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sultrytartreviews's reviews
476 reviews
Cheap Heat by Lily Mayne
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
If any series is running mainly on vibes, it’s this one. And I mean that complimentarily! This book was so fun and had some utterly ridiculous plot thrown in in the form of Frank and Beans. Thankfully that duo has had their story arc for the Goliath’s series (they are hilariously weird, but I also don’t care to have a large plot dedicated to them regularly). Dan and Rafe were marvelously vulnerable together and I liked how prickly Rafe was at first. This story didn’t feel overly long to me like book two. Just the right amount of time with the epilogue intriguing me for book four. I can’t wait to continue this weird, horny series. It’s so fun!
Marked by the sea by J.P. Sina
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
This was…a weird read. I didn’t really like or dislike it. Mostly I think it felt incomplete and like the plot was much too big to be such a short book. Character motivations were…not relevant, I guess? I couldn’t understand why in a romance the FMC needed to be r*ped by her love interests AND almost assaulted by someone else. To be “fair” to the author, this is mentioned in the CW at the beginning of the book, I just don’t think it was well incorporated at all. Also, pretty sure the MMCs all ate humans before…I couldn’t understand that either. I ended up skipping to the steamy scenes because I did think those had a good flow (minus the SA, obviously). I also
Found it odd that this was a why choose (MFMM) but that only two characters got POV chapters. this was very puzzling as a whole work. It felt more like a beginning draft than a completed piece.
Found it odd that this was a why choose (MFMM) but that only two characters got POV chapters. this was very puzzling as a whole work. It felt more like a beginning draft than a completed piece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Kidnapping
To Mate A Dragon by Naomi Lucas
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
If you like your monster romances same but different, this may be the series for you. There’s a lot of similarities between book 1 and 2. Not a bad thing at all, I enjoyed both. I liked the strong female characters and the silly alpha holes.
To Touch A Dragon by Naomi Lucas
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Her Big City Neighbor by Jackie Lau
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was a delight! I loved the grumpy sunshine pairing, especially since the MMC was so bothered by his feelings. There was good humor and genuine heart sprinkled throughout. I am really looking forward to reading more by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Grief
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
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
5.0
A million stars if I could!! This books was so fricking good. I’m glad I waited for book two to be out because the ending is a huge cliff hanger.
Any potential reservations or questions I had about the plot/world building were answered by…not directly being answered. Basically, it’s ok to not know because it turns out our MCs don’t really know anything either. And I’m ok for going along with the ride in book two. The fast pace of the story kept me from looking too closely at anything that could have derailed be early on, so I appreciate that tactic.
Feminine and queer rage combine to create a fire no one can dampen. I am obsessed and I cannot wait to read more.
Any potential reservations or questions I had about the plot/world building were answered by…not directly being answered. Basically, it’s ok to not know because it turns out our MCs don’t really know anything either. And I’m ok for going along with the ride in book two. The fast pace of the story kept me from looking too closely at anything that could have derailed be early on, so I appreciate that tactic.
Feminine and queer rage combine to create a fire no one can dampen. I am obsessed and I cannot wait to read more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
FMC has bound feet and details the gruesome details, care required for them, and the pain associated with them
Lord of Population by Elizabeth Stephens
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars
I come to this series having read Stephens’ other works, Xiveri Mates and Beats of Gatamora. It’s certainly different in tone from both those series. Since this was a single POV from the FMC, I found it to be more a survivalist story than a romance. The trajectory of the romance was a little odd to me (zero to undying love very quickly and then separated for a long time). I wanted to see more of their actual relationship functioning. The relationship between Abel and Mikey was also throwing me for a loop the entire book…it’s definitely a choice I haven’t read before. Like we’re supposed to believe it’s a love triangle but it never really was? Sorta confusing, especially since Mikey doesn’t have a book written for him (I was sure we were going to get a redemption arc of some sort for him). But Abel is a fantastic MC and I loved her story. It’s definitely A LOT to take in. Be prepared for how heavy and intense the story is. I’m hoping the rest of the series is a bit more romance forward, but I will definitely be continuing it.
I come to this series having read Stephens’ other works, Xiveri Mates and Beats of Gatamora. It’s certainly different in tone from both those series. Since this was a single POV from the FMC, I found it to be more a survivalist story than a romance. The trajectory of the romance was a little odd to me (zero to undying love very quickly and then separated for a long time). I wanted to see more of their actual relationship functioning. The relationship between Abel and Mikey was also throwing me for a loop the entire book…it’s definitely a choice I haven’t read before. Like we’re supposed to believe it’s a love triangle but it never really was? Sorta confusing, especially since Mikey doesn’t have a book written for him (I was sure we were going to get a redemption arc of some sort for him). But Abel is a fantastic MC and I loved her story. It’s definitely A LOT to take in. Be prepared for how heavy and intense the story is. I’m hoping the rest of the series is a bit more romance forward, but I will definitely be continuing it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement, Pedophilia, and Torture
Minor: Cannibalism