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bubblewombat's reviews
2393 reviews
Ruined Kingdom: A Gothic Grove Novel by JA George
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
I have no idea where to begin, so much happened in this book and I desperately need the next one to be out so I can continue the story.
This time around we follow Jax, Arcanna and Dios, as they explore their feelings for one another while trying to stop the world from ending, one day at a time.
As is almost customary in JA George's books, the first part of Ruined Kingdom is told through past chapters. There we follow a different pairing, Oisin and Harrow, and see what led to Harrow having a mask over her face.
I gotta say, Harrow was my absolute favourite character in this book, and Oisin my most hated. In my mind, she could do no wrong, even when she did, literally, do something terrible. That's my baby though, I won't let anyone criticise her.
Oisin meanwhile...every single thing he did gave me the creeps. I hated the control he he had over Harrow and I kept hoping she'd break free of it. Even more so when my second favourite character, Luz, stepped onto the scene.
Luz is a serious contender for my favourite male character in the whole Gothic Grove universe! And we all know how great the rest of them are, but Luz...something about him is scratching my brain just right.
I hope he's Harrow's mate, in fact, I NEED him to be her mate. He was the one who was there for her and who took care of her when she needed it most. I'm only sad she had to meet Oisin first, and I really felt her sorrow and longing as if it were my own.
Now for the infamous trio, they were a hoot. Yes, they did drive me a bit bananas when they couldn't agree on the mating *cough* looking at you Dios *cough*, but the love they had for one another was apparent, even without the bonds being properly in place.
Plot wise, this was chaos, complete and utter chaos, and I loved every second of it. Well, except for Oisin continuously gaining power, duh.
I also loved seeing Shadow, Drago, Ava, Ciaran, Astrea, Kallen & Demon making cameos, and joining the fight. But even with all of them combined, the battle hasn't been won yet.
I am sooo excited to see what's next for these characters, especially the ones the epilogue decided to shine a light on. I'm wondering if their story will be next, or if Harrow and Luz's will get a continuation, or even if we'll see more of Rhea and Reaver. I'll be happy with whatever we get, I hope this series never ends.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This time around we follow Jax, Arcanna and Dios, as they explore their feelings for one another while trying to stop the world from ending, one day at a time.
As is almost customary in JA George's books, the first part of Ruined Kingdom is told through past chapters. There we follow a different pairing, Oisin and Harrow, and see what led to Harrow having a mask over her face.
I gotta say, Harrow was my absolute favourite character in this book, and Oisin my most hated. In my mind, she could do no wrong, even when she did, literally, do something terrible. That's my baby though, I won't let anyone criticise her.
Oisin meanwhile...every single thing he did gave me the creeps. I hated the control he he had over Harrow and I kept hoping she'd break free of it. Even more so when my second favourite character, Luz, stepped onto the scene.
Luz is a serious contender for my favourite male character in the whole Gothic Grove universe! And we all know how great the rest of them are, but Luz...something about him is scratching my brain just right.
I hope he's Harrow's mate, in fact, I NEED him to be her mate. He was the one who was there for her and who took care of her when she needed it most. I'm only sad she had to meet Oisin first, and I really felt her sorrow and longing as if it were my own.
Now for the infamous trio, they were a hoot. Yes, they did drive me a bit bananas when they couldn't agree on the mating *cough* looking at you Dios *cough*, but the love they had for one another was apparent, even without the bonds being properly in place.
Plot wise, this was chaos, complete and utter chaos, and I loved every second of it. Well, except for Oisin continuously gaining power, duh.
I also loved seeing Shadow, Drago, Ava, Ciaran, Astrea, Kallen & Demon making cameos, and joining the fight. But even with all of them combined, the battle hasn't been won yet.
I am sooo excited to see what's next for these characters, especially the ones the epilogue decided to shine a light on. I'm wondering if their story will be next, or if Harrow and Luz's will get a continuation, or even if we'll see more of Rhea and Reaver. I'll be happy with whatever we get, I hope this series never ends.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I saw the news about this book being turned into a Hallmark movie back in October, which brought it to my attention, so I immediately added it to my tbr and finally sat down to listen to it now.
It's EXACTLY the type of silly romance book I love. The vibes matched Puck and Prejudice, which is another new release I fell in love with, so it's no wonder this one worked for me too.
I also loooove the time travel trope, which we didn't exactly get here, not in the classic sense anyway, since Griffin's been a statue for centuries, but he's still a person from the past who ended up in the modern world, so in my mind it's time travel adjacent.
Her Knight at the Museum was so funny, and straight up adorable. I loved the narration, the historical references, Griffin being a pure ray of sunshine and his absolute devotion to Emily...HE WAS SO DOWN BAD GUYS, I lived for his PoVs.
Emily was like "he'll probably meet more women and leave me", meanwhile Griffin was planning their whole future inside his head, as any proper romance book hero should.
There was a little conflict near the end that wasn't really needed, but it didn't ruin the book for me, so I guess it can stay.
I'm so excited for the movie now, I hope it'll be out soon!! And I hope Bryn Donovan keeps writing romance books just like this one, I require more.
It's EXACTLY the type of silly romance book I love. The vibes matched Puck and Prejudice, which is another new release I fell in love with, so it's no wonder this one worked for me too.
I also loooove the time travel trope, which we didn't exactly get here, not in the classic sense anyway, since Griffin's been a statue for centuries, but he's still a person from the past who ended up in the modern world, so in my mind it's time travel adjacent.
Her Knight at the Museum was so funny, and straight up adorable. I loved the narration, the historical references, Griffin being a pure ray of sunshine and his absolute devotion to Emily...HE WAS SO DOWN BAD GUYS, I lived for his PoVs.
Emily was like "he'll probably meet more women and leave me", meanwhile Griffin was planning their whole future inside his head, as any proper romance book hero should.
There was a little conflict near the end that wasn't really needed, but it didn't ruin the book for me, so I guess it can stay.
I'm so excited for the movie now, I hope it'll be out soon!! And I hope Bryn Donovan keeps writing romance books just like this one, I require more.
Семья вурдалака by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.0
As a Serb, I found this delightful. I could even believe it actually happened back in the 1700s, the mentality was captured perfectly. Also, for anyone who doesn't already know, the word vampire (vampir) came from Serbian, so y'all are welcome.
Fire on Fire by Cyran Faringray
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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
I found the author through BlueSky, they posted some art of the characters and I knew I had to give this book a read.
I was immediately captivated by the story, world and its characters. And now I feel like I want to read everything Cyran Faringray has ever written, because I'm a fan of their writing style as well.
It's a slow burn, featuring a black cat fmc and a cinnamon roll mmc, both of them with skeletons in their closet.
When Trip showed up on Tamara's doorstep, it was over for me, I fell in love with him instantly and couldn't wait for them to get together. His accent got me, as did his patience with Tammy, and the way he beamed whenever she was nice to him or referred to him as hers around others.
And Tamara, I loved how badass she was, and how she didn't need anyone to protect her, and was even the one to protect herself and Trip when the occasion called for it. She's a loner who's touch-averse, which I can definitely relate to.
Following these two on their healing journey has been wonderful, and the ending was perfect, but I'd still love a sequel!
If you're looking for a unique and fun story, with good mental health rep and a romance that's guaranteed to make you smile, look no further, Fire on Fire is right here!!
I was immediately captivated by the story, world and its characters. And now I feel like I want to read everything Cyran Faringray has ever written, because I'm a fan of their writing style as well.
It's a slow burn, featuring a black cat fmc and a cinnamon roll mmc, both of them with skeletons in their closet.
When Trip showed up on Tamara's doorstep, it was over for me, I fell in love with him instantly and couldn't wait for them to get together. His accent got me, as did his patience with Tammy, and the way he beamed whenever she was nice to him or referred to him as hers around others.
And Tamara, I loved how badass she was, and how she didn't need anyone to protect her, and was even the one to protect herself and Trip when the occasion called for it. She's a loner who's touch-averse, which I can definitely relate to.
Following these two on their healing journey has been wonderful, and the ending was perfect, but I'd still love a sequel!
If you're looking for a unique and fun story, with good mental health rep and a romance that's guaranteed to make you smile, look no further, Fire on Fire is right here!!
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.75
I finally finished this!! I didn't click with it the way some of my friends have (if you ask me, I still think The Faithful and the Fallen is the superior series), and I can't say I loved this book, but it was alright.
The found family aspect was the strongest in this one out of the three, with characters coming together to fight a common enemy.
Now, the main things I didn't like about The Fury of the Gods, were the abundant battle scenes.
YES I KNOW, I KNOW, but they kept me from being excited to continue the story, because there were just so many, and they went on forever, described in great detail. And don't get me wrong, they *are* well-written and everything, but I felt as if this book was just one continuous battle scene with a few water breaks in between.
That is fine, it's simply not my favourite thing to read about.
Speaking of, I still didn't care for most of the PoVs we got, and rejoiced when three of them got killed off , especially my most hated character Elvar , even if she wasn't as horrible in this instalment as the first two.
I would've liked to have had Lif's PoV, he really grew on me as a character. I loved seeing him come into his own as a warrior, and I'm glad he got his deserved revenge and happy ending.
A surprising number of characters got to live actually, I'm not mad at that whatsoever, I was just expecting John Gwynne to try and give us all lasting emotional damage.
Speaking of, I cried at the end, and during the acknowledgements. The scenes where everyone got to avenge their fallen were the most precious to me, THAT is why I read this series.
I've seen a few people mention that maybe there will be a sequel series, because it was almost set up that way, and I would read it, but I don't think even that would beat his other series for me. Still, I'm glad I read it, here's to more adventures!
The found family aspect was the strongest in this one out of the three, with characters coming together to fight a common enemy.
Now, the main things I didn't like about The Fury of the Gods, were the abundant battle scenes.
YES I KNOW, I KNOW, but they kept me from being excited to continue the story, because there were just so many, and they went on forever, described in great detail. And don't get me wrong, they *are* well-written and everything, but I felt as if this book was just one continuous battle scene with a few water breaks in between.
That is fine, it's simply not my favourite thing to read about.
Speaking of, I still didn't care for most of the PoVs we got, and rejoiced when
I would've liked to have had Lif's PoV, he really grew on me as a character. I loved seeing him come into his own as a warrior, and I'm glad he got his deserved revenge and happy ending.
A surprising number of characters got to live actually, I'm not mad at that whatsoever, I was just expecting John Gwynne to try and give us all lasting emotional damage.
Speaking of, I cried at the end, and during the acknowledgements. The scenes where everyone got to avenge their fallen were the most precious to me, THAT is why I read this series.
I've seen a few people mention that maybe there will be a sequel series, because it was almost set up that way, and I would read it, but I don't think even that would beat his other series for me. Still, I'm glad I read it, here's to more adventures!
I'll Be Gone for Christmas by Georgia K. Boone
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
A quick and cute listen, but nothing more than that. I was expecting both of them to be in sapphic relationships, but only one was, and the pairings lacked chemistry. Neither storyline felt properly developed, but they were still enjoyable to follow. Extra points for the cutest little house chicken Bennie, she was the real MVP of this read.
Blót: A Norse Erotic Horror by Izzy Ravas
dark
fast-paced
3.0
A Goddess of old goes in search of sacrifices in order to stay on the mortal plane for another year.
The plot was interesting, the execution of it okay, though I think it would've flowed better had it been longer than novella length, because I did kinda get tired of reading pretty much the same thing over and over again.
The Berserker chapter was my favourite, but I'm biased. Either way, that one felt fresh compared to all the others. I would give another book by this author a try in the future, and I happen to know exactly which one.
The plot was interesting, the execution of it okay, though I think it would've flowed better had it been longer than novella length, because I did kinda get tired of reading pretty much the same thing over and over again.
The Berserker chapter was my favourite, but I'm biased. Either way, that one felt fresh compared to all the others. I would give another book by this author a try in the future, and I happen to know exactly which one.
Crossed by Emily McIntire
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Crossed was good like all of Emily McIntire's books, and a bit darker than the rest. I still had fun with it though, and I liked the characters. Bonus points for writing about one of my favourite villains and giving him a (toxic) happily ever after, we love to see it.
Sinister Desires by Pearl Sirius
dark
fast-paced
3.0
As I held her in my arms, I knew: there was no line I wouldn’t cross, no sin I wouldn’t commit to keep her by my side. I didn't just fall for her—I crave her. For better or for worse—she was mine. Forever.
Once upon a time, there were two cannibals...y'all, this was unhinged, there's nothing Maksim and Marissa wouldn't do to sate their darkest desires, and I really do mean it, heed the trigger warnings!!
At the back of the book, the author mentions being a fan of true crime alongside other things, and I think I know a case or two one scene might've been inspired by, I could be wrong though.
Anyway, a few scenes had me going "what the fuck" over and over again, my mouth was open and everything, I was really shocked which I do feel was the desired effect.
If you're a fan of Audrey Rush, this will probably be right up your alley.
Once upon a time, there were two cannibals...y'all, this was unhinged, there's nothing Maksim and Marissa wouldn't do to sate their darkest desires, and I really do mean it, heed the trigger warnings!!
At the back of the book, the author mentions being a fan of true crime alongside other things, and I think I know a case or two one scene might've been inspired by, I could be wrong though.
Anyway, a few scenes had me going "what the fuck" over and over again, my mouth was open and everything, I was really shocked which I do feel was the desired effect.
If you're a fan of Audrey Rush, this will probably be right up your alley.
Oceansong by C.W. Rose
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
So, I wrote a detailed review for this book and then accidentally pasted a different review on top and clicked post which just deleted all my hard work, yay. I'm going to rewrite it, but it won't be exactly the same, and will definitely be shorter, so here we go.
Oceansong was an interesting book, albeit one that didn't quite work for me. I was really hoping I'd love it, but I don't think I was the right audience for it.
The writing was a bit clunky, and it felt more YA than adult which I wasn't expecting. Kaden's lines were somewhat awkward to read because they seemed out of place and time. I couldn't take him seriously.
The romance was okay, but I wish the book was longer so it would really have a chance to shine. As is, they went from enemies to falling for each other in the blink of an eye, and most of it happened in the background, because the war was given priority.
I wouldn't say that storyline was as fleshed out as it could've been either, I had a hard time believing that EVERYONE was out for Mer blood, and I don't think Angie did everything she possibly could to stop it. She said she had to, and then did basically nothing until the end. She also didn't seem as affected as she should've been by all the deaths.
Another thing is that this never got any news coverage, it was somehow all kept under wraps?? For months?? Very hard to believe.
In contrast, what this book did well, is the familial relationships/dynamics. I could believe that Angie, her father, sister and niece cared about each other. Now, why the dad had such a personality switch once the Mer war started is another topic altogether.
C. W. Rose also did a good job with raising awareness about environmental concerns, mainly how we, as a species, pollute the Earth and her waters and ruin it for other beings who call the oceans home.
The ending seemed a little rushed, and the whole conflict was suddenly resolved with no trouble at all.
I agree with other reviewers who said Oceansong could've used some more editing before being published. But I don't think it's a bad book, there's certainly room for improvement. I think this story would click more with someone younger who might not notice everything I pointed out.
With that said, please be aware that Oceansong contains a few triggering topics, and it may or may not make you hate humans a bit more because of how they treated the mermaids here. Some of those scenes were just so painful to read.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Oceansong was an interesting book, albeit one that didn't quite work for me. I was really hoping I'd love it, but I don't think I was the right audience for it.
The writing was a bit clunky, and it felt more YA than adult which I wasn't expecting. Kaden's lines were somewhat awkward to read because they seemed out of place and time. I couldn't take him seriously.
The romance was okay, but I wish the book was longer so it would really have a chance to shine. As is, they went from enemies to falling for each other in the blink of an eye, and most of it happened in the background, because the war was given priority.
I wouldn't say that storyline was as fleshed out as it could've been either, I had a hard time believing that EVERYONE was out for Mer blood, and I don't think Angie did everything she possibly could to stop it. She said she had to, and then did basically nothing until the end. She also didn't seem as affected as she should've been by all the deaths.
Another thing is that this never got any news coverage, it was somehow all kept under wraps?? For months?? Very hard to believe.
In contrast, what this book did well, is the familial relationships/dynamics. I could believe that Angie, her father, sister and niece cared about each other. Now, why the dad had such a personality switch once the Mer war started is another topic altogether.
C. W. Rose also did a good job with raising awareness about environmental concerns, mainly how we, as a species, pollute the Earth and her waters and ruin it for other beings who call the oceans home.
The ending seemed a little rushed, and the whole conflict was suddenly resolved with no trouble at all.
I agree with other reviewers who said Oceansong could've used some more editing before being published. But I don't think it's a bad book, there's certainly room for improvement. I think this story would click more with someone younger who might not notice everything I pointed out.
With that said, please be aware that Oceansong contains a few triggering topics, and it may or may not make you hate humans a bit more because of how they treated the mermaids here. Some of those scenes were just so painful to read.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*