[Review] Read Roundup - Mar 2024
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booknookI read quite a few things as part of a reading challenge in a discord server I'm in. Part of the challenge is reviewing what you read in order to prove you read it, so you can get those sweet fake internet points. And I figure I can share these with you! :D
These are pretty short reviews, since the purpose was just "hey I read this book!"
These are actually in the right order! The date beside the title is the date I finished/reviewed them.
Book Author: Kiki Clark, E.M. Lindsey
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 273
Review: This is an m/m human (who can see ghost)/reaper romance. Elias is a medium, and—I forgot his name already, lol—Tristian is a Victorian reaper, and one chance (or maybe it's fate?) meeting leads to many more, and a sort-of forbidden romance starts.
It was sweet, but I didn't quite click with it. I don't know why, but it just kind of felt a bit... not shallow, precisely, but it didn't feel like there was a lot of depth to the characters and the worldbuilding. Like, it wasn't a bad read or anything! It just wasn't quite what I wanted it to be and I'm a tiny bit bummed about it.
I liked the characters, most of them were fun, the romance was sweet, but yeah, I guess I just feel like it didn't lean hard enough into anything for it to feel like... I don't know, there's just nothing really to bite my teeth into, if that makes sense. A good, fun read! But not really what I was looking for.
(Also I read the print book, and it's worth a mention it's printed entirely on stark white paper. If I *don't* get a headache from this I'm gonna be really surprised.)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Fantasy Romance
Finished Page Count: 221
Review: This was absolutely lovely. Mattin's king, Arden, and the king's husband, Mil, are pressured to take a new consort by scheming nobles seeking provoke them, but the king and his husband already have their eyes, and their hearts, set on Mattin, a Master Keeper (of like historical records and stuff) at the palace. Mattin fails to realize this and earnestly sets out to find them good spousal candidates now that the've declared they're going along with this, only it seems they're not looking very thoroughly. They're not taking it very seriously. Hmm. Wonder why. So tough to tell.
Yeah, I thought this was absolutely lovely. I dig the writing style, enjoyed the emotions; there was sweetness, some angst, a nice resolution. The world-building was intriguing, and the characters were interesting. Their interactions was particularly captivating. A really enjoyable read, all in all!
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Werewolf Romance
Finished Page Count: 250
Review: Adored it. Second chance fated mates werewolf romance, with a lot of heart, a sweet romance, and loveable characters I adore. Zeki returns to the werewolf town of his bullied teenage years only to find that his high school crush, Theo, is suffering from the pain of being Rejected by his mate. This is frankly unacceptable; Theo is amazing, and sweet, and kind, and gentle and... hmmm.... didn't Theo ask Zeki out around that time he was Rejected? Didn't Zeki say no? Hmmm. No, that can't be related. Absolutely not. Definitely not.
*Oh no.*
It's related.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I liked the slow romance as Theo and Zeki reconnect and clear up old misunderstandings and grow to know who they actually are now, as opposed to the teenagers they were the last time they met. I loved Theo's baking magic—I thought that was really cute. It was a nice read!
Book Author: Eden Finley, Saxon James
Book Genre: Sports Romance
Finished Page Count: 256
Review: Hockey player Aleksander is recently divorced and ready to go wild! Only, turns out he maybe doesn't want to? Maybe he just wants to keep hooking up with this one really hot firefighter dude named Gabe?
And then they do! And they get together! And it's sweet! They're fun!
I liked it <3 I enjoyed the romance and the characters were all cool; this is book 4 in the series so there's a lot of cameos of familiar characters, which is nice. I like seeing them having fun together. It's cozy when characters just like, enjoy each other presence. Friendship is cool!
Overall it was a really nice read, with fun character interactions and a sweet relationship. Like, Aleks and Gabe are and have fun together, and it's nice to read. I enjoyed it, and I want moar.
Book Author: Casualfarmer
Book Genre: Xianxia/Cultivation Fantasy
Finished Page Count: 367
Review: *You tell 'em, Big D!*
This was really fun. A farmer is transmigrated into a cultivator in a xianxia world and instead of sticking around and potentially risking his life, runs off to farm some more. It's got fun side characters—the spirits beast characters are all really fun, except Chow Ji, ugh—and I liked the imagery.
It felt like a refreshing read, and although the quick romance wasn't what I expected and not something I quite clicked with, it wasn't so bad that it ruined the story for me or anything, I just wasn't very invested in those parts. But I like the various relationship developments and the focus on helping each other and taking care of each and so on. The descriptions of the farm and so on were all really nice, and the different viewpoints in how the spirits beasts saw the world as opposed to how Jin saw it was fun!
So yeah. Fun, cozy, and with an interesting, and pretty logical I think, take on farming-style cultivation. I enjoyed it <3
Book Author: Lily Mayne
Book Genre: Romance
Finished Page Count: 432
Review: In which Ari falls in love with Theo while slowly going insane—well, he *must* be going insane, because otherwise there actually is a demon stalking him and tormenting him and terrifying him. And that can't be real. Ergo, he's losing his mind.
Unfortunately, reality is not that nice and Theo might be an actual murderer and oops that demon is looking mighty real right now.
I expected more horror; it didn't really feel like it leaned as hard into it as it could have, but also I only recently realized this is an m/m horror *retelling* (of Bluebeard, whatever that is) not just m/m horror, as in, it's retelling a horror story with an m/m twist. Oh well. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book! It was a fun read 😄
Theo and Ari's relationship was sweet, and honestly the demon's and Theo's relationship (excluding, you know, the murders) was also sweet. I enjoyed all the characters and the progression of Theo and Ari's relationship.
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 213
Review: Charming! Cop Ray is a werewolf and his (fated?) mate is Cal, a fairy. Except Cal doesn't know they're mates, because Ray hasn't ever told him, terrified that Cal would leave him because *fairies always leave*.
It's sweet, and Ray is forced at the end to accept the fact that actually that's just his own biases and prejudices talking. Cal has no intention of leaving him, Cal wants to 'keep' him, apparently what fairies call relationships. I'm not entirely sure what's up with that, I need to read more books in this 'verse. (Which I am going to do! Hopefully soon! I am Excited™!)
I like both Cal and Ray, though I do feel like I don't actually know much about Cal as like, a person? He eats a lot of sweets, he's a fairy, he's got a wizard childhood friend but... Idk much more than that. Which is a bit of a bummer. There is a sequel to this book, though, *Forget Me Not*, so maybe that'll let us get to know him better.
Idk, this felt very much like it was 'what Ray thinks about Cal/who Ray thinks Cal is' instead of actually showing us who Cal is. The entire book is in Ray's POV, so that might be part of it.
Overall, I enjoyed it! It was a fun, cozy read with likable characters, a sweet romance, and cool tidbits of worldbuilding.
Book Author: Eden Finley, Saxon James
Book Genre: Sports Romance
Finished Page Count: 240
Review: This is book 5 of the Puckboy series and the last one in the series I own (there's one more as far as I know.) It is, like all others in this series, m/m hockey romance. Ayri Quinn (hockey player) has a crush on his team trainer Vance, and when Vance finds out the gloves comes off. They start flirting, and then things escalate, and then they hook up, and then they're together! And also Quinn's hockey team wins the Stanley Cup! (whatever that is, i'm not a hockey person, lol.)
Ultimately it was an enjoyable read with likable characters (Quinn's flustering when around Vance was cute) and a sweet romance. Fun! 😄
Book Author: SJ Himes
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 158
Review: Free meeeeee.
Objectively this isn't a bad book; it's not *badly* written it's just not *skillfully* written. But it's getting to the point where every paragraph there's something punting me out of the book---what someone says, what someone does, how something is written---and it is starting to get supremely annoying. I am simply past the point of being able to suspend my disbelief on this. Like, yes I wanna know who Deimos---the vampire who keeps attacking Angel, the book's MC---is, and why the dude thinks that's a good idea when Angel is already proving to be like comically overpowered. But also. Freeeeeee meeeeeeee.
I don't think this book knows what characterization is. Like, nothing anybody says seems to be rooted in characterization, and also it's starting to read more and more like melodrama to me, and I just. Ugh.
I don't hate the book, but I hate how it feels to read it, if that makes sense.
Book Author: Travis Baldree
Book Genre: Fantasy
Finished Page Count: 312
Review: A lighthearted not-quite-romp fluffy fantasy coffee shop.
It's not quite crossing into the outright "fun" territory for me; while the characters are lovely, there's no particular energy to this book - I wouldn't necessarily say that it's even leaning far enough into the coziness for it to truly feel cozy. It's lighthearted, but it's not really lingering in the cozy moments in a way I would expect something that so often gets labeled a cozy read. I mean, it's a good book! A quick read! Likable characters!
But is anybody actually paying taxes? Like, I kept thinking about this; is Viv actually paying taxes, and who is she paying them to in that case? What governmental body, if any, is maintaining the roads?
Which is, perhaps, not the authorial intent with this read, lol.
I liked the characters, I liked the relationships, I thought Thimble was super cute and Cal really cool. Like, I think the characters are really well done! But I don't really think there's like... any... worldbuilding... in this. And it forces me to stop and think because I have questions that aren't answered and it does bring me out of the book a little.
Still, though, an enjoyable read for sure!
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 292
Review: Adored it! I love Arthur and Bertie's (yes, the dragon's name is *Bertie*) relationships slow progression, and I don't know, the writing just felt very warm. Arthur and Bertie are *kind* to one another and it's delightful. The worldbuilding was intriguing, too, and I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of how Bertie's mood affected the magic in the house; how it was *him* who was keeping it so warm.
It's a really nice read, and yeah, I just had a lovely time <3
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 204
Review: Lovely. A second chance romance between Ezra, a (male) witch and Emery, a human. I think the combination of angst about their past, and the sweetness of their present as they reconnect and fall into each other is really nice. Like, I really got the impression that they like one another! It's really nice.
Overall I found this a soft, sweet read, with enough bite that I had something to dig my teeth into. The world building is intriguing too - this is the first book in this verse I've read (though it's Book 3 in the series, something i didn't realize until I went hunting for more after finishing this one 😅) and I'm definitely interested in reading more in this world. I had a delightful time!
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 160
Review: This is the same series as *Nothing More Certain*, and I think it's just as lovely. Ngl, I just really vibe with Cooper's writing style? Like, I really like the way Cooper does characterization, and I find the worldbuilding interesting.
And also I do love me some good mutual pining, which I think this definitely delivered on. Will and Chester's misunderstandings are understandable and it's super sweet when they figure it all out and get together. They're cute! I enjoyed the progression of their relationship and am still eager to read more in this 'verse.
These are pretty short reviews, since the purpose was just "hey I read this book!"
These are actually in the right order! The date beside the title is the date I finished/reviewed them.
Until His Last Goodbye (Mar 1)
Book Author: Kiki Clark, E.M. Lindsey
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 273
Review: This is an m/m human (who can see ghost)/reaper romance. Elias is a medium, and—I forgot his name already, lol—Tristian is a Victorian reaper, and one chance (or maybe it's fate?) meeting leads to many more, and a sort-of forbidden romance starts.
It was sweet, but I didn't quite click with it. I don't know why, but it just kind of felt a bit... not shallow, precisely, but it didn't feel like there was a lot of depth to the characters and the worldbuilding. Like, it wasn't a bad read or anything! It just wasn't quite what I wanted it to be and I'm a tiny bit bummed about it.
I liked the characters, most of them were fun, the romance was sweet, but yeah, I guess I just feel like it didn't lean hard enough into anything for it to feel like... I don't know, there's just nothing really to bite my teeth into, if that makes sense. A good, fun read! But not really what I was looking for.
(Also I read the print book, and it's worth a mention it's printed entirely on stark white paper. If I *don't* get a headache from this I'm gonna be really surprised.)
A Suitable Consort (Mar 2)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Fantasy Romance
Finished Page Count: 221
Review: This was absolutely lovely. Mattin's king, Arden, and the king's husband, Mil, are pressured to take a new consort by scheming nobles seeking provoke them, but the king and his husband already have their eyes, and their hearts, set on Mattin, a Master Keeper (of like historical records and stuff) at the palace. Mattin fails to realize this and earnestly sets out to find them good spousal candidates now that the've declared they're going along with this, only it seems they're not looking very thoroughly. They're not taking it very seriously. Hmm. Wonder why. So tough to tell.
Yeah, I thought this was absolutely lovely. I dig the writing style, enjoyed the emotions; there was sweetness, some angst, a nice resolution. The world-building was intriguing, and the characters were interesting. Their interactions was particularly captivating. A really enjoyable read, all in all!
A Beginner's Guide to Wooing Your Mate (Mar 3)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Werewolf Romance
Finished Page Count: 250
Review: Adored it. Second chance fated mates werewolf romance, with a lot of heart, a sweet romance, and loveable characters I adore. Zeki returns to the werewolf town of his bullied teenage years only to find that his high school crush, Theo, is suffering from the pain of being Rejected by his mate. This is frankly unacceptable; Theo is amazing, and sweet, and kind, and gentle and... hmmm.... didn't Theo ask Zeki out around that time he was Rejected? Didn't Zeki say no? Hmmm. No, that can't be related. Absolutely not. Definitely not.
*Oh no.*
It's related.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I liked the slow romance as Theo and Zeki reconnect and clear up old misunderstandings and grow to know who they actually are now, as opposed to the teenagers they were the last time they met. I loved Theo's baking magic—I thought that was really cute. It was a nice read!
Foolish Puckboy (Mar 5)
Book Author: Eden Finley, Saxon James
Book Genre: Sports Romance
Finished Page Count: 256
Review: Hockey player Aleksander is recently divorced and ready to go wild! Only, turns out he maybe doesn't want to? Maybe he just wants to keep hooking up with this one really hot firefighter dude named Gabe?
And then they do! And they get together! And it's sweet! They're fun!
I liked it <3 I enjoyed the romance and the characters were all cool; this is book 4 in the series so there's a lot of cameos of familiar characters, which is nice. I like seeing them having fun together. It's cozy when characters just like, enjoy each other presence. Friendship is cool!
Overall it was a really nice read, with fun character interactions and a sweet relationship. Like, Aleks and Gabe are and have fun together, and it's nice to read. I enjoyed it, and I want moar.
Beware of Chicken (Mar 7)
Book Author: Casualfarmer
Book Genre: Xianxia/Cultivation Fantasy
Finished Page Count: 367
Review: *You tell 'em, Big D!*
This was really fun. A farmer is transmigrated into a cultivator in a xianxia world and instead of sticking around and potentially risking his life, runs off to farm some more. It's got fun side characters—the spirits beast characters are all really fun, except Chow Ji, ugh—and I liked the imagery.
It felt like a refreshing read, and although the quick romance wasn't what I expected and not something I quite clicked with, it wasn't so bad that it ruined the story for me or anything, I just wasn't very invested in those parts. But I like the various relationship developments and the focus on helping each other and taking care of each and so on. The descriptions of the farm and so on were all really nice, and the different viewpoints in how the spirits beasts saw the world as opposed to how Jin saw it was fun!
So yeah. Fun, cozy, and with an interesting, and pretty logical I think, take on farming-style cultivation. I enjoyed it <3
Death's Bloom (Mar 11)
Book Author: Lily Mayne
Book Genre: Romance
Finished Page Count: 432
Review: In which Ari falls in love with Theo while slowly going insane—well, he *must* be going insane, because otherwise there actually is a demon stalking him and tormenting him and terrifying him. And that can't be real. Ergo, he's losing his mind.
Unfortunately, reality is not that nice and Theo might be an actual murderer and oops that demon is looking mighty real right now.
I expected more horror; it didn't really feel like it leaned as hard into it as it could have, but also I only recently realized this is an m/m horror *retelling* (of Bluebeard, whatever that is) not just m/m horror, as in, it's retelling a horror story with an m/m twist. Oh well. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book! It was a fun read 😄
Theo and Ari's relationship was sweet, and honestly the demon's and Theo's relationship (excluding, you know, the murders) was also sweet. I enjoyed all the characters and the progression of Theo and Ari's relationship.
Some Kind of Magic (Mar 12)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 213
Review: Charming! Cop Ray is a werewolf and his (fated?) mate is Cal, a fairy. Except Cal doesn't know they're mates, because Ray hasn't ever told him, terrified that Cal would leave him because *fairies always leave*.
It's sweet, and Ray is forced at the end to accept the fact that actually that's just his own biases and prejudices talking. Cal has no intention of leaving him, Cal wants to 'keep' him, apparently what fairies call relationships. I'm not entirely sure what's up with that, I need to read more books in this 'verse. (Which I am going to do! Hopefully soon! I am Excited™!)
I like both Cal and Ray, though I do feel like I don't actually know much about Cal as like, a person? He eats a lot of sweets, he's a fairy, he's got a wizard childhood friend but... Idk much more than that. Which is a bit of a bummer. There is a sequel to this book, though, *Forget Me Not*, so maybe that'll let us get to know him better.
Idk, this felt very much like it was 'what Ray thinks about Cal/who Ray thinks Cal is' instead of actually showing us who Cal is. The entire book is in Ray's POV, so that might be part of it.
Overall, I enjoyed it! It was a fun, cozy read with likable characters, a sweet romance, and cool tidbits of worldbuilding.
Clueless Puckboy (Mar 17)
Book Author: Eden Finley, Saxon James
Book Genre: Sports Romance
Finished Page Count: 240
Review: This is book 5 of the Puckboy series and the last one in the series I own (there's one more as far as I know.) It is, like all others in this series, m/m hockey romance. Ayri Quinn (hockey player) has a crush on his team trainer Vance, and when Vance finds out the gloves comes off. They start flirting, and then things escalate, and then they hook up, and then they're together! And also Quinn's hockey team wins the Stanley Cup! (whatever that is, i'm not a hockey person, lol.)
Ultimately it was an enjoyable read with likable characters (Quinn's flustering when around Vance was cute) and a sweet romance. Fun! 😄
The Necromancer's Dance (Mar 20)
Book Author: SJ Himes
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 158
Review: Free meeeeee.
Objectively this isn't a bad book; it's not *badly* written it's just not *skillfully* written. But it's getting to the point where every paragraph there's something punting me out of the book---what someone says, what someone does, how something is written---and it is starting to get supremely annoying. I am simply past the point of being able to suspend my disbelief on this. Like, yes I wanna know who Deimos---the vampire who keeps attacking Angel, the book's MC---is, and why the dude thinks that's a good idea when Angel is already proving to be like comically overpowered. But also. Freeeeeee meeeeeeee.
I don't think this book knows what characterization is. Like, nothing anybody says seems to be rooted in characterization, and also it's starting to read more and more like melodrama to me, and I just. Ugh.
I don't hate the book, but I hate how it feels to read it, if that makes sense.
Legends & Lattes (Mar 21)
Book Author: Travis Baldree
Book Genre: Fantasy
Finished Page Count: 312
Review: A lighthearted not-quite-romp fluffy fantasy coffee shop.
It's not quite crossing into the outright "fun" territory for me; while the characters are lovely, there's no particular energy to this book - I wouldn't necessarily say that it's even leaning far enough into the coziness for it to truly feel cozy. It's lighthearted, but it's not really lingering in the cozy moments in a way I would expect something that so often gets labeled a cozy read. I mean, it's a good book! A quick read! Likable characters!
But is anybody actually paying taxes? Like, I kept thinking about this; is Viv actually paying taxes, and who is she paying them to in that case? What governmental body, if any, is maintaining the roads?
Which is, perhaps, not the authorial intent with this read, lol.
I liked the characters, I liked the relationships, I thought Thimble was super cute and Cal really cool. Like, I think the characters are really well done! But I don't really think there's like... any... worldbuilding... in this. And it forces me to stop and think because I have questions that aren't answered and it does bring me out of the book a little.
Still, though, an enjoyable read for sure!
A Boy and His Dragon (Mar 24)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 292
Review: Adored it! I love Arthur and Bertie's (yes, the dragon's name is *Bertie*) relationships slow progression, and I don't know, the writing just felt very warm. Arthur and Bertie are *kind* to one another and it's delightful. The worldbuilding was intriguing, too, and I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of how Bertie's mood affected the magic in the house; how it was *him* who was keeping it so warm.
It's a really nice read, and yeah, I just had a lovely time <3
Nothing More Certain (Mar 24)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 204
Review: Lovely. A second chance romance between Ezra, a (male) witch and Emery, a human. I think the combination of angst about their past, and the sweetness of their present as they reconnect and fall into each other is really nice. Like, I really got the impression that they like one another! It's really nice.
Overall I found this a soft, sweet read, with enough bite that I had something to dig my teeth into. The world building is intriguing too - this is the first book in this verse I've read (though it's Book 3 in the series, something i didn't realize until I went hunting for more after finishing this one 😅) and I'm definitely interested in reading more in this world. I had a delightful time!
Holly and Oak (Mar 28)
Book Author: R. Cooper
Book Genre: Paranormal Romance
Finished Page Count: 160
Review: This is the same series as *Nothing More Certain*, and I think it's just as lovely. Ngl, I just really vibe with Cooper's writing style? Like, I really like the way Cooper does characterization, and I find the worldbuilding interesting.
And also I do love me some good mutual pining, which I think this definitely delivered on. Will and Chester's misunderstandings are understandable and it's super sweet when they figure it all out and get together. They're cute! I enjoyed the progression of their relationship and am still eager to read more in this 'verse.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-13 05:24 pm (UTC)And I totally agree about Legends & Lattes. For something that’s held up as peak coziness, it was surprisingly stressful. I wanted domestic coffeeshop fluff and escapism, but all I can remember is worrying about extortion and the lingering threat of a break in.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-23 08:25 pm (UTC)Glad it's helpful! :D (And ooh yes, I hope you give it a shot :D It didn't go quite as hard on the horror as I expected, but it was overall an enjoyable read with characters and relationships I liked!)
And yeah, for a novel selling itself so hard on it being 'cozy' Legends & Lattes just didn't have any cozy vibes for me. Like, it was an easy read in the sense that it had a decent flow, but it didn't make me feel all cozy and soft and gooey inside, which I assume is why cozy fics are called cozy, and so I just ended up a little disappointed. It was all very per-functionary and like... non-curious in a way. Like. A nice read! But not my definition of cozy.