theahappyhermit's reviews
233 reviews

Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

🌶️yes 

Wow. Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for that ending. It’s been 30 some odd hours and my jaw is still on the floor.  Go in blind and just let that ending happen. 

Our FMC is part of an exiled nation going to land for the first in like 20 years. Accused of stealing and one explosion later she’s accepted that she’s never going back to land, she be happily if a bit bored in her safe upcoming marriage and rising the ranks of the guard… until the commander who accused her of stealing shows up (and gets jailed) because he needs to talk to her. 

She sees her ticket out to break him out and sneak away from exile…. And yeah. Yeah. 

• forced proximity 
• Slow burn 
• Missing past 
• TWISTS SO MANY TWISTS. 

I really really loved the build to the relationship. I loved how they talked things through before getting physical. 

Acker. Ugh. 😩 yas lawd Acker. Mmmm. Mmm. 😋 yes. Him.  Mmmm. look if a man takes another man’s tooth for looking at his girl wrong I’m not asking any questions other than what is his ring size. 

And that’s all imma say on this book because I just feel like everything else should be ✨experienced✨ i swear for uniqueness alone you will not be let down. It is so fast paced and addictive. 

Ugh.  Just read it so you can feel how I feel and we can all chat about it

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao

adventurous reflective 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

4.5

🌶️yes 

⭐️4.5 

This book was a stunning fresh air. 

Our FMC is an immortal doing the work for her god on the mortal realm as a seductress when she returns home ready to ask for her freedom she is given a mission to free herself only… she might lose herself in the process. 

• spy x mark 
• Mentor x mentee (kinda) 
• Gods 
• Realms 
• Hindu inspired 
• Queer FMC
• Sex positive / queer norm world 
• a beautiful grip on the power of love 

This book also offers a very interesting thought experiment on the difference between faith and religion that held me gripped though the story and its magic system. 

I really appreciated how both our main characters refuse to change and give up things that cause tension in the relationship BUT also   acknowledge that it causes problems for them. 

Also. The MMC is a man with AMBITION and the means to obtain it. There was one part where something is revealed and my eyes went so WIDE. like ok powerful I see you. (I have a spoiler joke but I’ll keep it to myself) 

I’m excited and NERVOUS for the next book.

Cons- this was very close to a five star. I just wished there was a *tad* more to the climax and the resolution it felt just a smidge rushed like a hairs breath but i understand this is part one of two. 

This book was gifted to me but all thoughts and feelings are my own. 

A Very London Christmas by Sara Madderson

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

Short Christmas smut 

Nanny x single dad 

He’s not in the Christmas spirit and needs her to help create magic for is daughter 

It’s was cute I kept picturing that couple in that new show rivals for some reason 😂  like the actors idk? 

I would have liked the dad to have handled the end conflict a wee better considering he turns it around in under 24 hrs 

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

inspiring reflective 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

A study and drowning

My soul feels wrinkly and puny, as if I was just soaking in the ocean for too long and I’m now lying on the beach to dry. 

I had this weird urge to quietly weep the entire time I read this. Just little tears welling in the back of my eyes for seemingly no reason. But I almost think that was the point of the melancholy melodic, lyrical writing.

This book is written in a way that makes you feel like the author is not just taking you on a journey. She is on your back for a piggyback ride, holding your chin in her freshly painted nails, guiding your chin left right up and down, forcing your nose into the flowers . Shoving your face into clear pools of water so that you might see the reflection of your trauma back at you. Whispering in your ear intrinsic therapy sessions between the pages and yourself. 

And there’s more to it there are two stories here three if you count the one that you go on with yourself. One is a story about a book and two students uncovering the truth with fairies and magic and what not but that’s not really the core of the story core of the story is about women, and the love letter between authors and readers, and also a profound ballot of love to the sea and all of these things become one, subtly and not so subtly woven between lines of fiction and nonfiction. 

I just feel like I want people to read this, but I also don’t think you should read this unless you have a therapist on standby at the same time. 

I also have never annotated such deeply personal things in a book before but I had some things I had written years past that fit so well between the margins giving a resting place for feelings that once haunted me 

I don’t usually read books quite on this side of the scale of fantasy because while they are perfectly well written, almost too perfect I almost feel like the author does not leave room for the readers own imagination. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

adventurous lighthearted fast-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

🌶️ yes (there are no tws but it’s def mild dubious consent) 

For the first time in 70 year old life sheltered scaredy cat  Emma is in Paris looking for answers to who her parents are and why she’s the only half Valkyrie half vampire only to awaken the mating call to a entrapped immortal werewolf who’s been looking for her for nearly a thousand years. 

He needs her even if her very nature makes her his mortal enemy. 

- fated mates gone awry 
- Soft girl learns to be brave and soft 
- Inner connected standalones 

I love early 2000s campy pnr. It’s wild and fun with a big cast of characters. 

And honestly VALKYRIES?! Say less.  

Also can I just say I didn’t not like how the sexy bits were so often when she didn’t want it but then after they get together the author just stopped the sexy bits it felt kinda weird to me but the book was pretty short and there did need to be room for the plot so I think it was a me thing

Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

🌶️yes 

I picked this up because the author said it was was for the Anakin and Padme girlies and y’all. IT REALLY IS.  

The FMC is a bad ass and Queen, mother of dragons and still very feminine. she’s set on revenge but also making the world better. 

The MMC is a scarred, murderous, power hungry Commander of an ally nation sent to guard her and build a truce.  He is possessive & obsessive. Literally Anakin to a tee.  I’m obsessed with him and this couple because they are GIVING. 

The banter.  The banter. The banter. 

• bodyguard trope 
• Older characters 
• Dragons 
• Heists 
• Prophecies 
• Touch her and ☠️ look at her and ☠️ think of her and ☠️ 

Ok I ate this book up. I love the characters, the plot, the world EVERYTHING but the writing could have been ironed out better. It was a wee clunky. Idk if I just don’t vibe with first person or what. But despite this I really loved the story. I will give a pass seeing as this is the authors debut novel and have high hopes they will refine their craft with time. 

Nocticadia by Keri Lake

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

🌶️yes 

Wow this book. First of all the audiobook was its own phenomenal beast.  The voice actors had rent due or something and threw all the talent they had into it. 

I’m also a SUCKER for duet narration so I’m biased and should never be held accountable to a review where it was duet. 

This is a spooky gothic borderline paranormal standalone set in on a private elite college. 

• student x professor (this is my all time favorite tropes) 
• Slllllooooowwwww buuuurrrrnnn like they don’t even meet until like page 150 and I’m not joking. 
• Mystery 
• Twisting plot threads 
• NO third act break up 
• Smart FMC 
• Dadd— I mean ✨cough cough✨ doctor death 

Idk if I want to have the MMC or be him. Seriously something about his whole vibe reminds me of something I would have put down as a kid when they asked “who do you wanna be when you grow up” yes hi 👋 I wanna be a charming, hot, professor who is possessive and obsessive and has the means to exact revenge also a dom… i mean really the nickname “doctor death” is unironically badass 

At first I was like where are all these plot threads going??? And then the author knotted them up in a neat lil standalone bow

Im EXCITED to read more of this author.  

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Content Warnings

Tw Worms

Under the Oak Tree: Volume 1 (The Novel) by Suji Kim

emotional inspiring fast-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

5.0

🌶️yes 

I have been waiting so long for this book and it did not disappoint. I have a very special place in my heart for this series this couple and this main female character to the point where I am wildly biased and you should not take my review seriously in deciding if you should read this book. 

- arrange marriage
- Grumpy sunshine
- The only time I’ve ever liked reading about a miscommunication trope
- FMC with a speech impediment 
- Magic training
- Two characters with self-worth issues

If you like historical romances, but wish there was a little bit more fantasy pizzazz in it. I think this would absolutely scratch a very specific itch. 

It was originally a manga or a Webtoon, and it was originally written in South Korean. This is an official translation and all of this should be taken into account before deciding to read.

The very beginning of this relationship there is mild dubious consent involved… I really do think that the main male character is not going to be for everyone because he comes on very strong, but that’s just because he has a lot of feelings. You gotta let him marinate and let him be a little bit of a red flag. 

This book also has one of my favorite micro tropes where the mmc does the fmcs hair  - eeeppp its  one of my favorites 

This is also one of those rare times where I take the main character so personally where if someone says they don’t like her I feel like it’s a personal attack because I love her so much. 

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

emotional funny fast-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? Yes

5.0

HOW DARE THIS BE THE MOST ROMANTIC THING I HAVE EVER READ AND IT WAS ONLY 70 pgs and I was supposed to hate it because I loathe all things holiday related truly Ali has power over me. 

•  Childhood friends to lovers
•  She's older then him
•  Suprise therapy session
•  feet kicking good time

Basically also a Gracie Abram’s song 

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

4.0