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The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Possessive Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
This series will probably never end, but I do love reading about these hockey players a whole lot.
Possessive Puckboy is another fairly enjoyable low-angst romance book about a hockey player falling for another man. In this one, the bully romance and billionaire romance tropes are mixed in, which are new ones for these authors. It brought in somewhat of a new perspective that I appreciated.
Connor was really not my favourite in Easton's, his little brother's book, and I am happy to see that he actually got a character arc and went through some growth as a person.
He's an oldest brother with a lot of familial expectations and a hefty urge to protect his little brothers. But he needs to admit to himself that his overprotectiveness is not healthy and he needs to back off. And with that, he kinda loses his purpose for a while. I really enjoyed his attempts at finding his way.
Parker is the billionaire tech nerd who buys Connor's team. He's also the gay kid who was bullied in high school because of Connors' actions. Their reunion is not so great, but they work through all the resentment and guilt together, which is kinda nice. I enjoyed that Parker made Connor face his actions and take accountability. But I also liked that he did not succumb to bitterness and was able to let it go.
Their unlikely friendship and chemistry are amazing. They actually built a relationship and talked to each other. Though not always immediately. Their antics and fun together are sweet and enjoyable.
I hope the authors can keep up the quality of these books in th future because I did feel a little bit of drop in the last couple of books. I hope they won't force it just to keep going.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
Possessive Puckboy is another fairly enjoyable low-angst romance book about a hockey player falling for another man. In this one, the bully romance and billionaire romance tropes are mixed in, which are new ones for these authors. It brought in somewhat of a new perspective that I appreciated.
Connor was really not my favourite in Easton's, his little brother's book, and I am happy to see that he actually got a character arc and went through some growth as a person.
He's an oldest brother with a lot of familial expectations and a hefty urge to protect his little brothers. But he needs to admit to himself that his overprotectiveness is not healthy and he needs to back off. And with that, he kinda loses his purpose for a while. I really enjoyed his attempts at finding his way.
Parker is the billionaire tech nerd who buys Connor's team. He's also the gay kid who was bullied in high school because of Connors' actions. Their reunion is not so great, but they work through all the resentment and guilt together, which is kinda nice. I enjoyed that Parker made Connor face his actions and take accountability. But I also liked that he did not succumb to bitterness and was able to let it go.
Their unlikely friendship and chemistry are amazing. They actually built a relationship and talked to each other. Though not always immediately. Their antics and fun together are sweet and enjoyable.
I hope the authors can keep up the quality of these books in th future because I did feel a little bit of drop in the last couple of books. I hope they won't force it just to keep going.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
Grave Situation by Louisa Masters
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
I'm so disappointed by this book. It started out as a great fantasy with promising world building elements that I was excited for.
Then, it unfortunately turned downhill pretty fast after a major event (see details below after the spoiler warning).
The elements that intrigued me from he get-go are the humorous storytelling, the lovely characters, Talon and Tia's twin telepathic bond, and the magic system with the zombies. In combination, they seemed to merge into a fun adventure with an important and grave mission. For the first 45%, I truly believed this would be a lighthearted fantasy with a touch of romance and a great found family on a mission. Instead, it turned very, very dark very quickly. The book kinda lost me after that.
The romance between Talon, our main character, and Jaimin, the love interest, is subpar. They have literally no chemistry or relationship development. Talon has more in-depth conversations with his other travelling companions than with Jaimin before they confess their undying love for each other. It was not satisfying at all.
I honestly loved their little unit from the beginning. The group grew with more and more great additions. And not the kind that we're used to. But with sweet but fierce warriors and young but wise boys. Together with Talon and his grumpy anti-hero self, Jaimin's kind demeanour, and Tia's fierce bravery, it could have been a great story.
I'm really sad that the great building blocks of a great fantasy were used so poorly. It could have been so good. I am honestly shocked by all the 5-star reviews.
SPOILERS AFTER THIS.
Now, let's talk about the death of one of the main characters. I don't consider Tia, Talon's twin, who he has a constant connection with a secondary character. So her death to move the story along was a very cheap move. And don't even get me started on killing off the ONLY meaningful female character. I started to notice this very disturbing trend in MM authors that they focus so much on having enough male characters to build their never-ending series that they literally don't have females in their books. It's freaking weird to me. And in this book? Tia was one of my favourite characters, and I was so happy that such an important role as the MC's twin is cast to a strong and capable female. A fearless dragon rider. So when she was killed off to further his brother's plot, I was furious. I can't look past this.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
Then, it unfortunately turned downhill pretty fast after a major event (see details below after the spoiler warning).
The elements that intrigued me from he get-go are the humorous storytelling, the lovely characters, Talon and Tia's twin telepathic bond, and the magic system with the zombies. In combination, they seemed to merge into a fun adventure with an important and grave mission. For the first 45%, I truly believed this would be a lighthearted fantasy with a touch of romance and a great found family on a mission. Instead, it turned very, very dark very quickly. The book kinda lost me after that.
The romance between Talon, our main character, and Jaimin, the love interest, is subpar. They have literally no chemistry or relationship development. Talon has more in-depth conversations with his other travelling companions than with Jaimin before they confess their undying love for each other. It was not satisfying at all.
I honestly loved their little unit from the beginning. The group grew with more and more great additions. And not the kind that we're used to. But with sweet but fierce warriors and young but wise boys. Together with Talon and his grumpy anti-hero self, Jaimin's kind demeanour, and Tia's fierce bravery, it could have been a great story.
I'm really sad that the great building blocks of a great fantasy were used so poorly. It could have been so good. I am honestly shocked by all the 5-star reviews.
SPOILERS AFTER THIS.
Now, let's talk about the death of one of the main characters. I don't consider Tia, Talon's twin, who he has a constant connection with a secondary character. So her death to move the story along was a very cheap move. And don't even get me started on killing off the ONLY meaningful female character. I started to notice this very disturbing trend in MM authors that they focus so much on having enough male characters to build their never-ending series that they literally don't have females in their books. It's freaking weird to me. And in this book? Tia was one of my favourite characters, and I was so happy that such an important role as the MC's twin is cast to a strong and capable female. A fearless dragon rider. So when she was killed off to further his brother's plot, I was furious. I can't look past this.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Finding Lord Landry by Lucy Lennox
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? No
4.0
The final instalment I've been waiting for.
It's no secret that I've been intrigued by the squabbles between Landry and Kenji in all of the previous books. Their story was foreshadowed in little moments, and the author managed to build anticipation for this fifth book in the series.
Because of this anticipation, I was a bit wary, but fortunately, Finding Lord Landry delivered what was promised.
Landry and Kenji's secret enemies-with-benefits arrangement is a train wreck from the get-go. It's so obvious that Landry harbors deep feelings for Kenji even though Kenji doesn't believe him when he tries to make their situationship move forward. And although Kenji rejects Landry time and time again, it's not because he doesn't have feelings for him. It's because he's afraid.
In this book, their world turns upside down when Landry has to reveal his true identity as a viscount to save Kenji. The aftermath is perfect chaos.
I find their relationship unique in a way that although they enter a fake marriage to save face, they are already in love with each other just in major denial. At least, Kenji is. The tension between them is beautifully executed and very much keep you on your toes. The passion that forms from that tension is scorching hot. I could feel Landry's despair and hopelessness through the pages. But I could also totally understand Kenji's hesitance, especially after finding out Landry's huge lie by omission.
One thing that bothered me, however, was that Kenji's cruel rejections were barely addressed. Landry's perseverance in pursuing him was admirable, but I would have given up a long time ago based on Kenji's rejections. I don't think their peaceful moments were in focus enough to explain Landry's trust in their future.
Also, lots of the times, they defaulted to solving their arguments in bed instead of talking, which frustrated me to no end.
Obviously, the ending is sweet and satisfying, and Kenji redeems himself somewhat. And of course, we have a healthy dose of the brotherhood through sweet moments and hilarious ones, too.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and this series.
It's no secret that I've been intrigued by the squabbles between Landry and Kenji in all of the previous books. Their story was foreshadowed in little moments, and the author managed to build anticipation for this fifth book in the series.
Because of this anticipation, I was a bit wary, but fortunately, Finding Lord Landry delivered what was promised.
Landry and Kenji's secret enemies-with-benefits arrangement is a train wreck from the get-go. It's so obvious that Landry harbors deep feelings for Kenji even though Kenji doesn't believe him when he tries to make their situationship move forward. And although Kenji rejects Landry time and time again, it's not because he doesn't have feelings for him. It's because he's afraid.
In this book, their world turns upside down when Landry has to reveal his true identity as a viscount to save Kenji. The aftermath is perfect chaos.
I find their relationship unique in a way that although they enter a fake marriage to save face, they are already in love with each other just in major denial. At least, Kenji is. The tension between them is beautifully executed and very much keep you on your toes. The passion that forms from that tension is scorching hot. I could feel Landry's despair and hopelessness through the pages. But I could also totally understand Kenji's hesitance, especially after finding out Landry's huge lie by omission.
One thing that bothered me, however, was that Kenji's cruel rejections were barely addressed. Landry's perseverance in pursuing him was admirable, but I would have given up a long time ago based on Kenji's rejections. I don't think their peaceful moments were in focus enough to explain Landry's trust in their future.
Also, lots of the times, they defaulted to solving their arguments in bed instead of talking, which frustrated me to no end.
Obviously, the ending is sweet and satisfying, and Kenji redeems himself somewhat. And of course, we have a healthy dose of the brotherhood through sweet moments and hilarious ones, too.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and this series.
The Golden Raven by Nora Sakavic
I didn't think another book could destroy me so fully after The Sunshine Court, but here we go. Jean continues his journey to become a Torjan while we get to know more about Jeremy's struggles and see the aftermath of Rico and Coach Moriyama unfold.
Jeremy becomes such a layered and rounded person in this one. From the very beginning, he had this golden boy persona. He's kind, he's charismatic, he's loyal and generally a good person. But he also has a grey side of him. It's a past that haunts him to this day. A past that he can't move past from because of his family. His flings, his inability to stand up for himself to his family, his weak moments. They all add up to show us a more detailed and clear picture of who Jeremy is. I loved to see it. Especially because all these revelations into who he is do not change how good he is. They actually reinforce his good qualities, extentuating how they came to be through willpower. Jeremy always stands up for his friends, wanting them to be happy. And it's all the more powerful because he can't do the same for himself in front of his family. I admire him a whole lot.
Jean's story in this one gives the meaning of the title. He is a golden raven. Most of the book is about him dealing with and unlearning everything that was instilled in him as a Raven. From his exy style, through his behavior with his teammates all the way to his many many traumas he suffered in the hands of Riko and more recently the news about his family who he hasn't spoken to since they sold him. It is a work in progress. A lot like taking a few steps forward and then a giant step back. But what is powerful in his story is his determination. He moves froward from his terrified broken self in The Sunshine Court to something a little bit better. He's still not healed. He's still not ready to let go of everything. But he has chosen the Trojans and his friends. He has chosen to continue and fight for his life. Which is the biggest step he could have ever taken.
My favourite quote from the book sums up Jean's progress in The Golden Raven:
"How Jean’s kind heart had survived a place like Evermore, Jeremy wasn’t sure. It was bruised and bleeding, but it wasn’t broken."
One aspect about Jean I absolutely loved to witness is his slow acceptance of people caring about him. He's still dumbstruck whenever someone does something remotely nice to him, but he also thrives because of it. Because deep down he is also a kind and loving person. He was just not allowed to care and love for the past five years. It's absolutely heartbreaking, and I applaud every single one of his friends who does not give up on him. Jeremy, Cat, and Laila are obviously at the forefront. But also, his other teammates get more time with him, showing him even more of how real, healthy, and kind relationships should work. We also have Kevin as an unexpected soft light in Jean's life. Unexpected but not surprising.
I loved to see Jean's aggression and lashing out be tamed slowly. He lets go of so much of his instinctual anger, which he used as a coping mechanism. He shows glimpses of a man who cares deeply, who wants his friends to thrive, who loves to see them smile.
A darker aspect of the story is the aftermath of Rico and Coach Moriyama within the remainder of the Ravens. They implode in the most heartwrenching fashion, showing their aggression, viscousness, and trauma to the world. What they do is unforgiveable. But after seeing into Jean's past, it's not surprising at all. They are all victims to two men and a system they built in the darkness of Evermore. Clearly, they do not have the support system that Jean gained when he transferred to the Trojans.
Not only do they not have a support system, but they also have fanatic Raven supporters who have no idea what actually went down in Evermore. Fanatics who don't shy away from retaliating in their stead whenever the Foxes or Jean say something critical of their beloved Ravens. Causing so much more harm and sadness.
We also get a few sneaky cameos from the Foxes. An unexpected sweet little moment is Kevin showing up for Jean as a brother. Yes, Kevin is a prick in general, but he's also the only one who has a true perception of what Jean went through. He also carries guilt from leaving him. I hope their tentative, stumbling friendship after all that went down can go on.
In true middle book in a trilogy fashion, this book ripped my heart out in whole by the end of the book. Not necessarily in the same way as TSC did. But the healing that goes down in this book is so very heartbreaking. The friendships, the care, and the love that goes on in this book despite all the trauma and tragedy are a devastating force. It brought me to my knees. And I actually had to take a break in the middle of the book to be able to breathe a little.
And the ending? That last chapter with Jean and Jeremy and you know what... that is the sweetest thing I have ever read.
I. Need. More. Now.
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
I didn't think another book could destroy me so fully after The Sunshine Court, but here we go. Jean continues his journey to become a Torjan while we get to know more about Jeremy's struggles and see the aftermath of Rico and Coach Moriyama unfold.
Jeremy becomes such a layered and rounded person in this one. From the very beginning, he had this golden boy persona. He's kind, he's charismatic, he's loyal and generally a good person. But he also has a grey side of him. It's a past that haunts him to this day. A past that he can't move past from because of his family. His flings, his inability to stand up for himself to his family, his weak moments. They all add up to show us a more detailed and clear picture of who Jeremy is. I loved to see it. Especially because all these revelations into who he is do not change how good he is. They actually reinforce his good qualities, extentuating how they came to be through willpower. Jeremy always stands up for his friends, wanting them to be happy. And it's all the more powerful because he can't do the same for himself in front of his family. I admire him a whole lot.
Jean's story in this one gives the meaning of the title. He is a golden raven. Most of the book is about him dealing with and unlearning everything that was instilled in him as a Raven. From his exy style, through his behavior with his teammates all the way to his many many traumas he suffered in the hands of Riko and more recently the news about his family who he hasn't spoken to since they sold him. It is a work in progress. A lot like taking a few steps forward and then a giant step back. But what is powerful in his story is his determination. He moves froward from his terrified broken self in The Sunshine Court to something a little bit better. He's still not healed. He's still not ready to let go of everything. But he has chosen the Trojans and his friends. He has chosen to continue and fight for his life. Which is the biggest step he could have ever taken.
My favourite quote from the book sums up Jean's progress in The Golden Raven:
"How Jean’s kind heart had survived a place like Evermore, Jeremy wasn’t sure. It was bruised and bleeding, but it wasn’t broken."
One aspect about Jean I absolutely loved to witness is his slow acceptance of people caring about him. He's still dumbstruck whenever someone does something remotely nice to him, but he also thrives because of it. Because deep down he is also a kind and loving person. He was just not allowed to care and love for the past five years. It's absolutely heartbreaking, and I applaud every single one of his friends who does not give up on him. Jeremy, Cat, and Laila are obviously at the forefront. But also, his other teammates get more time with him, showing him even more of how real, healthy, and kind relationships should work. We also have Kevin as an unexpected soft light in Jean's life. Unexpected but not surprising.
I loved to see Jean's aggression and lashing out be tamed slowly. He lets go of so much of his instinctual anger, which he used as a coping mechanism. He shows glimpses of a man who cares deeply, who wants his friends to thrive, who loves to see them smile.
A darker aspect of the story is the aftermath of Rico and Coach Moriyama within the remainder of the Ravens. They implode in the most heartwrenching fashion, showing their aggression, viscousness, and trauma to the world. What they do is unforgiveable. But after seeing into Jean's past, it's not surprising at all. They are all victims to two men and a system they built in the darkness of Evermore. Clearly, they do not have the support system that Jean gained when he transferred to the Trojans.
Not only do they not have a support system, but they also have fanatic Raven supporters who have no idea what actually went down in Evermore. Fanatics who don't shy away from retaliating in their stead whenever the Foxes or Jean say something critical of their beloved Ravens. Causing so much more harm and sadness.
We also get a few sneaky cameos from the Foxes. An unexpected sweet little moment is Kevin showing up for Jean as a brother. Yes, Kevin is a prick in general, but he's also the only one who has a true perception of what Jean went through. He also carries guilt from leaving him. I hope their tentative, stumbling friendship after all that went down can go on.
In true middle book in a trilogy fashion, this book ripped my heart out in whole by the end of the book. Not necessarily in the same way as TSC did. But the healing that goes down in this book is so very heartbreaking. The friendships, the care, and the love that goes on in this book despite all the trauma and tragedy are a devastating force. It brought me to my knees. And I actually had to take a break in the middle of the book to be able to breathe a little.
And the ending? That last chapter with Jean and Jeremy and you know what... that is the sweetest thing I have ever read.
I. Need. More. Now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Injury/Injury detail
Witchy Whiskers by Danielle Garrett
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Paper Roses by Lily Morton
emotional
lighthearted
medium-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? No
3.5
I have mixed thoughts about his book. On the one hand, fake marriage/ marriage of convenience is my favourite trope, and I like the situations it created in this book. On the other hand, the forced proximity was a little bit too convenient, and I didn't really feel the angst it created. A little more pining would have been nice.
Jed and Artie's story is a fun one. Jed runs Confetti Hearts, a wedding planning business he took over after his husband passed away. And Artie is his much younger assistant. They both harbour a crush on the other, Artie is aware of it, but Jed isn't.
When Artie's inheritance has a marriage clause, Jed quickly jumps to help him. Even if all the boundaries are blurred.
As I mentioned, I really like marriage of convenience, and Jed's heart was in the right place when he offered. His feelings for Artie are already very protective, but he's still grieving his late husband, and he's in massive denial.
Artie's a different story, though. He's been in love with Jed for years, and he desperately tries to protect his heart.
Their physical connection is off the charts, but it meant the pining that I usually love in fake dating stories was not really there. It was overpowered by their attraction.
Additionally, the way Jed's grief was handled was weird. From the very beginning, he's in this massive pain, not ready to ever love again. And yet, by the end, his story kinda changed contradicting all that was said before.
However, even though the book is not perfect, it was pretty entertaining, and the emotional parts were well written. I listened to the audibook that added an extra layer of awesomeness! I really enjoyed the whole experience.
Jed and Artie's story is a fun one. Jed runs Confetti Hearts, a wedding planning business he took over after his husband passed away. And Artie is his much younger assistant. They both harbour a crush on the other, Artie is aware of it, but Jed isn't.
When Artie's inheritance has a marriage clause, Jed quickly jumps to help him. Even if all the boundaries are blurred.
As I mentioned, I really like marriage of convenience, and Jed's heart was in the right place when he offered. His feelings for Artie are already very protective, but he's still grieving his late husband, and he's in massive denial.
Artie's a different story, though. He's been in love with Jed for years, and he desperately tries to protect his heart.
Their physical connection is off the charts, but it meant the pining that I usually love in fake dating stories was not really there. It was overpowered by their attraction.
Additionally, the way Jed's grief was handled was weird. From the very beginning, he's in this massive pain, not ready to ever love again. And yet, by the end, his story kinda changed contradicting all that was said before.
However, even though the book is not perfect, it was pretty entertaining, and the emotional parts were well written. I listened to the audibook that added an extra layer of awesomeness! I really enjoyed the whole experience.
The Last Guy On Earth by Sarina Bowen
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Candy Hearts (Volume 2): An LGBTQIA2S+ Charity Anthology by Chantal Mer, Lee Blair, London Price, Stella Rainbow, D.K. Sutton, Becca Seymour, Beck Grey, Minerva Howe, Bix Barrow, Victoria Gillilan, E.M. Denning, Jem Wendel, Merry Farmer, CD Rachels, Marie Sinclair, Susan Scott Shelley, Zoe Lee, David Gray, Riley Long, B.A. Tortuga, Rye Cox, Anna Sparrows, Hinsel Meyer, BL Maxwell
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
A fun and fantastic anthology!
I love a good anthology. It gives you the chance to discover new authors and have bite-sized adventures.
This second volume of the Candy Hearts anthology is all about numbers, more specifically, wrong numbers. The theme is funny and brings just a little bit of serendipity into the romance stories.
IT MUST BE FATE - LEE BLAIR
This is my first story by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Lex and Garrison's story is based on multiple chance encounters that are starting to look like a move from Mother Fate herself.
They bump into each other randomly every other day, and the scenes are hilarious. A singing telegram delivered to the wrong office, sandwiches, a bachelor party, and even a dog play a crucial part in their relationship. It results in a slightly chaotic but mostly serendipitous romance that will make you smile.
(More reviews to come.)
* I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
I love a good anthology. It gives you the chance to discover new authors and have bite-sized adventures.
This second volume of the Candy Hearts anthology is all about numbers, more specifically, wrong numbers. The theme is funny and brings just a little bit of serendipity into the romance stories.
IT MUST BE FATE - LEE BLAIR
This is my first story by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Lex and Garrison's story is based on multiple chance encounters that are starting to look like a move from Mother Fate herself.
They bump into each other randomly every other day, and the scenes are hilarious. A singing telegram delivered to the wrong office, sandwiches, a bachelor party, and even a dog play a crucial part in their relationship. It results in a slightly chaotic but mostly serendipitous romance that will make you smile.
(More reviews to come.)
* I received a complimentary copy of this book to share my honest review.*
The Falcon and the Foe by A.J. Truman
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A very average palette-cleanser book. It was funny, and I quite liked the characters. It's a very nice lighthearted book.
Just one thing and a TW: be aware that this book has references to HP. Authors, do better!
Just one thing and a TW: be aware that this book has references to HP. Authors, do better!
Content Warnings
The book has HP references.