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lambsbooks's reviews
1350 reviews
I Think They Love You by Julian Winters
4.25
“How would having sex in front of your colleagues—your family—make our fake relationship more legitimate?”
4.25 stars
Denz is hoping for a promotion to CEO at his family's company, and to avoid looking like he can’t commit to things, he starts fake dating his ex who broke his heart.
Shit, when did starting a simple conversation with someone who’s seen you naked become the toughest part of my day?
* Cue all the resulting drama of a fake-dating rom-com *
He’s always avoided dating apps. Being gay and Black isn’t the easiest thing to navigate in online spaces. Why voluntarily sign up for people to showcase their racism or fetishism while hiding behind a fake profile pic? No, thanks.
This was cute and emotional! I liked how their relationship progressed, since it was a second-chance trope too, their banter, and the side characters were likable.
“Nephew,” she says mid-guffaw, “you’ve had some slipups before, but this truly drags the bar straight to hell.”
“I know.” He squares his shoulders. “I need your help.”
“You need Jesus.”
I didn’t like his extended family, I dunno if that’s like standard family behaviour, I don’t have a family like that, but I found them so rude and intrusive. I thought it would be this nice family-featuring book but instead their parts just annoyed me lmao I liked his mom and sister tho, but on the fence about his dad. He was shitty for most of the book.
ALSO, no one lives in a foreign country and picks up an accent after a few years. Come on.
Other than that, super enjoyable and I would recommend it!
“I need an expert.”
“Wow. Is that a compliment?”
“Is it working? Would it help if I said please?”
“Only if you get on your knees too.” He didn’t mean for it to sound so . . . suggestive. “What I meant to say is—”
“You’re into groveling?” Braylon flexes an eyebrow.
“Are you kink-shaming me?”
Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Griffin, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC!
It’s been rooted in each of them since they were little: Work hard. Never settle for average. Be the best version of yourself whether you think anyone’s paying attention or not, because when you’re a Black professional, they’re always watching.
4.25 stars
Denz is hoping for a promotion to CEO at his family's company, and to avoid looking like he can’t commit to things, he starts fake dating his ex who broke his heart.
Shit, when did starting a simple conversation with someone who’s seen you naked become the toughest part of my day?
* Cue all the resulting drama of a fake-dating rom-com *
He’s always avoided dating apps. Being gay and Black isn’t the easiest thing to navigate in online spaces. Why voluntarily sign up for people to showcase their racism or fetishism while hiding behind a fake profile pic? No, thanks.
This was cute and emotional! I liked how their relationship progressed, since it was a second-chance trope too, their banter, and the side characters were likable.
“Nephew,” she says mid-guffaw, “you’ve had some slipups before, but this truly drags the bar straight to hell.”
“I know.” He squares his shoulders. “I need your help.”
“You need Jesus.”
I didn’t like his extended family, I dunno if that’s like standard family behaviour, I don’t have a family like that, but I found them so rude and intrusive. I thought it would be this nice family-featuring book but instead their parts just annoyed me lmao I liked his mom and sister tho, but on the fence about his dad. He was shitty for most of the book.
ALSO, no one lives in a foreign country and picks up an accent after a few years. Come on.
Other than that, super enjoyable and I would recommend it!
“I need an expert.”
“Wow. Is that a compliment?”
“Is it working? Would it help if I said please?”
“Only if you get on your knees too.” He didn’t mean for it to sound so . . . suggestive. “What I meant to say is—”
“You’re into groveling?” Braylon flexes an eyebrow.
“Are you kink-shaming me?”
Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Griffin, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC!
It’s been rooted in each of them since they were little: Work hard. Never settle for average. Be the best version of yourself whether you think anyone’s paying attention or not, because when you’re a Black professional, they’re always watching.
The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor
2.5
Am I strong enough yet?
It had an easy-to-follow world, underdeveloped tho because of that. Usually, I have to struggle through world-building but this was straightforward. The magic system was also too simple, and not all that exciting.
This is off to a negative start lmao
It doesn’t get better. I guess take this review with a grain of salt because it has my only trigger in it (on-page animal killing and torturing) but also, I was bored through most of it, so it wasn't just the trigger/dislike of the animals.
The cover is pretty, if that counts as something positive?
My main problem with this was that the author centred the entire book around killing animals. You can say it's something else, but no. Like…what? She doesn’t even mention it causally, it’s graphically detailed in the first few chapters and then more and more throughout the story in flashbacks and memories. It’s disgusting. Who even thought this would be a good idea? Having a character's power come from torturing and killing animals. Because she can’t kill them humanly, no, she had to brutalize them first. It’s pretty much universally accepted in the book community that animals are off-limits.
And the FMC, who’s supposed to hate killing animals and is only forced to do it, yeah, that doesn’t ring true. She feels bad and then eh, it’s done. She only started fighting back (and I say that lightly since she had the backbone of an invertebrate) when killing humans was brought up. She was also stupid. So there’s that.
I was expecting a glittering monster, but she’s … just a girl.
Which means I can break her.
Silver, the MMC, was boring and naive lmao. I have nothing to say about him, I've literally forgotten everything about him and his friends. I guessed what he was actually involved in from the start and the fact that he didn’t? Nope.
Thank you to Fierce Reads, Colored Pages Book Tours, the author, and Netgalley for the eARC and a physical finished copy.
It had an easy-to-follow world, underdeveloped tho because of that. Usually, I have to struggle through world-building but this was straightforward. The magic system was also too simple, and not all that exciting.
This is off to a negative start lmao
It doesn’t get better. I guess take this review with a grain of salt because it has my only trigger in it (on-page animal killing and torturing) but also, I was bored through most of it, so it wasn't just the trigger/dislike of the animals.
The cover is pretty, if that counts as something positive?
My main problem with this was that the author centred the entire book around killing animals. You can say it's something else, but no. Like…what? She doesn’t even mention it causally, it’s graphically detailed in the first few chapters and then more and more throughout the story in flashbacks and memories. It’s disgusting. Who even thought this would be a good idea? Having a character's power come from torturing and killing animals. Because she can’t kill them humanly, no, she had to brutalize them first. It’s pretty much universally accepted in the book community that animals are off-limits.
And the FMC, who’s supposed to hate killing animals and is only forced to do it, yeah, that doesn’t ring true. She feels bad and then eh, it’s done. She only started fighting back (and I say that lightly since she had the backbone of an invertebrate) when killing humans was brought up. She was also stupid. So there’s that.
I was expecting a glittering monster, but she’s … just a girl.
Which means I can break her.
Silver, the MMC, was boring and naive lmao. I have nothing to say about him, I've literally forgotten everything about him and his friends. I guessed what he was actually involved in from the start and the fact that he didn’t? Nope.
Thank you to Fierce Reads, Colored Pages Book Tours, the author, and Netgalley for the eARC and a physical finished copy.
The Rival by Emma Lord
4.75
It’s rare we’ve ever had a reason to hug, but those moments stick out enough in my mind that I’m already anticipating the way he shifts his arms up slightly, the way he scratches lightly at the base of my neck.
This was so effing adorable and funny!
Keep your friends close and your lifelong academic rivals you’ve imagined kissing multiple times against your will closer. It’s all just a part of our years-long game.
4.75 stars
I actually went into this with like negative expectations. I didn’t like Tweet Cute but I liked the synopsis on this one and I’m auto-approved, so I grabbed it. OHMYGOOOOD I was shook. This was so good!
“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”
We have childhood friends to rivals in high school and now university, competing for the same prestigious job at the school’s newspaper. I love a good rivals competition.
Unfortunately, somewhere in the last thirty seconds I got emotionally invested against my will, and if I don’t walk out with a jar of pickles in my hand and a crown on one of these boys’ heads I will simply not be able to live.
The banter. The whit. The funny comments. Everything was just great! I loved both MCs and it had good reps in here as well (bi MMC, lesbian and non-binary side characters). It also had some good family dynamics and emotional parts, so a well-rounded rom-com lmao
“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”
But what really stood out was the fact that this was so funny! I know I mentioned the banter and funny comments but this type of back-and-forth is something I love in books and it’s not always done organically, it can be cringe, but this was *chefs kiss*
“So where are you headed?” Seb asks.
Maybe if I just keep walking he’ll disappear. He’s just a panic mirage, is all. The ghost of academic rivals past. “Apparently hell, if you’re here.”
It loses .25 stars because I wish the rivalry lasted much longer than it did.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC!
I’m starting to feel like Sisyphus. Except instead of lugging a boulder up a hill I’ve been trying to shove Seb off a cliff.
This was so effing adorable and funny!
Keep your friends close and your lifelong academic rivals you’ve imagined kissing multiple times against your will closer. It’s all just a part of our years-long game.
4.75 stars
I actually went into this with like negative expectations. I didn’t like Tweet Cute but I liked the synopsis on this one and I’m auto-approved, so I grabbed it. OHMYGOOOOD I was shook. This was so good!
“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”
We have childhood friends to rivals in high school and now university, competing for the same prestigious job at the school’s newspaper. I love a good rivals competition.
Unfortunately, somewhere in the last thirty seconds I got emotionally invested against my will, and if I don’t walk out with a jar of pickles in my hand and a crown on one of these boys’ heads I will simply not be able to live.
The banter. The whit. The funny comments. Everything was just great! I loved both MCs and it had good reps in here as well (bi MMC, lesbian and non-binary side characters). It also had some good family dynamics and emotional parts, so a well-rounded rom-com lmao
“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”
But what really stood out was the fact that this was so funny! I know I mentioned the banter and funny comments but this type of back-and-forth is something I love in books and it’s not always done organically, it can be cringe, but this was *chefs kiss*
“So where are you headed?” Seb asks.
Maybe if I just keep walking he’ll disappear. He’s just a panic mirage, is all. The ghost of academic rivals past. “Apparently hell, if you’re here.”
It loses .25 stars because I wish the rivalry lasted much longer than it did.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC!
I’m starting to feel like Sisyphus. Except instead of lugging a boulder up a hill I’ve been trying to shove Seb off a cliff.
The Secrets We Keep by Mila Sin
3.5
So this was pretty similar to the Hades series and I kept getting them confused in my head, minus the mm since Tate doesn't have that (and yes, I am super excited to see how things go with Han and Jacob in the next books because they were lil chickens in this one) but same plot lines as Hades (was Hades written first or did I just read it first??).
Anyway, it was a little over the top in terms of "I am the most badass woman you will ever meet but I am also a girly girl etc etc" and the dialogue and internal monologue was cringy sometimes (most times).
Cliffhanger ending (again, similar to Tate) so I obviously have to read the next one but even if there wasn't a cliffhanger I would read the next one, it's still fun
Anyway, it was a little over the top in terms of "I am the most badass woman you will ever meet but I am also a girly girl etc etc" and the dialogue and internal monologue was cringy sometimes (most times).
Cliffhanger ending (again, similar to Tate) so I obviously have to read the next one but even if there wasn't a cliffhanger I would read the next one, it's still fun
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
1.5
When she thinks he's her soulmate after 5 minutes...
Yes, who cares that both of you are dating other people and you've known each other LESS THAN ONE DAY. Yes, soulmates, love of her life, etc. etc.
"I wOuLd NeVeR cHeAt"
Lmao fuck you
I hate cheating so, good bye you horrible humans.
But like, congrats to the author for writing a million chapters based on one day, based on this stupid woman who falls in love in like, 5 minutes, who has the nerve to be jealous when she has a boyfriend. And Will too, just being a gross man.
And I'm sorry but he leaves and she's the one who needs to run after him? Does he have no responsibilities?? Why is she chasing him when he's the one who just ghosted her??
I'm not annoyed. Not at all.
What a waste of time.
Yes, who cares that both of you are dating other people and you've known each other LESS THAN ONE DAY. Yes, soulmates, love of her life, etc. etc.
"I wOuLd NeVeR cHeAt"
Lmao fuck you
I hate cheating so, good bye you horrible humans.
But like, congrats to the author for writing a million chapters based on one day, based on this stupid woman who falls in love in like, 5 minutes, who has the nerve to be jealous when she has a boyfriend. And Will too, just being a gross man.
And I'm sorry but he leaves and she's the one who needs to run after him? Does he have no responsibilities?? Why is she chasing him when he's the one who just ghosted her??
I'm not annoyed. Not at all.
What a waste of time.
The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow
2.5
No. Just, no.
This had a really interesting premise but it was executed pretty badly.
Can I just...Like, in what world do you have something REACH THROUGH A MIRROR AND YOU JUST GO ABOUT YOUR DAY AND FALL ASLEEP RIGHT IN THAT ROOM!? BURN THE HOUSE DOWN
Your reflection dragged you through the mirror BY YOUR HAIR and your first thought was "let's trust her implicitly"
Fuck me.
If I never have to read the word "Fish" again, it'll be too soon.
Also, hella insta love. Like, literal instant.
*meets prince*
*I love him*
This had a really interesting premise but it was executed pretty badly.
Can I just...Like, in what world do you have something REACH THROUGH A MIRROR AND YOU JUST GO ABOUT YOUR DAY AND FALL ASLEEP RIGHT IN THAT ROOM!? BURN THE HOUSE DOWN
Your reflection dragged you through the mirror BY YOUR HAIR and your first thought was "let's trust her implicitly"
Fuck me.
If I never have to read the word "Fish" again, it'll be too soon.
Also, hella insta love. Like, literal instant.
*meets prince*
*I love him*
Darker by Four by June CL Tan
4.25
"You need to fix the button that opens your spell lab. It's not working. I tried it."
"That's because it doesn't work. It's just a random button that does absolutely nothing."
"But you use it every time we go in."
"My lab is secured by magic," Zizi said, trying not to laugh. He ducked his head, mumbling, "I've been doing the button thing to annoy you.
"Why?" she said, utterly bewildered.
"It's not my fault I'm an attention-seeker."
"You did the annoying button thing to get my attention?"
"What can I say? Despite being a genius, I'm extremely pathetic when it comes to certain things."
To make a few things clear:
the characters look super young on the cover but they are in fact 18+.
it is not a love triangle. I'm seeing MF and MM pairings so far but you'll have to read for more info lmao
"That's because it doesn't work. It's just a random button that does absolutely nothing."
"But you use it every time we go in."
"My lab is secured by magic," Zizi said, trying not to laugh. He ducked his head, mumbling, "I've been doing the button thing to annoy you.
"Why?" she said, utterly bewildered.
"It's not my fault I'm an attention-seeker."
"You did the annoying button thing to get my attention?"
"What can I say? Despite being a genius, I'm extremely pathetic when it comes to certain things."
To make a few things clear:
the characters look super young on the cover but they are in fact 18+.
it is not a love triangle. I'm seeing MF and MM pairings so far but you'll have to read for more info lmao
The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
5.0
It felt good. So fucking good to know I could make her do more than hate me. Dangerously good.
Excuse me!?
EXCUSE ME
I FEEL LIKE IVE RUN A MARATHON. My heart is pounding, I’m shaky, I’m feeling all the emotions, I can’t breathe.
Ohmygod
“Magnificent. Utterly magnificent.” And it was his tone of voice that caught me off guard this time. Reverent. No, worshipful.
Okay, I got my shit together.
This was everything I wanted and more. Blake was perfect. Medra was perfect. Florence was a cute little bean. Tanaka was swoony. Theo and Visha stepped up. Neville has my whole heart and I would end the world for him.
“But you bring the fire. You make even the darkness shine. Even dragon fire can’t compete with the way you burn, Pendragon.”
This book picks right up where the last one ended, on the cliffhanger, and OH this one has a cliffhanger to, so get ready to DIE. I’ll be here to consol you in hell (babes, we’re not going to heaven at this point lmao).
So, my girl was a princess. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, really. She’d always looked like a queen to me.
Medra takes absolutely no shit. I love it and her. She stands up for herself all the time and for her friends. There wasn’t a time where I got annoyed because she wouldn’t say anything, you know, when you’re screaming at a character to stand up for themselves, Medra was just great.
I thought of how close we’d become last year. How good it had felt to think, just briefly, that she was on my side. The two of us against the world. Now I was alone again.
Blake, our little bully vamp turned into an obsessive bully vampire AND something is happening to him, some change that I won’t say to spoil it but OHMYGOD YES. AND TANAKA. YES. All the yeses.
She was deep inside me now. Woven into my blood. Carved into my heart. But maybe these feelings were poison. Sweet but deadly.
I don’t think it’s gonna happen but I am rooting for MFM or MMF but I have a feeling I know where it’s going based on the ending now, so while I’m sad, I still like the how this is all playing out.
I’m going to die, aren’t I?
You are not going to die, Nyxaris answered. You will not fall. I will not allow it. I will not permit you to humiliate me in such a ridiculous way.
Nyxaris. That’s all.
Pendragon hated me. I already knew that. But what I hadn’t realized was that her dragon did, too.
What even is this review? What a fucking mess lmao
“You survived your first year because I allowed it. Don’t make me prove that to you now.” He suddenly pushed his chest up against mine, shoving me backwards. His breath was hot against my ear. “Why don’t you just fall in line, like a good little girl?”
Thank you to the author and RR Book Tours for a physical copy and Netgalley for this eARC! I am dying for book 3 😩
__________________
Review to come once I get my shit together
Excuse me!?
EXCUSE ME
I FEEL LIKE IVE RUN A MARATHON. My heart is pounding, I’m shaky, I’m feeling all the emotions, I can’t breathe.
Ohmygod
“Magnificent. Utterly magnificent.” And it was his tone of voice that caught me off guard this time. Reverent. No, worshipful.
Okay, I got my shit together.
This was everything I wanted and more. Blake was perfect. Medra was perfect. Florence was a cute little bean. Tanaka was swoony. Theo and Visha stepped up. Neville has my whole heart and I would end the world for him.
“But you bring the fire. You make even the darkness shine. Even dragon fire can’t compete with the way you burn, Pendragon.”
This book picks right up where the last one ended, on the cliffhanger, and OH this one has a cliffhanger to, so get ready to DIE. I’ll be here to consol you in hell (babes, we’re not going to heaven at this point lmao).
So, my girl was a princess. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, really. She’d always looked like a queen to me.
Medra takes absolutely no shit. I love it and her. She stands up for herself all the time and for her friends. There wasn’t a time where I got annoyed because she wouldn’t say anything, you know, when you’re screaming at a character to stand up for themselves, Medra was just great.
I thought of how close we’d become last year. How good it had felt to think, just briefly, that she was on my side. The two of us against the world. Now I was alone again.
Blake, our little bully vamp turned into an obsessive bully vampire AND something is happening to him, some change that I won’t say to spoil it but OHMYGOD YES. AND TANAKA. YES. All the yeses.
She was deep inside me now. Woven into my blood. Carved into my heart. But maybe these feelings were poison. Sweet but deadly.
I don’t think it’s gonna happen but I am rooting for MFM or MMF but I have a feeling I know where it’s going based on the ending now, so while I’m sad, I still like the how this is all playing out.
I’m going to die, aren’t I?
You are not going to die, Nyxaris answered. You will not fall. I will not allow it. I will not permit you to humiliate me in such a ridiculous way.
Nyxaris. That’s all.
Pendragon hated me. I already knew that. But what I hadn’t realized was that her dragon did, too.
What even is this review? What a fucking mess lmao
“You survived your first year because I allowed it. Don’t make me prove that to you now.” He suddenly pushed his chest up against mine, shoving me backwards. His breath was hot against my ear. “Why don’t you just fall in line, like a good little girl?”
Thank you to the author and RR Book Tours for a physical copy and Netgalley for this eARC! I am dying for book 3 😩
__________________
Review to come once I get my shit together
The Proposal Play by Lauren Blakely
3.75
I kiss her, long, slow, deep—the kind of kiss that’s a prelude to how I want to fuck her.
3.75 stars
“Aren’t you possessive,” she says. “Don’t want anyone touching my date,” I joke, only it’s not a joke. I fucking don’t.
This was a spicy brother's best friend, and her best friend, hockey romance featuring a marriage of convenience, body paint, and bossiness. Oh, and lots of toys - the fun toys.
Maeve is pretty and charming and fucking adorable. How did I miss what’s been right in front of me?
I liked Maeve and Asher together, they had good chemistry (as most best friends to lovers do), and I once again love all the cameos from the other books
“You look like…” Mine.
I loved the relationship Ash had with his dads and Maeve had with her brother, after all the hardships both of them faced.
I already want to toss her over my shoulder and take her home. See if she looks as good in my ties, bound to her wrists, as she does in that vest.
I did have a few issues with this one, and I’ll mention one - the way Asher’s mental illness was portrayed. It could have been done really well and I would have connected with it (medical paranoia? I dunno what the diagnosis is, but he was basically constantly worried and obsessive about medical problems in those he loved. It’s probably an anxiety disorder). I loved that part but the actual emotion behind it was lacking, or a “telling not showing” issue.
Thank you to Lauren and her team for this ARC!
How could she look like anything else but mine when she’s wearing my vest?
3.75 stars
“Aren’t you possessive,” she says. “Don’t want anyone touching my date,” I joke, only it’s not a joke. I fucking don’t.
This was a spicy brother's best friend, and her best friend, hockey romance featuring a marriage of convenience, body paint, and bossiness. Oh, and lots of toys - the fun toys.
Maeve is pretty and charming and fucking adorable. How did I miss what’s been right in front of me?
I liked Maeve and Asher together, they had good chemistry (as most best friends to lovers do), and I once again love all the cameos from the other books
“You look like…” Mine.
I loved the relationship Ash had with his dads and Maeve had with her brother, after all the hardships both of them faced.
I already want to toss her over my shoulder and take her home. See if she looks as good in my ties, bound to her wrists, as she does in that vest.
I did have a few issues with this one, and I’ll mention one - the way Asher’s mental illness was portrayed. It could have been done really well and I would have connected with it (medical paranoia? I dunno what the diagnosis is, but he was basically constantly worried and obsessive about medical problems in those he loved. It’s probably an anxiety disorder). I loved that part but the actual emotion behind it was lacking, or a “telling not showing” issue.
Thank you to Lauren and her team for this ARC!
How could she look like anything else but mine when she’s wearing my vest?
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
3.75
While I enjoyed the audiobook (narrators) I was pretty bored through most of it. I think maybe I just don't fully like the way this author writes.