anastasiax's reviews
1059 reviews

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟺 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚛𝚝𝚌 ⊹
╰ ✦ •

loooooved this!!
cute, fun, and refreshingly unique!


────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥Forced Proximity
❥Grumpy ✘ Sunshine
❥Chosen / Found family
❥Single Mom
❥Tension / Yearning
❥Finding Excuses to Touch Them
❥Who did this to you
❥Slow Burn
❥Public Declarations of Love
❥He keeps a list of her favourite things in his glove compartment
❥Broom Closet shenanigans
❥Witty Banter
❥Dual POV
❥A little Spice

_________________________________

Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook 

An Arrow To The Heart by K.R. Bacher

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? Yes

4.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟹.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
╰ ✦ •

An Arrow to the Heart is a delightful read that combines fantasy, romance, and cozy vibes into a charming story. The plot follows Ardál, a human traveler who stumbles upon the enchanting village of Wyrmwind. The plot kicks off when he is injured during a raid and taken in by Sylvie, the local fae healer. This setup creates a beautifully sweet and steamy romance that unfolds throughout the story.

The writing is engaging, with short chapters that make it a quick read, and the pacing keeps the story moving without dragging. It does have its charming moments, and there are some engaging elements of spice and romance, but I wish there had been more substance to the cozy atmosphere.

I really liked Ardál and Sylvie! They were both over 30, adding a refreshing perspective to their romance. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the romance is just the right mix of sweet and spicy, with a few unexpected twists that kept me on my toes.

This really could have used a bit more editing to polish it up though.

Also, can we talk about the author using the word "titties," it was sooo cringy and gave me the ick

Besides its shortcomings, it was a cute, easy, spicy read with a great cozy vibe, this was a good palate cleanser between books.

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥dual pov
❥cozy vibes
❥cute creatures
❥cottage core
❥small mountain village
❥found family
❥mutual pining
❥patient x healer
❥great banter
❥he falls first
❥golden retriever mmc
❥curvy fmc
❥spicy
❥MCs 30+
❥HEA

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────
An Arrow to the Heart | Review
A Cure for a Curse | ARC | Review

Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook 

Paint the Moon by Katia Rose

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad 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

There Are No Words by Dani Ryan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.

lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

2.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝙳𝙽𝙵 - 𝟸𝟺%, 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝟾𝟾 ⊹
╰ ✦ •

I actually feel awful that I'm DNFing this, I had high hopes from the description but I couldn't stand the FMC. She was beyond annoying, I couldn't handle it anymore.

I've been sitting on this for 2 days now, unsure if I want to DNF, but I just dreaded having to read more.

Honestly, the moment that sealed it for me was when Allegra YELLED at Brady for buying and reading a pregnancy book. LIKE ARE YOU SERIOUS???? It's his child too, and he’s trying to learn more. Isn’t that showing initiative?

“Are you reading a pregnancy book?” I practically shouted. He smiled and actually had the gall to look pleased with himself. “I am. It’s—” “How dare you!” Seething, I stormed from my chair and picked it up, swinging it in the air. “How could you read this? I can’t believe you even bought it!”
...
“I’m the one who’s pregnant.” I didn’t like repeating myself, but it obviously needed repeating because he was missing the point. “Not you!” I shook my head, unbelieving I’d walked in here to find this. “You think I’m going to be a crappy mom. That I won’t do this right? That I’ll mess up before the kid is even baked? Ohmigod, I can’t believe this!” I was spiraling. I knew I was. But, come on, first Brady wanted to be part of every little thing and now this?

I wanted to slap her. It was such an unwarranted reaction, and she was being such an asshole.

  

“All right, well, I was just trying to explain that my intention was to get more information because I want to be the best partner I can be in all of this.”
Partner? What was Brady not understanding? Now I got why people tried not to get knocked up. Among the myriad of reasons was this one: the man got mixed up with what was happening. “That’s just it, though. You’re not my partner.”
“When it comes to this baby, I am.”

LIKE HE IS SO FUCKING SWEET AND WANTS TO BE A PART OF THE BABY'S LIFE!! How is that a bad thing?!

ughhh


Overall, despite having high hopes for this when I signed up for the ARC, this book clearly wasn't for me.

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥Roommates to Lovers
❥One Night Stand
❥Unplanned Pregnancy

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⁀➷𝚙𝚛𝚎-𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠:
I’m sooo scared about reading the book 3 ARC I have because I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through it, after reading book 1 and not liking it😭(I read book 1 right after getting this ARC because I love immersing myself in a series’ world—even if it’s a standalone, but I was really disappointed when book 1 wasn’t for me.)


Thank you for the ARC, Dani Ryan♡
_________________________________
<a href="https://somanyybookssolittletime.wordpress.com/">Blog</a>  ಇ <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/anacarter">StoryGraph</a> ಇ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smbslt_26/">Instagram</a> ಇ <a href="https://twitter.com/SMBSLT_26">Twitter</a> ಇ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SoManyBooksSoLittleTime/">Facebook</a>

Don't Tell Me Twice by Dani Ryan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝙳𝙽𝙵 𝚊𝚝 𝟹𝟹%, 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝟷𝟶𝟸 ⊹
╰ ✦ •

The FMC felt very immature and annoying. I did cringe a lot more than I probably should have...
I was also getting bored and didn't care enough to see how it ended.

I’m sooo scared about reading the book 3 ARC I have because I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through it.😭

_________________________________
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook 

Oath of War by Olena Nikitin

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted sad 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

5.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗 ⊹
╰ ✦ •

𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚜, 𝙸 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸’𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛: 𝚊 𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢.

Olena, this second book was amazing and everything I could have hoped for!
I loved these characters so much😭😭
I'm so sad it's over!!

rtc!

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥touch her & die
❥magic & banter
❥light v. dark
❥reverse harem
❥dragons
❥dragon bonding
❥bonded mates
❥badass FMC
❥grumpy MMC
❥necromancy
❥dark Fae
❥spicy
❥MM - MFM - MF
❥hurt/comfort/angst
❥grief/loss
❥complex magic system
❥extensive world-building

Thank you for the ARC Olena♡

_________________________________
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook 

Hideaway: Special Alternative Edition by Willow Prescott

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟹.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜,  𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐!⊹
╰ ✦ •

I've been wanting to read this duology for a while now so when I saw Willow's ARC sign up for the Special Edition version I couldn't resist!

*𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 1𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙊𝙑 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙪𝙨 𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨.*

Hmmm… where to start? The plot had me hooked in the beginning—it was tense and intriguing—but it quickly became irrelevant, buried under unnecessary filler smut. And I mean a lot of it. The smut was great, but when it adds 200+ extra pages without moving the story forward, it starts to feel repetitive and boring. I ended up skimming a bit because I just wanted to get to the actual plot and understand wtf was going on. Even by the end, there were too many unanswered questions, and the story dragged with noticeable gaps.

I really wanted to rate this higher because, despite the plot holes, Willow is a great writer. Her descriptions, word choice, etc—I loved Shades of Red, the first book I read from her. But this... was not completely what I was expecting I guess?

As characters, I liked Kara and Caden; they had decent backgrounds even though I wish we had gotten to know more about them. Especially Caden's backstory because who the heck is E?? It felt like she was supposed to be important to his background, but the book never really explained her. Unless I skipped that part?? She’s clearly someone from Caden’s past, but the lack of clarity added to the confusion.

Some of the choices the main characters made were questionable. Why didn't Kara just give Caden the First Edition Chaucer? I get that it's super valuable.. but she probably wouldn't have gotten kidnapped or been in any of the awful situations she was in. And don't even get me started on Caden! He let Jace continue working for him after what he almost did to Kara. COME ON. That completely undermined any claim of him being protective. Yes, just let someone almost SA, your 'girl' and let him still work for you.. so smart!! Also, the scene where he pretty much abuses Kara? Yeah, no thanks. I wish Caden was a little softer, and not the absolute dick he was. I liked him but good God he was so annoying in the first 200 pages.

Hmm... what else? I felt like Avery's reason for stealing back the First Edition Chaucer was a little underwhelming. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't that? I guess it worked? But maybe I was expecting more of a significant motivation, it ended up feeling a bit flat, especially given how central the book was to the plot. Plus the fact that we don't get to know this information until 78% into the book, I felt like it should’ve carried more weight in the story, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

That being said, yes, the pacing, is the biggest issue—nothing significant happens for 70–80%+ of the book, and even when things do pick up, it barely moves the plot forward. Sure, there were some good moments between Kara and Caden, and their chemistry and banter were undeniable, I liked their push-and-pull dynamic and other interactions, but there was so much filler that it overshadowed the actual story.

And then there’s the ending… which was so underwhelming... literally more smut lol. Idk after all that buildup, it just ends the way it does.. smut last chapter and an epilogue???? What the heck was that epilogue? Confusing. A different male character, he had blue eyes and was hunting a girl with blonde hair at a Pandemonium (I'm assuming it's pandemonium)?

 "“Hello, little bird.” My voice is a deep rumble as I rub my thumb over her too-full lips. I feel her shiver beneath my touch, her teeth digging into her bottom lip. The heated longing in her eyes tells me she wishes it was my teeth sinking into her flesh.

I wonder if Kara would appreciate my choice of pet name—it’s a tribute to her, after all. Her stupid fucking obsession with books, Jane Eyre in particular, was demented. She glorified the story of a girl who found her freedom and kept it at all costs. It’s a little ironic given her current choice of voluntary enslavement, but no one ever said women were smart. And it gives me untold joy that every little bird I take after this will be blood on her hands too." 

WHO IS HE?

Didn’t feel satisfying.

I want to know how this ends but ugh do I really want to sit through another 500 pages? ehhhh

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥spanking turned abuse (literally)
❥touch her and die
❥captor x captive
❥he’s a Lord
❥ she’s a librarian
❥‘good girl’
❥‘you’re mine’
❥morally grey mmc
❥posessive mmc
❥hate to love
❥BDSM
❥dom/sub
❥forced prox
❥first person - dual pov
❥dark romance
❥enemies to lovers
❥beauty and the beast vibes
❥dark academia
❥touch her and d!e
❥sex dungeon in his personal library
❥Praise/Deg
❥light MFM
❥self love (M)

Thank you for the ARC, Willow♡
_________________________________
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook 

Love Between the Lines by Ellory Douglas, Luna Day

emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Air and Ashes: A Young Adult Science Fantasy Romance by Margaret Mantor, Margaret Mantor

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

4.0

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹ 𝟹.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙, 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐! ⊹
╰ ✦ •

This book is an absolute vibe—cozy, charming, and packed with autumn aesthetics. If you’re looking for something that gives Gilmore Girls vibes, this delivers in full. However, while I enjoyed my time with it, there were a few things that held it back from being a standout read.

I actually started this last October but had to put it on hold to read ARCs. Coming back to it, I was excited for the cozy, small-town feel, and in that regard, it didn’t disappoint. The setting is, without a doubt, the best part. Dream Harbor is basically a Stars Hollow clone, which was fun, but it felt a little too close at times—especially with the author writing under the alias Laurie Gilmore.

Jeanie and Logan had fun banter, and their chemistry was sweet, but wow, they were both so annoying. The insta love was a bit much, and their third-act breakup? Completely unnecessary. Logan especially frustrated me—his lack of communication skills was exhausting, and his trust issues made him difficult to root for.

Speaking of Logan, can we please talk about his inner monologue?! It was painful. We get it, you have abandonment issues, who doesn’t? But the way he constantly assumed Jeanie was going to leave, even after she repeatedly told him she loved the town and wasn’t selling the café, drove me crazy. Like, bro, grow a pair and take a risk! ughh

And Jeanie? I liked her overall, but her decision-making skills were questionable. I hated how she refused to call the police after her Café was vandalized. Then when she caught Norman—the guy literally plotting against her—she was so nonchalant about it?! GIRL, he sabotaged your business, and you’re just chill about it?
The whole Norman situation was underwhelming. His reveal just randomly admitting, “It’s me. I’ve been tampering with the business,” followed by some weak excuse about how he wanted her aunt to leave him the Café/sell it to him—felt abrupt, lazy, and completely lackluster.

I wish the mystery reveal was done better. I loved Jeanie and Logan's stakeout near the beginning. I kept thinking how the mystery would be solved, perhaps a fun, cozy yet suspenseful stakeout that would lead to a big, dramatic reveal-Norman breaking in or something, and bam—mystery solved! But instead, the whole thing felt rushed and disappointing. I'm actually so sad about it😭😭

Despite all my critiques, I did still enjoy parts of this. It’s not the kind of book that will blow you away, but if you’re in the mood for something light, cozy, and autumnal, it’s a decent pick. I’ll likely check out the rest of the series since I actually have them but also, sometimes all you need is a book with great vibes—and this one definitely did that.

────── ✧ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ♡ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ✧ ──────

⊹ 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 ⊹

❥Gilmore Girls Vibes
❥cozy autumn/ fall vibes
❥grumpy x sunshine
❥small-town romance
❥a bit of spice
❥found family
❥small mystery
❥farmer x cafe owner
❥HEA
_________________________________
The Pumpkin Spice Café | Review
The Cinnamon Bun Book Store | TBR
The Christmas Tree Farm | TBR
The Strawberry Patch Pancake House | TBR
The Gingerbread Bakery | TBR

Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook