en-US Sun, 27 Apr 2025 23:49:37 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 196890737
A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancĆ© Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling itā€¦right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a childrenā€™s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petraā€™s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaoticā€”with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads ā€”Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that sheā€™s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But itā€™s all just for show, of course, because thereā€™s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancĆ©ā€™s new fiancĆ©eā€™s exā€¦right?]]> 11 Emily Henry nikki ą¼� 5 4.11 2024
author: Emily Henry
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2024-shelf, contemp-romance, romance, standalone, trope-fake-dating, trope-forced-proximity, rep-disability, 2025-shelf, all-time-favs
review:
you know what, i liked it even more on the reread
]]> 214052177
She's off-limits, but he doesn't care...

Sydney Lake canā€™t decide if she wants to strangle or kiss Parker Covington.

Considering she's his publicist, both options seem like a seriously bad choice.

Until a snowstorm forces her to share a hotel room with the flirty British billionaire.

And one bed is not big enough to resist his pull.

Sydney knows his games, and sheā€™ll be fine so long as she doesnā€™t think about his lips on hers...again.

But Parker doesnā€™t like to lose, and he will do anything to winā€”even if it means playing dirty.]]> 444 Madison Fox nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, romance 3.90 2024
author: Madison Fox
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, romance
review:

]]> 219597235 160 Sumiko Arai nikki ą¼� 0 4.69
author: Sumiko Arai
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.69
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, series, romance, translated, ya
review:

]]> 197448796 A millennial turned magical girl must combat climate change and credit card debt in this delightful, witty, and wildly imaginative ode to magical girl manga.

Twenty-nine, depressed, and drowning in credit card debt after losing her job during the pandemic, a millennial woman decides to end her troubles by jumping off Seoulā€™s Mapo Bridge.

But her suicide attempt is interrupted by a girl dressed all in whiteā€”her guardian angel. Ah Roa is a clairvoyant magical girl on a mission to find the greatest magical girl of all time. And our protagonist just may be that special someone.

But the young womanā€™s initial excitement turns to frustration when she learns being a magical girl in real life is much different than how itā€™s portrayed in stories. It isnā€™t just destinyā€”itā€™s work. Magical girls go to job fairs, join trade unions, attend classes. And for this magical girl there are no special powers and no great perks, and despite being magical, she still battles with low self-esteem. Her magic wand . . . is a credit cardā€”which she must use to defeat a terrifying threat that isnā€™t a monster or an intergalactic war. Itā€™s global climate change. Because magical girls need to think about sustainability, too.

Park Seolyeon reimagines classic fantasy tropes in a novel that explores real-world challenges that are both deeply personal and universal: the search for meaning and the desire to do good in a world that feels like itā€™s ending. A fun, fast-paced, and enchanting narrative that sparkles thanks to award-nominated translator Anton Hur, A Magical Girl Retires reminds us that we are all magical girlsā€”that fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight can be anyone's game.

Translated from the Korean by Anton Hur.]]> 160 Park Seolyeon 0063373262 nikki ą¼� 4 ā€œThe reason magical girls exist is because they needed their power the most. In other words, before a magical girl awakens her powers, sheā€™s the weakest person in the world.ā€�

rating: 3.5
mixed feelings on this.

i really love the themes of climate change, capitalism, debt, etc. alongside the feminist themes of what girlhood means, how girls come into power from desperation, abuse and violence against women, etc. in a sailor moon-esque portrayal in a modern time makes nostalgia juxtaposed against today's harsh reality - a common theme in media of millennial/gen z's bleak reality check from our childhood dreams.

It was embarrassing, to say the least, that my heartā€™s truest form was . . . a credit card.

Way to tell the whole world that a corner of my mind is forever colonized by the thought of my credit card debt.

there were even a few moments that made me chuckle. plus queer subplot romance!

however, something about the execution was a bit off for me. while the ending was somewhat poetic, it also felt anticlimactic? there was a clunkiness to the plot and writing, which tbh i didn't even hate but i felt like definitely weakened the impact and overall quality. i also would've liked more on the romance.

overall, this is one i'll definitely be mulling over in my head. i could see myself raising my rating and probably rereading in the future. if we have time.

The first battle a magical girl must fight is the fight to save herself.]]> 3.57 2022
author: Park Seolyeon
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/06
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: lgbtq, fantasy, lgbtq-sapphic, 2024-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, standalone, novellas-shorts-etc, translated
review:
ā€œThe reason magical girls exist is because they needed their power the most. In other words, before a magical girl awakens her powers, sheā€™s the weakest person in the world.ā€�

rating: 3.5
mixed feelings on this.

i really love the themes of climate change, capitalism, debt, etc. alongside the feminist themes of what girlhood means, how girls come into power from desperation, abuse and violence against women, etc. in a sailor moon-esque portrayal in a modern time makes nostalgia juxtaposed against today's harsh reality - a common theme in media of millennial/gen z's bleak reality check from our childhood dreams.

It was embarrassing, to say the least, that my heartā€™s truest form was . . . a credit card.

Way to tell the whole world that a corner of my mind is forever colonized by the thought of my credit card debt.

there were even a few moments that made me chuckle. plus queer subplot romance!

however, something about the execution was a bit off for me. while the ending was somewhat poetic, it also felt anticlimactic? there was a clunkiness to the plot and writing, which tbh i didn't even hate but i felt like definitely weakened the impact and overall quality. i also would've liked more on the romance.

overall, this is one i'll definitely be mulling over in my head. i could see myself raising my rating and probably rereading in the future. if we have time.

The first battle a magical girl must fight is the fight to save herself.
]]> 212294563 184 Sumiko Arai 1975399684 nikki ą¼� 4 4.54 2023
author: Sumiko Arai
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: romance, lgbtq-sapphic, lgbtq, comic-graphic-novel, 2024-shelf, contemporary, fav-covers, series, ya, translated
review:
i am soooo obsessed w the art style of this comic (clearly you can tell the bright green is my vibe
]]> 58942711 162 Kamome Shirahama 1636994865 nikki ą¼� 5
ā€It seems to me that really itā€™s the people who desperately need the world to change who are most deserving of the power to make it happen.ā€�

This volume especially how to focus on disabilities and the lack of inclusivity in design for disability.
]]> 4.60 2020
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, rep-disability, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
4.25 ā­ļø

ā€It seems to me that really itā€™s the people who desperately need the world to change who are most deserving of the power to make it happen.ā€�

This volume especially how to focus on disabilities and the lack of inclusivity in design for disability.

]]> 56314745 173 Kamome Shirahama 164659987X nikki ą¼� 5

ā€œThereā€™s always hope. Thatā€™s just the kind of witches we are.ā€�]]> 4.64 2020
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
4.25 ā­ļø


ā€œThereā€™s always hope. Thatā€™s just the kind of witches we are.ā€�
]]> 181702437 As the Silver Night Parade, in which the salvation of Dagda and Custus is at stake, approaches, Coco falls into a slump from impatience.
The person who reached out to Coco was Agathe, a rival who was also aiming for the Silver Night Parade.
The two manage to complete their magic and pass the screening, but will they be successful on their first big stage performance?
I want to save you.
Put your sincere feelings into magic ___]]> 162 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 5
when you start wondering who the real bad guys are...]]> 4.60 2022
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
4.5ā˜�

when you start wondering who the real bad guys are...
]]> 62995165
During their heated reunion, Custas introduces his old friends to Ininia, a girl who is loyal to one of the Brimmed Caps. Suddenly, the young witch binds Coco and Tartah to a promise: The two must partake in the Silver Eve Procession. But to do so, they must conjure up a new spell, and quickly. As the weight of many secrets bears down on her, Coco cannot turn to Qifrey or her friends. When she happens upon Dagda, she sees his chest is marked with a forbidden magic...]]> 162 Kamome Shirahama 1684917298 nikki ą¼� 5

ā€œA cure without a priceā€� Itā€™s such a thing really possible?ā€�

This series is ramping tf up]]> 4.63 2022
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, rep-disability, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
4.25 ā­ļø


ā€œA cure without a priceā€� Itā€™s such a thing really possible?ā€�

This series is ramping tf up
]]> 61277912
With their magic contraptions in hand, Coco and her friends head to Ezrest for the annual festival, Silver Eve! The cobblestone streets of the crown city are lined with vibrant tents, and visitors from across the land partake in reunions and greetings anew. Here, witches, royals, the Knights Moralis, and even the Three Wise convergeā€”each party carrying with them their private motivations and powerful histories. However, the bright lights and merriment lure in the uninvited as wellā€¦]]> 178 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 5
shit is getting real ]]> 4.62 2021
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, fav-covers, found-family, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
4.25ā˜�

shit is getting real
]]> 221836601 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 5 4.25 4.59 2024
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/22
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, fantasy, fav-covers, found-family, series, witch, comic-graphic-novel, translated
review:
4.25
]]> 212405920 194 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 5
That leech thing is fucking terrifying.]]> 4.66 2023
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/22
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, fantasy, found-family, series, witch, comic-graphic-novel, fav-covers, translated
review:
4.5 ā­ļø

That leech thing is fucking terrifying.
]]> 54112688 178 Kamome Shirahama 1646595750 nikki ą¼� 4 ā€œOr as I like to call it, the play land of sand.ā€�]]> 4.68 2019
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.68
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, lgbtq, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
ā€œOr as I like to call it, the play land of sand.ā€�
]]> 52461987
In the depths of the Serpentback Cave, a brimmed cap casts its murky shadow upon Qifrey and his apprentices. The brimmed cap's dark magic has transformed Euini into a wild beast, and Coco, Tetia, and a critically injured Qifrey find themselves surrounded by the venomous stares of the cursed Romonons. In the face of doom, these witches must once again find a path to safety using their wits and their unique qualities, but will that be enough as they battle against a powerful new enemy who doesn't play by the rules?]]> 194 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 4 "Right now Iā€™m still busy learning the wonder and terror of magic!"]]> 4.63 2019
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, series, witch, ya-fantasy, translated
review:
"Right now Iā€™m still busy learning the wonder and terror of magic!"
]]> 48664052
Can Coco and her friends pass their most harrowing test yet? Or will the nefarious Brimmed Caps end their journey towards witch-hood?!

Now that Coco has been fully accepted into Qifreyā€™s Atelier, itā€™s time for her and her colleagues to move onto the next test: The Sincerity of the Shield. Passing the test involves escorting some feathery friends to their nesting grounds, which sounds simple enough, except that the path before the young witches is a winding road filled with ancient magical traps! The test must also be completed in a group, and thereā€™s one witch-in-training from outside of Qifreyā€™s atelier who doesnā€™t seem to have the confidence to make the cut. To top it all off, a Brimmed Cap lurks in the shadows, waiting to attackā€¦]]> 192 Kamome Shirahama 1646591062 nikki ą¼� 5
people arenā€™t quite as straightforward as spells, are they?

mankind is truly terrifying

ā€˜magic exists to make the world vibrant,ā€� hm? i hope thatā€™s the case, i truly do hope it is so.

this definitely gets better every volume!]]> 4.58 2018
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/18
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, lgbtq, series, witch, ya-fantasy, fav-covers, translated
review:
4.25ā˜�

people arenā€™t quite as straightforward as spells, are they?

mankind is truly terrifying

ā€˜magic exists to make the world vibrant,ā€� hm? i hope thatā€™s the case, i truly do hope it is so.

this definitely gets better every volume!
]]> 52692625
Cast yourself into the world of witches as Qifrey chases after the dark mysteries of the Brimmed Caps!

With some quick thinking and ingenuity, Coco and her fellow classmates use their growing magic skills to save some locals from a grim fate. But this triumph nearly turns to tragedy as the Knights Moralis threaten the young witches with severe punishment for disturbing the natural order of magic. Qifrey convinces the Knights to overlook this issue, but a peculiar happening related to this incident puts him onto the trail of the same forbidden magic that brought Coco into his atelier. This may be Qifreyā€™s only chance to come into contact with the Brimmed Caps, but is he in over his head to engage in this treacherous pursuit on his own?]]> 192 Kamome Shirahama 1642129976 nikki ą¼� 5
The plot thickens, the intrigue increases, the magic astounds]]> 4.56 2018
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, cozy, fantasy, found-family, lgbtq, series, witch, whimsical, ya-fantasy, fav-covers, translated
review:
4.25ā˜�

The plot thickens, the intrigue increases, the magic astounds
]]> 53061567 192 Kamome Shirahama 1642129399 nikki ą¼� 4
also aggott and coco are SO lorelei kaskel and sylvia von wolff!!]]> 4.48 2017
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, found-family, lgbtq, series, ya-fantasy, witch, translated
review:
that dragon is gorgeoussssss and omg that cliffhanger!

also aggott and coco are SO lorelei kaskel and sylvia von wolff!!
]]> 44460066
In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witchā€¦until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way sheā€™s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody ā€œknowsā€� might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seemā€¦]]> 211 Kamome Shirahama nikki ą¼� 4
the black and white art with such detailing was a bit hard for me to read and process, i would've really liked a little color to help break up the monotony.

it was a cute story with an intriguing magic system, i think i just went in with high expectations from all the praise.]]> 4.48 2017
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: comic-graphic-novel, ya-fantasy, fantasy, witch, 2025-shelf, historical, series, found-family, translated
review:
3.75ā˜�

the black and white art with such detailing was a bit hard for me to read and process, i would've really liked a little color to help break up the monotony.

it was a cute story with an intriguing magic system, i think i just went in with high expectations from all the praise.
]]> 56427428 158 Suu Morishita 1646598814 nikki ą¼� 5 4.51 2020
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, ya, translated
review:
I love how the author explains the altered word play / homophones from translating Japanese / Signed Japanese to English. It helps explain missing or edited context.
]]> 54425958 162 Suu Morishita 1646597141 nikki ą¼� 5 4.52 2020
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, rep-disability, romance, series, ya, translated
review:
when itsuomi abruptly changed the subject from oushi HE'S A LIL JELLY HEHE
]]> 50514218 198 Suu Morishita 1646593383 nikki ą¼� 5
this was so cute and sweet omg. it's really cool to see how the writers worked in sign language into a manga, and there's just a certain vibe to it all that feels very hopeful and "toutoi" (japanese: too pure and should be treasured).

i'm definitely going to give the anime a watch after i read all the manga volumes ]]> 4.42 2019
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/25
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: comic-graphic-novel, 2025-shelf, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, ya, translated
review:
4.5ā˜�

this was so cute and sweet omg. it's really cool to see how the writers worked in sign language into a manga, and there's just a certain vibe to it all that feels very hopeful and "toutoi" (japanese: too pure and should be treasured).

i'm definitely going to give the anime a watch after i read all the manga volumes
]]> 131144326
Yuuki is a 20-year-old college sophomore who has wished for one thing since moving to to find her soulmate. Growing a bit desperate after a long drought, she goes along with a friend to a club for the first time. Her friend thrives, but it's chaotic and loud...just not Yuuki's scene. Just when Yuuki begins to despair that she'll ever find a real, adult relationship, she meets Iori, a man with bleached hair and a slightly scary demeanor...but first impressions don't always tell the whole story. Could destiny still have more cards to play?]]> 208 Anashin 1646518756 nikki ą¼� 0 4.29 2022
author: Anashin
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, romance, series, translated
review:

]]> 228124504
To celebrate being single, I decide to take a spontaneous trip with my sister to Capri, Italy.

No itinerary. No plans. Only a promise to see where Capri takes us.

Little did I know it would be on a yacht with a handsome stranger.

Jones Archer is thirteen years older and dangerously charming.

Heā€™s also a man who knows what he wants and has his sights set on me.

We agree to one week of uninterrupted pleasure. No personal exchanges. No talk about the future.

Just us.

But thereā€™s one thing Iā€™m worried aboutā€”feelings. Iā€™m not wired to ignore them. Especially when Jones makes me second guess everything I thought I knew about love.]]> 344 Indy Valentine nikki ą¼� 0 4.75
author: Indy Valentine
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, romance, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 223206986 A sapphic, fake dating, small town romance from Amazon top 50 best selling author, Hannah Cowan.

It was always the plan to come back home to Cherry Peak. But after being gone for four years, itā€™s apparently not as easy as I expected for things to go back to the way they used to be.

Instead, they get beyond complicated the moment I realize my brotherā€™s house has paper thin walls and a general lack of privacy. Desperate for someplace else to stay, I move in with one of my brotherā€™s friends. The only problem with that? Bryce canā€™t stand me.

Everyone in town calls her the Ice Queen, and over the first few days of living with her, I begin to understand why. Sheā€™s blunt, broody, and even cruel at times. But when I learn she could use some help in the dating department, I offer mine without a second thought.

Itā€™s supposed to be a harmless favour, but somewhere along the line, Bryce stops being the woman who barely tolerates me, and starts becoming the one person who understands me best. The walls of ice sheā€™s built up around herself start to crack, and the more I get to know what lies behind it, the more I realize how wrong Iā€™ve been about her this entire time.

She might be frosty to everyone else, but to me . . . I think sheā€™s the warmest person Iā€™ve ever known.]]> 386 Hannah Cowan 1990804500 nikki ą¼� 3
i def think other readers might enjoy it tho.]]> 3.90
author: Hannah Cowan
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: contemp-romance, indie-author, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, standalone-series, 2025-shelf, fav-covers, lgbtq-bi, trope-fake-dating, trope-forced-proximity
review:
unfortunately this one was disappointing. i love fake dating but it didn't feel like enough was going on in this story. i also just couldn't really connect with daisy like at all.

i def think other readers might enjoy it tho.
]]> 228691354 What is wrong meets what feels right in this romance set in Italy by the New York Times bestselling author of Deep End.

Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.

Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.

Itā€™s such a clichĆ©, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brotherā€™s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life.

But not everything is as it seemsā€”and clichĆ©s sometimes become plot twists.

When Mayaā€™s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needsā€”even if itā€™s a problematic one.]]> 416 Ali Hazelwood nikki ą¼� 0 5.00 2025
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, romance, standalone-series, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 218094680 Suu Morishita nikki ą¼� 4 4.64 2023
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
Ok I think this volume was my least fav, but the mini makeover was cute.
]]> 215957460 164 Suu Morishita nikki ą¼� 5 They're so cute it's unfair. 4.69 2023
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
They're so cute it's unfair.
]]> 210874665 166 Suu Morishita nikki ą¼� 5
Could not imagine my dad in a public bath as a way to get to know my partner lol.

Shin and Emma make me a little sad ]]> 4.68 2023
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.68
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
Omg Itsuomi winning over Yukiā€™s parents was actually so cute.

Could not imagine my dad in a public bath as a way to get to know my partner lol.

Shin and Emma make me a little sad
]]> 123224959
Night falls on the Witch Hat Atelier, and Coco and her fellow apprentices take to their beds. In the quiet of midnight, Qifrey and Olruggio are finally free to pursue their culinary experiments. The magic of the kitchen comes alive as they cook puddings, stews, parfaits, and jellies, and when the sun rises, Coco and the gang are there to savor every bite!

Includes a variety of sweet and savory recipes with step-by-step instructions to help readers recreate their favorite dishes.]]> 156 Hiromi Satō 1646518438 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, comic-graphic-novel 3.97 2020
author: Hiromi Satō
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, comic-graphic-novel
review:

]]> 198378483 159 Suu Morishita nikki ą¼� 4 4.63 2022
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: 2025-shelf, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
Asking to live together this soon is wild.
]]> 61395457
Yuki's a college student who admires and then falls in love with an upperclassman at her school, Itsuomi, who treats her naturally despite her being Deaf. After she resolves to pursue this love in earnest, and Itsuomi asks her to go out, the two become a couple. On their first date alone, Yuki asks Itsuomi about something she's been wondering for a while, but how will he respond?]]> 178 Suu Morishita 1684913403 nikki ą¼� 5 All the love triangles omg. 4.56 2022
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
All the love triangles omg.
]]> 59731612
Yuki is a Deaf college student who is attracted to and then falls for an upperclassman at her school, Itsuomi, who treats her naturally, unfazed by her inability to hear. After she resolves to face her love head-on, Itsuomi asks her out and the two become a couple. He wastes no time introducing her to his best friend and Yuki feels all the more keenly just how much he cares about her.]]> 162 Suu Morishita 1636995160 nikki ą¼� 5 4.48 2021
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
Oushi, you gotta move on bro. I think this is my least fav so far but I still love Yuki and Itsuomi
]]> 58811491 162 Suu Morishita 1636993141 nikki ą¼� 5 Also sign language camp - so cute!]]> 4.57 2021
author: Suu Morishita
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, comic-graphic-novel, contemp-romance, fav-covers, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, rep-disability, romance, series, translated, ya
review:
I was just like yuki w/ my first bf omg just so nervous and tense lol oh young love!
Also sign language camp - so cute!
]]> 218372271 This sweet, funny, electrifying romance stars sixteen-year-old Audre Mercy-Moore, first introduced in the NYT bestseller, Seven Days in June. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Nicola Yoon!
Ģż
MEET AUDRE. Junior class president. Debate team captain. Unofficial student therapist. Desperately in need of a good time.
Ģż
MEET BASH. Mysterious new senior. Everybodyā€™s crush. Tall, floppy, great taste in jewelry. King of having a good time.
Ģż
Itā€™s the last day of school at Cheshire Prep, Brooklynā€™s elite academyā€”and Audre Mercy-Mooreā€™s life is a mess. Her dad cancelled her annual summer visit to his Malibu beach house. Now? Sheā€™s stuck in a claustrophobic apartment with her mom, stepdad, and one-year-old sister (aka the Goblin Baby).
Ģż
Under these conditions, sheā€™ll never finish writing her self-help bookā€”ie, the key to winning over Stanfordā€™s admissions board.
Ģż
Cut to Bash Henry! Audre hires him to be her ā€œfun consultant.ā€� His job? To help her complete the Experience Challengeā€”her list of five wild dares designed to give her juicy book material. Sheā€™ll get inspo; heā€™ll get paid. Everybody wins.
Ģż
He isnā€™t boyfriend material. And sheā€™s not looking for one. Can they stay professional despite their obvious connection?
Ģż
SCORCHING-HOT SUMMER. SCORCHING-HOT CHEMISTRY. But Audre and Bash canā€™t forgetā€”theyā€™re just friends.
Ģż]]> 384 Tia Williams 0316511080 nikki ą¼� 0 4.31 2025
author: Tia Williams
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, lgbtq, rep-bipoc, rep-black, ya
review:

]]> 177601547 One prestigious publishing contract.
A bargain of hearts and desire.

They say never bargain with the fae. They also say donā€™t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she's trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man sheā€™d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. Sheā€™s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. Thereā€™s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isnā€™t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he wonā€™t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, itā€™s a different kind of going down. In that case, heā€™s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desireā€¦turn out to be each other?

A Rivalry of Hearts is a spicy standalone adult fantasy romcom in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. Every book in this interconnected series is a complete story and ends with a HEA. If you like academic rivals, enemies to lovers, and quirky heroines, then youā€™ll love this sizzling tale.

The Fae Flings and Corset Strings series is set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy and Entangled with Fae. Journey back to this beloved fae world or fall in love for the first time.]]> 409 Tessonja Odette nikki ą¼� 5 My beautiful bespectacled hellion. Iā€™ll make you pay for doubting me.

this was so cute OMG. i wanted a fluffy fun historical fantasy romance and i got what i wanted and MORE.

two rival writers end up sharing a book tour. only one will get a book deal out of it, so they make a bet - whoever can seduce more ppl gets the deal. but can they fight their growing desires for each other? heheheeee

When Edwinaā€™s around, itā€™s hard to concentrate on anything else. Thatā€™s how annoying she is.

this year historical fantasy has been my jam, so i loveddd this. there was some creative worldbuilding with this fae land and the courts, but the main focus was the romance (which is what i wanted anyhow).

ā€œHave my words gone over your head?ā€�
I roll my eyes. ā€œOn the contrary, your words are beneath me.ā€�

ā€œSo you admit it. Youā€™re not attracted to him.ā€�
ā€œOh, I find him attractive. I think heā€™s very cute.ā€�
He gives me a simpering look. ā€œCute. You mean like a puppy? How arousing.ā€�

the banter between edwina and william is everythinggggg. i live for the dynamic where the guy gets a kick out of arrogantly annoying the fmc. but she also had her moments of being spontaneous and too curious for her own good that had him running to keep up with her.

ā€œYou donā€™t have to like me to use me.ā€�

when he starts to beg her to use him for their bet? YOU KNOW I LOVE A PATHETIC FICTIONAL MAN. and the spice ]]> 4.00
author: Tessonja Odette
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: fantasy-romance, historical, romance, 2024-shelf, all-time-favs, cozy, fae, fantasy, funny-fantasy, indie-author, standalone-series, trope-rivals-to-lovers
review:
My beautiful bespectacled hellion. Iā€™ll make you pay for doubting me.

this was so cute OMG. i wanted a fluffy fun historical fantasy romance and i got what i wanted and MORE.

two rival writers end up sharing a book tour. only one will get a book deal out of it, so they make a bet - whoever can seduce more ppl gets the deal. but can they fight their growing desires for each other? heheheeee

When Edwinaā€™s around, itā€™s hard to concentrate on anything else. Thatā€™s how annoying she is.

this year historical fantasy has been my jam, so i loveddd this. there was some creative worldbuilding with this fae land and the courts, but the main focus was the romance (which is what i wanted anyhow).

ā€œHave my words gone over your head?ā€�
I roll my eyes. ā€œOn the contrary, your words are beneath me.ā€�

ā€œSo you admit it. Youā€™re not attracted to him.ā€�
ā€œOh, I find him attractive. I think heā€™s very cute.ā€�
He gives me a simpering look. ā€œCute. You mean like a puppy? How arousing.ā€�

the banter between edwina and william is everythinggggg. i live for the dynamic where the guy gets a kick out of arrogantly annoying the fmc. but she also had her moments of being spontaneous and too curious for her own good that had him running to keep up with her.

ā€œYou donā€™t have to like me to use me.ā€�

when he starts to beg her to use him for their bet? YOU KNOW I LOVE A PATHETIC FICTIONAL MAN. and the spice
]]> 231388877 Mean Girls meets Northanger Abbey in this brand new, sapphic, rivals-to-lovers Regency Romance by USA Today bestselling author Emma R. Alban!

When country-bred Catherine Pine relocates to Bath in 1817, she and her mother come face-to-face with her motherā€™s arch nemesis, Lady Tisend, and her daughter, the wildly popular and gorgeous Lady Rosalie. Though once her very best friend, Mrs. Pine alleges Lady Tisend ultimately did her a great injustice. Twenty-five years later, she sees the perfect opportunity for retribution:

Catherine will win the favor of Lady Rosalieā€™s suitor, Mr. Dean. Together, Catherine and her mother will ruin the Tisendsā€� lives, secure Catherine a fruitful match, and launch a fully triumphant return to Bath. Itā€™s the perfect plan for revenge. Only Catherine soon discovers that thereā€™s more to Lady Rosalieā€™s mean streak than meets the eye. Lady Rosalie is by far the wittiest, cleverest, most intriguing young woman Catherineā€™s ever met, and sheā€™s utterly smitten.

Meanwhile, Rosalie feels trapped in her perfect life as Bathā€™s favorite daughter and resident mean girl. Thereā€™s no challenge anymore, no excitement, no surprise. But when she notices newcomer Catherine gunning for her spot as queen bee, Rosalie finally feels a spark again. She determines to meet Catherineā€™s challenge with gusto, because Catherine ignites something in her. Something Rosalie absolutely doesnā€™t want to extinguish.

As their mothers force them into increasingly absurd contests of wit and feminine charms to win Mr. Deanā€™s affections, Rosalie and Catherine instead find themselves falling for each other, scheme, by barb, by catty jabā€�

Can their sizzling rivalry really become a match to last?]]> 400 Emma R. Alban 0063428776 nikki ą¼� 0 5.00
author: Emma R. Alban
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, historical, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 218372272 Rival engineers dabble in personal chemistry while at a tropical company retreat in this smart, zippy romcom.

Engineer Trishara Malik once dreamed of being the first woman of color to smash the glass ceiling at WMC Purcell, but after years of dealing with white male privilege and blatant nepotism, she watches her hard-earned promotion go to her nemesis, Rafe Gallagherā€”the bossā€™s son. Teetering on the edge of burnout, Tris is stunned when sheā€™s picked to attend WMC's corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. Itā€™s a chance to revive her stalled career and compete for a coveted spot in an executive training programā€”plus, three weeks in paradise! The only downside? Rafe is her co-attendee.

Tris plans to avoid Rafe entirely, but when she arrives in Maui, a booking error has them stuck sharing the honeymoon suite. Sure, itā€™s not all torture. Rafe is a smoldering tenā€”okay fine, an elevenā€”but after years of competition, they can barely stand being in the same time zone. As they vie against each other during aptitude tests and team-building exercises, Tris begins to realize Rafe might not be the villain after all. With her dreams at stake, can she learn to trust the man who might have been standing in her corner all along?]]> 352 Nisha J. Tuli 1538759268 nikki ą¼� 0 4.24 2025
author: Nisha J. Tuli
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, romance, trope-forced-proximity
review:

]]> 195790899
Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the townā€™s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a winā€•something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the townā€™s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisherā€™s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sageā€™s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like...

Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and Big Feelings, this highly anticipated romcom is Tarah DeWittā€™s best yet.]]> 336 Tarah DeWitt 1250329426 nikki ą¼� 0 currently-reading 3.87 2024
author: Tarah DeWitt
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 195790999 Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one womanā€™s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths sheā€™ll go to secure her future.

ƒdĆ²dĆ³ā€™s hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the the warrior king of YorĆ¹bĆ”land. Already shunned as social pariahs, living conditions for ƒdĆ²dĆ³ and the other women in her blacksmith guild grow even worse under YorĆ¹bĆ” rule.

Then ƒdĆ²dĆ³ is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of į¹¢Ć ngĆ³tįŗ¹Ģ€, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, ƒdĆ²dĆ³ realizes he is not a vagrant at all; he is the warrior king, and he has chosen her to be his wife.

In a sudden change of fortune, ƒdĆ²dĆ³ soars to the very heights of society. But after a lifetime of subjugation, the power that saturates this world of battle and political savvy becomes too enticing to resist. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and enemies hidden in plain sight, ƒdĆ²dĆ³ must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by re-forging the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everythingā€”including her life.

Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomiā€™s Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue that turn an entire region on its head.]]> 352 O.O. Sangoyomi 1250904293 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 3.94 2024
author: O.O. Sangoyomi
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 221062903
Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient - free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal's immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing - and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi's home caught in the crossfire.

She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she'll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution.

And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel.

From the author of the instant Sunday Times-bestselling The Phoenix Keeper comes an era-defining new fantasy universe where spicy romantasy meets the Cosmere, unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros.

Voidwalker will be your next romantasy obsession, a deliciously feral story that started with just two words: "bite me".]]> 592 S.A. MacLean 1399616609 nikki ą¼� 0 4.58 2025
author: S.A. MacLean
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/25
shelves: to-read, fantasy, fantasy-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-bi, monster, romance, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 55012301
Except now heā€™s back. Jeremy Wentworth, the Duke of Lansing, has returned to the tiny village he once visited with the hope of wooing Chloe. In his defense, it took him years of attempting to be serious to realize that the endeavor was incompatible with his personality.

All he has to do is convince Chloe to make room for a mischievous trickster in her life, then disclose that in all the years theyā€™ve known each other, heā€™s failed to mention his real name, his titleā€� and the minor fact that he owns her entire village.

Only one thing can go wrong: Everything.]]> 352 Courtney Milan nikki ą¼� 4
this was cute! it wasn't the most driving plotline, but it was so cool to find a bipoc-lead hisrom and seeing how that was weaved into the time period.

they were a cute couple and i love how he simped for her. also mary jane wells makes it a fabulous audiobook as usual, she never disappoints.]]> 3.91 2020
author: Courtney Milan
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/24
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: 2025-shelf, historical, rep-bipoc, rep-asian, romance, standalone-series
review:
3.75ā˜�

this was cute! it wasn't the most driving plotline, but it was so cool to find a bipoc-lead hisrom and seeing how that was weaved into the time period.

they were a cute couple and i love how he simped for her. also mary jane wells makes it a fabulous audiobook as usual, she never disappoints.
]]> 60378611
Until

Meets Pres ā€� an aspiring politician, certified Capricorn, and a definitely ā€œunlikableā€� dude (He knows, he had a poll done on it), andAccidentally goes viral at the same time. (The internet is calling it ā€œBoobgate.ā€�)His PR person says they should capitalize on the fame. Pres only wants to win an election. And Rach, well, she really just wants to keep her job.

Now she must decide if she can be herself and get the guy, too, or if faking it until you make it is all itā€™s cracked up to beā€¦]]> 362 Amanda Gambill nikki ą¼� 5
I wanted something fluffy, funny, and sexy, and that is exactly what I got with this.

I found Rachel really funny and an invigorated version of the quirky clichƩ FMC, and honestly same for Pres as the uptight, straight laced, control freak MMC. Their characters both had some depth and unique qualities to each of them that made them stand out for me.

The banter was fun and silly, the buildup of tension between them was funny and steamy ("Fucking finally" lives rent-free in my head), and overall, I just found them incredibly endearing together.

if you're looking for a fun romance, pick this up!]]> 4.24
author: Amanda Gambill
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: contemp-romance, 2025-shelf, kindle-unlimited, romance, standalone, trope-fake-dating, trope-forced-proximity, all-time-favs
review:
if you enjoyed kyra parsi (a deal with the bossy devil, failure to match), give this a go!!!

I wanted something fluffy, funny, and sexy, and that is exactly what I got with this.

I found Rachel really funny and an invigorated version of the quirky clichƩ FMC, and honestly same for Pres as the uptight, straight laced, control freak MMC. Their characters both had some depth and unique qualities to each of them that made them stand out for me.

The banter was fun and silly, the buildup of tension between them was funny and steamy ("Fucking finally" lives rent-free in my head), and overall, I just found them incredibly endearing together.

if you're looking for a fun romance, pick this up!
]]> 199534723 The Witchā€™s HeartĢżmeetsĢżThe Priory of the Orange TreeĢżin this debut novel about a woman who can bring people back from the dead, and the princessā€”and only heir to the throneā€”that she must protect, no matter the cost. The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years oldā€� Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects. Such a gift can rarely remain a secret. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the kingdomā€™s throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir to demand she bring her granddaughter back to life. But once is not enough; the killers might strike again. The Princessā€™s death would cause a civil war, so the Queen commands that Hellevir remain by her side. But Sullivain is no easy woman to be bound to, even as Hellevir begins to fall in love with her. With the threat of war looming, Hellevir must trade more and more of herself to keep the Princess alive. But Death will always take what he is owed.]]> 384 Marianne Gordon 0063248778 nikki ą¼� 0 3.68 2023
author: Marianne Gordon
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, fantasy, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, fantasy-romance, romance
review:

]]> 217421173 In this Latinx YA fantasy inspired by El Zorro, Lola de La PeƱa becomes the masked heroine ³§²¹±ō±¹²¹³¦¾±Ć³²Ō in order to save her family and town from a man who would destroy it for the magic it contains...if she doesn't fall in love with one of his men first.

Lola de La PeƱa yearns to be free from the societal expectations of a young Mexican lady of her station. She spends her days pretending to be delicate and proper while watching her mamĆ” cure the sick and injured with sal negra (black salt), a recently discovered magic that heals even the most mortal of sicknesses and wounds. But by night, she is ³§²¹±ō±¹²¹³¦¾±Ć³²Ō, the free-spirit lady vigilante protecting the town of Coloma from those who threaten its peace and safety among the rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

But one night, a woman races into Coloma, barely alive, to tell the horrifying tale of how her town was obliterated by sal roja, a potent, deadly magic capable of obliterating anything it comes into contact with and the man who wields it: Damien HernĆ”ndez. And when HernĆ”ndez arrives the next day with a party of fifty strong and promises of returning Alta California to MĆ©xico, Lola knows itā€™s only a matter of time before he brings the region under his ruleā€”all HernĆ”ndez needs is the next full moon and the stolen, ancient amulet he carries to mine enough sal roja to conquer the land. Determined to protect everything she loves, Lola races against time as ³§²¹±ō±¹²¹³¦¾±Ć³²Ō to stop his plans. What she didnā€™t count on was the distracting and infuriating Alejandro, who travels with HernĆ”ndez but doesn't seem to share his ambitions. With the stakes higher than ever and HernĆ”ndez getting closer to his goals, Lola will do anything to foil his plans, even teaming up with Alejandroā€”who she doesnā€™t fully trust, but canā€™t help but fall in love with.]]> 336 Sandra Proudman 1250895081 nikki ą¼� 0 3.74 2025
author: Sandra Proudman
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: to-read, historical, fantasy, rep-bipoc, rep-latine, retelling, ya-fantasy, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 222376849 A pair of Gothic novelists trade rivalry for love in this swoony, steamy, sapphic Regency by USA Today bestselling author Alexandra Vasti.

Celebrated authoress Lady Georgiana Cleeve has achieved fame and fortune. Unfortunately, sheā€™s also acquired an the enigmatic Lady Darling, whose spine-tingling plots appear to be pulled straight from Georgianaā€™s own manuscripts. Whatā€™s a stubborn, steely writer to do? Unmask her rival, of course.

But unmasking doesnā€™t go according to planā€”because Lady Darling is actually Cat Lacey, the butlerā€™s daughter and object of Georgianaā€™s very secret, very embarrassing teenage infatuation.

Cat Lacey has spent a decade clawing her family out of poverty. The last thing she needs is to be distracted by the stunning(ly pretentious) Lady Georgiana Cleeve. But Cat canā€™t seem to escape her infuriatingly beautiful rivalā€”including at the eerie manor where they both plan to set their next books. The plot unexpectedly thickens, however, when the novelists find themselves trapped in the manor together. In between ghostly moans and spectral staff, Cat and Georgiana come face-to-face with real the scorching passion thatā€™s been haunting their rivalry all along.]]> 352 Alexandra Vasti 1250910986 nikki ą¼� 5 ā€œItā€™s difficult. To believe that you deserve happiness when the world would tell you that you do not.ā€�

4.25ā˜�
this was a super cute sapphic historical romance.

i enjoyed the rivalry and banter in the beginning, and the dilapidated, gothic mansion with spooky vibes. i enjoyed cat and georgiana both as protagonists and they felt v interesting w their respective backstories.

i was a little sad that we're lead away from the mansion quite quickly from a mystery, but the absolute simping on both their behalfs helped make up for it.

ā€œYou cannot possibly imagine how long and how desperately I have wanted you.ā€�

i also enjoyed the historical note at the end from author about real life influences, esp from queer figures in regency history.

overall, it was a fun read and i would read more by vasti! (i have my eye on iris for a next book ]]> 4.20 2025
author: Alexandra Vasti
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/23
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: arc, historical, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, standalone-series, upcoming-releases, 2025-shelf
review:
ā€œItā€™s difficult. To believe that you deserve happiness when the world would tell you that you do not.ā€�

4.25ā˜�
this was a super cute sapphic historical romance.

i enjoyed the rivalry and banter in the beginning, and the dilapidated, gothic mansion with spooky vibes. i enjoyed cat and georgiana both as protagonists and they felt v interesting w their respective backstories.

i was a little sad that we're lead away from the mansion quite quickly from a mystery, but the absolute simping on both their behalfs helped make up for it.

ā€œYou cannot possibly imagine how long and how desperately I have wanted you.ā€�

i also enjoyed the historical note at the end from author about real life influences, esp from queer figures in regency history.

overall, it was a fun read and i would read more by vasti! (i have my eye on iris for a next book
]]> 63680035
Have you ever wondered ā€�
-What is Middletown's favorite opposites-attract couple up to?
-What does Dean eat for Thanksgiving?
-How does Skylar survive her parents this season?
-How many lists does Skylar make in preparation for Christmas?
-Will Roe host a ā€œSleigh All The Elfin Best Party Everā€� party? (yes)
-Will a pumpkin be smashed?

Now you'll know, in this special holiday novella!

This novella is an extension of the full-length novel A Guy Like Him. It is not at all recommended to read this without having read A Guy Like Him first.

Content notes: This book centers around an American Thanksgiving and a secular Christmas. A parent with dementia is mentioned by others and appears briefly on page. As with most holidays, toxic family members may appear :)]]> 119 Amanda Gambill nikki ą¼� 4 Skye's parents still suck, but there were some cute moments with her and Dean.]]> 4.23
author: Amanda Gambill
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: 2025-shelf, holiday, holiday-winter, novellas-shorts-etc, romance, contemp-romance
review:
3.5ā˜�
Skye's parents still suck, but there were some cute moments with her and Dean.
]]> 198716261 A forbidden, secret affair proves that allā€™s fair in love and science.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through - and he's a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can't stop thinking about. The woman who's off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business - one that plays for keeps.]]> 384 Ali Hazelwood 1408728915 nikki ą¼� 3
ok i didn't hate it but i was kind of bored? it was nice to be out of the college setting and i def liked it more than bride, but i feel like i got antsy much sooner than her other contemps.

her smut still hits tho ]]> 3.59 2024
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: 2025-shelf, contemp-romance, romance, standalone-series
review:
3.25ā˜�

ok i didn't hate it but i was kind of bored? it was nice to be out of the college setting and i def liked it more than bride, but i feel like i got antsy much sooner than her other contemps.

her smut still hits tho
]]> 214269390 A swoony romance between driven, practical Lynda Fan and her rich, arrogant classmate, Angela Wu. When Angela offers Lynda the chance to design characters for her otome game, Lynda discovers things she never knew about herselfā€¦or her heart.

Love is an art.

Sixteen-year-old Lynda Fan has the skills and the drive to get into the Rhode Island School of Designā€”but not the money. Her parents are too busy paying for her stepsisterā€™s violin lessons to help Lynda get into art school.

So when her rich and arrogant classmate, Angela Wu, offers to hire Lynda as a character designer for an otome gameā€”a love story-based video gameā€”she jumps at the opportunity.

Lynda isnā€™t exactly a romantic, but in pursuit of her dreams, she discovers things she never knew about herself while also finding love with every heart she draws.]]> 320 Alice Lin 0593814827 nikki ą¼� 0 3.67 2025
author: Alice Lin
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, lgbtq-sapphic, lgbtq, romance, ya
review:

]]> 217286550 In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as ā€œold maidsā€� to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law.

When Lord Evanā€”a charming escaped convict who has won Gusā€™s heartā€”needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evanā€™s complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy taskā€”the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found.

In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evanā€™s past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemenā€™s clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?]]> 460 Alison Goodman 0593440846 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 4.35 2025
author: Alison Goodman
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218572920 Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And theyā€™re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in yearsā€”or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which sheā€™ll choose the person whoā€™ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Aliceā€™s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Aliceā€”and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: Sheā€™s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they canā€™t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time theyā€™re in the same room.

And itā€™s becoming abundantly clear that their storyā€”just like the tale Margaretā€™s spinningā€”could be a mystery, tragedy, or love balladā€¦depending on whoā€™s telling it.]]> 427 Emily Henry nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 4.41 2025
author: Emily Henry
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211434035 A gorgeous, atmospheric debut fantasy that reimagines the Jewish myth of golem in a tale rooted in history, folklore, and sapphic romanceā€”perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Hannah Whitten, and Naomi Novik.

The forest eats the girls who wander out after dark.

As the healerā€™s daughter, Malka has seen how the curse of the woods has plagued her village, but when the Ozmini Church comes to collect their tithes, they donā€™t listen to the warnings about a monster lurking in the trees. After a clergy girl wanders too close to the forest and Malkaā€™s mother is accused of her murder, Malka strikes a bargain with a zealot Ozmini priest. If she brings him the monster, he will spare her mother from execution.

When she ventures into the blood-soaked woods, Malka finds a monster, though not the one she expects: an inscrutable, disgraced golem who agrees to implicate herself, but only after Malka helps her free the imprisoned rabbi who created her.

But a deal easily made is not easily kept. And as their bargain begins to unravel a much more sinister threat, protecting her people may force Malka to endanger the one person she left home to saveā€”and face her growing feelings for the very creature she was taught to fear.]]> 400 Maddie Martinez 1035048795 nikki ą¼� 0 4.25 2025
author: Maddie Martinez
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: to-read, fantasy, rep-jewish, gothic, lgbtq, monster, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, upcoming-releases, top-of-tbr, horror, arc
review:

]]> 212398691 From bestselling author Kelly Andrew comes the most electrifying dark romance of the decade...

Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity.

But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected to accompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine.

She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark.

A selective-mute, Vivienne Farrow hasn't said a word in years -- not since going missing in Red Rock Canyon when she was four years old. No one knows quite what happened to her out in the dark. They only know that the sound of her voice is now as deadly as a poison. Anyone who hears her speak suffers a horrible death.

Ever since that fatal family vacation, Vivienne has been desperately searching for a way to regain control of both her voice and her body. Because the face staring out of the mirror isn't hers. It's something with teeth.

Thankfully, Vivienne has a plan. She's finally found someone who claims to be able to perform a surgical exorcism. She just needs to find a way to get rid of Thomas first. But Thomas can't afford to walk away, nor is he willing to abandon the mysterious girl he's quickly falling for, no matter what dark powers threaten to swallow them both whole.]]> 368 Kelly Andrew 1546104488 nikki ą¼� 5 She wasn't afraid of death.
She was afraid of the girl in the mirror.

rating: 4.5ā˜�

this is def my favorite kelly andrew book yet! bubblegum horror with a rough-edged princess fmc, boy from the other side of the tracks, yearning, body horror, and found family. it also has the vibes of kafka's metamorphosis, jennifer's body, mean girls, and moulin rouge all rolled into one ]]> 4.01 2025
author: Kelly Andrew
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: fantasy, horror, rep-disability, arc, 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, romance, standalone, ya, trope-forced-proximity
review:
She wasn't afraid of death.
She was afraid of the girl in the mirror.

rating: 4.5ā˜�

this is def my favorite kelly andrew book yet! bubblegum horror with a rough-edged princess fmc, boy from the other side of the tracks, yearning, body horror, and found family. it also has the vibes of kafka's metamorphosis, jennifer's body, mean girls, and moulin rouge all rolled into one
]]> 211974738
I regret nothing.
ā€�
Okay, maybe I regret some things.
In my defense, I was pretty sure I wouldnā€™t get caught.
Also in my defense, I had no way of knowing that ā€œThe Incidentā€� would go viral.

But Torontoā€™s most notorious billionaire isnā€™t exactly known for his generous or understanding spirit, and he doesnā€™t want to hear my excuses.
Not when my little public stunt cost him the biggest investment deal of his career.

What he does want is cold, hard revenge.
And thatā€™s how I find myself backed into a corner, forced to strike a deal with the snarly, green-eyed devil.
I have no choice but to be at his beck and call 24 hours a day, succumbing to his every bossy whim.
But as his demandsā€”and the blistering tensionā€”become increasingly unbearable, I canā€™t help but start to bite back.

Adrien Cloutier isnā€™t a man to be messed with, though.
And as the old saying goes, bad girls deserve to be punished.

This is a full-length enemies-to-lovers romance with loads of spicy banter and laugh-out-loud moments, featuring a dimpled bosshole devil in a suit and the smart-mouthed woman who brings him to his knees. (Literally.)

āœ� Enemies to lovers
āœ� Fake relationship
āœ� Only one bed
āœ� Three slow-burn peppers
āœ� Good girl]]> 434 Kyra Parsi nikki ą¼� 5
You know what... I love this even more than book 2.

The tension, the buildup, the banter, I was OBSESSED. I feel like the progression to the relationship was more organic and just built to a better stronger payoff, and there was a really strong conflict and background stories for each of them. Plus, they eventually just have so much fun together. It's adorable.

Yeah, I just loved this one.]]> 4.11 2023
author: Kyra Parsi
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: 2025-shelf, all-time-favs, contemp-romance, kindle-unlimited, romance, standalone-series, trope-fake-dating
review:
4.25ā˜�

You know what... I love this even more than book 2.

The tension, the buildup, the banter, I was OBSESSED. I feel like the progression to the relationship was more organic and just built to a better stronger payoff, and there was a really strong conflict and background stories for each of them. Plus, they eventually just have so much fun together. It's adorable.

Yeah, I just loved this one.
]]> 220245253 From the New York Times bestselling author of Where the Dark Stands Still comes an atmospheric fantasy based on Swan Lake, following Odile as her plan to restore magic to her kingdom gets disrupted by a murderā€”forcing her to beg for help from the young woman whose identity she stole.

Can two girlsā€”one enchanted, one the enchantressā€”save their kingdom and each other?

Two hundred years ago, a slighted deity stole the magic from AurĆ©al and vanished without a trace. But seventeen-year-old Odile has a plan. All her life, her father, a vengeful sorcerer, has raised her for one singular infiltrate the royal palace and steal the kingā€™s crown, an artefact with enough power to restore magic. But to enter the palace, she must assume the identity of a noblewoman. She chooses Marie dā€� famed for her beauty, a rumored candidate for future queenā€¦and Odileā€™s childhood-friend-turned-sworn-enemy.

With her fatherā€™s help, Odile transforms Marie into a swan and takes her place at court. But when the king is brutally murdered and her own brother is accused, her plans are thrown into chaos. Desperate to free her brother, Odile is forced to team up with none other than elegant, infuriating Marie, the girl she has cursedā€¦and the girl she canā€™t seem to stop thinking about despite her best efforts.

To make matters worse, there are whispers that the kingā€™s murder was not at the hands of man, but beast. Torn between loyalty to her father and her growing feelings for Marie, Odile becomes tangled in a web of treachery and deceit. To save her kingdom, she must find the true path to magicā€¦and find the real killer before theyā€”or itā€”strikes again.]]> 352 A.B. Poranek 1665936525 nikki ą¼� 4
The mystery was intriguing and had me guessing for a bit. I don't know Swan Lake very much at all myself, but I think this was probably a creative twist on it with its own lore and magic.

I think I would've liked a little more interaction between Odile and Marie in the beginning, but it does build on through the book and they have some great moments later in. I also really liked the two side characters ā€� the Dauphin and Odile's brother ā€� and wouldn't have minded a little bit more of them.

I admittedly did not love this as much as I liked Where the Dark Stands Still. I think there was something more whimsical about the magic and that book that was missing for me in this one, but I definitely still enjoyed it and it was a pretty fast pace read for me.

Overall, it's a very solid YA fantasy and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.

an honest arc review ā™�

_______________

french gothic sapphic swan lake meets phantom of the opera retelling??? please send it to me rachel]]> 4.50 2025
author: A.B. Poranek
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: fantasy, gothic, lgbtq, retelling, lgbtq-sapphic, upcoming-releases, 2025-shelf, arc, fav-covers, romance, standalone, ya-fantasy, witch
review:
This was a fun retelling of Swan Lake with sapphic rep and lots of atmospheric writing and elaborate details.

The mystery was intriguing and had me guessing for a bit. I don't know Swan Lake very much at all myself, but I think this was probably a creative twist on it with its own lore and magic.

I think I would've liked a little more interaction between Odile and Marie in the beginning, but it does build on through the book and they have some great moments later in. I also really liked the two side characters ā€� the Dauphin and Odile's brother ā€� and wouldn't have minded a little bit more of them.

I admittedly did not love this as much as I liked Where the Dark Stands Still. I think there was something more whimsical about the magic and that book that was missing for me in this one, but I definitely still enjoyed it and it was a pretty fast pace read for me.

Overall, it's a very solid YA fantasy and I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.

an honest arc review ā™�

_______________

french gothic sapphic swan lake meets phantom of the opera retelling??? please send it to me rachel
]]> 123207158 Bestselling author Lyla Lee delivers a deliciously fun YA K-drama remix of Pride and Prejudiceā€�if Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett were a college-run reality TV dating show.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when there is a hot person, there is also someone with a crush on them.

Mia Yoon has a plan for everything. Get a full ride to her dream film school in Los Angeles, behind her momā€™s back, and escape her middle-of-nowhere hometownā€”check. Produce her own dating show starring other people and their crushesā€”check. But everything goes off the rails when she has to enlist the help of her own secret crush, Noah Cho, a boy sheā€™d rather hate.

Despite being a campus celebrity voted ā€œmost eligible student bachelor,ā€� Noah canā€™t remember the last time he was in a relationship. And heā€™s perfectly content with that, thank you very much, especially since just the word feelings makes him uncomfortable. But he canā€™t stop staring at Mia, who keeps glaring at him in class. And when she asks him to be on her dating showā€”as one of the contestantsā€”he canā€™t say no.

As Noah goes on more and more romantic dates on The Cuffing Game and Mia watches from behind the camera, something feels off. With the showrunner and contestant slowly falling for one another, can the show still go on?]]> Lyla Lee nikki ą¼� 5
this was SO CUTE and such a fun read!

take some of the netflix dating shows like single's inferno and the perfect match, throw in some love island and unreal tv, add a little sweetness and fluff from quirky kdramas, and just a dash of pride & prejudice, and you've got the cuffing game.

as someone w a past life in film, i connected v much w both mia and noah and the story of making your own project was very dear to my heart. throw in the antics of reality tv dating and it's a fun time.

it was a fast read and i felt like it paced well, with a not too neatly or rushed ending. it also included a v diverse cast w some queer contestants (mia is also bi), which we still don't get to see a lot in reality dating shows today.

lyla lee pls be my friend so we can talk about film production and are you the one season 8!!!!!

an honest arc review ā™”]]> 3.53 2025
author: Lyla Lee
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/15
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: 2025-shelf, academy-college-university, arc, contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-bi, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, romance, standalone, ya, upcoming-releases
review:
4.25ā˜�

this was SO CUTE and such a fun read!

take some of the netflix dating shows like single's inferno and the perfect match, throw in some love island and unreal tv, add a little sweetness and fluff from quirky kdramas, and just a dash of pride & prejudice, and you've got the cuffing game.

as someone w a past life in film, i connected v much w both mia and noah and the story of making your own project was very dear to my heart. throw in the antics of reality tv dating and it's a fun time.

it was a fast read and i felt like it paced well, with a not too neatly or rushed ending. it also included a v diverse cast w some queer contestants (mia is also bi), which we still don't get to see a lot in reality dating shows today.

lyla lee pls be my friend so we can talk about film production and are you the one season 8!!!!!

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 223436601 An explosive memoir charting one womanā€™s career at the heart of one of the most influential companies on the planet, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to Facebook, the decisions that have shaped world events in recent decades, and the people who made them.

From trips on private jets and encounters with world leaders to shocking accounts of misogyny and double standards behind the scenes, this searing memoir exposes both the personal and the political fallout when unfettered power and a rotten company culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative where a few people carelessly hold the world in their hands, this eye-opening memoir reveals what really goes on among the global elite.

Sarah Wynn-Williams tells the wrenching but fun story of Facebook, mapping its rise from stumbling encounters with juntas to Mark Zuckerbergā€™s reaction when he learned of Facebookā€™s role in Trumpā€™s election. She experiences the challenges and humiliations of working motherhood within a pressure cooker of a workplace, all while Sheryl Sandberg urges her and others to ā€œlean in.ā€�

Careless People is a deeply personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decadeā€”told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.]]> 400 Sarah Wynn-Williams 1250391237 nikki ą¼� 0 4.30 2025
author: Sarah Wynn-Williams
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: to-read, bio-memoir, non-fiction, politics
review:

]]> 209594872 The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this standalone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debtā€”enough to qualify one of her children for Caerusā€™s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lambā€™s Gauntlet.

Melinoƫ is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairsā€”the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But sheā€™s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For MelinoĆ«, this is a game she canā€™t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if thereā€™s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if sheā€™s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.]]> 384 Ava Reid 0063211556 nikki ą¼� 4 ā€œAnd maybe thatā€™s all it takesā€”at least at the beginning. Just a few people who care. And that caring matters, even if it canā€™t cool the earth or lower sea levels or turn back time to before a nuclear blast.ā€�

rating: 3.75ā˜�

a love letter to dystopians (esp hunger games), reid has imagined us a (not-so-distant, more likely than not) future fully disrupted and firmly altered by climate change and oppressed by the staggering debt to the monopoly corporation, saerus. flooding storms are a regular occurrence, so have your raft on hand!

within the first 15% i was getting some minor but noticeable hints of terminator, blade runner, even ghost in the shell, handmaid's tale. animals have been disfigured and mutated by the chemical pollution in the air, land, and water. evil seagulls!!!

ā€œWhen we see flowers blooming or hear birds singing, we think itā€™s beautiful. But when people need each other, it seems so ugly.ā€�
ā€œCaerus has poisoned everything.ā€�

capitalism destroys the idea of community, bc it needs us to rely on IT (buying things) rather than each other. it also allows more control to government/authority bc ppl are divided.

there's also a major theme of the dehumanizing voyeurism of trauma and entertainment brutality. the lamb's gauntlet itself is an apathetic bloodsport twitch/tiktok live, complete with watcher comments. people livestream their own reactions and cameras film 24/7.

there is definitely major commentary on women in media, the expectations of beauty, and objectifying commodification of them in online spaces.
slight spoilers: [spoilers removed]

so, the set up and concept were very strong and intriguing to me, with clear parallels to what is currently happening rn and a cautionary tale of what could happen to us all.

however, i did feel the overall story execution was a bit underwhelming for me, as well as the ending. i thought the relationship between inesa and melinoƫ was well constructed for a YA, but i wanted more from the other characters and subplots/hints.

ā€œSometimes love isnā€™t enough.ā€�
ā€œI think it is. I think it has to be. Otherwise, itā€™s not really love. If the world can break itĢż.Ģż.Ģż.ā€�

the way this ends feels more open-ended then not with some loose ends. i v much suspect a sequel and hope for it bc there are many questions that i would like the answers to.

Iā€™ll always be able to find my way back to her.

an honest arc review ā™”]]> 3.84 2025
author: Ava Reid
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: dystopian, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, lgbtq-sapphic, arc, 2024-shelf, feminism, fav-covers, lgbtq, romance, ya-fantasy
review:
ā€œAnd maybe thatā€™s all it takesā€”at least at the beginning. Just a few people who care. And that caring matters, even if it canā€™t cool the earth or lower sea levels or turn back time to before a nuclear blast.ā€�

rating: 3.75ā˜�

a love letter to dystopians (esp hunger games), reid has imagined us a (not-so-distant, more likely than not) future fully disrupted and firmly altered by climate change and oppressed by the staggering debt to the monopoly corporation, saerus. flooding storms are a regular occurrence, so have your raft on hand!

within the first 15% i was getting some minor but noticeable hints of terminator, blade runner, even ghost in the shell, handmaid's tale. animals have been disfigured and mutated by the chemical pollution in the air, land, and water. evil seagulls!!!

ā€œWhen we see flowers blooming or hear birds singing, we think itā€™s beautiful. But when people need each other, it seems so ugly.ā€�
ā€œCaerus has poisoned everything.ā€�

capitalism destroys the idea of community, bc it needs us to rely on IT (buying things) rather than each other. it also allows more control to government/authority bc ppl are divided.

there's also a major theme of the dehumanizing voyeurism of trauma and entertainment brutality. the lamb's gauntlet itself is an apathetic bloodsport twitch/tiktok live, complete with watcher comments. people livestream their own reactions and cameras film 24/7.

there is definitely major commentary on women in media, the expectations of beauty, and objectifying commodification of them in online spaces.
slight spoilers: [spoilers removed]

so, the set up and concept were very strong and intriguing to me, with clear parallels to what is currently happening rn and a cautionary tale of what could happen to us all.

however, i did feel the overall story execution was a bit underwhelming for me, as well as the ending. i thought the relationship between inesa and melinoƫ was well constructed for a YA, but i wanted more from the other characters and subplots/hints.

ā€œSometimes love isnā€™t enough.ā€�
ā€œI think it is. I think it has to be. Otherwise, itā€™s not really love. If the world can break itĢż.Ģż.Ģż.ā€�

the way this ends feels more open-ended then not with some loose ends. i v much suspect a sequel and hope for it bc there are many questions that i would like the answers to.

Iā€™ll always be able to find my way back to her.

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 213794272
But Luca, like the rest of Teris, is locked behind borders that protect the kingdom from a rampant disease. Even worse, Luca is tethered to the hunt for a notorious criminal, a masked terror known as The Traveler. If only this ā€˜Travelerā€� would live up to his title and journey elsewhere. However, The Travelerā€™s puzzling actions threaten the kingdomā€™s imports, and Luca canā€™t pursue his dream of leaving the kingdom until his sworn enemy is brought to justice.

When Luca is invited to the neighboring village of Hollowaye for a weekend, he sees the opportunity for his childhood fantasy to become a reality, if even for just a moment. As he steps into the cozy village, heā€™s confronted with a shocking The Traveler has been hiding here, just a breath away from him the entire time.

The discovery turns Lucaā€™s world upside down. Now, Luca is at the mercy of The Traveler, a well-loved figure in Hollawaye, and their comfortable game of cat and mouse has flipped on its head. When Luca is forced to face The Travelerā€™s perspective, it draws into question the Majesty of the kingdom heā€™s given up everything to protect.]]> 495 Taylor Vaughan nikki ą¼� 0 3.41
author: Taylor Vaughan
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.41
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: to-read, fantasy, indie-author, kindle-unlimited
review:

]]> 223703956
Roman
At twelve years old, Roman Covingtonā€”crown prince of the tropical fae kingdomā€”met Violet Maekin: a girl with freckles on her nose, a razor-edged wit, and the ability to make him laugh. She made him feel normal in a world that demanded he be anything but. After just a single day and a few scribbled notes, she held his heart in her hands.
But when Roman turned thirteen, the gods granted him the name of his fated mateā€”Vivian. Violetā€™s identical twin sister.
Convinced the gods were cruel, mistaken, or both, Roman spent a decade seeking a way to shift the bond from one sister to the other. All the while, a quiet madness bloomed within him.
He watched Violet from the shadows.
Stalked her in silence.
Killed for her in the dark.

Violet
When the king and queen arrived to announce the princeā€™s gods-blessed mate, Violet already knew it was her.
Except it wasnā€™t.
Vivian got Roman, and Violet got nothing but a splintered heart and the cruel ache of pretending it didnā€™t break her.
But Violet and Romanā€™s friendship enduredā€� until the day she realized her feelings had grown into something vast and soul-deep, far beyond the reaches of her childhood crush.
Roman and Vivian might avoid one another now, but Violet knew the gods did not make mistakes. Their indifference would turn to love while Violetā€™s heart would turn to ash.
She did the only thing she could to save her heart and walked away from Roman for good.


The first half of Obsessively Yours jumps from year to year between chapters from ages twelve to twenty-four. The second half of the book, they are twenty-five. There is no overarching fantasy plot, but there are a few small twists that are directly related to the romance.

This is a dual POV romance book in a classic fantasy setting, but there is minimal world building and NO fantasy plot unrelated to the romance. It has dark elements but is not necessarily a dark book.

No cheating and a guaranteed HEA.


Please note: only suitable for 18+ due to mature language and situations. Check the author's website for a full list of CW.]]> 446 Jamie Applegate Hunter nikki ą¼� 0 4.58 2025
author: Jamie Applegate Hunter
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, arc, dark-romance, fantasy, indie-author, romance, standalone-series, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 223854848 From the beloved USA Today bestselling author Falon Ballard comes a seductive romantasy that blends Macbeth and Moulin Rouge! into a hypnotic saga of sex, love, and murder.

The country of Avon is in deep turmoil. The Uprising has overthrown Avon's monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special to kill the former monarch of their home province.Ģż

Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But to do so, he must come to terms with killing his father, the key to which lies in the hands of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avonā€™s premiere sex club.

Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands, nor wants.

With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon for good.ĢżTo stop Avon from violently falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have . . . even if it requires betraying each other.]]> 384 Falon Ballard 0593854675 nikki ą¼� 3
Moulin Rouge meets Lady Macbeth is a very intriguing concept, but unfortunately it's just not executed well here.

The world building is pretty flimsy. We're introduced to the idea of the Gifted, individuals who are born with their own unique gifts, but beyond that there isn't really much explanation to them or how that magic system works. There's also the idea of Bonding between someone gifted and someone not, but that's also not fully explained. I also think only women seem to be Gifted, but that's also not really explicitly spelled out from what I remember.

The whole Moulin Rouge x Macbeth, mashup frankly was pretty messy. I thought it was kind of odd that she just straight up used Harold's name from Moulin Rouge as the bordello owner, but also he was such a barely present character for how much of a central point he was, it was very odd. I also don't really understand why anyone would think the owner of a dance hall is the best option to lead a country.

Lady M enters the picture with zero background, which is also never really explained either. One second Harold is bemoaning the financial ruin of the dance hall, and then next thing you know, he just suddenly has a girlfriend? wife? Who is suddenly now just paying for it all. She's also a pretty flat, one dimensional villain, which is really unexciting these days in fantasy.

The love story between Caterine and Callum is instalust without much depth, which was disappointing. I also feel like this is a case of an author not having fleshed out characters with interesting flaws that have me intrigued and really falling in love with them. It was just overall very meh, Callum has like five minutes of resistance to her before he goes back on his promise to himself to notā€� Allow himself to be vulnerable to her power lol.

I'm kind of at a loss about the world building. Why do the royals seem to just be able to run around without bodyguards / random people wandering their home? security? Why would any random person who kills the monarch get to take over? What time period is this supposed to be in/fashioned after?

Overall, this is definitely been one of my more disappointing reads this year. I think this could do with a lot more work on the worldbuilding and characters, and if she's trying to lean into romantic with the romance leading, there could definitely be more work on building that relationship in more effective ways.

an honest arc review ā™”]]> 3.14
author: Falon Ballard
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.14
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/19
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: upcoming-releases, arc, 2025-shelf, fantasy-romance, fantasy, romance, series
review:
rating: 2.75ā˜�

Moulin Rouge meets Lady Macbeth is a very intriguing concept, but unfortunately it's just not executed well here.

The world building is pretty flimsy. We're introduced to the idea of the Gifted, individuals who are born with their own unique gifts, but beyond that there isn't really much explanation to them or how that magic system works. There's also the idea of Bonding between someone gifted and someone not, but that's also not fully explained. I also think only women seem to be Gifted, but that's also not really explicitly spelled out from what I remember.

The whole Moulin Rouge x Macbeth, mashup frankly was pretty messy. I thought it was kind of odd that she just straight up used Harold's name from Moulin Rouge as the bordello owner, but also he was such a barely present character for how much of a central point he was, it was very odd. I also don't really understand why anyone would think the owner of a dance hall is the best option to lead a country.

Lady M enters the picture with zero background, which is also never really explained either. One second Harold is bemoaning the financial ruin of the dance hall, and then next thing you know, he just suddenly has a girlfriend? wife? Who is suddenly now just paying for it all. She's also a pretty flat, one dimensional villain, which is really unexciting these days in fantasy.

The love story between Caterine and Callum is instalust without much depth, which was disappointing. I also feel like this is a case of an author not having fleshed out characters with interesting flaws that have me intrigued and really falling in love with them. It was just overall very meh, Callum has like five minutes of resistance to her before he goes back on his promise to himself to notā€� Allow himself to be vulnerable to her power lol.

I'm kind of at a loss about the world building. Why do the royals seem to just be able to run around without bodyguards / random people wandering their home? security? Why would any random person who kills the monarch get to take over? What time period is this supposed to be in/fashioned after?

Overall, this is definitely been one of my more disappointing reads this year. I think this could do with a lot more work on the worldbuilding and characters, and if she's trying to lean into romantic with the romance leading, there could definitely be more work on building that relationship in more effective ways.

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 211011200
Cameron Miller hates change. It makes her sweaty, tongue-tied, or worse- silent. Her anxiety doesnā€™t help, leaving her expecting disaster around every corner. And finding out that her almost one-night stand is her new boss only confirms her fears.

Violet Wolfe isnā€™t looking for love. In fact, due to her impending divorce, she plans to stay far, far away from it. Luckily, love, and a close encounter in a bar bathroom, donā€™t bear many similarities. But when the woman from last night turns up as her workā€™s newbie, Violet realizes sheā€™s accidentally violated her bossā€� #1 rule: No dating colleagues.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, sure, but itā€™s just a physical attraction- or so they tell themselves. Yet as they start to consider breaking workplace policy, as well as the boundaries theyā€™ve set for themselves, they start to wonder if it really is just ā€œpuppy loveā€�, or if something larger is pulling them together.

Content This novel contains content that may be triggering to some audiences. Themes of substance abuse, parental neglect, parental death, mental illness, and sexual assault may occur. ]]> 368 Elle Sprinkle nikki ą¼� 0 4.09
author: Elle Sprinkle
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, standalone-series, currently-reading
review:

]]> 220160176
Pandora Small has two ruling objectives: first, to keep the prodigious extent of her power secret, in a world where mages are feared and governed by suffocating laws. Second, to find her wealthy and noble-born patron, a shadowy figure bound to Pandora by magic, who stole her childhood and grew her power until she became a weapon rather than a girl. To that end, sheā€™s posing as an Ingenue, a privileged and petted young woman of strictly limited abilities, who is allowed access to the royal courtā€™s social season in order to find a husband and patron to control her magic.

But on Pandoraā€™s arrival at court, Kit Beacon, one of the most promising members of the Royal Guard, inadvertently learns the true scope of her power. Privately sympathetic towards mages and the difficulties they face, Beacon decides to keep Pandoraā€™s secret. But when someone or something with powers terribly like Pandoraā€™s own begins slaughtering her fellow Ingenues, Beaconā€™s resolve to keep what he knows about her private is put to the test.

Tasked with protecting all the girls in the palace, not just one, Beacon will have to decide whether Pandora is a suspect or an ally, while to win his trust, Pandora will have to let him know more of her stillā€”the worst of who she is and what sheā€™s done. Because only unity between them during the social whirlwind to come will enable Pan to find her patron and Beacon the killer, and ensure they both see justice meted out.]]> 368 Laura E. Weymouth 1665959754 nikki ą¼� 0 4.00 2025
author: Laura E. Weymouth
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, fantasy, upcoming-releases, ya-fantasy
review:

]]> 218372269
Celeste is extremely talented, sexy, and gay, and would be the perfect collaborator and rebound for Gemma if it werenā€™t for one major fact: sheā€™s Gemmaā€™s ex, the one that broke her heart in college and moved to a whole another country before Gemma could even make sense of what went wrong between them. Despite working on a project together about what constitutes love and romance in the modern age, when it comes to their own affairs, both Gemma and Celeste are tripping over each otherā€™s feetā€¦and into each otherā€™s arms.

Heightened by their shared love for love and the unmistakable sparks that still fly between them, Gemma and Celeste struggle to keep their relationship strictly professional. For the sake of her career, Gemma needs this piece to do well. And for the sake of whatā€™s left of her beaten up hopeless romantic heart, she wants to fall head over heels for Celeste again. But can she trust Celeste to feel the same this time around?

LOVE IN FOCUS is a second chance sapphic rom com that will appeal to fans of THE BOLD TYPE and DELILAH GREEN DOESNā€™T CARE.]]> 320 Lyla Lee 1538767554 nikki ą¼� 4 Thereā€™s a Korean word, inyeon, for the fated destiny between two people.

this was cute, but felt a touch less romcom-y than the cuffing game. i normally don't like second chance romance, but it was done well.

The beauty of being bi, I learned, is that you can get rejected by both women and men.

gemma has been abruptly dumped by her fiance of 7 years and by the luck of fate, reunites w her old college gf celeste on a new work project - who had also dumped and ditched her out of the blue, moving back to seoul without a word.

as lyla lee's adult debut, i was pretty happy with it. she amped it up w older characters (late 20's) and some adult scenes (strap action ayyyy).

i think my critique would be a reveal later w her ex fiance that was pretty glaringly obvious from the jump and it's a pretty mellow in the coming together at the end... i would've maybe expected a little more sweeping romance w the references to how much celeste used to be a hopeless romantic, but i like how they do deal w their own respective issues.

i liked that it also talked about the lack of older queer couples' stories in media, specifically sapphic. it's something my friends have pointed out for sapphic rep of all ages, tho it's getting better.

"...isnā€™t it better to be scared and take a shot at happiness, instead of avoiding it all the time?ā€�

overall, it wasn't my fav lyla lee read but i'm v excited for more books from her, esp adult ones!

an honest arc review ā™� ]]> 3.75 2025
author: Lyla Lee
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/18
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves: contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, romance, arc, 2025-shelf, fav-covers, lgbtq-bi, standalone, trope-second-chance
review:
Thereā€™s a Korean word, inyeon, for the fated destiny between two people.

this was cute, but felt a touch less romcom-y than the cuffing game. i normally don't like second chance romance, but it was done well.

The beauty of being bi, I learned, is that you can get rejected by both women and men.

gemma has been abruptly dumped by her fiance of 7 years and by the luck of fate, reunites w her old college gf celeste on a new work project - who had also dumped and ditched her out of the blue, moving back to seoul without a word.

as lyla lee's adult debut, i was pretty happy with it. she amped it up w older characters (late 20's) and some adult scenes (strap action ayyyy).

i think my critique would be a reveal later w her ex fiance that was pretty glaringly obvious from the jump and it's a pretty mellow in the coming together at the end... i would've maybe expected a little more sweeping romance w the references to how much celeste used to be a hopeless romantic, but i like how they do deal w their own respective issues.

i liked that it also talked about the lack of older queer couples' stories in media, specifically sapphic. it's something my friends have pointed out for sapphic rep of all ages, tho it's getting better.

"...isnā€™t it better to be scared and take a shot at happiness, instead of avoiding it all the time?ā€�

overall, it wasn't my fav lyla lee read but i'm v excited for more books from her, esp adult ones!

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 214283597 In this stunning graphic novel by two-time Ignatz awardā€“winning graphic novelist Ariel Slamet Ries, Oberon must choose between fantasy and reality when he develops the ability to conjure his dreams in real lifeā€”including the facsimile of the boy who got away.

In the not-too-distant future, most of humanity resides on its last-ditch effort at Meridian, a remote alien planet where youā€™re more likely to be born superhuman than left-handed.Ģż

None of that is important to Oberon Afolayan. Since his mildly public breakdown, his whole life seems to be spiraling out of controlā€”from dropping out of university to breaking up with his boyfriend, it seems like only a karmic inevitability when he wakes up one day with the ability to conjure his dreams in the real world.Ģż

Oberonā€™s newfound powers come with a facsimile of his high school crush, Kon, who mysteriously dropped off the face of the planet almost three years ago and who is a little more infuriating (if not also infuriatingly hot) than Oberon remembers.Ģż

Kon makes it his mission to turn Oberonā€™s life around, and while they struggle to get a handle on his powers and his disastrous personal life (not to mention the appearance of strange nightmare creatures), it turns out this dream version of Kon has secrets of his ownā€”dangerous ones.Ģż

Oberon might have more on his plate than he originally thought, but is giving up his dreamsā€”even the one he might have accidentally fallen in love withā€”the only way to find happiness in reality?Ģż]]> 288 Ariel Slamet Ries 0063158086 nikki ą¼� 0 4.17 2025
author: Ariel Slamet Ries
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: to-read, comic-graphic-novel, fantasy, lgbtq, sci-fi, ya-fantasy
review:

]]> 229003381 *Book one of a duet*

When Ophelia Winters accepts a scholarship at a prestigious Scottish university to prove that her parents' death was the fault of Cain Green, an American aviation tycoon, her plan is simple; keep her grades up and her head down. The last thing she wants is to wind up in a mafia war or step on the toes of royalty.

Her plan gets off to a rocky start when the mysterious man that almost kills her on her first day turns out to be Cain's eldest son. As far as sheā€™s concerned, Alex Corbeau-Green is a younger version of his billionaire father. A monster hiding beneath a beautiful facade.

Loneliness has been Opheliaā€™s only dependable companion for years, but when anonymous threats and mysterious occurrences start to haunt her time at Sorrowsong, she wonders if she really can survive there on her own.

Between being paired together for a project and ending up as each otherā€™s alibi for a murder, avoiding Alex becomes increasingly impossible. She begins to fall for the soft heart that hides beneath his hard exterior.

Tormented by a malicious stalker and growing closer to Alex, Opheliaā€™s desperation for revenge wavers for the first time. Can she really bring herself to pull the trigger on Cain now that she knows the family itā€™ll split into two?
__________

Dark Academic Romance - Enemies to Lovers - Slow Burn - University Setting

This work is dark in places and contains several triggers throughout. Please heed the warnings before reading.]]> 416 Autumn Woods 1638933731 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 4.03
author: Autumn Woods
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.03
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 223636650
When sheā€™s tasked with caring for an injured prisoner, Ophelia sees the perfect way to prove sheā€™s ready for her Sainting. The prisoner is none other than the Umbra Knightā€”the most dangerous warrior of Lumendeiā€™s sworn enemy, the Sepulchyre. If she can save the Umbra Knightā€™s soul by converting her to the Church of the Host, the Saints will surely fight amongst themselves to claim Ophelia.

But the disarmingly beautiful and undeniably deadly knightā€™s soul is in even worse shape than Ophelia feared. In fact, she insists Opheliaā€™s beloved God is a murderous liar and her adopted city is built on blackened bones. Itā€™s easy to dismiss as blasphemy, at least at first. Until Lumendeiā€™s gilded secrets begin to tumble from their hiding places and Ophelia herself uncovers a conspiracy ... then sheā€™s forced to consider the idea that Nyatrixā€”otherwise known as the Umbra Knightā€”might be telling the truth, and that saving the alluring knightā€™s soul is the least of her concerns.

A sapphic high fantasy for fans of The Fall That Saved Us and The Foxglove King, Holy Wrath is a standalone novel about the fierceness of queer love and two women who no longer want equality once theyā€™ve tasted revenge.]]> 478 Victoria Mier nikki ą¼� 0 4.43 2025
author: Victoria Mier
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, fantasy, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, kindle-unlimited, indie-author, romance
review:

]]> 228954667 A swoony, sweet YA rural romance between a rancher and the Hollywood hotshot she's tasked with turning into a cowboyā€”perfect for fans of Kasie West, Erin Hahn, and Kristy Boyce!

Sixteen-year-old Cassidy Sterling can't imagine life beyond her family's Wyoming ranch. Her days are filled with colt breaking, cattle rustling, and an online Intro to Astronomy class. Seventeen-year-old Wilder Nash also has his sights set on the starsā€”the ones on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A teen heartthrob, he's now he's ready for the big time. To land a lead role as a cowboy in a prime-time mini-series, he must convince the casting director he's an experienced horseman. The problem? Heā€™s all hat and no cowboy.

With less than a month to learn to ride, Wilder heads to Silver Stallion Ranch.

Cassidy's quiet life is disrupted when Wilder arrives. As he mucks out stalls and grooms horses, Wilder begins to see there's more to life than his looks. And Cassidy starts imagining a future beyond the ranch. The growing spark between them threatens to ignite into something more, but Cassidy must decide if she's brave enough to take the reins of her own life. Meanwhile, Wilder faces a the glamorous life of a star or a simpler life under the stars.]]> Katrina Emmel 0593904079 nikki ą¼� 0 3.71
author: Katrina Emmel
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/16
shelves: to-read, arc, contemp-romance, horse-girl, cowboys, romance, ya, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 213075628 In Coney Island, true love rises to the surface. With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley forges an unforgettable New York fairytale.

Benigno ā€œBennyā€� Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City canā€™t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds the eccentric sideshow proprietor who commissioned it. He invites Benny to join the showā€™s eclectic cast and share in their shocking secret: the tank will cage their newest exhibit, a live merman stolen from the salty banks of the East River.

More than a mythic marvel, Benny soon comes to know the merman RĆ­o as a kindred spirit, wise and more compassionate than any human heā€™s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Bennyā€™s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of RĆ­oā€™s captivityā€”and his own.

Releasing RĆ­o could mean losing his found family, his new home, and his soulmate forever. Yet Bennyā€™s courageous choice may just reveal a love strong enough to free them both.]]> 464 Venessa Vida Kelley 1645661539 nikki ą¼� 0 4.39 2025
author: Venessa Vida Kelley
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, fantasy, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 209594869 A heartwarming and humorous romance in which an unlikely couple fall in love over Wordle.

Twenty-seven-year-old Emily doesnā€™t have a lot going well in her life right now. She dreams of a creative career but works as a receptionist in an auto shop. She longs for big city life but lives in a small town on Prince Edward Island. She craves a close group of friends but is stuck with irritating, car-obsessed coworkers.

What Emily does have is a 300+ day streak on theĢżNew York TimesĢżWordle. But one day, with only one guess left and no clue what the answer is, sheā€™s forced to turn to one of her irritating, car-obsessed coworkers, John, for helpā€”and in doing so, realizes that he might not be so irritating after all.

As they make their way, word by word, toward a 365-day streak, Emily is drawn into a surprising romance that will take her outside of her comfort zoneā€”and challenge everything she thought she knew about happiness, success, and love.]]> 368 Amy James 0063399016 nikki ą¼� 0 3.46 2024
author: Amy James
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, romance
review:

]]> 223654768 Artemisia Whitaker wants Harrietā€™s help on a prestigious commission. Harriet wants nothing to do with her.

Harriet is done trying. Done failing. Done chasing dreams that always slip out of reach. After a previous commission fails catastrophically, she resigns herself to life as a shop clerk. Itā€™s easier to let her hopes of becoming an artisan fade than to add another disappointment to her list of failures.

Artemisia Whitaker is everything Harriet once aspired to beā€”an artisan destined for the heights of Esk society. Nothing can keep her from her ascension, except, apparently, Harrietā€™s refusal to work with her.

As a flood threatens and the deadline looms, Harriet has one last chance to claim the life sheā€™s always wanted. All she has to do is complete the commission. But this time, her failure wonā€™t just end her dreams. It will destroy Artemisiaā€™s, too.

The Muse of Missing Pieces is a short, sapphic fantasy novella set in a quietly magical fantasy world. It is the first standalone novella in a forthcoming series of cosy fantasy romances with low stakes and a bit of steam.]]> 108 Thea Hawthorne 1763861805 nikki ą¼� 0 4.33
author: Thea Hawthorne
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, fantasy, indie-author, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance
review:

]]> 228790503
Nora made a reckless wager. Now, to save her career as a portraitist, she must paint the one person she never wanted to see again.
Ģż
The last time she tried to capture Lisette Lacemont on canvas, she was left with an unrequited crush and an unfinished painting. This time, sheā€™s determined to do better. But when a summer storm traps her in a country manor with the flighty socialite, Nora has no escape from Lisetteā€™s flirtations, her sharp tongue, or the way she sees right through her.

Lisette is a challenge, a muse, an endless frustration. And if Nora isnā€™t careful, sheā€™ll lose more than her wager before the painting is finished.

Sheā€™ll lose her heart, a second time.]]> 113 Thea Hawthorne 176386183X nikki ą¼� 0 4.42
author: Thea Hawthorne
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, fantasy, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, indie-author, romance, standalone
review:

]]> 210985549
Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher--the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is a physician from a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. But despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the ruler of Castellane's criminal underworld. But as long-kept secrets begin to unravel and forbidden attractions arise, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war--and the world into chaos?]]> 624 Cassandra Clare 052562001X nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 3.92 2023
author: Cassandra Clare
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 181344829 A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcastā€”again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchangeā€”again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. Itā€™s clear from the way he tracks Miseryā€™s every movement that he doesnā€™t trust her. If only he knew how right he wasā€�.

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back whatā€™s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territoryā€¦alone with the wolf.]]> 410 Ali Hazelwood nikki ą¼� 3 it was KNOT for me really 3.98 2024
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/14
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: 2025-shelf, fantasy-romance, romance, standalone-series, trope-arranged-marriage, vampire, fantasy
review:
it was KNOT for me really
]]> 204412153
Maxine King has only ever fooled around with one woman, Remi Daniels and being back in each otherā€™s orbits they canā€™t seem to keep their hands off each other. Maxine has enough to deal with in her daily life: her daughter and trying to prove herself at work. She canā€™t add lusting after Remi to that list. To prove that their relationship can be more than just sex, Maxine suggests they keep things casual and go on 10 friend dates. After all if they can do that it would mean theyā€™re serious about each other right?

But their dates keep getting reset as they keep breaking their pact. Remiā€™s getting restless because not making it to the 10 days by their imposed deadline means failure which sucks because each date just shows her how much more she wants Maxine. As the two women try to navigate this budding relationship the both have to combat their fears: Maxiā€™s of falling for a woman and Remiā€™s of worrying that Maxi will reject her at the end of their deal.]]> 373 N.G. Peltier nikki ą¼� 4
this was a cute lighthearted sapphic romance, and the trinidad & tobago locations made it perfect as a summer beach read ]]> 3.88 2024
author: N.G. Peltier
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, standalone-series, 2025-shelf, fav-covers, indie-author, kindle-unlimited, lgbtq-bi, rep-bipoc, rep-black
review:
3.75ā˜�

this was a cute lighthearted sapphic romance, and the trinidad & tobago locations made it perfect as a summer beach read
]]> 211953347 An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge HomeWhen Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parentsā€� divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behindā€”her family, her friends, her dog, and all thatā€™s familiar. As if thatā€™s not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the USā€”or just be altogether different!). She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of thingsā€”careless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. Sheā€™s never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, sheā€™s surprised to find how many kind kids are out there. Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing sheā€™ll miss him, but wanting the best for him. Sheā€™s learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.]]> 176 Padma Venkatraman 0593112504 nikki ą¼� 0 4.13 2025
author: Padma Venkatraman
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: to-read, environmentalism, fav-covers, mg-and-younger, poetry, rep-asian, rep-bipoc
review:

]]> 214152301 A girl with cerebral palsy navigates loss, grief, and the aftermath of trauma following a school shooting in a world that wasnā€™t built for her in this deeply affecting novel in verse from Jamie Sumner, the acclaimed author of Roll with It.

There is a Before and an After for eighth grader Bea Coughlin. Before the shooting at her school that took the lives of her classmates and teacher and After, when she must figure out how to grieve, live, and keep rolling forward. But as her community rallies in a tidal wave of marches and speeches and protests, Bea canā€™t get past the helplessness she felt in her wheelchair as others around her took cover.

Through the help of therapeutic horseback riding, Bea finally begins to feel like herself again. And as she heals, she finds her voice and the bravery to demand change.]]> 240 Jamie Sumner 1665956070 nikki ą¼� 0 4.48
author: Jamie Sumner
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: to-read, poetry, mg-and-younger, rep-disability
review:

]]> 220160409 A steamy sapphic romance with a fantastical twist about two bitter tennis rivals who realize they are reluctant soulmatesā€”perfect for fans of Expiration Dates and Here We Go Again.

Juliette Ricci dreams of only one being the best womenā€™s tennis player in the world. Sheā€™s worked nonstop with her strict father/coach to prepare for her big chance in the Australian Open. Unfortunately, sheā€™ll be playing Lucky Luca Kacic, an aloof player whose unorthodox style and reigning popularity deeply irritate Juliette.

For months theyā€™ve traded sly insults in their press conferences leading up to their showdown on the court, and their first ever match is the most anticipated of the season. But Juliette refuses to let her nervesā€”or Lucaā€™s annoyingly perfect absā€”get the best of her.

Meanwhile, Luca seemingly has everything Juliette desires but thereā€™s one thing missing from her love. When she shakes hands with Juliette after an agonizing match and sees her rivalā€™s name appear on her wrist, it feels like a cruel joke. Juliette is a spoiled, arrogant brat who wants absolutely nothing to do with Luca or a soulmate.

But despite their personal and professional clashes, the two grow closer after late-night massages and one too many shots of limoncello. Their chemistry is tangible, but Lucaā€™s anxiety tells her that Juliette is just messing with her head to throw her off her game, and Juliette canā€™t understand why Luca is so hot and cold. With the pressure of the world scrutinizing their every move, they will have to decide whatā€™s more importantā€”being together or being number one.]]> 368 Katie Chandler 1668086786 nikki ą¼� 4
sapphic challengers with some ashley poston-esque magical realism!

this was a fun twist on the soulmate concept, making them real possibilities for the lucky few born with the name of their marking their wrist. for luca, it's everything she's dreamed of. for juliette, it would only get in the way of her tennis dreams.

luca and juliette face off as tennis rivals who also happen to be soulmates. juliette deals w the pressure of being 3rd in a whole family of tennis aficionados while luca deals w her legendary plays as merely "luck".

if you really like tennis or the sports aspect of sports romance, this definitely gets into the thick of it. sometimes it was confusing for me as someone who doesn't really know tennis well, but generally, i enjoyed it.

The romance was really cute, I did find Juliette a little bit bratty in the beginning (probably deliberate) but there's definitely growth with their relationship.

Overall, it was an enjoyable sports romance with a little āœ� bonus points for the lemoncello and pastry-filled italian med moment

an honest arc review ā™”]]> 3.38 2025
author: Katie Chandler
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/12
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, sports-romance, upcoming-releases, 2025-shelf, arc, rep-disability, standalone, lgbtq-bi
review:
3.75ā˜�

sapphic challengers with some ashley poston-esque magical realism!

this was a fun twist on the soulmate concept, making them real possibilities for the lucky few born with the name of their marking their wrist. for luca, it's everything she's dreamed of. for juliette, it would only get in the way of her tennis dreams.

luca and juliette face off as tennis rivals who also happen to be soulmates. juliette deals w the pressure of being 3rd in a whole family of tennis aficionados while luca deals w her legendary plays as merely "luck".

if you really like tennis or the sports aspect of sports romance, this definitely gets into the thick of it. sometimes it was confusing for me as someone who doesn't really know tennis well, but generally, i enjoyed it.

The romance was really cute, I did find Juliette a little bit bratty in the beginning (probably deliberate) but there's definitely growth with their relationship.

Overall, it was an enjoyable sports romance with a little āœ� bonus points for the lemoncello and pastry-filled italian med moment

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 229791177 Hope can be blinding. One decision ā€� chains of mistakes.

Bargaining with a stranger is never a good idea ā€� Violette Effontesorts knows it well, but the desperation and hopelessness to get her father out of his illness seems too blinding. Her common sense gives in to a plea of her heart when she accepts an offer of a mysterious but captivating young man Dante, who promises her elixir for a simple favor ā€� to help to take the odd enchanted mask off his face.

Their way lies through a birthplace of magic and great tales, set on alluring lands beyond the ocean, where they must to find the spellbook once belonging to the Old Witch, which holds the key to Danteā€™s freedom.

Strange signs and oddities follows Violetteā€™s companion throughout their journey, planting seeds of mistrust in her heart, although only in the face of danger, she realizes that he is not a human but much scarier beast than the ones hiding in the darkness of eerie forests they are wading through, a mythical thing believed to be extinct ā€� a vampire.

And despite her reluctance to help a terrible night-being, thereā€™s no way back as they sealed a bargain with a binding spell so they have to keep their promises. No matter what.

Will Violette reach her desired goal to save her father, despite all the lurking danger in the nights spent hand in hand with a bloodsucking monster or ā€� will it leave her among ruins with a scarred heart?]]> Ann Sorstone nikki ą¼� 0 5.00
author: Ann Sorstone
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves: to-read, fantasy-romance, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 223995485 A girl with psychic abilities and a boy with mysterious powers must unravel secrets and battle dark forces in order to save their world in the final Ravenfall adventure.

As whispers of winter beckon, Anna Ballinkay and Colin Pierce brace for change. The Ravenfall Inn, a magical nexus between worlds, is bustling with preparations for the Winter Solstice ball, which will bring together a mix of otherworldly guests and festive enchantments.

Amid the festivities, a young boy named Declan arrives and claims his new identity as a Raven, sparking a mission to rebuild the legendary Ravenguard.Ģż

While the inn buzzes with excitement, a sinister mystery Supernatural beings are found lifeless, drained of their magic. As suspicion mounts, Anna, Colin, and their allies must uncover the cause before Ravenfall is destroyed.Ģż

Can the Ravenguard rise in time, or will the magic of Ravenfall be lost forever? Ancient legends stir and loyalties are tested in Kalyn Josephsonā€™s thrilling series conclusion.]]> Kalyn Josephson 0593708881 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, upcoming-releases 5.00 2025
author: Kalyn Josephson
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, upcoming-releases
review:

]]> 226940547 ā€�A compelling read that will tug at your heartstrings and linger in your mind long after the final page.ā€� -BookView

Summer in Monterey, California, was supposed to be a fun escape for seventeen-year-old Natalie Benson. But with college at Clemson University looming, a tough breakup weighing her down, and her dad about to marry someone younger, she feels adrift and heartbroken. Unbeknownst to her, everything is about to change when she crosses paths with Grayson Gallagher, a charismatic sailor from Boston.

At eighteen, Grayson is immersed in his uncleā€™s sailing business, striving to escape the expectations of his wealthy family. His sole ambition is to attend Harvardā€”until Natalie enters his world. Their days are filled with baseball, and their nights are spent under the stars, sparking a deep love neither of them expected. But as summer draws to a close and they brace for a long-distance relationship at different colleges, fate intervenes, leaving Grayson shattered.

Ten years later, Natalie is teaching second grade in Adeline, Maine, while Grayson has made a name for himself as a successful lawyer in Boston. Their lives collide again when Natalie unexpectedly shows up at Graysonā€™s family summer home in Adeline, bringing back a whirlwind of emotions and old wounds. Just as it seems they might rekindle their connection, a startling revelation about Graysonā€™s life threatens to unravel their fragile bond. They find themselves at a crucial crossroads: to fight against fate together or to release the love that has profoundly shaped their livesā€”this time, perhaps, for good.]]> 512 Blair Harton nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, contemp-romance 4.46
author: Blair Harton
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.46
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance
review:

]]> 224106520
Ciarian is an Irishman in New York who is looking to find his place in life. He answers Grahamā€™s posting in the Journal and agrees to a mutually beneficial arrangement between the two of them. Neither man is expecting more than friendship and someone to help with the daily chores, but life on the ranch has a way of opening you up to new possibilities.

The Rancher's Mail-Order Husband a low stakes gay western romance featuring mail order grooms, gratuitous domesticity, size difference, and the overwhelming ordeal of falling in love with your own husband.]]> 291 Layla Moran nikki ą¼� 0 3.88 2025
author: Layla Moran
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, cowboys, historical, lgbtq, lgbtq-achillean, romance
review:

]]> 230612652 From New York Times bestselling author Kelly Andrew comes the first in a darkly romantic duology that explores disability, obsession, and the twisted limits of loyalty.

Shea Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Gravewood, an impassable forest that's cut off her town from the rest of the world. With resources limited and supplies scarce, Shea is forced to carefully ration her hearing aid batteries. When her stash runs out, she'll be left in the silence.

Desperate, Shea turns to the only person who can help -- Oliver Lysander, the volatile leader of a vampiric gang that rules the Gravewood.

The arrangement between Shea and Lysander starts off simply enough. She gives him her blood. He tracks down batteries. They don't cross any lines. They don't make it personal. But when Shea's best friend is lured into the Gravewood, her disappearance brings her older brother home from the frontlines. Asher Thorley is willing to do whatever it takes to find his sister, even if it means holding Shea's ugliest secrets over her head.

Ever an opportunist, Lysander renegotiates the terms of their deal. If Asher takes out Lysander's vampire rival, Lysander will help him find his sister. And if Shea agrees to Turn, Lysander will give her a cure for her ailing mother. For the first time ever, Shea finds herself leaving home. Swallowed up in the dreamlike dark of the Gravewood and traveling in the company of killers, it isn't long before she risks becoming one herself.]]> Kelly Andrew 1546176594 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read
Merged review:

kelly andrew vampire book???? say less!]]> 0.0 2026
author: Kelly Andrew
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:
kelly andrew vampire book???? say less!

Merged review:

kelly andrew vampire book???? say less!
]]> 43263291 desperate wallflower. To save her family, sheā€™ll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan...

Sheā€™ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely heā€™ll never find out before her sistersā€� weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life.

Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, itā€™s just a few new ball gowns on the dukeā€™s accounts. Then, itā€™s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the tonā€•with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancĆ©.

But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expectedā€¦]]> 377 Stacy Reid 1640637451 nikki ą¼� 5
this was so fun! i absolutely loved how gutsy kitty was to just proclaim herself the fiancƩ of a hideaway duke, long absent from society, in order for her sisters to gain attention from the ton and thus, their own matches.

Even better is how amused and intrigued Alexander is when he hears about this fiancƩ he didn't know he had! He reads every article and interview he can find about her, excited to see what fantastical story she comes up with about them.

When he decides to finally meet her in person and come back to the ton, kitty discovers why he's been a recluse: he's been disfigured and disabled rescuing his sister from a house fire that claimed his parents.

He demands to take her back to Scotland to carry on her farce, and of course, the two eventually fall in love.

There is plenty of humor in this and they had excellent chemistry. I think one thing that I didn't love was that (slight spoilers): [spoilers removed]

when he starts sending her flowers + poetry ]]> 3.92 2019
author: Stacy Reid
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: 2025-shelf, historical, rep-disability, romance, standalone-series, trope-fake-dating
review:
rating: 4.25ā˜�

this was so fun! i absolutely loved how gutsy kitty was to just proclaim herself the fiancƩ of a hideaway duke, long absent from society, in order for her sisters to gain attention from the ton and thus, their own matches.

Even better is how amused and intrigued Alexander is when he hears about this fiancƩ he didn't know he had! He reads every article and interview he can find about her, excited to see what fantastical story she comes up with about them.

When he decides to finally meet her in person and come back to the ton, kitty discovers why he's been a recluse: he's been disfigured and disabled rescuing his sister from a house fire that claimed his parents.

He demands to take her back to Scotland to carry on her farce, and of course, the two eventually fall in love.

There is plenty of humor in this and they had excellent chemistry. I think one thing that I didn't love was that (slight spoilers): [spoilers removed]

when he starts sending her flowers + poetry
]]> 516426
Vincent Virga has been called "America's foremost picture editor." He has researched, edited, and designed picture sections for more than 150 books, including Eyes of the A Visual History of the United States and the full-length photo essay The Images of America. He is also the author of A Comfortable Corner. He is working on a third novel, Theatricals.]]> 356 Vincent Virga 1555835848 nikki ą¼� 0 3.78 1980
author: Vincent Virga
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read, gothic, historical, lgbtq, lgbtq-achillean, romance
review:

]]> 62792284 A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academyā€”and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous in this delightful debut fantasy.

Domhnall and ClĆ­a are an ideal matchā€”or so everyone says. They are prince and princess of neighboring kingdoms. An alliance the gods will smile on. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.

Heartbroken but determined, ClĆ­a makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to CaisleĆ”n CĆ³sta, the military academy heā€™s attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?

Warrior Ronan promised himself heā€™d never lose his focus. He fought and sacrificed for his place at CaisleĆ”n CĆ³sta, and he has no time for blonde princesses who waltz intro arenas like theyā€™re attending a ball. Even if she and her otter-like pet areā€¦well, cute.

He doesnā€™t want to be intrigued by ClĆ­a. But her hunger to prove herself is something he understands. He tells himself thereā€™s no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend.

But as they say, love is a battlefieldā€”and unfortunately for them all, a very real war is looming on the horizon. Itā€™s a fight that will threaten all their kingdomsā€¦and test all their hearts.Ģż]]> 400 Cait Jacobs 0063321157 nikki ą¼� 4
While "medieval fantasy legally blonde" is an apt descriptor, it does fall a bit short of a tall order w that comp.

This definitely read more as a YA fantasy while I was expecting a bit more adult going into it, but on the plus side, there's a lot of LGBTQ rep (queer world, main MC's are queer, non-binary side character). There was a good amount of creativity with inspiration from Celtic origin.

I really wanted to love this, but I just found that the writing and the characters didn't really draw me in and hearing a comparison like legally blonde makes me expect a high level of comedy, which was not in this. The romance unfortunately fell a bit flat for me because I just expected more buildup and again, I just wasn't wowed by the characters.

Overall, it was just an OK read for me but a solid debut nonetheless.

an honest arc review ā™”]]> 3.95 2025
author: Cait Jacobs
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: fantasy-romance, fantasy, historical, retelling, romance, upcoming-releases, lgbtq, 2025-shelf, academy-college-university, arc, fav-covers, lgbtq-bi, lgbtq-trans, rep-disability
review:
rating: 3.5ā˜�

While "medieval fantasy legally blonde" is an apt descriptor, it does fall a bit short of a tall order w that comp.

This definitely read more as a YA fantasy while I was expecting a bit more adult going into it, but on the plus side, there's a lot of LGBTQ rep (queer world, main MC's are queer, non-binary side character). There was a good amount of creativity with inspiration from Celtic origin.

I really wanted to love this, but I just found that the writing and the characters didn't really draw me in and hearing a comparison like legally blonde makes me expect a high level of comedy, which was not in this. The romance unfortunately fell a bit flat for me because I just expected more buildup and again, I just wasn't wowed by the characters.

Overall, it was just an OK read for me but a solid debut nonetheless.

an honest arc review ā™�
]]> 36454667 Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.

It was not his war.
On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe started down a path that could only end in fire. The galaxy remembers him as a the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human livesā€”even the Emperor himselfā€”against Imperial orders.
But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.
Fleeing his father and a future as a torturer, Hadrian finds himself stranded on a strange, backwater world. Forced to fight as a gladiator and into the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, he will find himself fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.]]> 753 Christopher Ruocchio 0756413028 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, sci-fi, series 4.01 2018
author: Christopher Ruocchio
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, sci-fi, series
review:

]]> 199600525 48 Carl Safina 1324053194 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read 4.48
author: Carl Safina
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 37881722 Joanna Shupe returns to New York Cityā€™s Gilded Age, where fortunes and reputations are gained and lost with easeā€”and love can blossom from the most unlikely charade

With the fate of her disgraced family resting on her shoulders, Lady Christina Barclay has arrived in New York City from London to quickly secure a wealthy husband. But when her parents settle on an intolerable suitor, Christina turns to her reclusive neighbor, a darkly handsome and utterly compelling inventor, for help.

Oliver Hawkes reluctantly agrees to a platonic marriage . . . with his own condition: The marriage must end after one year. Not only does Oliver face challenges that are certain to make life as his wife difficult, but more importantly, he refuses to be distracted from his lifeā€™s workā€”the development of a revolutionary device that could transform thousands of lives, including his own.

Much to his surprise, his bride is more beguiling than he imagined. When temptation burns hot between them, they realize they must overcome their own secrets and doubts, and every effort to undermine their marriage, because one year can never be enough.]]> 389 Joanna Shupe nikki ą¼� 4
this was a quick read and i enjoyed the narrator, my only main complaint is the major conflict in the last 10% could've started sooner to work thru it more but overall 'twas an enjoyable hisrom read.]]> 3.96 2018
author: Joanna Shupe
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: 2025-shelf, historical, rep-disability, romance, standalone-series, trope-arranged-marriage
review:
Deaf secret cinnamon roll hero and a young damsel in distress with fake marriage trope, this hit so good and there was some informative content around deafness in this time period as well (fuck you alexander graham bell).

this was a quick read and i enjoyed the narrator, my only main complaint is the major conflict in the last 10% could've started sooner to work thru it more but overall 'twas an enjoyable hisrom read.
]]> 211642122 A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

ā€œWhat the gods did not give us, I would take.ā€�

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdomā€™s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyenā€™s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfatherā€™s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdomā€™s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between themā€”one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortalā€� even if it means losing her heart.]]> 464 Sue Lynn Tan 0063267616 nikki ą¼� 0 3.87 2025
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, fantasy, rep-asian, rep-bipoc
review:

]]> 215807653 The daughter of a duke defies the rules of London high society with the help of the resident rakeā€”who just so happens to be her brotherā€™s best friendā€”in this fun teen historical romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.

ā€œA ridiculously romantic, womanist, hilarious, and hugely entertaining romance that had me smiling and swooning from start to finish.ā€� ā€”Elizabeth Everett, USA Today bestselling author of the Damsels of Discovery series

Lady Zenobia ā€œZiaā€� Osborn, a dukeā€™s daughter, is frustrated that her entire life has been predetermined. What good is skill or intelligence if one is forced to suffocate it because of oneā€™s sex? Sheā€™d much rather make her mark on the world than bat her eyelashes for the ton.

Zia only comes alive in the Lady Knights, a clandestine social club for rebellious girls. In it, she is free to compose music, fence, read controversial literature, and save orphans from destitution by any means necessary. Aside from her closest confidantes, no one knows about Ziaā€™s indecorous other life. . . .

Until Mr. Rafi Nasser, a rogue with secrets of his own, finds out. Shocked yet intrigued by his best friendā€™s younger sister, he agrees to keep Ziaā€™s secretā€”if only to help her avoid utter scandal.]]> 357 Amalie Howard 0593705084 nikki ą¼� 0 4.10 2025
author: Amalie Howard
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, ya, romance, rep-bipoc, historical
review:

]]> 217432802 An undeniably fierce, unforgettably funny, unapologetically queer feminist romp through the England of medieval legend. Bestselling and acclaimed authors Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner bring readers along on an epic quest for valor, freedom, and, above all, love. A Knightā€™s Tale meets the Lady Jane series, with a dash of The Great!

Gwen is sick of hidingā€”hiding the fact that sheā€™s taken over her fatherā€™s blacksmithing duties, hiding her attraction to girls, hiding her yearning for glory as a knight.

Meanwhile, Lady Isobelle of Avington, queen bee of the castle, has never once considered hiding who she isā€”until now. Sheā€™s been chosen as the grand prize in the Tournament of Dragonslayers, to be given to whichever knight can claim her hand. And for the first time in her life, she canā€™t talk her way out of trouble.

When Isobelle discovers Gwenā€™s knightly ambitions, they hatch a scheme togetherā€”Gwen will joust in the tournament, disguised as Sir Gawain. Winning means freedom for Isobelle, and glory for Gwen. Losing meansā€� well, letā€™s not go there.

One thingā€™s for sure: falling in love was never the plan.

But the best laid plansā€¦are often trampled all over by dragons.

"A sapphic delight, full of jousts, jaunts, and courtly love.ĢżLady's KnightĢżsparkles with wit and charm and has lady knights to swoon over. Kaufman and Spooner will leave you breathless." ā€”C. S. Pacat,ĢżNew York TimesĢżbestselling author ofĢżDark Rise]]> 432 Amie Kaufman 0062893394 nikki ą¼� 0 4.20 2025
author: Amie Kaufman
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, fantasy, fav-covers, historical, lgbtq, lgbtq-sapphic, romance, ya-fantasy
review:

]]> 31625039
But then Alice meets Takumi and she canā€™t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).

When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if sheā€™s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocatedā€”or understood.]]> 304 Claire Kann 1250138825 nikki ą¼� 0 3.69 2018
author: Claire Kann
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, academy-college-university, contemp-romance, lgbtq, lgbtq-ace, lgbtq-bi, new-adult, rep-bipoc, rep-black, romance
review:

]]> 63051901
Her new environment also means sheā€™s trying new things - like Tinder dating. But Spencer canā€™t figure out why the idea of sex makes her want to run for the hills. That is, until she comes across the word ā€œasexual,ā€� and for the first time, she doesnā€™t feel so alone.

As Spencer and Nick begin to spend more time together, she realizes she doesnā€™t feel any panic or revulsion when they touch, and wonders if that means thereā€™s hope for a fulfilling, loving relationship without sex.

But despite reciprocating her feelings, Nick has reservations of his own, leaving Spencer to wonder if the risk is worth it.]]> 469 Sarah Whalen nikki ą¼� 0 3.54 2022
author: Sarah Whalen
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, kindle-unlimited, lgbtq, lgbtq-ace, lgbtq-bi, romance, new-adult
review:

]]> 217455625 A queer Black feminist debunks the myth of rainbow solidarity, repositioning Black and LatinxĢżLGBTQ+ people at the forefront of queer pasts, presents, and futures

Your favorite Black queer studies professor Kaila Adia Story says the rainbow ainā€™t never been enough in this introduction to the current state of queer intersectionality, or lack thereof. Story argues that to be queer is to be political, and the carefully glittered faƧade of solidarity in the pride movement veils dangerous neoliberal ideals of apolitical queer embodiment. The rainbow as a symbol of communal solidarity is a hollow offering when cis white LGBTQ people are allowed to opt out of divesting from white supremacy, misogyny, and transphobia.

The Rainbow Ainā€™t Never Been Enuf fills a necessary gap in our understanding of how racism, transphobia, and antiblackness operate in liberal spaces. Black feminist and queer theorist Kaila Adia Story blends analysis, pop culture, and her lived experiences to explore the silencing practices of mainstream queer culture. She touches on cornerstone issues of the movement like:

the whitewashing of queer history and commodification of pride celebrations

the appropriation of the Black and Latinx ball scene and culture

the racialized and gendered violence inflicted upon Black trans women

the exclusion of the lives and work of activists like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, StormƩ DeLarverie, and CeCe McDonald from queer history

the lack of remembrance and respect for the lives of the Black and Lantinx queer and trans people who have always been on the frontlines of queer liberation

Expanding beyond the classroom, Story utilizes her expertise as a scholar of queer theory to offer readers a comprehensive understanding of how racism operates in these spaces and what we can do to create a more equitable future.]]> 224 Kaila Adia Story 0807004650 nikki ą¼� 0 3.00
author: Kaila Adia Story
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, lgbtq, non-fiction, rep-bipoc, rep-black
review:

]]> 217245627 A heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel about being the new kid, making new friends, and learning to trust yourself through the power of horseback ridingā€”perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson's Roller Girl.

Nora is a prize-winning horseback rider in a suburban area, with a tight-knit circle of best friends. But when her mom gets a prestigious new job in a poor, rural area, she has to adjust to a lot of change: to being the only Black kid in a new class and a new barn called Creaky Acres, where her beloved horse, Hay Fever, will make his new home.

Itā€™s there she meets sweet and geeky Laura, goofy and fun-loving Wilson, and fearless Dolores (aka Dizzy). With her rag-tag team of equestrians, Nora learns itā€™s okay to stand out and steps into her power as a leader, realizing that being a rider isnā€™t just about winningā€”or maybe that winning just might look different than what sheā€™d thought.]]> 272 Calista Brill 0735230617 nikki ą¼� 0 4.57 2025
author: Calista Brill
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, horse-girl, comic-graphic-novel, mg-and-younger, rep-bipoc
review:

]]> 216520584 without reliving your trauma or being exposed to triggers.

The Polyvagal Theory Workbook for Trauma offers evidence-based activities to help you heal the effects of trauma, rewire your nervous system, and return to a state of balance and calm. You'll begin by getting to know your nervous system, including an exploration of polyvagal theory and the vagus nerve. You'll also learn soothing, body-based practices to help you rewire your nervous response, including rhythmic movements (EMDR and tapping), conscious breathing, mindful movement, and more. Self-reflection prompts will help you get the most out of every chapter, and a comprehensive collection of tools will help you stay on the path to trauma recovery.

You don't have to relive your trauma in order to heal. With this powerful workbook, you can take charge of your mental health, build resilience, and feel safer and more connected.]]> 184 Arielle Schwartz 1648484166 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, non-fiction 5.00
author: Arielle Schwartz
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, non-fiction
review:

]]> 213245180
Nature-lovers, gardeners, and foodies can turn their backyard into a bounty with tips for identifying wild plants, advice for beginner and experienced harvesters, and more than 600 ideas and recipes to bring the wild into the kitchen.

Joining National Geographic's long line of successful nature guides, National Geographic Backyard Guide to Edible Wild Plants is a colorful, appealing handbook to 102 common wild plants that can be foraged for delicious food and drink. From superstar sunflowers to spicy field mustard to alluring wild grapes, this book identifies a wide variety of flavors and textures that even novice foragers can learn to harvest with care, safety, and sustainability. From there, creative uses abound, including the how-tos behind:
elderberry jam
chickweed salad
sunchoke soup
sassafras tea
wild carrot cake
homemade backyard cider
This guide is divided into seven sections based on the parts of the plant most relevant to foragers: roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, shoots, as well as the "backyard superstars"ā€”a dozen plants that are common, easy to identify, and abundant in their culinary possibilities. Every plant is photographed, illustrated for ease of learning, and described in detail, including hundreds of preparation tips and recipes, thanks to authors Mimi Prunella Hernandez and Heather Wood Buzzard, who bring botanical authority and kitchen creativity to every entry.]]> 288 Mimi Hernandez 1426223706 nikki ą¼� 0 to-read, non-fiction 4.60
author: Mimi Hernandez
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, non-fiction
review:

]]> 218587800
Irene Park loves romance novelsā€”so much so sheā€™s made a career of them as an online book reviewer with a massive following. But Ireneā€™s real life dating story? Non-existent. So when she starts her freshman year of college, she sets her sights on finding true love using the one thing she really understandsā€¦romance book tropes.

If only it were that easy.

Enter Aiden Jeon, Ireneā€™s online book review rival and biggest nemesis. When Aiden challenges her to see who can find love-by-trope first, he becomes the one person standing in her way to getting everything she wants both professionally and personally, too. So when the competition takes an unexpected turn, forcing the two of them to have to partner in the ultimate trope, fake dating, Irene is not prepared for everything she believed about romance, and Aiden, to flip on its head.

As Irene tackles the challenges of college life, struggles to figure out what she really wants for herself, all while trying to win the race for love, Irene realizes the answers may not be found in a romance novel. Happily Ever Afters seem so easy on page. But for Irene to find her ultimate HEA, sheā€™ll have to get her nose out of the book and become the main character of her own story.]]> 368 Susan Lee 1335012877 nikki ą¼� 0 3.94 2025
author: Susan Lee
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, ya, romance, rep-asian, rep-bipoc, contemp-romance
review:

]]> 218587806 This wildly entertaining YA historical romance follows a young Black woman in 1860s England who yearns for a writing career and independence rather than love and marriage, but an unexpected inheritance forces her into London society and reunites her with the boy who broke her heart. Perfect for fans of The Gentlemanā€™s Guide to Vice and Virtue and The Davenports.

Eighteen-year-old Stella Sedgwick is a lost cause. While 1860s England offers little opportunity beyond marriage for a sharp-tongued, dark-skinned girl, Stella dreams of a writing career and independence.

When her late motherā€™s former employerā€”the wealthy Thomas Fitzroyā€”summons Stella to London, he bequeaths her one of the familyā€™s great estates on his deathbed. But such an inheritance will precipitate a legal battle, one that would be much easier if Stella were married. Suddenly thrust into lily-white London society with the goal of finding a husband, Stella also reunites with the Fitzroy heir Nathaniel, her childhood best friend, now somewhat of a stranger.

But London presents other opportunities, like picking up her motherā€™s old advice column, where ā€œFiona Flippantā€� anonymously guided readers through upper-class perils. It turns out the dresses and balls arenā€™t so bad, though the stares and insults sometimes feel impossible to navigate. Things only grow more complicated with the attention of handsome suitors and Stellaā€™s increasingly tempestuous relationship with Nathaniel. As new opportunities arise and old secrets are uncovered, Stella must decide when to play by the rules, when to break them, and when to let herself follow her heart.]]> 384 S. Isabelle 1335006966 nikki ą¼� 0 4.25 2025
author: S. Isabelle
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, historical, rep-bipoc, rep-black, romance, ya
review:

]]> 217432809
Ingredients:

Ā· 1 try-hard salutatorian

Ā· 1 annoying and (annoyingly) cute boy

Ā· A handful of Korean recipes (measure with your heart)

Ā· The spice of competition, to taste

Eliza Parkā€™s senior year will be perfect: Sheā€™s going to be salutatorian, give a tear-jerking graduation speech in front of her parents, and enjoy her last year with her equally ambitious best friends. But when a scheduling mishap enrolls her in Culinary Arts, Eliza is suddenly the most clueless person in the class. Her typical title of star student belongs to the aggravatingly arrogant Wesley Ruengsomboon, a charming Thai American boy whose talent in the kitchen leaves Eliza both awed and annoyed.

With her rank on the line, Elizaā€™s only hope is to snatch the midterm cooking contest win from Wesley, however improbable that may be. Add in the flavor of her grandmotherā€™s Korean recipes, the heat of being class partners with Wesley, and the sweetness of unexpected feelingsā€”and Eliza must now rebuild everything she knew about success, love, and what it means to be herself, from scratch.]]> 320 Sophia Lee 0063372630 nikki ą¼� 0 4.30 2025
author: Sophia Lee
name: nikki ą¼�
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, contemp-romance, ya, rep-asian, rep-bipoc
review:

]]>