Scan barcode
darkromancer_reader's reviews
86 reviews
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
5.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
To start, this is a review that will separate the art from the artist. I do not agree with the author of this book. However, I want to explore this series again as an adult. I have gotten the Audio book from the library in order to explore this series again. I do think that Harry Potter does have a lot of great messages for folks, and is an enjoyable tale. I understand if you have mixed feelings and do not want to support this series. This is a safe space for all humans and people. Now onto the review.
Harry Potter for me has been a part of my life for a long time. I have watched the movies growing up and tried to read the series as a child. I didn't complete the series as a child though because I wasn't a great reader at a young age (believe it or not). I distinctly remember trying to get through the series and only made it to book 3. Revisiting this series years later, I am finally ready to get the full details of the book.
I do think that this book does follow the movie pretty closely, however the details and the world building within the pages of the book is what really distinguishes this book. Hagrid has always been my favorite character partially because I love animals, and also because he has a lot of love in his heart. Learning about Norbert and seeing more details there reminded me why I wanted to do this deep dive. I know it is a small detail, but re-reading this series gave me a deeper appreciation for this book.
If you haven't picked up this book, I can understand, but I would encourage you to do so especially if you loved the movies or you are wanting just a fun tale that takes you into a realistic fantasy of magic and school. I can see myself in the future sharing this with many more folks as some of the themes still ring true. For example, one of my favorite quotes is, "It does not dwell on dreams and forget to live." Living is a part of achieving the dream, and it rang true to me and my soul.
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
5.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass Series, and was about the same as the first book. I will say you will want to read Throne of Glass first, and then come and read this book afterwards. Following the SJM universe this feels like we are finally starting to get the wheels rolling on this series, and felt like it was a very engrossing story to occur after Throne of Glass.
Crown of Midnight picks up where the throne of Glass lets off and still follows Celaena after winning the competition. She is now the King's errand runner for conducting assassinations asked for by the king. She of course is doing it in her own way here. Also there is a lot revealed about Celaena in this story which keeps us on the edge of our seat. Lowkey, there is a cliffhanger at the end that kept me wanting to read the series, so go into that knowing you are probably going to want to go right into the next book.
This book's plot and characters are of course the best part of the story. I felt like this started going down some of the things left over from the first book, and is a good transition into the rest of the series. Maybe it wasn't the most engrossing story from Sarah I have read, but it was still one that felt necessary for the story and laid the groundwork for the things coming. Though I haven't read the rest of the series yet.
I of course loved the relationship between Celaena, Chaol, and Damian through this story, and also more of the magical aspects of this story. Things are developing and I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have heard a lot about what is to come, and after this story, I can't wait to see what happens next. I do think that I will be waiting with my
At this point. I do think I would recommend this series, but at this point, I am still skeptical that it is better than The Court of Thorns and Roses series, but I will keep an open mind as I continue to experience this story and see how it unravels. As someone who loves the other works of Sarah, I am very cautious about what will be revealed next.
Crown of Midnight is the second book in the Throne of Glass Series, and was about the same as the first book. I will say you will want to read Throne of Glass first, and then come and read this book afterwards. Following the SJM universe this feels like we are finally starting to get the wheels rolling on this series, and felt like it was a very engrossing story to occur after Throne of Glass.
Crown of Midnight picks up where the throne of Glass lets off and still follows Celaena after winning the competition. She is now the King's errand runner for conducting assassinations asked for by the king. She of course is doing it in her own way here. Also there is a lot revealed about Celaena in this story which keeps us on the edge of our seat. Lowkey, there is a cliffhanger at the end that kept me wanting to read the series, so go into that knowing you are probably going to want to go right into the next book.
This book's plot and characters are of course the best part of the story. I felt like this started going down some of the things left over from the first book, and is a good transition into the rest of the series. Maybe it wasn't the most engrossing story from Sarah I have read, but it was still one that felt necessary for the story and laid the groundwork for the things coming. Though I haven't read the rest of the series yet.
I of course loved the relationship between Celaena, Chaol, and Damian through this story, and also more of the magical aspects of this story. Things are developing and I am nervous and excited at the same time. I have heard a lot about what is to come, and after this story, I can't wait to see what happens next. I do think that I will be waiting with my
At this point. I do think I would recommend this series, but at this point, I am still skeptical that it is better than The Court of Thorns and Roses series, but I will keep an open mind as I continue to experience this story and see how it unravels. As someone who loves the other works of Sarah, I am very cautious about what will be revealed next.
A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne
5.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
A Soul to Keep is the first book in the Dusk Walker Brides series and was a very fun monster romance that kept me on the edge of my seat. I have learned that I am a huge fan of monstrous MMC's and this is a perfect example of a story I didn't expect to like as much as I did. Yes, his head is a deer skull, does that bother me, absolutely not.
With stories like this it feels fun to be able to explore the mind of a creature that doesn't exist, and I think that Opal did this in a way that made sense and still kept me engaged as a reader.Orpheus is super fun, and I love the creativity that it took in order to conjure up this creature and make him adorable. I also enjoy Reia, she felt real throughout the story, even though there were many moments I was like, why aren't you doing something. I could still feel like they were realistic. Also they are much more of a freeze in fear type of person while I am a flight and fight person personally. Let's just say, I would not be alive if I ended up in this tale.
The plot is also where this story shines. I was engrossed in the story most of the time, and the world building felt natural and not slow as I typically feel when it comes to fantasy stories. I felt like learning more of the world felt like an easter egg hunt and naturally came up through the different beats of the story. I also deeply enjoyed how everything came together in the end. There were a lot of things that I didn't think would be relevant and when I got to the end of the story.
Overall, I think if you are looking for something to help expand your romance, and you are looking for something very different, or looking for a starter monster romance, I think this one is a good one to go with. It’s a a fun story with a great plot, and it really gets you associated with the world of monsters in a way that it doesn't just dive into the romance but really builds the trust and world around the characters.
Also the Copy of A Soul to Keep was so beautiful, I think this is one of my prettiest and most prized special editions that I have. I love this story and was so glad to have a beautiful copy to now display on my shelves.
Age Matters Volume Two by Enjelicious
3.0
⭐⭐⭐ /5 Stars
This is a second volume of a web toon that has been pretty popular before coming to a book context. Overall the story of Age Matters is a cute romance with an age gap and also between a woman who is working for a very successful but younger man. Throughout the story you see Rose stay committed to working her hardest and also seeing that Daniel is also showing that he really appreciates and also starting to recognize maybe he has more feelings then he lets on.
I will say I have not read the first volume, so I went into this blind, and I think that has affected my personal opinions on this story. I do think that you will have to read the first volume to have a better idea of the characters. It was not impossible to follow along, but I feel like you will get a lot more context if you read the first volume prior to this reading experience. Despite that I still enjoyed some of the twists and turns. I will say this is a very fast paced story so it did feel like there was a lot of jumping around for this story.
However the best part of this story is the characters. Rose is fun and relatable, she is always trying to do her best and seems very relatable. I also enjoyed Daniel as he is more of a laid back but strong in his beliefs. I do think that they are a good pairing and even though this is very much the beginning of their story I can't wait to see them grow together.
I think if this is of interest to you then I highly recommend you to go back and read the first volume first and then come back and enjoy this one, as it is a continuation. Personally, I might go check out the original webtoon myself, but if you are looking for a cute feel good romance, this might be for you.
Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
5.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon is a fun story that is inspired by Greek Tales loosely but provides an interesting fantasy plot that gives a unique fantasy tale that many folks might enjoy when looking for their next Romantasy read. I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but when I saw the author of Ice Planet Barbarians, I couldn't help but start diving into this story.
This is more fantastical compared to her other tales, but something I love about Ruby is the world building that occurs within the story. This is more of a standalone story though I can definitely see some spin offs of this tale that can happen. Overall this story follows Princess Candra as she is unexpectedly supposed to go into a tower in order to prevent the gods from being upset with the human race for 7 years. They are also joined by Nemeth from a race called Fellians who are bat-like humanoid creatures. A part of the story includes Candra being sick and having to take medicine. Being in such close quarters also means that the two will run into each other, and they will learn and survive together.
The plot of this story is so fun, and I enjoyed reading Ruby's author note afterwards because it made this book go from 4.5 to 5 stars for me. If you also read this book make sure to read that afterwards because there were details I didn't even notice until the end. I loved how this book presented itself as a simple stay in the tower, but then there were many twists and turns. I would encourage folks to keep reading this because it is not what you expect at the end.
Of course the characters are lovable too. I love Nemeth as he is just an introverted guy who just wanted to read War Poetry, but is always trying to do right by his people and the people he loves. There was a moment where I wanted to kill him, but all was forgiven by the end, but I love that I can still feel so many emotions. I will say though Candra was not my favorite. I think she annoyed me more because her mind was very much, "Woe is me, I am sick, I am screwed, I hate it here" for the first half of the book. I get it, but in the end, I think Nemeth makes up for her poor attitude.
So at the end of the day, if you are looking for a spicy romantasy with another bat boy who is more bat then boy who is super endearing I think this one is a good choice for you. I loved this story and really enjoyed it, and I think that more people would enjoy it too, especially if you love Ruby Dixon in general.
Rapunzel Is Losing It by Dilan Dyer
4.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Rapunzel Is Losing It is the second book in the Princess Crossover Series and follows the events of Cinderella Is Faking It. The initial notes from finishing the story are as follows, “This is so sweet, and it is a MAFIA romance, just what?” I have been anticipating this book for quite a while, and even though I think I still like Cinderella Is Faking It more, this is a nice continuation of the series.
Now where this book really shines is in its characters. Cordelia is a sweet neurodivergent human with ADHD, now I don’t have ADHD so it was interesting to hear how several of my friends would have experienced life through Cordelia’s thoughts. Then you contrast the sweet and caring Cordelia with the more rough on the surface Victor. At the beginning of the book we are learning more about his past which makes sense, but he already dedicated his life to Cordelia for years which makes sense why he loves her so much.
The plot in this book is also really fun. This is somewhat of a sports romance mixed with Mafia intrigue. Now I love a good Mafia book, but the MMA fighter storyline didn’t really suit my preferences (I am definitely not a sports girly), however is was not distracting enough from the fun spicy scenes or the characters growth story lines.
In the end, if you enjoyed Cinderella is Faking It I highly recommend checking out this book. Following Cordelia in her sweet romance with Victor is fun. This has the action of a typical mafia romance, and the spice is very fun to experience. Also who doesn’t want to see Beck and Delilah again.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Rapunzel Is Losing It is the second book in the Princess Crossover Series and follows the events of Cinderella Is Faking It. The initial notes from finishing the story are as follows, “This is so sweet, and it is a MAFIA romance, just what?” I have been anticipating this book for quite a while, and even though I think I still like Cinderella Is Faking It more, this is a nice continuation of the series.
Now where this book really shines is in its characters. Cordelia is a sweet neurodivergent human with ADHD, now I don’t have ADHD so it was interesting to hear how several of my friends would have experienced life through Cordelia’s thoughts. Then you contrast the sweet and caring Cordelia with the more rough on the surface Victor. At the beginning of the book we are learning more about his past which makes sense, but he already dedicated his life to Cordelia for years which makes sense why he loves her so much.
The plot in this book is also really fun. This is somewhat of a sports romance mixed with Mafia intrigue. Now I love a good Mafia book, but the MMA fighter storyline didn’t really suit my preferences (I am definitely not a sports girly), however is was not distracting enough from the fun spicy scenes or the characters growth story lines.
In the end, if you enjoyed Cinderella is Faking It I highly recommend checking out this book. Following Cordelia in her sweet romance with Victor is fun. This has the action of a typical mafia romance, and the spice is very fun to experience. Also who doesn’t want to see Beck and Delilah again.
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears is an autobiography that follows Britney through her life and the challenges she faced as a singer. This is outside of the normal realm of what I typically read, but having loved I’m Glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy, I really wanted to give this story a try. However, that is where the comparison stops for me because I believe these are two entirely separate experiences.
I did enjoy learning about Britney’s life; I grew up with her music and loved dancing to it as a child. Now as an adult, I still enjoy her music, and reading this book gave me insight into what she was going through during the time of her music’s releases. The content of the book is good; the plot and Britney's experiences were sad and made me reflect on being grateful for what I have in life.
The writing style, however, did put me off. I don’t think it matched some of the content of the book. It was very simple and straightforward, but I believe there could have been more depth into Britney's experiences. It reads like a conversation, which may put off some readers, including myself.
I listened to the audiobook version which had the prologue read by Britney Spears herself, which was fun. Michelle Williams does a great job, capturing the essence of someone similar to Britney, which added to the book. Although I think it would have been more impactful for Britney to read the whole book, I understand why the decision was made to go in a different direction.
Overall, if you enjoy autobiographies, I think this is a good choice. However, for those who liked I’m Glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy and don’t typically read this genre, it might be worth passing on. As a Britney fan, I was drawn to this book, but as a reader, I might not have picked it up otherwise
3.5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears is an autobiography that follows Britney through her life and the challenges she faced as a singer. This is outside of the normal realm of what I typically read, but having loved I’m Glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy, I really wanted to give this story a try. However, that is where the comparison stops for me because I believe these are two entirely separate experiences.
I did enjoy learning about Britney’s life; I grew up with her music and loved dancing to it as a child. Now as an adult, I still enjoy her music, and reading this book gave me insight into what she was going through during the time of her music’s releases. The content of the book is good; the plot and Britney's experiences were sad and made me reflect on being grateful for what I have in life.
The writing style, however, did put me off. I don’t think it matched some of the content of the book. It was very simple and straightforward, but I believe there could have been more depth into Britney's experiences. It reads like a conversation, which may put off some readers, including myself.
I listened to the audiobook version which had the prologue read by Britney Spears herself, which was fun. Michelle Williams does a great job, capturing the essence of someone similar to Britney, which added to the book. Although I think it would have been more impactful for Britney to read the whole book, I understand why the decision was made to go in a different direction.
Overall, if you enjoy autobiographies, I think this is a good choice. However, for those who liked I’m Glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy and don’t typically read this genre, it might be worth passing on. As a Britney fan, I was drawn to this book, but as a reader, I might not have picked it up otherwise
Jester by Brielle D. Porter
4.0
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall Jester is a fun adventure especially if you like the mystery of magic tricks and knowing more about the performance industry as a whole. Not being a part of this community I can't speak to the realistic nature of the drama between performers, but for a story, I was drawn into the drama of having to compete to be able to perform and get a prestigious role. If you are looking for a fun fantastical journey that also has some political intrigue I think this story might be for you.
This YA novel follows Lisette as she is trying to become Jester for the Queen. She is battling Luc in order to get more attention and become the Jester. The issue though is that many performers use magic in order to help in their performances. Some folks can heal fatal injuries, and others have some sort of innate magic to show off. Lisette doesn't have any magic, so there is a side plot of her trying to gain magic from a mentor and potentially following through a plan to get it by nefarious means.
The things that do put me off about Jester is the love interest and the main twist at the end. I was all for the book toward the first 75% of it, then the ending felt rushed, and like it tried to bring in too many elements. A lot of things felt incomplete, and I think part of that was the quickness of the romance that honestly didn't need to be included and felt like it would have benefited without having a defined love.
All and all, I enjoyed the overall story, I was pulled in by the magic and the fun of the idea of the shows that were shown. Where I was pulled away was just by the fact that it felt rushed and like there were a lot of ideas here that didn't land as nicely as I wish that it did.
The copy of the book I have is gorgeous and I would recommend this to folks who are looking for something fantastical and fun, so check it out if it seems like something you would be interested in seeing.