monika_is_booked's reviews
307 reviews

My Pucking Family by Izzy Elliott

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emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Book 2 starts of, right after the cliffhanger in book 1,  following Leera and Roman again. 
Book 2 gives answers to some of the things from book 1 and reveals a lot of new things for Leera. It's a bit spic!er than book 1, Leera goes into her first heat and I loved how Roman tried to respect the boundaries she set before even in this situation. They are just so perfect for each other and Leera handles everything that's thrown at her in stride. Book 2 ends on a little cliffhanger once again and I can't wait for answers in the next book!!!
Elf on my Shelf by

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funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

What happens if the single mum has been a good girl all year and her reward comes in form of her Shelf Elf coming to life for one πŸ”₯ night?

This is such a fun, quick read. It's full of Christmas puns, and, let's be real, amazing smvt. Tinzel, the Elf makes sure, Jessica has a holly, jolly night and he doesn't forget to make her kids' Christmas magical too, something Jessica couldn't afford to do for them. 
I have no doubt that Jessica will be a REALLY good girl next year 😏


Dear Santa, Send Me a Cowboy by Remi Rose

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

3.75

Single Mum Diana doesn't have an easy life, but she's trying to make the best of it. One night she writes a drunken letter to Santa, wishing for a ruggedly handsome, loyal cowboy to brighten her lonely life. What she doesn't know, her wish is about to come true. She can't believe her eyes, when instead of the man who usually delivers her Christmas tree, his son is standing on her front porch, who happens to be exactly what she wished for.
Holy Christmas elves, this is one πŸ”₯ novella, it's an insta-attraction, insta-lust, what happened to hello? - fast burn and I'm here for it. It's VERY sp!cy!! Lawson falls instantly as soon as Diana opens her door and he is hell bent in keeping her, whatever it takes, he's going to make her his. I missed a bit of more checking in about consent from Lawson at the beginning, but it was clear that Diana was here for everything they did.
If you need to warm up on a cold winter's night "Dear Santa, send me a Cowboy" will definitely do the trick πŸ₯΅
Set you free by Cherry Keeley

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

After a masquerade play party, Scott didn't think he'd see the beautiful angel who entranced him at first sight again. But when they find each other coincidentally and he finds out, who she really is, he can't get away fast enough. He can't fall for his dead best friend's little sister. They need to stay friends and nothing more.
Josie is crushed after Scott's rejection. His loss, but it still hurts. Being friends isn't something she wants, but there's nothing she can do about it when the stubborn, slightly older bartender is determined to keep her in the friends zone.

"Set you free" had me hΓΈt, bothered, frustrated, sad and swooning throughout the entire book. It's an amazing story between the past and the present, making you want to turn the pages as fast as you can to see if and how they'll finally get their sh!t together and get over everything that can't be changed in the first place. 
If you're looking for a swoon-worthy story set around the holidays with a lot of feelings, fun, an amazing group of friends, a πŸ”₯ bartender and a sassy, determined artist, check out "Set You Free"!!
Purple Scales & Coffee Tales by Rhea Fox

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Maeve is about to lose her job as a barista due to the cafe closing soon. When one of her favourite regular guests, the shy dragon Taran, notices something is off with her, he is determined to help her in any which way he can. 

I LOVE THIS STORY. Set in a cafe? Great, can I move in there? A determined, fiery FMC who knows what she wants, a shy and πŸ”₯ corset wearing dragon with enough money to help her out of her predicament, finally coming out of his shell to win her over? Count me in!! They are so cute together πŸ₯° 
If you like cozy stories with monster X human pairing, dive into Rhea World, you won't regret it!!
Easing Tension by Ella Larson

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

We're back in Norway, following Lauren's story this time. Lauren's pregnant and doesn't hesitate when Urug tells her he will keep her and her baby safe. After getting back to Heimli safely, Lauren is faced with another delicate problem. Her vibe was lost in the avalanche and her hormones have her in constant need. Who could be better than a big, burly troll to help her out in her hour of need?
Once again, Ella fits so much action, emotion, banter, found family and 🌢️ in under 200 pages, it's amazing. "Easing Tension" runs on a similar timeline to "Adjusting Focus" but the story is told from Lauren's and Urug's perspective and it is πŸ”₯ and sweet and heartbreaking. 
Ever wanted to take a quick trip to Norway and it's folklore without leaving the safety of your couch? Then "Falling for the Hidden Folk" is the perfect series for you!
Cursed Magic by Haven Price

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challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Narrowly escaping, Adrian and Vivian only have a few hours to breathe. A curse hits Adrian's daughter and Vivian needs all her power to try to help her. But will the sacrifice she needs to make be too much this time?
What. A. Finale. I don't want to spoil too much but the way Vivian's story is resolved in the final book in the series made me so happy. I cried, sad and happy tears for Vivian, who finally, FINALLY got her happily ever after. 
Hunted Magic by Haven Price

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

Vivian and Adrian are back together, but their HEA is still out of reach. An old ghost coming back from the past to hunt down Vivian. The darkness inside of her still rearing it's head demanding things from Vivian she doesn't want to give.
More secrets about Vivian's past are revealed and she and Adrian need to stick together to find a way through it all. But will Vivian be strong enough?
This series is getting wilder and wilder. I loved to see more of Vivian's past and her change since then. While Vivian is determined to keep everyone she loves safe, she finally has to accept that sometimes there's no way around letting somebody else help out. Book five leads to another cliffhanger which made me glad I already had the final book at hand to jump in right away.
Winter Nights & Christmas Lights by Sofia Roses

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-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? No

4.75

Charlotte just came to Dublin for Grad school, looking for a new start in a new city. But getting to know new people is difficult. That is until Charlotte meets Aoife on a dating app and the two of them just click. Maybe Charlotte's Christmas will be even better than she thought it would with her new found friend who is quickly becoming so much more.
This is a really REALLY cute novella.with all the feels, fun and Christmas vibes. Sprinkled with a bit of sp!ce, a lot of family, a surprise which thankfully doesn't lead to a third act break up due to open communication and an adorable furry present, this is the perfect bite-sized Christmas story to devour on a cozy afternoon.
Christmas at Fox Ridge by Bailey Hannah

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

After an unforgettable one night stand with her best friend's brother, Eira is in need of a break from her terrible dating life.
Lucas is struggling to keep his ranch. His sister's plan to rent out the spare cabin isn't something he's looking forward to but it sure could help with his financial struggles. 
He doesn't know, that Eira is to stay in his cabin over the holidays. But when she turns up at Lucas's house halfway frozen to a popsicle because she couldn't get the wood stove to work, how long will they be able to keep their hands off each other?
This is such a fun, πŸ”₯, christmassy read. The sparks are flying and the grumpy cowboy turns out to be funny and sweet, but only for her 🫠. The banter and 🌢️  are fantastic. If you're looking for a cozy Christmas novella which has you laughing out loud, sweating.and slightly worried for a HEA about a smvt illustrator and a grumpy cowboy pick up "Christmas at Fox Ridge"