theahappyhermit's reviews
254 reviews

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

🌶️no (it’s turning out to be a multi book slow burn) 

Classic 2000s PNR but with very little R. 

Girl finds out she’s not like other girls, girl meets tall, dark haired, doesn’t answer questions, book store owner and begins quest to find magic book (wether she wants to or not) 

- fae but in a very traditional sorta way 
- Quest to find book and sisters murderer

Definitely a first book in a series… with that being said I did order the next few to see how it shapes up. 

Con

I didn’t like how the author randomly kept having the future FMC talk to us about current events ex: “if I had known then blah blah blah” or “in a year I’d look back on this moment blah blah blah” and also the very cringe FMC moments. 

This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara

dark hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

🌶️yes 

When I say I want a fantasy with romance THIS IS WHAT I MEAN. 

✨huzzah✨ a holy grail book to add to the trove. 

First in a duet but could be read as a standalone.  

Our main character finally returns to the city where she was brutally attacked four years ago to shed the cloak of victim and don the cloak of justice. Before she came as a healer, this time she’s returning to join this world’s version of their government as one of the very few people who can pull the truth from people so she can get vengeance on those who hurt her.  

And lucky for her, the man she knows was complicit in her attack is one of the four judges who ruled the city and she might become his right hand (an excellent way to gather evidence) 

This book is a murder mystery wrapped in government conspiracies, a test of friendship and loyalty, and incredibly interesting magic system tied together with the delicious bow of true feminine rage and actual enemies lovers. I don’t toss around enemies to lovers often, so ya know even tho they are working together she still knows he was there when she was tossed off a balcony even if he doesn’t know it’s her. 

But as the web of lies begin to untangle, she is faced to reckon with the man who hurt her, also stands up for injustices, fights the law, and sees her as an equal. 

- murder mystery 
- Dark fantasy 
- Judicial inspired world
- Verrryyy morally grey MMC 
- Touch her and find your self accidentally and strategically killed some time later 😫🤌🏻💕
- Ex healer FMC 
- Lie detector magic 
- Scarred FMC 


This book reminded me of the same feeling I got when I read when the moon hatched in the sense of the worldbuilding is left to the the reader… the author has given you a glossary and you’re meant to use it - sink or swim… It’s not their problem if you don’t pick it up.  Which a lot of people do not like, however love it.  

And let us all take a moment for the fact that there is a man with chest hair in a fantasy romance novel… see a lot of people complaining about the armpit hair but not squeak of outcry for the stern bush that is missing. That’s all. 

The only thing I didn’t like is the title. I hate this title. This is 8 grade poem title status. I’m sorry. 

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I read this after everyone was let down by expectations so I was able to adjust and enjoy 


Tho tbt 

Ali one tie up scene could have been in there

Us Dark Few by Alexis Patton

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.5

🌶️ not in book one 

First let me say I am a simple woman you tell me an MMC is tall, built like a brick wall, has an unhinged look about him, has captain before his name and is inspired by Toji Fushiguro… I’m reading it ZERO QUESTIONS ASKED. 

I’m delighted to tell you it was also really good out side of the MMC.  

Post nuclear/ radiation earth and everyone is forced to live underground and the elite live in  a dome. The arts are banned and so is being kind or having an independent thought basically. 

The FMC is sentenced to life in prison after she is caught with a banned poetry book. 

In prison it sucks but also she learns, hope, perseverance, love and TWO government conspiracies. 

I loved how the author wove the plot in with the other prisoners as well as a slow burn romance with a prison guard that didn’t feel too outlandish. (It’s fictional ok we can have some fun) 

This book also had an important message about the power of creativity tucked into a fast paced engaging plot. 

• dystopian 
• Prisoner x prison guard 
• Training 
• Slllloooowwww burrrnnnn they pinky touch at 67% in. It’s a multi book build romance here.
• Found family 
• Government conspiracies 

Bonus points it’s under 350 pages. 

This book sits on a 4.5 ⭐️ I for very petty reasons couldn’t give it a full five because there’s poetry in this and I’m sorry I can’t take it seriously. That’s a me thing I know but it’s my revifew. 

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

this book is vibes and beautiful poetry.

It's such a good reminder that for impactful storytelling that sometimes less is more.

You never truly know what the characters look like, what they're actually doing but yet there is a very deep understanding in the power of words.

- enemies to lovers
- Wibbly wobbly timey wimey nonsense
- letters

Truly a delightful read.

And can we take a moment for such COLD OPENING PAGE. 

Avalon Tower by Alex Rivers, C.N. Crawford

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

🌶️yes 

Finally an Arthurian legend that does not revolve around cheating. Color me intrigued.

This is a James Bond fae Arthur and legend inspired story that has kind of an interesting premise that is you know handful of years ago the fae broke into the human world and technology kind of stopped working, and there was a war, and now there is a veil on the realms… 

The MC gets swept up in like a secret war between the realms because she finds out she has a power that can manipulate the veil … 

OK, look there’s a lot of really interesting things that happen,  really great fun twist but it’s also very generic at the same time. But I went in reading it wanting something that was unique in a way, but also very easy to digest - so it was exactly what I was looking for in the moment.  

• realms
• Spy training
• Second chance romance 
• Forbidden romance 
• Slow burn
• An FMC with asthma
• Dream magic 

Also, this is a really great fantasy book if you want the romance to kind of take it backseat, but also still have a little bit of spice

No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole

adventurous fast-paced

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

5.0

No notes. It was a perfect book for what it

He's trying to win her attention as she competes in goddess's competition ... problem? They are natural enemies and well she wants to kill him and honestly he hates what he is too so he gets it.

Their dynamic is everything to me. So tension filled and yet sexy?! If you liked the relationship dynamic in hurricane wars this is right up your alley.

Sebastian is MY TYPE & I feel a bit winded from blushing so much. Dark, brooding hermit who is a stacked warrior but is also shy around women?! Gimmie 14 of em right now.

And I'm still not over VALKYRIES AS MAIN CHARACTERS?! perfection

Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I feel like a cat purring and headbutting these books. 

Jessa wrote grief wee too well for me 😅 

A perfect conclusion to beej and magnolias story. They are my children now and I’ll love and defend them for all eternity. 

I feel a-bit adrift since finishing because I’ll always miss them. 

Ps. 

What THE heck was going on with our gang lord friends? It felt like they had invited over everyone too their house for tea but that the house was actively on fire and they were just pretending that the smoke wasn’t there 😂 I was stressing for them and IDK WHATS GOING ON?! 

Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing: Book 4 by Jessa Hastings

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Right so respectfully f*#^ you Jessa Hastings.  

Because how DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU. 

I knew what was going to happen and yet some how knowing MADE IT WORSE. WORSE. SO MUCH WORSE. 

And another thing; I thought this book would make me not like magnolia for some reason but it made me FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. like down bad. 

And the f- no I’m a professional book reviewer I won’t swear 

NO YOU KNOW WHAT 

FUCK THIS TRAGIC LOVE THAT IM OBSESSED WITH. 

(No one tell my baby beej)

Jessa. When I CATCH YOU JESSA? Jessa. One eye open.  ONE EYE OPEN

Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My brain chemistry has been permanently altered. 

First 100 ish pages I cried and cried and then cried more. I stopped reading and then just cried as I went about cooking dinner and staring at walls. Mostly for them partly for me. Sometimes books find you when you need to confront things ya know? It gives you the ok to feel for yourself in a way that sometimes life and time don’t give you the chance too. How feeling for the characters is actually empathy for yourself. 

Beej. Beej. My darling boy. He’s one of my soul characters. Wormed his way in and made himself right at home in my heart. I quite like him there. The way he loves is otherworldly. (Toxic but shut up.) 

Magnolia is my favorite brat. I find her strangely endearing. 

And 
J
U
L
I
A
N

Julian.  Mf. Haites. 

Clutch my pearls. That man.  Most iconic scene I’ve ever read was in this book. Forever will I look back and chuckle when I need a laugh. 

These books. Man. A whirlwind of emotions and happy to be caught in the storm.