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lauren_miller's reviews
754 reviews
Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Overall, I enjoyed reading this, but the characters were a bit archetypal and cliché, the descriptions—especially of all the places they visited, which was a major disappointment—were plain, and the ending was as predictable to a T. There was some character development that really struck me around the Edinburgh chapters, but that was about it. The characters also read veryyy juvenile imo. Even if Britt's character was the stereotypical jock, I know when I was a senior in high school, I thought I was super smart and intelligent and experienced in life lol. There was a lack of confidence that stemmed from beyond the grief of losing out on a dream that spoke to an immaturity... Anyway, solid 3 out of 5 stars.
Just His Boss by Donna Jeffries
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I definitely enjoyed this installment less than the first, mostly because it’s not really “enemies to lovers,” but more of a “they’re both in denial (but not really)” vibe. I liked Alec a lot, but Tara’s insecurities were so prevalent that after a while they became annoying; in particular, it really bothered me that she didn’t trust Alec around Jessie. He literally TOLD her he got cheated on in his previous relationship and she still couldn’t believe him when he told her, several times, that they were just friends… I found that frustrating and kind of a red flag.
So yeah, I don’t think I’ll be continuing with the series either. Especially after Lance’s characterization in this book, jesus. He was a real asshole—like, more than Dawson lol. So no, I don’t need that toxic bullshit in my life.
3.5 out of 5 stars
So yeah, I don’t think I’ll be continuing with the series either. Especially after Lance’s characterization in this book, jesus. He was a real asshole—like, more than Dawson lol. So no, I don’t need that toxic bullshit in my life.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History Without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodríguez McRobbie
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
DNF @ 8%
This, I imagine, is supposed to be an irreverent, feminist take on some of history’s most powerful, intelligent, dangerous, etc. women, but I just did not enjoy the author’s voice and attempted narratives. It was neither purely factual, nor pop history, but a weird mix that I did not vibe with.
This, I imagine, is supposed to be an irreverent, feminist take on some of history’s most powerful, intelligent, dangerous, etc. women, but I just did not enjoy the author’s voice and attempted narratives. It was neither purely factual, nor pop history, but a weird mix that I did not vibe with.
Resting Witch Face by Juliette Cross
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
happy to report that i also enjoyed this installment quite a bit! in fact, I absolutely loved the reason why jules and ruben broke up 12 years ago—totally justified imo—and how they slowly but surely came back together again. it was emotional, to say the least 😭 ❤️🩹
and i have to say, I loved the mystery element of this installment coupled with the very open-ended plot arc; it was much harder, unlike previous installments, to predict where and what the hell would go down in this one. the change of scenery was a nice breath of fresh air too, and I loved hearing seeing more of this AU on a global scale. I hope, either after Clara and Henry's installment or during, we get to see more world-building like this.
solid 4.5 out of 5 stars
and i have to say, I loved the mystery element of this installment coupled with the very open-ended plot arc; it was much harder, unlike previous installments, to predict where and what the hell would go down in this one. the change of scenery was a nice breath of fresh air too, and I loved hearing seeing more of this AU on a global scale. I hope, either after Clara and Henry's installment or during, we get to see more world-building like this.
solid 4.5 out of 5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Torture
Always Practice Safe Hex by Juliette Cross
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
it only took me 4.5 installments to finally enjoy a story!? thank god.
as I predicted, Livvy’s personality and Gareth’s grim powers had me hooked from the beginning, and… dare I say, I actually felt their chemistry!! So much so that I almost didn’t mind the smut too, which is a goddamn miracle. almost. now I’m really looking forward to Clara and Henry’s installment…
4 honest to god stars out of 5
as I predicted, Livvy’s personality and Gareth’s grim powers had me hooked from the beginning, and… dare I say, I actually felt their chemistry!! So much so that I almost didn’t mind the smut too, which is a goddamn miracle. almost. now I’m really looking forward to Clara and Henry’s installment…
4 honest to god stars out of 5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Murder
Walking in a Witchy Wonderland by Juliette Cross
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I picked this up because I've learned my lesson—you can't just pick up a book in this series and get on; you miss out on important plot and characterization details, which is really freaking annoying...
Mostly, I picked this up for JJ and Charlie and was severely disappointed by their lack of chemistry. They were supposed to be best friends and fated to love each other, and yet they felt so flat... I also HATED Mateo's characterization, oh my god. In the first installment, there was at least some balance between Alpha and Mateo a.k.a. hypermasculinity and sensitivity. But in this, particularly the last short story, he was patriarchal, overprotective, untrusting, perpetually aggressive... basically a dick with claws. And Evie's line about him acting like this making her fall more in love with him and Alpha?? um, no. absolutely fucking not. The fact that he's basically a helicopter parent and a terrible cousin and friend is NOT attractive, like, at all.
Surprisingly, the ones that I enjoyed the most were Isadora and Devraj's (even with all the stupid magic-induced sex) and Livvy and Gareth's (even with all the stupid hypersexual tension).
I honestly don't know why I keep doing this to myself—ok, I do know why, I'm stubborn to a fault—but I'm going to keep reading, mostly because I feel like Livvy's fiery personality will carry a lot of the next installment and I really want to know more about Grims( b/c everything up till now has been super freaking vague). Pray for my sanity. pls n thnx.
Mostly, I picked this up for JJ and Charlie and was severely disappointed by their lack of chemistry. They were supposed to be best friends and fated to love each other, and yet they felt so flat... I also HATED Mateo's characterization, oh my god. In the first installment, there was at least some balance between Alpha and Mateo a.k.a. hypermasculinity and sensitivity. But in this, particularly the last short story, he was patriarchal, overprotective, untrusting, perpetually aggressive... basically a dick with claws. And Evie's line about him acting like this making her fall more in love with him and Alpha?? um, no. absolutely fucking not. The fact that he's basically a helicopter parent and a terrible cousin and friend is NOT attractive, like, at all.
Surprisingly, the ones that I enjoyed the most were Isadora and Devraj's (even with all the stupid magic-induced sex) and Livvy and Gareth's (even with all the stupid hypersexual tension).
I honestly don't know why I keep doing this to myself—ok, I do know why, I'm stubborn to a fault—but I'm going to keep reading, mostly because I feel like Livvy's fiery personality will carry a lot of the next installment and I really want to know more about Grims( b/c everything up till now has been super freaking vague). Pray for my sanity. pls n thnx.
Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
ya know, i'm honestly shocked that i was the most emotionally invested in this installment. violet previously annoyed the hell out of me and I was super wary of more werewolf cringe, but it turned out mildly less smutty and way more soulmate-y than i was expecting, which I actually enjoyed a lot! sure, there were things that still annoyed me (like the incorrect capitalization of "the Cauldron" and violet divining for herself even though she was specifically told NOT to *insert eye roll here*) but I was able to ignore or move past them fairly easily. only took 3 installments, but I can finally say, solid 3 out of 5 stars.
Don't Hex and Drive by Juliette Cross
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
overall, I enjoyed this coupling more than the first installment, but dear god, it was nearly overshadowed by the copious amount of poorly written (imo) sex, MUCH more than in #1. i'll admit, I powered through the first couple scenes, then skimmed the rest; seriously, there was too much sex for me...
the actual PLOT, I did enjoy. the idea of a blood ring is terrible and fascinating, and I liked how we got to learn more about Stygorn and the vampire hierarchy. we're also inching closer to the truth behind jules' and ruben's chaotic he's-the-enemy-while-she's-the-ONE dynamic. i'll continue reading on because I NEED to know more about that, and unfortunately, you can't just drop yourself in (well ok, you could, but when I tried we'd already skipped the good part!?) so more painful werewolf characterization is in my immediate future... sigh.
2.75 stars out of 5, ★★★☆☆
the actual PLOT, I did enjoy. the idea of a blood ring is terrible and fascinating, and I liked how we got to learn more about Stygorn and the vampire hierarchy. we're also inching closer to the truth behind jules' and ruben's chaotic he's-the-enemy-while-she's-the-ONE dynamic. i'll continue reading on because I NEED to know more about that, and unfortunately, you can't just drop yourself in (well ok, you could, but when I tried we'd already skipped the good part!?) so more painful werewolf characterization is in my immediate future... sigh.
2.75 stars out of 5, ★★★☆☆
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, and Kidnapping
Minor: Addiction
Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
While I'm on a roll, I figured I might as well get more werewolves out of my system... and I think they're really out now.
Like I said in my How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf review, I've been tainted by A/B/O fanfic, and after reading this, I cannot stress how much I prefer those wolf characterizations, especially the presence of NONVERBAL secondary genders—in other words, Alphas that aren't cringey as fuck. I'm all for primal instincts and such, but "Alpha" here was just plain gross, which totally over-rid my enjoyment of Mateo as a character, because he really is damn nice. Like, wtf is with traditional paranormal romance authors and dub con sex??? Is this just what I should expect from the genre? Because I hate it. And the sex wasn't even written that well either...
The highlights for me, which we barely got to see, were Mateo's and Evie's art & the relationship between Jules and Ruben; they're literally the only reason I would consider picking up more from this author. If they have their own installment, I NEED IT.
So yeah. Give me witches, fae, vampires, literally anything else—another traditionally published werewolf story before 2025 will be too. soon.
2.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
Like I said in my How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf review, I've been tainted by A/B/O fanfic, and after reading this, I cannot stress how much I prefer those wolf characterizations, especially the presence of NONVERBAL secondary genders—in other words, Alphas that aren't cringey as fuck. I'm all for primal instincts and such, but "Alpha" here was just plain gross, which totally over-rid my enjoyment of Mateo as a character, because he really is damn nice. Like, wtf is with traditional paranormal romance authors and dub con sex??? Is this just what I should expect from the genre? Because I hate it. And the sex wasn't even written that well either...
The highlights for me, which we barely got to see, were Mateo's and Evie's art & the relationship between Jules and Ruben; they're literally the only reason I would consider picking up more from this author. If they have their own installment, I NEED IT.
So yeah. Give me witches, fae, vampires, literally anything else—another traditionally published werewolf story before 2025 will be too. soon.
2.75 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆
How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I adored the first half of this book, for sure. The small town setting, the multiple and oh so charming side characters, Mo's southern take-no-prisoners attitude... All of it was going well, then the romance kicked in and I really struggled.
The chemistry between Mo and Cooper was hot when they were flirting, but their behavior post-getting together was very physically based, the blatant lack of communication irritated the hell out of me, and most importantly, there two HUGE red flags for me: 1) the aggressive, emotionally unavailable (almost dub-con) sex, and 2) the the complete lack of discussion regarding mating. The fact that Mo had to find out from a book instead of her own boyfriend that wolves mate for life AND the fact that he mated her without her explicit consent, fully aware of the gravity of the act, was un-fucking-acceptable. If I were her, I would've done a lot more than made him sleep out on the porch for god's sake.
So unfortunately, I'm torn. I wanted to love this, but it's left a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm not sure I want to continue with the series. And moral of the story? I think I've been tainted and am now a total slut for A/B/O fanfic over "traditional" werewolf stories; all of the ones I've tried just seem to disappoint me. If anyone has any recommendations that are not like this and NOT Twilight, give a girl a holler I guess...
The chemistry between Mo and Cooper was hot when they were flirting, but their behavior post-getting together was very physically based, the blatant lack of communication irritated the hell out of me, and most importantly, there two HUGE red flags for me: 1) the aggressive, emotionally unavailable (almost dub-con) sex, and 2) the the complete lack of discussion regarding mating. The fact that Mo had to find out from a book instead of her own boyfriend that wolves mate for life AND the fact that he mated her without her explicit consent, fully aware of the gravity of the act, was un-fucking-acceptable. If I were her, I would've done a lot more than made him sleep out on the porch for god's sake.
So unfortunately, I'm torn. I wanted to love this, but it's left a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm not sure I want to continue with the series. And moral of the story? I think I've been tainted and am now a total slut for A/B/O fanfic over "traditional" werewolf stories; all of the ones I've tried just seem to disappoint me. If anyone has any recommendations that are not like this and NOT Twilight, give a girl a holler I guess...