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offmyredcarpet's reviews
733 reviews
Orc Lord by Emma Alisyn Fae
3.5
The content warning is woefully insufficient and needs the additions of on page rape of the FMC and a side character, implied rape of side characters, on page rape of the FMC with an object, incest, coercion, and contraceptive tampering added to it, among others. Non-con is not descriptive enough as that includes *any* type of behavior this is not consensual; not just sexual.
Really interesting story for this installment in the series. We get more of a peek into the world of the Fae. This one is very dark but the author gives readers an alternative to skip the dark chapters with alternate, lighter ones. I didn’t get much of a connection between the main characters but I still enjoyed them together. The twist of the story as we finally learn the lineage of the FMC’s family and why they are being hunted is fairly riveting. I found the way the author utilized multiple pov while volleying between first for the FMC and third for everyone else to be very clumsy. The transitions are just not smooth.
The ending was rushed and awkward. The FMC is rightly traumatized by her experience and it’s eluded to that she’s deceived via an illusion. No one corrects her experience, which I get the why of it, but that’s going to be interesting for a future installment that features her sister because the illusion will need to be unpacked. Or, I hope it is. But also ten years pass in the epilogue in this book. This part of the story is very messy and unclear. Maybe it will be cleared up when we get Leislah’s book. Still, I enjoy the series and think it worth a read if you like dark scifi fantasy romance.
Really interesting story for this installment in the series. We get more of a peek into the world of the Fae. This one is very dark but the author gives readers an alternative to skip the dark chapters with alternate, lighter ones. I didn’t get much of a connection between the main characters but I still enjoyed them together. The twist of the story as we finally learn the lineage of the FMC’s family and why they are being hunted is fairly riveting. I found the way the author utilized multiple pov while volleying between first for the FMC and third for everyone else to be very clumsy. The transitions are just not smooth.
The ending was rushed and awkward. The FMC is rightly traumatized by her experience and it’s eluded to that she’s deceived via an illusion. No one corrects her experience, which I get the why of it, but that’s going to be interesting for a future installment that features her sister because the illusion will need to be unpacked. Or, I hope it is. But also ten years pass in the epilogue in this book. This part of the story is very messy and unclear. Maybe it will be cleared up when we get Leislah’s book. Still, I enjoy the series and think it worth a read if you like dark scifi fantasy romance.
Smog by Sarah Jaeger
5.0
Henri was raised by humans and doesn't fully embrace the part of her that is wolf. She doesn't listen to her wolf and her abusive human boyfriend makes her unable to see the truth of her situation clearly. Henri has to work through her doubt about Deacon wanting her. He's so patient with her while she gets comfortable with the idea of them. Even though he's direct about it, she keeps denying it to herself. Until she can't.
Do not pick this up without checking the content notes; quite a few triggers If you like wolf shifters, read this series. Don't balk at the page length. I promise they go quick.
Immersive world building, superb character and relationship growth. Author is excellent at drawing out the tension of a threat while not lingering on it too long when it eventually hits.
And she does a remarkable job of balancing hard topics, emotional intimacy, and smoking hot spicy times.
Psycho Gods by Jasmine Mas
3.5
Come for the biting sarcasm and deadpan humor, stay for the toxic love interests suffering the consequences from the folly of their inherent bias.
What I enjoy about the Cruel Shifterverse series are the keen observations of human nature delivered in a way that is endlessly entertaining while coasting on vibes. And for the most part that’s what we got, until we didn’t. I liked Aran’s story *more* than Sadie’s (Psycho Shifters 1-3), but the writing is not as tight and cohesive. Instead we end up with three books that are unnecessarily long with missed opportunities for character growth for the MMCs.
Midway through every MMC starts behaving in ways counter to established precedent. There’s so much that feels forced. We’re here for the toxic devil trio to finally experience growth but instead we get a plot device used to completely leap past growth and go straight to “we’re just sad marshmallow bois who want their fated and our fee-fees are hurt that you don’t want us after we spent two books being cruel to you but also you chose the twins—who make every effort to show how much they cherish you—over us how very dare you”. There was so much potential here and it’s squandered for a lazy humor grab that doesn’t fit the narrative.
By the last few chapters I honestly was wondering if the author experienced a lack of sleep completing it. And then her thank you reveals she and her mother spent “four consecutive all nighters…so we could release this on time”. That tracks. Also, called it. It’s better to move your pub date forward than deliver subpar work to readers who know you’re capable of more.
Even with all that’s disappointing about it, I still had a good time reading it. There was much I liked about it:
1) hating the devil trio at first but they become comically endearing
2) showing us everyone’s trauma and not just the FMC’s
3) her mates being a mix of fated and chosen
4) the perseverance of everyone but especially the FMC
Psycho Academy: Aran's Story by Jasmine Mas
3.5
The biting sarcasm and charming deadpan humor of this author’s FMCs is what keeps me coming back for more. That and the underestimated trope. But this one could probably have been a bit shorter. Some of the trauma monologues and fighting go on too long. Intriguing ending. Definitely curious where that’s going.
Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax
4.5
All fun, just vibes. So cute and oh so charming. Ursa gives us all the longing and pining we could want for along with an MMC who is absolutely smitten at first glance. My favorite thing Ursa does are romantic declarations from the MMC to his FMC and she did not disappoint. Character interactions are where she shines and I laughed and melted my way through. We also get alien tails, fun alien appendages to accompany other appendages, and a “my wife!” moment that had me kicking my feet. I had the best time reading it.
Invitations by C.M. Nascosta
4.5
The character and relationship development in this series is truly superb. Nascosta shows us that complexity of character very much extends to our beloved favorites giving us relatable human characteristics and reminding us that even good people have the capacity to sometimes be thoughtless. Basically, some of our characters are going to act in shitty ways and some are going to be self absorbed. It’s relatable-but-make-it-modern-fantasy and oh yes let’s add a layer of danger and intrigue from the fae realm.
We do finally learn the ‘why’ behind Tate’s holding back of himself and I’m eager to see how Nascosta solves it in book 4. This book is going to hurt your heart but Nascosta will patch us up with Reunions this fall when everyone gets their HEA.
Dislike: a confusing flashback and it not initially clear that is what was happening. Frequent typos in the form of correctly spelled words but the wrong word entirely and several instances of misspelled names. It’s enough to be distracting.
Lots of cameos in this one: Vanessa (Run, Run Rabbit), Ladybug (Wheel of the Year series), Grace (Sweet Berries), Philomel (Hexxenacht), Azathé (Two For Tea). We meet the MMC for Nascosta’s upcoming release He Loves Me Not. And if you’re not reading Wheel of the Year series, too, consider it. Everything is converging.
A Cage of Crimson by K.F. Breene
3.75
First thing: this book needs a content warning for drug addiction, among other things, but that’s a big one. The FMC is an herbalist creating remedies for things like anxiety and pregnancy prevention but also makes mild recreational drugs. The MMC is on a mission to capture the maker of a drug outfit that is creating highly addictive drugs killing people. They also happen to be true mates.
I’ve never been so conflicted about a rating. The parts I loved about this book I absolutely loved, the parts I didn’t I hated.
Liked:
1.) Underestimated morality and character of the FMC by the MMC and, by extension, his pack.
2.) The FMC. She’s strong, steadfast, stubborn, willful, analytical, has integrity and empathy, and is dogged in her pursuit of understanding and knowledge.
3.) That the FMC had to reckon with being blind to the lives of the villagers and how their lives were affected by her job/product.
4.) The MMC having such integrity he’s willing to lose his fated mate to execution by the dragons for the product she created.
5.) The tension between her belief in herself and her product and the mystery of what is happening with it once it leaves her hands.
6.) Hate banging
7.) Author does a believable job of showing the mindset of a traumatized person with years of abusive psychological conditioning trying to survive.
Disliked:
1.) Granny is mentioned 333x. For comparison, Weston, the MMC is mentioned 220 times and, Aurelia, the FMC 228.
2.) The mate bond sexual tension is really heavy handed at times
3.) The MMCs dirty talk is a copy paste collection of trite phrases: “mine” “take it” “take your alphas knot” “good girl”
4.) Sometimes it feels like the author spoon feeds details instead of allowing the reader to infer them; particularly in the first half of the book
5.) Some aspects felt really forced
6.) The continuity of the MMC’s behavior. I’m guessing the author was attempting to show his struggle between wanting his fated mate while also wanting to see her punished but instead it comes off extremely flip floppy. Especially at the end when we all have the same info. It just doesn’t land for me.
I’ll definitely read the conclusion and hope for a tighter read than this first half to their story.
I’ve never been so conflicted about a rating. The parts I loved about this book I absolutely loved, the parts I didn’t I hated.
Liked:
1.) Underestimated morality and character of the FMC by the MMC and, by extension, his pack.
2.) The FMC. She’s strong, steadfast, stubborn, willful, analytical, has integrity and empathy, and is dogged in her pursuit of understanding and knowledge.
3.) That the FMC had to reckon with being blind to the lives of the villagers and how their lives were affected by her job/product.
4.) The MMC having such integrity he’s willing to lose his fated mate to execution by the dragons for the product she created.
5.) The tension between her belief in herself and her product and the mystery of what is happening with it once it leaves her hands.
6.) Hate banging
7.) Author does a believable job of showing the mindset of a traumatized person with years of abusive psychological conditioning trying to survive.
Disliked:
1.) Granny is mentioned 333x. For comparison, Weston, the MMC is mentioned 220 times and, Aurelia, the FMC 228.
2.) The mate bond sexual tension is really heavy handed at times
3.) The MMCs dirty talk is a copy paste collection of trite phrases: “mine” “take it” “take your alphas knot” “good girl”
4.) Sometimes it feels like the author spoon feeds details instead of allowing the reader to infer them; particularly in the first half of the book
5.) Some aspects felt really forced
6.) The continuity of the MMC’s behavior. I’m guessing the author was attempting to show his struggle between wanting his fated mate while also wanting to see her punished but instead it comes off extremely flip floppy. Especially at the end when we all have the same info. It just doesn’t land for me.
I’ll definitely read the conclusion and hope for a tighter read than this first half to their story.