ellelainey's reviews
2521 reviews

The Dragon's Betrothed, Vol. 2 by Meguru Hinohara

4.0

Still silly and cute, with a sudden change of heart and more heat, but at least I'm starting to feel some chemistry now!

The Dragon's Betrothed, Vol. 1 by Meguru Hinohara

4.0

This was a fun but sometimes silly story, with a sweet side. Really cute, but with some minor flaws. I like both main characters, but I'm not yet feeling any spark between them.

Tied to You, Vol. 3 by Chelliace

5.0

Wow! This just gets more and more twisted!

I absolutely LOVE Jigeon. He's such a master manipulator but, like Wooseo is slowly starting to realise, I think his feelings for Wooseo are genuine. Jiseok is just a jealous, possessive friend and his friends - like Wooseo says - are just selfish and insincere. While Jigeon is seriously underhanded, I love him and his way of thinking.

I can't wait for Volume 4. I've already pre-ordered my paperback.

Phoenix Found by TJ Nichols

4.0

 

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine

~

Phoenix Found, by T.J. Nichols
Brothers of Fire, 05
★★★★★

3rd person, dual character POV with brief alternative character POV's
Themes: LGBTQIA+, Romance, Royalty, Shifters, age gap
Triggers: mild violence, betrayal, mentions of off-page imprisonment and abuse, homophobia
Genre: MM, Romance, Shifter, PNR, Crime 

~ 

Phoenix Found is the fifth and final book in the Brothers of Fire series, which focuses on Oliver – previously known in the series as Olier. Having been missing for centuries, the Oliver they've found isn't quite the Olier they expected, and while Everest is devastated and reeling from the events of Oliver's rescue, everyone else tries to be okay with the new version of the brother they'd lost. 

Oliver, meanwhile, is struggling in a world he doesn't understand. He had a good life before being rescued; lonely, but he was well cared for, and whenever he felt overwhelmed by the magic beneath his skin, a witch would come to give him some relief, in a way that means he doesn't think of his past as painful or abusive. In fact, he'd rather return to the simpler world of captivity than face what's ahead. But, he tries to do what he can to assimilate into his new life, learning French without butchering the language and easing into the life that is supposedly his. 

On the flip side, Perrin is something the paranormal world have almost forgotten existed: a ghoul. As a ghoul, it's usually his job to scavenge the dead and clean up the Coven's messes, but his family work in the castle and there aren't many messes to clean up anymore. He works as a general handyman in the castle, hiding his nature and trying to avoid his family's attempts to matchmake him with another ghoul 'for the sake of their kind'. All while dealing with a homophobic family and other ghouls in general. 

Individually, they're both a mess, but together Oliver and Perrin are adorable and the cutest couple. Perrin is experienced in the physical but not so much emotional connections, whereas Oliver is a blank slate about most things. When they come together, it's got a hint of teacher/student about it, as Perrin helps Oliver find who he is and what he enjoys, but it's really quite minimal. The secondary characters really step up to help Oliver learn about life and the world, and sex, so that it doesn't feel like Perrin is somehow manipulating or having power over that part of Oliver's learning, which I appreciated. It meant that they got to explore things together without it feeling preachy or like a lesson. 

I loved the way that Nichols wrote ghouls. You don't often see a book with a ghoul in it, especially as a love interest. The lore behind them, the description of their physical appearance and overall nature, was really interesting and fed to us little by little throughout the book. I really liked the addition of the ghoul in the series, though it would be interesting to see more of them in one of the Familiar Mates series, since this series is now complete. 

I don't normally like multi-character POV's but Nichols always does them so well, and only when they're needed. Here, we get an occasional chapter of POV from Dalmon, Kaine, Quentin and Everest, when it's deemed necessary to show us something outside the main plot. 

While I'm sad to see the end of the series, it feels like the right thing for these brothers. They've tied up most of their storyline and history throughout the series and each brother has been featured. I do feel like a lot of phoenix lore has been left undiscovered – which is part of the reason it's a 4* and not a 5* rating – but with the next Familiar Mates series featuring a phoenix egg, I do feel like they'll make appearances throughout the connected series. The Shadow Board are (mostly?) dealt with, which was pretty much the overarching plot of this series, so it would feel right to end things here. 

I'll also add that I thought the bonus epilogue really set up the transition from this series back to Familiar Mates pretty well. It gave an indication of what we'll see in the next book and how the two tie together. 

~ 

Favourite Quote 

 “Oliver was a shooting star, drawing gasps of amazement, and he was the scavenger stuffing his face with carrion and drawing shrieks of fear.” 

 “Watching Oliver become more confident, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon where it had slept too long, made his heart ache with joy and sadness. Because it wouldn’t be long before his beautiful phoenix took flight.” 

Covenant, Vol. 2 by LySandra Vuong, explodikid

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

  ** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE ** 

 Copy received through Netgalley 

 ~ 

 Covenant, Volume 2 

 by LySandra Vuong 

★★★★★ 

 248 Pages 

 Content Warning: heavy religious content, mentions of grief, mild violence, loss of family members 

 Volume 2 of Covenant collects episodes 19-36 of the Webtoon comic, which means we get a lot of story in this volume, that builds on the events of Volume 1. The story flowed nicely between episodes, seamlessly continuing the overall arc of the story while adding in extra details, new characters and background to what we already know. 

 The art was gorgeous, as in Volume 1. The light contrast between good / evil and the highlights of gold whenever action scenes took place was so pleasing to the eye. 

 Again, the LGBT rep was really well done, combining inclusivity and diversity within the cast of characters. Everyone was an individual with distinct art and personalities. 

 I liked that we got to learn so much more about Sunny and his backstory, while also learning more about Ezra and his struggle with his faith. There was a lot of story involving the two of them being forced together for Ezra's protection detail and through college. 

 I did sometimes feel like Sunny was one of those too-stupid-to-live characters, who disregards his own safety and that of the people around him just to accomplish his own goals. He's often thoughtless and reckless, but considering his age and background, that feels pretty authentic to his characterisation. 

 I'm definitely intrigued as to how this will continue in Volume 3. 

Please Like and Subscribe by Bradley Scott

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

  ** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE ** 

 ~ 

 Please Like and Subscribe, by Bradley Scott 

★★★★★ 

 364 pages 

 1st person, past tense, dual character POV 

 Tropes: and they were roommates, golden retriever, cinnamon roll, influencer x white collar, slow burn 

 Triggers: (mentioned or in passing by secondary character) casual misogyny, biphobia, cult-ish behaviour, history of family mental health issues, casual drug use, casual attitude towards drinking, hints of depression from work stress 

 (explored or mentioned by main characters) infidelity, couples therapy, anxiety 

 Please Like and Subscribe is an incredibly heartfelt, real portrayal of the struggles one couple face while finding their way to each other. Saying that feels like a massive over-simplification of what I've just read, but that is the crux of the story – Jerry and Dax are navigating life, love, friends and work to find out how to fit together and what will make them happy. Along the way, we get to experience this incredibly romantic, sweet and wholesome friendship form between them. 

 I can't often say that I spent the majority of a book smiling, but every time Jerry and Dax were on page together I was either grinning at their adorable chemistry or biting my lip for other reasons. 👀 Scott did such a great job of making both main characters viscerally relatable and familiar – they both work regular jobs, regular homes and complicated relationships, weird friends and more troubles than they care to admit. Somehow, they come together beautifully, in a way that lets one be a tower of strength to the other just when they're needed. 

 Dax is...gosh, a cinnamon roll, golden retriever, puppy who just wants to appreciate and adore and salivate all over Jerry in the most adorable way. He's a budding influencer – not the making-mass-amounts-of-money type – who is struggling to find his niche and make it work for him. He's also got an on-again off-again relationship with his fiancee, Deana. 

 Jerry is still reeling from his husband Michael walking out six months ago with no warning, no rhyme or explanation to his actions. The A-h*le even took all the furniture in the house! Jerry has a job in the background of social media, which is what brings him back into Dax's orbit after a one night-stand together months ago. Having heard from Michael soon after that night, he's now actively trying to repair his marriage with couples therapy...if only Michael would cooperate. 

NOTE: For a full run-down of how they met and how drastic Michael's departure was for Jerry, I STRONGLY recommend reading Only One Nightstand first. In fact, read it immediately before Please Like and Subscribe, because although both are written to standalone they provide context and continuity to each other that makes them better read as a pair. 

 Together, Jerry and Dax are...adorable, fun, loveable. I could probably go on for a while. 

 For those of us who read the prequel, the book starts with us seeing how they've been doing since Only One Nightstand. For anyone coming in fresh, they get to find out who Dax and Jerry are, what their lives are like and what their home/relationship situations are. It takes about 12% to set the stage, which is important because a lot happens in those pages that you don't really appreciate or realise until closer to 15%. 

 I'll admit – at first, it feels like a slow start, but once you get to around 13-15%, you begin to see the foreshadowing and context of everything that had to happen before we could reach a certain point. The book really picks up pace and grows more comfortable within itself when Jerry and Dax meet (again) at 12-13%. 

 When it comes to Michael, well...the less said the better? I hated him in the prequel. He wasn't even on page and I loathed the man for all that he'd put Jerry through. Here? Well, here there was one quote that really stuck in my teeth to remind me just how much I hated him and how right I was to hate him, because Michael is SO full of red flags and poor Jerry is just a colour-blind lovesick fool. Oh, and this all happened well before he finally appeared on page (at 34% - which, in my opinion, was still far too soon. Never would have been too soon. ) 

 “A library. I've always wanted one. I got rid of my books when I moved in with Michael, because we didn't have the room.” 

 He'd called them 'clutter', like I was a hoarder and they were garbage.” 

 If that ^ doesn't tell me everything I ever needed to know about Michael, then I don't know what might. 

 Ahem. Moving on.... 

 Side characters! I love a good cast of side characters and Scott did a brilliant job of making them, again, relatable and realistic, but also interesting, with their own lives and complexities and issues. I loved the women! I don't often get to say that about an MM or LGBT story, since sometimes women end up the villain or caricatures, but the women Scott wrote were strong, real and feisty! I loved them. From the background character of Gina, who kicked ass; Jerry's friend Zoe, who had some interesting ways of 'breaking up' with her ex; and most of all Deana. 

 Weirdly, though I'm not at all a grouchy person by nature, I related the most to Deana. Her inability to cope with Dax's puppy-energy and himbo nature, or suffer fools like Chad – so appropriately named because he's the biggest Chad bro-dude energy I've ever seen! – really reminds me of myself. I get the same impatient, frustrated way and have to stop myself from saying something mean just because I'm sick of repeating or explaining myself. So, I *get* Deana on a visceral level! 

 I really loved her complex relationship with Dax. They'd been friends forever, in a relationship for so long they can't remember being anything else, but they also need some time apart every now and then, to regroup and refresh. I actually love how mature they were about it – when they're on a break, they're not together so they can see other people, yet they're still loyal to each other in the ways that count. I also really loved how she tried so hard to understand Dax, even when it pushed her to her limits, because she genuinely loved him, in a way that went beyond their relationship. 

 Then there's Aaron. Dear, sweet, over-worked Aaron desperately needs someone in his life to help him unwind. I would LOVE to see that, like seriously – I'm begging here 👉👈 Please? Aaron needs someone to remind him to live outside of work, because that boy is so over-worked it's ridiculous. His coping mechanisms aren't the best, but he tries so damned hard that I really got attached to him. The way he helped Dax, and DnD, was such good friendship-goals that I melted for Aaron. 

 I also want to mention what good bisexual rep there was! Scott wrote Dax with such heart and depth. I loved how deeply he loved Deana, how he slowly fell in love with Jerry, and the journey that took Dax on, into discovering himself. I love that he's quite demisexual, in that he really needs a connection with someone before he can even think about being with them physically, and he's a loyal puppy who just wants to make people feel loved and wanted when he's with someone. He's not a bed-hopper and he can't even recognise when people are flirting with him, which just makes the whole himbo, cinnamon roll, golden retriever thing even more sweet. I love good, positive bi rep, and this was exactly that. 

 Jerry is...well, Jerry is someone I want to wrap up in a hug and squeeze until he can't breathe. Then I want to give him a good shake and ask what he was ever thinking by getting involved with someone like Michael. I think, deep down, Jerry has a fix-him problem, but it was so lovely to go on the journey with him, to see him starting to see that side of himself, to watch him grow and learn from his past mistakes to see that an alternative option was available. He didn't have to repeat old mistakes anymore, just because it was comfortable and he felt like he'd failed in his marriage. He didn't have to feel that way because it wasn't true. He'd just been in a marriage alone, which is a terrible thing to be. He'd done his best, he's stuck around, he'd worked hard and tried everything to save his marriage, but in the end, it was the journey he went on to *find himself* that mattered most, and that all began with Dax. 

 ~ 

 I could talk about this book all day. I stayed up until 3am to finish it and even at 11am the next day I'm still not over it. I'm going to have a book hangover from this! But it is SO worth it. 

 Please Like and Subscribe is surprisingly wholesome, fun and romantic. It's got heart and depth and soul, and it takes you on a journey that brings two people together who desperately need something good in their lives, who need to be loved and understood and appreciated. And they get that, from each other. It's got a final two chapters that had my cheeks sore from grinning. It's got an HEA. It's....satisfying and engrossing and all-encompassing. It makes me want to kick my feet and giggle over it for a few more hours, while I mentally run through my favourite parts again. 

 It's happy and sad and heartbreaking and heart-mending. Please Like and Subscribe is a rollercoaster of emotions that gave me the feel-good injection I really needed this week. And it's worked it's way onto my Best of 2024 list. I'll be reading anything and everything else Bradley Scott writes, from now on. 

 ~ 

 Favourite Quote 

 “Having Dax around was incredibly different. Not just from living alone, which I hated, but even from when Michael was here. Dax filled the space, and what he filled it with was all good stuff. Warmth. Joy. Fun.” 

 “Just because you wanted something doesn’t mean you took it. We’re humans, not animals. 

 Sure, we’d all love to do the stuff that felt good. Sleep all day. Eat cupcakes. Grab a married guy with a shitty husband and ride him until his d*ck falls off.” 

Only One Nightstand by Bradley Scott

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

 

 ** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE ** 

 ~ 

 Only One Nightstand, by Bradley Scott 

★★★★★ 

 1st person, past tense, single character POV 

 This is Scott's first book, and I was lucky enough to be given an ARC for review. I loved the concept, the title and Scott has been a lovely, positive presence in my feed ever since we were first in contact. I'll admit, all of that made me nervous. I always get nervous reading a debut book for review, but it's worse when the author is such a nice person and everything about the book seems ideal to my reading preferences. 

 I was NOT disappointed. 

 First off, I really want to thank Scott for the Content Notice. Too many authors who use “please see my website for more details” are hiding serious triggers that readers really need to be aware of. Not this time. Scott tells us everything we need in the content notice, and graciously elaborates on the website about the extent of those warnings without adding more. THANK YOU! This is the kind of warnings book need: letting the reader go into the story fully informed. 

 For a short story, listed as only 39 pages!, it packed A LOT of story into a small space, which is something I love. Although it was spicy and hot and full of one night-stand romance, I loved that it had heart and depth to the storyline. It wasn't just about two people hooking up – which is fine too – but it was a kind of affirmation, the beginning of a journey that I look forward to following into the novel. 

 Quick context rundown: 

 Jerry's husband left six months – not quite in the night, but doing a sudden flit without warning, taking all the stuff from their apartment “that he paid for” *insert side-eye* – leaving Jerry in limbo, with barely anything to furnish his home, and feeling like a failure, but also a little bit confused because they're separated but not quite divorced. His husband – he who shall not be graced with a name, because he's a controlling, gaslight ass – just took off, leaving his life behind, which has left Jerry floundering and lost. 

 One rainy night, he spots a vaguely familiar face in the rain, and offers Dax a warm place to wait until his tow truck arrives, not realising that won't happen until morning. Dax is porn-star gorgeous, golden retriever energy, who goes with the flow. He's also engaged, but on “a break”, a routine occurrence with his girlfriend/fiancee. 

 Together, they have one night of mutual attraction and freedom to explore. 

 ~ 

 Only One Nightstand is a super cute one night-stand, forced proximity, only one bed short story. It has cute, relatable, loveable characters, a solid background plot, and holds a lot of promise for there to be a strong romance in the future. Although it was short, the story was full of depth and hope, showing what promises to be the beginning of a long but meaningful and important journey of self exploration and rediscovery. I can't wait to read Please Like and Subscribe, and more of Bradley Scott's work in the future. 

 ~ 

 Favourite Quote 

 “It was amazing to be touched again, but this was like crawling out of the desert and landing in a pool of champagne.” 

Stray Cat's Dinner by Kure

4.0

FANGS, Vol. 3 by Billy Balibally

5.0

 This felt like it was over way too quickly, like it was much shorter than the other volumes, but I think that's because it packed so much into the pages. I'll definitely need to do a reread before volume 4. There's so much to unpack here, yet we got the long-awaited glimpse of the past that I wanted. 

Hungry Heart by Jem Milton

5.0

  ** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE ** 

 Copy received through Netgalley 

 ~ 

 Hungry Heart, by Jem Milton 

★★★★★ 

 256 Pages 

 Content Warning: mentions of anxiety, eating disorder, identity crisis, coming out 

 Reps: POV, trans, disables, pansexual, non-binary 

 Hungry Heart is a super-cute romance story between opposites. 

 Laurie is half-English, half-Scottish, from a “wealthy family” – the type with a big house that's too expensive to run/live in, but too deeply ingrained in the DNA to let go of. His parents are separated and he's dealing with an eating disorder he's trying (and sometimes failing) to recover from, as well as anxiety, poverty, and the threat of losing his job, not to mention a food blog with only 2-digit followers. Oryan is his polar opposite – from a regular, middle-class family, he won a UK Kitchen chef competition when he was 19 and became an instant star. Now, he's struggling under the weight of stardom, doing more celebrity appearances than cooking, and losing sight of who he really is behind the flashing lights. 

 Together, they are the cutest, most normal and messed-up couple. They start as strangers, then Laurie is offered the chance to interview Oryan for a food magazine he freelances for. Oryan's sister works with Laurie's roommate and that is the start of their meet-cute. And a budding romance. 

 I really liked how Oryan's life wasn't bright and shiny just because he became famous, and presumably rich, at a young age. Yet, conversely, I love how normal Laurie was – working a dead-end waiter's job just to pay the pills, yet maintaining his blog for the love of food and working side jobs, like at the magazine, to try to further his career. I also love how carefully, respectfully and honestly their problems were treated. How Oryan had anxiety he tried to hide, was losing himself because no one would let him breathe, and Laurie was grinding away like the rest of us in life, without getting very far. The exploration of internet/social media trolls was well done, too, and such an important issue to highlight. 

 I loved the artwork. Both MC's were equally drawn as sometimes beautiful, blushing and cute, and often times just regular people, with regular issues. 

 Although it ended a bit abruptly, in what feels like the middle of a potential second storyline involving Violet, I did enjoy what I read. There was no mention of this being a Vol. 1 when I requested it from Netgalley, but I wouldn't be mad if it continued. I liked that the entire thing was realistic, with no magic bow to tie everything up, no cure for their real life problems, just acceptance, love, friendship and fighting to survive another day. 

 I won't lie, I'd also love to see more of Laurie's friend, Hugo, who seems to have a hint of a crush on Laurie. I adored him, even though he was a bit of a happy weirdo, and I loved all the cute nicknames he gave Laurie. 

 For fans of Chef's Kiss, by Jarrett Melendez. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Biphobia, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit