kayetaz's reviews
449 reviews

On the Mountain by Riley Hart

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

5 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Format: audiobook

Narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤/5

How am I only just now reading a Riley Hart book?!

I loved everything about this. 

Crow’s backstory had me intrigued immediately from the prologue. Cults never fail to fascinate me just in general, but I had the biggest soft spot for Crow and just loved seeing his character development and the way his worldview changed completely upon meeting Cyrus.

Cyrus is my favorite kind of character. A sweet, broken boy, just waiting for someone to come in and love them the way they deserve. The way he had instant empathy for Crow and always treated him with kindness and basic human decency.

The forced proximity, the hurt/comfort, the possession and codependency… it was all perfect.

The spice was great but I honestly was so much more interested in their intimate moments. They were just so cute together and I’m obsessed with them.

And as usual, Zachary Johnson (who also goes by Zane Daniels apparently) just nailed the story, the characters, the emotions, and the spice. Perfect narration from a perfect narrator.

System Overload by Saxon James

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

2.8 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: audiobook

Narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤/5

This felt like really, really drawn out edging that led to a disappointing semi-climax.

Nothing happened for so long. I had the audio playing at 3-3.5x speed because I was just waiting for SOMETHING to happen.

When they finally got together, the spice was admittedly very hot. But the relationship aspects between them were awkward. I have no idea why they liked each other outside of sex.

Also, maybe this is a me problem for reading this after Not Dating Material, but I feel like the timeline of Molly’s book and this book didn’t align at all? Like Molly was giving Will updates about Seven that I don’t remember happening that way in his book?

Anyways, this was a no. This entire series has been a no. I think I still have two books left to read in DMC and I kinda wanna cry about that.

Don't Bang Your Stepbro by DJ Jamison

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

3 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: audiobook

Narration: 🎤🎤🎤/5

This was another cute addition to an adorable series. I’m really loving D.J. Jamison’s writing. 

While I was very excited for this book, because the stepbrother trope is my absolute favorite, I will say I was just a touch disappointed. Maybe it’s an issue with the audiobook/narration itself, but I found it really hard to distinguish between Beck and Wes. Even now, I don’t know who was who. Their inner monologues were just so similar and I just felt lost most of the book.

There were a lot of aspects I loved though. I always adore a drunken Vegas wedding. Plus I adore a one-bed trope. And the spice was really doing it for me, like immediately after waking up in Vegas they were foaming out the mouth for each other. So hot. This author just has such a way with dirty talk that I eat up every time.

Unfortunately, the fact that I couldn’t tell who was who at any point took me out of the story a lot because I was just so confused. Maybe it would’ve been better if I read the ebook instead of going the audio route.

I’m sad I’ve reached the end of this series, and I’m not sure whether there will be more in the future. But I’m definitely interested in reading more from this writer.

Luke by Cora Rose

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

6 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: ebook

My apologies to Sem and Maggie. It’s nothing personal, but you’ve been dethroned.

Ahh, Luke and Eli! Kicking myself for not reading this sooner. Cora Rose and I have sort of a weird relationship where she adds random unnecessary relationship angst and I get mad and ghost her for a few months.

But truly every aspect of this book was perfection. Luke is a van Beek through and through, so there was obviously lots of delicious mild stalking and forced proximity and just absolutely relentless pursuit of a very unwilling party. 

Also this book is a perfect example of why I adore the grumpy/sunshine trope. The difference of their POVs was so funny. The way Elliot acted like having a crush was the end of the world, meanwhile Luke thought having a crush was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Just loved their little push and pull. And the way Eli just slowly but surely warmed up to the relationship he was basically being forced into.

The spice? Sheesh. I love when dynamics do a complete 180 in the bedroom. Elliot being this secret kinky dom and Luke being naturally submissive with a penchant for being called a good boy was so hot and I was here for it. 

For once, I didn’t hate the relationship angst and actually really loved the character development we saw from it. Plus all those scenes with Lex? Please—I am so ready for his book.

This is also the first book I’ve read with trans representation, and while I can’t speak for that community, I really adored the way it was portrayed and felt it was done super well, and just so beautiful. Shout out to the van Beek family for continuing to be so open-minded and supportive, and just always loving without conditions.

There’s no way this book can be beat, but I am excited to continue the series.

Anyone But Me by J.D. Frost

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

4.6 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

Format: ebook

I was a bit wary going into this because of mixed reviews, but I actually wound up really loving this.

I’ll be honest and say, the storyline is very similar to many others I’ve read before. The plot was generally very predictable. But I did really enjoy myself while reading.

I loved Oakley and Asher. Their “enemies” to lovers plot line was a little unbelievable and rushed a lot. I also wouldn’t label this a bully romance because there really wasn’t much of that at all. But I thought they were really cute together, and I loved how protective they both were over one another.

The spice was so so so good. The dynamics between them in all other aspects changing in the bedroom was everything. And Oakley’s filthy mouth was insane. I wish there was more but what we did get was definitely top tier.

I just wish a few things were fleshed out a bit more. Like Asher’s parents. The conflict with his father went from 100 to 0 way too quickly. Kinda gave me whiplash. And the whole thing with Oakley’s parents was kinda swept under the rug after it served its purpose for the story.

I did enjoy the side characters we got. Loved April, and I enjoyed seeing her form a relationship with Asher. Also really liked Hal and Sienna. And of course Mrs. S.

The writing was amazing for a debut novel. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Open Me by Morgan Sloan

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

5 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: ebook

Quick, sexy, and so much fun. 

Partaking in a little bit of exhibitionism with a stranger at party is such a vibe and so hot. And on top of that, Kegan and Xavier were such sweet characters. Their bed chem was electric.

The way I’d read a thousand more pages of them.

Cherry Ice by Addison Beck

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

4.2 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

Format: ebook

The cutest cuties!

Levi and Mav were so sweet and adorable. Awkward, nerdy, inexperienced best friends who somehow find themselves “practicing” sex together. Love that.

The way Mav had this hidden dominant side and the filthiest mouth. And Levi was so naturally submissive to him and eager to please. The spice and chemistry were everything.

I wish we had a full novel of them because they were amazing and I wanted so much more.

Light Me Up: A Short & Spicy MM Romance by Rebecca Rathe

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? N/A

3.5

3.6 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: ebook

Short and steamy.

As usual, I love how Rebecca Rathe likes to mix things up and not follow usual stereotypes. This is a best friend’s dad romance with reverse age gap, which I love.

I adored Ian. He was unapologetically himself and in the end, that’s what won him Henry. I also really enjoyed Henry as a character. Their chemistry and draw to each other was palpable. I really loved the almost codependency they established with each other.

As usual with novellas and short stories, the characters weren’t super fleshed out because of the length of the story. Things started up and progressed very quickly and the “I love you”s came a little too soon for me. 

I so wish we had a lot more of them because they were just so cute.

Uncle Zach by Bey Deckard

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

5 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: ebook

This was the nastiest, weirdest, most debauched thing I ever read that frankly made me uncomfortable about 95% of the time. There isn’t even a hint of a plot; it’s pure smut. This book also tried to cram every single kink under the sun into 150 pages of filth. And most of them are kinks I never want to think about again. Uncle Zach needs prison. Owen needs therapy. You’ll need to suspend reality A LOT because the whole thing is ridiculous.

I will probably reread a million times.

End Scene by Nicky James

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? Yes

5.0

6 ⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Format: ebook

“‘I know what we have isn’t normal. I know we can’t be out about it, but we can still make something of this. Can’t we? We can call it dating, just not to other people. We can be a couple. Twins with benefits.’”

Kicking myself for taking so long to read this book because it was everything. I think I was scared of it not being able to live up to Double-edged, but it far surpassed it.

Firstly, Atticus and Asher. I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t the biggest fan of Asher in the beginning. This book is a single POV in Atticus’s point of view, so it was hard to decipher Asher’s thoughts in the beginning. I kind of resented him a bit for not helping Atticus sooner. But then as things shifted from brotherly to more, I really got the softest spot for Asher as he struggled to come to terms with everything.

Atticus is honestly one of the best MMC’s I’ve ever read, and living in his head 24/7 was such a privilege. He’s hilarious and sassy and self-deprecating, and I absolutely adore him. The amount of highlights I have in this book is insane, but nearly everything Atticus said had me in tears from laughing and I don’t ever want to forget a single thing.

I also really enjoyed the fact that their attraction wasn’t already established when the story started. We got to see it happen and see how they reacted to those feelings. Very little happened off-page, which I also appreciated.

I’m obsessed with the plot of this, which kind of gives For The Fans vibes. Basically they respond to an ad asking for identical twins to be cover models for a twincest book. To combat the weirdness, they try to become the characters of the book—Elliot and Ender—when they have to be intimate. But the more they learn about the characters of the book, the more they begin to relate to them, and the less they channel those fake personas when they’re together.

Also Jay and Dean? Loved them, and the whole thing that went on there. Big fan.

Cannot wait to read more from Nicky James. This book was such a treat, and I’m so glad I nabbed a special edition cover from Romance Me Book Box when I had the chance.