30something_reads's Reviews (820)

This was a solid read and just what I needed. 

High fantasy, Romance, Intrigue

✔️✔️✔️

Full review coming but I am definitely going to be reading the next one (and the prequel novella!)

Will definitely come back to this- just not in the mood currently 

It's fine. I'm fine. I only cried like through half of this 😭

Nick's mom is my mom role model now. ❤️

"Love can't cure a mental illness."

"...But also knowing that sometimes people need more support than just one person can give. That's love, darling" 

This volume delves deep into mental illness and the road to recovery but still manages to be so sweet and adorable. Nick and Charlie are my adopted sons now.

"It's not going to be a straight forward journey. Haha, since when is anything i do straight?. 😆

I CANT STOP!

I think this is my favorite volume yet. ❤️

Supportive friend groups.

"There's this idea that if you're not straight, you HAVE to tell all of your family and friends immediately, like you owe it to them. But you don't. You don't have to do anything until you're ready." 🥺🥺🥺

Nick and Charlie becoming more comfortable with themselves and being out as a couple. 

"You don't get to ambush me into forgiving you in front of everyone. One sorry doesn't make up for all of the things you said. So congrats on your incredibly difficult realization that gay people actually do have feelings and have a nice life." ✊🏻

THE ART TEACHER AND THE SCIENCE TEACHER LOVE CONNECTION 😆❤️ I love that for them.

Ugh brb just going to go finish crying over how sweet and supportive Nick's mom is 😭😭❤️❤️❤️

Volume 2 was just as adorable as the first. A cute cast of supportive side characters giving the boys the side eye since it's so obvious they're together. 



And Harry deserved that punch to the face. 👊🏻👊🏻

Um. THIS HAD NO RIGHT BEING SO DAMN ADORABLE.

Charlie and Nick are simply the cutest. 


And these loveable little side characters:

Tori: *appears* "I don't think he's straight."

Sai: "So Nick has a crush on Charlie, right?"

Miss Singh: "... Anyway, it's very rude to speculate about people's sexuality. Go home, lads."

Nellie: "Borf. Bork." ❤️


Anyways. Going to binge the next 3 volumes tomorrow.

I mean, I knew what I was getting into with this and, overall, I enjoyed it.

Wes and Zoe were hot. 

But as I was reading this I was finding myself WAY more interested in Owen? And his little sneaky link and pre-arranged marriage exploits. (Will definitely be excited for his book next).

SPOILER ish:

To be honest, I never enjoy the rape plot. Could have done without that and then the entire epilogue. But eh, to each their own. 

I am reminded why Thrillers are not my go-to genre here. The amount of stress and full-body anxiety I got while reading the last 25% of this book.... Whew!

And after I've taken a step back to process what I just read, I can say that... I had a... Time... while reading this. It wasn't a good time- my heart palpitations can attest to that. But it wasn't a bad time either? 

This was a wild read... One that I might look back on and say "Huh, I think I liked reading that. Maybe I should pick up another Thriller." And then this whole cycle starts over again. 

3.5 ⭐? Maybe 4 ⭐ just for the sheer amount of emotions this made me feel. 

Let me not just rant about my mental stability because there are some things that I really did love about this book:

1. The non linear timeline of the story telling. Very engaging to go back and forth and slowly piece these characters stories together.
2. The "eat the rich" and "fuck all men" vibes. A+
3. The atmospheric depiction of Meroe Island. The history and the superstitions made it really compelling and creepy.

What I was expecting- a short, dirty little novella with smutty smutty smut. Some degradation. A lot of dirty talk. 

What I got- those things to a degree AND kind of a sappy lovey dovey plot with some super sweet cuddles, sleepy sex, awkward relationship insecurities, and a bunch of kooky side characters. ..... Like, it was super cute (!!???)

I actually only ended up reading because I thought the second book in this series was a full novel with these characters. (I was wrong, obviously, but still ended up having a good time with this one. 😆)

And the audio version of this? …. WHEW 🥵 That Audible credit was well spent 😉

Uhh. Meh? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I mean, it is what it says it is. Spicy MM monster novella. But I think, ultimately, it tried to fit too much plot into 87 pages and that resulted in it feeling rushed and undeveloped.

I am more interested in the Barista over anyone else though 🤔