joyreads2024's reviews
87 reviews

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

I love anything Nalini Singh writes, as a point. She is an amazing author.. BUT. This book was not her best. It’s like she attempted to write an Erotica but feel it with meaningful topics on para social relationships, the issue of fame, drug and alcohol addictions, and trauma. Now I love both eroticas and deep and meaningful books. But I found it so infuriating that everytime they tried to yarn, it was like SEX before, during and after. 

At the same time, the last chapter made me tear up so this book leaves me feeling slightly unsatisfied but happy anyway.

Custom Made by Chantal Fernando

dark emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.75

This is my second Chantal Fernando novel, and while good, not as good as the first. This book deals with themes of grief, bisexuality, domestic violence and being a confident female and making your own choices. I adored Cam in this book, how she lived her truth. Orion on the other hand, was good for the first half of the book and irritating for the other half. I get why he did what he did but it still infuriated me. 

The background plots were there, somewhat not needed but also understandable. The second half of the book just didn’t grip me as much, but it was definitely a strong book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Minor: Domestic abuse

Adventures of a Scottish Heiress by Cathy Maxwell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

It was too cringy of a book and the writing made me uncomfortable not going to lie. Also the heroine was completely annoying 

The Longing of Lone Wolves: A Fantasy Romance by Lana Pecherczyk

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was a dodgy crossover between the Witcher, Wizard of Oz, and Beauty and the Beast. And what the duck was with that unexpected pregnancy after all the un sanctioned breeding talks?? Literally made me nearly DNF

This Side of the Grave: A Night Huntress Novel by Jeaniene Frost

adventurous emotional funny inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

In this book, Cat deals with themes of self-acceptance and grief. Ian deals with wanting to bone Veritas in the middle of a battle. Vlad deals with Vlad. Mencheres, Bones, Kira, Spade and Denise have to deal with all of them and Marie.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

This book provides such a good, clear example of living on the wrong side of the tracks. Where on one side you have gangs, and turf wars; and on the other you have rich houses and hidden problems. The love story between Alex and Brittany is so wonderful, and I loved seeing them get an upper hand on Colin. I also loved that the author didn’t pull her punches when showing that getting out of a gang is hard, and the lifelong consequences of that.

While also portraying gang violence, it also highlighted a family’s love for a member of their family with disability, and the story portrayed her with respect, and Shelley holds a piece of all her hearts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Violence

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-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? No

4.75

Any book with Mencheres and Vlad is bound to be good LOL. The book had good pace, and I really enjoyed reading it. I also loveeee that it’s setting us up for the rest.

Same with the PTSD imagery in the previous book, this book’s imagery of hopelessness and guilt is really good. Love love loveee the ending. A very nice book!

Every Thing is F*ucked by Mark Manson

informative medium-paced

4.0

This book was really interesting and made me take a deep hard look at myself (also helped me make the connection that I needed to go to therapy lol).. but lost me with AI in the last chapter

The Scarlet Rose by Valia Lind

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a very interesting beauty and the beast retelling. While it was a good overall book it didn’t have any details about character apparences (or if it did it had minor), and the world building was meh. The ending was good tho and it wrapped up somewhat nicely (despite absolutely no resolution with baba yaga), hence it being a 4

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense medium-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

4.75

These two are so goddamn cute I can’T even

Tatiana controls the HA chairman, but doesn’t coerce him into pressing the trigger etc; we meet Bo and Lily who kidnapped Nash who is working on something for medical reasons (e.g. giving humans changeling strength), we meet Adam too; bomb goes off; Henry programs Psy to kill others (we meet Samuel Rain)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence