Tag: Book Review

Posted in Spicy Romance

Texting the Tattooist

Posted on by Little Bee

By Flora Ferrari

Rating: 2 Stars

I enjoy a good Age Gap romance when it presents itself. I have read several, sure, they are kind of icky, but a good one is a good one. This one had a lot of potential, but, as I have said in other reviews before, some things catch my ADHD’s attention and it becomes my whole focus. This book really did my head in.

I will start with what I didn’t really care for: I like instalove, but this one felt weird. I mean it was like, weird. Red flag. The comments he would make in his mind about her virginal young body, was creepy. It is kind of hard to explain. Again, I like a good age gap, and have read ones where the age gap was the same and it was not like this. The over excessive use of the words “my man” and “my woman” every couple of sentences. For the sake of getting this review to be approved on other platforms, the fact he referred to his “member” as “helm” was off putting. Not sure how I feel about the writing style, but I have been told some books by this author is hit or miss, and while this one is a miss for me, I will try out some others to try again.

To end on positives, there were things I did like, but unfortunately, it was not enough to give it a higher rating then I did. I thought the story held promise and I really liked the idea/concept. I feel like the texting and falling in love is pretty relevant to today. I liked seeing Mia blossom. I liked him calling her Butterfly and feel that is very appropriate for her situation and who she was. I liked all the epilogues and seeing their gazillion kids and still feeling their love.

No dogs were hurt in this story, in case you are an animal lover like me…could care less about the humans LOL.

Posted in Spicy Romance

The Auction

Posted on by Little Bee

By Maggie Cole

Rating: 2 Stars

Look, I finished this book a couple of days ago. And I have needed that time to process what I read and how I feel about it. I have like one trigger, and this did not hit it. BUT, there is something about this specific trope that grinds my gears. I literally believe 50 Shades is one of THE WORST BDSM BOOKS out there, and The Auction kept giving me the same feels. Hear me out

  • Super naïve FMC
  • Dom who is aggressively in control with zero respect for the lack of knowledge FMC has
  • FMC thinks she can change Dom to not be a Dom anymore because he must be broken (which he is)
  • Dom uses his trauma as a means to his control (without ever addressing it)
  • Dom gaslights and is abusive and toxic.
  • FMC just sucks. Like she just isn’t it

Also, to go further with it- these two acted like children. The Club should have stepped in. And then sending videos of her and pictures of her to HER FATHER to goad the man…like…seriously? I get it is a book. So this is my personal opinion, but he was always out of control around her. He broke all of his rules. This relationship seriously sucks. AND to top it off….he is so careful and meticulous in his dealings with her father, that he goes off and marries her and names a WING after her (with her name and married name) in a charity, like HER PARENTS WONT FIND OUT.

I can’t go on to book 2, but there is a cliffhanger. I read some of the spoilers, and it appears to be what I expected. Again, this was not my cup of tea, but it seems to have some decent ratings, so it is clearly for some. I love a good BDSM book, this just missed the mark for me, and I could not look past this kind of abuse and toxicity. It is very dangerous for a Sub and a Dom.

Posted in Spicy Romance

Cupid’s Demon

Posted on by Little Bee

By Rune Hunt/Muse Hunt

Rating: 4 Stars

I was very excited to see a second Club Monstrum book released for Valentine’s Day. What a great little read. This book follows Pho and 3 monsters that become part of her RH. It includes Cupid’s Demons (which I need in my life wont lie….because we should all know by now I am a sucker for a tail scene), Kieran, a satyr, and Magnus, a werewolf with a nice primal kink. Each one enters into Pho’s life little by little. There is some angst in this story and a bit of a DV trigger warning, but all in all it was good.

Cupid’s Demon had more plot but with spice still added in. Pho was very insecure and unsure of herself, the guys were very patient. The spicy scenes were fine, but I prefer the spice of Club Monstrum. I also enjoyed the little cameo surprises! This book felt a little rushed and had quiet a lot of editing issues and incorrect words. I even saw a random letter not attached to a word in there. It is a fairly short book, longer than Club Monstrum. Overall it was cute and spicy.

Posted in Spicy Romance

Secrets and Seductions

Posted on by Little Bee

by SK Reign

5 Stars

First, I want to start this by saying, I read the prequel first, Omega’s Secret, so I felt better going into this story. Second, I want to point out that for a lot of the reason’s people rated this book low, are reasons I rated this book so high. So let me explain 🙂

One of the things I really liked about this book were ALL THE DAMN SECRETS and I kept finding myself thinking…if they would just communicate…they just need to communicate. But I still liked watching it play out. I have read A LOT of Omegaverse that want their omegas pure, won’t let their omegas have their own thoughts, want them entirely submissive etc etc. In most of them, shoot, one book I read the Omega was SA’d by an alpha and got pregnant outside of heat, and it was one of my favorite Omegaverse I have read. And SHE WAS SHUNED BY HER FAMILY. She was blamed for it. It is not far fetched to believe that the Omegas in the Bonds of Steele Omegaverse do not get a fair shake. Violet and her sisters undergo years of mistreatment and oppression, so her reactions make sense to me. As a social worker, I have seen this in real life with clients. So, again, this behavior from not only Violet, but all the guys, do not seem that far of a stretch and I love them all for that.

I did find the new take (at least new to me) on the fact that she got pregnant by another Omega to be interesting. I do hope at some point that gets explored more. I do feel this book opens a lot of possibilities for other more progressive stories to follow Violet and her Pack. Hoping to learn more as we go. I liked all of their secrets and how it affected everyone’s decisions over time. It is almost like you could feel their collective release of breath when they finally let all the weight off.

The story definitely includes some spice once Violet lets herself go with these alphas and continues through the rest of the book. It probably starts around 50-60% of the book. Up until then it is slow, but heated.

Posted in Spicy Romance

Omega Alliance

Posted on by Little Bee

By SK Reign

5 Stars

This book was just published. I missed sleep and dreamt about it when it was through. Pretty sure my brain subconsciously saved Dani, but I digress.

One of the things I liked about Omega Alliance was the freshness it brought. Now, for the amount of Omegaverse I have read, I haven’t quite read one like this, so that is what I am going off of. I like this dystopian aspect to it in that Omegas were dying off…so the Omega Alliance basically stole an Omega and make her the “people’s omega.” Packs can bid on what she wears, what activities she does, what she eats, everything about her life, and they can just watch her on screen. And then she is stolen.

Sin is so broken. She has been beaten and made to feel like she is nothing. When she is rescued, she is frightened even more now. While in captivity for all to see, people made choices for her. Now she is being made to make choices for herself for the first time since she can remember, and it makes her more terrified than just being a prisoner.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, but the second book comes out in March! So you do not have to wait long! It is a fairly quick read, at least I felt it was. I like SK’s writing style. I hope to see Sin grow into herself more, and based on the cliffhanger, I think we are going to see this Omega really shine in the next book. I can’t wait!

As far as spice goes, it is kind of low on the spice. There are some scenes, but not much. The Pack really tries to give Sin her space to figure herself out. Any kind of pleasure while imprisoned as the People’s Omega were always forced upon her, so there is not a rush.

Posted in Book Reviews

The Broken Darkness

Posted on by Little Bee

By Theresa Braun

4 Stars

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is a compilation of short horror/paranormal stories. It is not my typical go to. I do like a good short story though, even collections of them, because sometimes they are just what you need in between heavy reads. These were easy reads, though I did find some of them harder to get through then others. I don’t think it is a negative to the book or the author, and more just not my preference. I did read one of the stories already listed in the book several years ago, and I enjoyed that one very much (Dead Over Heels).

Of the new to me stories in the collections, two of them stand out as my favorites. I really enjoyed The Celestial Assignment and Dying for An Invitation. I liked The Celestial Assignment because it gave a dark, harrowed look at how we humans are a lesson for new guardian angels. That the angels themselves might have been horrible people but then when they die, they are given people to guard that is supposed to teach them something. I liked how this story really came full circle with some of the characters in it. I still think about it. I liked Dying for An Invitation because it took a new take on lore we already typically know regarding Transylvania and Vampires, and follows the craziness of family and learning maybe they really weren’t so crazy when it is too late to change your fate.

The stories are too short to really give a description over each one. If you enjoy quick reads and horror at that, this is a good book to pick up. If you are okay with stories not having a happy ending, this is also a good book for you, because I don’t remember any LOL.

Posted in Spicy Romance

Pack Darling: Part One

Posted on by Little Bee

By Lola Rock, Narrated by Troy Duran and Kelsey Navarro

5 Stars/Narration 5 Stars

Have you ever experienced a story that you just fell in love with so much, you dont even know where to start your review? That is where I am right now. I finished this book SEVERAL days ago, and I still think about, and still think how it ended and what is going to happen next…impatiently waiting to get my hands on Part Two. But here I am….staring at the computer wondering how do I even start?

Firstly, I am a huge fan of Omegaverse. Not really sure how I got here, but I did….and reverse harem/why choose Omegaverse is my favorite kind of everything. I find that Omegaverse, while the underlying premise is the same, can be very different from one author and series to another. For me, Lilah Darling brought all of my favorite things. She is a strong Omega, because she has had to be from years of abuse she has endured. While she recognizes first thing that the pack is her fated mates, because they already have an Omega, she does not want to overstep and tries to make herself unknown/unseen/unheard. Lilah was not given a choice. Ever. She was dumped off at an Omega boarding school, beaten by other jealous Omegas, mistreated and starved by staff, racking up the debt she will have to pay off or a pack will have to pay off….all while trying to hide her Omega awakening, which she puts herself through even more abuse. So when she is essentially gaslighted into joining an all male pack with a male omega…she signs the contract begrudgingly.

I loved every single one of the men of the Wyvern pack. They are all so broken and just trying to keep being strong. None of them can or are truly giving Orion (the male omega) what he needs because their claim on him came without any real clearance or discussion. Lilah shook things up, even when she didn’t intend to. Watching the story come together was perfection.

I am generally not a fan of bully romances, but I felt it appropriate here. While I NEVER find bullying appropriate…if you read or listen, it will make sense. The packs dads forced all of this on each other, and no one ever communicated with each other, and everything was taken out on Lilah, who shouldered it like a DAMNED QUEEN. I liked watching the growth and spark and fizzle. Definitely ends on a cliffhanger! So be ready for the other one quickly.

This story includes MM action…which is the only action in this Part. The narrators were great. They did this story so much justice and made it that much more enjoyable. It is dark and twisty, and Lilah proves she is worth it if everyone would just give her the chance she deserves. I would consider this a slow burn romance, while there are some spicy scenes, it does not include Lilah since she is not considered pack.

Posted in Spicy Romance

Beauty’s Beasts

Posted on by Little Bee

By Amy Pennza

5 out of 5 stars

This is a short read, of about 60 pages maybe. It follows Cordelia, Cade, and Levi. Cordelia is a rare female werewolf who is betrothed to an alpha who is totally disgusted by her. She overhears the fowl conversation between her father and him the night before she is supposed to get married. She decides that life is not for her and flees to the Free Zone, where there are not any packs. There she meets Cade and Levi. Levi is an alpha heir for the Mississippi Pack and Cade is his enforcer lover. They are bisexual, which is why they were kicked out of the pack by Levi’s father.

This book is definitely spicy!! It has so much spice from the very beginning. It has MM scenes and MMF scenes. After they have sex with Cordelia, an enforcer form the Mississippi pack begs Levi to come back because his father was killed and the next two in line after Levi. The enforcer indicated they were okay with his relationship with Cade. Cordelia and Cade convinced Levi to be the change werewolves needed and Cordelia agreed to mate Levi as required to be alpha. The three of them fall in love and care for each other. I wont give away all the juicy secrets 🙂

I really want more in this story, but I do not think there is another book. I am definitely going to read other works by this author. I got this book for free on booksprout and it is my first 5 star read this month (that I can rate, I did read one other book this month that was 5 star but I did not do a review on it…though I should go back and do it…). I would definitely assign this as 5 out of 5 peppers for spice! I liked the story as well. Even though it was short, I did not feel like it left anything out and was very clear from start to finish. Sometimes short stories can lose information along the way. I enjoyed the ending and definitely need and want more! The cover models are also sexy, so I can only imagine the sexiness of the characters. I am glad all three of them found what they were looking for in life 🙂

Posted in Romance

Bend Her

Posted on by Little Bee

by Cassie Alexander

3.5 out of 5 stars

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Bend Her is a dark, fantasy, romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Princess Lisandra was brought to the All Beast (a beastly mage) by her father in exchange for his help. While she was there, she wanted to learn magic, and he taught her through pain and obedience. Throughout the story, she believed she was kidnapped, and Rhaim (the All Beast) never told her otherwise. Most of the story really followed around Rhaim working with the King to kill the Deathless and Lisandra struggling to learn magic. The last couple pages of the book had some spice, but really it was very mild, just a hint.

I had been waiting eagerly for my review copy. The author had been posting prints on Instagram of the characters and I really thought it was going to be deliciously steamy, so I was a little disappointed. There is a lot of world building and working on what becomes their relationship/friendship/situationship through the story. I am hoping that book 2 will lead more into them together or if it will be much of the same. I really want her to gain magic she can control…women cannot learn magic, but there is no real evidence as to why, just that they will burn up and die. But again, no evidence of this written anywhere. Finx, the little cat spider was my favorite character honestly LOL.

The book does end on a cliffhanger and book 2 does not come out until May 2023, so there is a bit of a wait. I do want to continue on with the story. My hopes is sometimes I get caught up on what I want it to be that I miss something to enjoy. A friend of mine who also reviewed this book reviewed the audiobook and she indicates the narrators were fantastic and that helped her love the book even more. So this could very much be a me thing. I wanted something more from the story, but it is hard to point me finger to what. I did like the world building. I did like to know about the battles with the Deathless they sent Rhaim out to battle. There was a short plot twist towards the end that I didn’t really expect so it gave it some nice excitement. I am very happy the author did not kill of Finx or it would be zero stars for me LOL.

Posted in Spicy Romance

The Grim Reaper’s Lawyer

Posted on by Little Bee

by Mea Monique

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Grim Reaper’s Lawyer was the book of the month read for The Spicy Book Club. This review may contain spoilers, but also not really. It focuses on Joyce, who is a defense attorney, which she hates. She is falling out of love with her career, and decides to say fuck it all the way off, and quits. She finishes up her last case, which she lost, and her client promptly killed her. She was collected by a Grim Reaper named Aiden and taken to Eden. Aiden is being charged with violating 3 rules from the Reapers’ Code of Conduct, which she rejects doing and spends several days in “hell”, which is really only a few minutes.

This story follows their love/hate, grumpy/sunshine, story. Aiden is kind of a jerk, but also a total daddy…I mean baddie. I mean baddie. When he finally says “to hell with it” (quite literally) and allows them to purse the steam that has been building, it is hot. The story is a slow burn up until they decide to pursue a sexual relationship with each other. The agreement provided to Joyce is, she wins Aiden’s case, she goes to Heaven, instead of Hell (which she was slated for).

Joyce meets a variety of characters that become great friends. Each character brings out a fun side of Joyce that really makes you fall in love with her. The book is hilarious from start to finish. It does end on a cliffhanger and I have no idea when book 2 comes out as this book did not release until December 2022. The book is easy to figure out and ends how you want it to, but the journey was still fun!!

I tell you what, the book had an opening quote that I am STILL thinking about and had to share— “For those who feel that you must water yourself down for others- Let them choke.” Man, what words to live by!! I needed this when I was younger.

Overall, I would say the spice level is around a 3.5-4. I felt it took a bit too long to get to anything sexy, but when it did, it was quite a bit. Those two were like rabbits…but I guess it is the year of the rabbit isn’t it LOL. They could not keep their paws off of each other and Aiden is a total Dom. So we ship and approve.

Having said all of this, it was enjoyable. I laughed so much during the story. It was a very light read and I am looking forward to more in this series and from this author!