Take a photo of a barcode or cover
phoenixfaie's reviews
435 reviews
The Best Bad Decision by S Sidney
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
First of all, I just want to thank S.Sidney for providing me with an ARC.
TBBD is S. Sidneys debut novel and I was first introduced to her in a HEA Bookshop group chat, so when she announced that there was a sign up form for ARCs, I had to shoot my shot.
I will preface this by saying if you don't like "suprise baby" or any form of pregnancy or parent trope, then this isn't for you because the surprise baby is integral to this story.
TBBD starts off steamy rather than spicy, setting the scene of Amie and Cams first meeting on NYE in 2022 and leaving Amie leaving Cam with nothing other than the memory of her
After the prologue, the novel jumps forward to September 2026, our main characters haven't seen each other since NYE (but neither is far from the others mind š) a chance meeting in a hotel lift has Amie and Cam reuniting while both on a layover.
After informing Cam about the existence of Maisy, let's be honest even though we know it's a romance novel and there will be a HEA, there was still part of me that was worried about how he would take the news.
However, I feel that S. Sidney portrayed a realistic reaction, had Cams character been younger; then I do think he may have had a much different reaction. Cam is written as someone who takes life seriously and gives everything 100%.
Amie is definitely strong-willed, doesn't *need* a man, she knows her own mind, and what is important to her.
The romance was definitely a slow burn, there was so much tension between Amie and Cam but there was that not so wonderful miscommunication trope holding them back, however the driving force of that was that as long as Maisy had both her parents in some capacity they would co-parent.
S. Sidney wrote a wonderful story of found family and second chances.
Amie had a village helping her raise Maisy, offering unconditional love and support, providing a lot of comedy such as this fantastic line from Katy. "Miscommunication is the worst relationship trope. Itās always just some bullshit that couldāve been fixed by people just talking to each other.ā
Now... when the spice hits, it HITS! I genuinely went from swooning over Cam to being an incoherent mess with some of his thoughts and comments (I get the impression that he could have a bit of a breeding kink š)
I found myself laughing, swooning, getting a bit hot under the collar, getting emotional and almost crying, broody over a fictional toddler - when you meet Maisy, you will understand. She is such a cutie.
"Have big dreams, sweetheart."
I am looking forward to S. Sidneys other novels in this series. If this debut is anything to go by, then I have high hopes.
"Camden fucking Whitehouse. He stole my soul that night in Singapore. He took my breath in Santiago, and heās been stealing pieces of my heart every day ever since."
TBBD is S. Sidneys debut novel and I was first introduced to her in a HEA Bookshop group chat, so when she announced that there was a sign up form for ARCs, I had to shoot my shot.
I will preface this by saying if you don't like "suprise baby" or any form of pregnancy or parent trope, then this isn't for you because the surprise baby is integral to this story.
TBBD starts off steamy rather than spicy, setting the scene of Amie and Cams first meeting on NYE in 2022 and leaving Amie leaving Cam with nothing other than the memory of her
After the prologue, the novel jumps forward to September 2026, our main characters haven't seen each other since NYE (but neither is far from the others mind š) a chance meeting in a hotel lift has Amie and Cam reuniting while both on a layover.
After informing Cam about the existence of Maisy, let's be honest even though we know it's a romance novel and there will be a HEA, there was still part of me that was worried about how he would take the news.
However, I feel that S. Sidney portrayed a realistic reaction, had Cams character been younger; then I do think he may have had a much different reaction. Cam is written as someone who takes life seriously and gives everything 100%.
Amie is definitely strong-willed, doesn't *need* a man, she knows her own mind, and what is important to her.
The romance was definitely a slow burn, there was so much tension between Amie and Cam but there was that not so wonderful miscommunication trope holding them back, however the driving force of that was that as long as Maisy had both her parents in some capacity they would co-parent.
S. Sidney wrote a wonderful story of found family and second chances.
Amie had a village helping her raise Maisy, offering unconditional love and support, providing a lot of comedy such as this fantastic line from Katy. "Miscommunication is the worst relationship trope. Itās always just some bullshit that couldāve been fixed by people just talking to each other.ā
Now... when the spice hits, it HITS! I genuinely went from swooning over Cam to being an incoherent mess with some of his thoughts and comments (I get the impression that he could have a bit of a breeding kink š)
I found myself laughing, swooning, getting a bit hot under the collar, getting emotional and almost crying, broody over a fictional toddler - when you meet Maisy, you will understand. She is such a cutie.
"Have big dreams, sweetheart."
I am looking forward to S. Sidneys other novels in this series. If this debut is anything to go by, then I have high hopes.
"Camden fucking Whitehouse. He stole my soul that night in Singapore. He took my breath in Santiago, and heās been stealing pieces of my heart every day ever since."
Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I was very lucky to be approved for an ARC of this via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This is my first foray into "The Crowns of Nyaxia" series although it has been on my radar for a while.
When I first saw this listed on netgalley I didn't realise that it was part of that series so when I received the approval email I had to check to see if it could be read without reading the series, luckily that was the case and honestly now I am even more intrigued about The Crowns of Nyaxia.
I will be honest, I did see an audiobook version so I did download that to listen to as well just to help when a headache was hitting and I couldnt look at the screen for long periods, I did notice a few slight differences here and there, usually with phrasing, and this ARC contains an epilogue that wasn't included on audible.
All in all I found this very enjoyable, the world created seems so vast and I am really looking forward to reading more and seeing how and when Sylina and Atrius appear in The Crowns of Nyaxia series.
This is my first foray into "The Crowns of Nyaxia" series although it has been on my radar for a while.
When I first saw this listed on netgalley I didn't realise that it was part of that series so when I received the approval email I had to check to see if it could be read without reading the series, luckily that was the case and honestly now I am even more intrigued about The Crowns of Nyaxia.
I will be honest, I did see an audiobook version so I did download that to listen to as well just to help when a headache was hitting and I couldnt look at the screen for long periods, I did notice a few slight differences here and there, usually with phrasing, and this ARC contains an epilogue that wasn't included on audible.
All in all I found this very enjoyable, the world created seems so vast and I am really looking forward to reading more and seeing how and when Sylina and Atrius appear in The Crowns of Nyaxia series.
Sweet Little Devil by Kristy Ozolina
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Sweet Little Devil definitely has so much potential, and I am very intrigued after that cliffhanger! How? What? Huh? HOW??.
However I do think this could have gone through another round of editing as there were just too many typos- now if there is only a few I can ignore them because we are only human, but this did have too many to be ignored.
I feel like I need to mention that, while I'm triggered by much when it comes to fiction... WHERE WAS THE LUBE!! I swear that was the one scene that really took me out because there had previously been so much detail in describing how large he was and had multiple piercings (and had no plans of anal) yet then many chapters later, mid session he pulls out of one hole and promptly pushes himself in the other using her bodily fluids (including the š©ø from lack of preparation) honestly my face was actually reminiscent of this emoji š³
In terms of plot, it did jump around a fair bit, so occasionally, it could be hard to follow.
At less than 300 pages, it is a quick read, and as mentioned, it has the potential to be the start of a popular duology.
When the sequel is released, I will be checking it out because I am intrigued as to what is in store for Scarlet and Hayden and their future together.
However I do think this could have gone through another round of editing as there were just too many typos- now if there is only a few I can ignore them because we are only human, but this did have too many to be ignored.
I feel like I need to mention that, while I'm triggered by much when it comes to fiction... WHERE WAS THE LUBE!! I swear that was the one scene that really took me out because there had previously been so much detail in describing how large he was and had multiple piercings (and had no plans of anal) yet then many chapters later, mid session he pulls out of one hole and promptly pushes himself in the other using her bodily fluids (including the š©ø from lack of preparation) honestly my face was actually reminiscent of this emoji š³
In terms of plot, it did jump around a fair bit, so occasionally, it could be hard to follow.
At less than 300 pages, it is a quick read, and as mentioned, it has the potential to be the start of a popular duology.
When the sequel is released, I will be checking it out because I am intrigued as to what is in store for Scarlet and Hayden and their future together.
Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was very lucky to be approved for an ARC of this via Netgalley.
I had originally seen a reel on instagram advertising this book and was instantly intrigued, so when I saw it listed on netgalley I just had to request it.
I will be honest, this was a slow start and I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the writing style, for example here is a very small excerpt from the first page "THEREāS BEEN ANOTHER MURDER. āIt was a hundred-foot drop,ā Kara-from-Accounts says as she presses the door close button at the end of the day. āOne fifty, at least,ā says Stanley-from-IT." luckily this was resolved very quickly and it is explained that the MMC Jake uses this kind of processing pattern to catalogue information about his colleagues.
There were quite a few twists and turns throughout this novel, some of which I predicted very early on such as the identity of The Paper Pusher, the identity of another male character and a medical condition.
However whilst I did predict them I did enjoy the way the twists were revealed to the characters and the audience throughout the novel.
This wasn't what I was expecting when I saw the description "What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murderāliterally?
Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field . . . including fields of unmarked graves.
The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.
Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasnāt come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake canāt help but wonder if, finally, heās found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.
Until Dolores asks Jakeās help to dispose of a body . . ."
I was expecting something darker but I was pleasantly surprised, it does have dark undertones to it, characters isolating themselves in order to protect themselves and others, a serial killer, an emotionally abusive partner, dismembered body parts, but there is also a levity and hopefulness throughout topped off with found family, this really is worth a read.
I wouldn't class this a dark romance, maybe moderate thriller comedy with romance.
On the topic of romance, this isn't a spicy novel, there is one scene with mild sexual content, however there is an undercurrent of wanting and desire throughout the novel- a "will they, won't they?" Situation
This is Kate Poseys debut novel and if this is anything to go by I am looking forward to seeing what else she has for readers.
I had originally seen a reel on instagram advertising this book and was instantly intrigued, so when I saw it listed on netgalley I just had to request it.
I will be honest, this was a slow start and I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the writing style, for example here is a very small excerpt from the first page "THEREāS BEEN ANOTHER MURDER. āIt was a hundred-foot drop,ā Kara-from-Accounts says as she presses the door close button at the end of the day. āOne fifty, at least,ā says Stanley-from-IT." luckily this was resolved very quickly and it is explained that the MMC Jake uses this kind of processing pattern to catalogue information about his colleagues.
There were quite a few twists and turns throughout this novel, some of which I predicted very early on such as the identity of The Paper Pusher, the identity of another male character and a medical condition.
However whilst I did predict them I did enjoy the way the twists were revealed to the characters and the audience throughout the novel.
This wasn't what I was expecting when I saw the description "What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murderāliterally?
Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field . . . including fields of unmarked graves.
The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.
Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasnāt come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake canāt help but wonder if, finally, heās found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.
Until Dolores asks Jakeās help to dispose of a body . . ."
I was expecting something darker but I was pleasantly surprised, it does have dark undertones to it, characters isolating themselves in order to protect themselves and others, a serial killer, an emotionally abusive partner, dismembered body parts, but there is also a levity and hopefulness throughout topped off with found family, this really is worth a read.
I wouldn't class this a dark romance, maybe moderate thriller comedy with romance.
On the topic of romance, this isn't a spicy novel, there is one scene with mild sexual content, however there is an undercurrent of wanting and desire throughout the novel- a "will they, won't they?" Situation
This is Kate Poseys debut novel and if this is anything to go by I am looking forward to seeing what else she has for readers.
Not Another Rockstar by Kate Callaghan
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was very lucky to get an ARC of this through Netgalley after seeing the author post about it on threads.
I was initially drawn in by the synopsis :
"After her rockstar fiancƩ's tragic accident, Phoebe Fletcher is hit with false accusations and relentless media spotlight once the video of the car crash is released. Thrust into the spotlight, the budding artist becomes the focus of obsessive fans, putting both her life and aspirations in jeopardy.
To ensure her safety, Phoebe seeks refuge with her ex's band, the Brothers of Anarchy, where she forms a bond with the brooding drummer, Axel Adler. Despite the forbidden nature of their growing attraction, Axel's unwavering care and encouragement sparks a fiery connection between them.
In the midst of fame, betrayal, and illicit love, Phoebe and Axel must navigate a web of lies and treachery, or risk losing all they hold dear. "
The only spoiler that I will give is that there is cheating in the first few chapters of this story and it is referenced throughout as it is significant to the plot.
I enjoyed the development of Phoebe and Axels relationship, while I could understand people saying she moved on too quick, I think its important to remember that she had found out that her ex had been having an affair for a significant amount of time and looking back at his behaviour and actions she could see that their relationship was over long before the accident, whereas Axel wasn't "just there" and convenient, he was There For Her, him silently and loudly supporting her is what made them fit together.
I worked out the twist very early on, although briefly I was torn between three people because one friend seemed slightly suspicious š¤ but it wasn't long before they were off my suspect list. The final reveal was intense, I was actually holding my breath whilst I was reading.
I would say that there is mild to moderate spice, there isn't a lot but it packs a punch without being overwhelming.
I have to say, I was left with more questions when I finished, I want to know why Cillian started the affair in the first place, why Axel was so drawn to Phoebe from the moment he saw her (aside from the pink hair, red dress and paint on her hands).
This is the first time I have actually read anything by Kate Callaghan (although I do have one of her books on my tbr) and I have to say I really enjoyed it. As someone with chronic pain and disabilities I love how she wrote it into the novel in such a natural way. I will definitely be checking out more of Kates books in the future.
I was initially drawn in by the synopsis :
"After her rockstar fiancƩ's tragic accident, Phoebe Fletcher is hit with false accusations and relentless media spotlight once the video of the car crash is released. Thrust into the spotlight, the budding artist becomes the focus of obsessive fans, putting both her life and aspirations in jeopardy.
To ensure her safety, Phoebe seeks refuge with her ex's band, the Brothers of Anarchy, where she forms a bond with the brooding drummer, Axel Adler. Despite the forbidden nature of their growing attraction, Axel's unwavering care and encouragement sparks a fiery connection between them.
In the midst of fame, betrayal, and illicit love, Phoebe and Axel must navigate a web of lies and treachery, or risk losing all they hold dear. "
The only spoiler that I will give is that there is cheating in the first few chapters of this story and it is referenced throughout as it is significant to the plot.
I enjoyed the development of Phoebe and Axels relationship, while I could understand people saying she moved on too quick, I think its important to remember that she had found out that her ex had been having an affair for a significant amount of time and looking back at his behaviour and actions she could see that their relationship was over long before the accident, whereas Axel wasn't "just there" and convenient, he was There For Her, him silently and loudly supporting her is what made them fit together.
I worked out the twist very early on, although briefly I was torn between three people because one friend seemed slightly suspicious š¤ but it wasn't long before they were off my suspect list. The final reveal was intense, I was actually holding my breath whilst I was reading.
I would say that there is mild to moderate spice, there isn't a lot but it packs a punch without being overwhelming.
I have to say, I was left with more questions when I finished, I want to know why Cillian started the affair in the first place, why Axel was so drawn to Phoebe from the moment he saw her (aside from the pink hair, red dress and paint on her hands).
This is the first time I have actually read anything by Kate Callaghan (although I do have one of her books on my tbr) and I have to say I really enjoyed it. As someone with chronic pain and disabilities I love how she wrote it into the novel in such a natural way. I will definitely be checking out more of Kates books in the future.
Death & Decay by J.A. Welch
challenging
dark
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? It's complicated
4.0
I was very lucky to be approved for an ARC of Death & Decay by JA Welch, now this is the 2nd book in a Trilogy so you do need to read the 1st book Glass & Grim beforehand.
Both Glass & Grim and Death & Decay have serious trigger warnings, so please make sure you read through them before reading the novels.
Death & Decay takes place a couple of months after the events of Glass & Grim, although I would also say its on a dual time frame as we do periodically get flash backs to help move the story and plotline along.
Amri is starting to hone her powers. Her relationship with Zain & Callyx has... evolved. Vincent and Damion are facing their own problems.
Death & Decay definitely has more of the fantasy aspect to it as we are now out of the human world, we are in the underworld so not only do we have more reapers and witches, we are amongst demons of all kinds, yet honestly none of it seems far fetched
I will admit that the hint of a new relationship whilst two of her mates are being held captive did stop me in my tracks for a moment, however the progression was actually very respectful and nothing happened until everyone (all 4 original mates) were OK with the addition of another person.
Because of the dual time frame, this novel is quite fast-paced. It feels like a lot has happened over a short period of time.
Without spoilers, I will say that there is an event that happens within the last 40 pages, and while I knew it was coming, I still had to take a moment for it to sink in.
As for the ending... well, I can't wait for the final instalment because I NEED to know what is in store for Amri and her mates.
Both Glass & Grim and Death & Decay have serious trigger warnings, so please make sure you read through them before reading the novels.
Death & Decay takes place a couple of months after the events of Glass & Grim, although I would also say its on a dual time frame as we do periodically get flash backs to help move the story and plotline along.
Amri is starting to hone her powers. Her relationship with Zain & Callyx has... evolved. Vincent and Damion are facing their own problems.
Death & Decay definitely has more of the fantasy aspect to it as we are now out of the human world, we are in the underworld so not only do we have more reapers and witches, we are amongst demons of all kinds, yet honestly none of it seems far fetched
I will admit that the hint of a new relationship whilst two of her mates are being held captive did stop me in my tracks for a moment, however the progression was actually very respectful and nothing happened until everyone (all 4 original mates) were OK with the addition of another person.
Because of the dual time frame, this novel is quite fast-paced. It feels like a lot has happened over a short period of time.
Without spoilers, I will say that there is an event that happens within the last 40 pages, and while I knew it was coming, I still had to take a moment for it to sink in.
As for the ending... well, I can't wait for the final instalment because I NEED to know what is in store for Amri and her mates.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, and Murder