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stardust_heidi's reviews
437 reviews
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
4.0
Really enjoyed this anthology centered around vampires! The stories were diverse and queer, which was an extra level of fun. As with most short story collections, I enjoyed some more than others. But overall, it’s a super solid collection.
The Diablo's Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Loved this follow up to The Wicked Bargain. I very much enjoyed it, but I don’t think it quite matched the first book. I found myself drifting away from the plot at times. Great characters, though! The quest was fun.
Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms by Rey Terciero, Megan Kearney
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
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? Yes
5.0
So fun!!
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
3.0
In full disclosure, I only read this to fulfill StoryGraph’s genre challenge for manga. It’s not my go to genre. It was okay, I guess? The FMC was really annoying and just came off as weak, helpless, and besotted. I have zero interest in continuing the series (42 parts?!) so…yeah. Not for me.
The Wolf and the Witch by Charissa Weaks
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
4.75
Honestly loved this book and its detour from our main pairing in book 1 & 2. I think it provided lots of important tidbits to hold us over until book 4, while also taking the time to establish another important pairing AND their individual powers. This series is WAY more smutty than I expected it to be, but when I’m in the right mood, I’m here for it.
Rating it down only because I’m tired of this whole trend of calling women “little” this (pick your nickname) and “little” that with “dainty” hands and uggghhh. Please can we not. Imo it just infantilizes a strong, bad ass woman. [End rant lol]
Rating it down only because I’m tired of this whole trend of calling women “little” this (pick your nickname) and “little” that with “dainty” hands and uggghhh. Please can we not. Imo it just infantilizes a strong, bad ass woman. [End rant lol]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.
Just not in the mood for a smut centric book right now. Might return later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
City of Ruin by Charissa Weaks
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.5
I may change my rating another time, but while I overall loved this book and enjoyed it very much, I was also kind of relieved to finish it. I think my reading mood was very much not in a romantasy mood, and this is very much that. Lots of gratuitous sex scenes and the standard romantasy "no one has ever had a bond like us" vibes. And like, don't get me wrong, sometimes I love the shit out of that, but I found myself wishing for things to hurry up at times. (Like I said, MOOD.) That being said, the plot and romance we were given is all excellent, though I think I'm still traumatized from this bonus scene line "my little honey hole" .
Honestly, I probably wouldn't rely on my review as a quality one lmao -- I had covid in the middle of the 20 day sit took me to read this, and my brain allowed only monster romances to be read during that time. I feel like a lot of the early book details got lost in the brain fog.
I did have one sort of grumble with the plot and still don't understand whythe damage to Raina's side of the bond caused her feelings to Alexus to crash and burn, especially when she maintained the memories and sensation of feelings. I get that it makes a more dramatic bonding scene later when ✨gasp✨ she is able to heal her side of the runic bond during an intimate moment. It just...I don't know. It made me nitpick the point of this happening, and it ultimately pulled me from the book.
I hope Charissa is able to conquer her publishing issues sooner than later, because THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't rely on my review as a quality one lmao -- I had covid in the middle of the 20 day sit took me to read this, and my brain allowed only monster romances to be read during that time. I feel like a lot of the early book details got lost in the brain fog.
I did have one sort of grumble with the plot and still don't understand why
I hope Charissa is able to conquer her publishing issues sooner than later, because THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5
Super duper fun! I thought the narrators did a great job, and I think it was a great intro to the duet style of audiobook narration. (Somehow my first???) I really enjoyed the good communication and directness and lack of drama between the two main characters (minus one moment, but that kind of made sense lol).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
This book is fine. I enjoy Marcus's backstory and Phoebe's life as a baby vampire. I really wish they'd kept Jennifer Ikeda as the narrator for this one, because it honestly throws me. Don't get me wrong, I love Saskia Maarleveld, but after almost 75 hours of narration with JI, it's jarring with a new one. I find myself less engaged with the story as a result. Or maybe it's because I find some of the flip/flop storytelling to be not as strong as the first three books.