talknerdybookblog's reviews
2607 reviews

Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Representation: Indian main character, Indian supporting characters, Indian side characters

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama
- Heroine's first boyfriend/lover returns and wants her back
• Does have the MCs pushing each other away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Infidelity (recounted, between Heroine's mother, her aunt and uncle)
• Child abuse recounted
• Murder
• Gore
• Attempted murder
• War themes
• Imprisonment / captivity

Ending:

HFN

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions*

*Strictly cuz the Hero pushes away HARD
• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
- Heroine is a virgin
- Hero has been celibate for ~1 year
- Also, Heroine is under the mistaken belief that the wolf who is living with her family is the Hero's mate
• Does have the Hero pushing away
• Does have a brief separation (like 1 day??)

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Heroine is a virgin
• Blood drinking described, on-page
• Attempted murder
• Abduction
• Captivity
• Murder

Ending:

HFN

When He Dares by Suzanne Wright

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? No

5.0

Representation: Latina supporting character, Japanese biracial supporting character, Bisexual supporting character, Lesbian supporting characters, Sapphic side relationship

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have OM drama
- Heroine's true mate realizes what lost and comes back to attempt to breakup the MCs
• Does have OW drama
- the MCs see the Hero's true mate out and about in public, and a miscommunication causes the Heroine to think he's still pining for her. But, this is not the case - he's fully committed and in love with the Heroine.
• No pushing away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Attempted abduction of a child
• Gun violence
• Murder
• Physical assault
• Threat of bombing
• Medical trauma
• Gore
• Attempted murder

Ending:

HEA

Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Representation: Black supporting character, Indian side characters, Chinese side character, supporting character who uses a wheelchair

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• No pushing away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Murder of a child
• Murder of Heroine's family recounted
• Suicide of Heroine's mom recounted 
• PTSD
• Grief
• Gore
• Blood drinking discussed
• Complicated and toxic family relationship
• Parental abandonment
• Murder

Ending:

HFN

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Representation: Black supporting character, Indian supporting characters, Chinese supporting character, Side character uses a wheelchair

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OW drama
- Michaela's not going away rip, but since the Hero's not interested, I consider the romance safe.
• No OM drama
• No pushing away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Description of zombies and the terror those victims feel being aware of their undead status
• Murder
• Attempted murder
• Abduction and mutilation of a child
• Recounting of the loss of a child for a supporting character
• Knife violence
• Gore

Ending:

HFN

A Kiss from a Rogue by Elisa Braden

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• No OW drama
- Seems like the Hero has been celibate since meeting the Heroine
• Does have OM drama
- Heroine is husband hunting for a "safe" husband, which disqualifies the Hero! 
• Does have the MCs pushing each other away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Recounting of child abuse, including captivity, physical assault, psychological and emotional abuse
• Knife violence
• Gun violence
• Attempted murder
• Murder

Ending:

HEA with extended epilogue (married with kids).

Shattered Sea by Catherine Cowles

emotional hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.0

Representation: Main character with chronic pain

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
- Both MCs long-time partners died suddenly and neither were able to move on until they encountered the other 
- Hero is quick to say that his relationship with his girlfriend shouldn't have continued past high school - they weren't healthy for each other. But she was also his best friend, so he grieves her deeply. Important to know that the Hero's girlfriend died six months ago, but their relationship had become on/off in adulthood, and they were going through a lot of problems leading to her death.
- Heroine doubts that her relationship with her boyfriend would've lasted in adulthood but knows they would've been best friends forever. However, I think this is more a commentary on the fact that his passing transformed the Heroine into a new person, and who she is because of his death wasn't the same person who was in love with him / wanted the things he wanted. So, I'm inclined to think if he hadn't died, they'd still have been together. Cuz, while the prologue was short, the author convinced me they were IT.
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Parental abandonment
• Death of Heroine's boyfriend in the prologue from a car accident caused by an impaired driver (on-page, very sad)
• Grief, including scenes of complicated grief disorder from the Heroine's boyfriend's mom
- The mom blames the Heroine for moving on
- The brother blames the Heroine for his brother's death 
• Death of Hero's girlfriend from an accidental overdose recounted
• Complicated family relationships
• Toxic relationship between Hero and his brother
• Murder
• Attempted kidnapping
• Gun violence

Ending:

HEA. Engaged and pregnant. The extended epilogue has them loving their careers, married with three boys and pregnant with twins.

Hidden Waters by Catherine Cowles

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Representation: Supporting character with chronic pain

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OW/OM drama
• Does have the Heroine pushing the Hero away in the beginning
• No separation

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Child abuse discussed
• Murder
• Attempted murder
• Gun violence
• Domestic abuse discussed
• Sexism
• Kidnapping
• Sexual assault

Ending:

HEA. Pregnant and engaged in extended epilogue.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

Representation: Black biracial main character, Kenyan bisexual supporting character in a polyamorous relationship

Mature Themes:

• Non-descriptive sex scene
• Mild swearing

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Racism
• Allusion to enslavement on Caribbean plantations 
• Sexism
• Forced institutionalization 
• Physical assault
• Medical trauma
• Self-mutilation for magic
• Animal harm (he lives!)
• Parental abandonment 
• Murder
• Gun violence
• Knife violence 
• Emotional and psychological abuse
• Confinement

Ending:

HFN

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Representation: Bisexual supporting character

Mature Themes:

• Sexual content doesn't surpass kissing
• Mild swearing

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Death of supporting characters
• Imprisonment
• Kidnapping
• Knife violence
• Medical trauma
• Blood
• Death from childbirth recounted

Ending:

HFN