Opinion Breakdown The Good: The characters, the connection between characters, and the family aspect.
The Not-So-Good: The POV isn't my favorite4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The characters, the connection between characters, and the family aspect.
The Not-So-Good: The POV isn't my favorite.
The Bad: The angst felt a little lacking for me.
Overall: I've had this trilogy on my tbr list for what seems like forever, so when I saw it available on my library app, I thought why not? I'm glad I gave it a shot. I'll probably go back to read the other two at some point, especially because I read the third book first. I liked the development of feelings, the characters, and the family aspect. I did feel like I was expecting more angst, so it was just alright for me in that department. Otherwise, I liked this!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Loree and Austin's story. Austin gets out of prison for being wrongly accused of murder to find that the woman he loves is married to his best friend and the town hating him. He decides to set out to Austin try to clear his name and he meets Loree along the way. She helps care for him and provides shelter while he and his horse heal some wounds, and they develop feelings for one another. There are some big secrets revealed, some past baggage to work through, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Loree and Austin in 3rd person narrative. Not my fave.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Austin. I liked him. I appreciated how he owned up to his mistakes and cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Loree. I liked her but I also wanted her to confide in the H more or at least earlier.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[I'd say they both push away at times but the H is he main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the H was in love with OW when he went to prison but she married his best friend before he returned, he was heartbroken, and he makes the mistake of calling out his ex love's name when he is first intimate with the h (which causes a good bit of drama and grovel throughout the book) (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (weeks?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Murder/Rape of side character that is a minor/assault/other criminal activity (off page), the h was a virgin, and unexpected pregnancy. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're still married with children and the H had a successful career (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, suspense, and unlikely relationship of the mcs.
The Not-So-Good: The fact that we don't get the H's PO3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, suspense, and unlikely relationship of the mcs.
The Not-So-Good: The fact that we don't get the H's POV
The Bad: The pacing for the first 2/3ish.
Overall: I think the description of Hunger Games and ACOTR combined was a good one, only with vampires. I'm not quite sure why, but I find vampires an issue. Fae -- no problem! I typically struggle to buy-in for some reason with vampires. Maybe it's some lingering rebellion against twilight still in me or something ...more
Quick Opinion: This was alright. I'm bummed because the reviews are so good and the premise was just different enough to have me stick with it.3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was alright. I'm bummed because the reviews are so good and the premise was just different enough to have me stick with it. It does pick up towards the end, but there's a lot in the middle that I felt was kind of meh. Like it was stretched out to get 2 books, tbh. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it. I found myself playing games on my iPad and watching shows instead of reading, which to me, says a lot.
Safety: (view spoiler)[the OW he marries is a purely business transaction and nothing romantic/physical happens between them, but he does let the h think towards the end that he cares for the OW and is having a baby with her (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: the uniqueness of storyline
The Not-So-Good: the characters were bland for me
The Bad: The pacing and lack of roma2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: the uniqueness of storyline
The Not-So-Good: the characters were bland for me
The Bad: The pacing and lack of romance (even though tagged as such)
Overall: I don't think this should be tagged as a romance, let alone twice here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. It is not a romance at all. They share a kiss but that's it and even that was out of nowhere and kinda awkward tbh. I was excited at first because it wasn't just an ACOTAR ripoff like many fantasy books seem to lean, but then....nothing was really happening. At all. I was bored and I did not feel even a second of urgency to read the next book. I'm obviously in the mega minority because many others raved about this series, so it very well could be a me thing.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Jude's story. Jude is human and her mother gets murdered by her ex husband, who then raises her and her sisters in Faerie. Her new father figure happens to be the main general for the High Fae King and raises her in a way that she wants to become a knight. There are noble Fae that she goes to trainings/school with that bully her because she is mortal. When there is some political unrest, she joins alliance with some unusual suspects and then there is a cliffhanger.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Jude's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Slow. I never skimmed but this felt long and slow.
Instalove: No
H (Hero) rating: 2 stars. Idk how we're supposed to like him. He's just a bully and then forced ally that might share a mutual attraction with the h ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, even though a lot of readers will not like this!
The Not-So-Good: The h tiptoed the line of doormat st2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, even though a lot of readers will not like this!
The Not-So-Good: The h tiptoed the line of doormat status for me.
The Bad: The characters. I didn't connect to them (other than one side character)
Overall: This was surprisingly hard to put down even though I don't think I really enjoyed it. I just wanted to know what happened. It was like a train wreck. I think that feeling of a drop in my stomach when I read about betrayals like this is so impactful that I even seek it out every once in a while even though I'm conflicted on why I do. I think I'm just drawn to feeling something while reading! I like the messy romances because they usually do make me feel. I just wanted more on this, especially because the only character I liked was the OM ...more
Quick Opinion: This was alright. It was a typical 2nd book in a trilogy that was full of filler. Adventures and trials, but not much else tbh. 3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was alright. It was a typical 2nd book in a trilogy that was full of filler. Adventures and trials, but not much else tbh. It was okay. I'm hoping the final book will give me good closure......more
Quick Opinion: This was an alright start to the duet. I'm interested in how it will all go, otherwise I probably wouldn't continue. I wanted mo3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was an alright start to the duet. I'm interested in how it will all go, otherwise I probably wouldn't continue. I wanted more emotional connection and I'm not sure I really like the H all that much. We'll see how the next one goes...
Safety: This one would probably be either Safe with exception or Not safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences ((view spoiler)[Poverty/Grandparent (parental figure) with health issues/drug use/prostitution (on page), the H was dating OW when they first got together (on page), and the H is ~8 years older than the h (hide spoiler)])...more
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favori3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favorite) and then when they finally communicated, it was the end of the book. And then! I needed to sign up for a newsletter to get an extended epilogue! While I was greatly tempted because I had invested in these characters by reading two books for this, I didn't because I had already invested by reading two books! Nowhere near enough closure. Their conflict was resolved at the very end and there were so many unanswered questions. I also wanted to shake both mcs to just talk to one another! I would call this a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and she moved back from Paris (hide spoiler)]. I didn't hate it, but I'm definitely in the minority because I didn't love it. I might read the 3rd book because it's about side characters, but only if I know I get a HEA for them...
Safety: I would call this Safe with exception depending on your personal preferences. **BIG SPOILERS**(view spoiler)[Drug use/abuse/addiction (mostly off page), cutting (on page), unexpected pregnancy/miscarriage (off page), parent with health issues (on page), the H got injured in the military (off page), the mcs are step-siblings, and the h was with many other men (off page) while the H was celibate during their ~4 year separation (hide spoiler)]...more
Brief Opinion: This was intriguing. This had me engaged enough to want to go to the next book. While it did tap into my emotions, I wanted mo3.5 Stars
Brief Opinion: This was intriguing. This had me engaged enough to want to go to the next book. While it did tap into my emotions, I wanted more. I'm hopeful that I'll get that in the next book, the final book of this duet, This Life and All the Rest. They were completely dysfunctional, but I do like dysfunction sometimes. On to the next...
Safety: Probably Not Safe(view spoiler)[Cheating (H at least kisses OW who is his on again off again f-buddy and the h sees after they have kissed and established feelings, and there is an OM that is pursuing the h that it could be considered she cheats on emotionally with the H - on page), loss of a parent to OD/bipolar (off page), drug/alcohol abuse/use/addiction (on page), child abuse/abandonment (off page), and the h's dad and the H's mom get married making them step siblings (on page) (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: I know! 72%! And the 3rd book! I was just so bored. I was skimming the abundance of sex scenes that, again, felt like filler. DNF @ 72%
Quick Opinion: I know! 72%! And the 3rd book! I was just so bored. I was skimming the abundance of sex scenes that, again, felt like filler. I needed substance. I have way too many books on my tbr list and with the limited time I've had lately to read, I don't want to spend any more time with this one. I am honestly surprised I made it this far. Especially after feeling meh for the 2nd book. Oh well! If you want a smutty fantasy romance with a slight ACOTAR feel...this might work for you....more
Quick brief opinion: This felt like filler to me. I think it's the stereotypical cursed 2nd book in a series. It felt like not that much happen3 Stars
Quick brief opinion: This felt like filler to me. I think it's the stereotypical cursed 2nd book in a series. It felt like not that much happened except the h being a little annoying with holding her anger way too long, a bunch of steamy scenes, and a climactic cliffhanger to get us to get the next book. Was it still enough for me to go on to read the next book now? Yes. But I feel like I'm toeing that line of calling it quits if it doesn't pick up soon...
Safety This should be safe for my safety gang gals...more
Quick Opinion: I read this to step out of my box and because it's been on my tbr list for what seems like forever. I'm glad I read it, but I 3.5 Stars
Quick Opinion: I read this to step out of my box and because it's been on my tbr list for what seems like forever. I'm glad I read it, but I wouldn't say that I'm a definite fan of the thriller genre. I will try hard not to make this my deciding opinion on it, because I was a little underwhelmed. I didn't dislike it or anything, I just wasn't all that invested in the characters like I was hoping I'd be. I think I need that investment to feel the feels that I had expected came with reading a "thriller."
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the suspense, the pacing up until the very end.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry/romantic connection. I g3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the suspense, the pacing up until the very end.
The Not-So-Good: The chemistry/romantic connection. I get that they had a lot going on otherwise, but I would've liked some more tender moments for the romantic connection to shine through.
The Bad: The ending and lack of closure.
Overall: This was an enjoyable duet. I didn't feel like it was enough though tbh. I was drawn to this because it looked like it was 2 books for their story to be told (which it seems isn't al, that usual for fantasy), but I didn't get nearly enough closure and I definitely wasn't happy with their ending. I guess I could continue on with the series, but I'm disappointed that it didn't end in a place where I felt that was necessary! Any recommendations for a fantasy stand-alone or short series would be appreciated!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lara and Aren's story. It continues where the last book ended and Lara is now the "traitor queen." When she finds out that Aren has been taken by her father in a more than likely attempt to lure her to him, she is eager to save him. There are some secrets revealed, some kingdom politics they have to navigate, and some suspense...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Lara and Aren's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove: They're already in love when this begins.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Aren. He was the king of mixed signals. He didn't know what to do with the h and I found it a little frustrating at times.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Lara. She was a fighter for sure! "Little cockroach," while such an ugly nickname, was pretty well suited!
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the H pushes away for most of the story and I'd say the h is the main pursuer (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have one scene.
Descriptive sex: Yes and No, not super descriptive.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for a while, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends kind of abruptly and with what I would call a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs," the H's kingdom is in an alright place, and the H has said he wants her to stay (hide spoiler)]. I was worried when I hit the 91% mark on my kindle app and it wasn't looking like I was going to get the closure I liked (especially after 2 books), and I was sadly right. Nowhere near enough for me!
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the H pushing the h away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise -- the idea of an enemy-to-lovers-bi-awakening sports romance!
The Not-So-Good: The fact that they wer2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise -- the idea of an enemy-to-lovers-bi-awakening sports romance!
The Not-So-Good: The fact that they were both fine with changing their sexuality. No conflict there! I also thought the ex drama was a little OTT and eye roll inducing.
The Bad: The connection. I didn't feel it. I didn't connect to either character and I didn't feel their connection to each other. I didn't feel anything except maybe some boredom here.
Overall:I struggled with this one. I like the idea of dual bi-awakenings, so if anyone has any recommendations -- please send them my way! Sadly, this was not the best and I don't think I'll continue on with the duet (I started skimming the second book and it confirmed my decision)
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Drew and Aron's story. They're both pro baseball player that come to punches on the field and then are shocked to find out that they've both have been traded to the same team. As part of the agreement, they are to live together to show that they can be professional and not let the fight get in the way of their jobs. Thee are some new lines crossed, some sexy times, and this ends on a cliffhanger.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Drew and Aron's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part, but there were times that was tempted to skim because it wasn't holding my attention.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3 stars. Drew. He was okay. I didn't feel like we really got to know him on a deeper level. He even felt a little cold (or boring) at times.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Aron. He was alright. He, too, didn't seem to be all that deep as a character even though it addresses themes like him being damaged, but it didn't quite evoke the feelings.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[the H1 pushes away and I'd say they both pursue the relationship at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Mild. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not very much and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ the H1's ex claims that she is pregnant with his baby after they break up (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes, but not super descriptive (view spoiler)[there are scenes with both Hs and OW (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (days/weeks?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Bi-awakening for both, the H1 is cheated on by gf (on page), the H1's ex claims to be pregnant with his baby (on page), and loss of a parent (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a cliffhanger with the next book, Outed, already available.
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating by mcs - Does have a (not very) descriptive sex scene with the Hs and OW - Does have the H2 pushing the H1 away - Does have a separation between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
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