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thiscryptidreads's reviews
32 reviews
A Tangle of Tusks by Sasha Onyx
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
📖 - 889 pages
Format - ARC Ebook
Publication date - July 1, 2024
3.0 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: Modern fantasy, Monster Romance
This was a long one! Tons of amazing world building as you follow the characters before they get together and I love the modern city setting. The fantasy takes a bit of a back seat for this book but it's definitely a fun ride. This is so original compared to the light fluffy monster romance or more gritty crime centric modern fantasies I'm used to, instead Sasha has perfectly blended the two into a very well done romantic book. Can't wait for more!
Thank you to Sasha and Luna Bloom for my ARC copy, for more reviews check my social media under ThisCryptidReads
Format - ARC Ebook
Publication date - July 1, 2024
3.0 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: Modern fantasy, Monster Romance
This was a long one! Tons of amazing world building as you follow the characters before they get together and I love the modern city setting. The fantasy takes a bit of a back seat for this book but it's definitely a fun ride. This is so original compared to the light fluffy monster romance or more gritty crime centric modern fantasies I'm used to, instead Sasha has perfectly blended the two into a very well done romantic book. Can't wait for more!
Thank you to Sasha and Luna Bloom for my ARC copy, for more reviews check my social media under ThisCryptidReads
Love on the Korlyan Moon by Petra Palerno
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
📖 - 244 pages (novella)
Format - ARC Ebook
Publication date - June 18, 2024
3.0 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: sci-fi erotica, Alien Romance
POV: Duel
Ending: HEA
Book is part of the Bubbleverse
This was such a sweet and quick read! Kitaico is an absolute cinnamon roll and the perfect doting partner with Lena. An absolute master of consent even with the language barrier and despite the venom induced heat that leaves Lena absolutely desperate he holds out and waits until she's ready and wins her love. Even for such a short book the world building is filled with lovely imagery and the side characters are all likeable. I can't wait to read what happens next in the Bubbleverse!
TW/CW
Alien abduction, fear of drowning, drowning discussed, human trafficking discussed, SA mentioned, forced heat, chaffing, needles, stinging, tattooing, fangs, poison, restraints, alien culture discussion on honor suicide, violence, dismemberment, kidnapping, tattooing, pregnancy (epilogue), xenophobia regarding humans, hand to hand combat, death, graphic sexual content including masturbation, oral, penetrative sex, tentacle sex, anal sex, and double penetration.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to Petra for my early copy! You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Format - ARC Ebook
Publication date - June 18, 2024
3.0 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: sci-fi erotica, Alien Romance
POV: Duel
Ending: HEA
Book is part of the Bubbleverse
This was such a sweet and quick read! Kitaico is an absolute cinnamon roll and the perfect doting partner with Lena. An absolute master of consent even with the language barrier and despite the venom induced heat that leaves Lena absolutely desperate he holds out and waits until she's ready and wins her love. Even for such a short book the world building is filled with lovely imagery and the side characters are all likeable. I can't wait to read what happens next in the Bubbleverse!
TW/CW
Alien abduction, fear of drowning, drowning discussed, human trafficking discussed, SA mentioned, forced heat, chaffing, needles, stinging, tattooing, fangs, poison, restraints, alien culture discussion on honor suicide, violence, dismemberment, kidnapping, tattooing, pregnancy (epilogue), xenophobia regarding humans, hand to hand combat, death, graphic sexual content including masturbation, oral, penetrative sex, tentacle sex, anal sex, and double penetration.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to Petra for my early copy! You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Welcome to Fae Cafe by Jennifer Kropf
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
📖 - 371 pages
Format - Ebook (Libby borrow)
Publication date - October 3, 2023
zero chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale. (they kiss, that's all you get)
Genre: (humerous) Fantasy
POV: Duel
Ending: HEA (ish)
Book 1 of 3 - High Court of the Coffee Bean
Whoever said this was for people who enjoyed Legends and Lattes or for fans of reverse harem, you owe me a cookie for those lies.
This had cozy moments crammed into the plot, but the cafe was really just for funny moments with the assassins who were goofballs, in-between broody prince time, and the "not like other girls" main character Kate being clumsy and somehow bumbling through her day. She wants to be a writer but apparently never goes to class and has zero grasp of vocabulary. All the characters were two dimensional and had zero growth.
The moments with Grandma Lewis were really the best and the only parts I liked Cress at all really otherwise he's pretty obnoxious and the spoiled prince trope was held on to instead of giving him real growth, really his only growth was him acknowledging his feelings but even then he really isn't super caring to Kate most of the time, you get glimmers of sweetness but in the end he's still terrible. The ending was super disappointing since he basically embarrasses her and somehow that's meant to be loving? Kate blink twice if you need help...
The three fae Assassins were more likeable and honestly, I wish it had been a reverse harem just so they got some attention besides just being comic relief.
Format - Ebook (Libby borrow)
Publication date - October 3, 2023
zero chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale. (they kiss, that's all you get)
Genre: (humerous) Fantasy
POV: Duel
Ending: HEA (ish)
Book 1 of 3 - High Court of the Coffee Bean
Whoever said this was for people who enjoyed Legends and Lattes or for fans of reverse harem, you owe me a cookie for those lies.
This had cozy moments crammed into the plot, but the cafe was really just for funny moments with the assassins who were goofballs, in-between broody prince time, and the "not like other girls" main character Kate being clumsy and somehow bumbling through her day. She wants to be a writer but apparently never goes to class and has zero grasp of vocabulary. All the characters were two dimensional and had zero growth.
The moments with Grandma Lewis were really the best and the only parts I liked Cress at all really otherwise he's pretty obnoxious and the spoiled prince trope was held on to instead of giving him real growth, really his only growth was him acknowledging his feelings but even then he really isn't super caring to Kate most of the time, you get glimmers of sweetness but in the end he's still terrible. The ending was super disappointing since he basically embarrasses her and somehow that's meant to be loving? Kate blink twice if you need help...
The three fae Assassins were more likeable and honestly, I wish it had been a reverse harem just so they got some attention besides just being comic relief.
Redeem Them All by Emily Casilli
challenging
slow-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? It's complicated
1.5
This book was a struggle.
There are WAY to many characters to count, I frequently lost track of who was doing what since many sections were incredibly vague.
This needs some heavy-handed editing to trim off all the unnecessary details and add more details to the things that matter. 25 antagonists feels like way too much, and a lot of the side characters were nothing more than cannon fodder to up the body count.
The short version of this is 14+ people die so that a girl they didn't even know save for a few could learn to have empathy. At the end she is forgiven and told to live a better life, so their sacrifice wasn't in vain and those who survived are traumatized, Injured and hate this girl forever for needlessly refusing to help them survive.
The "Romance" is incredibly awkward and in my opinion not a romance but what happens when a human is enthralled by a supernatural creature. They often kiss or make out at inappropriate times, even after the death of their friends.
Everyone sobs and hisses in this book WAY too much.
Normally I would give a book an automatic 2 stars if I complete the book but honestly, I wish I hadn't finished. I highly suspect AI was used in the creation of this book with how some paragraphs were structured and how certain words repeated.
There are WAY to many characters to count, I frequently lost track of who was doing what since many sections were incredibly vague.
This needs some heavy-handed editing to trim off all the unnecessary details and add more details to the things that matter. 25 antagonists feels like way too much, and a lot of the side characters were nothing more than cannon fodder to up the body count.
The short version of this is 14+ people die so that a girl they didn't even know save for a few could learn to have empathy. At the end she is forgiven and told to live a better life, so their sacrifice wasn't in vain and those who survived are traumatized, Injured and hate this girl forever for needlessly refusing to help them survive.
The "Romance" is incredibly awkward and in my opinion not a romance but what happens when a human is enthralled by a supernatural creature. They often kiss or make out at inappropriate times, even after the death of their friends.
Everyone sobs and hisses in this book WAY too much.
Normally I would give a book an automatic 2 stars if I complete the book but honestly, I wish I hadn't finished. I highly suspect AI was used in the creation of this book with how some paragraphs were structured and how certain words repeated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Sexual content
Married to my Grumpy Minotaur Boss by Ami Wright
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Married to my Grumpy Minotaur Boss by Ami Wright
Absolutely giggling, grinning and kicking my feet as I read this one! Ronan and Justine are just too cute for words. I love grumpy/sunshine it's my favorite and this book totally serves thar as Ronan tries his best to stay professional and keep his distance from his former assistant turned wife for the day on a reality TV show, but real feelings get in the way.
I loved this so much. It was sweet and spicy and just oh so good!
Tropes:
Fake marriage
Only one bed
Forced proximity
Pleasure dom
Bosshole
Groveling
Billionaire boyfriend
"That's my wife!"
Thank you to the author for my copy. I thoroughly enjoyed ARC reading this.
Absolutely giggling, grinning and kicking my feet as I read this one! Ronan and Justine are just too cute for words. I love grumpy/sunshine it's my favorite and this book totally serves thar as Ronan tries his best to stay professional and keep his distance from his former assistant turned wife for the day on a reality TV show, but real feelings get in the way.
I loved this so much. It was sweet and spicy and just oh so good!
Tropes:
Fake marriage
Only one bed
Forced proximity
Pleasure dom
Bosshole
Groveling
Billionaire boyfriend
"That's my wife!"
Thank you to the author for my copy. I thoroughly enjoyed ARC reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Fatphobia and Toxic relationship
Sink or Swim by D.J. Russo
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Sink or Swim by DJ Russo
Book 2 in the Femme Fatale Monsters Series
3.75 🌟
2 🌶
This book was so cute! Love a female monster, and Oona is pretty unique, you don't see a lot of aquatic monsters in general. I loved her mood ring eyes. While this was shott and sweet Nick and Oonas relationship developed over months and they work together to try and communicate and thrive. Nick is probably the most wholesome mafia guy ever, and he's so sweet and caring to Oona as they bond. This definitely wasn't insta-love, though. Nick was afraid of Oona at first, recognizing she could kill him easily with how big and strong she is.
Oona is an 8ft tall lady monster with mood ring eyes, a full body of scales, and a tail. She's also the only one of her kind.
Nick is a mafia henchman with morals. After refusing to deal in drugs, he's taken out to the lagoon to sleep with the fishes 🐟 but Oona finds and saves him, taking him home as her new pet.
They spend the next few months learning to hunt and love together. Oona treats Nick as her pet at first, but soon, their companionship blossoms into more as they claim one another as their mates.
But Oona knows they can't live like this forever and tries to take Nick home. They soon realize home is where the other is.
Book 2 in the Femme Fatale Monsters Series
3.75 🌟
2 🌶
This book was so cute! Love a female monster, and Oona is pretty unique, you don't see a lot of aquatic monsters in general. I loved her mood ring eyes. While this was shott and sweet Nick and Oonas relationship developed over months and they work together to try and communicate and thrive. Nick is probably the most wholesome mafia guy ever, and he's so sweet and caring to Oona as they bond. This definitely wasn't insta-love, though. Nick was afraid of Oona at first, recognizing she could kill him easily with how big and strong she is.
Oona is an 8ft tall lady monster with mood ring eyes, a full body of scales, and a tail. She's also the only one of her kind.
Nick is a mafia henchman with morals. After refusing to deal in drugs, he's taken out to the lagoon to sleep with the fishes 🐟 but Oona finds and saves him, taking him home as her new pet.
They spend the next few months learning to hunt and love together. Oona treats Nick as her pet at first, but soon, their companionship blossoms into more as they claim one another as their mates.
But Oona knows they can't live like this forever and tries to take Nick home. They soon realize home is where the other is.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Murder
Behold Her by Emily Antoinette
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
📖 - 346 pages
audiobook - 14 hours and 50 minutes (contains Maneater as well which is 4 hours)
4.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV: Duel, narrated by Jack Hesperus and Kingsley Rose
Ending: HEA
Book 1 of 2: Monsters of Moonvale
I listened to this on audiobook, the voice actors do a great job depicting several characters.
Mona and Max almost feel like fated mates with how well they fit together. Max the witch/succubus private eye who's dirty talk and possessiveness teaches Mona to love herself, her body and shine for the beauty she is while Mona helps Max let go of his past and embrace all his darker desires and shed the shame that he's tied to his succubus side.
I love all the characters, Blair and Grace are the best friends every girl needs to hype them up, talk them down from the edge when wallowing and always be there when needed no questions asked. Max's family is so loving and supportive and absolutely sweet, his parents are the most adorable love drunk couple (read their story in maneater) and his sisters love him through thick and thin and support him through his lows with humor and affection.
The way these two constantly are all over each other and doing such dark and dirty things and yet still showing prime examples of how communication, consent and safe sexual play should be. This was a joy to listen to and getting to hear Maneater as a bonus story was amazing. I loved hearing about Max's parents sexy love story.
audiobook - 14 hours and 50 minutes (contains Maneater as well which is 4 hours)
4.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV: Duel, narrated by Jack Hesperus and Kingsley Rose
Ending: HEA
Book 1 of 2: Monsters of Moonvale
I listened to this on audiobook, the voice actors do a great job depicting several characters.
Mona and Max almost feel like fated mates with how well they fit together. Max the witch/succubus private eye who's dirty talk and possessiveness teaches Mona to love herself, her body and shine for the beauty she is while Mona helps Max let go of his past and embrace all his darker desires and shed the shame that he's tied to his succubus side.
I love all the characters, Blair and Grace are the best friends every girl needs to hype them up, talk them down from the edge when wallowing and always be there when needed no questions asked. Max's family is so loving and supportive and absolutely sweet, his parents are the most adorable love drunk couple (read their story in maneater) and his sisters love him through thick and thin and support him through his lows with humor and affection.
The way these two constantly are all over each other and doing such dark and dirty things and yet still showing prime examples of how communication, consent and safe sexual play should be. This was a joy to listen to and getting to hear Maneater as a bonus story was amazing. I loved hearing about Max's parents sexy love story.
TROPES/TAGS
Monster MMC (part witch/part succubus)
Plus-Size FMC (human)
Dark(ish) Stalker(ish) Romance
Spicy Magic Dreams
BDSM
Misunderstandings/Bad Timing
Hidden Identity
Monster MMC (part witch/part succubus)
Plus-Size FMC (human)
Dark(ish) Stalker(ish) Romance
Spicy Magic Dreams
BDSM
Misunderstandings/Bad Timing
Hidden Identity
Healing Past Trauma
Content Warnings:
voyerism
exhibitionism
CNC (consensual non-consent)
bondage
fake stalking, fake kidnapping
verbal degradation during dirty talk.
depression
pet loss/grief after losing a pet
internalized fat shame, and negative body image.
There are short references to racism and misogyny, but they aren’t central to the themes of the book. There are brief depictions of blood and violence but they aren’t prevalent throughout the story.
voyerism
exhibitionism
CNC (consensual non-consent)
bondage
fake stalking, fake kidnapping
verbal degradation during dirty talk.
depression
pet loss/grief after losing a pet
internalized fat shame, and negative body image.
There are short references to racism and misogyny, but they aren’t central to the themes of the book. There are brief depictions of blood and violence but they aren’t prevalent throughout the story.
Characters use profanity and explicit language throughout the book.
Behold Her is a high-heat paranormal romance featuring a plus-size FMC and a monster MMC that blends dark themes with humor and heart to create a spellbinding story of transformation and love.
Contains bonus novella, Maneater.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Grief, and Toxic friendship
This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I went into this story expecting a totally different scenario based on the synopsis. This was a surprise mix of haunting and hallucinations that slowly fill you with dread until the very end. Several other reviews said the ending was a surprise or didn't make sense but if you pay attention to the small details I think the story wraps up very nicely and makes complete sense for the narrative they're trying to tell.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Cws: gore, body horror, violence, self harm, injury, blood, panic attacks, suicide, murder, death of a child, animal death, vomit, hallucinations, fire/ injury and death by fire, cannibalism.
You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Spoilers:
Does the dog (Slade) die? No. He runs off and is missing through the book and hallucinations cause Luke (his owner) to think he is dead. He is later found at the end of the book. The dog depicted in the book he mistakes Slade for was long dead and it's death is not described on page, simply apart of their hallucinations or inches of the ghosts in the woods.
Faun Over Me by B.L. Brown
2.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV:Duel
Ending: HEA
Tropes:
Miscommunication
Friends to Lovers
90s vibes
HEA
Content warnings:
Religious Trauma
Injury (on page)
Misogyny
Anti-LGBTQ+ family member
Review:
This is described as a reluctant friend to lovers Sapphic romance, set in a summer camp in the Appalachian mountains. Cricket and Avery seem to have an instant attraction physically but spend the first half of the book emotionally charged and assuming each one hates the other until the monster stalking the camp brings them together in a steamy moment while hiding.
once they get together and start trying to pool their knowledge to save the camp their relationship is very sweet, but no one ever seems on the same page, so I feel this is more miscommunication than a reluctant friends to lover's trope. Avery is working through a lot of religious trauma while stubborn Cricket is learning to embrace the outside world and branch out from her very close-knit and cautious faun family.
I liked the mystery and feel of everything connecting and falling into place by the ending. The book starts a little slow, spending a lot of time setting up the dominos to bring Cricket and Avery together but really gets going at about the halfway point. I had a few issues with repetitive wording. Crickets cousin Bramble was simply referred to repeatedly as "my cousin" while they are off page so much, I struggled to remember their name until they were finally there as a present character.
The Appalachian lore isn't as in-depth as I expected, but there were some definite themes there with type of inhuman (monster species) characters and thoughts about growing up in the woods. "If you heard something, no, you didn't)
In total, it was a very sweet Sapphic romance.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
3.25
2.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV:Duel
Ending: HEA
Tropes:
Miscommunication
Friends to Lovers
90s vibes
HEA
Content warnings:
Religious Trauma
Injury (on page)
Misogyny
Anti-LGBTQ+ family member
Review:
This is described as a reluctant friend to lovers Sapphic romance, set in a summer camp in the Appalachian mountains. Cricket and Avery seem to have an instant attraction physically but spend the first half of the book emotionally charged and assuming each one hates the other until the monster stalking the camp brings them together in a steamy moment while hiding.
once they get together and start trying to pool their knowledge to save the camp their relationship is very sweet, but no one ever seems on the same page, so I feel this is more miscommunication than a reluctant friends to lover's trope. Avery is working through a lot of religious trauma while stubborn Cricket is learning to embrace the outside world and branch out from her very close-knit and cautious faun family.
I liked the mystery and feel of everything connecting and falling into place by the ending. The book starts a little slow, spending a lot of time setting up the dominos to bring Cricket and Avery together but really gets going at about the halfway point. I had a few issues with repetitive wording. Crickets cousin Bramble was simply referred to repeatedly as "my cousin" while they are off page so much, I struggled to remember their name until they were finally there as a present character.
The Appalachian lore isn't as in-depth as I expected, but there were some definite themes there with type of inhuman (monster species) characters and thoughts about growing up in the woods. "If you heard something, no, you didn't)
In total, it was a very sweet Sapphic romance.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Gore, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Finding the Troll's Heart by Lyonne Riley
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
📖 - 218 pages
3.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV: Single
Ending: HEA
Book 6 of 7: Trollkin Lovers
I loved this book! Jar’kel and Simka are an adorable grumpy/feisty pair who come together trying to stop orc raids from attacking the city for their own devices and come together along the way to realize that they were fighting for the wrong reasons and soon discover they were fated mates all along. This was such a sexy and fun read, I loved every character in this book, every single one, even Fio the mule.
Grumpy/sunshine is my favorite trope and while Simka is less sunshine and more determined and firey they really work well together. Jar'kels edges soften as he comes to terms with the fact that he shouldn't hide from life just because he's getting older and Simka loves him despite his flaws. This whole series is so good, I love Lyonne Rileys world she's created, pretty much any book she hands me in this world is an insta-buy at this point. All the books can be read as standalones, and all are this wonderful mix of sweet and super steamy. Happy Reading!
Tropes & Content warnings -
Age gap
Fake dating
Virgin FMC
Painful sex
Bonded mates
Violence
Arson
Torture (off-page)
Gore (dismembered head)
Life-threatening pregnancy
Breeding
Pregnancy
Lactation play
Birth
3.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV: Single
Ending: HEA
Book 6 of 7: Trollkin Lovers
I loved this book! Jar’kel and Simka are an adorable grumpy/feisty pair who come together trying to stop orc raids from attacking the city for their own devices and come together along the way to realize that they were fighting for the wrong reasons and soon discover they were fated mates all along. This was such a sexy and fun read, I loved every character in this book, every single one, even Fio the mule.
Grumpy/sunshine is my favorite trope and while Simka is less sunshine and more determined and firey they really work well together. Jar'kels edges soften as he comes to terms with the fact that he shouldn't hide from life just because he's getting older and Simka loves him despite his flaws. This whole series is so good, I love Lyonne Rileys world she's created, pretty much any book she hands me in this world is an insta-buy at this point. All the books can be read as standalones, and all are this wonderful mix of sweet and super steamy. Happy Reading!
Tropes & Content warnings -
Age gap
Fake dating
Virgin FMC
Painful sex
Bonded mates
Violence
Arson
Torture (off-page)
Gore (dismembered head)
Life-threatening pregnancy
Breeding
Pregnancy
Lactation play
Birth
This is a steamy, heartfelt, M/F monster romance (60k words) about a stubborn, virgin FMC and an older, grumpy, and jaded MMC. While it incorporates characters from previous stories, it can be read as a standalone. It features an age gap, fake dating, a virgin sexual encounter, and a guaranteed HEA.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gore, Torture, Violence, and War