maeve's paranoid nature, there were plenty of times I was doubtful at how well her façade at the held up. She's shown to forget to respond to her stolen name a few times and really, I feel like it would be difficult for her to maintain the ruse in an academic setting. However, she's shown to have some serious resolve and determination and some of the antics she gets into are incredulous.
The romance aspect was super swoon worthy too. Not exactly enemies to lovers, but they definitely get off on the wrong foot and seem more adversaries to lovers maybe. Ugh the part where he's telling her all the little things he “hates” about her... My heart was melting.
As for the plot, I think it was very well done!! I was kept on my toes and I loved how it all came full circle in the end! I'm sure I even missed little details that added up to clues! The only thing about it I didn't care for was when they were convinced the archivist was the culprit when she was clearly in love with Maeve's father. There was no way she was able to murder him or attempt to harm Maeve. I felt her efforts were entirely genuine. Regardless, I was very happy to see how the ending played out. I loved reading the letters from her friends and others while she was in recovery. It was a well done way of passing the time in a way that felt authentic and true to the heart of the book.
All in all, it was a great story for fans on mysteries, magic, and writing!
I really enjoyed this one! I liked book 1 in the Married to Magic series (A Deal with the Elf King) and this one is a solid “sequel”. I really like that you can read all the books in the series as a standalone, but there were small references to the Human Queen that made me smile as I remembered Luella and her elf king.
This book tackles family trauma in the way that Cinderella should have. Having her confront her abusers, learn that their abuse was not her fault, and that she is strong and smart and everything they said she wasn't. I was so proud of Katria. Plus I have a weakness for found family and she found a really good one.
Not to mention that Davien is pretty great. He was stuck in his own head for a while, but I love when he falls first. Not only first, but hard. I liked seeing Katria slowly break down her walls for him and slowly coming to terms with how love actually works. The whole cast was great; they were patient and kind to Katria and I appreciated that. She needed more kindness in her life.
All in all, I really liked it and I can't wait to read more in the series!
There was something about this one that lost the magic for me.
I had such a hard time getting into this one! I found Fate super annoying and kinda... pushy. He refused to even imagine that Signa and Life were different people. Like if she was Life reincarnated, she's still whoever that person is! With different likes and dislikes! What the hell dude.
I do really like Blythe more and more. She's smart, clever, and so feisty! I love that she sticks up for herself and defies the norms. While I was not enthusiastic about this one, I will read the last book because I enjoy Blythe so much.
Also... the whole murder mystery really felt like the second fiddle plot that insisted to be the more “important” one. I felt so bad for Elijah who did nothing wrong and literally rotted in jail as the girls went to parties under the guise of solving the mystery. That was probably why I didn't care this book as much; the plot was lost on me.
All in all, it's a disappointing follow up for me personally, but I will stick around for book 3.
Ahhh this series is just so good! I loved Rose from books 1&2 and seeing her shine was awesome. It took me a little longer to get into Fionn but I did end up loving him too. I loved their BANTER! Oh my gosh Rose is amazing. I also liked seeing the way all three books were interacting with each other in this final installment of the trilogy.
I saw on social media that there's going to be a NEW trilogy from Brynne Weaver and I hope there's a hint towards it at the end of this one. That'd be interesting.
Also I fucking love Barbara and I'm glad she's part of the family. Hell yeah.
I actually really liked this one! I was drawn into the writing and really ended up liking Signa. I loved Blythe and her firecracker attitude and I was so glad that she didn't die. The mystery was well done and while it felt a little slow at times, it was fairly well paced!
I was a little frustrated that this appeared to be a love shape situation, but was happy when that was resolved. It was actually a fascinating twist! And speaking of twists, I was really on the edge of my seat for the mystery! I needed to know what happened and how and I was shocked to discover the culprit!
As for the romance, it was fine. I like Death as the love interest and he wasn't terribly written. Maybe a little bland and predictable, but still romantic. I liked that he really waiting for Signa to come to him and he wasn't pushing her. I look forward to them in the next one.
All in all, while it was definitely a YA novel, it was mysterious and fun! I definitely need to read the next one!
TW: pet death
I really liked how much information was packed into this one! There's a bunch of facts and advice about owning and caring for dogs as well as info about different dog types! I did really like that. I also liked Ash. He was a teenaged boy, of course, but he had such a good heart. He made plenty of mistakes and learned from them when he wasn't blaming himself for them. I liked that he had to learn grief although the death of the dog was a shock to me and I didn't see that coming.
All in all, I liked this one! Very informational but I wish there was a warning about the death of one of the dogs.
This was a great coming-of-age graphic! We follow an anime obsessed artsy preteen as her family finally settles down after moving all around the world. She has to learn how to make and keep friends in the long term which was super interesting to read about as an adult struggling to maintain friendships too. In the end, she learns how to stick up for her sister, apologize for pushing people away, and has a happy ending. Great for any preteens starting school after a move!
DNF@29%
I think it's just Rhett that I really, really don't like. He's an immature asshole and doesn't care about anyone or anything. What made me lose it was when he broke his phone on an impulse to somehow “prove” he was devoted to ‘the one that got away' after a girl he hooked up with showed up at his house. After he gets a new smart phone, he hands it to his sister and demands her to put in all the family numbers but leave him out of the softball team's group chat because he doesn't give a fuck what flavor juice the girls have after the game... what a absolute tool.
Not to mention how much of a dick he was to his “best friend” in the last book. He talked shit about Fletch TO HIS FACE and to his sister. Rhett sucks!
Willing to keep up with the series as long as Rhett is kept faaaaar out of the spotlight.
Started on audio listening with the besties and HAD to finish because it was addicting!
Jacob Morgan was a PHENOMENAL narrator and made the humor of the book really shine. I liked Elena Wolfe too, but Jacob was a star in my opinion.
As for the book, it was WILD. Like definitely a DARK romance but with so much humor, it made the darkness bearable for little ol' me. I wouldn't have ever thought I'd be into a dark romance, but this one was just special. I loved the way its written; it's so easy to get absorbed into the story and I needed to know what happened next! I found the plot well done; obviously things can't happen without consequences and seeing how it was resolved was a rollercoaster. Is it weird of me to think it felt realistic?
I LOVED the characters. Even the side characters like the nurses and Aly's family. They all felt thought out and individual. We don't spend too much with them, but they all have personalities that felt real. But Aly and Josh were the best. I loved getting into their heads and switching off. Josh was such a fascinating character and I'm curious to know if Navessa Allen did research on kids of serial murderers to help flesh him out. I liked learning about him slowly, seeing how his background shaped his present. I liked learning about Aly and seeing her desires align with his.
All in all, a fun, spicy, dark romp with an adorable romance! Do check triggers before reading.
Super cute, super queer, but also kinda frustrating. Brie and Cam were both really stubborn and refused to talk to each other about anything important. And I wanted to know how the king reacted and I wanted to see Brie fight for equality and her rights to marry Cam.
The story up until the end was super cute and solid, I just wanted more details at the end.
I mean, honestly, I have a lot of complaints about this book. It's written like a YA but with lots of swearing and a sex scene. I didn't care for how vague Lyra's curse was (I didn't think she even WAS cursed for most of the book). And the mysteriousness of the plot was fine except for the very end when I was clamoring for MORE. Welp, I guess I'm stuck reading book 2.
I did like Lyra. She was sassy, smart (sometimes), and I liked that she was her own advocate. She stuck up for herself and kept to her guns and I appreciated that. I didn't like that she acts like a preteen getting star struck by all the hot guys, goes gaga over Hades, and made some kinda dumb mistakes in the challenges. A particular moment that stuck out to me is when she was mentally bragging that she knows mazes, was raised in mazes, and then seems to be one of the slower competitors in that challenge. Also that she just absently realizes she has no idea who Hades's future seer is - LIKE THATS THE FIRST THING I NEED TO KNOW. WHO IS IT???
I liked Hades enough. He didn't seem to have much personality beyond ‘I have a million secrets and a killer (literally) poker face' and ‘lyralyralyralyralyra'. I do like a man who falls first and is obsessed, but he took it to the next level.
I did really enjoy the plot. It was very Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson in a way. They were fun to read and brutal, which I was expecting. I knew not everyone was going to survive but I liked that none of the deaths seemed pointless. I liked seeing all the mythological creatures and nods to the classic myths in this modern world and I would have liked a bit more of the worldbuilding only because I found it so interesting!
As for the ending, it was BANANAS. And I really want to know what happens next! While I complained a lot, I was thoroughly entertained.
I listened to the audiobook while working so I might have missed some of the finer details, but wow this was a stunning novella!
I'm very glad I read ‘The Bear and The Nightingale' earlier this year which introduced me to Polish mythos so when the various ‘monsters' were introduced, I knew what most of them were. Which was helpful as they don't slow down the pace to explain them to you.
I really enjoyed our trio; Dymitr was mysterious and fun to follow (even if I did know he was a Knight almost immediately). Ala was snarky and I found her super interesting as her curse is talked about a lot but not really shown/explained clearly. And Nico!!!!! Nico reminded me so much of Matteo from ‘A Tempest of Tea' by Hafsah Faizal. Powerful, snarky, sexy, and kind! AND THE FACT NICO AND DYMITR KISS? I WAS SO THRILLED. THEY HAD VIBES FROM THE FIRST MOMENT THEY MEET.
Plus Baba Yaga just thriving in a Chicago apartment is fuckin' sick as someone born and raised in the Chicago area. Can't wait for book 2!!
Audiobook production was well done! Loved all the narrators and their tones.
I don't know what exactly about this book set me off, but I really didn't care for a majority of it.
Fletcher was dumb and hurtful to Liv in the beginning. Liv overstepped (in my opinion) by threatening Regina when it was clear that she was damaged (BY FLETCH) and genuinely trying to change her behavior. Why was the ex-wife so demonized??? Fletch was super shitty to her, in the beginning, during, and seemingly after their relationship and so clearly she had demons. She followed through on her promises after a pivotal moment and I wished that Fletch and Liv had met her partway. They seemed barely civil.
And then there was Rhett... I'm not sure if I'll be able to enjoy his story because of how awful he was to Fletch. For someone who was his best friend, Rhett just kept talking about how shitty Fletch was and he's not good enough for anyone and he's a POS. What???? I get he was scared about his personal problems, but he shit talked Fletch so much I was genuinely questioning why they were friends at all.
Maya and Graham were the best parts of the story.
All in all, just not the one for me.
There's really just something addicting about these books. Are they formulaic? Yeah. But do I enjoy the hell out of them? Uh, heck yeah.
I loved Mia from Hello Billionaire and I really grew to like Ford. He made a pretty harsh error and I was so proud of Mia for sticking to her worth and not settling for promises that could have easily been broken. I was so proud of Ford for getting help and oh my god the letters he wrote Mia had me so emotional.
One of my favorites in the series for sure! Onto the next!
I do really enjoy this series. It's flirty, fun, and sexy! I did enjoy Mara; she was complicated and contradictory which made her feel so real. But she made some dumb decisions that annoyed me which made me enjoy this a liiiittle less. Jonas was like actually a dream man. Sure, he's an accountant, but he's smart, sexy, and loyal and devoted to the nth degree. He's def a golden retriever husband. I'm glad the two sorted out their shit and got their happily ever after.
And my next hold is all ready for me so it's time to tackle the next one! (Pun intended as it's ‘Hello Quarterback')
This one really leaned into the messy side of being a teen. I was kind of shocked and disappointed in their actions the whole time. I was surprised their parents let the kids go to Italy for the summer alone. I was surprised Felicity didn't get in trouble for spraying Sean in the face with spray paint. Like I loved her standing up for herself, but that was extreme. I was surprised Grace kissed one of those awful boys who were clearly tormenting Lola the whole time. Her head was up her butt the whole volume.
I want to see how this plays out, but it wasn't as good as the first one.
I really liked this one!! The cute art drew me in, but the story was really well done if not convoluted. There's a lot going on and a lot of miscommunication. But I did really like the glimpses into the kids' backgrounds. Overall, well done and I'm very much looking forward to the next book!
Tbh, Master Pendragon seems like a real villain for how he treated Nico.
This review will be for the whole series; read at your own risk.
Read 1 volume
That was super cute. I love ‘he falls first' stories and she's a bookish princess? Perfection. I was concerned with how the dragon king was somewhat cold and apparently doesn't understand consent, but I felt a bit better about him by the end of volume 1. I hope Ruiying can teach him!
I will definitely be getting the next volumes since this is such a short series! I have high hopes as of now!
