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jessiereadsfantasy's reviews
22 reviews
The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick
5.0
This is my first 5/5 star reading of 2023! It is a gothic romance with hauntings, mystery, spice, dark MMC, smart FMC, and a host of colorful side characters.
It is a fantastic read. The characters are strong. You can tell that the author took care in writing each one of them. The chemistry between the MMC and FMC is potent. They flow together wonderfully. The banter between them is lovely. The intimacy between them is spicy, and the intimacy scenes are classy, well-written, and, quite frankly, extremely hot. However, there is a coldness, a darkness, about their relationship that readers will thoroughly enjoy discovering the root of as they read the book.
The plot is engaging. Each twist and turn is purposeful, and some even caught me off-guard. I gasped. I cried. I smiled. I flung the book gently to the other side of my couch when I couldn't contain my emotions and cheered at the ending of the book. A "who-done-it" mystery element keeps you pointing fingers at every character. The horror elements are scary. Be prepared to get the chills and look over your shoulder (once or twice). Those scenes are so well written that I felt the same emotions as the FMC in those moments.
If you like gothic romances with emotional plot twists, hauntings, and healthy doses of spice, I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to read what the author writes next.
It is a fantastic read. The characters are strong. You can tell that the author took care in writing each one of them. The chemistry between the MMC and FMC is potent. They flow together wonderfully. The banter between them is lovely. The intimacy between them is spicy, and the intimacy scenes are classy, well-written, and, quite frankly, extremely hot. However, there is a coldness, a darkness, about their relationship that readers will thoroughly enjoy discovering the root of as they read the book.
The plot is engaging. Each twist and turn is purposeful, and some even caught me off-guard. I gasped. I cried. I smiled. I flung the book gently to the other side of my couch when I couldn't contain my emotions and cheered at the ending of the book. A "who-done-it" mystery element keeps you pointing fingers at every character. The horror elements are scary. Be prepared to get the chills and look over your shoulder (once or twice). Those scenes are so well written that I felt the same emotions as the FMC in those moments.
If you like gothic romances with emotional plot twists, hauntings, and healthy doses of spice, I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to read what the author writes next.
The Audient and The Phantom Night by Sadie Hewitt
5.0
Thank you to Sadie and RRBookTours for providing an eARC!
All I can say is what a ride. Cursed pirates, found family, grumpy/sunshine, fated lovers, touch her and die, betrayal, dark MMC, magic, and HEA. If these tropes are up your alley, you'll want to read this book! I devoured this book and couldn't wait to sing its praises.
First, the plot is very well developed. A cursed pirate captain, Devlin, seeks to break his curse, falls in love with a woman, Fenna, who possesses forbidden magic, and together, they work to break the captain's curse. Of course, their mission is not linear, as betrayal, misunderstandings, and various other conflicts impede their mission. There is one incident in the book (not going to spoil it but it has to do with betrayal), that I was worried wouldn't be flushed out, but oh boy was I wrong. As the incident unfolded and the details came spilling out, I wanted to punch this particular character in the face and so will you.
Second, the world-building was just enough. The lore was appropriately expressed, though, as a sucker for super detailed world-building/lore, I wanted to know a bit more history about the Clairs, the individuals who possess the forbidden magic. However, if I were being honest, knowing more about the Clairs than was presented would not have added to the story, so, to this point, I believe the author did well putting in just enough detail to keep the story on track.
Lastly, the characters were very well-developed. As a reader, I want the characters to grow as the story progresses, and our MMC and FMC do just that. Devlin has been cursed for 150 years and is attached to a cursed ship and crew. That does not make for someone who is rainbows and sunshine. However, like the grumpy/sunshine trope demands, his icy heart melts for Fenna. Much like Devlin transforms as he opens his closed-off heart to Fenna, Fenna goes through her own character growth. Though she is every bit a ray of sunshine and naive at the beginning of the book, she is forced to face the world and its cruelties or risk losing everything. And let's not forget the chemistry between the MMC and the FMC. It was spicy. It was intense. You feel the energy between them.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a super fun read and pleased my pirate-loving heart.
4.5/5 stars - the story was super engaging and well developed; 3/5 spice - the MMC and FMC go at it a lot, and I appreciate that. I highly recommend this book.
All I can say is what a ride. Cursed pirates, found family, grumpy/sunshine, fated lovers, touch her and die, betrayal, dark MMC, magic, and HEA. If these tropes are up your alley, you'll want to read this book! I devoured this book and couldn't wait to sing its praises.
First, the plot is very well developed. A cursed pirate captain, Devlin, seeks to break his curse, falls in love with a woman, Fenna, who possesses forbidden magic, and together, they work to break the captain's curse. Of course, their mission is not linear, as betrayal, misunderstandings, and various other conflicts impede their mission. There is one incident in the book (not going to spoil it but it has to do with betrayal), that I was worried wouldn't be flushed out, but oh boy was I wrong. As the incident unfolded and the details came spilling out, I wanted to punch this particular character in the face and so will you.
Second, the world-building was just enough. The lore was appropriately expressed, though, as a sucker for super detailed world-building/lore, I wanted to know a bit more history about the Clairs, the individuals who possess the forbidden magic. However, if I were being honest, knowing more about the Clairs than was presented would not have added to the story, so, to this point, I believe the author did well putting in just enough detail to keep the story on track.
Lastly, the characters were very well-developed. As a reader, I want the characters to grow as the story progresses, and our MMC and FMC do just that. Devlin has been cursed for 150 years and is attached to a cursed ship and crew. That does not make for someone who is rainbows and sunshine. However, like the grumpy/sunshine trope demands, his icy heart melts for Fenna. Much like Devlin transforms as he opens his closed-off heart to Fenna, Fenna goes through her own character growth. Though she is every bit a ray of sunshine and naive at the beginning of the book, she is forced to face the world and its cruelties or risk losing everything. And let's not forget the chemistry between the MMC and the FMC. It was spicy. It was intense. You feel the energy between them.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a super fun read and pleased my pirate-loving heart.
4.5/5 stars - the story was super engaging and well developed; 3/5 spice - the MMC and FMC go at it a lot, and I appreciate that. I highly recommend this book.
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
4.0
I was super curious about this book as it is a Booktok and Bookstagram favorite. I felt somewhat prepared with all of the triggers mentioned, but reading the book was still an experience. If you wish to read it, please pace yourself if you need to, take breaks, read a funny little romance in between, etc. because the book is DARK.
I won't bother with too much of a synopsis, as most have probably heard about this book. I will offer that, at the base, it is about a man, Zade, whose mission is to rescue women and children from sex trafficking; however, he himself becomes obsessed with a woman, Adeline, and, to be frank, forces himself onto her repeatedly until he somehow earns a place in her heart.
Zade is a coveted morally grey MMC and I now know why. You have to love him and hate him at the same time because his work is admirable and the lengths at which he goes to rescue sex trafficking victims is awe-inspiring. However, his treatment of Adeline is almost enough to erase any sense of admirability. And no, her love of horror, of being scared, does not validate Zade's behavior towards her. It does, however, add a twist to her character. With this book being a dark romance, this does connect her with Zade in that when he scares her by breaking into her home on multiple occasions, and she experiences fear tinged with lust.
From a pure literature standpoint, the writing is simple yet it doesn't take away from the story. With a story this dark, I think it's best not to get caught up on the writing because there's already a lot to focus on within the book.
I definitely will be reading the sequel to see where this story ends.
4ish/5 stars; 5/5 spice because the sex scenes are graphic and dub-con.
I won't bother with too much of a synopsis, as most have probably heard about this book. I will offer that, at the base, it is about a man, Zade, whose mission is to rescue women and children from sex trafficking; however, he himself becomes obsessed with a woman, Adeline, and, to be frank, forces himself onto her repeatedly until he somehow earns a place in her heart.
Zade is a coveted morally grey MMC and I now know why. You have to love him and hate him at the same time because his work is admirable and the lengths at which he goes to rescue sex trafficking victims is awe-inspiring. However, his treatment of Adeline is almost enough to erase any sense of admirability. And no, her love of horror, of being scared, does not validate Zade's behavior towards her. It does, however, add a twist to her character. With this book being a dark romance, this does connect her with Zade in that when he scares her by breaking into her home on multiple occasions, and she experiences fear tinged with lust.
From a pure literature standpoint, the writing is simple yet it doesn't take away from the story. With a story this dark, I think it's best not to get caught up on the writing because there's already a lot to focus on within the book.
I definitely will be reading the sequel to see where this story ends.
4ish/5 stars; 5/5 spice because the sex scenes are graphic and dub-con.
Philomena and the Seven Deaths by Kendra Moreno, Kendra Moreno
5.0
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC to review!
TW: this book does have graphic depictions of death, dying (and rebirth), and denouncing religion/struggling with religious devotion.
This is unlike any book I have ever read, and I loved every moment!
A paranormal, dark, gothic, reverse harem novel with a dash of humor where the FMC, Philomena (Mena for short), has to undergo seven deaths, each one relating to the seven deadly sins, to claim her full powers as she is the reincarnation of Lilith.
Philomena is a powerful heroine. A young widow who inherits her late husband's fortune and conducts his business after his passing, she is an anomaly in high society. The men of high society believe her weak, and the women view her as an oddity. Cast into her role as the reincarnation of Lilith, who was known to stray away from the path God crafted for her, Philomena comes to understand that she and Lilith are very much one and the same. Both women deviated from the path crafted for them by others and thus are live threats to the world around them. However, this realization comes at a cost to both. For Philomena, she must question her religious beliefs and come to terms with how it has oppressed her. She is not alone in this pondering as four men, rather monsters, come to her side. Much like Philomena, the men by her side, Athan, Otto, Henry, and Cthulhu, must battle their beliefs and carve their own path utilizing their damnations.
The book does talk a lot about religion, being forsaken by God, and punishment so if any of those topics trigger you, please be aware. There are many scenes where the FMC is nearly broken as she comes to terms with her faith. So, again, please be aware.
The spice. It's there, it's hot, and I wish there was more of it. I feel like Athan got cheated (read to see why) and I wanted to see more with him. Otto is my bias and no one can tell me anything about him. A vampire king? Yes, please, and thank you. And before you ask, yes, there is a 5 person scene. And I read it three times. For science.
The writing is very well done and the plot will keep you turning the page quickly. I had zero idea where the book was going to go because there were a ton of possibilities. In my opinion, the safest ending was chosen and I kind of wanted another ending, not going to lie.
4.5/5 stars; 3.5/5 spice because they get it on in a church, there's a bit in a graveyard, and of course the 5 person scene.
TW: this book does have graphic depictions of death, dying (and rebirth), and denouncing religion/struggling with religious devotion.
This is unlike any book I have ever read, and I loved every moment!
A paranormal, dark, gothic, reverse harem novel with a dash of humor where the FMC, Philomena (Mena for short), has to undergo seven deaths, each one relating to the seven deadly sins, to claim her full powers as she is the reincarnation of Lilith.
Philomena is a powerful heroine. A young widow who inherits her late husband's fortune and conducts his business after his passing, she is an anomaly in high society. The men of high society believe her weak, and the women view her as an oddity. Cast into her role as the reincarnation of Lilith, who was known to stray away from the path God crafted for her, Philomena comes to understand that she and Lilith are very much one and the same. Both women deviated from the path crafted for them by others and thus are live threats to the world around them. However, this realization comes at a cost to both. For Philomena, she must question her religious beliefs and come to terms with how it has oppressed her. She is not alone in this pondering as four men, rather monsters, come to her side. Much like Philomena, the men by her side, Athan, Otto, Henry, and Cthulhu, must battle their beliefs and carve their own path utilizing their damnations.
The book does talk a lot about religion, being forsaken by God, and punishment so if any of those topics trigger you, please be aware. There are many scenes where the FMC is nearly broken as she comes to terms with her faith. So, again, please be aware.
The spice. It's there, it's hot, and I wish there was more of it. I feel like Athan got cheated (read to see why) and I wanted to see more with him. Otto is my bias and no one can tell me anything about him. A vampire king? Yes, please, and thank you. And before you ask, yes, there is a 5 person scene. And I read it three times. For science.
The writing is very well done and the plot will keep you turning the page quickly. I had zero idea where the book was going to go because there were a ton of possibilities. In my opinion, the safest ending was chosen and I kind of wanted another ending, not going to lie.
4.5/5 stars; 3.5/5 spice because they get it on in a church, there's a bit in a graveyard, and of course the 5 person scene.
Brutal Birthright by Elliott Rose
4.0
Thank you to the author for the eARC to review!
Additional note: I have not read the other books in the Nocturnal Hearts series, and this is the first book I've read by Elliott Rose. Let me say that I will be reading more of her work!
As I mentioned in my note above, this is the first book I have read by the author and the first book of the Nocturnal Hearts series that I have read so that I will be giving this review from the perspective of a first-time reader. This book is a standalone in an interconnected series of standalones, and I agree with that. There are enough details to help readers understand what previously transpired. At the end of this book, you will want to read the previous books because the storyline and the characters are just that good.
The plot is good, and the world-building is easy to follow. The characters, from the MMC, FMC, and the side characters, are well thought out and written very well. My only complaint is that the villain (I won't spoil who it is) gets off way too easily in my opinion. The build-up to the final battle was excellent. However, I wanted more action in the final battle and suffering *insert fire Elmo meme*.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. The author gives you all that tension and the passion that follows. It is steamy, the MMC and FMC are kinky, and there's a whole lot of pent-up sexual frustration. Read the TWs because they get it on in many different ways *wink wink nudge nudge*. The FMC, Oriana, is not a gentle girl and she doesn't like it gentle. Our MMC, Rowan, likes to be large and in charge and he is darn good at it.
4/5 stars; 4/5 spice because there's some kinky stuff in there but it's oh so good (look at the TW).
Additional note: I have not read the other books in the Nocturnal Hearts series, and this is the first book I've read by Elliott Rose. Let me say that I will be reading more of her work!
As I mentioned in my note above, this is the first book I have read by the author and the first book of the Nocturnal Hearts series that I have read so that I will be giving this review from the perspective of a first-time reader. This book is a standalone in an interconnected series of standalones, and I agree with that. There are enough details to help readers understand what previously transpired. At the end of this book, you will want to read the previous books because the storyline and the characters are just that good.
The plot is good, and the world-building is easy to follow. The characters, from the MMC, FMC, and the side characters, are well thought out and written very well. My only complaint is that the villain (I won't spoil who it is) gets off way too easily in my opinion. The build-up to the final battle was excellent. However, I wanted more action in the final battle and suffering *insert fire Elmo meme*.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. The author gives you all that tension and the passion that follows. It is steamy, the MMC and FMC are kinky, and there's a whole lot of pent-up sexual frustration. Read the TWs because they get it on in many different ways *wink wink nudge nudge*. The FMC, Oriana, is not a gentle girl and she doesn't like it gentle. Our MMC, Rowan, likes to be large and in charge and he is darn good at it.
4/5 stars; 4/5 spice because there's some kinky stuff in there but it's oh so good (look at the TW).
The Worst Christmas Wife by Katie Bachand
4.0
This was such a wholesome read. I loved it! I could totally imagine this as a movie (and I would watch it 1,000 times). A grumpy X sunshine, fake marriage, billionaire boss, holiday, contemporary romance book, this book was a lovely read.
I loved the chemistry between Ava and Hendricks. He’s really just a giant teddy bear in the inside and it took Ava and her bright, sunshine personality to melt him. I was so worried about how the conflict or “trouble in paradise” scene would be written and resolved because I really just wanted to see them in love. I totally wasn’t expecting the direction the author took with the conflict, but I liked it. The book is well-written and each of the characters, main or side, are well-developed. I’d love to read a book just about Geoffrey and Collin’s romance. They were so cute!
4/5 stars; 0/5 spice - it’s so wholesome and lovely.
I loved the chemistry between Ava and Hendricks. He’s really just a giant teddy bear in the inside and it took Ava and her bright, sunshine personality to melt him. I was so worried about how the conflict or “trouble in paradise” scene would be written and resolved because I really just wanted to see them in love. I totally wasn’t expecting the direction the author took with the conflict, but I liked it. The book is well-written and each of the characters, main or side, are well-developed. I’d love to read a book just about Geoffrey and Collin’s romance. They were so cute!
4/5 stars; 0/5 spice - it’s so wholesome and lovely.
On Bladed Tides by Rachel C. Donnan
4.0
Thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to host a book tour for this beautiful book!
What an adventure! I'm in my pirate romance era and this book ticked off every box I have. It has pirates (obviously), assassins, enemies to lovers, betrayals, mythical creatures, magic, strong AF FMC, and morally grey MMC. Oh, and a healthy dose of spice.
It doesn't take long for the story and action to take off. There's plenty of tension build-up between the FMC and MMC, and that definitely feeds into their spicy scenes. Once their voyage into the Forgotten Realm happens, the book just explodes and the pace amps up. The betrayls, the action, the spice, all reach a new high at that point in the book. I definitely gasped and wanted to shake some of the characters at points in the book and, for me as a reader, I love when an author gets those reactions out of me. That means I'm invested. Each character is well thought out. The host of side characters compliments the FMC and MMC very well. The world in which the book is set is well-crafted and intriguing.
There is a lot to the FMC and MMC that goes unsaid in the book, which I believe is purposeful because this book does end on a cliffhanger. There's a history to both of them, together and separate, that remains unknown. I have my suspicions but I'll wait for the next book to confirm them.
4/5 stars; 3/5 spice - would recommend and I am definitely looking forward to the sequel.
What an adventure! I'm in my pirate romance era and this book ticked off every box I have. It has pirates (obviously), assassins, enemies to lovers, betrayals, mythical creatures, magic, strong AF FMC, and morally grey MMC. Oh, and a healthy dose of spice.
It doesn't take long for the story and action to take off. There's plenty of tension build-up between the FMC and MMC, and that definitely feeds into their spicy scenes. Once their voyage into the Forgotten Realm happens, the book just explodes and the pace amps up. The betrayls, the action, the spice, all reach a new high at that point in the book. I definitely gasped and wanted to shake some of the characters at points in the book and, for me as a reader, I love when an author gets those reactions out of me. That means I'm invested. Each character is well thought out. The host of side characters compliments the FMC and MMC very well. The world in which the book is set is well-crafted and intriguing.
There is a lot to the FMC and MMC that goes unsaid in the book, which I believe is purposeful because this book does end on a cliffhanger. There's a history to both of them, together and separate, that remains unknown. I have my suspicions but I'll wait for the next book to confirm them.
4/5 stars; 3/5 spice - would recommend and I am definitely looking forward to the sequel.
Captive of the Stolen Empire by Megan Van Dyke
5.0
Thank you to the author for sending me an eARC to review.
An enemies-to-lovers, slow burn novel featuring war, betrayal, plotting, and a healthy dose of spice.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a slow start due to world building and descriptive character profiles. Once you get past that, the action picks up pretty quickly and the slow burn picks up momentum.
In terms of characters, there is a whole host of them. Each one is well-written, well-thought out, and their relationships between each other are great. Specifically the chemistry between MMC, Lucien, and the FMC, Ilya, is extremely good. The tension between them is potent and once romantic feelings come into play, it turns spicy. I really enjoyed how the author built up the animosity between them. I further enjoyed once that animosity bled into romance.
The turning point in the story was heart-wrenching and I felt myself holding my breath as a frantically read chapter after chapter hoping everything would turn out alright. You will get attached to the characters, main and side alike, and I found myself feeling for them whenever struggles arose in the plot.
There are two things that bothered me. One was the author’s tendency to over describe. The second was some elements of the world building were repeated later in the book and it wasn’t necessary to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I would definitely recommend.
4.5/5 ⭐️; 3/5
An enemies-to-lovers, slow burn novel featuring war, betrayal, plotting, and a healthy dose of spice.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a slow start due to world building and descriptive character profiles. Once you get past that, the action picks up pretty quickly and the slow burn picks up momentum.
In terms of characters, there is a whole host of them. Each one is well-written, well-thought out, and their relationships between each other are great. Specifically the chemistry between MMC, Lucien, and the FMC, Ilya, is extremely good. The tension between them is potent and once romantic feelings come into play, it turns spicy. I really enjoyed how the author built up the animosity between them. I further enjoyed once that animosity bled into romance.
The turning point in the story was heart-wrenching and I felt myself holding my breath as a frantically read chapter after chapter hoping everything would turn out alright. You will get attached to the characters, main and side alike, and I found myself feeling for them whenever struggles arose in the plot.
There are two things that bothered me. One was the author’s tendency to over describe. The second was some elements of the world building were repeated later in the book and it wasn’t necessary to the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I would definitely recommend.
4.5/5 ⭐️; 3/5