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oceaneanagonye's reviews
182 reviews
Pippin & Nacho by Courtney W. Dixon
4.0
"Being with you like this isn’t hard. Making love to you is as easy as breathing. You pull me out of my head and teach me the rightness of us and how we’ve always belonged together.”
"Pippin & Nacho" is the second entry in Courtney W. Dixon's Alpha’s Rejects series. If you haven't read book one, "Stix & Stone", I would recommend you do so to fully appreciate the cameos and established relationships. However, it can definitely still be read as a standalone.
This book follows besties and former foster brothers Sam and Nate as they struggle to make it day-by-day, skating and working just to make it through. Even though Nate is smaller and younger, he's always been the leader in their friendship, taking charge and caring for Sam in the darkest of times. Sam, to his credit, is amazing just for surviving every day. His biological parents had him tortured through conversion therapy as a child before he even understood his own sexuality. As a result, Sam struggles with some pretty severe mental health disorders including iatrophobia (fear of doctors) that keeps from getting the help he needs.
One of his main struggles is ADHD. As an AuDHDer myself (and having close loved ones with severe ADHD) it was nice to know that Courtney took Sam's condition so seriously. She researched on her own but also met with people who have ADHD to get their firsthand experiences. This helped with the authenticity of Sam's depiction. I think the representation was respectful and accurate.
I loved the themes of mutual pining, co-dependency, and hurt/comfort. We start off the book with one of my favorite tropes, comforting someone after a nightmare. Swoon. Nate is the type of best friend everyone should have. He's fiercely loving and protective and just wants to give Sam a better life. He has his own thorns in his side from poverty, stress, and trauma, but he keeps Sam front and center in his life. Their story is heartbreaking, but beautiful because, in the end, they have each other and their amazing group of friends.
Please heed the trigger warnings on this one. This book contains some pretty heavy scenes.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone in search of a best friends-to-lovers romance with a young skater vibe and mental health rep.
"Pippin & Nacho" is the second entry in Courtney W. Dixon's Alpha’s Rejects series. If you haven't read book one, "Stix & Stone", I would recommend you do so to fully appreciate the cameos and established relationships. However, it can definitely still be read as a standalone.
This book follows besties and former foster brothers Sam and Nate as they struggle to make it day-by-day, skating and working just to make it through. Even though Nate is smaller and younger, he's always been the leader in their friendship, taking charge and caring for Sam in the darkest of times. Sam, to his credit, is amazing just for surviving every day. His biological parents had him tortured through conversion therapy as a child before he even understood his own sexuality. As a result, Sam struggles with some pretty severe mental health disorders including iatrophobia (fear of doctors) that keeps from getting the help he needs.
One of his main struggles is ADHD. As an AuDHDer myself (and having close loved ones with severe ADHD) it was nice to know that Courtney took Sam's condition so seriously. She researched on her own but also met with people who have ADHD to get their firsthand experiences. This helped with the authenticity of Sam's depiction. I think the representation was respectful and accurate.
I loved the themes of mutual pining, co-dependency, and hurt/comfort. We start off the book with one of my favorite tropes, comforting someone after a nightmare. Swoon. Nate is the type of best friend everyone should have. He's fiercely loving and protective and just wants to give Sam a better life. He has his own thorns in his side from poverty, stress, and trauma, but he keeps Sam front and center in his life. Their story is heartbreaking, but beautiful because, in the end, they have each other and their amazing group of friends.
Please heed the trigger warnings on this one. This book contains some pretty heavy scenes.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to anyone in search of a best friends-to-lovers romance with a young skater vibe and mental health rep.
The Captive's Curse by Eliot Grayson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Lord Cyril is a brat. Full of himself, pompous, and used to living in luxury with his choice of men. He's also a cursed twilight mage. He's out for a ride to avoid trouble at home when Ser Enzo, a notorious highwayman, kidnaps him and holds him for ransom. But if Enzo is such a dangerous criminal, why doesn't Cyril feel any true fear in his captivity? And what happens when his asshole of a brother refuses to pay his ransom?
"The Captive's Curse" by Eliot Grayson was such a fun read! Any book that can keep me up until 4:00 in the morning is something special. I kept saying "one more chapter" over and over because I was so invested in Enzo and Cyril's story. I had previously read "The Royal Curse" which follows Prince Nikola and Andreas, so I was thrilled to be offered an ARC of the second book in the series. It definitely didn't disappoint and is now my favorite book in the Twilight Mages series.
Something that stood out to me in both books was Eliot's wit and humor. It's hard to go more than a few pages without cracking a smile at either a well-timed joke or the absurd inner monologue of our main character. I loved the banter between Enzo and Cyril, including their myraid of increasingly ridiculous nicknames for each other. I actually laughed out loud while reading this book and that's not something I usually do.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the scene setting and descriptions. It was easy to envision and get lost in the story and imagine the sensations the characters were experiencing. From a cold and muddy death bed (not really, stop being dramatic Cyril), to the frigid, stony tower of a castle as a thunderstorm rages overhead.
I would be remiss not to mention the softer aspects of this book. That being the moments of insecurity and love. Underneath all of his bravado, Cyril has fears. He doesn't know if Enzo truly feels anything for him or if he thinks he's just a tart. But the love, when it finally comes, is so strong and beautiful. Totally swoon-worthy.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "The Royal Curse" or wants a high-heat MM fantasy with magic, curses, and a bit of action.
Special thanks to Eliot Grayson for providing an ARC of this story.
"The Captive's Curse" by Eliot Grayson was such a fun read! Any book that can keep me up until 4:00 in the morning is something special. I kept saying "one more chapter" over and over because I was so invested in Enzo and Cyril's story. I had previously read "The Royal Curse" which follows Prince Nikola and Andreas, so I was thrilled to be offered an ARC of the second book in the series. It definitely didn't disappoint and is now my favorite book in the Twilight Mages series.
Something that stood out to me in both books was Eliot's wit and humor. It's hard to go more than a few pages without cracking a smile at either a well-timed joke or the absurd inner monologue of our main character. I loved the banter between Enzo and Cyril, including their myraid of increasingly ridiculous nicknames for each other. I actually laughed out loud while reading this book and that's not something I usually do.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the scene setting and descriptions. It was easy to envision and get lost in the story and imagine the sensations the characters were experiencing. From a cold and muddy death bed (not really, stop being dramatic Cyril), to the frigid, stony tower of a castle as a thunderstorm rages overhead.
I would be remiss not to mention the softer aspects of this book. That being the moments of insecurity and love. Underneath all of his bravado, Cyril has fears. He doesn't know if Enzo truly feels anything for him or if he thinks he's just a tart. But the love, when it finally comes, is so strong and beautiful. Totally swoon-worthy.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "The Royal Curse" or wants a high-heat MM fantasy with magic, curses, and a bit of action.
Special thanks to Eliot Grayson for providing an ARC of this story.
The Darkness Within by Raquel Riley
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
"I will slay each and every one of your dragons, Nashville Aiden Sommers. I will chase all of the ghosts from the dark corners of your nightmares, until the sun is shining down on you, warm and bright, and safe. I will be your light in the darkness, your hand to hold when you get lost and can’t find your way."
Wow. Another beautiful entry to the Scars and Stripes series by Raquel Riley. I was lucky to receive an ARC of the first entry, "Proof of Life" which I really liked. So when this ARC showed up in my inbox, I was thrilled. In true Raquel Riley fashion, I was hooked immediately.
We meet Nash after he's been rescued from being a Prisoner of War in the desert. A mission gone wrong leads to 22 days of torture for the Sergeant and his best friend and teammate. When Nash is finally rescued he's an unrecognizable shell of himself. Before he knows it, he's hooked on pills and alcohol just to numb the constant terror in his mind caused by PTSD. Through several strokes of luck, Nash ends up at BALLS (Beyond The Army: Legion of Love Soldiers) and meets former addict-turned-therapist Brewer. Sparks fly immediately, but Brewer knows better. Nash is too new, too raw to be any good for his own sobriety. The rules say that Nash needs to put himself, not a relationship, first for his first year of sobriety. But as the two grow closer and Nash begins to recover, the two think it might not be possible to wait to give into love after all.
What I loved: Strong characters. Everywhere you look in this book you see tough, passionate, lively men and women. Even when Nash was in active addiction, his character jumped off the page and made you feel what he was feeling. Brewer had the strength and patience of a saint from day one. The cameos from book one (Mandy, West, Brandt, and the Bitches as they lovingly call themselves) had me smiling, laughing, and swooning all throughout the story.
I also loved the pacing of the story and relationship. The timeline for Nash's recovery and Brewer's acceptance of his love for Nash just makes sense. There's nothing rushed about this book. It's a veerrrryyy slow burn and it takes as long as it takes. I usually don't like slow burns, but this one had so much plot and character development that I never got bored while waiting for Nash and Brewer's big moment.
This book was heavy. Please, please, heed the trigger warnings. This is not a light read and deals with graphic torture and PTSD flashbacks and symptoms. It's all done with the utmost respect, but it's really tough to get through some parts. I would recommend extra caution to people like myself who have an active PTSD diagnosis. This book can be very triggering even if your trauma was not service-related.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The love the Bitches Who Stitch and the men of Serenity House have for each other comes across on every page. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gritty story of survival, redemption, and a love that knows no bounds. Take your time reading this one.
Special thanks to Raquel Riley for the ARC! I'm so ready for book three!
Wow. Another beautiful entry to the Scars and Stripes series by Raquel Riley. I was lucky to receive an ARC of the first entry, "Proof of Life" which I really liked. So when this ARC showed up in my inbox, I was thrilled. In true Raquel Riley fashion, I was hooked immediately.
We meet Nash after he's been rescued from being a Prisoner of War in the desert. A mission gone wrong leads to 22 days of torture for the Sergeant and his best friend and teammate. When Nash is finally rescued he's an unrecognizable shell of himself. Before he knows it, he's hooked on pills and alcohol just to numb the constant terror in his mind caused by PTSD. Through several strokes of luck, Nash ends up at BALLS (Beyond The Army: Legion of Love Soldiers) and meets former addict-turned-therapist Brewer. Sparks fly immediately, but Brewer knows better. Nash is too new, too raw to be any good for his own sobriety. The rules say that Nash needs to put himself, not a relationship, first for his first year of sobriety. But as the two grow closer and Nash begins to recover, the two think it might not be possible to wait to give into love after all.
What I loved: Strong characters. Everywhere you look in this book you see tough, passionate, lively men and women. Even when Nash was in active addiction, his character jumped off the page and made you feel what he was feeling. Brewer had the strength and patience of a saint from day one. The cameos from book one (Mandy, West, Brandt, and the Bitches as they lovingly call themselves) had me smiling, laughing, and swooning all throughout the story.
I also loved the pacing of the story and relationship. The timeline for Nash's recovery and Brewer's acceptance of his love for Nash just makes sense. There's nothing rushed about this book. It's a veerrrryyy slow burn and it takes as long as it takes. I usually don't like slow burns, but this one had so much plot and character development that I never got bored while waiting for Nash and Brewer's big moment.
This book was heavy. Please, please, heed the trigger warnings. This is not a light read and deals with graphic torture and PTSD flashbacks and symptoms. It's all done with the utmost respect, but it's really tough to get through some parts. I would recommend extra caution to people like myself who have an active PTSD diagnosis. This book can be very triggering even if your trauma was not service-related.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The love the Bitches Who Stitch and the men of Serenity House have for each other comes across on every page. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gritty story of survival, redemption, and a love that knows no bounds. Take your time reading this one.
Special thanks to Raquel Riley for the ARC! I'm so ready for book three!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Blood, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Death, Drug abuse, Torture, War, Murder, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Let's Do This by Loren Leigh
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? No
4.75
Pretty Boy by K.M. Neuhold
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25