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hawaiirican808's reviews
370 reviews
The Ruined by Roxanne Tully
4.0
Thank you Roxanne for writing this series!
I enjoyed "The Runaway" of the series and was excited to see that Noah and Charlie's story had their own book for the second book of the Hideaway series.
Their dynamic had me laughing, smitten and so much more. Noah is the epitome of a "grumpy sunshine" troupe, and sworn off ever falling in love, being "married" to his work and overall just a grumpy, yet hot lawyer. Then he meets Charlie and everything he thought was what he wanted for himself went right out the window. I really loved seeing a more in depth look to Charlie and loved that she was a fiesty FMC and the perfect opposite to Noah. You really feel for her through the book and Roxanne does an incredible job getting those emotions through page after page in a truly honest way for her characters. The pace was good, amazing character development and a well-thought-out storyline. I am anxiously waiting to see who Roxanne writes a story for next in the series!
I enjoyed "The Runaway" of the series and was excited to see that Noah and Charlie's story had their own book for the second book of the Hideaway series.
Their dynamic had me laughing, smitten and so much more. Noah is the epitome of a "grumpy sunshine" troupe, and sworn off ever falling in love, being "married" to his work and overall just a grumpy, yet hot lawyer. Then he meets Charlie and everything he thought was what he wanted for himself went right out the window. I really loved seeing a more in depth look to Charlie and loved that she was a fiesty FMC and the perfect opposite to Noah. You really feel for her through the book and Roxanne does an incredible job getting those emotions through page after page in a truly honest way for her characters. The pace was good, amazing character development and a well-thought-out storyline. I am anxiously waiting to see who Roxanne writes a story for next in the series!
Emerald City by Astrid Cole
5.0
Book 2 of this amazing trilogy!
I really thought that Diamond City set the pace and overall feel for Emerald City beautifully. But man, I *ALMOST* broke my Kindle with the amount of plot twists and jaw-dropping moments she stuffed into Emerald City. HOLY MOLY.... this was a crazy intense read.
If you thought Diamond was a crazy read, Emerald said "Hold my beer".
Astrid had my whole jaw on the floor with this book. Sage was going through it, plot twist after plot twists and it was very action-packed this time around. The way my mind was spinning from beginning to end AND then that ending was INSANE. I have to say, I didn't think it would live up to the hype of Diamond, but Emerald set off a bomb and felt like you were on a chaotic rollercoaster of emotions. Even with everything that was happening, I didn't feel like it was insanely chaotic to where I got lost. She wrote every twist to happen at the most perfect timing, adding so much depth to the storyline as it continues. Sage and Damian's chemistry was a 5/5 for me. It was truly perfect for them, nothing felt like it was forced, their connection and banter made for an enjoyable read. Sage's character development in Emerald was a 10/10. She really shows so much growth in herself and how she handles everything that is happening to her and around her. Now, I have to say this: THAT CLIFFHANGER WAS ILLEGALLLLLLL. I DID NOT SEE IT COMING AND WON'T RECOVER FROM THIS. HOLY CRAP.
Astrid knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with that ending. Probably one of the BEST cliffhangers I've ever read (and I hate them with a passion). That speaks volumes to Astrid's writing style and ways of keeping her readers engaged and questioning their life decisions. Is it October yet? I NEED RUBY CITY LIKE I NEED AIR TO BREATHE.
I really thought that Diamond City set the pace and overall feel for Emerald City beautifully. But man, I *ALMOST* broke my Kindle with the amount of plot twists and jaw-dropping moments she stuffed into Emerald City. HOLY MOLY.... this was a crazy intense read.
If you thought Diamond was a crazy read, Emerald said "Hold my beer".
Astrid had my whole jaw on the floor with this book. Sage was going through it, plot twist after plot twists and it was very action-packed this time around. The way my mind was spinning from beginning to end AND then that ending was INSANE. I have to say, I didn't think it would live up to the hype of Diamond, but Emerald set off a bomb and felt like you were on a chaotic rollercoaster of emotions. Even with everything that was happening, I didn't feel like it was insanely chaotic to where I got lost. She wrote every twist to happen at the most perfect timing, adding so much depth to the storyline as it continues. Sage and Damian's chemistry was a 5/5 for me. It was truly perfect for them, nothing felt like it was forced, their connection and banter made for an enjoyable read. Sage's character development in Emerald was a 10/10. She really shows so much growth in herself and how she handles everything that is happening to her and around her. Now, I have to say this: THAT CLIFFHANGER WAS ILLEGALLLLLLL. I DID NOT SEE IT COMING AND WON'T RECOVER FROM THIS. HOLY CRAP.
Astrid knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with that ending. Probably one of the BEST cliffhangers I've ever read (and I hate them with a passion). That speaks volumes to Astrid's writing style and ways of keeping her readers engaged and questioning their life decisions. Is it October yet? I NEED RUBY CITY LIKE I NEED AIR TO BREATHE.
Diamond City by Astrid Cole
5.0
First, I would like to say that I am SO GRATEFUL that Astrid's author account blessed my IG feed.
I'm not one to normally dive into dystopian/fantasy/sci-fi-ish reads, but the blurb for the beginning of this trilogy truly piqued my interest. Also, 2024 is the year I dive into other genres and I'm glad I jumped at the chance to read Diamond City on KU.
Starting off, Astrid's writing style and world-building was by far one of my FAVORITES by any author I've read yet. She mesmerized me and had me feel like I was transported into another world, living through the storyline as if I was one of the characters myself. I feel like Astrid really set the tone for the whole trilogy with the amount of thought she put into building the worlds with so many fantasy related characters: merging Sage as a centenarian and immortals, hybrids and so much more perfectly together. It didn't get lost in the typical "Fantasy" themed reads where it's all fantasy elements without much plot or storyline. I loved that she kept me guessing with the plot twists throughout the storyline and made me fall in love with Sage and everything she was: an amazing female lead that just wanted to live a low-maintenance life in her pizza shop, but stepped in to save the city when things get chaotic!
I will say, this book was better than I could ever have imagined it to be. Astrid can truly tell a chaotically amazing story that will have you immersed with true *Magic*. I can not wait to see how she dives into Emerald City next!
I'm not one to normally dive into dystopian/fantasy/sci-fi-ish reads, but the blurb for the beginning of this trilogy truly piqued my interest. Also, 2024 is the year I dive into other genres and I'm glad I jumped at the chance to read Diamond City on KU.
Starting off, Astrid's writing style and world-building was by far one of my FAVORITES by any author I've read yet. She mesmerized me and had me feel like I was transported into another world, living through the storyline as if I was one of the characters myself. I feel like Astrid really set the tone for the whole trilogy with the amount of thought she put into building the worlds with so many fantasy related characters: merging Sage as a centenarian and immortals, hybrids and so much more perfectly together. It didn't get lost in the typical "Fantasy" themed reads where it's all fantasy elements without much plot or storyline. I loved that she kept me guessing with the plot twists throughout the storyline and made me fall in love with Sage and everything she was: an amazing female lead that just wanted to live a low-maintenance life in her pizza shop, but stepped in to save the city when things get chaotic!
I will say, this book was better than I could ever have imagined it to be. Astrid can truly tell a chaotically amazing story that will have you immersed with true *Magic*. I can not wait to see how she dives into Emerald City next!
Field of Lilies by D.V. Fischer, D.V. Fischer
5.0
This duet will go down as one of my FAVES by any author.
D.V killed it with "Fields of Lilies".
From the very start, the plot twists were dropped, and I wondered WTF I got myself into. Nothing went exactly how I thought it would be, she left me in suspense the entire time, which is an amazing quality for an author that has the ability to keep you in the dark with where they are taking their storylines. I loved the writing style and the pace of the book itself. It didn't move too fast where things fell apart, or too slow to get me bored. Tori and Killian was my favorite couple by far. Their chemistry was magnetic, the spice was to die for and seeing how they are polar opposites and came together in such a fiery way was a 5/5 for me. I'm sad that the duet is over, but man it was a great read!
D.V killed it with "Fields of Lilies".
From the very start, the plot twists were dropped, and I wondered WTF I got myself into. Nothing went exactly how I thought it would be, she left me in suspense the entire time, which is an amazing quality for an author that has the ability to keep you in the dark with where they are taking their storylines. I loved the writing style and the pace of the book itself. It didn't move too fast where things fell apart, or too slow to get me bored. Tori and Killian was my favorite couple by far. Their chemistry was magnetic, the spice was to die for and seeing how they are polar opposites and came together in such a fiery way was a 5/5 for me. I'm sad that the duet is over, but man it was a great read!
Down From the Tower by H.N. DeFore
4.0
I've been a fan of H.N DeFore for a while now and jumped at the chance to see her write a fantasy retelling of Rapunzel.
Starting off, it's a thick book and took me almost a week to get through. But it was WELL written and full of so much plot, storyline, characters, and development from beginning to end. I loved that she did a fantasy twist to Rapunzel, with so many different elements that made the read not only stand out in a unique way, but made it very enjoyable to read. The chemistry between Rapunzel and Zarev was a 5/5 for me, I really loved the dark side of Zarev in this book. The storyline growth and sheer world development and all of the fantasy lands elements were a 10/10. I've strictly stuck to her past dark romance books, but this dark fantasy was the perfect introduction to what I'm sure will be an incredible series. I can not wait to see what she does with the rest of the series in the future.
Starting off, it's a thick book and took me almost a week to get through. But it was WELL written and full of so much plot, storyline, characters, and development from beginning to end. I loved that she did a fantasy twist to Rapunzel, with so many different elements that made the read not only stand out in a unique way, but made it very enjoyable to read. The chemistry between Rapunzel and Zarev was a 5/5 for me, I really loved the dark side of Zarev in this book. The storyline growth and sheer world development and all of the fantasy lands elements were a 10/10. I've strictly stuck to her past dark romance books, but this dark fantasy was the perfect introduction to what I'm sure will be an incredible series. I can not wait to see what she does with the rest of the series in the future.
Broken Pieces by Yinn Quirós
5.0
Yinn, I'm grateful that our paths crossed. "Broken Pieces" will be a book on my trophy shelf in physical form and was one of my top reads not only for July but for the summer. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BOOK.
I loved the boss/employee, and age-gap troupes in here, but that Yinn touched on mental health issues. Seeing an FMC navigate her mental health through the book and seeing it be written organically and in such a raw way really helped me to connect with Aria (the FMC) on a deeper level. Aria and Damian had great chemistry and I loved seeing their connection grow over time. Their banter, his grumpy self, their flirty side and that he really took the best care of her, being understanding of all that she dealt with when it came to her mental health, being patient until she was ready to take that chance on their potential relationship and so much more. They were complete opposites but just made so much sense! Yinn's writing style was a 10/10. The flow of the book was perfect, she gave so much depth and layers to her characters and there were so many quotes and moments that I loved and highlighted the crap out of. This book will be one I read again multiple times and will never get tired of it. Highly recommend this amazing billionaire romance!
I loved the boss/employee, and age-gap troupes in here, but that Yinn touched on mental health issues. Seeing an FMC navigate her mental health through the book and seeing it be written organically and in such a raw way really helped me to connect with Aria (the FMC) on a deeper level. Aria and Damian had great chemistry and I loved seeing their connection grow over time. Their banter, his grumpy self, their flirty side and that he really took the best care of her, being understanding of all that she dealt with when it came to her mental health, being patient until she was ready to take that chance on their potential relationship and so much more. They were complete opposites but just made so much sense! Yinn's writing style was a 10/10. The flow of the book was perfect, she gave so much depth and layers to her characters and there were so many quotes and moments that I loved and highlighted the crap out of. This book will be one I read again multiple times and will never get tired of it. Highly recommend this amazing billionaire romance!
Corrupt Me by N. Slater
5.0
This was a whole different vibe from Nic and I AM HERE FOR ITTTTT
It's because of her that I've been diving into more OMEGAVERSE type of books & I been really wondering what rock I've been living under because it has became one of my favorite "genres" for reads. "Corrupt Me" was a book that I couldn't be more excited to read based off the synopsis, but it blew my whole mind. Camila was my spirit animal. She was a tad shy at the beginning, but seeing how she grew into herself and her sexuality was my favorite part of this whole book. Nic's niche for reverse harem reads is *chefs kiss*. You get a bit of everything with Camila and her pack of sexy men.
The spice was a 5/5 especially when Nic writes her MM scenes. I loved the plot and the pace of the storyline. I absolutely loved the characters, their character growth at the end and every bit of this book. Can't wait to read her next book!
It's because of her that I've been diving into more OMEGAVERSE type of books & I been really wondering what rock I've been living under because it has became one of my favorite "genres" for reads. "Corrupt Me" was a book that I couldn't be more excited to read based off the synopsis, but it blew my whole mind. Camila was my spirit animal. She was a tad shy at the beginning, but seeing how she grew into herself and her sexuality was my favorite part of this whole book. Nic's niche for reverse harem reads is *chefs kiss*. You get a bit of everything with Camila and her pack of sexy men.
The spice was a 5/5 especially when Nic writes her MM scenes. I loved the plot and the pace of the storyline. I absolutely loved the characters, their character growth at the end and every bit of this book. Can't wait to read her next book!
Claimed By The Beasts by Carolina Cox
5.0
Carolina knows what she's doing with these straight SMUT novellas.
"Claimed By the Beasts" was a fast-paced, spice-filling PNR/shifter novella.
5 STAR READ
4 CHILI PEPPERS
I'm not a huge fan of shifter romance books, but there's something about a whole wolf pack wanting to breed this girl that made me want to go down the rabbit hole of shifter romances. Sensational spice and the perfect short steamy read to dive into between longer reads. I can not wait to see what Carolina's mind conjures up next!
"Claimed By the Beasts" was a fast-paced, spice-filling PNR/shifter novella.
5 STAR READ
4 CHILI PEPPERS
I'm not a huge fan of shifter romance books, but there's something about a whole wolf pack wanting to breed this girl that made me want to go down the rabbit hole of shifter romances. Sensational spice and the perfect short steamy read to dive into between longer reads. I can not wait to see what Carolina's mind conjures up next!
What You Broke by Samantha M. Thomas
4.0
I have had the absolute pleasure of reading every single book in the "Bluebell Falls" series and was excited to see that Rina got her own book to share more about her (like her siblings). Samantha did a great job with this story and wrote a beautiful contemporary romance in "What You Broke". I liked that we got more background history to Rina and Arlo's relationship and why Rina has so many hurt emotions towards him. They get this second chance to be better versions of themself. work through their past mistakes and grow together again. Their chemistry was beautiful! Samantha's writing style is one of my favorites. She does a great job with showing different sides to her characters and filling the storylines with real emotions. I can't wait to see where she takes this series next!
Beauty in Darkness by Emily Klepp
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I BINGED THIS BOOK IN A FEW HOURS after reading "Feral Obsessions". Once I saw Emily did a "Beauty & The Beast' retelling, I knew I wasn't going to bed. This isn't your typical Disney retelling so for the sake of your mental health, don't take the trigger warnings lightly. This was one of the darkest retellings I've read with a lot of trauma, great storyline but heavy on the REAL DARK.
Now Emily, you did not have to knock this book right out of the park the way you did. HOLY CRAP. I've always been a fan of her writing style, but this book is probably going to be my favorite by her in this series. She connected SO many sub-topics without making it a straight mess. You have the arranged marriage troupe, mafia, pregnancy troupe, and more. Liana and Malachi will go down as my favorite couple in ALL of Emily's books. Their chemistry grew in their own way. I loved that they both were true firecrackers. Malachi was so arrogant in the beginning, but his character growth by the end really made their whole storyline come full circle for me. Who knew the heartless mafia man could ever be whole again? Liana has dealt with so much trauma and loss. She broke my heart throughout the book and then had me DYING laughing with her fiesty side when Malachi is around. They are straight freaks, even having a 5/5 CHILI PEPPER SCENE IN A RESTAURANT ( No Fs Given, LOVED IT). By far some great and steamy spicy scenes. The storyline moved beautifully, not super fast paced but now slow either. I absolutely loved the side characters in Andrea, Gabriel and Nathan. Their own little family really looked out for one another and added more depth to the storyline as well as Liana & Malachi's relationship. PLEASE keep writing mafia books and I swear, if you do an Aladdin retelling with this series, I volunteer as tribute and would be SO HAPPY!
Now Emily, you did not have to knock this book right out of the park the way you did. HOLY CRAP. I've always been a fan of her writing style, but this book is probably going to be my favorite by her in this series. She connected SO many sub-topics without making it a straight mess. You have the arranged marriage troupe, mafia, pregnancy troupe, and more. Liana and Malachi will go down as my favorite couple in ALL of Emily's books. Their chemistry grew in their own way. I loved that they both were true firecrackers. Malachi was so arrogant in the beginning, but his character growth by the end really made their whole storyline come full circle for me. Who knew the heartless mafia man could ever be whole again? Liana has dealt with so much trauma and loss. She broke my heart throughout the book and then had me DYING laughing with her fiesty side when Malachi is around. They are straight freaks, even having a 5/5 CHILI PEPPER SCENE IN A RESTAURANT ( No Fs Given, LOVED IT). By far some great and steamy spicy scenes. The storyline moved beautifully, not super fast paced but now slow either. I absolutely loved the side characters in Andrea, Gabriel and Nathan. Their own little family really looked out for one another and added more depth to the storyline as well as Liana & Malachi's relationship. PLEASE keep writing mafia books and I swear, if you do an Aladdin retelling with this series, I volunteer as tribute and would be SO HAPPY!