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126 reviews
Snapshot by Kay Cove
This book is the second part to a series, but can absolutely be read without having read the first part. I don't feel like I was missing any vital information even though I haven't read the first book, maybe I would've had some extra fun things to notice if I had!
I enjoyed the plot and most of the story, though I did get frustrated by how stubbornly Dex just wouldn't listen to Lennox. Let your wife finish her sentence so you know what the hell happened. The twists were fun and kept me a bit on my toes until the confirmation of my guesses!I was sad to see Dex change his mind about children mainly because he's with Len now.
The spice was great and it was nice to see some kinks included too! Maybe just stop putting food and random oils down there? Sometimes the logistics were a little confusing to me, but for the most part I loved these scenes.
I however was NOT a fan of the casual sexism they just dished out. No, grilling is not genetic, it's a learned skill like any other. While I understand why Dex was so bitter towards women in the beginning, I still feel his hatred perhaps went slightly too far. If I heard his thoughts about women as Lennox, I would get the hell out.
3.5
Thank you to the author for the chance to ARC read!
“All I know is right now, my happily ever after is between your thighs. Lay down. Let me take care of you again.”
This book is the second part to a series, but can absolutely be read without having read the first part. I don't feel like I was missing any vital information even though I haven't read the first book, maybe I would've had some extra fun things to notice if I had!
I enjoyed the plot and most of the story, though I did get frustrated by how stubbornly Dex just wouldn't listen to Lennox. Let your wife finish her sentence so you know what the hell happened. The twists were fun and kept me a bit on my toes until the confirmation of my guesses!
The spice was great and it was nice to see some kinks included too! Maybe just stop putting food and random oils down there? Sometimes the logistics were a little confusing to me, but for the most part I loved these scenes.
I however was NOT a fan of the casual sexism they just dished out. No, grilling is not genetic, it's a learned skill like any other. While I understand why Dex was so bitter towards women in the beginning, I still feel his hatred perhaps went slightly too far. If I heard his thoughts about women as Lennox, I would get the hell out.
Haunt Me, Baby by Rose Santoriello
This was a complicated read for me. On one hand, I loved the romance and the characters but on the other hand, there were a few tropes I'm not a huge fan of. Overall this was an enjoyable experience and I will be checking out the rest of the series!
I'm not always a huge fan of the professor-student dynamic, but I have experienced that it can be done tastefully too. This was for sure on the better side, but the power dynamic still slightly threw me off.
Cordelia (student) kept coming off as stalker-ish but somewhat aware of trying to avoid it. Alitha (prof.) lived very much in denial of her feelings and I was happy to see her fight those urges in the end.
I adored the familiars and really enjoyed the magic system! I loved that accessibility issues were what brought our main characters together. They ended up complementing each other in furthering the project. Alitha's friendships were adorable and I loved how supportive they were of each other!
The spice was great and I especially enjoyed the power dynamic shifts during their spicy times! I liked the vacation Alitha and Cordelia had together, but I was sad to see how different their views of that time were. I just wish they'd talked through their expectations of the relationship more clearly. A lot of heartbreak could have been avoided by going through their expectations before their vacation.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you to the author for the chance to ARC read!
“If you can’t take down the walls you’ve built around your heart, build a door. Give someone you love the key.”
This was a complicated read for me. On one hand, I loved the romance and the characters but on the other hand, there were a few tropes I'm not a huge fan of. Overall this was an enjoyable experience and I will be checking out the rest of the series!
I'm not always a huge fan of the professor-student dynamic, but I have experienced that it can be done tastefully too. This was for sure on the better side, but the power dynamic still slightly threw me off.
Cordelia (student) kept coming off as stalker-ish but somewhat aware of trying to avoid it. Alitha (prof.) lived very much in denial of her feelings and I was happy to see her fight those urges in the end.
I adored the familiars and really enjoyed the magic system! I loved that accessibility issues were what brought our main characters together. They ended up complementing each other in furthering the project. Alitha's friendships were adorable and I loved how supportive they were of each other!
The spice was great and I especially enjoyed the power dynamic shifts during their spicy times! I liked the vacation Alitha and Cordelia had together, but I was sad to see how different their views of that time were. I just wish they'd talked through their expectations of the relationship more clearly. A lot of heartbreak could have been avoided by going through their expectations before their vacation.
Pawsitively Poisonous by Melissa Erin Jackson
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this witchy murder mystery! I picked this up from a stuff your e-reader day and I'm happy I wasn't disappointed!
I loved the main character and the setting, I will absolutely be returning to this series. I enjoyed the writing style and especially the descriptions of the cats were to my liking! It took me a few chapters to warm up and really get sucked into the story, but I'm glad I stuck with it and ended up loving this cat-obsessed town and its inhabitants.
The way Amber ended up in places she needed to be, felt reasonable and I had a great time guessing what would be revealed next! The twists were interesting and I was on the edge of my seat when the mystery untangled.
I loved Amber's magic and how she used it. This was the perfect read for the fall!
I loved the main character and the setting, I will absolutely be returning to this series. I enjoyed the writing style and especially the descriptions of the cats were to my liking! It took me a few chapters to warm up and really get sucked into the story, but I'm glad I stuck with it and ended up loving this cat-obsessed town and its inhabitants.
The way Amber ended up in places she needed to be, felt reasonable and I had a great time guessing what would be revealed next! The twists were interesting and I was on the edge of my seat when the mystery untangled.
I loved Amber's magic and how she used it. This was the perfect read for the fall!
A Greek Affair by E.M. Irons
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As the name of the series suggests, the novella is set on a seven-day cruise.
I loved the Greek couple that took care of Olivia, she got very lucky to end up being so safe there AND in the cruise bar.
Some of the side characters felt to be feeding into stereotypes, like the Turkish shop keeper. Could we have portrayed them as something more too, than just asking for a beautiful girl to marry? Our Greek couple was a little more rounded out, but felt a little off to me. Stereotypes of course are rooted in something, but there's also so much more to the people who fit those stereotypes.
Reading this, I learned I like slow burns and tension in my romances. There wasn't much tension between Olivia and Elliot, but that's just how this couple worked! There were some unsure feelings but they just dove in and all ended well.
I found the focus on details somewhat misplaced, at least from my perspective. I wished to hear more about what our lovebirds in denial got up to AT the locations they went to, instead of reading through detailed itineraries of the place names.
Not my favorite in terms of the writing itself, but still much better than some others I've read. One more round of proofreading would have been great too, the typos took me out of the story sometimes.
The epilogue was a great peek into the future, the characters felt true to themselves and I truly felt they were a couple that works out!
I loved the Greek couple that took care of Olivia, she got very lucky to end up being so safe there AND in the cruise bar.
Some of the side characters felt to be feeding into stereotypes, like the Turkish shop keeper. Could we have portrayed them as something more too, than just asking for a beautiful girl to marry? Our Greek couple was a little more rounded out, but felt a little off to me. Stereotypes of course are rooted in something, but there's also so much more to the people who fit those stereotypes.
Reading this, I learned I like slow burns and tension in my romances. There wasn't much tension between Olivia and Elliot, but that's just how this couple worked! There were some unsure feelings but they just dove in and all ended well.
I found the focus on details somewhat misplaced, at least from my perspective. I wished to hear more about what our lovebirds in denial got up to AT the locations they went to, instead of reading through detailed itineraries of the place names.
Not my favorite in terms of the writing itself, but still much better than some others I've read. One more round of proofreading would have been great too, the typos took me out of the story sometimes.
The epilogue was a great peek into the future, the characters felt true to themselves and I truly felt they were a couple that works out!
Seducing the Cecaelia Heir by May Matthews
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
This was a super quick read I picked up from a stuff your e-reader day.
I felt the story had much more potential than it ended up being. There seemed to be too much plot to set the scene for such a short story. It was like we were rushing through many interesting things so we could get to the spice. This had enough ideas to write a full book but we just rushed most parts that added complex plot points.
I did really like the spice with our sapphic main characters and I found those parts written a bit better than others. For me, it felt like perhaps the author was more focused on writing the juicy bits and just had to get the rest out of the way for a full novella. This was my first book including tentacles and I've got to say, I wasn't disappointed in them!
The novella could've benefitted from one more extra thorough proofreading, there will always be some typos that end up slipping through but unfortunately this time there were so many that it affected my enjoyment and took me out of my story enjoyment. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clumsy, but not too bad.
I found it kind of tacky but also funny that the other Cecaelia heir was named Cecelia.
I felt the story had much more potential than it ended up being. There seemed to be too much plot to set the scene for such a short story. It was like we were rushing through many interesting things so we could get to the spice. This had enough ideas to write a full book but we just rushed most parts that added complex plot points.
I did really like the spice with our sapphic main characters and I found those parts written a bit better than others. For me, it felt like perhaps the author was more focused on writing the juicy bits and just had to get the rest out of the way for a full novella. This was my first book including tentacles and I've got to say, I wasn't disappointed in them!
The novella could've benefitted from one more extra thorough proofreading, there will always be some typos that end up slipping through but unfortunately this time there were so many that it affected my enjoyment and took me out of my story enjoyment. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clumsy, but not too bad.
Blessed by the Cupid Distribution System by Robin Jo Margaret
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Adorable and spicy quick read!
This is how you write a novella! The premise is interesting and cute, our characters are complex, and so much story fits into one day. Occasionally the writing style felt fanfic-y, but that is not a bad thing, just good to be aware of when deciding to read! I enjoyed seeing what could be done in the one-day time limit imposed on the main characters and was not disappointed in the slightest.
This novella is a prime example of good and realistic representation of queer, POC, and neurodivergent characters. I loved seeing Iris be authentically autistic and I share so many traits with her. Jaya was amazing in enjoying Iris' company because of her traits, not despite them. Iris goes through a bit of growth and it's cute to see how she gets to go from slightly bitter to experiencing what she's been missing.
The cupid system is interesting and sets a great basis for how things progress. I loved the epilogue, it showed how these two can communicate their needs to each other and make it work! The story would have felt complete without it, but it was a lovely peek into what was next for them.
Jaya's cupid magic created awesome chances for Iris to enjoy things she would otherwise not feel comfortable doing (I could use some of that magic too!). The spice was very enjoyable and these girls know how to get steamy in the best ways.
I will absolutely be getting back to Iris and Jaya whenever I need a quick romance and spice session! I could read a full series of what they get up to.
This is how you write a novella! The premise is interesting and cute, our characters are complex, and so much story fits into one day. Occasionally the writing style felt fanfic-y, but that is not a bad thing, just good to be aware of when deciding to read! I enjoyed seeing what could be done in the one-day time limit imposed on the main characters and was not disappointed in the slightest.
This novella is a prime example of good and realistic representation of queer, POC, and neurodivergent characters. I loved seeing Iris be authentically autistic and I share so many traits with her. Jaya was amazing in enjoying Iris' company because of her traits, not despite them. Iris goes through a bit of growth and it's cute to see how she gets to go from slightly bitter to experiencing what she's been missing.
The cupid system is interesting and sets a great basis for how things progress. I loved the epilogue, it showed how these two can communicate their needs to each other and make it work! The story would have felt complete without it, but it was a lovely peek into what was next for them.
Jaya's cupid magic created awesome chances for Iris to enjoy things she would otherwise not feel comfortable doing (I could use some of that magic too!). The spice was very enjoyable and these girls know how to get steamy in the best ways.
I will absolutely be getting back to Iris and Jaya whenever I need a quick romance and spice session! I could read a full series of what they get up to.
I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Extremely cute and heartwarming!
This was a perfect light read with beautiful POC and queer rep. I enjoyed seeing Kimi connect with her Japanese roots and learn so much from visiting her grandparents.
I Love You So Mochi is full of self-discovery and teenager shenanigans, which made this such a fun read for me! I had a good time seeing Kimi realize the connections with their family relationships and working toward growing with them. It warmed my heart to see her understand that sometimes the dreams you didn't even realize were there are the ones you should pursue. Even though it might have been glaringly obvious to others what she should do, she had completely shut the option out of her mind even as a possibility.
I loved the romance and Akira was the cutest love interest ever! All the Tanuki shenanigans and his Mochi plans were SO CUTE! I also loved that Kimi was able to inspire him back, so both had some growth during Kimi's visit.
I think the story would've been satisfying even without the epilogue, but that did tie up some loose ends beautifully! The story arc inspired me greatly and gave me many ideas for my own creations!
This was a perfect light read with beautiful POC and queer rep. I enjoyed seeing Kimi connect with her Japanese roots and learn so much from visiting her grandparents.
I Love You So Mochi is full of self-discovery and teenager shenanigans, which made this such a fun read for me! I had a good time seeing Kimi realize the connections with their family relationships and working toward growing with them. It warmed my heart to see her understand that sometimes the dreams you didn't even realize were there are the ones you should pursue. Even though it might have been glaringly obvious to others what she should do, she had completely shut the option out of her mind even as a possibility.
I loved the romance and Akira was the cutest love interest ever! All the Tanuki shenanigans and his Mochi plans were SO CUTE! I also loved that Kimi was able to inspire him back, so both had some growth during Kimi's visit.
I think the story would've been satisfying even without the epilogue, but that did tie up some loose ends beautifully! The story arc inspired me greatly and gave me many ideas for my own creations!
Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Not in the right mindspace to really appreciate the beautiful writing, will pick up later when I'm able to properly dive in 💚
The Devil and His Sparrow by Sylver Michaela
Spicy as hell! (pun intended)
This felt like such a well-rounded experience for me. I was looking for spice AND a good plot, and both were delivered! I really enjoyed the huge character growth so many of the characters went through. The writing style was easy for me, which made this experience great for when I wanted to just enjoy easy progress.
I had a hard time putting this one down, I ended up staying up way too late finishing it. There were heart-wrenching plot twists that I just had to keep reading through. Sparrow was such a good nickname, it just hit the right spot.
I loved the spice, this was probably the spiciest read I've had so far and I enjoyed every part of it! Zagan sure knew how to make things interesting. Somehow I did not hate the use of "folds" as much in this as I have before, did you just heal me from my Twisted Love trauma???
I loved all of Iyla's relationships, from difficult family ties to absolute sweetheart friends. There was so much trauma for her to accept and work through, and I loved seeing how Zagan pushed her to do the work and supported her through it. Not everyone has a rich demon from a boyband to help them out.
Even though our main characters were quite straight, there was good queer rep with our side characters! I loved the POC rep too, the characters didn't feel like tokens but were actually meaningful.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the author for the chance to be an ARC reader!
"My blood boiled past the point of fuming. I was ready to maul, burn, and fucking destroy the world so that Iyla could stand atop the ashes of everyone who tried to keep her caged."
Spicy as hell! (pun intended)
This felt like such a well-rounded experience for me. I was looking for spice AND a good plot, and both were delivered! I really enjoyed the huge character growth so many of the characters went through. The writing style was easy for me, which made this experience great for when I wanted to just enjoy easy progress.
I had a hard time putting this one down, I ended up staying up way too late finishing it. There were heart-wrenching plot twists that I just had to keep reading through. Sparrow was such a good nickname, it just hit the right spot.
I loved the spice, this was probably the spiciest read I've had so far and I enjoyed every part of it! Zagan sure knew how to make things interesting. Somehow I did not hate the use of "folds" as much in this as I have before, did you just heal me from my Twisted Love trauma???
I loved all of Iyla's relationships, from difficult family ties to absolute sweetheart friends. There was so much trauma for her to accept and work through, and I loved seeing how Zagan pushed her to do the work and supported her through it. Not everyone has a rich demon from a boyband to help them out.
Even though our main characters were quite straight, there was good queer rep with our side characters! I loved the POC rep too, the characters didn't feel like tokens but were actually meaningful.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
I couldn't focus at the moment, needed something easier to read and digest for now