The Never List by Jade Presley Review

 

The Never List by Jade Presley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4 Spice

Well… this book does not hold back. It’s about 400 pages of chaos, and honestly? I didn’t hate it.

From the moment you start reading, you’re swept straight into Rylee’s life. It’s dark, bleak, and messy, and from that jump-off point you’re launched headfirst into secrets, lies, questionable choices, and an absolute mountain of spice. I ate this book up and genuinely enjoyed it.

I really liked the overall storyline and how everything was set up, but there were definitely things that didn’t fully work for me. I’m not a huge fan of books that feel more spice than substance, and at times I felt like there should have been more build-up between bonds and relationships. Some of the time jumps were a bit jarring one moment you’re here, and suddenly you’re three weeks later in a sunshine-and-happiness phase without enough transition. I really wanted to see how we got there.

That said, there was a clear and interesting storyline running through the book, and I think with a few tweaks this could have been a spectacular read. That’s just my opinion, of course.

For everything I really enjoyed, there were things that pulled me out a little but overall, it was a super fun read. I wasn’t thrilled with the ending… mostly because now I have to wait for the next book. The ending itself was shocking, and I was genuinely screaming as I hit the last page. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t pull my hair out.

I really appreciated the emotional damage shown within families, as well as the clear themes of corruption and darkness as we learn more about the political structure and day-to-day power plays.

Overall? Solid read, and I’m glad I picked it up.

What I Liked:
The legends of chaos.
The general storyline.
The detail around the different social classes.
The rage certain characters made me feel.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
The time jumps.
Insta-spice / moments where spice overtook story.

Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, I would.

Would I Reread?
Yes.

How I’d Sum It Up:
Hot, spicy, and packed with secrets.

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Woven by Gold by Elizabeth Helen review

 

Woven by Gold by Elizabeth Helen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3 spice)
Book two picks up right where book one left off and wow. The way we’re drawn straight into Rosalina’s struggle, watching her try to make it through one day at a time, had me feeling everything. I was emotional, invested, and completely hooked from the start.

✨ Oh my stars, the spice in this book?
The heat could set a house ablaze let alone me! 🔥🔥🔥
It’s so well-written, perfectly placed, and utterly addictive, but it never overshadows the story. The balance between plot and passion is chef’s kiss.

The longing and yearning?
Painful… and deliciously satisfying. 💔❤️‍🔥

This book is packed with action, drama, and emotion. I was never bored—not for a second. Every scene moves the story forward. There’s zero filler; everything is rich with purpose and meaning.
I loved exploring new places in the realm, especially getting a deeper view of Farron and the Autumn Realm. Returning characters and new faces added so much flavor. Some I adored. Some I loved to hate. All were vivid and unforgettable.

Honestly, I might love this book even more than the first one… and I thought book one was perfection. 😍

The character interactions were seamless. The conversations, reactions, and emotional beats felt real, grounding this magical world in such a believable way. And learning more about the Fae princes? Easily one of my favorite parts. Book one introduced them beautifully, but book two gives them so much more depth and dimension. I was obsessed. ✨

This story had me in a chokehold.

It was rich, beautifully detailed, and deeply enjoyable. I flew through the pages, completely lost in every moment. Book two might even have more going on than book one and I loved every second of it. Fast-paced, full of drama, but never overwhelming. It was brilliant chaos at times, hot slow-burning yearning at others, and then moments of emotional depth that absolutely wrecked me. 😭🔥
The book also shines in its exploration of relationships romance, family, friendship. Every bond felt layered, meaningful, and alive.

And that ending?
Just… WOW.
I was blown away. This wasn’t just a joy to read it was a masterpiece. I feel lucky I got to disappear into this world.

Would I recommend this book?
Absolutely. I can’t even put into words how strongly I recommend it. It’s the perfect second book in this series. 💖

Would I reread it?
Without a doubt. I want to reread it again and again until I know the words by heart. 📖

How I’d sum it up:
A breathtaking masterpiece of fantasy, romance, and action stunning from start to finish.

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(Cambric Creek, #3) (Hemming Brothers, #1) Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nascosta review

 

Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic (Cambric Creek, #3) by C.M. Nascosta
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

⭐ 1 Star (almost a DNF)
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

Reviewing this book is hard, because I spent most of my time in a nonstop battle between wanting to DNF it… or eat my Kindle just to have a reason not to finish. But I did push through even though I skimmed huge chunks because I just wasn’t enjoying myself.

It’s sad, because I really liked the first Cambric Creek book, and the second one was good too. This is the third book in the series and the start of the Hemming Brothers series (I believe), but big breath… the leads were pretty unlikeable for me. I felt completely disconnected from them, which made getting into the story nearly impossible. A few chapters in, I was reading through sheer mental willpower rather than enjoyment.

The spice technically existed, but because I wasn’t invested, I barely noticed it. Everyone in the book felt either “meh” or outright annoying, and that constant disconnect made the whole story hard to engage with.

Halfway through, I actually stopped, put my Kindle down, and told myself I’d try again the next day. I rarely give 1-star reviews, and I hate not finishing books, so I wanted to see if maybe it was just me. But when I came back, it was still just… hard. Really hard.

The storyline didn’t grip me at all. I wasn’t emotionally invested in the characters, so I found myself skimming and forcing myself through each page. Honestly, this has to be one of the hardest books I’ve read this year.

That being said, I have really enjoyed other books in this world, so I’ll maybe give it 6 months to a year and try again just to see if anything changes.

What I Liked:
Honestly, very little but I did like that Moriah and Lowell could make each other laugh.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
The storyline
The characters
The overall unlikability and flat interactions
Zero emotional connection

Would I Recommend This Book?
No.

Would I Reread?
Only to double-check my feelings. I dislike giving 1-star reviews, so I always reread low ratings in the future to make sure I still agree.

How I’d Sum It Up:

Emotionally disconnected, with unlikeable characters that left me struggling from start to end.

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(Whispering Grove, #3) Pumpkin Spice, Knotty Nights by Harley Knight review

 

Pumpkin Spice, Knotty Nights by Harley Knight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

So right now I’m curled up on the sofa feeling sorry for myself (yay flu), which means my brain power is at an all-time low. Normally when I’m sick, I stick to audiobooks because reading is a struggle but I stumbled across a post about this book and thought it sounded fun and easy… so I started it. At that point, I had no clue it was book three in the Whispering Grove series.

Thankfully, it didn’t matter. I slipped into the story effortlessly. This feels like the kind of series where you don’t have to read the previous books to enjoy this one. The introduction was fun and easy to get into without being overwhelmed by constant background dumps.

I loved how easy the writing style was. Nothing too heavy or overly descriptive exactly what my flu-fogged brain needed. There were no giant text blocks or endless flashbacks; instead, details were sprinkled in naturally as the story unfolded, letting me slowly understand the characters and their world.

I really felt for the female lead. I loved that she wanted to break away and become more than what she was born into. Maybe it’s because I’m sick and emotional, but her family made me want to hunt them down myself. They were awful heartbreaking and traumatic to watch but she does her best to stay true to herself.

The male leads aren’t perfect angels, but they’re absolutely perfect for her. They want the best for her, and their care was so well written. I felt the warm coziness and sweetness, but the book also had shocking moments, rage, pain, and tension. The banter was hilarious some lines had me laughing through my sniffles and there were tender moments that genuinely touched me.

Sick or not, I totally loved the book. My only real issue was that I wanted more growth from the FL. I wanted her to stand up for herself more, especially when it came to her family. She still bent too easily, even knowing how awful they were. A little more bite would have been perfect.

What I Liked:
Cindy I loved that she fought to be more. She’s likable, sweet, and determined.
Holt, Arrow, and Luke funny, different, and well-detailed backgrounds.
A fun, well-thought-out storyline.
Great spice.
Omegaverse.
Reverse Harem.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
The FL’s lack of backbone with her family.

Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, absolutely.

Would I Reread?
Yes!

How I’d Sum It Up:
A fun, spicy, cozy story filled with heat, drama, and plenty of laughs.

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