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garbage_mcsmutly's reviews
1631 reviews
Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
This one was fine. The spice was spicing in that good Tessa Bailey way, but the story just didn't grab me the same as her stuff usually does. It was very yearn-y which I usually appreciate but IDK something just felt off? I also am not a huge fan of either narrator, so that probably didn't help.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Sexism, Blood, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
📙 This was a sweet book ("sweet" in the normal sense of the word; there is some spice in it) in which the MCs worked through some tricky feelings of grief, parentage, filial obligation, family expectations, bravery, personal identity, and of course love. It was emotional but not in a tear jerker way. The side characters all felt real and fleshed out.
🎧 Dual 3rd person present tense POV, which was slightly hard to get in to at first. But both narrators did a great job. I'm not familiar with the Vietnamese culture/language but I'm pretty sure the narrators are natively bilingual, which the MCs are as well, so that was good.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a few explicit scenes. The chemistry was good and the on page action was all vanilla.
✊🏳️🌈 I'm pretty sure everyone on the tour is East Asian. There are a few white characters in the FMC's life in America but this is mostly a book about Asian people. The book touches a bit on the feelings of being part of the Asian diaspora (FMC) as well as a native Vietnamese perspective (MMC). A character on the tour that the FMC becomes good friends with is pansexual. There's a pretty big class discrepancy between the FMC and everyone else in the sphere of the tour (she is newly unemployed, previously a low status professor; everyone else is very wealthy).
🎧 Dual 3rd person present tense POV, which was slightly hard to get in to at first. But both narrators did a great job. I'm not familiar with the Vietnamese culture/language but I'm pretty sure the narrators are natively bilingual, which the MCs are as well, so that was good.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a few explicit scenes. The chemistry was good and the on page action was all vanilla.
✊🏳️🌈 I'm pretty sure everyone on the tour is East Asian. There are a few white characters in the FMC's life in America but this is mostly a book about Asian people. The book touches a bit on the feelings of being part of the Asian diaspora (FMC) as well as a native Vietnamese perspective (MMC). A character on the tour that the FMC becomes good friends with is pansexual. There's a pretty big class discrepancy between the FMC and everyone else in the sphere of the tour (she is newly unemployed, previously a low status professor; everyone else is very wealthy).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was fun! A little less so than the other two books in the trilogy, IMHO, but still a really solid read.
🎧 Duet style narration from two great actors
🌶️ 4.5/5 The sex scenes were hot and interesting and there's always something new and weird in these books (I mean... I'm not sure I got the point of the cotton candy really? But still)
🏳️🌈✊ Diversity: nah, not really.
🎧 Duet style narration from two great actors
🌶️ 4.5/5 The sex scenes were hot and interesting and there's always something new and weird in these books (I mean... I'm not sure I got the point of the cotton candy really? But still)
🏳️🌈✊ Diversity: nah, not really.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Torture, Medical content, Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking
So, That Got Weird by Amelia Kingston
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
This one was okay I guess. It had some casual misogyny/toxic masculinity that I really could've done without, and I don't know that the HEA felt earned on the part of the MMC. But it was entertaining enough.
🎧 I personally/historically don't like one of the narrators' voices--something about their delivery just irks me--but both narrators put in good performances.
🌶️ 3.5/5 Some decently sexy times, although it's all pretty vanilla. But the chemistry was good.
🏳️🌈✊ As far as I could tell, no racial, cultural, gender, or sexuality diversity to speak of. There is a class difference between the MCs though.
🎧 I personally/historically don't like one of the narrators' voices--something about their delivery just irks me--but both narrators put in good performances.
🌶️ 3.5/5 Some decently sexy times, although it's all pretty vanilla. But the chemistry was good.
🏳️🌈✊ As far as I could tell, no racial, cultural, gender, or sexuality diversity to speak of. There is a class difference between the MCs though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Unfit to Print by KJ Charles
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
📙 MINI REVIEW
⭐ 4/5 This was a cute, quick story. Two men who were friends at school become reacquainted as adults while trying to solve a mystery and cope with their feelings for each other. The mystery was compelling and the chemistry wasn't bad and there was even an action-filled climax. And I appreciated the politics of the book (see diversity section for more on that).
🎧 NARRATION
Single narrator with dual POV. The narrator did a good job with the different accents so it was easy to tell characters apart.
🌶️ SPICINESS
3/5 There were a couple sex scenes but they weren't particularly explicit/detailed/sexy.
🏳️🌈✊ DIVERSITY
The two MCs are men of color: one is Indian, the other is biracial (Black and white). And of course it is a love story between two men. One is bi/pan, and I think the other maybe is demisexual (of course this is a historical and the characters don't have this language to self-identify with, so it's sort of an educated guess).
Both MCs grew up in England. When they were at school together, they seemed to be of fairly similar standing, but life happened, and one of them ended up having a hard go of it for many years. When they re-meet, one is an educated lawyer while the other is basically a high school dropout peddling smut.
The book has a positive view of different sexualities and choices, but also of sex work, which felt quite progressive considering it's a historical (although I believe these views are par for the course with this author--this is my first KJ Charles). It acknowledges that there is often exploitation in sex work while at the same time recognizing that there are people who freely choose to do that work, and it doesn't demonize anyone who makes that choice.
⭐ 4/5 This was a cute, quick story. Two men who were friends at school become reacquainted as adults while trying to solve a mystery and cope with their feelings for each other. The mystery was compelling and the chemistry wasn't bad and there was even an action-filled climax. And I appreciated the politics of the book (see diversity section for more on that).
🎧 NARRATION
Single narrator with dual POV. The narrator did a good job with the different accents so it was easy to tell characters apart.
🌶️ SPICINESS
3/5 There were a couple sex scenes but they weren't particularly explicit/detailed/sexy.
🏳️🌈✊ DIVERSITY
The two MCs are men of color: one is Indian, the other is biracial (Black and white). And of course it is a love story between two men. One is bi/pan, and I think the other maybe is demisexual (of course this is a historical and the characters don't have this language to self-identify with, so it's sort of an educated guess).
Both MCs grew up in England. When they were at school together, they seemed to be of fairly similar standing, but life happened, and one of them ended up having a hard go of it for many years. When they re-meet, one is an educated lawyer while the other is basically a high school dropout peddling smut.
The book has a positive view of different sexualities and choices, but also of sex work, which felt quite progressive considering it's a historical (although I believe these views are par for the course with this author--this is my first KJ Charles). It acknowledges that there is often exploitation in sex work while at the same time recognizing that there are people who freely choose to do that work, and it doesn't demonize anyone who makes that choice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Classism
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Racism, Police brutality, Trafficking, Death of parent
The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
This was fine I guess? I feel like there was a bit of a retcon about Li Tao, like he was the straight up villain in book 1 and turns out he's actually super nice in book 2, and I don't know that it felt earned. The series isn't great but it's entertaining enough that I'll probably read book 3 to see how it all turns out. I think it's probably a solid read for when it was published but I'm used to newer stories with more action and speed and spice now.
🎧 As I said in my review of book 1, I'm not a fan of the narrator. I do feel like she was performing better in book 2 than she did in book 1, but she was still so quiet and sedate.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a handful of explicit scenes but I just don't find the way this author writes sex scenes to be titillating.
🏳️🌈✊ Everyone seems to be the same in this book. Chinese, straight, cis. (There's a "blink and you'll miss him" character who is a eunuch which I suppose it could be argued is gender diversity but that's as close as we get.) Both of the MCs are rich now but came from humble beginnings.
🎧 As I said in my review of book 1, I'm not a fan of the narrator. I do feel like she was performing better in book 2 than she did in book 1, but she was still so quiet and sedate.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a handful of explicit scenes but I just don't find the way this author writes sex scenes to be titillating.
🏳️🌈✊ Everyone seems to be the same in this book. Chinese, straight, cis. (There's a "blink and you'll miss him" character who is a eunuch which I suppose it could be argued is gender diversity but that's as close as we get.) Both of the MCs are rich now but came from humble beginnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol, Classism
Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
IDK if this was boring because of the narrator or if the text itself was boring but either way, this was middling at best.
🎧 The narrator was really not for me. She has a very sedate, almost whispery voice. So everything seemed a bit uninteresting even when it was like, a sword fight. Barely any changes in voice for different characters which made it harder to follow, particularly since the POV switches quite a bit and kind of randomly (mid chapter and mid scene).
🌶️ 3/5 There were a couple explicit scenes but nothing very exciting (or maybe it was excitingly written, but the voice made it seem not exciting? I honestly can't tell.)
🏳️🌈✊ There's no gender or sexuality diversity. The book takes place in China and almost everyone in the story is Chinese. The MMC is a white westerner. The FMC comes from wealth and prestige, and the MMC is a wandering fighter with no family; while this is obviously class diversity, we barely see its repercussions because the two MCs spend most of the book alone with each other on the road and in hiding.
🎧 The narrator was really not for me. She has a very sedate, almost whispery voice. So everything seemed a bit uninteresting even when it was like, a sword fight. Barely any changes in voice for different characters which made it harder to follow, particularly since the POV switches quite a bit and kind of randomly (mid chapter and mid scene).
🌶️ 3/5 There were a couple explicit scenes but nothing very exciting (or maybe it was excitingly written, but the voice made it seem not exciting? I honestly can't tell.)
🏳️🌈✊ There's no gender or sexuality diversity. The book takes place in China and almost everyone in the story is Chinese. The MMC is a white westerner. The FMC comes from wealth and prestige, and the MMC is a wandering fighter with no family; while this is obviously class diversity, we barely see its repercussions because the two MCs spend most of the book alone with each other on the road and in hiding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Alcohol
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Classism
Minor: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
📙 I quite liked this book. This was a gender swapped contemporary retelling of The Music Man. It has good values, the story was interesting, the characters were diverse (although not by race or ethnicity; mainly we have a fat FMC and an MMC with autism, but the characters almost all appear to be white). The banter was bantering, which I'm always here for. And there were little Easter eggs in the text for fans of literature (Chaucer and Titus Andronicus as "appropriate" reading lololol) and for fans of musical theater (ALW digs).
🚫 One of the central themes is censorship and book banning, and our MCs are on the side of good there. The MMC, a librarian, fights the fight of the just daily. The FMC is a con woman with a heart of gold, so she only fleeces bad people who deserve fleecing (abusers and the like). There's also just mentions in casual conversations about bigotry and censorship sucking, which may be obvious but it's also good to see the MCs (and the author) have good values.
🎧 Dual POV, dual narration. The FMC narrator didn't have a ton of different voices for the side characters, but the main ones were still distinct. The MMC narrator had good delivery.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a few scenes that were explicit but mainly just their firsts together were detailed. After the first time they sleep together, the remaining encounters are largely glossed over.
🏳️🌈✊ Fat rep (FMC). Autism rep (MMC and his sister). The pair of teens that help out our FMC are queer. There's a drag queen character featured in one scene. But more important than the specific character appearances, this book has good politics woven throughout (see above).
🚫 One of the central themes is censorship and book banning, and our MCs are on the side of good there. The MMC, a librarian, fights the fight of the just daily. The FMC is a con woman with a heart of gold, so she only fleeces bad people who deserve fleecing (abusers and the like). There's also just mentions in casual conversations about bigotry and censorship sucking, which may be obvious but it's also good to see the MCs (and the author) have good values.
🎧 Dual POV, dual narration. The FMC narrator didn't have a ton of different voices for the side characters, but the main ones were still distinct. The MMC narrator had good delivery.
🌶️ 3/5 There were a few scenes that were explicit but mainly just their firsts together were detailed. After the first time they sleep together, the remaining encounters are largely glossed over.
🏳️🌈✊ Fat rep (FMC). Autism rep (MMC and his sister). The pair of teens that help out our FMC are queer. There's a drag queen character featured in one scene. But more important than the specific character appearances, this book has good politics woven throughout (see above).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Transphobia
Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence
Duke of Depravity by Scarlett Scott
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I enjoyed this one! There was spy intrigue stuff in addition to the romance of it all so things started interesting and the book went by quickly.
🎧 Dual POV but only one male narrator (Shane East, one of my faves). He did a great job, as always.
🌶️ 3.75/5 for multiple detailed sexy scenes
🏳️🌈✊ Yeah no there's no diversity in this book lol everyone is white and British and cis and straight as far as I could tell.
🎧 Dual POV but only one male narrator (Shane East, one of my faves). He did a great job, as always.
🌶️ 3.75/5 for multiple detailed sexy scenes
🏳️🌈✊ Yeah no there's no diversity in this book lol everyone is white and British and cis and straight as far as I could tell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Misogyny, Blood, Dementia, Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was an okay Emma retelling. The FMC was a little annoying in that she would have these spirals of thinking a random guess of hers is true (based on a tiny scrap of evidence) and then freaking out about what that would mean. The MMC wasn't super fleshed out as a person.
🎧 Single POV (FMC's), one narrator.
🌶️ 2/5 there are two sexy scenes but the details are really heavily glossed over.
🏳️🌈✊ The MCs and their families are Desi. FMC's best friend is queer, as are a couple people from her larger friend group.
🎧 Single POV (FMC's), one narrator.
🌶️ 2/5 there are two sexy scenes but the details are really heavily glossed over.
🏳️🌈✊ The MCs and their families are Desi. FMC's best friend is queer, as are a couple people from her larger friend group.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol