garbage_mcsmutly's reviews
1571 reviews

A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes by Manda Collins

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

πŸ“ This was a fun book with romance and adventure/intrigue. Victorian historical. It went by super fast, both because of the writing style and because it was fairly short. 

🎧 Mary Jane Wells narrated, so of course it was a great performance. The book was dual POV, but MJW was the only narrator. 

🌢️ 1.5/5 there was only one explicit scene and very little else.

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The Anaconda Downstairs by Amy Award

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

This book was funny and fun.  Good fat representation, and I liked how they dealt with the body image issues that so many people contend with.

Decently spicy, there were multiple explicit but pretty vanilla scenes (🌢️ 4/5).

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Never Rescue A Rogue by Virginia Heath

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

πŸ“ This was a fun and easy little regency romp. Plenty of humor (everyone) and pining (both of them) and brooding (him). The book went by super fast.

πŸ•΅οΈThe end goal/mystery to be solved was kind of predictable once we get the main components of it, and the FMC is supposed to be really good at sniffing out the truth, so it was a bit disappointing that she didn't catch on to it sooner. 

🎧 This was dual POV but only one narrator (female). The actor did a very good job with all the different voices, good and varied accents, and it was always clear who was talking.

🌢️ 2.5/5 There was tension and a couple kisses, then one (fairly lengthy) explicit scene.

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Mother of Death and Dawn by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous emotional inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was a great conclusion to this fantasy series. The romance is still central but is cemented enough that it sort of takes a back seat to all the action (and there's plenty of action). A good wrap up to the trilogy, with post-war denouement and a solid epilogue. 

🌢️ 2/5 It took me a while to get through the whole thing, so I legit don't remember how many, or the details of, the sex scenes in this book. It wasn't very spicy overall.
Mile High by Liz Tomforde

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a decent book but it could've been like 150 pages shorter. It moved SO slowly.

🌢️ 3/5 multiple explicit scenes but the spice just wasn't spicing for me

πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆβœŠ Both characters are Black/mixed, I think? FMC is biracial (Black and white); I was a little unclear on MMC's parents' races, but he is Black. FMC is fat and she deals with fatphobia, both personally and societally. Props for the mental health & pro-therapy story lines; we love a king who's been in therapy for a decade lol

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The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It was fine? Points for diversity and Native life. The romance itself wasn't all that compelling, like I didn't really get what he saw in her? Also it was fairly low spice for being open door.
Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
Started this for book bingo but ended up finding a more engaging title for the prompt. This seems like an interesting fantasy but it just didn't grab me in the bit I read.
Don't Let Me Fall by Kelsie Rae

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emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This book was fine I guess? Just another basic romance revolving around hockey. I was surprised it ended when it did, like I just figured there'd be more to it but I guess it's a short book. But like, Colt has so much unresolved shit around his dad still??? He did so much to help Ash but the boy needs to heal too!

This book did the thing I hate where it's a mediocre book but did a good enough job teasing the next couple in the series that now I want to read the next one. 

🎧 I really liked both narrators, and they aren't names I'm familiar with already, so that's nice to have new ones to look for.

🌢️ 3.5/5 Open door, several sexy scenes, nothing groundbreaking.

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The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore

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emotional hopeful informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This took me a little longer than usual to get through so of course I've already forgotten a lot about it... I liked it overall, and the epilogue was a truly excellent way to wrap up this quartet. The quartet follows a group of four female friends who are all suffragists, and the epilogue sees them all still close many years later and we get to see a bit of their families.

The FMC's disconnect from her own feelings made it hard to relate to her, IMHO, but she was still a very likeable character. She's super smart and has a strong moral compass. MMC was a good dude with a kind heart, although sometimes prideful (in a way that's kind of hard to avoid in a Victorian era man).

🎧 The book is dual POV but only one narrator. This whole series was narrated very well by Elizabeth Jasicki.

🌢️ 3.5/5 There were a handful of explicit encounters and the chemistry was good but it was nothing earth shattering.

πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆβœŠ The FMC is neurodivergent; she has an analytical mind, is a bit removed from her emotions, and deals with sensory sensitivities. She's also queer: she has previously fallen in puppy love with both male and female friends. She is Scottish, and an earl's daughter. The MMC is Lebanese (but Christian--Maronite). He was educated in Western schools and comes from a wealthy merchant family.

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Jamaal The IT Guy by Kasha Thompson

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This was a super cute fun read. Black love on display. Interesting side story. 

🌢️ 3/5 there were a few explicit encounters of a vigorous but vanilla variety

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