callmekt's reviews
68 reviews

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

I had a fun time reading this book. I've been craving a good and fun urban fantasy for a while and this book certainly scratched that itch. The pacing was good, the characters were great, there was amazing sexual tension between the two main characters.

I have a few criticisms. None of these detracted from my enjoyment of this book. I would still recommend it to anyone seeking a sapphic urban fantasy.

The story's weakest part was 3/4 through. I won't detail the events of that part, only that I spent those chapters unable to define the structure of the Order of Light. There's mention of intelligence gathering but we never meet anyone who actually does that. I have questions about the Order's clientele, who seem non-existent for a mercenary organization. Moreover, we never hear mention of the Order's effects on the unhuman community. No one seems to know anyone who disappeared because of the Order.

My second criticism is that the book needed a line-edit. I clocked at least once where Petra referenced Vy by name before names were exchanged, and there were sentences and paragraphs throughout that could have been more efficiently arranged.

My favorite thing about this book was the sexual tension. Petra is a soldier for the Order of Light and wants to kill Vy. Vy would prefer that didn't happen. They make out about it once or twice and it's golden. Love that for them.

Overall, the book reads like a YA novel but the themes and content age it up a lot. I enjoyed reading it and was disappointed that I didn't find the announcement for the next book. I hope there is one! I would love to see where Hutson takes things after the ending!

Content Warnings

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

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lighthearted relaxing 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

Content Warnings

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 39%.

The main conceit for one of the love interests was that she had a hard time saying No to people asking for help. And the one time she does say No, with fervor and anger and finality, everyone around her, including her love interest, pushes against that. For about 150 pages, her No was worn away to a Yes and that's when I bounced.

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

It's a Scalzi book so it's got its usual Scalzi components: competent people, assholes getting called out, an attempt at a narrator of indeterminate gender, funny bits, a lot of dialogue, and lots of exposition happening in the dialogue.

That said, it's a fun romp and adventure. Reads like it would make a killer screen adaptation. Hollywood, please produce this.

Content Warnings

In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae

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hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's a Hallmark Christmas movie with a sapphic romance at its center, and is something I would recommend to people looking for a cute, queer romance.

I love a good romance that starts with a complicated relationship. This book had a great setup with a lot of promise, but no pay out. The MC Morgan and her love interest Rachel were former besties in high school, but while Morgan took off for the city to start a life and career of her own, Rachel stuck around the small town where they grew up. Their parting was not amicable, and I loved the allusions to the big fight and fallout.

Unfortunately, that level of complication did not extend beyond the middle of the book. I felt Morgan and Rachel reconciled too easily before starting their relationship.

The main plot involved Morgan setting up a big fundraiser to save Rachel's tree farm. This also had an easy resolution, especially with Christy, who is the main villain. Christy is part of a large enterprise that had taken over a neighboring small town, and she's leading the charge to do the same in Fern Falls. The decisions she makes in the climax of the fundraiser plot are such a 180 from what she had been doing until that point that it took me out of the book.

The book ends with the standard Hallmark plot of the Big City Girl staying in the small town indefinitely. And while there's a lot of lead up to that sort of ending, it's still disappointing to me, the person who would like the Big City Girl to return to the Big City with her love interest in tow for once.

My final thought involves the description of attraction Morgan has to Rachel. It's entirely based on Rachel's appearance and descriptions therein. I guess that's great for some people, but love is more than looks. I wanted to know what Rachel did to make Morgan feel wanted and welcome. I wanted Rachel to see Morgan for who she is, and I wanted Morgan to melt at every sign of Rachel putting her trust in her.

Despite these gripes, I did enjoy this book. It's a cozy, holiday story I would recommend for the holiday season.

Content Warnings