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t0ast_and_t3a's reviews
400 reviews
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
reflective
tense
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
4.0
4/5š
5/5ā„ļø
3/5š¶ļø
F*ck, I knew I loved obsessive, bossy, and mouthy men (who also secretly love being submissive š)before reading this, but (insert spiritual-deity-of-your
-choice here) TAKE THE WHEEL!!!
As she warns at the beginning of the book, this is more of an Erotic Romance by Hazelwood, and differs from her other STEM romances a bit. The characters are quite forward with what the want from the beginning, but stick with itāyou wonāt be disappointed.
Some things that stayed the same are (and certainly arenāt limited to) her giant MMC, smart-a*s FMC, and great side characters you tend to want to have more scene time because theyāre just so well-written. She also does a great job of balancing the spice with the actual plot, which falls short with these types of books sometimes (that isnāt me saying that devalues the entertaining aspect of those others, because I am guilty of enjoying those just as much as this one). And I really admire her approach to make this as realistic as possible, but also gives the romance gestures and declarations the necessary over-the-top attention.
If youāre here for that, or hell, if youāre just here for the spice, get ready to not be able to put the book down.
5/5ā„ļø
3/5š¶ļø
F*ck, I knew I loved obsessive, bossy, and mouthy men (who also secretly love being submissive š)before reading this, but (insert spiritual-deity-of-your
-choice here) TAKE THE WHEEL!!!
As she warns at the beginning of the book, this is more of an Erotic Romance by Hazelwood, and differs from her other STEM romances a bit. The characters are quite forward with what the want from the beginning, but stick with itāyou wonāt be disappointed.
Some things that stayed the same are (and certainly arenāt limited to) her giant MMC, smart-a*s FMC, and great side characters you tend to want to have more scene time because theyāre just so well-written. She also does a great job of balancing the spice with the actual plot, which falls short with these types of books sometimes (that isnāt me saying that devalues the entertaining aspect of those others, because I am guilty of enjoying those just as much as this one). And I really admire her approach to make this as realistic as possible, but also gives the romance gestures and declarations the necessary over-the-top attention.
If youāre here for that, or hell, if youāre just here for the spice, get ready to not be able to put the book down.
The Long Game by Elena Armas
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Romantic, funny, and charming.
This is very much a story thatās focused on the romance plotāwhich isnāt a bad thing! I love a grumpy MMC and a sassy FMC, and this has that.
The rest of the story kinda fell a bit flatāthere was a twist near the end I didnāt expect. I even went back to see if Iād missed some details/clues, but I donāt remember there being any lead up to it. It wasnāt a bad twist, just felt like it came out of nowhere (again, I could have just missed the clues).
Itās a fun read, though, and dual POV. Perfect for romance lovers.
3/5š
3/5ā„ļø
1/5š¶ļø
This is very much a story thatās focused on the romance plotāwhich isnāt a bad thing! I love a grumpy MMC and a sassy FMC, and this has that.
The rest of the story kinda fell a bit flatāthere was a twist near the end I didnāt expect. I even went back to see if Iād missed some details/clues, but I donāt remember there being any lead up to it. It wasnāt a bad twist, just felt like it came out of nowhere (again, I could have just missed the clues).
Itās a fun read, though, and dual POV. Perfect for romance lovers.
3/5š
3/5ā„ļø
1/5š¶ļø
Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.0
A sequel that gives the first one a run for its money. I loved seeing more POVs and more EOs, but I especially loved how the original characters were developed even more than before. And though I preferred her Darker Shades series for the world building and magic, I really loved how this one built itself around our reality so effortlessly. Itās done so well itās believable.
**Iām interested to see what shes going to do with this series in the future. New characters? Or will we get our OGs back?
**Iām interested to see what shes going to do with this series in the future. New characters? Or will we get our OGs back?
The Roommate by Rosie Danan
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.0
2/5š¶ļø
3/5š
2.5/5ā„ļø
A fun, spicy read for those wanting a bit of levity in their day. Thereās spice, romance, and humor. The story does a good job of keeping pace and the dual POVs keep the tension between the two MCs steady throughout the book.
I listened to the audio versions and the narrators do a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.
3/5š
2.5/5ā„ļø
A fun, spicy read for those wanting a bit of levity in their day. Thereās spice, romance, and humor. The story does a good job of keeping pace and the dual POVs keep the tension between the two MCs steady throughout the book.
I listened to the audio versions and the narrators do a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3/5š
2/5ā„ļø
3/5š¶ļø
A fun, slightly deranged spicy romcom, with a few popular tropes āmarriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine, touch her(and him) and die, found familyāand funny bantering between characters (even side characters, not just MCs). I listened to this on a roadtrip, and the narrators do a great job of making it a production out of it. If youāre looking for a lighthearted comedy romance, this is it. But keep in mind, this is literally a book about a contract killer and a serial killer, so there are some detailed scenes involving torture and body dismembermentāand I mean detailed (lol). All trigger warnings are listed at the beginning, so youāre fairly warned before committing.
2/5ā„ļø
3/5š¶ļø
A fun, slightly deranged spicy romcom, with a few popular tropes āmarriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine, touch her(and him) and die, found familyāand funny bantering between characters (even side characters, not just MCs). I listened to this on a roadtrip, and the narrators do a great job of making it a production out of it. If youāre looking for a lighthearted comedy romance, this is it. But keep in mind, this is literally a book about a contract killer and a serial killer, so there are some detailed scenes involving torture and body dismembermentāand I mean detailed (lol). All trigger warnings are listed at the beginning, so youāre fairly warned before committing.
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
4.5/5š
So much to say.
First, I LOVED how this world was given to us. The characters showed us the world, explained it through their own interaction with it, and we learned with them as they discovered new things about it.
There is a lot going on, and so much to understand about the world, but aside from the first 40 or so pages (which Iād argue is standard for epic fantasies like this) where thereās this dump of information to understand, itās revisited and explained in seamlessly ways (like dialogue or from the POV of another character) throughout the rest of the book.
The authors do an incredibleāand fascinatingājob of keeping the tension woven through each scene, each character POV, and setting. How itās all interconnected is beautifully crafted.
As for the mysteryājust wow. I typically find myself growing frustrated when there arenāt more clues or insights, but this story had me on the edge and stringing things together in my mindāand second guessing those stringsāall throughout the 630 pages.
I especially admired the way the reveals happened. The only thing I wish weād gotten a bit more clarity on was the magic system, but I suppose thatās to come in books 2 & 3. (Thatās the reasoning behind my .5š markdown from 5š).
So much to say.
First, I LOVED how this world was given to us. The characters showed us the world, explained it through their own interaction with it, and we learned with them as they discovered new things about it.
There is a lot going on, and so much to understand about the world, but aside from the first 40 or so pages (which Iād argue is standard for epic fantasies like this) where thereās this dump of information to understand, itās revisited and explained in seamlessly ways (like dialogue or from the POV of another character) throughout the rest of the book.
The authors do an incredibleāand fascinatingājob of keeping the tension woven through each scene, each character POV, and setting. How itās all interconnected is beautifully crafted.
As for the mysteryājust wow. I typically find myself growing frustrated when there arenāt more clues or insights, but this story had me on the edge and stringing things together in my mindāand second guessing those stringsāall throughout the 630 pages.
I especially admired the way the reveals happened. The only thing I wish weād gotten a bit more clarity on was the magic system, but I suppose thatās to come in books 2 & 3. (Thatās the reasoning behind my .5š markdown from 5š).
Morning Star by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
4.5
Aside from a bit of a pacing lull in part 2āwhich makes sense once you get to the endāthis book has it all. Tension, sacrifice, hope. The action is never dull, the characters never cease to surprise you, and you will literally find yourself saying āOh, shitā multiple times.
Iām not sure what to expect from the rest of the series, but Iām looking forward to finding out.
Iām not sure what to expect from the rest of the series, but Iām looking forward to finding out.
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4/5ā„ļø
1/5š¶ļø
My favorite tropeāfriends to lovers. Thereās tension, romance, tragedy, and a split timeline. I love when stories bounce from present to past, and in this case it keeps the pacing going, as well as makes the reader like the characters more with each chapter.
1/5š¶ļø
My favorite tropeāfriends to lovers. Thereās tension, romance, tragedy, and a split timeline. I love when stories bounce from present to past, and in this case it keeps the pacing going, as well as makes the reader like the characters more with each chapter.
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
emotional
funny
reflective
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
3.5
2/5š¶ļø
2/5ā„ļø
An entertaining read, with good characters and an interesting premise. Itās true Christina Lauren fashion, with a quirky, strong female lead, and a MMC who is exactly what she wants/needs (and sheās the same for him). The romance is good, and I loved the development of their relationship.
I didnāt connect with them as much as I have with Laurenās other characters, so thatās the reason behind the rating. Still, a great read, though, and I devoured it in two days.
Audiobook had dual narrators and they give even more personality to the characters.
2/5ā„ļø
An entertaining read, with good characters and an interesting premise. Itās true Christina Lauren fashion, with a quirky, strong female lead, and a MMC who is exactly what she wants/needs (and sheās the same for him). The romance is good, and I loved the development of their relationship.
I didnāt connect with them as much as I have with Laurenās other characters, so thatās the reason behind the rating. Still, a great read, though, and I devoured it in two days.
Audiobook had dual narrators and they give even more personality to the characters.
The Wolf and the Witch by Charissa Weaks
adventurous
mysterious
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
3.0
I liked being in the minds of two different characters in the series, though not as interesting as the first two. Iām sure Weeks is planning on elaborating on some of the remaining questions in later books, as thatās how it worked with books 1 & 2.
The characters are well developed and have interesting arcs, especially Neri. Iām mostly intrigued about seeing where Nephele goes, though, with how the book ended.
2š¶ļø
3š
The characters are well developed and have interesting arcs, especially Neri. Iām mostly intrigued about seeing where Nephele goes, though, with how the book ended.
2š¶ļø
3š