pagepixie's reviews
152 reviews

Claimed by the Horde King by Zoey Draven

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

AHHHHH I ATE THIS UP! 

I never rate books like this over 3 stars, but this series is SO GOOD! 

This couple was so different from our first two. I loved Nelle’s character. She was so soft and honest and refreshing! 

I also really liked the way Seeran’s character developed. His confidence grew as a leader and I was proud of him for kicking that ass counsel to the ground. 

I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. 

Captive of the Horde King by Zoey Draven

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

I ate this one up. 

I think this might be one of favorite of this niche genre I’ve read! The action and romance was well done and the world building was easy and well developed as the story went. 

I loved the dynamic of the main couple and the way they eased into each other! They both taught each other things and made each other better. 

I’m gonna keep reading this series! 

Prince of Firestones by Zoey Draven

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was actually so wholesome! 

I love Eve and Khiva. I would love to see more of their family grow! This book definitely wrapped things up for this couple in a lovely way. 

Kraving Khiva by Zoey Draven

emotional relaxing medium-paced

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

3.0

This was a quick read. 

There were some heavy themes that surprising made this a bit of an emotional read for me. 

I didn’t realize there was a sequel but I will probably read it! 

Lady of Shadows by Melissa K. Roehrich

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

3.5

I was really enjoying this book for most of it. 

By the end, I was kind of frustrated. Scarlett seems to be growing in the right direction and then she stops and seems to regress. 

She does exactly what she is accused of. Makes some supposedly badass selfless love that is actually screwing over the whole world. She does not understand that when you rule people being completely selfless is worse than being selfish. 

Lady of Darkness by Melissa K. Roehrich

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

3.75

This first half of this book was two dimensional. I didn’t feel very connected to the main character or her story or her narration. She was dry and only half present. 

However, once we got “the reveal” (no spoilers) this book changed for me. Everything clicked, I realized why this story was worth telling. I felt like Daphne’s narration shifted too and she slowly came to life before my eyes. 

I really liked the way this book played with the ideas of fate and free will. And I liked the outcome of that theme as well. 

My only wish is that is was longer. I wanted more out of the characters at the end. 

Ledge by Stacey McEwan

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book took me on a dark, cold, and crazy ride! 

There is something about the author’s writing that is almost visceral. It’s dark and almost physical on the page. At first I wasn’t sure if I liked it, but I think it worked well for the world and characters she was building so by the end I was enjoying myself. 

We follow our fmc, a young woman who was raised in a Flavian society trapped the literal ledge of a mountain. As you can imagine being raised in such a small, starving, and strenuous world has crafted Dawsyn into a woman who should not be truffled with. When we meet her she is just as cold and unforgiving as the world around her. 

Of course, it isn’t long after we meet her that she is removed from the Ledge. Her people are literally like pigs to slaughter for the winged Glacians who harvest them once a season. It’s with the Glacians that she meets a half Glacian, Ryan who helps her truly escape. 

One of my favorite parts of this book is the themes of inherited grief and need for justice. Ryon and Dawsyn connect over their shared loneliness, rage, and thirst for a better life for their people. 

The romance was good. It was slow burn and I enjoyed it, but I was most interested in the politics of this world and how these characters were going to go about achieving their goals. 

By the end I was HOOKED. I realized I DO want to read the next book and I look forward to it! I think it will be even more brutal than the last. 

MILO by E. L. Lewis

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

I would like to thank the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

This is a dark romance, however while I does deal with themes such as a death of parents and family of page, violence, etc, there is very little that explicitly happens on the page. I’m not very well versed in fake romance, but I found this to be a romance with dark themes rather than the romance itself being dark. 

I loved the romance between Milo and Kiara. There was a lot of tension, buildup, and banter as they both fought their attraction to each other. I definitely think that Milo fell first and harder. He practically worshiped Kiara. 

Another one of my favorite aspects of this book is the Kiara is a highly intelligent character. She speaks multiple languages, is able to learn skills quickly, is knowledgeable about human behavior and literature, etc. Because of this, the author works a lot of facts, phrases and history into the book which I loved. 

My only two qualms with this book were that the war with the Russians took place mostly off page, including the finale. I would have loved to get into this plot line a bit more. Secondly, I found Kiara to have a sharp pivot towards the end where she not only accepted the violence and death of the mafia life, but was suddenly physically involving herself in the violence. I found this to be rather jarring. 

Overall though, this was a sexy romance with dark themes. I flew through it and thoroughly enjoyed!