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nikkisbooknook's reviews
4995 reviews
Firebird by Juliette Cross
dark
emotional
reflective
4.0
Tropes: Dragon shifters, Empathic powered FMC, Touch Her and Die, Fated Mates, Alternative ancient history timeline
Malina has endured trauma after trauma at the hands of the Roman Empire. She lost her family, then her adopted Celtic clan. But when she is saved by the one person she has ever felt a connection to - she grasps onto that little light of hope.
Julianus may be the feared conqueror but he is nothing like his image. He's strong, determined and a feared warrior. But he takes no enjoyment from his job, he does not enjoy killing or seizing lands from the so-called enemies of her uncle, the Emperor. He is well aware of the evil his uncle is spreading and is determined to somehow rid the empire of him. He is slowly amassing allies but his plans almost unravel when he comes upon Malina fighting off the advances of some of his men. Men who he had directly ordered NOT to injure, assault or otherwise harm the survivors.
His dragon sends a clear message and whisks Malina off to safety.
There is no glossing over of the politics in this book, it paints the Roman Empire, even one with dragons, as the corrupt society it was. That even those who tried to do good were also guilty of some other "sin" themselves.
This is not your average Romantasy. It is darker in tone and even though it has a power imbalance between the two MC's (something I usually loathe) due to the setting of the storyline, there could really only ever be an imbalance unless it was two MC's from the same strata of society. But there is no time when Julianus uses his "superiority" as a weapon against Malina, in fact he only uses his elevated status as a way to save people. Does he work within a corrupt and evil-tainted system, yes. Does he have to do bad things to protect his proto-rebellion? Also yes. But as an actual ancient historian, I can vouch for the fact that as with any "empire" through history, just because you work within the system, does not mean you blindly obey the system. For a modern illustration - look no further than the current politics of the world!
So even though there are some elements of the book that might make you squirm or feel uncomfortable, they are there for that very reason. To make sure you know how privileged you are to be able to dissent, pick at, and hold accountable those very systems. There are many scenes, especially with the Emperor and Cipranis, that are uncomfortable and downright hard to read, especially as a SA survivor myself. But they are also cathartic as I raged, swore and plotted their ends in my head.
I'm now awaiting book 2 to see how Trajan furthers their rebellion.
Malina has endured trauma after trauma at the hands of the Roman Empire. She lost her family, then her adopted Celtic clan. But when she is saved by the one person she has ever felt a connection to - she grasps onto that little light of hope.
Julianus may be the feared conqueror but he is nothing like his image. He's strong, determined and a feared warrior. But he takes no enjoyment from his job, he does not enjoy killing or seizing lands from the so-called enemies of her uncle, the Emperor. He is well aware of the evil his uncle is spreading and is determined to somehow rid the empire of him. He is slowly amassing allies but his plans almost unravel when he comes upon Malina fighting off the advances of some of his men. Men who he had directly ordered NOT to injure, assault or otherwise harm the survivors.
His dragon sends a clear message and whisks Malina off to safety.
There is no glossing over of the politics in this book, it paints the Roman Empire, even one with dragons, as the corrupt society it was. That even those who tried to do good were also guilty of some other "sin" themselves.
This is not your average Romantasy. It is darker in tone and even though it has a power imbalance between the two MC's (something I usually loathe) due to the setting of the storyline, there could really only ever be an imbalance unless it was two MC's from the same strata of society. But there is no time when Julianus uses his "superiority" as a weapon against Malina, in fact he only uses his elevated status as a way to save people. Does he work within a corrupt and evil-tainted system, yes. Does he have to do bad things to protect his proto-rebellion? Also yes. But as an actual ancient historian, I can vouch for the fact that as with any "empire" through history, just because you work within the system, does not mean you blindly obey the system. For a modern illustration - look no further than the current politics of the world!
So even though there are some elements of the book that might make you squirm or feel uncomfortable, they are there for that very reason. To make sure you know how privileged you are to be able to dissent, pick at, and hold accountable those very systems. There are many scenes, especially with the Emperor and Cipranis, that are uncomfortable and downright hard to read, especially as a SA survivor myself. But they are also cathartic as I raged, swore and plotted their ends in my head.
I'm now awaiting book 2 to see how Trajan furthers their rebellion.
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Death of parent, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
The Stolen Bride by Gena Showalter, Jill Monroe
4.0
Clover is the nicest girl in the world but she is no pushover. When she finds herself sucked into another realm - one inhabited with Berserkers, she soon finds that the huge male who is protecting her might also be the biggest threat!
Victor and Clover have a brilliantly witty repartee and bring something extra to the grumpy-sunshine trope. To be a berserkers firebrand is to be their weakness and their calming centre. Learning about the links between Clover and the new found members of her family was sweet but also galling cos one particular family member does nothing but bring chaos and misery.
Looking forward to the next berserker meeting his firebrand!
Victor and Clover have a brilliantly witty repartee and bring something extra to the grumpy-sunshine trope. To be a berserkers firebrand is to be their weakness and their calming centre. Learning about the links between Clover and the new found members of her family was sweet but also galling cos one particular family member does nothing but bring chaos and misery.
Looking forward to the next berserker meeting his firebrand!
Prince with a Chance of Darkness by Mandy M. Roth
4.0
Vlad (aka Dracula) and Mina finally get to have their HEA. He's the old as dirt vampire, who's been made out to be far worse than he is. She's the natural born slayer who had to become a vampire to save her life. Neither one thought they'd be other than a ONS - fate said "hold my beer"!
Betrayal, miscommunication, instafamily, fated mates and a huge dysfunctional found family - all the hallmarks of a fabulously funny romp in Grimm Cove. With Burgess causing mayhem, Marcy being very Marcy and a teenager finally finding out who her dad is.
I loved seeing the action from previous books from this fresh perspective, seeing how all the timelines converge and overlap. Vlad is the nicest "bad guy" in history and Mina is no Buffy - she's a lot more lethal! I really love this series and I'm here for as many books as possible in this tine, supernatural friendly town.
Betrayal, miscommunication, instafamily, fated mates and a huge dysfunctional found family - all the hallmarks of a fabulously funny romp in Grimm Cove. With Burgess causing mayhem, Marcy being very Marcy and a teenager finally finding out who her dad is.
I loved seeing the action from previous books from this fresh perspective, seeing how all the timelines converge and overlap. Vlad is the nicest "bad guy" in history and Mina is no Buffy - she's a lot more lethal! I really love this series and I'm here for as many books as possible in this tine, supernatural friendly town.
Fighting for Mari by Katie Reus
4.0
Mari and Colin have known each other forever. He's her brothers best friend, her mother loves and dotes on him, he's a great pilot with a flourishing business. And Mari hates the air he breathes! What was a youthful indiscretion and off the cuff remark for him, made Mari feel like a laughing stock and Mari, well she can hold a grudge! Like worse than I can and I thought I was queen of the grudges!
Mari has really enjoyed getting to know the RHS folk and of course she and Marigold are besties but now it looks like trouble is coming for Mari and the man least likely to save her is going to be her knight in shining aeroplane! Colin can admit he made a stupid mistake but he never thought that Mari had overheard him, never mind still hate him for it!
Colin and Mari finally have to share the same space whilst on the run from whoever has it in for Mari and they realise that all that animosity is really just a smokescreen for some intense chemistry. I did enjoy learning about their past history and just why Mari seemed to hate everyone's "go to guy" - now we know! I totally called the bad guy so I'm a completely happy camper.
Bradford dropped a bit of a bombshell on us and not I'm left gasping "WTF????" That is going to be a doozy of a story.
Mari has really enjoyed getting to know the RHS folk and of course she and Marigold are besties but now it looks like trouble is coming for Mari and the man least likely to save her is going to be her knight in shining aeroplane! Colin can admit he made a stupid mistake but he never thought that Mari had overheard him, never mind still hate him for it!
Colin and Mari finally have to share the same space whilst on the run from whoever has it in for Mari and they realise that all that animosity is really just a smokescreen for some intense chemistry. I did enjoy learning about their past history and just why Mari seemed to hate everyone's "go to guy" - now we know! I totally called the bad guy so I'm a completely happy camper.
Bradford dropped a bit of a bombshell on us and not I'm left gasping "WTF????" That is going to be a doozy of a story.
Dark Cargo by Ian Loome
4.0
Bob and I have very different ideas on what makes a holiday!
Bob has been in his newest base for a few months. He's helping out on a community building project and lends a hand when his boss's brother gets in a pickle. Drama and Bob are old friends and his newest nemesis is a tech bro who would give a Bond villain a run for his money - pet shark and all.
This book is also very timeous as the tech baddie (and even Muskrat himself) are showing the evil they can do with the click of a button. Bob's adventures take him south of the border so that obviously triggers his old handler into his whereabouts so you know things are about to get tres ugly!
Cartels, drug dealers, hoodlums of all flavours - Bob has eradicated them all and I love the way he handles business. He never wants to find trouble but it always knows where he is!
Now to wait and see what situation Bob finds next!
Bob has been in his newest base for a few months. He's helping out on a community building project and lends a hand when his boss's brother gets in a pickle. Drama and Bob are old friends and his newest nemesis is a tech bro who would give a Bond villain a run for his money - pet shark and all.
This book is also very timeous as the tech baddie (and even Muskrat himself) are showing the evil they can do with the click of a button. Bob's adventures take him south of the border so that obviously triggers his old handler into his whereabouts so you know things are about to get tres ugly!
Cartels, drug dealers, hoodlums of all flavours - Bob has eradicated them all and I love the way he handles business. He never wants to find trouble but it always knows where he is!
Now to wait and see what situation Bob finds next!
The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose
4.0
Molly is back for another adventure and this time she may not be able to solve it without a little help from her beloved gran.
The wedding with Juan Manuel is almost here. They are having a small but heartfelt affair even though she had the opportunity to have it at the hotel...well that's way out of their budget. When one of her favourite TV programmes comes to the hotel, she takes in a few trinkets for them to value for her. She knows they're not really worth much in cash value but they mean everything to her. But a rather shocked Molly finds there is treasure amongst her "trash" and her life may have been upended once more. What will Molly do if she no longer has to be a maid?
The little family that Molly, Juan Manuel and grandad have at the Regency Grand really are a found family. They may not always get on and there are a few layabouts but they mostly rub along well together. This story is essentially two timelines in one - modern New York where Molly is learning more about her Gran's former life and the past timeline where we see gran as a young adult and how her life comes to be centred on being a maid.
Heists, family secrets and a whopper of a reveal later and Molly is feeling the toll of this possible new life of hers. I was so relieved for her when life settled down and she managed to return to her version of normal. I love the way she has always been unapologetically Molly and everyone loves her just the way she is. She is adorably naïve occasionally and not for the first time I'm pretty sure her actions speak loudly for being on a spectrum of one sort or another.
I'm not sure where Molly can go after this but I'll happily come along for any further adventures.
The wedding with Juan Manuel is almost here. They are having a small but heartfelt affair even though she had the opportunity to have it at the hotel...well that's way out of their budget. When one of her favourite TV programmes comes to the hotel, she takes in a few trinkets for them to value for her. She knows they're not really worth much in cash value but they mean everything to her. But a rather shocked Molly finds there is treasure amongst her "trash" and her life may have been upended once more. What will Molly do if she no longer has to be a maid?
The little family that Molly, Juan Manuel and grandad have at the Regency Grand really are a found family. They may not always get on and there are a few layabouts but they mostly rub along well together. This story is essentially two timelines in one - modern New York where Molly is learning more about her Gran's former life and the past timeline where we see gran as a young adult and how her life comes to be centred on being a maid.
Heists, family secrets and a whopper of a reveal later and Molly is feeling the toll of this possible new life of hers. I was so relieved for her when life settled down and she managed to return to her version of normal. I love the way she has always been unapologetically Molly and everyone loves her just the way she is. She is adorably naïve occasionally and not for the first time I'm pretty sure her actions speak loudly for being on a spectrum of one sort or another.
I'm not sure where Molly can go after this but I'll happily come along for any further adventures.
Death at Inishmore Castle by Lucy Connelly
4.0
Inishmore Castle has been invaded by Mercy, Lizzie and the rest of the court's inhabitants. They're there for its opening weekend and to take part in some of the activities they offer: whiskey tasting and other crafts. Some of the guests are a little...out of the norm and before long Mercy and Mr Poe find another dead body!
Some of the guests are not what they seem and appear to have an ulterior motive for their attendance - one that involves a local legend about treasure. But can Mercy solve the case whilst dealing with a horrific local storm and no help from her usual Inspector (and neighbour)?
The collection of guests are eclectic and eccentric and had a riot of alibis and motives so it was fun to wade through them all with Mercy. There were plenty of plot twists and red herrings to keep things interesting and the weather really did make this a locked room/cut off from help mystery.
Moving to a new location helped keep the storyline fresh whilst still having some of the same lovable and colourful characters. The intrigue surrounding Mercy's potential stalker and the mystery of the twins' father is percolating away in the background and I'm intrigued to see if my hunch plays out.
Some of the guests are not what they seem and appear to have an ulterior motive for their attendance - one that involves a local legend about treasure. But can Mercy solve the case whilst dealing with a horrific local storm and no help from her usual Inspector (and neighbour)?
The collection of guests are eclectic and eccentric and had a riot of alibis and motives so it was fun to wade through them all with Mercy. There were plenty of plot twists and red herrings to keep things interesting and the weather really did make this a locked room/cut off from help mystery.
Moving to a new location helped keep the storyline fresh whilst still having some of the same lovable and colourful characters. The intrigue surrounding Mercy's potential stalker and the mystery of the twins' father is percolating away in the background and I'm intrigued to see if my hunch plays out.
Death in an English Village by Fliss Chester
4.0
The lovable and irrepressible Cressida Fawcett is back in action. And this time the mystery is very much a home grown one! Whilst staying with the parents after the birth of Ruby's porgi's, Dotty and Alfred come for a visit and are soon involved in another murder. The poor Inspector has to travel down from the yard before he can take over and we know that Cressy and co are not going to hang around waiting for him to arrive!
Whilst Cressy and co are very much characters of their time and status, I'm always pleased when they show that they are all a bit rebellious and have some justice warriors in their makeup. They are aristocratic but they also have morals and a strong sense of right and wrong and their "staff" are also seen as friends by and large. There are plenty of twists and turns and I loved meeting all the inhabitants of Cressy's village. But what made it so much more cosy was seeing the love and affection she has from her parents. They have no problems showing their affection for their daughter.
I did have a chortle or three at the state of poor Alf - Daddy Fawcett certainly made him feel a bit hot under the collar but I'm loving the little developments in Cressy and Alf's relationship and his wee speech - ahhhhhhhhh that's a man who is aware of who Cressy is and is happy to play 2nd fiddle to her adventures!
Now to wait for the next adventure.
Whilst Cressy and co are very much characters of their time and status, I'm always pleased when they show that they are all a bit rebellious and have some justice warriors in their makeup. They are aristocratic but they also have morals and a strong sense of right and wrong and their "staff" are also seen as friends by and large. There are plenty of twists and turns and I loved meeting all the inhabitants of Cressy's village. But what made it so much more cosy was seeing the love and affection she has from her parents. They have no problems showing their affection for their daughter.
I did have a chortle or three at the state of poor Alf - Daddy Fawcett certainly made him feel a bit hot under the collar but I'm loving the little developments in Cressy and Alf's relationship and his wee speech - ahhhhhhhhh that's a man who is aware of who Cressy is and is happy to play 2nd fiddle to her adventures!
Now to wait for the next adventure.
North by Anna Hackett
4.5
Hunter Squad is shaping up to be just as awesome as Hell Squad. This dystopian Earth/Alien Invasion world is just so chockfull of action, adventure and these perfect little gems of romance.
North is the team medic, he is an actual doctor but prefers to be out in the wilds with his team. He takes time to warm up to new people - in this brave new world you have to trust those around you to have your back. He's really not sure about the new recruit. She may be related to his "uncle" but that's not speeding up his trust any!
Jessica has only recently arrived from the USA and she brings different experiences and an extensive knowledge of the various hybrids the Gizzida created and then left to terrorise what was left of the Earth population. She used to having to be twice the soldier as the men around - misogyny still finds a way! But on a mission to save two lost boys, Jess and North come to an "understanding".
The attraction between these two is instant and intense. Those around them can see it coming from a mile off, even whilst these two deny, deny deny. The romance flows seamlessly into the action scenes and Jess is a total bada$$ scientist. The banter between the new team is awesome and witty and you just get "found family" vibes from them.
I can't wait to meet more of the team and see how accurate all the little teases of possible future couples are!
TW: child abduction/death of a teenager/death of parents/ptsd/mental health + nightmares
North is the team medic, he is an actual doctor but prefers to be out in the wilds with his team. He takes time to warm up to new people - in this brave new world you have to trust those around you to have your back. He's really not sure about the new recruit. She may be related to his "uncle" but that's not speeding up his trust any!
Jessica has only recently arrived from the USA and she brings different experiences and an extensive knowledge of the various hybrids the Gizzida created and then left to terrorise what was left of the Earth population. She used to having to be twice the soldier as the men around - misogyny still finds a way! But on a mission to save two lost boys, Jess and North come to an "understanding".
The attraction between these two is instant and intense. Those around them can see it coming from a mile off, even whilst these two deny, deny deny. The romance flows seamlessly into the action scenes and Jess is a total bada$$ scientist. The banter between the new team is awesome and witty and you just get "found family" vibes from them.
I can't wait to meet more of the team and see how accurate all the little teases of possible future couples are!
TW: child abduction/death of a teenager/death of parents/ptsd/mental health + nightmares
Alien Engineer's Mate by Mina Carter
4.0
The Latharians may be warriors and protectors to the core but the lack of women hasn't dulled their courting skills!
Maax is a warrior but also an acclaimed engineer. He's also a new dad having adopted a human child he found during a rescue. They have settled into family life and he can't wait to be matched and extend his little family.
Eira is a recent widow with 3 kids of her own and now that her "mourning period" is over she's feeling creepy vibes from the men she works with and decides it's time to get her kids out of Dodge and signs up for the Mate Program, hoping against hope to find medical assistance for her son.
These two have a super sweet meet-cute and there are sparks flying from the off. I love they bonded over their children becoming friends and their joint dislike of a certain someone. Their courtship is so family centric and Maax never makes any of the children feel left out. He is a great illustration of family is what you make it.
The path of their HEA isn't without some trials and tribulations but their main downfalls are their own insecurities. They are perfectly flawed characters that you can't help cheering on!
Maax is a warrior but also an acclaimed engineer. He's also a new dad having adopted a human child he found during a rescue. They have settled into family life and he can't wait to be matched and extend his little family.
Eira is a recent widow with 3 kids of her own and now that her "mourning period" is over she's feeling creepy vibes from the men she works with and decides it's time to get her kids out of Dodge and signs up for the Mate Program, hoping against hope to find medical assistance for her son.
These two have a super sweet meet-cute and there are sparks flying from the off. I love they bonded over their children becoming friends and their joint dislike of a certain someone. Their courtship is so family centric and Maax never makes any of the children feel left out. He is a great illustration of family is what you make it.
The path of their HEA isn't without some trials and tribulations but their main downfalls are their own insecurities. They are perfectly flawed characters that you can't help cheering on!