retrogirlreads's reviews
160 reviews

Teasing by Bella Matthews

emotional funny lighthearted tense slow-paced

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

5.0

“Teasing” is the fifth book in author Bella Matthews’s second generation spinoff spicy contemporary romance series, Red Lips & White Lies, and it’s Maverick Beneventi and Emmie Monroe’s story.

 

Okay, so I actually really loved this book! Maverick and Emmie were both complex characters with a lot of layers, and o enjoyed reading from both of their POVs.

 

Maverick was growly, broody, and possessive, which was super fun to read about. Emmie was a literal ray of sunshine, and I could relate to her, especially to her struggles with her dad’s early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

 

All in all, I feel like “Teasing” is a well-written book that was highly entertaining. I loved how much depth there was to Maverick and Emmie’s relationship, and that Emmie had a strong relationship with Maverick’s daughter Rosie as well. 5 freaking stars!

M

Bound Paths by Jillian Witt

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

Okay, so this was the epic conclusion to Jillian Witt’s “Compass Points” series, and I thought it was absolutely amazing! This series honestly has me in a chokehold, and I’m so glad I decided to read it.

 

Rose and Luc dealt with a lot in this one, and without giving too much away, I want to say that this particular plot line had me thoroughly invested. I never had doubts about their bond though, and I was happy with how their story ended!

 

As a side note, I really loved getting to see a new side of Arie now that he has Aurora back. He’s still his sarcastic, witty self, but there’s a softness to him now that was really sweet to see.

 

I also feel like there might be something more to tell with Carter and Cassandra, so hopefully that will happen one day too! All in all, I would highly recommend the Compass Points series to anyone who likes cozy fantasy romance or elemental magic.

Tangled Power by Jillian Witt

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

Jillian Witt’s “Tangled Power” is the second book in her Compass Points fantasy romance series, and even though I didn’t think think this was possible, it’s somehow better than the first one!

 

Without giving away any spoilers, I wanted to say that this book was better than anything I could’ve imagined. It was extremely action-packed and fast-paced, with shocking plot twists and the perfect amount of tension and drama between the characters.

 

I really loved how Luc and Rose’s relationship developed over the course of this book. They were both such wonderfully complex characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them better. I was also intrigued by Carter and Juliette, the other Compass Points.

 

I honestly thought this book was absolutely sensational, even though the ending literally made me want to throw my kindle at the wall (I didn’t, but I was sorely tempted to). I most definitely recommend this series!

Compass Points by Jillian Witt

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

5.0

“Compass Points” is Jillian Witt’s debut novel, and I have to say that I thought it was completely and utterly fantastic, and I am now completely obsessed with this world and these characters!

 

This book dabbles heavily in elemental magic, and I thought that everything about it was very well-done. This book had so many twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, but that was part of what made it so addicting!

 

There were two main characters: Rose, a witty and powerful young woman who is a magical weapons master, and Luc, a fae male who happens to be the Suden Point, which is a position of power in their world.

 

Rose and Luc were both likable characters with a lot of layers. They definitely weren’t one dimensional, and I enjoyed learning more about them both as the book progressed. They also had this amazing chemistry that couldn’t be denied, which was really fun to read about!

 

I also enjoyed the addition of Arie, Rose’s shapeshifting sidekick and closest friend. He always had something witty to say, and his dry sense of humor was freaking hilarious! To sum this up, I thought “Compass Points” was a fabulous read, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series!

A Shift in Tides: A Mermaid Romantasy by Maddox Grey

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

Maddox Grey’s “A Shift in Tides” is the seventh book in their Lost Legacies dark fantasy romance series, and it is told from the POV of Ashling, the recently appointed Merfolk Queen.

 

Connor and Ashling were such a fun read, mostly because you could cut the sexual tension with a knife every time they interacted with each other, even when they weren’t officially together.

 

I really loved that this book had so much snarky banter. It’s one of my absolute favorite things, and “A Shift in Tides” totally delivers. There were also these painfully angsty moments that were extremely well-written.

 

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting from Ashling and Connor’s story, but I do know that Maddox Grey never lets me down, and in this case, that still holds true! I highly recommend both this book and the Lost Legacies series as a whole!

Secret Guard by Cait Marie

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

Okay, so I’m usually incredibly picky about dystopian fantasy, which meant I had very high expectations going into this. And I can definitely say that Cait Marie exceeded all of them!

 

“Secret Guard” is the first book in an upper young adult dystopian fantasy series called Rise of the Loti, and it tells the story of Crown Princess Emmalyn Kalanda of the kingdom of Tulansia.

 

What I loved about this book was that it captured my attention right away, and I was hooked for the entire rest of the book. I was actually so invested in the plot/these characters that I read it in one sitting!

 

Emma is such a likable character. I sympathized with her as she discovered those closest to her had been keeping really big secrets from her, and as she struggled to trust people who were supposedly on her side. Honestly, I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Love Without Control by Jade Dollston

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Jade Dollston’s “Love Without Control” is the conclusion to her The Bouvier Family Saga, and it reveals what really happened to Evie Bouvier, a question fans of the series have had since book one.

 

I thought that this was an absolutely phenomenal read. Jade Dollston truly knocked it out of the park with this one - in fact, I think this might be my new favorite book that she’s written!

 

Evie’s story was raw and powerful, dark and gritty, angsty and emotional. She goes through a truly horrible experience, but she somehow manages to stay strong and not let her trauma destroy her.

 

Despite all the dark content in this book, there were also a good laugh out loud out loud moments, as well as many scenes filled with snarky banter between Evie and her love interest, Damiano/Dane.

 

All in all, I would highly recommend reading this book, but I also suggest reading this series in order, because it will truly enhance your reading experience!

A Kingdom of Destruction by Ivory K. Rose, Ivory K. Rose

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

“A Kingdom of Destruction” is a dark fantasy romance by author Ivory K. Rose, and it is the first book in The Brutal Magic series. It is told from the POV of our heroine, mortal Princess Aven Elridge.

 

What I loved most about Aven is that she wasn’t this simpering, delicate princess who was incapable of holding her own. Aven was the furthest thing from a damsel in distress - which was very refreshing.

 

Throughout the book, Aven found herself torn between the two Fae princes, Cillian and Roran. Cillian appeared to be the safe choice, but she couldn’t get Roran out of her head.

 

As for my opinion on the two brothers, let’s just say that I thought I knew who I was rooting for, and a plot twist at the end cemented my opinion! I will definitely be reading book two.

Found In Destruction by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

The adventure continues for Diana, her men, and her allies in “Found in Destruction,” the fourth book in M. Bonnet’s Dangerous Lovers dark paranormal why choose? romance series.

 

At this point, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but so much happened in this book that my head was spinning at times! I’m obsessed with this world and these characters, and I’m dying to find out how their story ends.

 

I really love Diana, the heroine. She’s someone that I can relate to, but there are also aspects of her personality that I aspire to have one day as well, such as her confidence and bravery.

 

Now there’s only one book left, and I’m both excited and nervous to see how this series is going to wrap up. But if you’re considering reading this series, just know I binge read all four books in three days - so it’s absolutely worth the hype!

Hidden in Deception by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

In this third installment in M. Bonnet’s dark paranormal why choose? romance series, our heroine Diana Rossi, her five men, and various other allies work together to try to figure out why people want Diana dead.

 

I love that this series is the perfect mix of lighthearted and angsty. It has a very good selection of laugh out loud moments as well as dark scenes. I love that I can be laughing one minute and then gasping at a plot twist in the next.

 

Diana is a very powerful immortal, and I love that with the help of her men, she gets to explore her power and test her limits. I admire her snarky personality and sassy nature, as well. I’ve loved binge reading this series so far, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!