Chrissy
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The plot had some promise, but it often felt rushed and a bit undercooked. There were parts where the descriptions went overboard, and other times it seemed like I had to fill in too many blanks myself. This made the story feel a bit all over the place.
There was also a lot of “telling” instead of “showing,” which made it hard to really get into the story and connect with the characters.
I also found it tricky distinguishing between the different perspectives. The characters' voices were DI's not feel distinct enough, which sometimes led to confusion about who was narrating a particular section.
On the plus side, the smut scenes were pretty good. However, they sometimes felt too fast-paced, which threw off the balance a bit.
Intrigued by the allure of dark romance mafia books, I found this one to be a bit lacking. While it certainly delivers on the spice factor, the plot feels loose and excessively repetitive. Although there are unexpected twists, they often feel forced, leaving me wanting for more time with those storylines. It appears the primary focus is on the spicy elements rather than the storyline, so if that's what you're looking for then you're in the right place!
This was way cuter than I was expecting it to be! If you're a fan of The Ancient Magus' Bride or monster romances, this is perfect for you!
The world building and Lore was incredibly well done. I went into this book not expecting too much and was blown away, I really couldn't put it down.
The book starts our FMC basically being sold off, by her village, to a Duskwalker. Which is something in between a demon, a monster, and humans? (No spoilers here, you can find out for yourself hehe). He just wants companionship and it follows the exciting and really cute story of her becoming comfortable around him and healing his lonely heart while also genuinely enjoying his company.
Also VERY spicy. And intriguing...
Incredibly beautiful retelling of Medusa's story. Natalie Haynes did a spectacular job of painting us a full picture of the events leading up to Medusa's birth, her life, unjust punishment, and her eventual, unwarranted, demise.
This book left me devastated and emotional in the best way; I could not put it down. I loved seeing the other perspectives in the world and how the choices of both gods and mortals were connected, both directly and indirectly. Medusa was a victim of immortal hubris and I am happy we got to see every angle of the story in this way. I will always recommend this book to anyone even slightly interested in mythology.
Dragons, contracts, smut, oh my!
As silly as a Dragon Romance may seem, it is just as sweet. Briar Rose is trying to escape her abusive husband and makes a deal with a demon to do so. She soon finds herself whisked away into an entirely different world to be sold at auction to the monsters that only the bravest of knights in storybooks would dare face. And here she is, to be sold off to wed one of them?
A marriage of convenience turns romantic. Sol, our Dragon Lord, needs an heir. And Briar Rose is busy still navigating her new circumstances, new home, new husband. It was a lovely joy to watch them come together (figuratively, but also literally).
This book is spicy, funny, and an easy read when you're feeling a little silly or need something low-stakes. I'd also say this is a great introduction to monster romances!
I was completely enthralled by the magic system in this book! The use of tea as the foundation for magic was incredibly intriguing.
The Red Winter trilogy left me utterly spellbound. For anyone with even a passing interest in Japanese culture, this book is a must-read. It follows the journey of a shrine maiden preparing to become the vessel for the goddess Amaterasu on Earth, leading to a whirlwind adventure involving Youkai, Kami, hidden magic, heavenly secrets, and significant character growth for the gods, demons, and mortals alike.
Despite its modern setting, the story didn't feel overly urban. I felt spirited away the entire time.
The book is also incredibly accessible even for those unfamiliar with Japanese, the author does a great job so integrating new words naturally and explaining them quickly.
While the beginning may feel slow, once the story gains momentum, it's an exhilarating ride. And for fans of ‘Inuyasha' or ‘Kamisama Kiss,' this trilogy is an absolute treat.
Absolutely adorable! The second installment of The Nightshade Sisters really lived up to the charm of the first. Having received this ARC, I'm eagerly awaiting its official release to recommend it to all my friends.
Meet Izzy, our strong eldest sister. Despite the Nightshade Sisters' retirement from a life of crime, she still finds herself in a bit of trouble. As a bloodweaver and poison expert, she inadvertently gets entangled in a forest encounter after returning from a good deed. Soon after, a handsome hunter approaches her, seeking her and her sisters' help to catch a stag and save the kingdom from the Evil Queen.
The pacing was excellent; I was impressed by how seamlessly everything unfolded without feeling rushed. The nods to the original Snow White story were so clever, I was very impressed with this retelling.
The romance was both sweet and spicy, contributing to the overall charm of the story.
Also the bonus of Lis and Orson, the last book's focus, from a different perspective was so so fun! It even tempted me to revisit the first book and experience Izzy's parts from Lis' perspective. I'm so excited to dive deeper into the world of the Nightshade sisters and all of their stories!
Madeleine Eliot did it again!! This duet was absolutely beautiful. I loved, loved, loved it. It was such a fantastic way to wrap up the story between my favorite selkie and siren royalty.
The slow burn between these two was incredible. I was so frustrated with Madeleine Eliot for putting us through it, but she truly knows what's best ☺️ All hail the queen of cozy!
The stakes are a bit higher in this novel, but I'd still recommend it to my fellow cozy readers.
The banter was fantastic, and I loved meeting all the new characters! The worlds collided in the most satisfying way.
Spoilers below!!!
This was cuuuuute! Exactly what I was hoping for and more! If you need a cozy story or something easy to read after a heavy book or a long series, this is the one!
Madeleine Eliot has done it again ☺️
This book had such a fun romance idea (a selkie AND a siren?? I love) and lots of fun banter. There was more adventure than I was expecting too!
Hehe and there was spiiiicee.
This book was incredibly fun! It's a hilarious, sexy, and magical journey. All Hail the Cheese Queen!!
This story follows Calla, a young wolf princess whose existence has been kept a secret from the rest of the world. She and her twin, Briar, have finally come of age, and Briar has been tasked with marrying Prince Grae of another wolf kingdom. Briar will become queen, and Calla will remain as her shadow. When her twin is cursed to sleep for eternity by the same Witch Queen that destroyed their kingdom, Calla leaves her new home and her mate to rescue the one person who can wake her sister.
The concept of this book was interesting enough to pick up, but the urge to put it down was so much stronger. It felt like the author had a vague idea for a story and then had a bunch of boxes to check off with very specific character descriptions. There were also many moments where I could see what the author was trying to do but was not able to successfully convey it on the page.
The checklist probably looked like this before they sat down: ✅Spice ✅Fated Mates ✅Wolves ✅Sleepy Beauty Retelling ✅Queer Character(s)? ✅Howl's Moving Castle Caravan
The world-building fell very flat for me as well. It was hard to discern character motivations, and for a while, I thought this might be an intentional choice to add an air of mystery. However, after finishing the book, I concluded that there was no true build-up to anything.
Our main character was very much “not like other girls,” especially not like her sister. She often looked at her sister and wished she could be as pretty, prim, and prepared to take the throne as her. This thought occurred multiple times per chapter.
Toward the end, Calla was having a crisis when it came to her gender identity. Usually, I welcome this sort of exploration, but I found this to be out of place. It seemed like this fantasy world was 100% okay with anybody being anything and loving anyone, even to the point of the Moon Goddess, herself, choosing a sapphic mating pair in front of the royal court. This crisis felt like another box to check, as it was shoehorned in at the end without a convincing buildup to these issues.
I also found the romantic pacing to be unrealistic and, at times, frustrating. The Fated Mates reveal was just as dramatic as it was sudden. Considering these characters were Wolves, Calla couldn't stop mentioning that she and her chosen mate were “mates” and how intense the Mating Frenzy was. However, there was no pining, no slow burn—nothing that made me believe they were truly crazy for each other. Usually, when the “Mating Frenzy” comes up in books, you expect a real spicy treat. Instead, it was just tiring to repeatedly read about how bad it was not to touch each other. When it came to the spice, it was concentrated in one chunk of the book, it was more overwhelming than it was rewarding. I found myself skimming the pages to get through it all.
I also love politics in fantasy, as I believe it adds an extra exciting element to world-building and gives us a real glimpse of what it's like in this world. However, the politics in this book were as simplistic as “This King is bad, this Queen is bad.” Maybe the next books will dive into this a little more and clear a few things up, but I don't think I will be there for that journey.
So if you like wolves, limited worldbuilding, and a main female character who is always stressed for the wrong reasons, this book might be for you.
Don't read the description of this book and just read this book. This book is THAT GIRL. Very fun and easy to consume. I loved the banter between main characters. The plot is juuuust predictable enough where it's still cozy even if the stakes feel like they could be high.
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