Thank you so much to Merry Mischief Maker for gifting this to me during the 2021 Secret Santa Exchange! === Pretty much everybody I know who read this tThank you so much to Merry Mischief Maker for gifting this to me during the 2021 Secret Santa Exchange! === Pretty much everybody I know who read this thought it was fine, but not as good as they were hoping, and sure enough, that was my experience as well. There were some interesting things here--despite not being a horse person myself I enjoyed Fenn's obvious love of them, the magic and political intrigue had potential, older MCs was a nice touch, I liked that Fenn was allowed to be both gruff/dominant and also soft/vulnerable--but ultimately I just didn't feel like any of it quite landed. The world-building here was a little lacking, not in a way that made me feel particularly lost/confused, but more like it felt that the author hadn't really built a fully-developed world and the gaps were a little frustrating. The ~big climatic event~ particularly coming right on the heels of another reveal/acceptance felt a little forced, and I'm still not entirely sure about how they managed to push off this inevitable war--there was a kind of fuzziness to a lot of the plot/world-building for me. Which was particularly noticeable because the romance was just sort of okay for me. The smut/sexual dynamics here did absolutely nothing for me and felt a little forced/at odds with the rest of the book. I love reading kink, but it felt really forced here, like the author really wanted to write kink and decided she'd do it in this book regardless of if it meshed well. It just didn't land and it ended up sort of tainting the romance for me, because after they started sleeping together I just didn't totally feel their relationship anymore. Basically, this was a fine read, if a little underwhelming.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to Merry Mischief Maker for gifting this to me during the 2021 Secret Santa Exchange! === Pretty much everybody I know who read this thought it was fine, but not as good as they were hoping, and sure enough, that was my experience as well. There were some interesting things here--despite not being a horse person myself I enjoyed Fenn's obvious love of them, the magic and political intrigue had potential, older MCs was a nice touch, I liked that Fenn was allowed to be both gruff/dominant and also soft/vulnerable--but ultimately I just didn't feel like any of it quite landed. The world-building here was a little lacking, not in a way that made me feel particularly lost/confused, but more like it felt that the author hadn't really built a fully-developed world and the gaps were a little frustrating. The ~big climatic event~ particularly coming right on the heels of another reveal/acceptance felt a little forced, and I'm still not entirely sure about how they managed to push off this inevitable war--there was a kind of fuzziness to a lot of the plot/world-building for me. Which was particularly noticeable because the romance was just sort of okay for me. The smut/sexual dynamics here did absolutely nothing for me and felt a little forced/at odds with the rest of the book. I love reading kink, but it felt really forced here, like the author really wanted to write kink and decided she'd do it in this book regardless of if it meshed well. It just didn't land and it ended up sort of tainting the romance for me, because after they started sleeping together I just didn't totally feel their relationship anymore. Basically, this was a fine read, if a little underwhelming....more
I quite enjoyed the first duology in this six-book series, but I think this second duology is even better! For one thing, the characters are no longerI quite enjoyed the first duology in this six-book series, but I think this second duology is even better! For one thing, the characters are no longer teenagers--this taking place five years after the end of book 2, putting the Hellions in their mid-twenties--and I think the author did a great job showing the ways in which they've all matured, while also showing they still have their faults. We also get the POV of both the main characters in these two, and while I think the single POV in the first two books was the right call for the story being told there, it necessarily provided a bit of distance from Javier as a character--necessary, because he's a bit of a mysterious dick--but it was nice not to need that obfuscation here, because both Elezar and Skellen are really compelling characters, and it was wonderful to get in both of their heads. The romance is great, the plot compelling, the world-building continues to be fascinating, and I really enjoyed the strong friendships and that we got to see Javier and Kiran and Atreau in really substantial and satisfying ways that also felt incredibly natural to the plot. I'm incredibly excited to read Atreau & Fedeles' books next as it seems like the final duology will focus on the two of them and their separate love interests... maybe?
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I quite enjoyed the first duology in this six-book series, but I think this second duology is even better! For one thing, the characters are no longer teenagers--this taking place five years after the end of book 2, putting the Hellions in their mid-twenties--and I think the author did a great job showing the ways in which they've all matured, while also showing they still have their faults. We also get the POV of both the main characters in these two, and while I think the single POV in the first two books was the right call for the story being told there, it necessarily provided a bit of distance from Javier as a character--necessary, because he's a bit of a mysterious dick--but it was nice not to need that obfuscation here, because both Elezar and Skellen are really compelling characters, and it was wonderful to get in both of their heads. The romance is great, the plot compelling, the world-building continues to be fascinating, and I really enjoyed the strong friendships and that we got to see Javier and Kiran and Atreau in really substantial and satisfying ways that also felt incredibly natural to the plot. I'm incredibly excited to read Atreau & Fedeles' books next as it seems like the final duology will focus on the two of them and their separate love interests... maybe?...more
Short and smutty freebie set in the Ys world, which I wanted to like much more than I did. It was fine, but I found the POV character to be a little eShort and smutty freebie set in the Ys world, which I wanted to like much more than I did. It was fine, but I found the POV character to be a little exhausting and not particularly likeable. A large part of what made me pick up this book was wanting more of the Ys world-building, and given this was super light on that aspect, and with a MC I didn't really connect with, this one was a bit of a miss.
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Short and smutty freebie set in the Ys world, which I wanted to like much more than I did. It was fine, but I found the POV character to be a little exhausting and not particularly likeable. A large part of what made me pick up this book was wanting more of the Ys world-building, and given this was super light on that aspect, and with a MC I didn't really connect with, this one was a bit of a miss....more
I continue to really enjoy this universe!! This book and the next focus on one of the Hellions from the first two books, and it was cool4.5 rounded up
I continue to really enjoy this universe!! This book and the next focus on one of the Hellions from the first two books, and it was cool to learn more about him and the world overall. The plot was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the characterizations and relationship build. We get both POVs in this book, which I think worked well. We also get several fun cameos of characters from the earlier books in a way that felt natural and didn't distract. Unlike book one, this book's ending felt fairly self-contained, so I'm very curious to see the direction things go in book 2!
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4.5 rounded up
I continue to really enjoy this universe!! This book and the next focus on one of the Hellions from the first two books, and it was cool to learn more about him and the world overall. The plot was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the characterizations and relationship build. We get both POVs in this book, which I think worked well. We also get several fun cameos of characters from the earlier books in a way that felt natural and didn't distract. Unlike book one, this book's ending felt fairly self-contained, so I'm very curious to see the direction things go in book 2!...more
Overall, I quite enjoyed this one. I thought the story was really heartwarming and unique, and I loved reading a romance with main chara3.5 rounded up
Overall, I quite enjoyed this one. I thought the story was really heartwarming and unique, and I loved reading a romance with main characters who aren't super hot or traditionally attractive. I really loved Brute, the background characters were well-rendered, and the overall story was interesting. There was just... something about the book that niggled at me and didn't quite turn this into a love, and I have a hard time placing my finger on it. Something about the transition of Grey and Brute's relationship from friends to lovers felt a bit sudden and rushed, maybe? And there were a few others things that didn't quite feel satisfying, like the mostly off-screen smut. IDK, it was still quite good, and I'd definitely recommend, if only for the uniqueness of the read.
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3.5 rounded up
Overall, I quite enjoyed this one. I thought the story was really heartwarming and unique, and I loved reading a romance with main characters who aren't super hot or traditionally attractive. I really loved Brute, the background characters were well-rendered, and the overall story was interesting. There was just... something about the book that niggled at me and didn't quite turn this into a love, and I have a hard time placing my finger on it. Something about the transition of Grey and Brute's relationship from friends to lovers felt a bit sudden and rushed, maybe? And there were a few others things that didn't quite feel satisfying, like the mostly off-screen smut. IDK, it was still quite good, and I'd definitely recommend, if only for the uniqueness of the read....more
I really wanted to love this one, and there was definitely some interesting stuff here, but ultimately it didn't quite work for me. Th2.5 rounded down
I really wanted to love this one, and there was definitely some interesting stuff here, but ultimately it didn't quite work for me. The world-building here was interesting, if a little unclear, and I enjoyed the characters a lot, but I just sort of felt confused/like I wasn't quite on the same page as the author. This happens sometimes in books and I always have a hard time articulating exactly what the issue is, but it's almost like the author has such a clear picture of the characters and their backstory and motivations and past interactions etc that they forget we're not in their head and can't actually glean all of that information from the sparse and jumpy dialogue. Actually, I'm *just* now realizing that I had a very similar issue with one of this author's earlier books, but it's been nearly a decade since that one was written, the genre is quite different, and I've read/enjoyed so many of their books since that I only just now made that connection, so clearly this (for me) something to keep an eye on with this author. Again, it's such a shame, because there were definitely some cool concepts here and I did enjoy the characters and their dynamic, but the plot and the way things developed between them was really confusing and hard to follow because I just didn't feel like the author was really completing their thoughts/giving us enough information to really follow the threads.
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2.5 rounded down
I really wanted to love this one, and there was definitely some interesting stuff here, but ultimately it didn't quite work for me. The world-building here was interesting, if a little unclear, and I enjoyed the characters a lot, but I just sort of felt confused/like I wasn't quite on the same page as the author. This happens sometimes in books and I always have a hard time articulating exactly what the issue is, but it's almost like the author has such a clear picture of the characters and their backstory and motivations and past interactions etc that they forget we're not in their head and can't actually glean all of that information from the sparse and jumpy dialogue. Actually, I'm *just* now realizing that I had a very similar issue with one of this author's earlier books, but it's been nearly a decade since that one was written, the genre is quite different, and I've read/enjoyed so many of their books since that I only just now made that connection, so clearly this (for me) something to keep an eye on with this author. Again, it's such a shame, because there were definitely some cool concepts here and I did enjoy the characters and their dynamic, but the plot and the way things developed between them was really confusing and hard to follow because I just didn't feel like the author was really completing their thoughts/giving us enough information to really follow the threads....more
Intriguing premise, and I enjoyed the writing quality, but I wasn't sold on the pairing. Grif starts out as a real asshole with fucked2.5 rounded down
Intriguing premise, and I enjoyed the writing quality, but I wasn't sold on the pairing. Grif starts out as a real asshole with fucked-up and abusive tendencies, and I think if the author wanted to start him at such a low point, the book needed to be a hell of a lot longer with a much slower burn to work for me. Kiernan is essentially entirely dependent on him for survival, and the build of feelings on his part felt really rushed given how their relationship started and the super unequal power imbalance between the two, so it just felt a bit icky for me. I think if things had progressed more slowly and we'd seen Grif take any kind of accountability for his shitty behavior I may have felt differently, but alas, we did not get that.
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2.5 rounded down
Intriguing premise, and I enjoyed the writing quality, but I wasn't sold on the pairing. Grif starts out as a real asshole with fucked-up and abusive tendencies, and I think if the author wanted to start him at such a low point, the book needed to be a hell of a lot longer with a much slower burn to work for me. Kiernan is essentially entirely dependent on him for survival, and the build of feelings on his part felt really rushed given how their relationship started and the super unequal power imbalance between the two, so it just felt a bit icky for me. I think if things had progressed more slowly and we'd seen Grif take any kind of accountability for his shitty behavior I may have felt differently, but alas, we did not get that....more
An enjoyable conclusion to the series overall, but I'm a bit bummed that the last two books are my least favorite of the series. Somewha3.5 rounded up
An enjoyable conclusion to the series overall, but I'm a bit bummed that the last two books are my least favorite of the series. Somewhat mends one of my quibbles in the first book of the duo, which is that we do finally get appearances from our book 1-4 favorites, though not nearly as much as I'd have personally preferred. I continued to find Fedeles and Aziz's relationship to be bland and uninspiring--I never really bought into the build between them, which undermined my ability to care about them, or to feel their connection at all. I loved Atreau and Narsi, and I dearly wish the book had exclusively focused on them. Partially influenced by the fact that while the stakes in this conclusion felt properly high, the way everything came about felt a little silly, particularly when compared to the villains and battles in book 2, which just felt a little grander, despite the fact that the scale of destruction in this one had such higher potential.
I did enjoy it, and I think this duology is worth reading for Atreau and Narsi, but particularly compared to how amazing the second two books were in this series, this conclusion fell a smidge flat....more
I enjoyed this one, but unfortunately it's my least favorite in the series so far. This one is a slightly departure from the previous two duologies inI enjoyed this one, but unfortunately it's my least favorite in the series so far. This one is a slightly departure from the previous two duologies in this series in that there are really four main characters and two primary couples, which I do think is a large part of why I didn't enjoy it as much. It was too broad of a focus for me, and I vastly preferred one of the pairings/related characters more than the others, so it dragged for me whenever it was focusing on the other two. I also wonder if part of the problem here is that Fedeles wasn't really much featured in the last duology, and his presence in the first was underneath a curse, so we haven't really had a chance to get to know him at all, unlike Atreau, who was a prominent side character in the last duology, setting him up nicely for us to care about his arc. I really enjoyed both him and Narsi, and though the build has been quite a bit slower than I'd prefer for the end of the first book, I still am very much enjoying.
With Fedeles, I just don't really care much about him at all--he's unrecognizable from the character we met in earlier books, and I just find him a little dull and underdeveloped. While I find Aziz a compelling character, the build between him and Fedeles felt really rushed to me -- I feel like we needed to see them more before the start of this book to not feel dumped in the middle of things without connection or context.
The tone of this one is also a bit different, with higher stakes and more political machinations. I didn't love the tone shift as much, though I think that's influenced by my lack of connection to half of the main characters in the book. I am also a bit bummed that the MCs from the previous books haven't really factored in much at all. That was my worry upon reading the summary, and it makes sense geographically, but having loved the first four books so much, the departure here in tone, set-up, and character is a bit of a detractor.
I did still enjoy it, and I remain cautiously hopeful about the conclusion, but this one didn't enthrall me as much as the first four books did....more
Short and sweet MM retelling of Cinderella. I enjoyed the adaptations and the connection between the characters, but the ending felt a l3.5 rounded up
Short and sweet MM retelling of Cinderella. I enjoyed the adaptations and the connection between the characters, but the ending felt a little rushed and overly simplistic....more
Honestly the fact that I read and managed to enjoy book 1 was an aberration, and I was fairly certain (especially with the gap between publishiDNF ~7%
Honestly the fact that I read and managed to enjoy book 1 was an aberration, and I was fairly certain (especially with the gap between publishing) that book 2 would not hold my interest, but I wanted to at least give it a try. But the saccharine domesticity just wasn't for me, and I couldn't manage to care about any of the characters. ...more
I'm really enjoying this author, and the Middle Lands series in particular is just lovely! There's a gentleness to these stories that do4.5 rounded up
I'm really enjoying this author, and the Middle Lands series in particular is just lovely! There's a gentleness to these stories that does not equal fluff and sappiness--they're comforting. I also find the magical system and worldbuilding to be quite fascinating, and Tal's 'luckiness' was particularly interesting! Compelling characters, lovely build between the MCs, and just a fun read all around! The ~mystery~ plot was a little under-baked, but I hardly minded....more
Lovely historical fantasy MM romance, which is apparently a retelling of the Bisclavret story (though I hadn't realized it was an adaptation when I reLovely historical fantasy MM romance, which is apparently a retelling of the Bisclavret story (though I hadn't realized it was an adaptation when I read it), featuring a bisexual werewolf who falls in love with his demisexual king. Sweet, well-written, and (sadly) smut free. Satisfying as is, though I would have gladly read a full-length with these two!...more
Absolutely delightful! Functions as a bit of a prequel to Magician, though they both work as standalone's, and it was fun to be back in this world. LoAbsolutely delightful! Functions as a bit of a prequel to Magician, though they both work as standalone's, and it was fun to be back in this world. Lovely characters, wonderful writing, and just a very cosy, heart-warming read....more
Fantasy novella with some really fascinating world-building! I enjoyed the characters a lot, but this is a best friends to lovers situation, which canFantasy novella with some really fascinating world-building! I enjoyed the characters a lot, but this is a best friends to lovers situation, which can sometimes feel a little... unsatisfying for me, and in this case in particular I definitely found myself missing some of the build of their initial friendship. The romantic build was nicely paced here, but it felt a little off because they were already so very close. Similarly, while I do think the plotting was interesting, it ends with a sort of "won the battle, but not yet the war" situation, which also felt somewhat unsatisfying knowing that there are no future books. I still quite liked it, but the execution and choices here weren't 100% a hit for me....more
Like so many of this author duo's works, there's some really promising bones, but the execution is lacking. The world here was interesting, anDNF ~45%
Like so many of this author duo's works, there's some really promising bones, but the execution is lacking. The world here was interesting, and I liked the characters (and side characters) well enough, as well as the premise itself, but the nuance and dynamics felt all wrong. Not nearly enough bite and grit for the enemies to lovers concept, and the sexual attraction stuff felt really forced and lacking in any kind of built or satisfying subtlety. I wanted more from this....more
This author was recommend as a good one to give a go if you enjoy Amy Rae Durreson, and based off this read, I would say that was a great rec! EnjoyabThis author was recommend as a good one to give a go if you enjoy Amy Rae Durreson, and based off this read, I would say that was a great rec! Enjoyable read with lovely and compelling characters and a really cool magical system. There were a few more typos than I'd prefer but it was to the point of mega frustration, and this is meant to be a sort of sequel/spin-off to one of the author's novellas, which was slightly more obvious than is ideal RE references to past events. But those were minor issue on the whole, and overall I thought this was a lovely, cozy, charming read for MM fantasy fan. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this author's works!...more
Another solid addition to the series that expands the magical world and builds nicely upon the previous books. I enjoyed the new setting3.5 rounded up
Another solid addition to the series that expands the magical world and builds nicely upon the previous books. I enjoyed the new setting and more political tone here, and I'm definitely wanting to read more--hopefully the author is able to continue!
I think Durreson is really great at coming up with varied and well-fleshed out characters, but unfortunately, sometimes it means they're quite frustrating. While I loved Arden the dragon (all of the dragon characters have been really great) I found Raif, the POV character, to be quite grating at times. He's quite judgemental and occasionally mean but has zero awareness about this or really about himself, holds people to impossibly high and unrealistic standards, and then acts hurt and wounded when they fail to live up to them. He does grow through a lot of that over the course of the book, but not quite enough for me to love him as fully as I'd have liked....more
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