lexisreadingagain's reviews
294 reviews

my current romantic status is: in love with Death.

the fmc was inspired by taylor swift & now I’m just rooting for taylor to fall in love with a 500 yro vampire or something instead. i want THAT album.

this was an incredible introduction to both this author and this new romantasy series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, from start to finish. my only qualm was wanting more of this story and it's characters, especially our charming and morally grey mmc, Kairon. OOOOOFFFFF. step aside Shadow Daddy's, because Necromancer's might be my new thing lmfao!!!

we start our story off with our fmc, Elva, being elected into office as Ambassador representative of her nation, Rhyma. she's intelligent, idealistic, and tenacious, with a reserved and overwhelmingly polite disposition, largely due to her life in politics. the world building was simple and easy to follow, but not lacking in detail. as she prepares for her first assignment, we're given insights into the history of Rhyma and it's neighboring kingdom, Oksangui, which is ruled by the bloodthirsty and ruthless leader, known as the Horned King. almost something out of a legend, the Horned King overthrew the previous ruler of Oksangui, and now resides there with his legion of loyal undead court, allowing no one to see his true face - only the horned helm that inspired his title.

Elva's duty is to travel to his kingdom and broker peace on behalf of Rhyma, but her naïve hopes of a straight forward and well-mannered negotiations are quickly cast aside upon arrival, when the very man she's sent to deal with proves to be the most infuriating, pompous, brash, charming, and enigmatic person she's encountered. she's simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by him, her body naturally reacting to him, while her mind does it's best to reject the words he's spewing. the tension is palpable and delicious.

written in dual POV, we watch as these two fight the urges they feel for one another. and GOODNESS, it's steamy and filled with blush worthy banter. this is such a tense enemies to lovers slow burn, and the author really makes us wait for things to come to fruition, but GOD I LOVED IT. worth every minute of back & forth, pining and barely there restraint.

Kairon, our mysterious Horned King, is so much more than he's perceived to be by the public and his neighboring kingdoms. he doesn't shy away from his dark side, and instead embraces it and his immense power, wielding them as tools to maintain his position and protect the precarious alliances that he's built - the very alliances that Rhyma's new deal threatens to interfere with. and while he's normally one to make the hard decisions, he can't seem to say no to the fierce and lovely Elva. he's immediately taken with her, bordering on obsessed. but giving in to her may be the very thing that sparks the chaos that he senses is approaching.

these two dance around each other and their feelings to expertly that it had me panting. despite the hesitance, we see Elva bloom and open her mind to the world under Kairon's guidance. and while she learns about the world around her, she's slowly melting the icy exterior that's been shielding him from others. while the romance is certainly front and center for this story, we're treated to some equally lovable side characters and what I hope is a growing found family for the two mc's within Kairon's court. I think the author does an excellent job of keeping Elva and Kairon's story as our focus, while still weaving in history and lore from the kingdoms, which I suspect we'll be grateful for later.

the ending was jaw dropping!!! the scream I scrumpt was most certainly heard half-way across the world lmao because WOW. giggling, kicking my feet and aching to find out what happens next! there's nothing like a well written enemies to lovers to enemies trope & boy, was this that. book 2 can't come soon enough.

Thank you to Grey's Promo and Karlee Berrios for providing an ARC of this book for me to give an honest review.

Mallory was extremely frustrating at times, but overall I liked her character development. The moments with her mom towards the end had me teary eyed & really saved this story for me.

We need more Nolan. Like so much more.

“I’m in love with her fiancé, and I’m hard underneath her.”

OMFG SIERRA SIMONE I FORGOT HOW INCREDIBLY HOT YOUR BOOKS ARE MAAM. I NEED A FIREHOSE TO COOL OFF AFTER THIS BOOK 🥵

Mark & Tristan’s chemistry had me drooling from the moment they meet. It was visceral and electric and just so freaking sexy. Tristan’s vulnerability and openness was so heartwarming. And Mark can GET IT. any day. any time. Please, Sir, I am BEGGING.

And even though Isolde and Tristan’s relationship wasn’t as immediately physically overwhelming, the attraction and intimacy was in no way inferior. They connected on a different and more emotional level that allowed them to explore some seriously steamy and primal urges once that foundation was built, and LORD YES YES YES 😩

I loved these characters so much & yes, this is definitely romance and spice heavy with little big picture plot, but damn that ending still had me shaking!!!

I need book 2 like I need air in my lungs.

Thank you to Sierra Simone and Candi Kane PR for providing a review copy of this book for me to give my thoughts.

Beautiful Villain is a reimagining of Gatsby and Daisy’s story (character from The Great Gatsby) in a modern and vampiric light, with just a sprinkling of spice.  A second chance romance at its heart, we watch these two childhood sweethearts cross paths again and reconnect despite the, ahem, paranormal changes to their lives. And while this had so much promise, it fell just a few inches too short of great.

Jay isn’t your classic, over the top, possessive vampire love interest. Despite being turned, he’s still the same age as Daisy? I found this slightly confusing, given typical vampire lore. And the few scientific explanations that we’re given didn’t really shed much light on things unfortunately. The way things are explained and certain phrases are stressed, it almost seems like the only benefit to vampirism is heightened reflexes and an enhanced invulnerability, not total immortality. Aside from the confusing logistics of his age and the lore, his personality felt juvenile and possessive in a childish way. Daisy on the other hand, begins our story vulnerable and healing after a bad breakup at the start of this novel, and while I understand that her connection with Jay had a deep history, I got a little whiplash with how quickly she got over her trust issues with Tom for a man that became obsessed with the idea of her over her for years with little regard for her as an actual person.

I’m all for the incredible and fantastical and even the outrageous in my stories. Don’t get me wrong. But this just lacked a believability and clarity to it. It may have helped if the characters and their friends were likable, but unfortunately you spend such little time with Jordan, Nick, and Cory that it’s impossible to form those connections. Overall this was an average read and could have benefited from more time nursing Gatsby and Daisy’s rekindling.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebecca Kenney for providing an ARC of this book for me to give my honest review.

RIDE ME SUGAR🥵🫨😩

Gabriel Black is literally everything to me!!! Dante and Alistair WHO? I'm not sure what the heck I was thinking when I said I was in love with the other two in Toxic Love and Devious Vow respectively, because after this final installment, I'm 3000% on my knees and forever in a chokehold over Gabriel lmao. this was darker, kinkier, and more depraved in all the right ways.

Gabriel & Fumi's relationship was perfect from the very beginning. their tension and banter was immediately explosive. I'm a sucker for an arranged marriage & Fumi's determination to stand out in the "auditions" to become his wife (to further how own agenda, you go girl!) was both crafty and a power move. she seizes her future by the reigns, or as much as a woman in her position and this cutthroat world can, and I appreciate her fighting spirit. she's such a perfect match for Gabriel's darker nature! she has a sinister side, a "monster" within herself that she's kept leashed forever. and we get to watch him coax it out of Fumi, allowing her darkness to mingle and play his own. and don't even get me started on his nickname for her. kitten? SCREAMING. I love it.

while I typically find a hidden identity trope hit or miss, the way that Jagger Cole sets it up for our characters had me blushing tremendously, rather than cringing like I often find myself wanting to. their physical attraction and chemistry is undeniable and irresistible. the primal play. the base animal lust and instinct they toy with. the feral need that these two indulge in. it is intense and so hot. yet again, a completely captivating and steamy story from this author! I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters, but so happy to see them all thriving.

Thank you to Jagger Cole and Valentine PR for providing an ARC of this book for me to give an honest review.

this is my first time listening to a dramatized audio & OMG, this was a life changing experience. I seriously fell even more in love with this story and its characters. the little touches of music and sound effects really make this feel like i’m watching a movie with my eyes closed lol. I love it I love it I love IT! onto part 2, immediately.

also, still very much obsessing over Xaden heheh.