ericas_bookshelf's reviews
902 reviews

Currency in Flesh: a dark paranormal romance by Heather Nix

dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Sapphic Hades/Persephone with heaps of feminine rage?? SIGN ME TF UP. 

Grace’s abusive husband Sean thinks he can trick the goddess of the underworld by giving Grace’s soul in exchange for his own when he makes a deal with her. This obviously blows up in his face. What happens next is an absolutely steamy and kink filled affair between Grace & Lady Cora. Lady Cora aids Grace in healing and also providing her the tools and space she needs to torture her husband in the underworld (so romantic tbh). Grace’s journey to healing from the awful things her husband did to her was incredibly empowering to read. Additionally, the spice in this was SCORCHING, the way the dom/sub dynamic is written is *chefs kiss*. Overall, this was stellar and I definitely want to read more of Heather’s books now!

I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

Only Kimberly could write a 5 star book that has, a talking lion, a pink dinosaur, owl aliens, alien mates, a giant frog, and an engaging plot with incredibly hot spice. LIKE ONLY SHE COULD DO IT I FEAR. 

Quite literally devoured this up like I was running out of time to read it. 😋

Reel by Kennedy Ryan

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

KENNEDY RYAN SUPREMACY >>>

Listen. This book has been on my TBR for ages and I was just never in the right mood to read it. Well jokes on me because this is a masterpiece and I WISH I had read it sooner. Canon & Neevah’s love story is passionate, tender, emotional, and truly one of the greatest love stories I’ve ever read. 

This story was done with such care and love, which is so typical of Kennedy, and why I love her books so much. The way she wove in essential Black artists into the story and characters was utterly remarkable. 

P. S. This audiobook is a god tier audiobook for me now, it’s easily one of the best I’ve ever read!!

Blood Moon by Jillian Graves

funny hopeful inspiring relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

The Syndicater by RuNyx

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.0

Queens and Monsters by Clio Evans

emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake

emotional funny hopeful relaxing slow-paced

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

5.0

I love angst, I love second chance romances, and I love mess and tension, so it’s not surprising that I enjoyed this haha. Plus it has lesbians so that automatically makes it that much better. The holiday vibes were immaculate, and the spice was SPICY, highly recommend haha. 

*I received and ALC from Librofm in exchange for my honest review*

Heat and Run by Adriana Herrera

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Adriana does it again, wow. This was phenomenal! Now, I’ve loved every book in this series, and refuse to pick a favorite because I love each one for different reasons. But this one is so special to me. Particularly in light of recent political events in the US that occurred while I was reading this. There is something so powerful about a romance book with a Black woman doctor running women’s clinics and fiercely holding on to her independence. Aurora is highly intelligent, outspoken, unashamed of what she desires sexually, and doesn’t let anyone push her around. Then we have Apollo who is Black, & a Duke, and is grappling with being a part of the aristocracy that was, in his own words, built on the backs of his ancestors. And Apollo? He LOVES everything about her. In fact, every time she is prickly towards him, he falls even deeper in love. Which is so insanely hot to me. 

If you couldn’t tell, I adored these characters and the story so very much. 

Adriana’s books are spectacular and provide necessary diversity to the historical romance genre. She writes deeply liberating love stories and I can’t wait to see what she writes next, because this series has my entire heart and I’m so sad it’s over! 

P. S. Don’t skip the authors note! 

*I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

Echoes of the Tide by Emma Hamm

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0