downthebookhole's reviews
1330 reviews

This definitely gave me an old classic monster feels with all the dark eeriness and touch of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Set in a university in Scotland during 1908 was just the perfect setting for this monstrous story!  I always love an unreliable narrator of sorts as Nora tries to figure what is going on. I loved how things unfolded as we got a little drops of information slowly through the story. It gave just enough to keep me hooked and flying through the pages. This book didn’t shy away from the unaliving and gore! The best part was the spicy moments! They were dark and twisty and used vines! The dynamic between the main characters were so much fun as well, they was a push a pull and the power shift that happens in some of the scenes was something I was so living for because they are both so unhinged! 

This is the perfect read for fall! If you are a fan of monster romances or horror you will eat this book up! 

I loved falling back into this world and I picking up from where Halfling ended, as we continue to get more of the world and otherly folk! Be ready for a tummy ache because this book is so sweet! It has a forbidden friends to lovers romance with mutual pining, such cute courting with secret moments and don’t worry there is spice! 

Aislinn is such a relatable FMC and I appreciated the neurodivergent rep. I liked seeing her work through the transition of now being next in line. I also loved her interactions with her father. The time she spent in the smithy learning hand talk was some of my favorite! Her and Hakon are just so adorable. All the stolen glances, just so swoony! I was obsessed with how growly he was regarding her! I also loved seeing the hard of hearing rep. I grew up with a mom who similarly was mostly deaf in one ear and I lip read because of that. It has given us a way to communicate in public now without others knowing! I could just go on forever on how much I loved these two and just how pure this romance was! 

Of course I can’t forget to mention wülf! I love that Wendel includes cute animal sidekicks. There were so many new characters introduced that I am hoping to see in future books and possible get their own! But cannot wait for Allarion and his stabby unicorn! 

I need more sapphic romances in my life and this definitely filled that craving! Although I wanted so much more of these Mav & Colette! The Robin Hood-esq enemies to lovers with a hidden identity made for so much fun. And the spice was spicing, with the rope play and venom play… not to mention the lady manticore being the sub! I loved the interactions between these two and really enjoyed Colette’s sassy playfulness! This short novella did a great job giving us a taste of the world, some character development and of course what I’m always here for the spice!

These Goode boys are something else!There were so many of my favorite things, banter, grumpy/sunshine and dom/brat! I was such a huge fan of Sadie and felt like I could relate to her a lot as a person. She was so strong, driven and independent and seeing her give up control was fun, but also seeing her take control was super steamy!As with all the other Goode brothers so far, Lucas goes through the struggle of dealing with the impact of his childhood with his father. I loved that it made him fiercely protective, but watching him fall for Sadie and taking control in a new way was emotional and spicy! There was a ton of build up and tension, but it was so worth it and soooo HOT! Like all the classroom stuff! Such a naughty a professor! I loved getting to see the other couples throughout the story. I would have to say this was my least favorite of the Goode brothers stories but still such a spicy, emotional and worthwhile read!  

This was such a fun workplace romcom with Indigenous representation! It is filled with banter, found family and had me giggling so much! 

I loved how real, slightly messy and relatable Ember was as she navigated her life and situations she found herself in throughout.  Danuwoa was such a great male lead, I enjoyed the way he was there for her and accepted the side of her she did share honestly, and even not so honestly with him. This was also full of such fun and entertaining side characters that added so much to the overall story. It was wonderful to see the Native joy and the language and culture through the whole book.