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fossilreads's reviews
132 reviews
Seducing the Cecaelia Heir by May Matthews
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
This was a super quick read I picked up from a stuff your e-reader day.
I felt the story had much more potential than it ended up being. There seemed to be too much plot to set the scene for such a short story. It was like we were rushing through many interesting things so we could get to the spice. This had enough ideas to write a full book but we just rushed most parts that added complex plot points.
I did really like the spice with our sapphic main characters and I found those parts written a bit better than others. For me, it felt like perhaps the author was more focused on writing the juicy bits and just had to get the rest out of the way for a full novella. This was my first book including tentacles and I've got to say, I wasn't disappointed in them!
The novella could've benefitted from one more extra thorough proofreading, there will always be some typos that end up slipping through but unfortunately this time there were so many that it affected my enjoyment and took me out of my story enjoyment. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clumsy, but not too bad.
I found it kind of tacky but also funny that the other Cecaelia heir was named Cecelia.
I felt the story had much more potential than it ended up being. There seemed to be too much plot to set the scene for such a short story. It was like we were rushing through many interesting things so we could get to the spice. This had enough ideas to write a full book but we just rushed most parts that added complex plot points.
I did really like the spice with our sapphic main characters and I found those parts written a bit better than others. For me, it felt like perhaps the author was more focused on writing the juicy bits and just had to get the rest out of the way for a full novella. This was my first book including tentacles and I've got to say, I wasn't disappointed in them!
The novella could've benefitted from one more extra thorough proofreading, there will always be some typos that end up slipping through but unfortunately this time there were so many that it affected my enjoyment and took me out of my story enjoyment. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clumsy, but not too bad.
Blessed by the Cupid Distribution System by Robin Jo Margaret
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Adorable and spicy quick read!
This is how you write a novella! The premise is interesting and cute, our characters are complex, and so much story fits into one day. Occasionally the writing style felt fanfic-y, but that is not a bad thing, just good to be aware of when deciding to read! I enjoyed seeing what could be done in the one-day time limit imposed on the main characters and was not disappointed in the slightest.
This novella is a prime example of good and realistic representation of queer, POC, and neurodivergent characters. I loved seeing Iris be authentically autistic and I share so many traits with her. Jaya was amazing in enjoying Iris' company because of her traits, not despite them. Iris goes through a bit of growth and it's cute to see how she gets to go from slightly bitter to experiencing what she's been missing.
The cupid system is interesting and sets a great basis for how things progress. I loved the epilogue, it showed how these two can communicate their needs to each other and make it work! The story would have felt complete without it, but it was a lovely peek into what was next for them.
Jaya's cupid magic created awesome chances for Iris to enjoy things she would otherwise not feel comfortable doing (I could use some of that magic too!). The spice was very enjoyable and these girls know how to get steamy in the best ways.
I will absolutely be getting back to Iris and Jaya whenever I need a quick romance and spice session! I could read a full series of what they get up to.
This is how you write a novella! The premise is interesting and cute, our characters are complex, and so much story fits into one day. Occasionally the writing style felt fanfic-y, but that is not a bad thing, just good to be aware of when deciding to read! I enjoyed seeing what could be done in the one-day time limit imposed on the main characters and was not disappointed in the slightest.
This novella is a prime example of good and realistic representation of queer, POC, and neurodivergent characters. I loved seeing Iris be authentically autistic and I share so many traits with her. Jaya was amazing in enjoying Iris' company because of her traits, not despite them. Iris goes through a bit of growth and it's cute to see how she gets to go from slightly bitter to experiencing what she's been missing.
The cupid system is interesting and sets a great basis for how things progress. I loved the epilogue, it showed how these two can communicate their needs to each other and make it work! The story would have felt complete without it, but it was a lovely peek into what was next for them.
Jaya's cupid magic created awesome chances for Iris to enjoy things she would otherwise not feel comfortable doing (I could use some of that magic too!). The spice was very enjoyable and these girls know how to get steamy in the best ways.
I will absolutely be getting back to Iris and Jaya whenever I need a quick romance and spice session! I could read a full series of what they get up to.
I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
Extremely cute and heartwarming!
This was a perfect light read with beautiful POC and queer rep. I enjoyed seeing Kimi connect with her Japanese roots and learn so much from visiting her grandparents.
I Love You So Mochi is full of self-discovery and teenager shenanigans, which made this such a fun read for me! I had a good time seeing Kimi realize the connections with their family relationships and working toward growing with them. It warmed my heart to see her understand that sometimes the dreams you didn't even realize were there are the ones you should pursue. Even though it might have been glaringly obvious to others what she should do, she had completely shut the option out of her mind even as a possibility.
I loved the romance and Akira was the cutest love interest ever! All the Tanuki shenanigans and his Mochi plans were SO CUTE! I also loved that Kimi was able to inspire him back, so both had some growth during Kimi's visit.
I think the story would've been satisfying even without the epilogue, but that did tie up some loose ends beautifully! The story arc inspired me greatly and gave me many ideas for my own creations!
This was a perfect light read with beautiful POC and queer rep. I enjoyed seeing Kimi connect with her Japanese roots and learn so much from visiting her grandparents.
I Love You So Mochi is full of self-discovery and teenager shenanigans, which made this such a fun read for me! I had a good time seeing Kimi realize the connections with their family relationships and working toward growing with them. It warmed my heart to see her understand that sometimes the dreams you didn't even realize were there are the ones you should pursue. Even though it might have been glaringly obvious to others what she should do, she had completely shut the option out of her mind even as a possibility.
I loved the romance and Akira was the cutest love interest ever! All the Tanuki shenanigans and his Mochi plans were SO CUTE! I also loved that Kimi was able to inspire him back, so both had some growth during Kimi's visit.
I think the story would've been satisfying even without the epilogue, but that did tie up some loose ends beautifully! The story arc inspired me greatly and gave me many ideas for my own creations!
Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
Not in the right mindspace to really appreciate the beautiful writing, will pick up later when I'm able to properly dive in 💚
The Devil and His Sparrow by Sylver Michaela
Spicy as hell! (pun intended)
This felt like such a well-rounded experience for me. I was looking for spice AND a good plot, and both were delivered! I really enjoyed the huge character growth so many of the characters went through. The writing style was easy for me, which made this experience great for when I wanted to just enjoy easy progress.
I had a hard time putting this one down, I ended up staying up way too late finishing it. There were heart-wrenching plot twists that I just had to keep reading through. Sparrow was such a good nickname, it just hit the right spot.
I loved the spice, this was probably the spiciest read I've had so far and I enjoyed every part of it! Zagan sure knew how to make things interesting. Somehow I did not hate the use of "folds" as much in this as I have before, did you just heal me from my Twisted Love trauma???
I loved all of Iyla's relationships, from difficult family ties to absolute sweetheart friends. There was so much trauma for her to accept and work through, and I loved seeing how Zagan pushed her to do the work and supported her through it. Not everyone has a rich demon from a boyband to help them out.
Even though our main characters were quite straight, there was good queer rep with our side characters! I loved the POC rep too, the characters didn't feel like tokens but were actually meaningful.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the author for the chance to be an ARC reader!
"My blood boiled past the point of fuming. I was ready to maul, burn, and fucking destroy the world so that Iyla could stand atop the ashes of everyone who tried to keep her caged."
Spicy as hell! (pun intended)
This felt like such a well-rounded experience for me. I was looking for spice AND a good plot, and both were delivered! I really enjoyed the huge character growth so many of the characters went through. The writing style was easy for me, which made this experience great for when I wanted to just enjoy easy progress.
I had a hard time putting this one down, I ended up staying up way too late finishing it. There were heart-wrenching plot twists that I just had to keep reading through. Sparrow was such a good nickname, it just hit the right spot.
I loved the spice, this was probably the spiciest read I've had so far and I enjoyed every part of it! Zagan sure knew how to make things interesting. Somehow I did not hate the use of "folds" as much in this as I have before, did you just heal me from my Twisted Love trauma???
I loved all of Iyla's relationships, from difficult family ties to absolute sweetheart friends. There was so much trauma for her to accept and work through, and I loved seeing how Zagan pushed her to do the work and supported her through it. Not everyone has a rich demon from a boyband to help them out.
Even though our main characters were quite straight, there was good queer rep with our side characters! I loved the POC rep too, the characters didn't feel like tokens but were actually meaningful.
Network Effect by Martha Wells
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
I couldn't focus at the moment, needed something easier to read and digest for now
Her Nemesis until 5pm by Eve Pendle
I enjoyed the spicy scenes, though I didn't love how after the most important ones we just skipped through by mentioning how 'we did it like 5 more times before lunch!'.The diversity felt lacking to me, why did our only(?) POC character only get described as "The door was held open by a black woman wearing a red shift dress."? She ends up being a business owner but was there really no other way to describe her? Was she only here to tick off a diversity box?
As the characters settle into their relationship, I very much enjoyed their interactions and this is where the story got very enjoyable for me. No more creepy guy, actual appreciation for the FMC's other traits too. The MMC's actions could've been cute and romantic from the beginning, if he hadn't displayed such toxic traits.
I loved the peek into their future at the end, it really tied the story up better than expected. The content warnings were great, didn't spoil anything too closely, and let me be mindful of if I was in the right headspace to read this story.
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
Creepy in the beginning, but got better towards the end.
I wanted a short, spicy romance and that was indeed delivered! Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the MMC's POV in the beginning, he was just creepy and inappropriate. Constantly describing how horny you are because a woman simply exists in your presence is gross.
I wanted a short, spicy romance and that was indeed delivered! Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the MMC's POV in the beginning, he was just creepy and inappropriate. Constantly describing how horny you are because a woman simply exists in your presence is gross.
I was a little sad with the long time skips, but I absolutely understand why they were necessary to keep the story short and give enough time to set the basis for the main romance. The part of them making up at the office ended up being quite cringy in my opinion: "And that was when clapping broke out behind them..." Made it feel like a tumblr shitpost.
I enjoyed the spicy scenes, though I didn't love how after the most important ones we just skipped through by mentioning how 'we did it like 5 more times before lunch!'.
As the characters settle into their relationship, I very much enjoyed their interactions and this is where the story got very enjoyable for me. No more creepy guy, actual appreciation for the FMC's other traits too. The MMC's actions could've been cute and romantic from the beginning, if he hadn't displayed such toxic traits.
I loved the peek into their future at the end, it really tied the story up better than expected. The content warnings were great, didn't spoil anything too closely, and let me be mindful of if I was in the right headspace to read this story.
Weathering The Storm: A Second Chance Romance by Carolina George
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Kind of a cute second-chance story but somewhat disappointing in the end.
I was looking for a short romance and this was sort of what I wanted, but the story had so much potential that it didn't use. In the end, I had so many questions about what happened before and how they were even given the chance to get stuck in such dangerous circumstances with no food, etc.
There were many cute scenes and the characters often showed their interest in each other in a sweet way. I just kept being confused on the light levels of their surroundings, in the same scene they described not being able to see and then somehow they did?I would NOT walk down a completely dark staircase on stilettos, but even worse, CARRYING SOMEONE. Staying up at the office alone is still better than that...
The writing was nice, I just wish I didn't end up with more questions than answers in the end. I didn't really get to form a proper opinion on the characters, because their past was left so unclear to me.
I was looking for a short romance and this was sort of what I wanted, but the story had so much potential that it didn't use. In the end, I had so many questions about what happened before and how they were even given the chance to get stuck in such dangerous circumstances with no food, etc.
There were many cute scenes and the characters often showed their interest in each other in a sweet way. I just kept being confused on the light levels of their surroundings, in the same scene they described not being able to see and then somehow they did?
The writing was nice, I just wish I didn't end up with more questions than answers in the end. I didn't really get to form a proper opinion on the characters, because their past was left so unclear to me.
The Broken Daughter by Samantha Shaye
It was refreshing to have a young adult main character, with a good reason for being clueless.
I loved watching Aymeri grow into her role as queen and fight her way through a lifetime of secrets. She really showed her ability to rule a kingdom. Aymeri being kept in the dark felt like a nice way of introducing the world to me as a reader too. I personally liked learning the ins and outs of her world along with her.
This book has some juicy betrayals and even though I somewhat guessed a major twist around the beginning, I couldn't lock on it. And THE twist was a complete surprise to me, I loved it! The book kept me guessing on who to trust and to be honest, I started being paranoid about EVERYONE!
I'm very excited to see what's next, I'm hooked!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy!
"Say the words and I will forever keep you as mine, Aymeri."
It was refreshing to have a young adult main character, with a good reason for being clueless.
I loved watching Aymeri grow into her role as queen and fight her way through a lifetime of secrets. She really showed her ability to rule a kingdom. Aymeri being kept in the dark felt like a nice way of introducing the world to me as a reader too. I personally liked learning the ins and outs of her world along with her.
This book has some juicy betrayals and even though I somewhat guessed a major twist around the beginning, I couldn't lock on it. And THE twist was a complete surprise to me, I loved it! The book kept me guessing on who to trust and to be honest, I started being paranoid about EVERYONE!
I'm very excited to see what's next, I'm hooked!