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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
N/A
Really enjoyed this sweet, fun, and entertaining book. The author kept both the plot and the relationship moving forward without sacrificing either. It was an adventure without too much stress and I adored all the characters in their newly formed group.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute, cozy, and what looks to be the first book in a series. At least I hope so, because I want to see more of these characters.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
Did It Have To Be Gnomes?! is the first book in Michele Notaro’s Carry A Faerie series, and it’s a fun and charming paranormal romance with a little bit of magical chaos.
Set in a new universe, the story follows Miles who is a rare empath who can feel emotions (and even thoughts). That makes relationships tricky for Miles, so he’s spent most of his life pretty isolated and touch-starved. He now runs a magical pest control business that’s known for being humane, catching and releasing faeries rather than harming them.
The real trouble begins when Miles gets called to handle a massive gnome infestation at a huge mansion. Gnomes already freak him out, but this situation is worse than anything he’s dealt with before. Enter Winter, Miles’s high school crush who just so happens to work for a rival pest control company. Winter is a null (also rare), which means he cancels out other people’s magics, and that includes Miles’s empath abilities. He’s also kind-hearted and quietly harbouring a crush of his own. When Miles asks for help, Winter jumps at the chance, and the two team up to figure out what’s going on with the gnomes.
There’s a sweet slow burn between them that develops naturally as they spend more time together, which really suited them. You can feel they’ve both been into each other for a while, and their awkward, but also endearing, chemistry makes their growing relationship feel genuine. The forced proximity trope really works here for me, especially since Winter is the only person Miles can be around without being overwhelmed.
Outside the romance, there is a group of really great supporting characters. We have Lyric, Winter’s best friend, who brings a lot of personality and humour. And then there are the teenage twins Chaos and Ace who are both intriguing and completely lovable. Add to that a one-eyed cat, a giant dog, and a magical firebird familiar, and the story builds a found family vibe that I hope we see in future books.
The plot is paranormal, but it mixes in a light mystery with moments of danger. There’s more going on with the gnomes than meets the eye, and the hints about both Miles and Winter’s pasts are setting up some exciting possibilities that will hopefully be explored throughout the series. I have to say, there were times were the magic felt a little inconsistent. It didn’t take away too much from the fun of the story, but it was noticeable...at least for me.
I did have a bit of an issue at times, because the characters felt (behaved) younger than their actual ages, which does tend to happen in Michele’s books. Also, I usually find the nicknames in Michele’s books a bit too much, but here they were much more subtle and kinda cute, unlike in, for example, Nikolai, where they didn’t quite work for me. Hopefully it stays that way going forward.
But overall, the book is sweet and charming, and I really loved the unique idea of magical beings treated like magical vermin.
All in all, Did It Have To Be Gnomes?! is delightful, and it’s an easy read with a lovable cast, unique premise, and a romance that feels natural.
I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my unbiased review.
_________________________
CW: mentions of family abandonment, mentions of animal death (not on page, past), mentions of animal abuse (not on page)
Set in a new universe, the story follows Miles who is a rare empath who can feel emotions (and even thoughts). That makes relationships tricky for Miles, so he’s spent most of his life pretty isolated and touch-starved. He now runs a magical pest control business that’s known for being humane, catching and releasing faeries rather than harming them.
The real trouble begins when Miles gets called to handle a massive gnome infestation at a huge mansion. Gnomes already freak him out, but this situation is worse than anything he’s dealt with before. Enter Winter, Miles’s high school crush who just so happens to work for a rival pest control company. Winter is a null (also rare), which means he cancels out other people’s magics, and that includes Miles’s empath abilities. He’s also kind-hearted and quietly harbouring a crush of his own. When Miles asks for help, Winter jumps at the chance, and the two team up to figure out what’s going on with the gnomes.
There’s a sweet slow burn between them that develops naturally as they spend more time together, which really suited them. You can feel they’ve both been into each other for a while, and their awkward, but also endearing, chemistry makes their growing relationship feel genuine. The forced proximity trope really works here for me, especially since Winter is the only person Miles can be around without being overwhelmed.
Outside the romance, there is a group of really great supporting characters. We have Lyric, Winter’s best friend, who brings a lot of personality and humour. And then there are the teenage twins Chaos and Ace who are both intriguing and completely lovable. Add to that a one-eyed cat, a giant dog, and a magical firebird familiar, and the story builds a found family vibe that I hope we see in future books.
The plot is paranormal, but it mixes in a light mystery with moments of danger. There’s more going on with the gnomes than meets the eye, and the hints about both Miles and Winter’s pasts are setting up some exciting possibilities that will hopefully be explored throughout the series. I have to say, there were times were the magic felt a little inconsistent. It didn’t take away too much from the fun of the story, but it was noticeable...at least for me.
I did have a bit of an issue at times, because the characters felt (behaved) younger than their actual ages, which does tend to happen in Michele’s books. Also, I usually find the nicknames in Michele’s books a bit too much, but here they were much more subtle and kinda cute, unlike in, for example, Nikolai, where they didn’t quite work for me. Hopefully it stays that way going forward.
But overall, the book is sweet and charming, and I really loved the unique idea of magical beings treated like magical vermin.
All in all, Did It Have To Be Gnomes?! is delightful, and it’s an easy read with a lovable cast, unique premise, and a romance that feels natural.
I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my unbiased review.
_________________________
CW: mentions of family abandonment, mentions of animal death (not on page, past), mentions of animal abuse (not on page)
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
OMG you have to read this it is AMAZING cute funny and snarky. the slow burn is just what this story needs to build up to an hea. love how he handles the fae he helps remove and that he takes on a job that has his biggest fear and even make new friends along they way. cant wait for more keep up the great work.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am a huge fan of Michele Notaro's and this new series hasn't disappointed. The best thing is, there is so much more potential for world building, character relationships and paranormal stories.
My heart went out to Miles for the clearly lonely life that he has left due to being an empath and the terrible parents that he had. What is unfortunate, but also entertaining, is his fear/dislike of gnomes which are a common pest and one he often has to catch and release as part of his job as a paranormal pest controller. His current case gets out of hand and he has to call in reinforcements which just so happens to be the man he went to school with and has a tiny crush on. Winter would not have chosen pest control as a job but took what he could get. Now he has the chance to help Miles out, the quiet enough kid from school that he still has a crush on.
These two are totally adorable together and have the sweetest chemistry. Miles empathic ability has caused him many problems in the past but Winter's ability brings a big surprise. The case that they end up working together, along with Winter's best friend turns into something slightly darker than anticipated and so has them scrambling to search for answers and clear the huge gnome infestation.
I can't wait to read this relationship develop and the found family vibes that I can feel coming amongst the group of people in this book. So much entertainment throughout the book and the sweetest vibes as Miles and Winter work each other out and the possibility of what they have, and could have in the future.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
My heart went out to Miles for the clearly lonely life that he has left due to being an empath and the terrible parents that he had. What is unfortunate, but also entertaining, is his fear/dislike of gnomes which are a common pest and one he often has to catch and release as part of his job as a paranormal pest controller. His current case gets out of hand and he has to call in reinforcements which just so happens to be the man he went to school with and has a tiny crush on. Winter would not have chosen pest control as a job but took what he could get. Now he has the chance to help Miles out, the quiet enough kid from school that he still has a crush on.
These two are totally adorable together and have the sweetest chemistry. Miles empathic ability has caused him many problems in the past but Winter's ability brings a big surprise. The case that they end up working together, along with Winter's best friend turns into something slightly darker than anticipated and so has them scrambling to search for answers and clear the huge gnome infestation.
I can't wait to read this relationship develop and the found family vibes that I can feel coming amongst the group of people in this book. So much entertainment throughout the book and the sweetest vibes as Miles and Winter work each other out and the possibility of what they have, and could have in the future.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief
Highly entertaining and charming.
Not only do we get a creative, magical world, a sweet love story, but also the beginning of a unique and fun found family.
Miles is an ethical pest control operator whose chosen career puts him in the path of the one thing he hates the most, Gnomes, almost on a daily basis! But this latest assignment is like nothing he’s seen before.
So he teams up with an old high school classmate & hotty, Winter.
While tackling the unhinged gnomes, they get to know one another again and find themselves crushing on each other while also stumbling into a found family of some pretty awesome characters. These two are pretty cute, and I love watching them ‘court’ one another.
Each of the characters has magical abilities, complicated pasts, trust issues, and da esire to help. Which makes them the perfect friends and lovers.
This story ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see how things continue to play out, and to get more deets on all our characters.
Miles and Winter story was entertaining with a simple case that became dangerous and more complex than they expected.
I liked the little group of friends they made along the way and the help they offered in solving the problem.
It had funny moments but also some emotional ones caused by past experiences and the repercussions it still had in the present.
It had secrets, magic, adorable pets and familiars, as well as quirkiness and snark.
As they found a moment of reprieve the past knocks at the door with possible complication.
It was amazing, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.
I liked the little group of friends they made along the way and the help they offered in solving the problem.
It had funny moments but also some emotional ones caused by past experiences and the repercussions it still had in the present.
It had secrets, magic, adorable pets and familiars, as well as quirkiness and snark.
As they found a moment of reprieve the past knocks at the door with possible complication.
It was amazing, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.