I really enjoyed this book! It’s the ending that clinched the deal for me. I mean it’s not often a twist really truest surprises me but this one got me! 

I guessed a lot of the things that were happening but I still managed to say, “Oh Shit.” At one point so… bonus star!

I’m excited to see the next book and how Brie’s relationship with Finn evolved because I don’t think we got enough of that in this book, it was much more focused on her connection with Ronan. 

There were times I felt the relationship between Brie and any character besides Ronan was very flat and one dimensional. I was especially disappointed by her relationship with Finn, but like I said I think that will change in book two. 

I also couldn’t help but notice that this book felt like a blatant rip off of ACOTAR. Look, I’m all for some fae, I don’t think SJM owns them. BUT, I saw real similarities between Ronan and Tamlin and come on, Finn is def Walmart Rhys! Prince of light and Prince of Shadows vs .High Lord of Spring and High Lord of Night?? He even said things about how the stars that were serialist similar to the famous quotes between Feyre and Rhys. 

Then there is 

how Brie becomes Fae at the end because she’s dying and they turn her to bring her back to like JUST like the end of acotar text

AnyWHO I still enjoyed it and it was different enough to get published and I’m not gonna complain about a fabulous fae book. Can’t wait for book two! Hopefully it’s even better! 

Okay so I read that people were comparing this book to Throne of Glass so I had to check it out. And I found that… they’re not wrong. In fact his book has most popular fantasy romance tropes, then I read the acknowledgments and it all made sense. The author SAYS that they took inspiration from all the books popular on BookTok and combined the best parts. I can tell and yet I can’t help but think it’s smart. They say write what you want to read, right? 

I found the writing itself to be easy and simple, but I’m pretty sure this is a debut so I won’t nitpick. I also know that this is probably a first of many in the series so I’m letting giving this one some legroom (Although I wanted to count how many times the words wine and scars was used). 

The main character, Keera, is an orphan Halfling (mortal and elf?) who is the King’s head assassin and spy. Her backstory made her character as well as her desire to help those like her, other Halflings who are considered less than human under the current king, find freedom. 

Riven was honestly not that interesting to me. A tall, dark, and handsome love interest. However, I think his relationship with Keera will get more interesting. I really liked the bonus chapter in his POV it made me like him more.

3.5 stars 

Okay so I’m not sure if it’s because I’m truly a sucker for any romance at the moment or if it’s because I actually read this at the beach, but I enjoyed this book. 

I really loved the banter between Mac and Cooper. I was really in it for the dialogue between the two of them. 

I also really liked the background for the character Mac. I liked how driven she was and how she slowly got the gumption she needed to kick all the people who treated her like trash. I also liked the BoyfriendFails aspect of everything, it was a cute tidbit to add in and I can see this kind of site being a popular fad or something in reality. 

Against my own core relationship values, I also liked the revenge plot aspect of this story. It added that extra risk to it. I mean would it have been as interesting without? Probably not. Do I want to start MY relationship with lies and anger? No. Am I comfortable with my own morals to enjoy and story about a couple that does? Yup! 

The issue of Mac and Cooper being from “different sides of the track” or basically, one poor one rich, felt cheesy and I’ve seen it done a lot before. It felt like a big meh part of the plot. But I can’t be mad, I knew I wasn’t signing up for anything philosophical or the next great American classic. 

I’m not a huge fan of Kennedy’s Male POVs, it’s all “she makes my dick hard” which I mean, fair enough, but also like can we get a little more about how you FEEL about the female lead? I liked this book better than The Deal though. 

There were a few parts I swooned, chucked out loud, other times I wished we’d pick up the pace. It all kinda of balanced out. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable beach read!

I still can’t believe I’m giving this book 3 stars, but on my rating scale 3 stars is kind of a trashy read but I enjoyed it and this is that book. 

My favorite out of the first three, by far. I think it’s because it was because Kira and Aeheko did not resonate for each other. They chose each other. He calls her Sad Eyes, because she can see that she is unhappy and he makes it his goal to make her smile! There was much less “mine mine mine” cave man attitude in this book and there was a bit more plot with Kira trying to get rid of her ear piece, the kidnappers coming back, and Kira’s background and fears. 

It also took place mostly in the main cave so we saw a lot of other characters which I liked. 

Aeheko is my favorite Alien and Kira is my favorite girl. Together they make my favorite couple! 

Okay, so I read another one? So what? Maybe I’ll read another! What then? 

This one was maybe a little better than the first since Liz wasn’t frolicking in the snow with Raahosh while people were freezing to death. She was also less “woman in distress” than Georgie was (although honestly I would be if I crash landed on an ice planet with aliens). 

It was very caveman-y, all “mine mine mine” which I suppose is the trope this book leans into so I can’t fault it for that entirely I knew what I was getting into. However, I could do with the “I could take her while she’s sleeping” thoughts. No reason to contemplate rape. 

The writing is very repetitive. “He’s tall. He’s gray. He’s grumpy.” You get it.

The main characters (although saying main characters suggests there were OTHER characters in this book than the main couple and there really wasn’t) developed a little by the end of the book so there’s that.

God, I might read the next one because Kira is so cute and the blurb looks like there is more plot… we’ll see! 

I’m kinda having fun with these despite my Debby-downer reviews lmao

Weird…

2 stars for quality and .5 for… I don’t know curiosity? Lmao 

I’ve seen these books everywhere and I resisted for so long, but then I just had to try them. 

Cheesy, trashy read with weird smut that wasn’t very sexy to me because the imagery was really weird. Couldn’t picture much from the description, including the alien men themselves. 

Georgie was meh. Not super interesting, but not super boring as a character.  Just a woman in distress. Was she the “leader” of the kidnapped human woman who crash landed on an ice planet? Yeah, I guess. Did she “mate” with an alien days after meeting him while they were staving, freezing, and being poisoned to death? Yes, definitely. 

I was entertained by the way the men worship the women, they’re all whipped for sure. It’s insta love, but I’m a sucker for a soulmate trope so I didn’t mind that part. (Except Georgie didn’t feel the mate side of it at first so what was her reason for sexing it up while her friends died??). 

Also. Why did she get pregnant? Like huh? That could have been suggested maybe, but not tossed into it in the last 20 pages. 

The unnecessary triggering rape scene at the beginning could have just not been there. 

I can weirdly see why people like this tho? I might read the next one because they’re super easy (I’m 14 books behind my reading goal) and because Liz was one of my fav women in this book and I think book 2 is about her. 

Whatever! No sweat off my back and helps me get to my reading goal!! 

My first 5 star read of this year and probably one of my all time favorites! 

This book was the water to desert dried tongue. I needed to get me out of a massive slump and fill me with the exhilarating feeling of reading a fantastic, heart racing book for the first time. 

I thought the first book was good but this one was amazing. I don’t know how Jenson managed to build characters to love, a world to believe, and politics to fight for in only 331 pages but she did it! 

The thing I loved about the first book was the political intrigue and scheming that worked so well. The romance was second to this and yet I loved it, believed in it, prayed for it! 

Aren and Lara are a couple that you can’t help but root against all odds for. This is quiet possibly the best enemies to lovers I read. It worked here so well. 

If you like a fast paced plot with politics and war as well as a slow burn enemies to lovers plot then this series is for you! 

Rr. 

Got me out of my slump, Feyre is such a comfort character for me. She’s so strong and steady and yet aches for simple pleasures and safety and love from her family. 

Tamlin is meh honestly but I know these books so maybe I’m just biased 🤣

I have very mixed emotions. Unfortunately the one shining through is confusion. 

I’m confused as to why I didn’t quite like this book. I can see why it’s popular as it has all the things that are wanted in books these days: dark fantasy romance, a tall tan dark haired and morally gray love interest for the MC. I mean he’s literally a hot demon prince, like that says it all. 

I found Emilia to eh. Forgetful and a bit stupid at times. She lost her horn being dumb, she went to fight a demon snake without any weapons, she lost her sister’s diary because she just left it in her room unlocked, always forgot how to use her magic to heal people when she needed to. Like? Come on. Her mistakes drove the plot and that is something that always drives me crazy. 

She did have some redeeming moments with her powers, but still…

I also was confused as to why Pride is considered the Devil? Like why him and not the other houses? When she sold her soul to House Pride did she marry him too? Like what? 

Did she break the marriage vow with Wrath at the end? Like I’m confused about that too.  

I don’t know if I’m confused because the author purposefully made things confusing so she could write more books, but that just doesn’t seem like the case. Yes there are lose ends but I feel like other things I just not explained well. 

Even when her grandmother explained the prophecy it wasn’t really explained. And Antonio killed the girls (as I predicted from the start) but he didn’t cut out their hearts it seems so even the deaths aren’t solved. 

Anywho. I guess I’ll read book two to see if things are sorted out. 

I’m mainly just curious to see how this romance progresses which is honestly sad because there was so much more going on with this book and I just don’t find those things super compelling.  

Okay reading that all it sounds like I hated this books which I did not. I liked some of it. But like I said I’m mainly just confused right now. 

While it was slow to start, it this must be said that Jane Austen is the Queen of slow burn, subtle romance of great desires! 

Her wit is unparalleled and I admire her across time as many others do! 

Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne at the end stole my heart! 

Oh my goodness I could cry! 

I found so many characters deliciously disagreeable: her sister Mary, her sister Elizabeth, her father Sir Elliot, then Mr. William Elliot, and even Lady Russel irritated me because they could have been happy 8 years ago. 

Either way I just loved it! I have my sights set on Sense and Sensibility next!