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raindrops333's reviews
1790 reviews
Whirlwind by Kayla Grosse
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a thoroughly enjoyable Twister fan-fic read. There is enough taboo due to him being her professor and older, but with the chemistry the author wrote for them, there was no way they wouldn't end up together. I feel there is something that happens when people survive disasters. Adrenaline makes people do some silly stuff, but what these two do is 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.
Some of the side characters deserve their own book.
Tropes
Age Gap
Pining, he falls first
Tornadoes Chasing
Found Family
Women in STEM
Body positivity
Witty banter
Some of the side characters deserve their own book.
Tropes
Age Gap
Pining, he falls first
Tornadoes Chasing
Found Family
Women in STEM
Body positivity
Witty banter
Candy Hearts (Volume 2): An LGBTQIA2S+ Charity Anthology by Chantal Mer, Lee Blair, London Price, Stella Rainbow, D.K. Sutton, Becca Seymour, Beck Grey, Minerva Howe, Bix Barrow, Victoria Gillilan, E.M. Denning, Jem Wendel, Merry Farmer, CD Rachels, Marie Sinclair, Susan Scott Shelley, Zoe Lee, David Gray, Riley Long, B.A. Tortuga, Rye Cox, Anna Sparrows, Hinsel Meyer, BL Maxwell
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This collection of short stories explores love in many ways. I found the different author's style to be different enough that I did not feel I was reading the same story over and over. The theme is love is love, and I find it engaging to learn more about a community that I respect and admire. My favorite stories were Silver Fox Linings by Anna Sparrows, Blooming for You by Jem Wendel, Only Want to Be With You by London Price, Misdialed But Meant To Be by Riley Long, and Smitten by Susan Scott Shelley and Chantal Mer (I wanted cookied after this one). Curiously, most of my favorites had a Meet Cute theme. I highly recommend this read and even more when they are benefiting the Rainbow Railroad, an organization needed more now than ever.
After the Ocean by Lauren E. Rico
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This story happens in dual timelines, the present when Emilia Oliveras is older and has two daughters, and the past where she is a young bride, who wants to be a concert pianist and her newly married husband, a cello concert player. He goes missing during their honeymoon cruise. The journey is a wild one and full of twists and secrets.
He was from a rich family with infinite resources, she felt intimidated by them as they tried to blame his disappearance on her. We get to hear a poignant story of love lost and filial loyalties put to the test. The author weaves a tale intermingled with Puerto Rican folklore.
The audiobook narrators were extremely good at conveying the emotional journey throughout the story. I felt the emotions running through the entire tale.
This book would appeal to fans of twisty thrillers with moving family drama.
Triggers
Child abuse
Intergenerational trauma
Pedophilia
Domestic Abuse
Murder
Injury detail
He was from a rich family with infinite resources, she felt intimidated by them as they tried to blame his disappearance on her. We get to hear a poignant story of love lost and filial loyalties put to the test. The author weaves a tale intermingled with Puerto Rican folklore.
The audiobook narrators were extremely good at conveying the emotional journey throughout the story. I felt the emotions running through the entire tale.
This book would appeal to fans of twisty thrillers with moving family drama.
Triggers
Intergenerational trauma
Pedophilia
Domestic Abuse
Murder
Injury detail
Blindsided By The Enforcer by R.C. Stephens
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Tropes
Fake dating
Sports romance
Sunshine and kind sunshine
Farm life
My Thoughts
A slow burn romance with humans who are flawed and have doubts. Annie just got out of an emotionally abusive relationship and Cade is seeking to shake a girl who’s clinging to him. They decide to start a fake dating relationship. Along the way, they start learning about each other and slowly falling in love. He’s the one who gets there first. His heritage is Korean, at some point in the story he shows her food from his heritage. They learn from each other how to set healthy boundaries for their families. The sports portion of the story played a minimal role. The story is well written and enjoyable to the end. I would love to be friends with them.
Triggers
Cheating, emotional abuse, generational trauma, pregnancy, miscarriage
Spice
It took a bit to get there but once it did it was very descriptive and well written. The writer took care of showing how a guy who is secure in his masculinity should behave toward women by ensuring she gets there first.
Fake dating
Sports romance
Sunshine and kind sunshine
Farm life
My Thoughts
A slow burn romance with humans who are flawed and have doubts. Annie just got out of an emotionally abusive relationship and Cade is seeking to shake a girl who’s clinging to him. They decide to start a fake dating relationship. Along the way, they start learning about each other and slowly falling in love. He’s the one who gets there first. His heritage is Korean, at some point in the story he shows her food from his heritage. They learn from each other how to set healthy boundaries for their families. The sports portion of the story played a minimal role. The story is well written and enjoyable to the end. I would love to be friends with them.
Triggers
Spice
It took a bit to get there but once it did it was very descriptive and well written. The writer took care of showing how a guy who is secure in his masculinity should behave toward women by ensuring she gets there first.
Bitter Brews and Secret Pages by Emily Campbell
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Initially, I was confused about the genre of this book. I looked at the graphics and it sells it as a romance, but this is not ... I feel it's more like a thriller that wants to be a romance. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story and was invested in the characters all the way through.
I want to emphasize to people to please read the trigger warnings for this book, they are essential for this book. It's very well written and triggering.
I'm not a fan of jumping into a relationship when trauma is still very much at the center of the issue. This is fiction and I won't dock points for it. We collectively need to address self healing before jumping into a physical relationship. There's no knight in shining armor that can fix it all with a searing kiss. I just felt they jumped right into baby making without resolving the trauma. In my opinion, this is something that gets glossed over a bit much on stories.
There were parts that felt a bit rushed towards the end. The entire DV was emotional.
If Eli doesn't already have a book, he needs one pronto.
I'm in awe with this author who's made me react with visceral emotions for what I thought was an easy and fluffy read. Good Job Emily!
I want to emphasize to people to please read the trigger warnings for this book, they are essential for this book. It's very well written and triggering.
There were parts that felt a bit rushed towards the end. The entire DV was emotional.
If Eli doesn't already have a book, he needs one pronto.
I'm in awe with this author who's made me react with visceral emotions for what I thought was an easy and fluffy read. Good Job Emily!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Minor: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Milked by the Enforcer by Elsie Louis
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
5/5🌶️
Tropes
- Kink
This short novella is rather niche. It is well written nonetheless. What does a woman have to do to pay her husband's debts? Make a deal with the mafia enforcer, of course. Sparks fly and things happen. I received an advanced copy, opinions are my own. Check trigger warnings.
Tropes
- Kink
This short novella is rather niche. It is well written nonetheless. What does a woman have to do to pay her husband's debts? Make a deal with the mafia enforcer, of course. Sparks fly and things happen. I received an advanced copy, opinions are my own. Check trigger warnings.
Never Broken by Everly Claire
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
3/5 🌶️
Tropes
- dystopian
- morally grey
My Thoughts
In a dystopian world where casts and slavery exist in North America, in an alternate universe, we get a love story with a different plot than usual. It is a forbidden tale of more than one kind of love. A privileged young woman finds love in her family's no name slave. The author handles the social realities of today and transforms them into a compelling story. Please check the triggers. It would appeal to fans of The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games, and even Divergent. I received a copy for review, opinions are my own. This book ends on a cliffhanger.
Tropes
- dystopian
- morally grey
My Thoughts
In a dystopian world where casts and slavery exist in North America, in an alternate universe, we get a love story with a different plot than usual. It is a forbidden tale of more than one kind of love. A privileged young woman finds love in her family's no name slave. The author handles the social realities of today and transforms them into a compelling story. Please check the triggers. It would appeal to fans of The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games, and even Divergent. I received a copy for review, opinions are my own. This book ends on a cliffhanger.
All Fired Up by M.K. England
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
3/5 🌶️
Tropes
- WLW
- Women in STEM
- Found family
- Out and joyful
My Thoughts
I thought this book was a sweet story of a found family where not everyone has it all together. These are younger adults who are still trying to figure out what life is. If one thing I would say, the focus was one of the character's insecurities and mentioning it too many times about how bad she's going to mess up, although I can completely understand it is close to what happens in real life. She had anxiety over her student loans, and it was mentioned a little too much. To the point that I felt the character should've spent more time working on healing the anxiety before the resolution of the story. The author did spend quite a bit of time building the story and not getting to the essence until later. Other than that, this is a delightful read of real people with real issues. I will read this author again. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Triggers
Fires
Fire injury
Love triangle
LGBTQ+ representation
Author and main characters are LGBTQ+.
Tropes
- WLW
- Women in STEM
- Found family
- Out and joyful
My Thoughts
I thought this book was a sweet story of a found family where not everyone has it all together. These are younger adults who are still trying to figure out what life is. If one thing I would say, the focus was one of the character's insecurities and mentioning it too many times about how bad she's going to mess up, although I can completely understand it is close to what happens in real life. She had anxiety over her student loans, and it was mentioned a little too much. To the point that I felt the character should've spent more time working on healing the anxiety before the resolution of the story. The author did spend quite a bit of time building the story and not getting to the essence until later. Other than that, this is a delightful read of real people with real issues. I will read this author again. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Triggers
Fires
Fire injury
Love triangle
LGBTQ+ representation
Author and main characters are LGBTQ+.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury