Kenney is an instant-read author for me, and there's really no wonder. If you're looking for well written smut with interesting characters and storyliKenney is an instant-read author for me, and there's really no wonder. If you're looking for well written smut with interesting characters and storylines, then Rebecca F. Kenney is the choice to be made.
I'm continuing through her backlog, and she continues to not disappoint. Imo this was an exceptional smutty retelling of The Little Mermaid, with a gender bent sea witch. I just love the worlds Kenney creates and it always makes me wish to stay longer, to know more!...more
Hades was just...okay. Maybe I've been away from the Immortal Warriors series for too long. But maybe this is just one of the weaker stories Kenney haHades was just...okay. Maybe I've been away from the Immortal Warriors series for too long. But maybe this is just one of the weaker stories Kenney has released.
This felt like a rather mediocre attempt at the Hades/Persephone lore. Hades is a little too much of a softie for me here, personally. Especially knowing what Kenney is capable of. However, I think what hindered this the most for me was Persephone - specifically her rapid physical and emotional maturation.
The content warning for this subject is mild age/consent/innocence issues that are resolved. And sure, I guess they're resolved. However, given the instalove nature of this story, it was still...uncomfortable? And not believable.
Look, I'm not snob when it comes to instalove. Hell, back in the day I'd find myself halfway in love after a single date. I get how instalove can be believable. And there are tons of times I've enjoyed it; definitely in other Kenney novels, to be certain.
The thing is, Persephone had been a 3 year old for 70 years immediately prior to the beginning of this story. I'll repeat, she was 3 years old for 70 years. Then, for plot reasons, she is aged up to her twenties in moments, and from there our story begins. And for more plot purposes, she does mature incredibly quickly...but given that she still referred to sex as 'the thing' after actually having sex, forgive me if my ability to properly roll with this was, er, indefinitely delayed.
Overall, it was fine. But for what I've come to expect out of Kenney in this genre, I'm underwhelmed. You can't win 'em all. ...more
In A Prison of Ink and Ice Kenney simultaneously delivers what is probably her most romantic book and what is probably one of her kinkiest. I ate. It.In A Prison of Ink and Ice Kenney simultaneously delivers what is probably her most romantic book and what is probably one of her kinkiest. I ate. It. Up.
To be honest, I entered this hesitantly because Louisa was, by far, my least favorite leading character in any of the Wicked Darlings books. I felt there was never enough time for her to grow past her insufferable tendencies. Her romance with Lir was also much less fleshed out than that of Fin and Clara, making it feel like something was missing with the pairing.
Kenney really said, 'hold my beer' and gave me everything I felt Louisa and Lir needed. Though we get to see the most progress from Louisa, we also get to witness growth for Lir and it was all *chef's kiss*.
You get character growth, you get horror, you get games, you get lots of fun, sometimes surprising, smut, and you get some of the most romantic shit ever. Honestly, I need Kenney to write for the Wicked Darlings series indefinitely. It's just way too good....more
I'm a feminist, obviously / but I wouldn't really mind him savin' me / and I know that I'm fine without a man / but I think I would like his protecI'm a feminist, obviously / but I wouldn't really mind him savin' me / and I know that I'm fine without a man / but I think I would like his protection - Olivia Rodrigo
~aka~ the song Edie would have on REPEAT if she were a 21st century girly
In Guarded Treasure we follow English librarian Edith Taylor as she seeks to open a cursed Egyptian tomb and prove her worth in the field of archeology, while being hampered by the presence of her appointed 'body guard', American Benjamin Brooks, a seasoned treasure hunter...sound familiar?
Okay. Okay! I'll admit it - while I expected Guarded Treasure to maybe hit some of the nostalgia beats for all the people utterly and rightfully obsessed with The Mummy (1999), I also didn't necessarily have the highest of hopes. I expected it to be exactly what you probably expect it to be upon seeing the cover and reading the synopsis - smutty The Mummy '99 slightly AU fanfic.
Jesus H. Christ was I wrooooooooong. Forgive me, o' goddess Mae Lovette, for ever doubting what I was about to experience.
This is a top fuckin' tier romantic adventure.
On the surface, yeah, it most definitely gives the appearance of the Best Film of My Generation, valiantly helmed by national treasure Brendan Fraser. And while you'll find immediate familiarity within the general character archetypes and premise, Guarded Treasure quickly becomes something wholly its own, while succeeding in having the same balance of humor, romance and action that made the film so charming.
For a debut novel, Lovette wields tension building as skillfully as if she's a seasoned pro. I felt it build throughout the journey to uncover the mystery behind the cursed tomb, and I FELT it in the development of Edith and Ben's relationship. The sexual chemistry between these two is so palpable and believable. How we get from point A (enemies) to point B (lovers) in this action packed, quick but well paced novel, feels incredibly genuine.
There was a seamless depiction of the characters' perspectives that gave me as a reader a real sense of involvement and awareness of the growing emotion between the two that made the connection feel all the more tangible. I believe their development. In fact, they may be my favorite pairing in a long time!
My one critique of this otherwise superb novel (view spoiler)[was the reveal of how the curse came to be, namely, the person who set the curse. The mystery of the curse on Isfetheru/Anmara's tomb was the entire foreground and premise that brought the story together. It felt a little sloppy for the perpetrator to be a person we had never heard of prior to the exact moment of the reveal (hide spoiler)]. But I'll admit that my annoyance passed very quickly and, ultimately, I was left satisfied as hell!
Sure, this book can be a little tropey and predictable. But this felt like a love letter to something incredibly nostalgic, and it was damn well executed. I can't wait to see what else this author will do!...more
The short answer on why I loved A Hunt So Wild and Cruel is that Rebecca Kenney is clearly capable of witchcraft which makes her written wo4.5 stars.
The short answer on why I loved A Hunt So Wild and Cruel is that Rebecca Kenney is clearly capable of witchcraft which makes her written words somehow akin to consuming crack.
The long answer is that, while rife with the instalove trope, Kenney somehow continues to masterfully craft fantastical but believable characters who you understand in a visceral way, through Kenney’s superb world building and character crafting. In less than 500 pages and over the span of a mere week or so of action, I was fully able to see fleshed out versions of not one, but three love interests. Not to mention, in our main character Lauriel, we can clearly see an immensely satisfying character arc of a woman who embodies the grittiest, darkest and angriest parts that we try to keep hidden within ourselves.
For a reverse harem Christmas Carol reimagining featuring ghosts of unseelie fae, we are given multitudes. I found myself yearning for many more pages than we received, yet still able to feel assuredly satisfied by the turn of the last page.
Oh, and it’s horny AS FUCK. Duh.
4/5 spice feat. swordcrossing 3.5/5 gore & horror Don’t forget to check trigger warnings to ensure a safe and fun reading experience!...more
Kenney is superb at what she does. Rich, descriptive worldbuilding, incredible tension, a grittiness that balances the comedic levity that s4.5 stars.
Kenney is superb at what she does. Rich, descriptive worldbuilding, incredible tension, a grittiness that balances the comedic levity that she is so, very good at it. She writes in a way that isn't expected, blending lovable tropes with so much creativity. Oh, and yeah, of course there's some really good sex, too. I just genuinely need Booktok to discover this author because she should be making Katee Robert level sales. ...more
Let me start by saying that this was enjoyable and fun, just as the rest of the series is.
There are some downfalls, though. Cruel Seduction3.5 stars.
Let me start by saying that this was enjoyable and fun, just as the rest of the series is.
There are some downfalls, though. Cruel Seduction both felt like it needed so much more content to solidify the foursome, but at the same time, already almost bordered on too long. I felt less invested in this one, probably because it really does feel like all of the characters don't spend enough time together. That and I'm still a little icked that Theseus is a love interest. Blah blah blah multifaceted characters I knoow, but he really got to go from monster that would have killed Helen given the chance, to being pussy whipped and dickmatized.
We all know what we're getting with these books, though. Like me, you will read this, you will see its flaws and you will wait impatiently for the next book
Merged review:
3.5 stars.
Let me start by saying that this was enjoyable and fun, just as the rest of the series is.
There are some downfalls, though. Cruel Seduction both felt like it needed so much more content to solidify the foursome, but at the same time, already almost bordered on too long. I felt less invested in this one, probably because it really does feel like all of the characters don't spend enough time together. That and I'm still a little icked that Theseus is a love interest. Blah blah blah multifaceted characters I knoow, but he really got to go from monster that would have killed Helen given the chance, to being pussy whipped and dickmatized.
We all know what we're getting with these books, though. Like me, you will read this, you will see its flaws and you will wait impatiently for the next book...more
This story has SUCH good bones. What a fantastic idea. However, it's rife with casual racism and sexism. And rape is played off a2.5 stars, I suppose.
This story has SUCH good bones. What a fantastic idea. However, it's rife with casual racism and sexism. And rape is played off as a funny joke. Such a shame. ...more
This one was so fun and makes me excited to continue through Kenney's backlog.
Emery is on an Antarctic expedition when she's separated from her groupThis one was so fun and makes me excited to continue through Kenney's backlog.
Emery is on an Antarctic expedition when she's separated from her group. Facing certain death, she stumbles upon the magical Jack Frost. Jack has been tasked with helping to keep ecological balance in the world, a fight he has begun to lose.
Fun magic, fun romance, interesting secondary plot, great tension building - a total winner in my book! I've read some reviews complaining that Emery was mean to Jack, but she wasn't, not really. It was all artful buildup. I think some readers are just used to instant banging in their smut, which is a shame. Sometimes you really need that back and forth!...more
The Kingdom of Sweets was nothing like I expected, so for that I’ll give it points. Otherwise? I think I kind of hated it. I actually feel 2.5 stars.
The Kingdom of Sweets was nothing like I expected, so for that I’ll give it points. Otherwise? I think I kind of hated it. I actually feel like the summary is misleading, the marketing is incorrect (this is horror, for sure) and the book never gave itself space to achieve more than abhorrent characters and an ability to both show and tell too much and too little, all at once.
Part of me wants to say that there was potential here, but another part of me feels I only think that because of my long time love of all things Nutcracker. The author has a stellar vocabulary, though. ...more
I was around for the first wave of obsession people had over this book/series, near a decade ago. Throne of Glass was theI did it! I finally did it!!!
I was around for the first wave of obsession people had over this book/series, near a decade ago. Throne of Glass was the It series, so when Maas released a Beauty & the Beast retelling? Oh, people at it up. But I didn't get around to reading it.
Then the second, possibly bigger, wave happened with the rise of Booktok. Once Booktok got their hands on A Court of Thorns and Roses it was quite literally all I heard about for months. Videos about ACOTAR still pop up on my FYP to this day. Yet, I still never got around to reading it. Thankfully I also somehow managed to avoid spoilers (view spoiler)[other than the nebulous fact that Tamlin would eventually err in some unforgivable way, but was never made aware of what he actually does (hide spoiler)].
Well, I fucking did it! I finally read it, and I have thoughts.
First, I heard a lot of people complain that book 1 is too slow and is boring. To that I say - yeah, a little. I mean, it's got a lot of setup happening. But it wasn't so consistently slow as to make me not want to continue or finish. I was always interested in what was happening, sometimes I just wished more was happening lol
Second - Tamlin? Over Rhysand? Suuuure, Rhysand is currently in his nebulous bad guy portrayal for the moment, but come onnnnnnn. We all see it, right? And honestly, I just found Tamlin to be....boring. (view spoiler)[Granted, he did spend a large part of the book forcibly having to conceal a lot of information, so maybe he's just dulled out because of that, but still. (hide spoiler)]. I just couldn't get on board, and I found Tamlin and Feyre's connection to be pretty bare bones, when all is said and done. They lacked chemistry, for me. Chemistry that's already there in spades with Rhysand.
Thirdly. To all my precious, beloved normie readers - this is not smut. This is not fairy smut or fairy porn or whatever else the internet is trying to tell you. I couldn't even bring myself to shelve on any of my smut shelves lol If you're looking for fairy smut, go look into Rebecca F. Kenney. You'll get the plot, you'll get the smut, you'll get the hot hot hot MMCs. ACOTAR is a romantasy with some sex, but most definitely not smut. Now, this doesn't bother me. I love smut, but don't need it to have a good reading experience. I was just confused by the actual content, when all I'd heard was how this was pure fairy porn. However, I can fully believe the other books with probably get a little spicier.
That being said, if you don't read sex at all but kind of want to ease into it, this would be a fine entry point since it's so mild.
Overall, I had a good experience. I didn't really know what to expect, and my curiosity had just grown and grown over all the years. I'm glad to finally say I've read it, and look forward to seeing what the next books bring. ...more
The romances in every single book in this series feel like they're between the same characters, with only slight tweaks. Midnight Ruin, for m3.5 stars
The romances in every single book in this series feel like they're between the same characters, with only slight tweaks. Midnight Ruin, for me, was no different. However, it's still a fun, fast paced read. And Robert is dangling the deeper Olympus plotline in front of me like a carrot, and damned if I won't follow it to the end.
Every review about the ending being abrupt is accurate, btw. ...more
While I could say that this finale felt a little rushed (because it did), the fact is, I truly didn't care. Nikki St. Crowe is a genuinely good writerWhile I could say that this finale felt a little rushed (because it did), the fact is, I truly didn't care. Nikki St. Crowe is a genuinely good writer. While it felt rushed, it didn't feel *lacking*. The story really seemed to be tied up the way it needed to be. I just enjoyed it so much I would have taken hundreds of pages more. This book gave me a lot of lovely mental visuals and I would have enjoyed staying in Neverland just a little longer.
Now catch me IMPATIENTLY waiting for the Devourer of Men!...more
This book was nearly 450 pages long and I desperately needed at least 100 more.
A Court of Hearts and Hunger is chock full of incredibly descriptive laThis book was nearly 450 pages long and I desperately needed at least 100 more.
A Court of Hearts and Hunger is chock full of incredibly descriptive language, world building and holy hell, some spicy, spicy smut. And the TENSION, phew it had my heart palpitating, whether it was because I was waiting for someone to get murdered or someone to get fucked. I don't have the coherency currently to fully flesh out how surprisingly great this was as both a reimagination of a classic story and smut, but it really checked all the boxes for me. I'm DYING for book 3....more
I watched Barbie Nutcracker religiously as a child. I've always been fascinated by the story, by the music, by the ballet. To say it had an impact on I watched Barbie Nutcracker religiously as a child. I've always been fascinated by the story, by the music, by the ballet. To say it had an impact on my youth is an understatement. So, OF COURSE, as a now 30 year old woman, I see a smutty Nutcracker retelling and suddenly no other book matters lol
There are a lot of pros and a few cons to this book. The worldbuilding is wonderful. I was dying to know more, to learn more, to have more descriptions. Kenney is good at what she does. Faerie was magical. What we know of it, what's shown to us, it's all rich and wonderful. The romance was swoon worthy. We get two pairings in this book, and the men (though one of them takes a while to get there) really know how to get a heart racing! The smut was smut lol It was good, but didn't take over the entirety of the story, which was fine with me - Kenney created an interesting enough story that in the interim between sex scenes, I wasn't bored; I was engaged.
However, a couple things icked me. Not enough to prevent me from wanting to continue the book or from enjoying it - and I fully plan to read the sequel when it comes out next month. And as I mentioned, Kenney is good at what she does...but that doesn't mean it's not going to get a little cringey at time. I can't help but recoil at descriptions of flavor changing cum and descriptions of a man 'making my heart wet'. And the true flaw in the story was the character Louisa. She is incredibly frustrating, and while I can understand the character motivations, and she's by no means ruinous, but she was tedious as hell to have to deal with.
There were way more pros than cons to this book and I'm very glad that depraved people like me are turning all our childhood obsessions into porn ...more
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