(DreamTogether Breeding Program #4) Bred by the Satyrs by Lyonne Riley review

 

Bred by the Satyrs by Lyonne Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4 Spice

And the last book went out with a bang. Why choose, cozy, slice of life, and buckets of drama and spice.

I think this might be the longest of the four books in this series, which was a great idea because I do not think it would have been as fun if it had been shorter. One of the main problems with why choose books that have multiple MMCs is that they can all start to feel the same or come across a little flat. I found that I knew everyone in this book, and they all had clear personalities.

While it is not the best why choose book I have ever read, it was quick, fun, packed with spice and drama, and had a clear storyline, even if it was not especially deep.

I could easily eat this book up while drinking a cup of tea and eating a biscuit. Given the length of the book, I think the author did a great job of fitting so much into it. Sure, there were things I would have loved to see changed or expanded on, but overall it was an easy read.

If you like a quick, dirty, fun read with more than one monster love interest, then this might be the book for you.

The highlights for me had to be the upped stakes in this book. Everything felt more important, and the ending had a much bigger payoff. I also loved getting to see a different group of monsters in each book. That was one of my favorite parts of the whole series.

The only thing I really wished for was that the books had been longer. I would have happily read another hundred pages or so if it meant getting even more time with the characters and story.

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(DreamTogether Breeding Program #3) Bred by the Minotaur by Lyonne Riley review

 

Bred by the Minotaur by Lyonne Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

And that's book 3 read in record time! The books in this series are pretty short so far, ranging from around 150 to maybe 250 pages at the most. They are simply drama filled monster romances with lots of spice.

I think this one might be my new favorite out of the three books. It has, by far, been the cutest and coziest in terms of overall feel, and I really loved Milo. Adorable!

The MMC was a total cinnamon roll, and I saw no red flags, which was a welcome change. I loved the family vibes and the way the relationship progressed. It had a sweetness to it that I really enjoyed.

If I was going to pick a hole in it, I would say it lacks the depth of longer books simply because it is so short. But for what it is, and for the length of the book, I really cannot be disappointed. It is quick, sweet, and packed with plenty of spice.



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(DreamTogether Breeding Program #2) Bred by the Dragon by Lyonne Riley review

 

Bred by the Dragon by Lyonne Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

Spice heavy, monster romance, emotional, slice of life sort of read.

This happens to be the second book in the DreamTogether Breeding Program series. I would say I liked this one a touch better than the first due to one trope from the first book not being in this one. Thank heavens!

This book is shorter than the first, and honestly, it does not give me a lot to review apart from being a short, easy, spicy read.

If you are after something with a lot of depth or a strong storyline, this is probably not for you. But I do think these books, and the one before it, make great in between reads. If you have just finished something really deep and emotional and need a break with something fun, mindless, and easy to fly through, this series definitely gives you that.

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Bred by the Wolfman by Lyonne Riley review

 

Bred by the Wolfman by Lyonne Riley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

Quick, fun, and drama filled.

I would say this might be a monster romance book, but you also get a lot of real life relationship drama in books like these, and this one is no different.

It is a pretty easy read, and honestly, there is not a lot of focus needed to get through it. There were a few things I simply hated, but that is more down to me not liking those particular tropes. I know plenty of other readers who do enjoy them.

The story is pretty simple, and there is a lot of spice and relationship focused content in this book, but not a lot else really.

Overall, it was a quick, easy read that kept me entertained, even if it was not anything particularly groundbreaking.



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Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon review

 

Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

Well... what can I say but... if you like your books to be 80 percent spice and the rest story, then this is for you.

Everything in me said I should dislike it, but here I am giving it 4 stars because it was quick, fun, and mostly dirty. I think if the book had been longer, there could have been a real story added, lol. But alas, I will have to live with just the smut.

I do not think this book will be for everyone. The spice leans more toward the softer BDSM side, and there are whole chapters dedicated to it. It is not just sprinkled throughout the story; it is the core of the book.

I think if you like the Cambric Creek series by C. M. Nascosta and books with a similar vibe, then you will definitely enjoy this one.

If you are looking for a short, easy, mindless, spice heavy read with just enough story to tie it all together, then I think you will have a great time with this book.

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(Naga Brides, #1) Viper by Naomi Lucas review

 

Viper by Naomi Lucas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

Do you like your flags red? Do you like your males monstrous? And still like a little story as well? Then you have come to the right place, my friend.

I started reading this book and kept rolling between liking it and disliking it, then back again. Here is the thing, maybe I like my male leads more on the cinnamon roll side and less on the "he sees a female, clubs her over the head, and throws her over his shoulder" sort of side.

I still stayed and read the WHOLE thing, and it was quick and super entertaining. It is a great book to kill some time with and mindlessly read if you want something fast, spicy, and packed with a few very big red flags throughout.

I use the word plot loosely because I would say the smut and the story sort of go hand in hand. So if you want something with a much stronger focus on the story, this might not be the book for you.

If you are after a cozy read with a soft, caring male lead... run. Run away. This book is totally not for you.

While it was quick and fun to read, I would say there were a few things that really ticked me off. So if you are anything like me, you are going to have to take a big breath, cover one eye, and pretend you do not see it... that your blood is not boiling. 😂

But honestly, it was a fun, quick read. I liked the overall idea of the story, and I hope it gets even better as the series goes on.

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Breathless Breathless by Cat Wynn review

 

Breathless by Cat Wynn
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

⭐ 1 Star
🌶️ 1 Spice

Ugh, I wanted to pull my own hair out and beat our FMC with it. I do not think I have ever met such an unlikable lead in my life. The fact is, it does not matter if you give her a heartbreaking backstory that is meant to pull at your emotions. If she acts like a complete butt hole, has the personality of a brat who always wants her own way, and constantly disregards what everyone else wants, that does not make for a good lead. She infuriated me to no end. I wanted to scream at her.

The fact is, she begins the book with a social disorder and trauma that stops her from going outside and interacting with the outside world. However, when the plot decides it is necessary, she magically overcomes all of this with no real character growth to support it. To make matters worse, later on, when she is faced with someone with a similar disposition, she instantly dismisses it in favor of her own feelings.

There were moments where I 100 percent felt for her. My heart genuinely bled for her. But she would immediately throw all of that away by making another awful decision or acting in a way that made her incredibly difficult to like.

The truth is, she was not too bad at the start of the book, but by the halfway point, I was just about ready to DNF and throw in the towel.

Sadly, here I am after finishing it instead, wondering... what on earth was this? The story could have been GREAT. I mean SOOO good. But instead, I got a patchy storyline where several moments felt like they had been thrown in randomly, with no rhyme or reason. It felt like the story was trying to patch over massive plot holes but only ended up making everything feel even less coherent. It left me with so many questions, and even by the end a lot of things were still unanswered. I was left confused, muttering, "What??" and scratching my head.

With there being more unlikable characters than likable ones, reading this book felt a bit like having my fingernails pulled out. I struggled not to skim read and had to force myself to keep going at every turn. Every time things started looking up, the rug was pulled out from under my feet, and I was right back to square one.

Now, if I overlook my raging dislike for several of the characters and cover one eye to ignore the massive problems with the story, I am still left with subpar spice that honestly might as well not have been there.

It is really, really hard to enjoy a book when almost everything is pushing you toward Dislike Town at breakneck speed.

There were a couple of things that were not totally horrible. The FMC's best friend was solid, even if I wish she had been developed more to feel like a real person rather than just someone who appeared when needed. Then there was the MMC. He was not totally horrible either... though at this point I feel like I am grasping at straws.

Sadly, to sum it all up... nope.

It was very nearly a DNF for me. I hardly ever give out 1 star ratings, but I genuinely struggled to find enough positives to rate it any higher.

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Sheer Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Sheer Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

This book does not follow directly after the original three books. Instead, it is a standalone spin off set in the same world, and I think it wraps up the overall series well.

I loved Belren in the original series, and I hated how things ended for him in book 3. I was honestly so upset. So getting to read book 4 and finally have the closure I wanted so badly was fantastic, and I was totally here for it.

There is still plenty of fun, sass, and banter, but there is a little less of it than in the first three books. I actually found that the slightly more serious tone mixed with the comedy and banter worked really well. I think the book balanced those elements nicely.

I will say I would have loved a bigger bang at the end and a little more wow, but overall, I found the book easy to read and enjoyed it as a standalone story.

I do think the book could have been a little shorter, as there were parts that felt like unnecessary filler, but otherwise it was a fun and super easy read.

There was a little spice, but it really did not do much for me. No need for ice water here, but overall it was a solid read.

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Crimes of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Crimes of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

It seems like Emelle's story has come to an end, and honestly, as the third book in the series, it had all the key things the previous books did. Banter, sass, and an easy story to follow.

That being said, I did have a few problems with this one, the biggest being our FMC. I felt like there were a few things she would have done FIRST, well before making some of the choices she did. It felt a little out of character for her. I also felt like she gave up at one point and just moved on like it was nothing, which pulled me out of my little happy reading bubble.

That said, it was still really fun to read and easy to follow. I never struggled to understand what was going on.

The spice throughout the series has never really wowed me, but I have been fine with that because I love the fun vibes. However, this book took a more serious turn, and I felt that the jokey nature of the series clashed quite hard with what was happening. Again, that pulled me out of the story a little.

Overall, I thought the series was a lot of fun. I think book 2 is still my favorite, with book 3 being my least favorite. I would have liked the humor to have been better placed at times. If you are going to create a unique, funny book but also include really heartbreaking moments and emotional pain, then I think you need to pull back on the jokes and sass during those heavier scenes unless they blend together naturally.

Overall, it was a solid read. I finished it in a short amount of time and would happily read it again.

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Bonds of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Bonds of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

Book 2 of this series was much bigger than the first one, and boy was I glad. There was so much more going on in this one than in book 1. It was still really easy to read and not too complicated. There were still lots of laughs, sass, and banter, but there was also so much more drama. There were even a few moments where I was genuinely worried about what might happen, so book 2 totally upped the stakes, and I was completely here for it.

The spice was definitely stronger in this one than in the first book, but it is not simply filled with smut. I would say the spice is still on the lighter side. It fits the story really well, but if you are after something that is spice heavy and enough to have you fanning yourself, this series is probably on the lower end of the scale.

I would say my favorite part was still the story itself. I loved seeing where it was leading and wondering what was going to happen next. As I said before, I have never read a book centered around a cupid before, so I am really enjoying the fun, cheesy uniqueness of it.

I do think book 2 took a much more serious turn and raised the stakes, so I cannot wait to see what book 3 has in store for me.

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Signs of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Signs of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️Half a Spice

First time reading a book with a cupid in it, and honestly, it was a lot of fun.

I loved the banter and really liked the way the book was set up, giving us a better idea of our lead and her life before anything big happened. I really felt for her, and she was a TOTAL sass bag. I was absolutely here for it.

The book is pretty simple to read, very easy to follow, and the storyline is easy to grasp. It was mindless fun, but it had enough substance to keep me reading and wanting to find out what happened next.

I will say, if you are hoping to read something with SUPER RICH DEPTH, maybe this one is not for you. But if you are after a quick, fun, and super easy read with great banter and enough going on to keep you entertained, then this book is definitely for you.

I finished the whole book in about 3 to 4 hours, and it was just really easy to fly through, needing very little brain power.

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For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn review

 

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

What an unusual book. Hells bells, did I not know what I was getting into when I started this one.

I had never heard of this book before and happened to pick up a second hand copy by chance. Unsure what to read next, I grabbed it without even reading the back because I wanted to surprise myself.

Well... it was NOT what I expected at all.

This book covers a detailed interpretation of the afterlife, and honestly, I flipping loved the way it was imagined and how the author portrayed it. The idea that the end does not always have to be a true ending, that sometimes it can simply be the beginning of something new, a chance to heal and become more, was a premise I absolutely adored. It made for a fascinating and unique reading experience.

Bal was a massive GREEN FLAG. Honestly, he was as sweet as honey, and I was overwhelmed by how much joy his personality brought to the story. The way he and Lily bounced off one another was wonderful. The characters, settings, and details were fun to read about, and I found the book easy to follow. Some of the characters really stood out, and I loved the friendships and family dynamics. It was heartwarming and, at times, very emotional.

That said, I did have some problems with the book.

For one, given the subject matter, it felt strange to have such cozy, fluffy vibes while also touching on some very dark lives and experiences. The afterlife itself was portrayed beautifully, but where was the WOW after that? Where were all the events I wanted to see unfold? Where was the action? Where were the moments that could have elevated this from good to unforgettable?

Now, I love a cozy read, but this book felt like it had the potential to be so much more. I felt like I spent a lot of time reading about... not much really. It often felt more like a day to day slice of life story, despite having all these fascinating ideas sitting right there, begging to be explored.

That left me a little sad.

I felt like the book was building toward something bigger that never fully arrived. I have a lot of unanswered questions and quite a few things I wish had been explored further. There was so much untapped potential here. The book is fairly long, and there was plenty of room to dig deeper into some of those ideas, but sadly it never quite happened.

I do not hate the book. Not at all. But I was disappointed.

Honestly, if the book had fully committed to being a cozy read and never hinted at all these bigger possibilities, I probably could have given it 4 stars. But because it kept teasing me with glimpses of something more and never fully delivered on them, I have to settle on 3.5 stars.

I think readers who enjoy stories that stay relatively gentle and never really peak into something larger will probably love this. But if you are anything like me and felt teased by all the missed potential, welcome to the club.



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A Spark So Bright by Emma Hamm review

 

A Spark So Bright by Emma Hamm
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars
🌶️ 1 Spice

This is book 3 in the series.

It was a quick, easy read, and I got through the whole thing in just a few hours. Was it one of my favorites in the series? No. I think the first book still remains my favorite of the bunch.

I thought the book was okay, but I did have some fairly big problems with it. The SA content in the book was a lot for me(not detailed on page fyi) . I have read plenty of books with traumatic backstories and difficult experiences for characters, but this one just did not sit right with me. Maybe it was the way it was portrayed, which at times felt more like a crutch to unlock her powers rather than something explored with the depth I expected.

I also did not really connect with Rose. I struggled to fully invest in her story and found myself drifting at times. Thankfully, the author has a very easy writing style, so it was still simple to read and get through.

I do not think I hated the book, but it definitely landed more on the "meh" side for me. I was very much on the fence throughout most of it.

I also think the first part of the book felt a little all over the place. There was a lot of information and events thrown in to catch readers up to the same timeline as the first two books, and honestly, I just was not really here for it.

One thing I did like was Gunnar. He was smart, kind, and a genuine gentleman. I honestly felt a little bad for him at times because he was often just trying to do the right thing. He was definitely the highlight of the book for me and the character I found most likable.

I was also not particularly invested in the spice. There was not much of it in the book, but given the circumstances and themes being explored, I completely understood why.

Overall, it was an okay read. Not bad, not amazing. Just okay.

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