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maliainthemargins's reviews
208 reviews
The Barista's Guide to the Perfect Steam by Valerie Pepper
4.0
I loved this book even more than the first in the series! It's a cute romance that gives me hallmark vibes with a little bit of spice.
If you're looking for smut, this isn't for you. But it also goes a little farther than fade to black. On a scale of bell pepper to ghost pepper, I'd give it a jalapeño.
I enjoyed the characters and the comfort of having a predictable plot line. It's the perfect fall/winter curl up with a warm drink and binge in a day book.
❤️ Small town romance
❤️ Friends to lovers
❤️ Firefighter romance
❤️ HEA
If you're looking for smut, this isn't for you. But it also goes a little farther than fade to black. On a scale of bell pepper to ghost pepper, I'd give it a jalapeño.
I enjoyed the characters and the comfort of having a predictable plot line. It's the perfect fall/winter curl up with a warm drink and binge in a day book.
❤️ Small town romance
❤️ Friends to lovers
❤️ Firefighter romance
❤️ HEA
Melting the Mountain Man by Sasha Lace
4.0
This is the perfect book to curl up next to the fire with a warm drink. It's a super quick and easy read. I read it as an ARC and this is the first book I've read from Sasha Lace. It's the 4th in a series but I definitely feel like it stands on it's own well and I didn't feel lost by not reading the others first. It's got the feel good of a hallmark Christmas movie but with a good dose of spice.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
2.0
I held out hope this would be better than the first. And it was still just meh. It has so much potential, but literally everything is given away by blatant clues the entire book. There is no tension building other than my annoyance that all the characters are ignoring obvious things.
Why do xaden and Violet keeping doing reckless things "to save" the other acting as though they are willing to die for the other...when THEY ARE F***ING TETHERED as we are reminded every 5 seconds. You can't risk your own life for the other when you dying just kills the other anyway.
The mom dying was predictable. Of course when they spend the entire time harping on her decisions that hurt her own kids she's going to try to redeem herself with one final act in the heat of battle.
And xaden literally kept telling Violet the entire book that given the choice between the right or moral thing and her life, he would do any amount of questionable things to save her. So are we really surprised by this ending?
The feud between Kat and Violet is cringeworthy. Can we not just have powerful women whose plot lines don't revolve around fighting over a man? It's played out and this is 2023.
Xaden is toxic AF with his "ask the right questions" BS.
Dane over here becoming the new Tamlin.
I just. Sigh.
5 stars for Andarna though. Could everyone please just stop shrugging her off? She carried this whole book and kept me going through til the end because I literally can't stand the rest of the characters.
Why do xaden and Violet keeping doing reckless things "to save" the other acting as though they are willing to die for the other...when THEY ARE F***ING TETHERED as we are reminded every 5 seconds. You can't risk your own life for the other when you dying just kills the other anyway.
The mom dying was predictable. Of course when they spend the entire time harping on her decisions that hurt her own kids she's going to try to redeem herself with one final act in the heat of battle.
And xaden literally kept telling Violet the entire book that given the choice between the right or moral thing and her life, he would do any amount of questionable things to save her. So are we really surprised by this ending?
The feud between Kat and Violet is cringeworthy. Can we not just have powerful women whose plot lines don't revolve around fighting over a man? It's played out and this is 2023.
Xaden is toxic AF with his "ask the right questions" BS.
Dane over here becoming the new Tamlin.
I just. Sigh.
5 stars for Andarna though. Could everyone please just stop shrugging her off? She carried this whole book and kept me going through til the end because I literally can't stand the rest of the characters.