teereadsbooks's reviews
704 reviews

King and Queen by Maz Maddox

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-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? N/A

4.5

Another win in this amazing series. I never really thought I would find a series about dinosaur shifters to be so amazing, but here we are. Maz Maddox can not lose, apparently. And I honestly think Royal and Blaise are my favorite so far. Especially Blaise. I was cackling when he dresses Royal, Dalton, and Simon in drag. Dalton, the ADHD ridden utahraptor, really just rolls with the punches. Royal and Blaise's dynamic was so sweet. As much as I loved them, my one qualm here was, what felt like, the sudden leap to soulmates. Gave me a bit of whiplash. That said, I absolutely loved this book, and I look forward to continuing this series!

Love Immortal by Kit Vincent

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

This gave similar vibes as The Lost Boys (1987), while serving a new and more queer take on the lore of Dracula. Needless to say, I loved it. Jonathan is an interesting and layered MC through which we experience the story, and Dacian is our dark and mysterious love interest. I love what was done here. The story is pretty mellow for a good chunk of it, but when the climax hits, there's so much action. The mystery was a tad predictable, but I still had a lot of fun reading this. My main critique is that I wish there were more interactions between our two MCs in the first half. I love the slow burn, but it would have been even better to have more to build onto. That said, this was great. And the ending was a little different, but I liked it. Things were wrapped up, but, I think, there is potential for a continuation. But I don't know if that is a plan for Kit Vincent or not. Either way, this is a wonderful story all on its own.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sink or Swim by Maz Maddox

adventurous emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.25

This series is just so much fun. I definitely enjoyed Baha and Jackson as a pairing just a *touch* more than Simon and Dalton (but don't worry, I still love them). Baha and Jackson are the epitome of grumpy/sunshine, and I had so much fun with Baha and his orneriness while dealing with Jackson's shenanigans. Baha really gives grumpy old man vibes. The story was interesting, the adventure was fun, and the romance ended up being more sweet than I was expecting. Overall, this is a simply great time.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I really loved this so much. The thrill and horror of it made the story intriguing and gripping. There's mystery as well, which may have been a touch predictable, but not every little part of it was. I really enjoyed the way the queer rep was shown in this story. We have Charity as our main protagonist who has a girlfriend, but it's not the main focus of the story. It's just queer people existing, and I loved seeing that for once. This type of horror felt like a callback to 80s and 90s teen horror movies, like Scream, but with more queer rep. So, if you like nostalgia, then this is perfect for you. I really enjoyed this one, and the ending was oh so satisfying. It's definitely worth the read.

Whispers in the Dark by Lily Mayne, Nik Knight

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is equal parts dark and haunting, but also sugary sweet thanks to our lovely dream demon, Nor. This story touches on some rough subjects (parental abuse, homophobia, SA), but both our authors handle them with so much care. I fell in live with this story and its characters so easily. Cody is a relatable MC, and Nor is oddly naive, but so so sweet. He has a creepy insect pet named Gef, which I find adorable, hilarious, and also gross for all sorts of reasons (Cody isn't a fan). The natural progression of Nor and Cody's relationship was amazing to experience. It felt really natural as they went from Nor being the monster under the bed, to friends, to lovers and so much more. I love Lily Mayne,  and this is my first experience with Nikole Knight. Needless to say, I loved this and enjoyed the hell out of it from beginning to end. Be aware of any triggers heading into this, but I definitely recommend it!

Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Oh, I really loved this. I loved this WAY more than I expected to. I have wanted to read more aro/ace stories, and this was perfect. I was so happy to see the focus on queer platonic relationships and the focus on Sophie and Jo's individual character growth alongside their growing friendship. Their struggles and insecurities are so reap and easily relatable. This story is fun, witty, and so well written. The dramatic climax didn't feel over the top and was handled so well by furthering Sophie and Jo's character and relationship journeys. Overall, this was so lovely, and I had such a great time listening to this audiobook (shout out to Natalie Naudus, who is always an audiobook narrator win for me). If you're looking for more aro/ace stories, then this is a book worth picking up.

Fruitbat by Micah Carver

adventurous challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

This was so unexpected for so many reasons. In all honesty, the first book I read from this author just wasn't the greatest reading experience. I later found out that there had been editing issues outside the author's control, but, unfortunately, my experience still was what it was. I wanted to give them another chance. This novella was perfect for that. Everything about it appealed to me, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. This little novella is a powerhouse of character development, so much emotion, and a really surprise twist. It sounds like a lot for such a short story, but the pacing was perfect, and the writing was good. Both our MCs are really interesting, and the cosmic nature of their interactions was so intriguing. The twist really got me and made the story so unique. This was so good, and it's one of those stories that will stick with me. I'm so glad I gave this author another chance, and it's definitely worth checking out!

Save The Vampire by Maz Maddox

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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

5.0

This series truly does just get better. That is so rare, and I don't think that has really happened in any series I have read in the past. The characters are fun, and the story is interesting. I loved seeing how all the different relationships grew and evolved in this one. I really liked how Maz addresses Dallas' struggles with opening up and talking about his emotions. That was so relatable. Where the story ends up was done really well. I loved the journey. This trilogy is a ridiculous adventure, and I absolutely loved it. It's hard to go into too much detail because *spoilers* (Steal The Key ended on a serious cliffhanger after all). If you want a fun read that is heavy on plot, has a crazy amount of ridiculousness, and eventually has a nice sprinkle of romance, this series is worth checking out. And it just gets better.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sinful Crimes For The Artistically Inclined by W.H. Lockwood
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.

I just don't think this one is for me. I love the concept. Indiana Jones vibes, but make it gay. Sounds great! I just don't feel invested in the story and haven't connected to the characters, and I have read 195 pages. I tried, but this just isn't hitting right for me.

Igni Ferroque by Ashlyn Drewek

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Ooo boy. This was WAY darker than Malum Discordiae. The story was so gripping, though. Remiel is terrible. You can't really forgive the straight-up non-con that happens in the beginning. So, be aware of that. But Phelan is such an interesting character. We learn so much more about this witchy world, and Phelan really goes on a journey in this one. He is so layered and complex. I stayed and enjoyed this story so much because of Phelan and the amazing story. Not the romance, which is kinda questionable if I'm being honest. Ashlyn Drewek has a disclaimer in the beginning stating that this story won't be for everyone, and that's okay. I can understand why, which is totally valid. But Ashlyn Drewek is so great at crafting intriguing stories and amazing characters, so I ended up hooked. If the content is something you feel safe consuming, then this is definitely worth the adventure.