JC
I love returning to the Vancouver Agitators Universe. Each book is packed with humor but always manages to be emotional and grounded. And this book was no different.
Why this book got 5 stars:
- I loved the found family trope with the boys, and how their girlfriends had a bit more of a role in this story.
- The setup was perfect. It jumps around a bit in the timeline but it makes for a very satisfying ending.
- The narration was amazing as most full cast narrations are.
- The book's main tropes aren't usually one that I gravitate towards but this book just nailed them!
I loved the diversity in this book. It included a lot of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities. It felt very relatable and not at all forced.
Most of the stories were very well written. It was very easy to connect to the characters and root for them even in such a short amount of pages. Each told with just the right amount of whimsy, made the whole book a fun and enjoyable read. That being said I did have to DNF 3 of the 12 stories for one reason or another.
So while it's not a perfect book for me, it is definitely one that I recommend! Especially since it introduced me to so many cool authors whose backlist I now want to read.
After being burned by several books with this much representation, I found this book refreshing and satisfying in its realistic portrayal of queer, neurodivergent, POC, and poly characters. There wasn't a reliance on stereotypes or stale tropes. And it made this book wonderfully understanding and sensitive in its handling of minority identities. Additionally, the main characters were all treated as individuals rather than a tool to assist Lane through her character arc. All in all, very well done.
I also liked the crew announcements. I thought it was well implemented, especially as a world building aspect. They made understanding the set up of how everyone's new life worked easy. In regards to the world building in general, the building's layout and individual rooms were easy to visualize.
With that being said, the pacing of this book did not work for me. The beginning was good. I was engaged at page one. The ending was great, with plot twists that were surprising and held me on the edge of my seat. But the in between was all over the place in terms of pacing. Some parts seemed rushed, especially as we approached the ending. Some seemed too slow, as the book seemed to favor the world building and character development with a bit too much of a heavy hand at times.
Final Thoughts: A great new voice in the hope punk speculative fiction genre wrapped into a book with good representation, surprising twists, and an interesting world worth diving into.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mythic Roads Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I tried reading this book a while ago but had to DNF because it was kind of triggering. However, I think that's mostly because the book was so real (for lack of better words). The messiness of grief as a concept and, especially, how it impacts relationships was very well done. It felt very honest and raw.
The portrayal of the characters dealing with grief was messy but in a good way. It made the characters feel realistic, easy to love, and connect to. Each character was well developed with their own personalities, development, and conflicts. None of the progress felt rushed and managed to make everything feel realistic.
The book balanced the romance and healing process very well. I don't think one ever overpowered the other, but rather that they built off of each other.
One the downside, there were certain parts that I felt dragged. I listened to the audiobook and found myself having to rewind a few times because it wasn't always super engaging. That being said, these parts were very rare (maybe 2 or 3 sections?).
Overall, a book I would still recommend with the caveat of reading trigger warnings.
This book has been on my radar for a while and I'm so happy I finally decided to pick it up.
This is such a good example of the fake dating trope with just the right amount of flirtatious banter and romantic tension. The characters were adorable together. And their interactions believable.
I will say, one downside was the third act breakup. It was probably one of my least favorites. However, the ending more than made up for it. It was utterly adorable.
Also the vibes of the ren faire made this a perfect summer read.
Spice: 1/5 🌶️ (fade to black)
Book: 4.75/5
Ah this book!!
I must admit, when I picked this book up, I was not expecting such a good representation of BDSM. And for that, I apologize to the author for doubting them. In all honestly, this book was phenomenal.
I know this book has a disclaimer saying it is not educational material, but I feel like this book was really good rep. It was a great way to see all of the lingo and safety in action/scene. Phenomenal, enough said.
However, the names were a little cliche and created almost a preconceived caricature. The female MC was very unlikable. But, you don't need to like a character for the book to be good. And this book was good.I'd definitely still recommend it, a great read overall.
A book with good prose and an interesting plot with twists I didn't expect. Stars deducted for pacing which seemed to be all over the place and an ending I didn't fully enjoy. But overall not bad.
A 3 star read that earned an extra 1/2 for the idea alone. I thought it was very intriguing and unique (and creepy enough to where I can never look at moths the same way again).
If I could rate it higher, I would. Another Ali Hazelwood win in my opinion.
This book, I feel, is very different from her other books but it definitely did NOT disappoint. I loved the characters, plot and resolutions, and no third act breakup, which is always a plus.
I will say some of Eli's lines did give me pause, enough to consider deducting half a star. But overall he definitely won over my heart, especially with the gestures he does for Rue.
Generally, an amazing read!
The spice is really carrying this rating. Possibly the only salvageable part of this book. The nickname songbird was kind of cute.
The ending kind of ruined this book for me or maybe the last quarter. Some parts of it just seemed rushed even though they were a major part of this book's foundation. It really tainted the rest of the book for me. I listened to this book during my entire day off, just for the pay off to feel cheapened. It was literally a 5 star read up until the last quarter and then I wanted to dnf it so much.
And that's so disappointing because I wanted to love this book, I DID love this book, and then it just wasn't fun anymore.
Spice: 4/5
Book: 2/5
There's something about being in the Vancouver Agitators Universe that is so fun. And this book is no exception.
The spice, tension, and chemistry were all so palpable it hurt. I was a constant mess of blushed cheeks, giggles, and kicking feet.
And this book had a perfe tly executed twist on the slow burn trope: passion and spice the whole way, but the romantic chemistry was a real will-they-wont-they slow burn. And I was absolutely here for it.
The found family dynamics were adorable and relatable. Ollie and Ross, Silas and the boys. I could really tell just how much they cared for their own.
And, thankfully, the series doesn't need to be read in order. So this is only my second book, but I mean it when I say this series is amazing. And I definitely recommend this one!
I have literally written this review like 10 times because no combination of words seems to capture how I actually feel about this book. But what it boils down to is me:
• giggling and squealing and kicking my feet over how dang cute the main characters are together
• blushing over the spice. It wasn't anything too serious, but definitely some k!nk and plenty of scenes to blush over
• actually laughing out loud because of the puns/dad jokes. Sometimes a bit too cringe, but overall can't complain.
But why? What's to love about this book?
Literally everything. But seriously:
• Family dynamics that are so cute and funny
• A plus size FMC who's body confident and sex positive
• The melt worthy s p i c e
• The chemistry between the leads was just chef's kiss
Only caveat: The audiobook is dual pov. The FMC's pov was read really well. But MMC's pov had a lot of heavy breathing, which when listening through headphones was kind of.. off-putting?
But I'd genuinely recommend reading a physical or digital copy of this book!
A fantastic slow burn featuring a super cute and realistic relationship between characters with great chemistry.
The only thing I didn't like was that the first part of the book is written in email format, which can be kind of confusing and a little annoying if listening to the audiobook version. So this edition lost half a star. But I assume the physical or digital copy would be a full 5 star read.
Book: 5/5 ⭐
Audiobook: 4.5/5 ⭐
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
I have such mixed feelings for this book. Definitely torn between a 2.5 and 3 star rating. Still not sure I ended up with the right number.
The first half of this book, aka the super slow burn portion, was really good. I loved the character set up and the way they interacted. The chemistry was good. There were a couple fake dating scenes which were my favorite of the whole book. But the cherry on top was Noah's niece he adopted. She was such a cute kid. Loved her to pieces and was genuinely heartbroken when her past was revealed.
The second half of this book made me feel really uncomfortable. That's purely for the spice scenes (of which there were plenty). Not to yuck anyone's yum but the phrasing of what was happening and the dirty talk were just... not for me. And maybe it's because I've read so many other spicy books and a few dark romances, but calling the most vanilla stuff I've ever read “beastly” just didn't click. Some of these scenes had such good potential, great set up, but the language when things actually heated up was odd to me, at best. Let's just say as someone who really loves spicy scenes, I wish this book was fade to black. But then again, maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea.
Also, I will say the pet name wife is an odd decision that made me cringe every time I heard it.
As for the more plot oriented aspects of the second half, those were great. I loved the way Shay discovered Noah's love for her. I thought it was very cute. And their actual confessions were great. HEA was also quite cute.
I'd still recommend this book but with huge spice related caveats. And because of the sheer length of these scenes, I kinda bumped my rating down a lot.
The Story: 4.5/5 ⭐
The Spice: 2/5 ⭐ and 2/5 🌶️
I don't have much to say about this book. But what I will say is that it was short, sweet, and simple. It's a really good book with characters that were easy to fall in love with. I did tack on an extra star for the ending because it was so darn cute.
The only con (and it's kind of a small one) is that the conflict may have been better suited for a full length novel. But I'd say it still worked fine here. No real complaints from me.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for something that'll make you smile and maybe blush a little.
4.5 ⭐
2.5 🌶️
This book was so good! The perfect amount of humor, charm, and cuteness. If you're looking for a comedic and (mostly) lighthearted read, this is it. Emphasis on mostly. There are a few parts that are pretty emotional and warrant a trigger warning check.
What I Loved:
• The hilarious group chats and ideas on how to be romantic
• The chemistry, witty banter, and spice
• The found family friend group with strong bonds
• The lengths Halsey goes through to get Blakely to fall for him (very much book boyfriend material)
• Communication! In the bedroom, on the ice, and everywhere in between.
What I Didn't Like:
The last part. It wasn't exactly bad. In fact, it was actually pretty good. It was emotional and kind of heartbreaking, written well enough to make me cry. But the resolution just seemed to come a little too quick. I get that it's a romcom but if you're gonna spend so much time setting this up, maybe flesh it out a bit. More like a third act scene rather than a last minute addition. But as it was written, it felt a little rushed. So I took off half a star.
That being said, this is the first book that I read of this series, and I'm so excited to go back and read the stories of all the other boys.
4.5/5 ⭐
4/5 🌶️
I was super hesitant about starting this book. I've never read a paranormal romance nor have I wanted to. The name Misery was weird to me. It didn't seem like it would compare to Ali Hazelwood's other books. I had my reasons not to read this book.
But I'm so glad I gave it a chance because this book is everything. I don't think I can properly explain how much this book made me feel. But just know this is and will be living rent free in my head for the foreseeable future. Lowe is my new book boyfriend and I will not be sharing.
Firstly, this book was great for a first time venture into the subgenre. The language, the dynamics between humans, werewolves, and vampires, and the social/political hierarchy were all easy to understand and pick up on. I enjoyed every second of each element and now all I can think is “why haven't I read this genre before?”
I liked pretty much everything about this book. It was a 5 star read after all. But these are a few of my favorites:
1. The banter was top notch and had me laughing out loud quite a few times.
2. The sibling relationships were realistic and well written. The relationship Lowe has with his sister was really sweet in particular.
3. The world building was easy to understand, believe, and picture. I think it was really well done.
4. The plot's tension kept me on the edge of my seat.
5. The chemistry between the leads was adorable and steamy.
6. The spice was spicing. This is a slow burn so it took a while to get to the spice, but once it did, it was s p i c y.
The miscommunication trope is used heavily in this book, which is something I usually hate. But I think this book is an exception to that. The miscommunication stems mostly from differences between species (language barriers and biological aspects), as well as years of learned misconceptions about one another. So I think the trope really captured the difficulty in species, who were taught to hate each other for so long, actually trying to bond and fall in love.
I have no other notes. 5 stars all the way around.
5/5 ⭐
4/5 🌶️
I cannot begin to explain how much I loved this book. I mean this book! Very sweet, good chemistry, amazing spice. What was not to love?
No notes. This book will live in my head rent free for a while.
Tropes: small town, age gap, billionaire romance, workplace romance, bossxemployee
Book: 5/5 ⭐
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Audiobook Narration: 5/5 ⭐
I loved this book so much! One of the cutest things I've ever read.
I don't know how the author packed so much emotion into such a short story, but boy was this a rollercoaster. Cute, happy, funny, sad. I loved every second of it.
The only thing I would change would be to make this story longer. I loved the characters and storyline so much. The author is so skilled and talented. And I just need more. Needless to say, I will be reading more books by Abby Jimenez and the rest of this series.
Book: 5⭐
Spice: 0🌶️
Narration: 4.5⭐
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. The parts I loved, I loved with my whole heart. But there was also quite a bit of eye rolling and cringing.
What I Loved:
Mia's character was amazing. She was well developed and interesting the whole way through. She was confident, snarky, didn't take any of Garrett's bs, and firmly set her boundaries/comfort levels. Her confidence when it came to being a cam girl both in front of and away from the camera was brilliant. She wasn't ashamed of it and wasn't afraid to be herself/show herself off. I just absolutely loved her character.
The SPICE! It was everything. The kinks, the use of toys, the language? Yes, yes, and yes. Definitely worthy of praise.
What I Didn't Love:
The plot was interesting but at times redundant. The characters, namely Garrett (who is a problem all on his own), repeated the same thoughts and phrases over and over again. I understand that the point of an obstacle is to be something the characters struggle with repeatedly. But it was the fact that Garrett basically did the same actions over and over again, expecting a different result, and having the same outcome. It just became boring after a while.
The chemistry between the two characters was good, of a little unbelievable at times. The age gap and step sibling tropes were well established and I expected them going into the novel. So they weren't necessarily a negative. But I did deduct half a star for the constant references to them being siblings and their age gap like it was a turn on or something.
Garrett. I didn't like his personality really. It was just cringey and annoying. I saw another user mention that he seemed like a guy that never grew out of his frat boy phase, and I have to agree. Sure he was hot during the spicy scenes and his mental health journey was well representative of what it's like to struggle with an illness. But he said a lot of things that made me cringe or roll my eyes and just really dislike him.
Story: 3.5/5
Spice: 4/5
Since this book is marketed as being set BETWEEN the two novellas, as in after Scream For Us, I expected this novel to pick up after the events of that book. It doesn't. Most of the scenes are directly copied from the novella and only sometimes expanded in the novel.
There were some new scenes that allowed the reader to understand the motivations and characterizations of the masked men. Like Ghost's reaction to the bullying seemed over the top in the novella, but made a bit more sense in the novel because of Ghost's past.)
A lot of the spice is repeated from the novella. But there are additional scenes as well that kept the spice new enough to be enjoyable and enticing.
There was more of a plot in this book but it still wasn't a main focus. It definitely took a backseat to the spice and was kind of shoved in between those scenes. Going back and forth between spice and a horror-based plot was a very jarring experience.
It felt like the book didn't know what genre it wanted to be. It tried to be erotica, dark romance, and horror, which seems like a good and effective blend, but in practice it felt like the author failed to make it any one of them. The erotic scenes were well written but like I said before just felt jarring. The dark romance didn't feel fleshed out enough. Nor, did the horror aspects. Nothing really worked. It felt like this whole book was just fluff meant to build up to the next one in the series.
I gave the novella 4.5 stars because it did what it set out to do and did it well: erotica that fulfilled the characters' darkest fantasies. Bloodshed just didn't do that for me.
What I liked about this book: the idea of the plot (not the execution), the backstories, the new understanding of the characters, the chemistry, the spice.
But the bad definitely outweighs the good, so I'm giving this book 2.5 stars. The extra half star is because the backstory was a very much needed improvement for the novella.
TLDR: Don't read this book. It's not worth it. Just stick to the novella (Scream For Us).
I wanted to love this book more than I did. I mean, a sex positive spicy book that focuses safe and accessible sex AND emphasizes safe words and aftercare in a BDSM scene was sure to grab my attention.
And it did.
I must say the rep was my favorite part. Frankie's (FMC) disability was a big part of the plot. But in a way that felt realistic and natural. Of course, her life (intimacy and otherwise) is going to be impacted by her disability. But it never became her entire characterization. Frankie felt very fleshed out. There was no tokenization either.
As a mobility aid user myself, I felt really seen. I could connect with her on a personal level because of similar disabilities, yes, but also because she was a real person. (As real as a fictional character can be).
And Jay, the love interest, was written well. He took the time to learn Frankie's needs in the bedroom and how her disability affected them. And he was even sweeter outside of the bedroom.
The chemistry could have used some improving. The banter was good (even if sometimes overly cheesy). But their connection seemed surface level. It relied mostly on the physical aspects, which would have been okay in an erotica but that's not what this is marketed as.
As a contemporary romance, the emotional connection was lacking. This could be because of the time jump. Or, the emphasis on explaining or telling the reader what the characters felt rather than showing it. But either way, it didn't seem fleshed out enough.
But on a physical level? On a spicy level? The chemistry was great. The focus on accessibility never took away from the scene. The chemistry was there in that area for sure. But I rated it a 3/5 🌶️ because while there was a lot of steamy scenes, I never felt flustered or engaged. It was just another scene to me. Which, in my opinion, is never good when it comes to the spice. But for the sheer amount of spicy scenes, I gave it a 3/5.
I did take away a few stars because of the overly cheesy, borderline cringe dialogue, the lack of emotional connection, and the weird time jump that felt unnatural and like more of a convenience than an effective plot device. These things took me out of the story and earned several eye rolls.
But I'd still recommend this book to someone looking for positive disability rep, safe and accessible BDSM scenes, and a focus on sex positivity. Or, someone looking for a book with friends to lovers, reluctant to love, and romance/sex tutoring tropes.
I just wish I loved it more.