The good + The open communication and honesty + Kennedy and Jack deciding they want Gabe with them permanently + Their safe space talks when The good + The open communication and honesty + Kennedy and Jack deciding they want Gabe with them permanently + Their safe space talks when they get on their knees and look each other in the eyes + Jack's expression of love and affection through touch + How free and open they all were with their kinks + The trust between all of them + Aftercare + Lots of cuddles + Jack's possessiveness immediately making space for Gabe to stake a claim as well + Kennedy bit the face of the man who tried to sexually assault her. Hell yeah + Clucky
The neutral o Well, the blurb did warn me that they were all idiots, so I won't say anything about the stupid decisions they made. But o boy could things have gone differently if they thought with their brains instead of their guns (in every sense of the word) o Was Kennedy's family forgiven in the end? Because they didn't deserve that. Her sister was a bitch and a bully, her mother didn't respect Kennedy and refused to listen to a word she said, and her father told Kennedy he felt like he owed her ex something because of the shame she had brought him. An ex that tried to rape Kennedy. How could her father not pick Kennedy's side in this?
The bad -(view spoiler)[Kennedy gave Jack an ultimatum, which is one of the worst things someone can do in a relationship. She also completely blindsided him with it - within the course of one conversation Kennedy told Jack that she hated his possible choice, dumped all her feelings on his head, and then gave him an ultimatum. Jack didn't even have time to catch his breath. Even someone with better verbal communication skills than Jack (so, everyone who is not Jack) would have gotten whiplash from that conversation. Kennedy should have apologized for asking this from him and for blindsiding him like that (hide spoiler)] - Kennedy and Jack had a sacred ritual for speaking safely, where they both went to their knees and looked into each other's eyes. Guess it was only sacred when it suited them, because when Jack asked for it at a very difficult moment Kennedy kneed him in the balls and left. Wtf? - They drank a lot of alcohol before they got together for the first time. It's always a pity when alcohol is required for relationship development, and it impedes consent. I'm glad Jack and Kennedy had already spoken about the possibility when they were sober, but it still didn't sit right with me
Quotes
My cigarette has a long tail. "Anyone have an ashtray?" Jack cups his palm and holds it out for me. He lets me shake it out into his hand. And they say gentlemen are a dying breed.
"If I can fit them both in my cunt, surely I can fit them both in my heart."
This book was silly and sweet and also really violent and action-packed. I don't think the plot made a lot of sense, but I didn't really care either because I was here for the relationship. They were so great together and I really liked the way they were when they were around each other. Would recommend if you're looking for a light-hearted and sweet relationship at the center of a pretty violent and surreal action plot. And a pet chicken....more
The good + Mutual pining + Respect for each other's talents and capabilities + The ship's captain + All the pets + The animals' personaThe good + Mutual pining + Respect for each other's talents and capabilities + The ship's captain + All the pets + The animals' personalities + Shen deciding Taz needed shepherding + Rylando trusting Taz with his team + Taz's treatment of the girl she was helping + The sweet vibes despite the action-heavy plot
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o The part with the money transfers was a little confusing and I didn't understand, but at least I understood the end result so that's fine o The German wasn't always accurate ("I'm just a Kinder", but 'Kinder' is plural)
The bad - What happened to the girl that Taz helped, the one who could communicate with animals? That part was left pretty loose-ended - Taz was not completely satisfied yet with the life they had created for themselves by the end, and the book ended before she found something to keep her busy
Taz and Rylando spent most of the book apart, but there was no doubt about their connection to each other. I really enjoyed reading about their mutual respect and trust, but the absolute highlight was Rylando's team. Every animal had their own personality and role in the team. Would definitely recommend this one....more
I have very complicated feelings about this book, and decided not to leave a star rating because none of the options would accurately portray my enjoyI have very complicated feelings about this book, and decided not to leave a star rating because none of the options would accurately portray my enjoyment.
First of all, I genuinely liked a lot about this book. Especially the god of blood and their religion was very well-crafted, and Aurum's feelings and beliefs felt very realistic to the reader. It's a pity that Simin's religion was did not get as much attention, and felt a little more flat in comparison. I really enjoyed the way their religious beliefs were worked into the story and how neither religion condemned anything queer. The characters said so themselves: their "compatible insanity" made them a great fit.
My complicated feelings stem from the portrayal of Aurum's asexuality. This part cannot be explained without some small spoilers. (view spoiler)[I only know that Aurum is asexual because it was mentioned in the blurb. In the book, it's not mentioned at all, only that he's impotent. While I greatly appreciate representation for either subject in books, it felt like asexuality and impotence were treated as synonymous here. However, asexuality is about sexual attraction, and not arousal or the physical manifestation of arousal. And impotence does not equal a lack of sexual attraction (and, to make it even more complicated, asexuality is a broad term and ace people can experience sexual attraction as well). Of course someone can be impotent and asexual, but I think this book was too short to completely convey the correct nuances. On top of that, Aurum's descriptions of his feelings when he has sex with Simin clearly indicate arousal or excitement. While it's completely valid for asexual people to experience sexual desire, Aurum's sexuality (or any sexuality) was never mentioned in the book. This made it feel like Aurum's inability to orgasm was 'translated' to asexuality in the writing of the blurb. This implied synonymy between asexuality and impotence made me uncomfortable, because one of them is a sexual orientation and the other is a condition. I appreciate representation for both of these, but applying them to a single character would require more elaboration. (hide spoiler)]
Quotes
"Aurum, did we just get married." "What? No! Of course not! Probably not. Maybe? Would it even work if we didn't get your goddess's blessing?" "It wouldn't. Would it? Fuck, I don't know... Can we be half married? Is that a thing?" "So, what, I'm married to you, but you're not married to me? Is that it? Did we just invent the first unrequited marriage in history?" "Of course not, don't be stupid. History is so weird, we can't possibly be the first ones."
"I'd let you do it." "Murder you?" "Sure. I'd show you where to cut. How to make it real bloody. You can only kill me once, best to make it as good as possible, don't you agree?" "You are insanely fucking weird."
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased....more
The good + Pet capybara! + The honesty about their feelings towards each other + Sfjona. I hope she got her gentle giant in the end + TheiThe good + Pet capybara! + The honesty about their feelings towards each other + Sfjona. I hope she got her gentle giant in the end + Their magic bond (shut it, Hadrian, it's magic and that's that) + River's family. She has the best dad and little sister + River's dad tattooing people illegally and getting paid with a live duck named Baguette + River's dad trying to train Baguette as a protection duck + The author's dedication to their work. Seriously, all the research, designing fonts etc, that's awesome
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o I am extremely bad with following complicated storylines and fantasy world-building, so I won't say much about the plot because I was just along for the ride without much of a clue about what was going on o There were many pop culture references I didn't understand
The bad - There was a lot of misogyny in this book. A lot of it fit in the setting, but River didn't push back against it either. She didn't even set Hadrian straight - River was very much a 'damsel in distress'. For most things, she was a bystander who really just got in the way all the time. It often felt like she was watching scenes like she was in the cinema instead of actually present - Most of the book took place over the span of one week. I very much enjoyed the instalove aspect, but the (view spoiler)[cheating on Floe/Isolde (hide spoiler)] felt a bit unnecessary. Either they shouldn't have cared, or they should have waited a few more days. Hadrian's guilt and him calling it sinning really soured everything
Quotes
That's bromance right there, when you can recognize someone just from the way they scratch at your door.
In another drawer, she finds a sheaf of fashion plates featuring detailed instructions on how to style your hair so that you, too, can look like a sentient chandelier this season.
"You're half of my heart, halfway across the universe, and I need it whole."
This story was very engaging and I couldn't put it down. I do feel River had much more potential (resisting the misogyny, using her not-magic during the fights), and that most of her ideals and plans were only in her head and not executed. But Hadrian was lovely and I really liked their letters there in the end. I would probably recommend this book (and kindly ask you to explain the plot to me afterwards) if you're looking for a historical fantasy that's actually sci-fi. Or both....more
The good + Mason trusting Ian without reservation + Jason wanting to pull Mason into their relationship immediately + Ethan providing gentle aftercare + PThe good + Mason trusting Ian without reservation + Jason wanting to pull Mason into their relationship immediately + Ethan providing gentle aftercare + Positive consensual non-monogamy rep
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o Some of the worldbuilding was very confusing. Vampire semen could produce offspring (like for Fairdown), but vampire wombs couldn't carry babies? o It took really long for the main character to get a goal, so the beginning dragged a bit o The whole book is written from Mason's POV, except for one chapter
The bad - There were three major time jumps in this book. The first skipped over a century, the second skipped a few weeks, and the third skipped a few months. All those intervals covered some major plot that was just left off-page (like (view spoiler)[Mason and Ian's history, and how Mason wouldn't be hunted for what she did to that rich and powerful family (hide spoiler)]) - Ian completely blindsided Jason by (view spoiler)[failing to mention Mason was his wife (hide spoiler)] while they'd already been together for decades - Tabatha asked Mason multiple times (view spoiler)[to let her die (hide spoiler)], very, very, very clearly not consenting to (view spoiler)[being turned (hide spoiler)]. Yet Mason tried anyway, which is a horrible thing to do - Mason broke Ian's heart, but never properly acknowledged that. She kept 'blaming' his anxiety, his trauma on Keegan, but she had broken his heart just as much, if not more. She was very dismissive of Ian's distress and grief and seemed to blame Ian for ending their relationship, while she was the one who kept leaving and broke up with Ian - Mason's friend Hilda was French and spoke French to Mason. This was illustrated by having Hilda say things like "mi amore" and "ciao", which are both Italian instead of French... - Two of the main characters were named Mason and Jason. Of all the names in the whole wide world, why pick two names that are this similar? - Ian was not into BDSM, which is completely fine. However, the way Mason shamed him for that in her head was really not cool. Don't kink-shame, but don't vanilla-shame either
Quotes x "I want to mark you. Shove every bit of myself into every opening that will take it, then watch Jason do the same. I want to claim your heart, body, and soul, so no matter how far you wander from us, or whoever else you fuck, you'll know you're ours and we're yours until the end of our days."
I didn't like Mason, she seemed very egotistical to me. She took all the love and affection she was offered, but didn't reciprocate with anything other than sex. I found it very hard to sympathize with Mason, even though she was obviously meant to be a likeable character. Because of the time jumps, important details were glossed over and the plot's impact was diminished. This book was not for me. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend it....more
The good + Nesting + Scenting + Sam + Same taking care of Emily + Plant stealing as a date + Rubbing and rolling in the new nest to spread their scent + MarcThe good + Nesting + Scenting + Sam + Same taking care of Emily + Plant stealing as a date + Rubbing and rolling in the new nest to spread their scent + Marcus carrying around his mates + (view spoiler)[Emily cutting off her toxic family (hide spoiler)]
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o The whole 'meeting the parents' was mentioned many times, and then summarized in just a few sentences as if it was unimportant. It was a bit jarring
The bad - Emily didn't want the party. Tom made her go through all that horrible planning. Sam just laughed it off when Emily complained. (view spoiler)[And then when Emily finally broke and cried because she hated the party, Tom and Sam both shoved the blame at Marcus and said they knew all along Emily didn't actually want the party. (hide spoiler)] None of them (including Marcus) apologized to her - Marcus fucked up again the day he caused their dinner to burn. The dinner Emily had been working on for hours. He just apologized and that was it. I wanted some kind of groveling or just a way for him to make it up to her - In the epilogue, Marcus and Tom still shared a bedroom, while Sam and Emily each had their own. Why didn't they all share a bedroom, when they love cuddle piles so much? Having just Marcus and Tom share a bed while the others slept alone made it seem like they never lost or evolved the dynamics from before they met - I didn't like Tom. He made Emily do all kinds of things she didn't really like (like the shopping and event planning) just because he enjoyed it, and he used being a 'brat' as an excuse for being a dick - The connection between some of the characters was too unconvincing for me, especially for such a long book. I believed Sam and Emily truly loved each other, and I liked the connection between Marcus and Emily too. But Tom didn't seem to have any connection other than sexual with either Emily or Sam, and Sam's connection with Marcus was also a little lost on me
Quotes x Her mouth flattens into a thin line as she glares at me. It's cute. It's like being mean mugged at by a hamster.
I liked this book. It was a bit long, but I enjoyed it anyway. I could've done without Tom, and think the book would actually have been better without him, but it was probably good for Sam to not be the only beta. Sam was also the best caretaker. Would recommend if you're looking for low relationship angst and lots of sex, some of it kinky....more
The good + Maury finding a family + Maury's cheetah and Anthony's panther frolicking and playing + Maury teasing Laura about her relationship with Kobie +The good + Maury finding a family + Maury's cheetah and Anthony's panther frolicking and playing + Maury teasing Laura about her relationship with Kobie + Anthony having no issues (view spoiler)[accepting Maury as the new alpha (hide spoiler)]
The neutral o In the first book, Maury researched shifter bonding and mating. And she asked the very important question: "Did Anthony like to have his belly rubbed?" This question has not been answered! o The worldbuilding is still very confusing to me, and it feels like I'm expected to have prior knowledge about how everything works
The bad - Maury was the most useless person ever. Anthony kept forbidding her to do anything, and she accepted it every time. Then, the one time she refused, she was brought into a situation they knew was a trap and would result in battle. And what happens during the battle? "I could only watch with my hand over my mouth." What the fuck are you even doing there, Maury? - Anthony literally said: "You would have been a liability." The relationship between Anthony and Maury was not equal at all - Anthony made all the decisions and talked down on Maury, and Maury was a doormat. Also, while it made sense that Maury couldn't do much fighting, it didn't make sense at all that they didn't bring Maury, their best tracker and someone who had survived in the bayou for two years without the pride's best tracker noticing, on their missions to the bayou - Maury had been part of the pride for a while now, and she was the one who was in the most danger. Yet nobody thought it was a priority to get her a cell phone. Hell, she didn't even have a code to the touchpads that would get her into the saferooms! (Not that anybody had told her how to find the entrances to those saferooms, anyway) - Anthony hardly communicated with Maury and kept her out of the loop a lot of the time. Honestly, Maury should have just left his sorry ass and found someone who would treat her as an equal - They decided not to tell everyone they were fated mates, while also deciding to tell everyone they were fated mates, but not immediately, and then suddenly they told everyone anyway, and I am confused - If they were willing to take on all the rogue shifters because none of it was their fault, why were they such assholes to Maury back when she was just a rogue? She was in exactly the same situation - The plot was so confusing. (view spoiler)[Why is Maury alpha of Anthony's pride now? Why does anyone think that's a good idea? Where did Darius' wife suddenly come from? Did everyone already know witches were a thing? I certainly didn't. How did Darius control the minds of his rogues? What's up with Kobie's weird behavior? Calling Anthony names he never used before, faulty medication... How did Darius even know Maury was part of a fated pair in the first place? What the fuck was up with the alligator? Why does their bond work so much better for Anthony than for Maury? Why isn't Maury training her shifting? Why would they put Maury, the person most likely to be attacked, in the nursery? Why did Maury keep the pack power in the end instead of giving it back so the pack members wouldn't remain unprotected? (hide spoiler)] I have about a million unanswered questions
Anthony is not the man I thought he was. In fact, he's just an asshole. Then there's the fact that I have no idea what's going on, and I doubt the third book can answer all of my questions. I won't be reading the final book in the series anymore, as this one just left me feeling really frustrated. I would not recommend this book....more
The good + Their relationship. They were so in love and mutually obsessed with each other + Pepper's gift to Blake + Blake loving Pepper's gift, and giviThe good + Their relationship. They were so in love and mutually obsessed with each other + Pepper's gift to Blake + Blake loving Pepper's gift, and giving his own gift in return ((view spoiler)[saving her from herself (hide spoiler)]) + Rob getting what he deserves + Pepper's confidence in her relationship with Blake + Mutual trust + Pepper being completely okay with Blake's stalkery tendencies
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o Pepper ran away after accidentally triggering a trauma-induced panic attack for Blake. She should have stayed there and been there for him instead. I understand she was frightened, but Blake was even more scared, and he needed her o Rob was not the only person who did wrong by Blake, but the other guys all got away with it. Maddie also got away with hurting Pepper, which I didn't think Blake would allow
The bad - Blake's need to protect Pepper should have meant he'd make sure (view spoiler)[Rob actually left after he set him free. What happened didn't fit his character at all - he would never make a mistake so big regarding Pepper's safety (hide spoiler)] - (view spoiler)[After Blake was saved from the fire, one year passed immediately, taking away any of the tension that scene had created. With the way it happened, they could just as well both have escaped the cabin unharmed, and nothing in the story would have changed at all. Either show me some good injury caretaking or bedside vigil, or leave out the life-threatening injuries, please (hide spoiler)]
This book was definitely something. With the warnings at the start of the book, I was afraid something would happen that would rip Pepper and Blake apart. I'm very glad they fought all of their battles together, but boy were those battles gruesome. It fit them, though. Would recommend if you're looking for some mutual obsession and possessiveness and don't have a queasy stomach....more
The good + Maury's strength + Laura. She's a good friend to have + Anthony's clumsy attempts to court Maury + Anthony confirming Maury's consent to sexualThe good + Maury's strength + Laura. She's a good friend to have + Anthony's clumsy attempts to court Maury + Anthony confirming Maury's consent to sexual intimacy + Kobie the cat shifter who's allergic to cats + Anthony choosing Maury and nobody else
The neutral o The worldbuilding is a bit confusing. I hope it'll become clearer in the sequel
The bad - They didn't use protection for penetrative sex. This is obviously irresponsible, but even more so when considering Maury's past and the fact that she was an accident herself - Anthony came on really strong and intimidating often, which was the opposite of what Maury needed. He also never apologized for triggering a panic attack based on past trauma - What was Anthony's job anyway? He didn't really work or manage anything. I also don't understand why he is the pack's alpha in the first place. Was he born into this?
This book was alright. I had an easy enough time reading it, even though I was confused at times. I hope the sequel will make things a bit more clear. I'll try the next book for sure, because I want to see Anthony's devotion to Maury develop more....more
The good + Peeks in Santa's head, so the story is told from both sides + Pepper biting back every now and then + Pepper liking her stalker's attention. YThe good + Peeks in Santa's head, so the story is told from both sides + Pepper biting back every now and then + Pepper liking her stalker's attention. Yeah, it was still noncon, but at least she wasn't too horribly traumatized (wtf are my standards like that I can type this sentence lmao, let me be clear that this is only true in fiction and not in real life...) + The ending! + That there will be a sequel, because there is a lot of unfinished business...
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o What does Pepper do for work? What does Santa do for work? Does Pepper have any family? I feel a lot of opportunities were missed for the reader to get to know the characters better
The bad - I don't understand why (view spoiler)[Pepper's roommate was such an asshole to her. I don't really understand what Pepper did wrong. And I really don't understand why Pepper didn't rub it in her face that her stalker was real and that she had a video of her roommate and Rob in her bed (hide spoiler)] - Pepper tried to claim she was (view spoiler)[inoccent in tormenting Blake back in school (hide spoiler)], just because she wasn't the instigator. Pepper was a bully and she should own up to it
I was dubious about reading this book, because it sounded a tad extreme. And it was (holy fuck the (view spoiler)[snake (hide spoiler)] scene), but it was also... sweet? But in a deranged way? I don't know how to explain it, but I'm definitely going to read the second part of the duet. Would recommend....more
The good + Jaime's strength of character + Jaime's friendship with Seaton + Henri being a real foodie and Jaime indulging him whenever possible + Henri beThe good + Jaime's strength of character + Jaime's friendship with Seaton + Henri being a real foodie and Jaime indulging him whenever possible + Henri being such a good friend to Jaime + Henri giving Jaime a pet
The neutral o Sometimes, nothing much happened, and it felt a bit boring and dull
The bad - The author chose to create a fantasy world that's similar to a historical version of Earth, but not the same. Yet she decided to keep Earth's misogyny and queerphobia. Why? - Henri's misogyny should not be used to describe him as a 'gentleman'. "It isn't right for a woman to pay for her own meal when in a gentleman's company." I don't understand how a woman like Jaime thought this was charming instead of insulting. "She did not look womanly either, not with that thick black hair, drawn simply and severely back from her face." Henri, do shut up and stop being so misogynistic - More editing was definitely required. Also, a lot of English idioms were used, while it was suggested there was no overlap in figurative speak between English and Henri's mother tongue
Quotes x "That sounds just crazy enough to work. Do it." x Sometimes I wish I could outsource emotion or at the very least scoop it out into a bowl and pass it to Edwards and ask, "What's this, because it's possibly ruining my life and I think it's your fault?"
I don't know what to think of this book. I did not like the misogynistic setting at all, especially because there was so little pushback from the main characters. I did like being in Henri's head and seeing the world through his eyes. Maybe I'll read the next book too....more
The good + Kage helping Sayah + Sayah not being a damsel in distress and saving herself most of the time + Bess + Hurt/comfort + Kage brushing Sayah's hairThe good + Kage helping Sayah + Sayah not being a damsel in distress and saving herself most of the time + Bess + Hurt/comfort + Kage brushing Sayah's hair
The neutral o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased o Kage was a dick in the beginning, and suddenly his personality did a full 180. It was for the better, though, because his 'new' personality was lovely o I'm confused about the ending. (view spoiler)[Is this new demon a sort of upgraded version of Dal'gon, or a different entity altogether? (hide spoiler)] o The (view spoiler)[declarations of love (hide spoiler)] came out of left field and a little sudden. But the relationship turned very sweet and loving after that, so I liked it
The bad - (view spoiler)[Maddox was just... forgiven? Just like that? I don't understand why it would matter if he knew who he was killing or not. If he didn't take pleasure from it, he would have done it much differently than he did. I don't buy his 'redemption' at all (hide spoiler)] - The ending was a bit... anticlimactic. (view spoiler)[Why would Dal'gon even do this ritual with these witnesses? He knew Kage had betrayed him, and he knew Maddox and the wraith woman had good reasons to hate him. A demon who had survived for as long as he had should be smarter than this, and surround himself with loyal disciples for such an important ritual. It was a bit too easy (hide spoiler)] - Sayah and Kage were supposed to be the main characters. But a lot of time was spent on other characters, such as Maddox. I did not like Maddox, and don't understand why he needed so much page time
This book was alright. I liked the relationship with Kage and Sayah after they declared their feelings. Before that, I was a little unsure, because Kage seemed to treat Sayah as 'lesser'. That was definitely not the case anymore later on. I just wish Maddox hadn't been portrayed as some kind of good guy, and definitely hadn't gotten as much page time. The book definitely ends on a cliffhanger, so I would recommend waiting to read this book until the sequel is out....more
The good + J.D. taking great care of everyone + Cody's dad + Cody refusing anything that might turn her into a sex symbol instead of a bullrider + Max + TaThe good + J.D. taking great care of everyone + Cody's dad + Cody refusing anything that might turn her into a sex symbol instead of a bullrider + Max + Tanner and J.D. being really open with each other
The neutral o There was an infinite cycle of Cody saying she could and she couldn't and she could and she couldn't. At some point it felt like she had made the same statement about fighting for her right to be a professional bullrider five times, and it had lost its impact
The bad - Ty - Ty's treatment of Cody. It was blatantly misogynistic. "Ugh, she had to be PMSing or something." - Ty's behavior after (view spoiler)[the breakup (hide spoiler)] - Ty's view on polyamory. "Poly, she'd said. Yeah, but polyamory meant we all got to sleep around, and I was damned sure Cody wouldn't be ok with me finding another date." Why the hell would he think polyamory is synonymous with having an open relationship? - Ty calling men who bottom "the bitch". Wtf? Why did nobody call him out on that? - Ty's reaction to Cody saying no to sex. He threw a tantrum and was later appeased when he found out Cody hadn't said no, but wanted to clarify something before they started. That should have been completely irrelevant. Anyone throwing a tantrum because someone doesn't grant or revokes consent is an asshole. Nobody should ever feel like they owe someone sex - The insufficient content warnings. The warnings given were: Slight bullying and hazing of the main character, violence against women. I wouldn't classify (view spoiler)[threatening to rape someone (hide spoiler)] as 'slight bullying and hazing'. I also think this book deserves content warnings for queerphobia and misogyny - Anthony shared medical details on two of his patients. I don't care if his patients were assholes, sharing confidential medical information is a gross violation and Anthony should be fired
I really wanted to like this. However, I had some real issues with the queerphobia in the End of Days series, and I'm afraid the same seems to be happening here. I'm invested in the story and I'll read the next book in the series, but it'll be my last attempt. If the unapologetic queerphobia doesn't cease, that'll unfortunately be it for me with this author....more
The good + Rodrigo courting Ha Na properly + Rodrigo taking their connection very seriously, and wishing only what's best for Ha Na + Rodrigo now being AThe good + Rodrigo courting Ha Na properly + Rodrigo taking their connection very seriously, and wishing only what's best for Ha Na + Rodrigo now being Alric's step-granddaddy
The neutral o Why did nobody ask the very important question whether any children Ha Na and Rodrigo would have would be baby aunt/uncle/pibling to the twins
The bad - Rodrigo was incredibly anxious and obviously thought Ha Na might not return his feelings. Ha Na did nothing to calm in down - in fact, she seemed to enjoy toying with his feelings - Ha Na blamed Rodrigo for not stating his intentions out loud, but neither did she. She complained she had been flirting excessively and he wouldn't take the hint, while he had been courting excessively and she refused to take the hint either... - When Rodrigo finally built up the courage to confess his feelings for Ha Na, a really big moment for him and also one that could shatter his heart, she took her time and delighted in inflicting just a little more agony by dragging it out. That's not funny, it's downright evil (and not in a good way) - When they informed Ha Na's grandchildren about their bond, Ha Na told them they (view spoiler)[were going to have children in the future (hide spoiler)] without talking about it first with Rodrigo. Excuse you, such a major life decision requires communication with your partner!
I have enjoyed the Scales 'N Spells series a lot, and I think these authors write very good books together. However, this short was a complete miss for me. Ha Na played with Rodrigo's feelings to the point of heartbreak, made relationship decisions without consulting him first, and just straight up acted like a hypocrite. Yes, she deserved to be wooed. But so did Rodrigo. I would not recommend this short, and I hope their dynamics will be portrayed more equally in the rest of the series....more
Twelfth Moon(F/F first meeting to new relationship) - 4 stars Harriet owns a lovely shop where she sells scented products, of which she mixed and desiTwelfth Moon(F/F first meeting to new relationship) - 4 stars Harriet owns a lovely shop where she sells scented products, of which she mixed and designed the scents herself. The descriptions of that process alone is great already. Then she meets Dela, a customer who is just as interested in the owner as she is in the products. Harriet, of course, offers private lessons to learn more. A beautiful start to a possible romantic relationship. My only niggle was the "Is there such a thing as a demi lesbian?"-conversation. I couldn't gauge how serious the characters were being.
Goats, Drive-Ins, and Boffers(M/M first dates) - 5 stars Nu and Miles go on their first date, and Miles has thought of literally everything. He even brought a blanket for Nu to sit on because he has a body that sometimes hurts when he's sitting too long! And he remembered Nu loves goats! This story was just so romantic and adorable.
Collision(M/M platonic friends with benefits) - 5 stars Jones and Hollis have been friends for a very long time, and started having regular sex about a year ago. Jones is aromantic, and I think so is Hollis. Anyway, I love how solid their friendship was and how open Jones was with his partners about his expectations and needs. Jones was so unapologetically himself, and it was lovely.
Like A Memory Well Kept(F/X new friendship, possibility for more) - 4 stars Maeve and Evie are both intimately acquainted with grief, which lets Maeve open up to Evie more easily than they normally would. There was definitely a spark between them, but at least the start of a strong friendship is shown. Evie's boldness fit perfectly with Maeve. I was just missing a little bit of background story for Evie, which made it harder to understand her sad eyes.
To You, My Home, I Return(M/F established long-distance relationship) - 5 stars Yuri and Beckett are high school sweethearts who are just it for each other. And Yuri misses Beckett like crazy while she's at school. The love and the strength of their relationship just poured off the page, and I love how open and honest they were with each other. A partner they can talk to about literally anything and read gay romances with? These two are going to last. They belong. I loved this story.
This anthology followed some characters from the same town, each with their own little story. I loved these snippets and how different they all were. Yet each story still gave off the same calming and lovely vibes. I would definitely recommend this book!...more
The good + The very distinct characters, who still fit together really well + Nobody making a fuss about their poly relationship + Beep Beep the levitatiThe good + The very distinct characters, who still fit together really well + Nobody making a fuss about their poly relationship + Beep Beep the levitating and teleporting sheep + How they all managed to find humor and little pockets of happiness in their grim situation + Roderick pulling Bel and Octavia back together + Roderick achieving his goal + How seriously they all took consent + How Octavia trusted her partners to be there for her when she let go of her tight control + Octavia's protectiveness over her people + The lovely side characters, each with their own personalities
The neutral o Sometimes it was hard to follow what was going on, as character names were mentioned a little too sparsely. Luckily, all MCs used different pronouns o This book contained flashbacks
The bad - (view spoiler)[I don't think the Fae Queen was defeated in the end. That part went very fast and was a little unclear, but it didn't feel like a satisfying ending to me (hide spoiler)] - I feel the connection between Bel and Roderick was explored significantly less than that between Octavia and Bel, and Octavia and Roderick. I didn't feel their attraction to each other as strongly
This was a really strong debut novel. It contained lots of original fantasy/paranormal content, a unique relationship that worked really well, and lovely side characters with distinct personalities. I'll definitely be reading more by this author, and I would recommend this book for sure....more
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