I read Pheromone and freaking loved it so much, but I didn’t write a review for it. I don’t remember why. Knowing me, I meant to and forgot. After I fI read Pheromone and freaking loved it so much, but I didn’t write a review for it. I don’t remember why. Knowing me, I meant to and forgot. After I finished Seminal, though, I knew I had to write one because this series is absolutely phenomenal and I need people to get up and not sleep on it.
I don’t usually go for the alien romances where the aliens aren’t humanoid. I know, right? I wasn’t even a fan of Ice Planet Barbarians. There’s something about Stunich, however, that always makes me want to give any genre or trope a try. She’s a terrific writer with fabulous FMCs, an absolutely hilarious sense of humor, and I’ve always enjoyed how sex-positive her writing is. There’s no shame in Stunich’s game, folks.
Stunich has always had such a talent for writing dialogue and creating an amazing amount of sexual tension and chemistry between her love interests that even I, as someone who doesn’t get hot for non-humanoid aliens, was able to feel flushed and squirmy during the spicy stuff because the “alien” aspect of everything was almost the last thing I was thinking about–it was the snap, crackle, and pop of how intense everything felt between Eve and the aliens she’s falling for.
A lot of stuff happened in Seminal, but somehow the book didn’t seem rushed or crammed. That’s proof of good writing, pacing, and editing. Eve has a lot thrown at her, but there are MMCs and supporting characters to help absorb some of the exposition and some of the emotional blows. Poor Avril gets to bear the brunt of Eve’s reckless, stubborn, and sometimes careless behavior, but honestly she’s one of my favorite characters (and the inside jokes between Rurik and Eve about how they should go about killing her made me snicker continuously).
I love that Eve and Rurik both have some internal conflicts regarding the physiological manipulation that their bodies and minds are going through to make them compatible mates, but I love that Eve wants to find a way to free Rurik from the same fate as his father, too. Rurik truly wants to be a good mate and king, but there’s a lot of deprogramming to do there. Officer Hyt? Oh, you poor baby. And steady, protective, fierce, dedicated, loving Abraxas. I love him to the moon and to Saturn.
I can’t wait for Venery, which should be out soon. I never thought that I’d be so happy for a side project that took Stunich away from the F*ckboy Psychos series, but I am.
This review was written without any offer of compensation. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. ...more
So what’s a trauma-bonded quartet of super soldiers all in love with the female super soldier who could easily take them all out after taking out almoSo what’s a trauma-bonded quartet of super soldiers all in love with the female super soldier who could easily take them all out after taking out almost all of her maniacally evil scientist daddy’s experimental laboratories do?
Well, it turns out they go home, rest up, train, research, and try to find out where that crazy mofo went. He’s squirrely. At first time doesn’t seem to be the largest issue; but after a tragic incident, Nova willingly goes back into her own personal hell, and her men are left to track her down as quickly as possible.
If you look at my rating for Unstoppable, you can see that Unbreakable gained a half-star in rating over Unstopppable. When I read Unstoppable I didn’t feel it was exactly good enough to reach that four star mark, but I am certain Unbreakable is. Read together, the duet is a solid four star read.
What Unbreakable has over Unstoppable, believe it or not, is less spice, which makes way for more plot and character development. We get more of the character’s inner narratives, more of everybody’s feelings and a better look at how they interact, and some of the thought processes behind their decisions, no matter how painful. Like I said in my review for Unstoppable: I do enjoy the way Knight writes spice, but after a while I start to forget who’s even having sex with Nova because it starts to blur.
I enjoyed this duet, and I recommend it highly for the non-squeamish. If you’re squeamish, please check TW/CW before you start.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Come for the spice, stay for the spice. Because there’s a whole lot of spice. I mean it. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of plot and depth theCome for the spice, stay for the spice. Because there’s a whole lot of spice. I mean it. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of plot and depth then don’t look here, because this book is almost all spice while other people take care of the tiny slice of plot in the background.
I went back and took a peek at my review for Little Bird, the first book in this series, and I remembered how I felt about that book and why before I started Venomous Queen, and I was very satisfied with how much this book improved on what I saw from an objective POV in Little Bird. I may have given both books the same rating, but it was for very different reasons.
While reading book one I hated Link, and I couldn’t understand Raven’s attraction and reactions to him. I stated in my review that I didn’t think it vibed with who she was or how she believed women should be treated. I also said that I thought the book had really good bones and that there was time to fix a lot of the issues I had with Little Bird when book two (Venomous Queen) came out. I’m proud to say I do believe the issues I had with Little Bird have been ironed out, including the issues I had with the dynamic/relationship between Link and Raven. Williams seems to have taken some time to use Quinton (Raven’s silent and shadowy guardian from the first book) as a sounding board to explain why Raven loves the way the other men she loves, even Link, treat her. We also gleaned some knowledge from her inner narrative about the attraction of Link’s dominance and feral nature, which helped me understand where Raven is coming from and I count this as a very good thing and a smart move by Williams.
I love that Quinton was brought on board as a contrast to the other four men in Raven’s life, giving her a developing relationship like she’s never been able to experience before. He’s such a deadly teddy bear. Love that for her.
Like I said, the spice is plentiful, and it is both rough and sometimes very kinky. I was totally down for all of it. Does it come at the expense of a solid plot? Yes. Do I care? Not really. I didn’t come here for a solid story. I came here for smut. And smut is what I got. I’m not sorry.
I was provided a copy of the title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Super secret scientific experiments! Psychopathic dad who uses his daughter as his test subject! Like potato chips, the psycReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Super secret scientific experiments! Psychopathic dad who uses his daughter as his test subject! Like potato chips, the psychopath couldn’t only stop at torturing his daughter: He tortured numerous children, and all but four of them managed to live. But the genetically engineered birds have come home to roost, and they long to use their enhanced brains and bodies to peck some eyes out. They’re more than up to the challenge. Sayeth the Daft Punk:
“Harder Better Faster Stronger”
Off the cuff, this plot sings to me. A BAMF female who would rather kill a warehouse filled with combatants before a drop of blood touches her men, and a cadre of men who would die for her but will shed more than their fair share of blood before that will ever come close to happening. It’s not “touch her and you die”, it’s “touch any of us and you will die”.
The violence goes hand-in-hand with the kind of bonding that would usually form a tight-knit band of soldiers; but in this case it spins a reverential and uncompromising web of shared trauma, emotional intimacy, and deep love between these five survivors turned rescuers. Their mission is to ostensibly root out the deepest, darkest seeds of our FMC’s father’s research, his labs, and to find any and all other test subjects, if there are even any left. Then they are to help burn it all to the ground.
See all this? This, ALL of this, is my jam. If this were The Voice, I’d be begging this book to pick me as its mentor. I’d smash that red button. The thing is, there’s a lot of issues with this book that interrupt the fun.
I’m not even talking about Nova’s (our FMC) relationship(s) with the fabulous males in this book. Those dynamics and relationships are fine. The men sound hot, have great personalities, and recognize Nova for being far more dangerous than they are. And they’re here for every blood-soaked minute.
No, the main issue I have about this book is predictability and repetitiveness. These characters are supposed to have enhanced intelligence, yet they’re written like they don’t. And the spice scenes? Well, don’t get me wrong–I adore the kind of spice scenes Knight writes in this genre of book, where the characters both crave and can take it hard, fast, and violent, but the spice scenes seemed so much the same with almost every male character and proceeded almost all in the same manner that I stopped trying to keep track of who Nova was engaging with because it all blurred together. In the end, the spicy scenes stopped being hot and started being boring.
In the end, I decided I couldn’t rate it a full four stars because I just didn’t feel like it earned it, but it didn’t warrant a 3 star because the story is too good all on its own. You could’ve removed half the spice and I would’ve still been happy.
I was provided a copy of this book by the author. Any views, thoughts, or opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Note: The Knot Their Omega series is an interconnected series set in the same universe, but the books can be read as standalones at this point withoutNote: The Knot Their Omega series is an interconnected series set in the same universe, but the books can be read as standalones at this point without any issues. I am not aware if the author has plans to change that in future installments, however (the next installment is called Selection, and I guess we will see if there is further integration at that point). So you do not need to read Captivate (the first book in this series) to understand or enjoy Hypnotize at all.
Before I wrote this review I went back and read my review of Captivate, just to familiarize myself with how I felt about that book and see how it might compare to how I felt after reading Hypnotize. Even though I ended up giving them the same rating, I ended up enjoying Hypnotize just a bit more than Captivate, just because of a few different reasons. Both books did, however, have the same flaw that lowered their rating, but in different ways.
Juliet, our FMC, briefly had a cameo in Captivate as she was being promised to a pack in Alaska. It was almost a throwaway mention, but I somehow knew as I was reading that Juliet’s story was going to be the next book in the series. As you can obviously see, I was right. And as the summary states, Juliet never makes it to the pack she was promised to after something horrific happens during her flight. Instead, she ends up alone and stranded during a blizzard in the rural Alaskan wilderness. Thankfully, there are three alphas living off the grid in a cozy cabin and one of them finds a hypothermic Juliet stumbling through the snow before she succumbs to the elements.
Juliet’s promised to another pack, but now she and these three alphas have a few of big problems: Juliet lost everything in the crash (including her heat suppressants), all of their communication to the outside world is down because of the weather, and the snow just won’t stop coming down so any of them can get to the nearest ranger station to see if they have emergency heat suppressants on hand. Three male alphas who have been living in isolation for years without being in the vicinity of an omega? Juliet’s impending heat is bringing the urge to rut mercilessly upon one of the alphas, and the other two are just barely holding back by indulging in mercilessly hot alpha on alpha action (which is one of my favorite omegaverse kinks).
Speaking of kinks and tropes: Hypnotize has a leg up on Captivate by giving me that sweet, sweet forced proximity and deliciously filthy dirty talk. And talk about sexual tension! It’s a taut cord that’s woven between Juliet and Everett (one of our three alphas) throughout about half of this book, and it’s scorchingly hot. Do you have a kink for hot mountain men chopping wood? Then you will love this book. Lawson weaves a lot of commentary on female agency into this book and Captivate, and it’s much appreciated, but I also appreciate her dedication to bringing emotional depth to her male characters. It could be all too easy to give most of the emotional depth and trauma to the FMC, to make her the focus of everything and make the alphas strong men who know just what they want and how to get it. But Everett, Huck, and Dean aren’t living off the grid in isolated Alaskan wilderness because it was their dream. They’ve seen some stuff, been through some trauma, and have some good reasons to stay apart from society at large. In this book, it’s the alphas who need healing, not the omega. It’s refreshing, and I love that the forced proximity lends itself well to this part of the plot.
As to the big flaw in this book that I also found in Captivate: I found the ending to be too rushed and too easy. And, again, it was the events of the second act that left too little room for a more structured third act that would allow for a more well-rounded climax and ending. When the antagonist in the book has been built up to be such a big bad the entire book and then it seems laughably easy for the protagonist(s) to “escape their clutches”, so to speak, I end up disappointed that for as well written the rest of the book was that the author chose to waste an opportunity to write just as satisfying of an ending. Just because we know the book will end in a HEA doesn’t mean you need to rush through the section where we need to wrap up the section where everything comes to a head.
Still, it’s an excellent omegaverse novel with great characters. It’s a page-turner, and it’s going to cause some thigh clenching. That’s a good time, in my opinion.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, ideas, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I loved the first installment of this series, Problem Child, so much I knew I wanted to get to the next book in the series aReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
I loved the first installment of this series, Problem Child, so much I knew I wanted to get to the next book in the series as soon as I could. I was downright greedy for more of KC, her friends, and the mercurial boys in her life…especially after that cliffhanger ending!
So I went into Mad Boys hoping it would be as fast-paced, exciting, and event-filled as the first book, even if it meant putting up with even more slow burn (yeah, yeah, I’m a thirsty girl and I have a hard time with slow burns in contemporary romances in this age group. It’s a thing and I acknowledge it). That’s not what I got from the book. This, sadly, was a huge case of sophomore slump in a book series. I can’t pretend it’s all sunshine and roses and everything is superb in this book, because it’s not. It has a lot of problems. There is a lot to recommend, though!
KC’s character development has evolved between the first book and this one, and I’d say it’s for the better. While not outright hostile to people at Blue Ivy Prep, she does have a cynical bubble around her now due to the events of the last book and because of current events in her personal life. If you thought she had trust issues before, well, now her trust issues have trust issues and she’s not afraid to straight-up NOPE out of a situation if she thinks it’s only going to lead to something bad. Aubrey has also gone through some character growth due to what went on with KC and the pressure their record label is putting on them to work on their new album. And the most positive character change between books one and two was Jonas, who went from being madly in love with KC but being unable to speak to her except to leave sheet music for her in the first book to being able to speak to her but being very shy and reserved in this book.
But there were a whole lot of issues with the book, too: a huge plot hole that may have solved the central mystery of this book if only two of the guys remembered one cringe morning in their apartment, deliberate miscommunications, immature reactions, immature measures, and a lot of repetitive scenes. Then there’s the fact that I can’t suspend my disbelief enough to think that the guys wouldn’t have thought to search on their own to see if they had any other step-siblings in the world, considering their stepfather isn’t keen on keeping it zipped.
Heather Long is a gifted writer when it comes to characters, especially the female ones, and that’s one of the reasons I show up. Her premises and plots are another reason I come to read. I just think this book was a hiccup in the series, which I’m looking forward to continuing.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
The usual caveat when it comes to reviewing indie, spicy romance novels versus the vast majority of other books applies here: I do not apply the same The usual caveat when it comes to reviewing indie, spicy romance novels versus the vast majority of other books applies here: I do not apply the same set of criteria to reviewing these types of books like I do the others. When reviewing spicy romance novels written by independent authors I review almost solely on my enjoyment level of the book.
I kind of plow through my way through omegaverse novels. You could say I’m a fan. Often I read them as soon as they come out and then just give them a star rating on GoodReads and move onto devouring another book, especially if I’m on an omegaverse binge. But I was given an opportunity to review this book by an author who’s new to me, so I snapped up the chance as soon as I could.
Immediately, I like the introduction to our FMC, an omega trying her hardest to hide her true nature and pretend to be a beta for quite a few good reasons (in her opinion, which is the only opinion that matters), and even though this isn’t a new plot set-up, I was impressed with Lawson’s take on the set-up and on how she wrote Riley, the FMC. Riley isn’t in a good place physically, mentally, or emotionally, but she loves her job and her independence. She’s lonely, but she’s resigned.
All it takes is one absent minded mistake, though, and Riley gets herself in some hot water and a conscientious alpha gets her out of an altercation with the authorities that could’ve ended far worse than it did. Said interaction, due to the overly patriarchal rules that permeate omegaverse novels, leads to the alpha who saved her from the cops having to take legal custody of her.
The romantic story arc between Riley and the pack who takes legal responsibility for her unfolds much like most omegaverse novels, with a good amount of sword crossing for all us thirsty readers who are into that. But what actually elevates this omegaverse novel for me is Riley, her trauma, her insecurities, her vulnerabilities, and how she differs in a significant way from typical omegas. (Being more specific would result in ye olde spoilers). Lawson must have had to do a lot of research to create Riley, as well as the characters of Thane (the alpha of her pack), and Thane’s parents so the plot could fully come together. I admire when authors do their leg work like this, bringing something that sounds so close to what women in real life might experience so the target audience might identify more with the FMC and also bringing a FMC to the pages with such a strong vulnerability.
I do think the ending was rushed a bit. In the second act there seemed to be some material that could’ve been moved around, combined, or excised in order to allow more room to breathe in the third act, but it’s not such a glaring error that I think it will turn away readers. It’s really a great omegaverse book that should garner a lot of attention. I hope it does.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from Courtney Dunham PA Services and the author. All views and opinions expressed herein are my own.
The usual caveat when it comes to reviewing indie, spicy romance novels versus the vast majority of other books applies here: I do not apply the same set of criteria to reviewing these types of books like I do the others. When reviewing spicy romance novels written by independent authors I review almost solely on my enjoyment level of the book.
I kind of plow through my way through omegaverse novels. You could say I’m a fan. Often I read them as soon as they come out and then just give them a star rating on GoodReads and move onto devouring another book, especially if I’m on an omegaverse binge. But I was given an opportunity to review this book by an author who’s new to me, so I snapped up the chance as soon as I could.
Immediately, I like the introduction to our FMC, an omega trying her hardest to hide her true nature and pretend to be a beta for quite a few good reasons (in her opinion, which is the only opinion that matters), and even though this isn’t a new plot set-up, I was impressed with Lawson’s take on the set-up and on how she wrote Riley, the FMC. Riley isn’t in a good place physically, mentally, or emotionally, but she loves her job and her independence. She’s lonely, but she’s resigned.
All it takes is one absent minded mistake, though, and Riley gets herself in some hot water and a conscientious alpha gets her out of an altercation with the authorities that could’ve ended far worse than it did. Said interaction, due to the overly patriarchal rules that permeate omegaverse novels, leads to the alpha who saved her from the cops having to take legal custody of her.
The romantic story arc between Riley and the pack who takes legal responsibility for her unfolds much like most omegaverse novels, with a good amount of sword crossing for all us thirsty readers who are into that. But what actually elevates this omegaverse novel for me is Riley, her trauma, her insecurities, her vulnerabilities, and how she differs in a significant way from typical omegas. (Being more specific would result in ye olde spoilers). Lawson must have had to do a lot of research to create Riley, as well as the characters of Thane (the alpha of her pack), and Thane’s parents so the plot could fully come together. I admire when authors do their leg work like this, bringing something that sounds so close to what women in real life might experience so the target audience might identify more with the FMC and also bringing a FMC to the pages with such a strong vulnerability.
I do think the ending was rushed a bit. In the second act there seemed to be some material that could’ve been moved around, combined, or excised in order to allow more room to breathe in the third act, but it’s not such a glaring error that I think it will turn away readers. It’s really a great omegaverse book that should garner a lot of attention. I hope it does.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from Courtney Dunham PA Services and the author. All views and opinions expressed herein are my own.
I’m going to put up a disclaimer here, because I feel like I need to be honest: Were I doing my regular mood reading, just trying to find something thI’m going to put up a disclaimer here, because I feel like I need to be honest: Were I doing my regular mood reading, just trying to find something that hit all my buttons, I wouldn’t have finished this book, because it’s just not my cup of tea. So, as such, I’m taking off the hat I usually wear when I read when I review romance/erotica novels and I’m putting on the hat I wear when I’m objectively reviewing a book for what it is, analyzing the aspects I did enjoy, and looking overall at Williams’ approach to the story and storytelling and how much potential the series may have going forward.
Okay. Now that the minutiae is out of the way, here’s the review.
After much debate, I rated this book four stars because I really like the storyline and the potential it has to grow in future books, I love our FMC (Raven), I love her steady and true shadow guardian (spoilers!), I love found family tropes and I’ll gobble them up wherever I can find them, a great deal (but most definitely not all–and I really, really mean it) of the tropes and spicy buttons are right up my alley, I love the vigilante/gang aspect of the overall story arc, and I love how unreserved Raven is in just about every way. She’s uninhibited, hedonistic, and wild in a way only someone who feels completely sure of herself and what she wants and needs can be. That is an inner power most women would slay to have.
I tend to love the way Alisha Williams writes her stories. Most of her FMC’s are like Raven in some way, especially in that empowerment aspect. They know who they are and they largely don’t need outside influences to give them self-worth. Her FMCs are one of the reasons I keep coming back for more, even if I don’t always end up finishing the book because it just doesn’t end up being my thing.
And that’s my con here: There’s a character in this book I can’t stand, and the way he talks and acts toward Raven and the way she reacts, in turn, without any true explanation at any point as to why he inspires such reactions when they’re so different from the way she wants to live her life and the way she views herself and other women just caused me to turn up my nose like something smelled bad every time he was on page in any way. He ruined most of the book for me by turning me off completely and making me roll my eyes at Raven whenever he was involved.
But the bones are good. There’s not enough damage done that the series can’t be redeemed or the characters can’t evolve into different people. You can already see Raven undergoing a rapid evolution by the end of book one, and I was living for it. So bring on book two and show me more.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author. All thoughts, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone and are given of my own free will without reservation. Thank you.
Okay, okay. I’m a sucker for certain tropes. I’m totally going to admit it. That’s totally the reason I snapped this book upReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Okay, okay. I’m a sucker for certain tropes. I’m totally going to admit it. That’s totally the reason I snapped this book up.
It’s dark!
Our FMC has gone through some deep, dark stuff!
It takes place at a Catholic boarding school!
It’s bully RH with mm content and a little bit of ff!
Oh, a little professor/student cum priest/penitent action?
Oh, and it’s got a secret society twist?
Well, heck. Count me in, sugar. All of that is like catnip to me.
I gotta tell you: It wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t bad, either!
It’s got some obvious flaws in copy editing and proofreading, and the writing is a bit immature. There are some jumps between scenes that don’t make a lot of sense or leave plot holes. These mistakes aren’t things that can’t be fixed with time and experience by the authors. Both Amber Nicole and Jenn Bullard have room to grow in their writing when it comes to this series and I’m sure they’ll come back in the second book with the notes in hand from the reviewers of this installment and it’ll make editing the second installment that much easier and the read will be that much smoother. I’m a big believer in growth.
The bones of the story are good. The tropes and fun stuff this book is framed around are sound and have the makings of being an excellent series. The characters have the outline of being fantastic characters. Therein lies the issue: It’s all potential unrealized. Everything about this book has the potential to be great, but this book reads like the rough draft of what will eventually be a fantastic book once everything is fully fleshed out and realized.
Some proofreading, copy editing, and content editing would smooth out the continuity, spelling errors, grammar issues, and plot holes. The authors spending some more time with their characters, fleshing them out and bringing them from mere outlines to full realization, would definitely make this book among some of the more excellent novels in this genre.
What's great is even with the deficits this first installment has, I still enjoyed the read for what it was. It’s still a story that intrigues me and I enjoyed reading simply for what it was. It simply could’ve been much better.
I was provided with a copy of this title by the authors and Peachy Keen AS. All opinions and views expressed in this review are my own. Thank you.
File Under: Alphabet Soup Romances/Polyamorous Romances/Contemporary Romance/Dark Romance/Gothic/LGBTQ Romance/Romance Series/Read at Your Own Risk Romance/RH Romance/Why Choose Romance/Spice Level 3/Secret Society/High School or Boarding School...more
I have been with this series since book one and haven’t regretted one page of it. Sinclair Kelly is one of my favorite omegaverse writers, and this inI have been with this series since book one and haven’t regretted one page of it. Sinclair Kelly is one of my favorite omegaverse writers, and this interconnected omegaverse series has become one of my favorite things to read, review, and promote over the past year or so.
I have such a thing for BAMF omegas, and wouldn’t you know this book stars one of the best I’ve ever seen in Reese, who is a FBI SAC for their Undercover Narcotics Unit. She’s spent almost the entire time since she first perfumed suppressing her omega nature and urges and living as a beta in order to become one of the FBI’s most highly-decorated and talented agents. But once a job goes a little bit awry and she needs to take some down time so the aftermath can be cleaned up she finds herself in the same town as Bexley and Arden (our omegas from the first two books in this series), their packs, and the pack that is headed up by her father’s gorgeous silver fox best friend (who just happens to also be the town sheriff), a man she offered herself to when she was 18 and was rejected.
This book isn’t as good as the first installment of this series and isn’t as spicy as the second book, but it sure hits a lot of my buttons: age-gap, dirty talk, and some mm action being among those buttons. I greatly enjoyed the plot and the characters, as well.
The sole complaint I have about this book is how rushed it read to me. I know I often complain about books being too long, but in my opinion this book was too short and the story suffered for it. The relationship developments suffered for it. Reese’s evolution and character development suffered for it. And the ending? That was rushed too.
I do have a complaint that is applicable to other books but I saw in this book too: multiple epilogues. This was cute the first couple of times I saw it, but I really am sick of it now. Please, authors, do away with the multiple epilogues.
I was provided access to this title by the author. All views and opinions expressed here are my own. Thank you.
While I’ve read a few romance novels involving the odd tentacle or fae, I’ve never read a RH/Why Choose romance novel involvReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
While I’ve read a few romance novels involving the odd tentacle or fae, I’ve never read a RH/Why Choose romance novel involving just about the whole gamut of monsters. I don’t know how I feel about it, honestly. Some of it I found to be spicy, some of it I was kind of on the fence about, and some I was noping out on. Honestly, I wanted to try it though, and I wanted to start trying with this novel because I loved the blurb and I’ve always loved her RH novels.
And, on the whole, I don’t regret it. If I take out the spicy scenes I was kind of not vibing with, the story as a whole was a great story, and I have a great deal of love for Knight’s strong female protagonists (and, since this books is co-authored, I’d extend that love to Kendra Moreno as well, even though I’m not as familiar with her writing as I am with Knight’s).
I didn’t quite dig the beginning due to how similar it felt to so many books I’ve read lately, but that could so easily be the result of simultaneous creation I’m choosing not to let it bother me much. But that did result in a chunk of the first act moving slowly and not stimulating me much. Once I did finally engage with the book I found myself fully locked in, save for the times when the spicy scenes just weren’t to my liking.
If all the monsters are your scene, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this book more than I did. If you’re curious about all the monsters, then give it a try! It’s a good story either way.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
File Under: Dark Fantasy/Romantic Fantasy/Dark Romance/Monster-Shifter Romance/Read at Your Own Risk Romance/Reverse Harem Romance/Spice Level 3/Why Choose Romance ...more
When I reviewed the first book in this series I made sure to put a disclaimer at the beginning of my review stating how and Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
When I reviewed the first book in this series I made sure to put a disclaimer at the beginning of my review stating how and why I review spicy romance novels like this differently than I review other novels. I think I’ll post it again here, because I know I post a lot more reviews of “mainstream” novels now, but I bet most of my followers don’t know I read way more spicy romance novels released by independent authors than I do wide-release novels. I just don’t review them much unless I am specifically reviewing them for release.
So here’s the disclaimer: I don’t read books like “Knot a Chance” because it’s the most intellectually stimulating books in the world. As much as I’d like to deny it, I view my romance, erotica, and otherwise “spicy” books through a different lens than I do other novels; therefore, the way I rate them is going to reflect that. I need you to keep that in mind when you read my reviews, especially for a book like this, which is an omegaverse-based paranormal romance (AKA PNR). Simply put, I read omegaverse books sheerly because they’re fun, escapist, and hot. That’s it. If you want to judge me for that, then okay.
I have been waiting for this book since I read the previous book in the series earlier this year, but I didn’t end up enjoying it as much as I’d hoped. While it’s still a solid entry by Sinclair Kelly, it just didn’t hit all the same sweet spots for me that “I Think Knot” did. This may be due to the main theme of grief being rather heavy for my tastes, as well as my own neurotypical issues surrounding understanding and dealing with grief (that’s a long story not suited for a book review). The first book was fast burn, funny, and spicy. This book is a slower burn, not quite as funny, not quite as spicy, has fewer spicy scenes, and deals with a lot more psychological issues. So, even though it was enjoyable to read, it just wasn’t what I usually look for when I read an omegaverse novel.
I did enjoy the characters a great deal, and the cameos from characters from the first book were always a welcome addition. I like the set-up that was folded gently in for the next book in the series and will post my review for that when the time comes later this year. ...more
Okay, so right off the bat I’m going to get this off my chest: why yes, this does resemble (in a lot of ways) a very popularReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Okay, so right off the bat I’m going to get this off my chest: why yes, this does resemble (in a lot of ways) a very popular fantasy romance series that takes place at an academy for magic that involves royal princes and magical politics. That’s nothing new, though. Genre literature is all about taking influences from the past and building on them, and Tessa Hale isn’t the first (nor will she be the last) to look to the aforementioned book series for inspiration when it comes to starting a new series.
There are some notable changes: one girl instead of two, the knowledge of there being magic in the world, reverse harem happy fun times, and the plot of this book series (seeing as it will be three books total instead of ten) moves a lot quicker. Oh! And less bullying, which is good, because I’m starting to get very tired of the constant bullying in these types of novels.
So, is it derivative? Yeah, sure it is. Is that a bad thing? No. It’s kind of inevitable in this genre of romance. It’s a niche genre and no matter where you turn someone is going to call you out on how they read this or that in this book or that book. It doesn’t matter, because in the end, we read these books because we enjoy them, we vibe with them, and because it does something for us in our brains and hearts (and other places, right?).
I would’ve rated this book higher, save for the fact that there was so much information and plot to cram into this book we didn’t get a good grasp of each character. There was a lot of exposition and putting players onto the board so everything was set for the game to begin in earnest in the second book (which comes out in a few months), which took a little heart out of the book and made it a little too cold. But this is an understandable thing. I have no doubt the next book will be looking up as we wade further into the full storyline waters and focus on the characters in full. Keep that in mind as you read this book.
Thanks to the author and Social Butterfly PR for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
Normally, I fangirl over almost every new RH romance K. A. Knight releases. Her book "Stepbrother's Darling" is probably my Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Normally, I fangirl over almost every new RH romance K. A. Knight releases. Her book "Stepbrother's Darling" is probably my favorite standalone RH romance ever.
This book, however, isn't one I'd count as being at the top of my list. There's no doubt it was hot and enjoyable, but there was something about it that felt kind of empty and a bit derivative, both of Katie's other novels and of itself. Does that mean it's not worth reading? No, it doesn't. As usual, Knight's talent at writing violent bad boys,take-charge female main characters, and scorchingly spicy explicit scenes (with plenty of dirty words, yum) shines through. Does it have those same shades of Stockholm/Helsinki Syndrome that have both the FMC and the main male characters all questioning what's happening to them as happened in Knight's "Den of Vipers"? Yep, it does. But we see that in plenty of RH romances anyway.
What's kind of cool, in a way, is the way the FMC, Genevieve, acts as a cross between Patty Hearst (but without the old money aspect) and Alexandra Lourdes (a female entrepreneur in Las Vegas who started out with very little and opened a line of coffee shops (Cafe Lola) marketed directly at women (among other businesses) and is now very wealthy). It gave her character depth, dimension, and a directness I really enjoyed. Of course, it also made her very naive, which can happen sometimes to people who have new money. I was surprised no mention was made of a personal lawyer or financial advisor that might be missing her or no one wondering where her considerable assets (including her massively successful corporation and her NPOs) might go should she be presumed dead (then again, I don't know what the laws are like in the UK about such things).
Then again, maybe I shouldn't be, because there are a great many consistency issues in this book. I didn't bother to count them, and maybe they'll be fixed by the time this book is published, but in the copy I read there were plot holes, inconsistencies, and me asking a whole lot of questions the characters themselves should've obviously been asking for how smart and experienced they are at what they do.
All in all, don't stay for the loosely-woven plot or expect a riveting storyline. Stay for the characters and hot scenes.
Thanks to the authors and Courtney Dunham PA for providing me with early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
While this last installment of the Loxley Prep series is a large improvement over the second installment, “Thief”, it still Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
While this last installment of the Loxley Prep series is a large improvement over the second installment, “Thief”, it still falters in certain places and falls completely flat in others, taking a lot of the shine off of what could’ve been a great finish.
In my review of “Thief” I had a lot to say about how Lennon and the other characters seemed to have blinders on (I’m paraphrasing a whole lot), because there was so much I could see was going on and yet they couldn’t see what was right in front of them. Well, it seems Lennon may have been the only one wearing blinders, but the way the whole kit and caboodle is finally unspooled for her by the boys was really predictable and is one of my least favorite ways for the FMC to finally find out everything that’s been going on behind the scenes. I also complained about Lennon not getting to spend more time at school, with Ever, or at work… and while all three of these things do happen more often in “Lover” (yay!), I do dislike that all they end up talking about is boys. I really do wish that more romance novels passed the Bechdel Test.
All in all, the book felt anticlimactic, because you could see it all coming and the ending felt so rushed. This series was at its best in the first book, and now it just kind of drifts away as an average RH romance series. I don’t regret reading it, but I don’t think I’ll be reading it again.
Thanks to Valentine PR and Hattie Jude for allowing me early access to this title for review purposes. ...more
In my review for the first book in this series, “Traitor”, I complained that I felt the book was too short to have given us Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
In my review for the first book in this series, “Traitor”, I complained that I felt the book was too short to have given us a good idea of who the boys were but that was the advantage of a RH series: we get more than one book to get to know all the characters better. I also said I liked the private school aspect and loved the FMC, Lennon, but here’s what I have to say about all that in regards to this installment of this series:
This installment was a wasted opportunity in so many ways. Lennon hardly spent any time at school, and what time she did was glossed over. So was her friendship with Ever, which was a nice addition to the first book. In all actuality, I felt like Lennon herself had wilted like a flower and was a shadow of the character I had come to love during the first book.
Hattie Jude took an opportunity to let us get to know the boys organically and chose to do it by lengthy flashbacks and inner narratives, which is exposition by telling and not showing us. I ended up skimming all of those parts because, as per usual, they ripped me right out of the story. And all I gleaned from it was some background I didn’t feel was necessary and a few personal details I felt rather lukewarm about.
The 3.5 stars this installment rated all came from the plot that’s carried over and continued to develop from the first book. It’s rather predictable, but it’s entertaining.
I hope the last installment ups the game and comes through on the promise I saw in the first book. This one just suffered from a sophomore slump.
I received an early copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
We don’t read books like “I Think Knot” because they’re the most intellectually stimulating books in the world. As much as I’d like to deny it, I viewWe don’t read books like “I Think Knot” because they’re the most intellectually stimulating books in the world. As much as I’d like to deny it, I view my romance, erotica, and otherwise “spicy” books through a different lens than I do other novels; therefore, the way I rate them is going to reflect that. I need you to keep that in mind when you read my reviews, especially for a book like this, which is an omegaverse-based paranormal romance (AKA PNR).
I don’t know about other people, but I don’t read omegaverse books because they’re going to stimulate me mentally, emotionally, or because they might bring about some kind of epiphany or paradigm shift to my mind. I have tons of other books to do that kind of stuff for me. Simply put, I read omegaverse books sheerly because they’re fun, escapist, and hot. That’s it. If you want to judge me for that, then okay. That all being said…
I love a good omegaverse book like this. It’s book one of a duology (so far, at least), and maybe the author will stick to that, but since this book one with a HEA (there is a lead-in to the next book at the end, however), I feel safe in reviewing this as a singular novel and not one as part of a series, since the other book has yet to be published.
There is a lot to recommend this book: it’s funny, it’s enemies-to-lovers, there’s frustration via social media flirting ala Tik Tok or Insta, it’s cute, it’s hot, there’s male/male action as well as m/f action (as well as alphabet soup interactions sprinkled in there), and I have a weakness for “let’s protect our MC from a stalker” trope. There’s a ton of spicy scenes, as well as some milder fade-to-black scenes.
Then there’s the flip side: This book has a ton of spicy scenes… and a liminal plot around it. There’s instalove, which I love sometimes but don’t other times, and in the case of this book I think it came on too fast and detracted from the core strength of the FMC. I wouldn’t have minded the amount of spice if the core strength of the FMC had held up a little longer. I also found myself repeatedly asking why certain discussions weren’t happening when five or more people should obviously have been thinking about the elephant question in the room.
It’s an enjoyable omegaverse PNR, and I think any omegaverse fan would like it. I also think many readers will like the winks and nudges at social media and how it reflects a different persona than the one we put up everyday. It never shows the whole picture of a person and doesn’t contain their entirety. ...more
For the first time I get to be on the starting line for a new RH series! I usually end up coming into these part of the way through and then enjoy joiFor the first time I get to be on the starting line for a new RH series! I usually end up coming into these part of the way through and then enjoy joining in with the reading and reviewing once I’m caught up, but this time it’s ground floor, baby!
I have been really looking forward to this book ever since it was announced. I’m more of a fan of private school/boarding school RH romances than the bully aspect of it, but I’m okay with it the vast majority of the time, if only because it can make the spice even hotter when there’s a little bit of anger in it.
I’m loving the premise and our FMC, Lennon, who’s obviously been caught in more than one “between a rock and a hard place” scenario throughout her entire life. I feel like we got a basic gist of who the boys are, but this book wasn’t long enough and had too much story to tell for us to get to know them better. That’s an advantage to having a RH series: we’ll get to know everyone better in the next book.
Lennon’s Aunt Darby is both exasperatingly naive and selfish. I don’t feel like she’s a bad person: she’s just woefully misguided and likely easy to manipulate. Her “relationship” with Brewster raises more than one red flag for me and I’m invested in seeing how it turns out.
The pacing was nice, though the constant influx of memories told in flashback format is something I am cringing a little at. I’ve never been a fan of flashbacks because of how they interrupt reading flow and cause us readers to shift gears, but I can somewhat understand why the author make that executive decision.
I happily recommend giving this book a chance! I’ll be looking forward to the next one! ...more
Before I went and reviewed this title, I went back and read my review for the previous book, “Triple Threat”, to see what I said and to see if anythinBefore I went and reviewed this title, I went back and read my review for the previous book, “Triple Threat”, to see what I said and to see if anything I disliked in the first book had been redeemed in this extremely satisfying duet conclusion.
Lo and behold, something had!
In my review for “Triple Threat” I said, “Am I loving the triplets? Yes I am. I’m also absolutely living for Della, our FMC’s (Landry) little sister. I have the appropriate amount of rage and hate for Alexander, Landry’s father. Who am I not loving? Sadly, it’s Landry.” I went on to say that Landry had promise and I wanted to see if the second book would redeem her in my eyes.
Let’s update!
Do I still love Scout, Sparrow, and Sully? Heck yes I do! If anything, I grew to love them even more in this book. By the end I was enamored with them. Especially Scout, which I should’ve predicted because I always end up liking the psychotic ones best. Am I still living for Della? ABSOLUTELY. I love that brat. My rage and hate for Alexander grew by leaps and bounds, which is apropos. HOO BOY do I hate Winston. Last of all, I really grew to love Ty.
And Landry? Our damsel in distress? Was she redeemed in my eyes? Yes! Absolutely. She was the source of my frustration and ire in the first book, but I came around to not only like her a whole lot, but to appreciate her character a great deal. I still think she’s the weak link in the chain of characters in this duet (which keeps the duet from being perfect), but I am no longer frustrated by her or mad at her.
This whole duet is a wild, hot, fun ride. I highly recommend you read the two books back-to-back or else you might be a little lost when you eventually pick up the second book, but otherwise it’s a worthwhile investment in your reading time. And writing muses bless multiple birth heroes. ...more
I was absolutely flippity-freaking-thrilled when I found out Sara and Rachel were writing a sequel to the very first (and still one of my absolutely fI was absolutely flippity-freaking-thrilled when I found out Sara and Rachel were writing a sequel to the very first (and still one of my absolutely favorite) reverse-harem novels, “Four”. For the longest time, I think most of us had thought “Four” would stay as a standalone, and we were okay with that because Sara and Rachel both consistently put out quality material, but to hear they were going to give us a sequel? That was so exciting I pre-ordered it the day it was announced.
So, as you can expect, I had very high expectations for this book. Did it meet them? Heck yes it did! It not only met them–it exceeded them. It took everything I loved about “Four” and elevated it. It took it higher. Iris was fiercer, Silas was more protective, Baron was more passionate, and Gabriel was… well, more Gabriel (and I just when I thought I couldn’t love my sweet little torture bunny more). And then, well… I won’t spoil that for you.
There was the perfect amount of angst for me: not so much I felt like it was dragging the book into the ground and not so little I felt like the characters were taking the situation too lightly. The characters themselves were consistently carried over from the first book as necessary and new characters were well fleshed-out and extremely well-written. The plot was nicely woven into the plot from the first book and carried out to its conclusion in this book, and it ended on the perfect note.
Thank you, Sara and Rachel, for an incredible duology. Thank you for these characters and thank you for the love and time you put into them. I know I will miss them (but thank goodness I have the books for the memories)! ...more
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