30something_reads's Reviews (820)

What the actual fuck?
My Garmin is literally telling me my stress levels are too high right now and that I should try taking deep breaths so... bravo, I guess!??

I could not put this book down. I binged it in a single day. I've never read in the YA Thriller/Horror genre but this fucked me right up. Would recommend. 

Freydis Moon just does not miss.

This might actually be my favorite from their entire backlist. Eli and Kye's relationship was absolutely perfect. The way that they bantered. The way that they called each other on their bullshit. The understanding and devotion. I'm obsessed. 

FRTC

 Okay so there are two stories in this book:

1. A modern setting featuring headmaster Ichabod Crane and a jock-y polo player Brom Bones (who is of a headless people.) There is also another headless horseman who remains nameless and all 3 of them have steamy locker room adventures. It was absolutely absurd but made me smile. Creative uses of unattached heads. 👍🏻- ⭐⭐⭐

2. A spooky historical paranormal romance set in Sleepy Hollow. Katrina has always been able to see ghosts and she strikes up a companionship with the ghost of the Headless Horseman. (Who is, in fact, fully headless.) Umm. I did not expect the story to go the way it did but I kind of love it all the same. -⭐⭐⭐⭐

Giving head to the headless seemed like the most altruistic thing she could possibly do. Honestly... that's poetry. 🤌🏻


So yeah, the moral of the story is that I'm into headless horseman erotica I guess. Thanks CM Nascosta 😆❤️ 

 Gwen and Art are NOT in love. But they agree to set their differences aside and pretend to be so everyone else will get off their backs about their engagement while simultaneously covering for one another as they pursue their own romantic interests. Gwen- the gallant lady-knight, Bridgette, and Arthur- well… he's never claimed to be the smartest guy when it comes to love.

This was such a fun little medieval romp filled with silliness and surprisingly heartwarming moments. It was as much about the blooming friendship between Arthur and Gwen as it was about their respective secret romances.

Warning though- at around the 70% mark, there is an extreme shift in tone (that kind of caught me off guard) so CWs for descriptions of graphic physical violence and recovery.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this one! The audiobook was delightful, and the male narrator really nailed Arthur’s cheeky nature.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review* 

I think it was fine? It's a novella so there is only so much time you have to build up an entire relationship from scratch and still make it feel believable.

I really liked our FMC, Xiomara. She is the definition of supporting women's rights AND supporting women's wrongs.

And as far as the MMC, Ink... I liked how much he liked Xiomara being a violent badass. (But I feel like that's the only thing I really learned about him.)

The spice was 🔥 (rough and possessive 👌🏻)

I'm not sure the MC romance genre is for me but it was fun trying something new.

You cannot convince me that this wouldn't have been better if Beatrice and Ysbeta had been the ones to fall in love and sail off into the sunset in pursuit of their magical endeavors. 

But if I set that sapphic dream aside, this was a lovely regency era fantasy that delved into the topics of the patriarchy, feminism, and societal expectations for women to gladly sacrifice their magic in order to become agreeable wives/mothers. 

I wish there had been just a tad more focus on the relationship between Beatrice and Ianthe because those quiet moments together were really dreamy. 

I think the last chapter of this book contains the most wildly unhinged series of events that I have ever read.

A+ for creativity

-50,000 points for making me actually wish there was more explanation for the things that took place here. 

 3.5⭐ I think?

Here's the thing- I adored Callum with my whole heart and I love this story arc for his character. However, this one as a whole did not inspire the same love that I had for the previous 2 books in the trilogy.

I found that there were moments that I was bored between like the 50%-85%. It's been two years since I read the previous books, but I don't remember them having pacing issues quite like this one. There was just a lot left to be desired during all of Everly's training. That last 10% though, I couldn't put it down. And the ending was warm and satisfying.

All of that being said, as far as the relationship dynamic between Callum and Everly? I loved it! I thoroughly enjoyed seeing two switches and the way their power dynamics shifted throughout the book. Delicious. Hot. Loved that for them. 

 "I couldn't stop loving you if my life depended on it. Even if you were sunlight itself, I would still scorch myself to be close to you."

A short story/ almost epilogue told through Alexi's POV.

Decades later and Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi are all living their own lives but still find their ways back to one another.

This was only 14 pages but the absolute love and devotion Alexi has for these women (and they for him) brought me to tears. 🥹❤️ 

 I apologize if you were expecting contrition, my lord. I don't have any to muster.

Holy catharsis, this book was stunning.

Honestly, the writing alone deserves the 5 stars, but the absolute devastation and then vengeance that Constanta suffered and then wrought just sent me spiraling.

And the parallels drawn to the story of Judith beheading Holofernes just TICKLED the right parts of my brain.

ST Gibson has a lifelong fan and I will be greedily devouring the upcoming releases.