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buffyreads's Reviews (575)
I'm still obsessed with Lyonne Riley so I'm continuing through all her works!
This book is an anthology series of six different monster romance pairings. Each story features a different type of monster. The setting for some of the stories involves a place called the Menagerie, a place where monsters can live and be themselves at.
The Good
The wolfman/orc story was my favorite. It was a chaotic start and really set the tone for the rest of the stories to come. There was one about a dinosaur man that had really interesting worldbuilding but I wasn't really into the couple. I also wasn't sure if this took place in the same world as the previous story but I rolled with it because it was a cool set up. I loved the Yeti one. It was sweet and cozy. It took place with someone who worked at the menagerie trying to get a yeti to go live there. There's a merman story and all I could think about is a salt water induced uti. If you like namor from black panther with all the underwater vibes there, you might like this one. This merman was an actual merman though. The workplace werewolf story was really fun! It might have been my favorite, tied with the first story. And the last story focused on a dryad who lived at the menagerie but needed more access to the forest and is taken on a trip with a worker there. It was a really sweet story as well.
Tropes:
— Monster Romance
— Anthology
Horn Level: 5/5
This book is an anthology series of six different monster romance pairings. Each story features a different type of monster. The setting for some of the stories involves a place called the Menagerie, a place where monsters can live and be themselves at.
The Good
The wolfman/orc story was my favorite. It was a chaotic start and really set the tone for the rest of the stories to come. There was one about a dinosaur man that had really interesting worldbuilding but I wasn't really into the couple. I also wasn't sure if this took place in the same world as the previous story but I rolled with it because it was a cool set up. I loved the Yeti one. It was sweet and cozy. It took place with someone who worked at the menagerie trying to get a yeti to go live there. There's a merman story and all I could think about is a salt water induced uti. If you like namor from black panther with all the underwater vibes there, you might like this one. This merman was an actual merman though. The workplace werewolf story was really fun! It might have been my favorite, tied with the first story. And the last story focused on a dryad who lived at the menagerie but needed more access to the forest and is taken on a trip with a worker there. It was a really sweet story as well.
Tropes:
— Monster Romance
— Anthology
Horn Level: 5/5
I read the manga and watched the show but I just knew that I needed to read the light novel to get a better idea and feel for the characters, especially Rae.
The Good
Rae's "coming out" conversation was WAY better in this novel. I loved how it explained that she acts this way as a self-defense mechanism and she understands that it plays into the "predator hyper-homosexual" stereotype but it's how she protects herself from rejection by her peers. This is kinda explained by the manga but it's more apparent in her thoughts.
The Bad
While I understand Rae as a character and that her focus is only on her feelings for Claire, it's a bit annoying in the third act of this book as we get into actual plot and politics. I wanted Claire to show some character development in how she saw commoners but it was lacking. It's hard to really care for her character sometimes when we get her saying such elitist things and slapping her servant. And you could argue that her forgiving Lene at the end was supposed to show her growth in this department but it wasn't because she suddenly felt that commoners were people, it was because Lene had served her loyally for so long. I just want some character development from her and I don't know if we'll get it until she's literally forced to change by plot events I think are coming.
It is also annoying how much Rae doesn't treat Claire like a human being with equal worth to her sometimes. It felt like through her idolization she could never really be real with Claire or challenge her in a real way. This prevented the relationship from developing in any meaningful way and though it improved a little.
Tropes:
— Transmigration
— Obsessive FMC
— Rich girl x Poor Girl
Format: Physical Book
The Rating
I give this book a 3/5
The Good
Rae's "coming out" conversation was WAY better in this novel. I loved how it explained that she acts this way as a self-defense mechanism and she understands that it plays into the "predator hyper-homosexual" stereotype but it's how she protects herself from rejection by her peers. This is kinda explained by the manga but it's more apparent in her thoughts.
The Bad
While I understand Rae as a character and that her focus is only on her feelings for Claire, it's a bit annoying in the third act of this book as we get into actual plot and politics. I wanted Claire to show some character development in how she saw commoners but it was lacking. It's hard to really care for her character sometimes when we get her saying such elitist things and slapping her servant. And you could argue that her forgiving Lene at the end was supposed to show her growth in this department but it wasn't because she suddenly felt that commoners were people, it was because Lene had served her loyally for so long. I just want some character development from her and I don't know if we'll get it until she's literally forced to change by plot events I think are coming.
It is also annoying how much Rae doesn't treat Claire like a human being with equal worth to her sometimes. It felt like through her idolization she could never really be real with Claire or challenge her in a real way. This prevented the relationship from developing in any meaningful way and though it improved a little.
Tropes:
— Transmigration
— Obsessive FMC
— Rich girl x Poor Girl
Format: Physical Book
The Rating
I give this book a 3/5
More christmas monster romance? Yes please!
I love K.L Wyatt and I actually pre-ordered this book and was lucky enough to get an arc a few days early for her new holiday release "Chained to Krampus"
This book follows Holly who was sacrificed to Krampus by her village on Christmas Eve. Holly thinks he plans to get her while Kristof the krampus has something very different in mind...
The Good
This book was so much fun. I liked this Krampus concept a lot and I liked his design! (Check out the commissioned art... you won't be disappointed) This story was fast paced through allowed enough time for me to find the romance between Holly and Krampus to be very sweet and later very steamy.
Tropes:
— Fated Mates
— Insta-love
— Holiday Romance
Horn Level: 5/5
I love K.L Wyatt and I actually pre-ordered this book and was lucky enough to get an arc a few days early for her new holiday release "Chained to Krampus"
This book follows Holly who was sacrificed to Krampus by her village on Christmas Eve. Holly thinks he plans to get her while Kristof the krampus has something very different in mind...
The Good
This book was so much fun. I liked this Krampus concept a lot and I liked his design! (Check out the commissioned art... you won't be disappointed) This story was fast paced through allowed enough time for me to find the romance between Holly and Krampus to be very sweet and later very steamy.
Tropes:
— Fated Mates
— Insta-love
— Holiday Romance
Horn Level: 5/5
I love this series and was so excited to see the release of a new book!
After being set up and sentenced to a prison deadly planet by the corrupt judge she was investigating, Malaya is losing hope of her own survival until the PMA arranges a marriage between her and one if the prison's Wardens.
The Good
I love Abel's take on Incubus and how she made them into their own alien race with aspects taken from their lore but warped in a unique way. I like the idea of them feeding on all strong emotions while also being able to emit emotions to those around them. The world-building in this book was top tier and I loved it. Malaya's story was really interesting and I liked how it tied into the other stories in this universe.
The Bad
I think because I'm not interested in solving mysteries and investigations this story's plot didn't appeal to me like the other one's have. Not to say it wasn't interesting at all. The concept of a corrupt judge in a species know for its justice is cool especially paired with this prison system. But I just don't enjoy investigation mysteries and crime solving stories, especially when I am reading for the monster/alien romance aspect. I felt like the romance wasn't was developed as I would've liked.
Tropes:
— Marriage of Convenience
— Alien Romance
— Wrongfully Accused
Horn Level: 3/5
After being set up and sentenced to a prison deadly planet by the corrupt judge she was investigating, Malaya is losing hope of her own survival until the PMA arranges a marriage between her and one if the prison's Wardens.
The Good
I love Abel's take on Incubus and how she made them into their own alien race with aspects taken from their lore but warped in a unique way. I like the idea of them feeding on all strong emotions while also being able to emit emotions to those around them. The world-building in this book was top tier and I loved it. Malaya's story was really interesting and I liked how it tied into the other stories in this universe.
The Bad
I think because I'm not interested in solving mysteries and investigations this story's plot didn't appeal to me like the other one's have. Not to say it wasn't interesting at all. The concept of a corrupt judge in a species know for its justice is cool especially paired with this prison system. But I just don't enjoy investigation mysteries and crime solving stories, especially when I am reading for the monster/alien romance aspect. I felt like the romance wasn't was developed as I would've liked.
Tropes:
— Marriage of Convenience
— Alien Romance
— Wrongfully Accused
Horn Level: 3/5
Recently a mutual of mine named Brooke reccomended this book to me because she knew I love soft and gentle mmcs and she was absolutely right! This book was so good!
This book follows a grim reaper named Victor and a high fae named Celeste who must get married in order to save Celeste's life. It focuses a lot on their marriage and how they fall in love which I absolutely loved.
The Good
I love Victor. He is peak soft male lead. I liked how much he cares about Celeste immediately and put her wants and needs first. He was so gentle with her and so sincere about treating her as best he could. Celeste was interesting and sweet. I liked the chronic illness representation and that even though she is getting better it wasn't automatic. Their relationship showed how you can be there for your ill partner while also allowing them to have their own personhood and decide their own limits. I liked the slow build between Celeste and Victor as they care more and more for each other. This book was very chill and more fantasy slice of life, there wasn't really a plot other then their relationship and I liked that.
The Bad
While I enjoyed the worldbuilding there was sometimes too much of it added that didn't feel important or necessary for the story. Like do I need to know about the dwarven trading and production? No, not really. I This only happens in the beginning during Victor's parts so it didn't effect my enjoyment much.
Tropes:
— Slow Burn
— Arranged Marriage
— Hurt / Comfort
Horn Level: 3/5
This book follows a grim reaper named Victor and a high fae named Celeste who must get married in order to save Celeste's life. It focuses a lot on their marriage and how they fall in love which I absolutely loved.
The Good
I love Victor. He is peak soft male lead. I liked how much he cares about Celeste immediately and put her wants and needs first. He was so gentle with her and so sincere about treating her as best he could. Celeste was interesting and sweet. I liked the chronic illness representation and that even though she is getting better it wasn't automatic. Their relationship showed how you can be there for your ill partner while also allowing them to have their own personhood and decide their own limits. I liked the slow build between Celeste and Victor as they care more and more for each other. This book was very chill and more fantasy slice of life, there wasn't really a plot other then their relationship and I liked that.
The Bad
While I enjoyed the worldbuilding there was sometimes too much of it added that didn't feel important or necessary for the story. Like do I need to know about the dwarven trading and production? No, not really. I This only happens in the beginning during Victor's parts so it didn't effect my enjoyment much.
Tropes:
— Slow Burn
— Arranged Marriage
— Hurt / Comfort
Horn Level: 3/5
5⭐️ tags: friends to lovers, fake relationship, idiots in love
original language: Chinese
📓Overall Thoughts:
Liang Xusheng is a 27-year-old otaku who lives a content life. His only issue is that he is otherwise supportive and understanding, Mom wants him to get married. Lu Xun is the son of Liang Xusheng's Mom's friend who wants to get married but is too busy with work. The two enter a marriage of convenience! This book was silly and fluffy in all the best ways. The two main characters already cared for each other a lot and were half-way into a relationship, but the marriage and Liang Xusheng's blossoming attraction got them to that final finish line. It was hilarious at times but that made the characters feel more real as they dealt with their messy feelings.
original language: Chinese
📓Overall Thoughts:
Liang Xusheng is a 27-year-old otaku who lives a content life. His only issue is that he is otherwise supportive and understanding, Mom wants him to get married. Lu Xun is the son of Liang Xusheng's Mom's friend who wants to get married but is too busy with work. The two enter a marriage of convenience! This book was silly and fluffy in all the best ways. The two main characters already cared for each other a lot and were half-way into a relationship, but the marriage and Liang Xusheng's blossoming attraction got them to that final finish line. It was hilarious at times but that made the characters feel more real as they dealt with their messy feelings.
4⭐️ tags: ABO, ceo x graduate student, contract relationship, low steam
original language: Chinese
📓Overall Thoughts:
I loved this novel! Ran Hang is a smart university student who had to drop out of academia to support his mom and sickly sister. Huo Siming is a rich ceo who is finally let back into his complicated family business after being sent away because of his omega status. The omegaverse aspects were easy to understand, I'm a bit out of practice with non-fanfic ABO but I quickly remembered how different it can be. I liked the push and pull between Ran Hang and Huo Siming. Their relationship was transactional at first, and Ran Hang needed the money but quickly fell for Huo. This was described as "self-written" meaning the author wrote it because there wasn't a lot of content that suits their tastes, and bless this author because I love dom omega x sub alpha too! Huo Siming chronic pain rep was interesting. It had so much going on with his family while dealing with such terrible and constant pain. I loved the ending and just loved these characters a lot!
original language: Chinese
📓Overall Thoughts:
I loved this novel! Ran Hang is a smart university student who had to drop out of academia to support his mom and sickly sister. Huo Siming is a rich ceo who is finally let back into his complicated family business after being sent away because of his omega status. The omegaverse aspects were easy to understand, I'm a bit out of practice with non-fanfic ABO but I quickly remembered how different it can be. I liked the push and pull between Ran Hang and Huo Siming. Their relationship was transactional at first, and Ran Hang needed the money but quickly fell for Huo. This was described as "self-written" meaning the author wrote it because there wasn't a lot of content that suits their tastes, and bless this author because I love dom omega x sub alpha too! Huo Siming chronic pain rep was interesting. It had so much going on with his family while dealing with such terrible and constant pain. I loved the ending and just loved these characters a lot!
