endemictoearth's reviews
3972 reviews

One True Outcome by KD Casey

emotional inspiring reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Violence and Medical content

Minor: Child death

Higher by Roz Alexander

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

3.75

The beginning of the book was kind of frustrating, but really got into the groove for the middle half or more. I found myself getting a bit annoyed near the end again, but the good stuff here was really good. I try to be generous to romance that features underrepresented characters, as everyone deserves to see themselves as lovable. 

Splash Me by Laura Lovely, Madame de Boudoir

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

A sweet and silly erotic short. Enjoyed the earnestness with which the MMC approached the task of making the FMC's fantasy feel real. 

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! Vol. 12 by Yuu Toyota

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

4.5

The Winter Prince by R. Cooper

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Cooper's patented obliviots pining silently worked well for me here. The novella length meant that it couldn't be dragged out too long, and the quest had enough excitement and introduced some new characters who come along for the journey, so it couldn't get too insular and navel-gaze-y. 

Nour's Secret Library by Wafa' Tarnowska, Vali Mintzi

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective sad

4.5

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.0

This was cruising along at a 3.5 star book until 2/3 through. I liked the characters and the set up, the main relationship was lovely, but there was too much going on around the edges. Even if I'd read all the previous books, I think I would have been a bit annoyed at how often we are pulled away from the main couple to get the backstory of how who knows who and how long someone's lived in town and why they ended up there. 

However, at the 2/3 mark, Xeni and Mason have an amazing conversation around kids, reproductive choice (for both of them) and their experiences and expectations about the idea of birth and family that I wanted to give a standing ovation. Exactly the sort of thing I want to see more of in my mf romance. I also love that this is bi4bi and they do actual on-page

pegging

. Another round of applause. 

I do need to read more of this author, but I'm never the biggest fan of a sprawling interconnected world that has to constantly catch us up on who's who, but I know others love that. So, in the end, this is a four star book that had some five star moments.

Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.

I listened to the first half on a car ride and have not felt compelled to return to it. The descriptions of the characters eyes and bodies were constant and way too detailed and while I can love a pining hero, I think this is dragging things out way too long. Plus I've heard there's a particularly annoying third act break (I can take a break if it's needed, but sometimes it's too much). Anyhow, I gave it a shot.