Hard Bubbles by Leah Legend review

 

Hard Bubbles: A Shifter City Romance by Leah Legend
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

While the book is only three stars, I did not hate it. It was a fun, quick read, but it had some pretty big problems. I think the book either needed a full rework or simply more pages because it was so fast paced and abrupt that I might need a neck brace.

It had a super rushed feel, and everything happened within about a day, which made me feel totally uninvested in the events and action because they had zero weight behind them. I had questions left unanswered even at the end. I also questioned the lead's flip flop nature in general. At the start of the book, the verbiage felt a little weird now and then, but that seemed to settle down about fifty pages in.

That being said, it was fast and fun and asked for very little investment from you as a reader. If you like spice and a little bit of weird in your book and no real drama, it is definitely a fun little read.

I would say if you want to feel love and heart stopping romance, you are not really going to get it here. Due to the speed everything comes at you, it feels more like lust or want. Even with the story, it never feels like much more than that.

In the end, I did have fun, but it just was not something I could fully get into, believe, or feel deeply connected to. It did have some fun spice, but let us just say I was not into what happened in the cave at all. Hard pass from me.

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Diamond Dust by K.F. Breene review

 

Diamond Dust by K.F. Breene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

Well, this is strange. Turns out I really liked book two more than the first book.

When I finished the first book, I gave it three stars. I sort of worked out that my main problem was that this duology is a spin off from a bigger series, and all those characters and the world are built from that. But since I had not read it, I was pretty lost for a while. Thankfully, by the time I finished the first book of this series, I had done the hard work of figuring things out. So when I started Diamond Dusk, I had a better level of understanding of the characters. Given that we were in a new environment that Daisy did not know, it meant we got the details I needed to understand what was going on.

I would totally say that I wish I had read the original series first before starting this one, because I do not like the feeling of confusion and not knowing what is going on or who people are. Apart from when the book shifts POV to Lexi or Kieran, who are from the original series, where you are given lots of names and people you do not really know if you have not read it, most of the time you are in Daisy’s POV. Thankfully, being in the Fae kingdom made it easier to enjoy the book more.

A lot was going on, and the story follows where the last book left off. I do feel book two was darker than the first. I also felt that Daisy was more left to her own at the start, but that did not last long. Daisy is clearly smart and strong, and due to her past and upbringing, she deals with things, even horrible things, really well. To the point I was starting to think she would need a whole lot of therapy by the time the book reached its end.

The book felt fast-paced with a lot going on, a lot of action and events, and it was honestly fun. But shockingly, the high stakes just were not that impactful to me. Normally, when you are facing something that should make the reader fear for the characters or the world, I just felt like, meh, alright, sounds cool. So I am not sure if I just did not connect as much with the writing or if it was the characters. Overall, it was fun, and I read it in two sittings.

I would say I would not reread the series, and I might not buy it for my physical shelf. But otherwise, I am glad I got through it, and it was a fun story. I do feel a little bad that I did not love it as much as my friend did, but hey, we all like different things, right?

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A Pact of Ash and Thorn by Gael Ashen review

 

A Pact of Ash and Thorn by Gael Ashen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🚫No Spice

A massive thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and given honestly.

What happens when two old beings, skilled at repressing anything that resembles emotion, are thrown together and end up in a mystery style hunt for what is going on and who is behind it? You end up with a really unique book that is totally unlike anything I have read before.

I really could not help but love Bryn and Kern. For how old the pair are, the way they dealt with their existence was very similar. Both came across as very put together, calm, and focused, and at times like they were unshakable pillars. But once you pull back those layers as you read on, you see it. The walls built to help them exist and get by. There was something both relatable and heartbreaking about it. I found myself imagining being in either of their places, and it was like falling down a rabbit hole of what ifs.

The book had this awesome mystery crime feeling throughout, layered on top of a mythology and fantasy backdrop that really made it stand out. The story and its writing style were smart and adult. I very much doubt I would have been able to read this when I was younger. It would have gone over my head. But now, as an adult, I see the layers built and laid on top of each other to create a world that is both familiar and yet totally different, but only to those who can see it.

The words and events really made me pause and think, and I believe that if I had not truly dived into the book one hundred percent, I might have missed a lot of great things. I would say I would have loved more information about the Pale, as I did get a little lost a few times at the start. I am also not really a massive fan of third person, even if it is omniscient rather than restricted third person, but I did not hold that against the book because it was well done.

I really enjoyed the internal thoughts and getting a great view of what was going on within their minds, but it was within the silence, or the things not said, that really screamed the loudest. It was so smartly done. I really felt Bryn and Kern's age from the way they acted and spoke to how they carried themselves, but my total happiness came from the unspoken moments. For me, that was like a siren going off in a silent room. The want and longing were unmistakable, and it made me so focused on waiting to see what would happen and whether I would be giddy or sobbing at the end.

As the book started to reach its end, I felt like my heart was a jackrabbit bouncing around my chest. There were little moments that had my heart squeezing and me biting my lip. It was pretty magical seeing the slow lowering of the walls, and I was swept up in it and dizzy.

The ending really threw me through so many loops. I love the story and the progression. I would have loved more, but that is me being super greedy at this point. After reading so many books that have instant lust or are so fast paced you miss things, I think I found in this book that sometimes things do not have to come at you at breakneck speed. A lot can be read between the lines. Silence can be deafening. Care and love do not always have to come with a massive side of spice or instant gratification. They can be deep, slow, and steady.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was totally out of my normal reading zone, but I do not regret reading it for a moment.

Likes:
Older leads
The mystery crime feel of the book
The slow burn and longing

Dislikes:
Was not totally into the third person writing style
The repetition of a few things, a few too many times

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(Shadowbound Fae, #1) Obsidian by K.F. Breene review

 

Obsidian by K.F. Breene
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

I have never read anything by this author before, so when I started this, I was not aware it was a sort of spin off from another series of hers. I will have to check out the rest of the author's books.

The book opens up with total violence and action, which is a great way of throwing me right into the story. While I was a little confused at the start with some terms and characters I was unfamiliar with due to not reading the other series, it only took me a little bit to catch on and get an understanding. There was a small hiccup of confusion about not knowing who people were, their dynamics in the book, or how they were related to our FMC.

The book is set at a nice pace, neither too fast nor too slow. I totally loved the action and the general storyline. I found it super fun and interesting, and I also loved the darker bits. I enjoyed the sassy comments and banter, laughing hard at the terms used throughout the book.

If you are looking for love or deep romance, I did not really feel it from this book. Lust and want, sure, but the spice was about a two for me.

There is a lot of action, but I felt like I was struggling more often than not. There were moments when I had no clue what I was seeing or reading. I would stop, go back, and try again, and it was like I was reading something in a foreign language. It was not all the time, but there were larger areas where I might as well have been reading diagrams instead of text because I was left scratching my head, confused.

I also felt like while the FMC and MMC were together, the story really picked up, only for it to stop or fall flat when it was just the FMC. That left me a little sad, as Daisy was strong and had such a great foundation as a character.

At the end of the book, everything picked up again, throwing more action and revelations at the reader. I did not hate the book, but it was not the best either. I enjoyed it at times and also found it hard at times as well.

Likes
Strong female lead
A great amount of action
Found family and supportive dynamics
The sassy mouth of the MMC

Dislikes
The introduction had way too many characters all at once within the first chapter, which took a moment to work out who was who, why they were there, and how it worked. It was only later I realized this was a spin off and I would have had a better understanding if I had read the other series first.
Instant lustiness. Not really my thing so early on.
The story fizzles out and loses traction when the MMC is not around and it is just the FMC.
Having no clue what the MMC was called until about 50 to 55 percent through the book. I did not like that at all.
The information given was not always super clear.

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(Darkest Powers, #3) The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong review

 

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars
🚫No Spice

Reread of 2026, first read in 2010.

The Darkest Powers series is a fantastic trilogy. While there are only three books and they are not overly long, they pack a punch and are story driven from the get go. I felt like each book was a little darker than the last.

Not only does this series have a brilliant storyline, there is a lot to love, from supernatural themes, fantasy, death, and betrayal, to a sprinkle of romance. I felt this book, and the series as a whole, really gave you character growth and development. Watching a character you once did not like become one you found funny and cared about. Seeing someone go from weak and meek to level headed and strong. Realizing that someone you thought was a bully was, in truth, scared and capable of learning to love, protect, and listen.

I devoured these books when I was much younger, and to this day the series remains a favorite.

Please also keep in mind this is YA. The main characters range between 15 and 16 years old. Of course there are adult characters, but the focus is on the teens, so there is no spice. There is a tiny bit of romance, but it is not the focal point. The series was always centered on its story. So if you are after more than that, this series might not be for you. But please, it is totally worth a try.

Great story, brilliant characters, layers of elements within the pages, dark themes, and a roller coaster of events and actions that have you totally sucked in. I will always love this series, and while it is not my usual read now, I still very much treasure it.

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Likes
-I love the story line its unique and one of a kind its well planed out and keeps you guessing the whole way though. There is a lot going on throughout the whole book and each pages unfolds and gives you a insight into the world of the darkest power series. I loved the idea of a group of kids being different and powerful yet the people they trust most have changed them and pretty much turned them into weapons. The bad guys where bad and smart and most of the time I thought half crazy on power. There was none stop action, mystery and drama and heaps more to sink your teeth into.

-The character had to be one of the best things about the book solid and likable you can’t help but want to read on and on and keep you fingers crossed that all goes well for them. There is always going to be a character you love most and while Chloe is kick arse and hands down amazing there was one character that by all means made these books for me was Derek. Derek was one those characters that creep up on you and you had no idea you went from not noticing him to loving him and feeling for him. He was by far my favourite and even after reading the books Derek still stays in you mind long after you put the books away.

-The writing style in this series way also another part I loved it was so simply to read and get into and that’s all thanks to the author. How she writes and gets everything so right in this series.

-The emotion in the book is something that could blow any reader away in my eyes the hardest thing a author has to do is make me feel. I can read a whole book series and I can liked it but I never really felt anything but not in this series. I felt pretty much everything the characters go though I laughed, cried and felt hope and more.

Now I really could go on and one about this series but why not just read it :D

Dislikes
-I only really have one problem that the series ended I know I know everything has to end but WHY!! Lol but that’s the only thing I really disliked and that only because I wanted more after reading the darkest power and then moving onto the spin off based in the same world I still wanted more but Oh well :D (hide spoiler)]

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The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong review

 

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars
🚫No Spice

Reread of 2026, first read in 2010.
I absolutely love this whole series, even after becoming an adult and my tastes changing over the years.

You get a lot more of Derek and Chloe in this book than you did in the first. You also get a better understanding of what is going on, how many shady characters are sneaking about, acting like butter wouldn't melt, and an idea of just the sheer reach of those who are playing god with Derek, Chloe, Simon, and Tori's lives.

I love getting to see the ups and downs, the constant stress of being scared at every turn. Seeing the bickering and bonding, with the darkness so well blended into the story, just works so well.

Book 2 was action-packed, full of drama, and rife with supernatural elements and magic. It deals with surviving and staying off the radar of those wanting to drag them back. It is a blast from start to finish, and I love it now as much as I did the first time I read it.

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The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong review

 

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars
🚫No Spice

I have lost count of how many times I have reread this series. I originally read it way back in 2010, which seems so long ago now. This book series has remained one of my favourites for so long, so I thought, seeing as the last time I read it was a good few years back, I would read it again and see if my thoughts had changed. I am also shocked that I never really reviewed the series.

I want to start by saying that this book series marks the turning point for me, from someone who read one or maybe two books a year to someone who reads 50 to 100 books a year. This book was the starting point of my love of fantasy, paranormal, magic, and a little bit of romance all wrapped into one.

This series has gotten me out of reading slumps, helped when I am low and needing a break from real life, and was also one of the series I read to my daughter in hopes of getting her into reading, which totally worked.

Even now, as a full-grown adult reading this years later, I still love it. It has an amazing, solid storyline. It is easy to read and follow and understand what is going on, but it is so fun and interesting that you are hooked from the first page.

While it is YA and does not have spice, the book is not lacking. It is not boring at all, but full of mystery and patches of darkness. It is not a fast-paced book. It goes at a steady pace that unfolds and gives the reader the feeling of time passing and a slow discovery of what is going on.

I love Chloe and slowly getting to know those in Lyle House. Honestly, when I first started the book years ago, it had this whole mystery vibe where I was unsure if it was really all just in her head.

Even after so many rereads, I thought I would feel less excited because I know what is coming, but I do not. Reading it makes me happy and makes me feel at home, safe and cozy with a warm drink and a soft blanket. Reading about the characters is like catching up with old friends and hearing old stories. It just warms me in a way that never gets old.

The book is so well written. This is such a great start to the series, and as it gets deeper into the story, you are given more, and the action and events build to an ending that is just fantastic. Derek is a massive favourite, and seeing him in a different light as the book progresses was really great.

I still very much love it years later, even knowing the story front to back. While the series is no longer widely talked about or popular, it is a staple to me. Even though it has been many years since it was first published, it will always have a place on my main bookshelf, sitting with my favorites, and will always hold a dear place in my heart. 

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How (Not) To Raise The Dead by Rachael Chadwick review

 

How (Not) To Raise The Dead by Rachael Chadwick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

I laughed so hard I was crying at times. I was trying so hard not to pee myself with some of the banter. Malachi's mouth should have come with a warning because I felt like I spent my time rolling about with tears of laughter streaming down my face as he sassed and threw sarcasm around like it was a weapon to wield.

The book's storyline was on the darker side. There was a well thought out story that left you thinking about grief and coping, and then they threw in a total curveball at the end that had me shocked.

The details and the way hell was portrayed were so smart and totally great to see. I really loved the whole working of it. The story was the main focus, but there was hot spice that just made the book all the more fun to read. For me, the main thing I loved most had to be the total hilarity of Malachi. I did really like Eden, but for me Malachi was the win.

I would say that after the halfway mark, the book really picked up speed and started to fill out with much more action and drama, and I really loved it. I would have loved to see more of the aftermath, but that is me being greedy.

Overall, a dark, spicy, and super fun read.

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Lord of the Forsaken by Nora Nightingale review

 

Lord of the Forsaken by Nora Nightingale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

Thank you to the author and Booksirens for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and given honestly.

Ok, can I start by saying bravo for the way the author gets you into the book? I, for one, love a strong female lead, and add a little rogue to her and I am on board. Our lead, even within a short time, comes across as someone used to dealing with the darker side of life, dealing with getting by and struggling day to day. This really helped me get to know her and invest in her journey as the book progresses.

I totally loved the alternating POV of Brynn and Dante throughout the book. It gave you a clear insight into the characters and an inside look into their minds as you got deeper into the story.

When I started, I was not really sure what I was going to get, but I found a super rich story. Dark from the start, but honestly, I think the dark and pain only highlighted the best parts and moments. There was mystery, a whodunit sort of feel that had me turning into a detective. A dark setting with lots of political land mines to dance around without falling in. But for me, the standout was how deeply it highlighted that sometimes it is not just the risks of the living you have to worry about.

There was a lot going on and a lot of information about the magic and realms, and for me that was a massive highlight. While there is spice in the book, Open Door, it is never used as a crutch or to overshadow the story, which I was so pleased about.

I would say after the halfway mark the book exploded with action and heart stopping panic and had me death gripping my seat, wide eyed and terrified about who it was all going to come to in the end. I was totally hooked and ready for anything and everything, and I was not disappointed. The ending and the buildup before that were well worth every page I read from start to finish.

Likes:
Leads were well fleshed out and easy to follow.
Interaction between Brynn and Dante.
The dark setting of the book.
Spice.
Strong female lead!!!

Dislikes:
There were times when I got lost in the details of the wards.
A moment in the book, looking back, made me confused and left me with a few questions.

Overall, a fantastic read with so much going on that stays true to putting the story first, yet still gives you a lot of heart and spice, delivering emotion in spades while still having banter and action flowing through it. Dark in ways that will have you grieving, but still reaching for that light that the author teases you with. I was in from the first page and stayed until the end. Wonderful!

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(Ghostverse, #1) Pucking Feral: Part One by Lenore Rosewood review

 

Pucking Feral: Part One by Lenore Rosewood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3 Spice

I will start by saying I am a HUGE, MASSIVE fan of the Ghost Alpha Unit series by the same author. My favorite was Wraith. I loved him. I was super pleased with the three books in that series and was really sad when it ended, so when I saw that the same author had made Pucking Feral, which is a contemporary AU retelling of the Ghost Alpha Unit series, I ran to the Amazon store to hunt the book down, needing it like you would not believe.

While the book is very different from the series I first read, I really liked getting to see Ivy, Wraith, Thane, Plague, Whiskey, and Valek again. I love getting a different story with characters I had already loved from another series, but in a new setting with a new story. Did I love it as much as Feral Omega? No, but I still loved getting a new look at much loved characters.

While I am not a massive contemporary fan at all, I have to say even in this book I love Wraith. He just holds a big old place in my heart, and I do not think I will lose that.

There is a story here, but honestly it sort of leans toward hockey and other dramas, which I know a lot of people love, and of course it is a sports omegaverse and why choose. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it and found that it was a nice change-up from my last few books I have read this month.

I wished there was more going on in the story, but that might be a me thing. Otherwise, I enjoyed seeing the exchanges and learning about the characters, how they have changed, and what they are now like in Pucking Feral. I loved spotting differences, and I all but read nonstop all day until the book was done.

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(Stars and Shadows, #3) A Kingdom of Venom and Vows by Holly Renee review

 

A Kingdom of Venom and Vows by Holly Renee
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

⭐ 1 Star
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4 Spice

Please do not hate me. I know a lot of people love the series, and I did give book 1 four stars, and well, book 2 was just a hot mess of back and forth, and here we are with book 3, and I… sigh. Listen, it is hard.

The plot was so far from actually plotting that some events in this book left me totally and utterly confused and screaming, what are you doing? Did everyone just drink the stupid juice? This makes no sense. Ugh. Something happened in this book that pretty much made the end of book two seem totally stupid.

Really, I found myself feeling like I was on a merry-go-round, getting nowhere.

The spice, while I love books with spice, what I do not love is spice in place of actual plot and things that could be happening. I felt a lot of it in this book was dirty filler and not really needed. Also, add the fact that there was no real heat to the spice because the emotional level was low between them. It was not burning hot. It was, at best, more lukewarm.

Anyone can be in lust or like, but I think portraying love is harder, and it was an epic miss here. The words and interactions did not feel like a mature heart-to-heart; more like two people shacking up in a hayloft. There was just zero depth, which, in my opinion, made reading the spice all but boring.

There were parts I had to skim because I feared I would DNF the book, and I really hate doing that. I also have trauma hearing the words “you are mine” and the word mate. Like, seriously.

While I did like the sudden shift from the single POV used in books 1 and 2, I appreciated that book 3 used multiple POVs, even if it was a little jarring. I also liked the action at the end, but for me, it could not save the book overall.

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(Stars and Shadows, #2) A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal by Holly Renee review

 

A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal by Holly Renee
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

⭐⭐ 2 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4 Spice

Wow, this one really gave me ping pong vibes. I was back and forth with the leads, yes, no, yes, no, to the point that I think I got whiplash. I really flipping hate the way mates are portrayed. FREE WILL seems to have thrown itself out the window, AHHHHHHH, and it sort of put a damper on the book.

The first 50 percent of the book was pretty much whine, moan, and want, and I was just really not into it or down for it if I am being honest with you. Nothing inside of this book feels like real love. It felt more like attraction at best.

My heart did not race. I felt sort of uninvested in the romance and spice side of things, really. At some points during the book, I had to stop myself from just breezing over parts of the story because I was that done at times.

I really cannot get my head around how differently this book hit. I felt like there was very little story there, and the actions and exchanges made me cringe. The spice I all but dozed through, but that might be because I felt little beyond lust, really.

The ending did have it pick up a little, but by this point, I had totally checked out.

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(Stars and Shadows, #1) A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows by Holly Renee review

 

A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows by Holly Renee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️–🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4–5 Spice
Honestly, the book was so spicy I might as well have been eating a chilli pepper. If this were a song, it would be “It’s getting hot in here…”

So… to start with, the beginning of this book was really easy to get into. There was nothing difficult about the writing style, and the storyline was clear and easy to follow.

But sweet heaven, the spice in this book was like spice spice baby… some more spice spice baby… duh duh. I was honestly shocked that there was even a story with how much spice was packed in here. I mean, the book isn’t even that long, how is there this much spice and still a plot? It made zero math sense to me.

The story is there, believe me. But if you like your books heavy on plot and lighter on spice, this might not be your book. If you want enough spice to need your eyes washed with holy water, come on down. If you want the heat turned all the way up? Then yes, absolutely, this is for you.

I’m not always super keen on insta-attraction, and things didn’t really feel like ooo sweet love to me. Like if the Author was trying to make me feel love, then they totally missed the mark. There was also a moment in this book that had me pulling my hair out and groaning. If I had been the FMC? Listen… she showed far more restraint than I ever would have. I would have been slapping people and setting fires with the way they spoke to and about her.

All that being said, it was a FUN ride. The story felt fresh and entertaining. Was I deeply emotionally invested? Not really. But if you’re looking for a quick, dirty read with lots of spice and enough story to keep things moving, then I think you’ll have a great time.

And that ending??
Yeah. I was swearing.

So of course, I’m off to read the next book.

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