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magnafeana's reviews
260 reviews
Chaos by Regine Abel
3.0
Good. Not great. But 3 “good “ stars
First off, I will forever say Black women deserve to be in alien/monster romances. I enjoy getting to read heroes who finally look like me!
But this book didn’t hook with me as much as I’d wished. Granted, I started with Book5 and not Book 1.
This book is much more science fiction with romantic undertones and I looove that! When romance isn’t the focal point but a subplot so there is actual plot and world building? I live. I love. I stan.
But when the romance is insta-love? Eh…
I didn’t care for the insta-love/insta-lust. I wished our couple learned about each other and went in a slow middle burn with their romance to truly build relationships. Now in context of other stories, I enjoy Insta-lust. But in this context, it felt very forced. “And they were soulmates” felt like a weak attempt to force two individuals into a sex-based relationship.
I thought it was neat how he hung back from declaring their matehood, but heck no the mixed signals were not necessary. Just…take it slow. Let the main plot point ride out with sprinkles of romance then when all is said and done? Give me the feels #TWICE
Overall, this was an okay ready. A tad disappointing from the last Abel book I loved so much, but objectively, I understand why people may love this book.
First off, I will forever say Black women deserve to be in alien/monster romances. I enjoy getting to read heroes who finally look like me!
But this book didn’t hook with me as much as I’d wished. Granted, I started with Book5 and not Book 1.
This book is much more science fiction with romantic undertones and I looove that! When romance isn’t the focal point but a subplot so there is actual plot and world building? I live. I love. I stan.
But when the romance is insta-love? Eh…
I didn’t care for the insta-love/insta-lust. I wished our couple learned about each other and went in a slow middle burn with their romance to truly build relationships. Now in context of other stories, I enjoy Insta-lust. But in this context, it felt very forced. “And they were soulmates” felt like a weak attempt to force two individuals into a sex-based relationship.
I thought it was neat how he hung back from declaring their matehood, but heck no the mixed signals were not necessary. Just…take it slow. Let the main plot point ride out with sprinkles of romance then when all is said and done? Give me the feels #TWICE
Overall, this was an okay ready. A tad disappointing from the last Abel book I loved so much, but objectively, I understand why people may love this book.
This Is Forever by Natasha Madison
3.0
I loved it, I loved it, I loved it…until I didn’t
Justin and Caroline (and Dylan) deserved their happy ending for all the BS that happened to them.
Having said that, I don’t condone either of the MCs’ actions throughout this story.
So in this story, Justin (H) is a rich, attractive hockey player who (as the trope allows) has this huge family to back him up. Caroline (h) is a struggling mother to a great eight year old, and she repeatedly has OM drama as she lets her druggie baby daddy constantly in her life.
Long story short, rich guy meets poor girl, bulldozes his way to her life, and HEA.
So. The summary is out of the way. Onto the MCs’ actions and how much I (personally) disagree with them.
I will never say Caroline is a crap person. She really isn’t. But her mothering style makes me very concerned because she continues to let an abusive person near her son.
Many single parents have abusive ex-partners. Some of them tolerate the abuse on themselves, but if their child is harmed, they are ready to go. Others allow their partners to abuse their children.
I’m a little appalled Caroline cares so much for her child but consistently made bad choices about the father. And I wish this point was brought up more. Dylan does not deserve his things stolen and a lying drug addict around him. Even I would have questioned if Caroline is a fit mother exposing her child to this with some flimsy reasoning of “I just want him to have a positive connotation of his daddy”.
Onto our MMC Justin. I started having neutral, lukewarm feelings toward him when he kept pushing Caroline. Everyone acknowledged he was moving too fast. And he was! It was extremely a savior complex, even if he said he wasn’t. I hated that so much. I hated how he made all of Caroline’s choices and even if they had conversations, he did as he pleased.
I couldn’t get behind their romance because both MCs made so many irresponsible and disrespectful decisions.
From a literary device standpoint, the two epilogues and three time skips… Yeeeeeeeeah. Not to be critical, but my brow sort of puckered when I saw all that. Why not make two more chapters to show a lot more than is told and then an epilogue into the future?
Same to the info dumping. The first couple of pages were just that, info dumping. It would have been nice to see information shown throughout the series and instead of told. That, and I had a hard time following who said what, but maybe this a KU thing?
I love family series’s, but I also hate them because they don’t realize being so tight knit and crowding the “new kid” isn’t always the wisest thing to do.
I sort of wish Caroline had left. I forgot a lot of her ish because we got an info dump, but it makes no sense to me why she wasn’t on EBT/food stamps (since this is US-based?. Considering her work and she states she’s low income, this means she makes enough to qualify for government assistance of some degree.
This book always fruitfully reminded me of my privilege being sterile and I have PCOS and I have my IUD. Not to knock on anyone who accidentally becomes pregnant in unsavory circumstances, but having the “choice” to carry or not or to never carry? Priceless.
Overall 3.5 ⭐️ rounded down. From an objective standpoint, I understand the book’s popularity and draw. From a subjective point, I have my own feelings about it.
Justin and Caroline (and Dylan) deserved their happy ending for all the BS that happened to them.
Having said that, I don’t condone either of the MCs’ actions throughout this story.
So in this story, Justin (H) is a rich, attractive hockey player who (as the trope allows) has this huge family to back him up. Caroline (h) is a struggling mother to a great eight year old, and she repeatedly has OM drama as she lets her druggie baby daddy constantly in her life.
Long story short, rich guy meets poor girl, bulldozes his way to her life, and HEA.
So. The summary is out of the way. Onto the MCs’ actions and how much I (personally) disagree with them.
I will never say Caroline is a crap person. She really isn’t. But her mothering style makes me very concerned because she continues to let an abusive person near her son.
Many single parents have abusive ex-partners. Some of them tolerate the abuse on themselves, but if their child is harmed, they are ready to go. Others allow their partners to abuse their children.
I’m a little appalled Caroline cares so much for her child but consistently made bad choices about the father. And I wish this point was brought up more. Dylan does not deserve his things stolen and a lying drug addict around him. Even I would have questioned if Caroline is a fit mother exposing her child to this with some flimsy reasoning of “I just want him to have a positive connotation of his daddy”.
Onto our MMC Justin. I started having neutral, lukewarm feelings toward him when he kept pushing Caroline. Everyone acknowledged he was moving too fast. And he was! It was extremely a savior complex, even if he said he wasn’t. I hated that so much. I hated how he made all of Caroline’s choices and even if they had conversations, he did as he pleased.
I couldn’t get behind their romance because both MCs made so many irresponsible and disrespectful decisions.
From a literary device standpoint, the two epilogues and three time skips… Yeeeeeeeeah. Not to be critical, but my brow sort of puckered when I saw all that. Why not make two more chapters to show a lot more than is told and then an epilogue into the future?
Same to the info dumping. The first couple of pages were just that, info dumping. It would have been nice to see information shown throughout the series and instead of told. That, and I had a hard time following who said what, but maybe this a KU thing?
I love family series’s, but I also hate them because they don’t realize being so tight knit and crowding the “new kid” isn’t always the wisest thing to do.
I sort of wish Caroline had left. I forgot a lot of her ish because we got an info dump, but it makes no sense to me why she wasn’t on EBT/food stamps (since this is US-based?. Considering her work and she states she’s low income, this means she makes enough to qualify for government assistance of some degree.
This book always fruitfully reminded me of my privilege being sterile and I have PCOS and I have my IUD. Not to knock on anyone who accidentally becomes pregnant in unsavory circumstances, but having the “choice” to carry or not or to never carry? Priceless.
Overall 3.5 ⭐️ rounded down. From an objective standpoint, I understand the book’s popularity and draw. From a subjective point, I have my own feelings about it.
Defended by the Alien Gladiator by Presley Hall
4.0
Soooo I’m about to read the heck out of this series
Was this fast-paced? Yes.
Did I cringe about the typical “alien romance must end with children”? Yes.
Was this an incredible read? Maybe..
Will I reread it? OH YES I WILL.
I stumbled upon this series thanks to Internet strangers and now I want to read the heck out of this entire series!
Sure, the tropes were alive and well and fed in this book. The FMC is the helpless captive with the MMC here to save her. Forced proximity, “we must have sex”, cartoonish villains—had it all.
But the execution was still delicious!
I think the reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ read was the fast-pacing and a lot more telling than showing when it came to the characters. This was a romance story, not a love story, and that’s all right. Everything just moved a bit too quick for me to full comprehend the story.
I’m excited to read Zoey’s story. I love my alien romance kick I’m on.
Was this fast-paced? Yes.
Did I cringe about the typical “alien romance must end with children”? Yes.
Was this an incredible read? Maybe..
Will I reread it? OH YES I WILL.
I stumbled upon this series thanks to Internet strangers and now I want to read the heck out of this entire series!
Sure, the tropes were alive and well and fed in this book. The FMC is the helpless captive with the MMC here to save her. Forced proximity, “we must have sex”, cartoonish villains—had it all.
But the execution was still delicious!
I think the reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ read was the fast-pacing and a lot more telling than showing when it came to the characters. This was a romance story, not a love story, and that’s all right. Everything just moved a bit too quick for me to full comprehend the story.
I’m excited to read Zoey’s story. I love my alien romance kick I’m on.
Kiss the Sky by Krista Ritchie
2.0
07/11/2022: Putting my star rating down
What did I just read?
This is the very first book I almost DNF’ed and not just skipped to the end.
So this was my introduction to addicted since an Internet friend doing Alphabet reading (each week they read books with the first letter starting from one letter of the alphabet in order, they are on the K’s) and was assured this could be read as a standalone.
I… I don’t believe that at all.
Not only was I confused, but I hated every sine character. I kept seeing reviews how wonderful Rose and Conner were, but I am genuinely perplexed.
Rose was a straight b*tch in the worst way possible, and as much as she bitched and moaned Loren enabled Lily, Conner enabled her bad behavior.
What kind of person—what kind of woman—signs anything so life-altering and invasive without a lawyer present? She did it because she wanted to come off as strong? She set women back by 50 years with that mindset.
Everyone in this dysfunctional group felt toxic to each other. How did Rose not think to protect her sister who is a MINOR? Oh, and yes, I’m so happy that everyone’s addictions and afflictions were constantly brought up as a sore spot to the point of it being borderline abuse.
My blood family was so cruel to me that I have not spoken to them since 2019. They forced wellness checks on me until a trusted friend helped me talk to the police about it. Some thought I was dead. A friend actually told me she had a blood relative of mine contact her in a panic because they thought I died.
So yes. I know all about abusive families and how to deal with then.
And I just…do NOT feel inspired to read the Addicted series after this stellar standalone/spin-off. I agree with Ryke that Loren and Lily shouldn’t be together. From what I gathered of them, while they do seem to help each other, perhaps loving friends would be better than affianced status.
This is the first book I had to return because I just… I couldn’t. Everyone sung 5⭐️ praises about this, but I was left with utter bewilderment in the worst way.
A reality show with a contract never checked by solicitors because FMC is too proud?
A minor constantly being sexualized…for gags?
Constant aggression and behavioral issues?
Normalized sexual assault?
I have to pass. This book just wasn’t for me, and I had come so hopeful after reading all the reviews. From an objective standpoint, I’m sure this book was phenomenal for the Addicted fanbase. And I’m happy for all y’all. I’ll stay in my lane.
2.25 ⭐️ rounded up to 3 because, objectively, I’m sure others like this book. Subjectively, I do not nor do I intend to even get sample previews of the other books.
What did I just read?
This is the very first book I almost DNF’ed and not just skipped to the end.
So this was my introduction to addicted since an Internet friend doing Alphabet reading (each week they read books with the first letter starting from one letter of the alphabet in order, they are on the K’s) and was assured this could be read as a standalone.
I… I don’t believe that at all.
Not only was I confused, but I hated every sine character. I kept seeing reviews how wonderful Rose and Conner were, but I am genuinely perplexed.
Rose was a straight b*tch in the worst way possible, and as much as she bitched and moaned Loren enabled Lily, Conner enabled her bad behavior.
What kind of person—what kind of woman—signs anything so life-altering and invasive without a lawyer present? She did it because she wanted to come off as strong? She set women back by 50 years with that mindset.
Everyone in this dysfunctional group felt toxic to each other. How did Rose not think to protect her sister who is a MINOR? Oh, and yes, I’m so happy that everyone’s addictions and afflictions were constantly brought up as a sore spot to the point of it being borderline abuse.
My blood family was so cruel to me that I have not spoken to them since 2019. They forced wellness checks on me until a trusted friend helped me talk to the police about it. Some thought I was dead. A friend actually told me she had a blood relative of mine contact her in a panic because they thought I died.
So yes. I know all about abusive families and how to deal with then.
And I just…do NOT feel inspired to read the Addicted series after this stellar standalone/spin-off. I agree with Ryke that Loren and Lily shouldn’t be together. From what I gathered of them, while they do seem to help each other, perhaps loving friends would be better than affianced status.
This is the first book I had to return because I just… I couldn’t. Everyone sung 5⭐️ praises about this, but I was left with utter bewilderment in the worst way.
A reality show with a contract never checked by solicitors because FMC is too proud?
A minor constantly being sexualized…for gags?
Constant aggression and behavioral issues?
Normalized sexual assault?
I have to pass. This book just wasn’t for me, and I had come so hopeful after reading all the reviews. From an objective standpoint, I’m sure this book was phenomenal for the Addicted fanbase. And I’m happy for all y’all. I’ll stay in my lane.
2.25 ⭐️ rounded up to 3 because, objectively, I’m sure others like this book. Subjectively, I do not nor do I intend to even get sample previews of the other books.
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta
3.0
I have been converter. MGMF for life. 4.5 “Heck yes minotaur c*cks* stars
This book was widely passed around in paranormal romance circles, but most of the time, I had no been given more off of the glowing “You should read MGMF” statements or something to that effect.
So when I took the plunge today, I was admittedly nervous since I was advised to not read the summary and just live in the moment.
Thank you, Internet friends, for such blessed advice.
MGMF is about human millennial Violet (h) struggling to pay off her debt in this supernatural world. Growing up around humans only, working at Morning Glory Farm is a lot for her to be comfortable with—especially with the line of work she’ll be doing. But she meets divorcée Rourke (H), a wealthy minotaur with deep brown eyes, a deep voices, and a penchant for getting her hot and bothered.
As Violet navigates the paranormal world, she learns what it means to be a tech at Morning Glory and what it means to be in a mixed species relationship with the minotaur of her dreams.
This certainly was a hot read, and I 100% love that Violet isn’t one of those gun-shy, virginal heroines. She is a well-educated woman in a tough spot many of us are in: we get all the degrees we want, but the job we need isn’t there.
I like this book still empowered sex work and non-sex work. In reality, sex workers do have their own unspoken labels for clients too. The culture is honestly fascinating (and horrifying for those exploited by IRL sex work).
I like that Rourke and Violet went slow to build up to spicy times, especially considering their—ahem—different sizes. And thankfully, this story doesn’t go with the whole “and then they had kids” little HEA. I’m childfree and I finally got the paranormal romance ending I deserve!
All in all, what a great way to start my morning!
A bit of a bummer we don’t see anything from Rourke’s point of view. I would have loved to see more on his thoughts of Violet, which is why I knocked down a star. I wish Good Reads allowed as to submit half stars too.
4.5 ⭐️s all in all!
07/10/2022 Re-review of my review after literary discussion.
Soooo I do still love MGMF. But the internal monologue between the dialogue and the inconsistency in tenses and time gives me pause on a reread and a literary discussion.
I realized how confusing the set up of the story was. Between two things of dialogue are pages of internal monologuing and back story.
I think the story could have benefited from clearer showing over telling and a lot more time keeping to help the dialogue flow better and allow help with readability.
And while Rourke’s left out POV does allow us to really dive into Violet and Violet does a great job interpreting Rourke, I still stand by my statement that an epilogue in Rourke’s POV would be nice.
3.75 ⭐️s rounded down.
This book was widely passed around in paranormal romance circles, but most of the time, I had no been given more off of the glowing “You should read MGMF” statements or something to that effect.
So when I took the plunge today, I was admittedly nervous since I was advised to not read the summary and just live in the moment.
Thank you, Internet friends, for such blessed advice.
MGMF is about human millennial Violet (h) struggling to pay off her debt in this supernatural world. Growing up around humans only, working at Morning Glory Farm is a lot for her to be comfortable with—especially with the line of work she’ll be doing. But she meets divorcée Rourke (H), a wealthy minotaur with deep brown eyes, a deep voices, and a penchant for getting her hot and bothered.
As Violet navigates the paranormal world, she learns what it means to be a tech at Morning Glory and what it means to be in a mixed species relationship with the minotaur of her dreams.
This certainly was a hot read, and I 100% love that Violet isn’t one of those gun-shy, virginal heroines. She is a well-educated woman in a tough spot many of us are in: we get all the degrees we want, but the job we need isn’t there.
I like this book still empowered sex work and non-sex work. In reality, sex workers do have their own unspoken labels for clients too. The culture is honestly fascinating (and horrifying for those exploited by IRL sex work).
I like that Rourke and Violet went slow to build up to spicy times, especially considering their—ahem—different sizes. And thankfully, this story doesn’t go with the whole “and then they had kids” little HEA. I’m childfree and I finally got the paranormal romance ending I deserve!
All in all, what a great way to start my morning!
A bit of a bummer we don’t see anything from Rourke’s point of view. I would have loved to see more on his thoughts of Violet, which is why I knocked down a star. I wish Good Reads allowed as to submit half stars too.
4.5 ⭐️s all in all!
07/10/2022 Re-review of my review after literary discussion.
Soooo I do still love MGMF. But the internal monologue between the dialogue and the inconsistency in tenses and time gives me pause on a reread and a literary discussion.
I realized how confusing the set up of the story was. Between two things of dialogue are pages of internal monologuing and back story.
I think the story could have benefited from clearer showing over telling and a lot more time keeping to help the dialogue flow better and allow help with readability.
And while Rourke’s left out POV does allow us to really dive into Violet and Violet does a great job interpreting Rourke, I still stand by my statement that an epilogue in Rourke’s POV would be nice.
3.75 ⭐️s rounded down.
Lola & the Millionaires: Part Two by Kathryn Moon
3.0
Loved loved loved the book!
I think my only squick was how…the trauma felt it was resolved very fast?
Lola’s trauma was similar to mine, but stemming from childhood into my teens. For me, I still have nightmares and all my intimacy is via dissociation.
I felt a bit cheated we never really got more insight on HOW Lola recovered. Therapy was mentioned twice briefly, but we seldom saw what happened, only the “emotional hangover”.
I was hoping for her to push back more on being independent and resolving her internal conflicts. It felt really rushed how she kept caving and we never saw the progress. It felt we were told many things, but we were hardly shown anything outside sex and violence.
Still 4 stars! I just wish we were shown a lot more with the emotional depth than just flashbacks to the trauma. Unpacking the trauma, small steps in healing, her being independent together than her constantly caving to the men in her life, maybe even showing how much she relies on David. Just…more of that.
07/12/2022 re-review
Taking a look at this story now, I think I was a bit blinded since this was the first “different” omegaverse story I had read. But now that I have broadened my horizons, I’m dropping my rating a star.
Everything felt too…rushed. Things were either tropey or cartoonish. We were told things and never shown things.
Eh… I’m not sure if I’ll reread it, but I understand that the Sweetverse is a great break off from traditional ABO.
3.5 ⭐️s
I think my only squick was how…the trauma felt it was resolved very fast?
Lola’s trauma was similar to mine, but stemming from childhood into my teens. For me, I still have nightmares and all my intimacy is via dissociation.
I felt a bit cheated we never really got more insight on HOW Lola recovered. Therapy was mentioned twice briefly, but we seldom saw what happened, only the “emotional hangover”.
I was hoping for her to push back more on being independent and resolving her internal conflicts. It felt really rushed how she kept caving and we never saw the progress. It felt we were told many things, but we were hardly shown anything outside sex and violence.
Still 4 stars! I just wish we were shown a lot more with the emotional depth than just flashbacks to the trauma. Unpacking the trauma, small steps in healing, her being independent together than her constantly caving to the men in her life, maybe even showing how much she relies on David. Just…more of that.
07/12/2022 re-review
Taking a look at this story now, I think I was a bit blinded since this was the first “different” omegaverse story I had read. But now that I have broadened my horizons, I’m dropping my rating a star.
Everything felt too…rushed. Things were either tropey or cartoonish. We were told things and never shown things.
Eh… I’m not sure if I’ll reread it, but I understand that the Sweetverse is a great break off from traditional ABO.
3.5 ⭐️s