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thiscryptidreads's reviews
32 reviews
Stalking Cinderella by Leann Belle
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Fantasy/Erotica/fairytale
POV: Multible POV
Ending: HEA
Tropes: Fairytale Retelling, Forbidden Love, Dark Romance
Kinks: MF, MFM, MFMM, Stalking, D/s, Degradation, Exhibitionism, toys, masks
Stalking Cinderella is a dark, sexy and fun retelling of the classic fairytale. I love the vicious wonders series, how the leading lady isn't just saved but grows in her own power with the help of her supportive yet naughty male counterparts. Turning the fairy godmother into a demon offering a Faustian bargain, and the prince into an adoring but dark alternative was so good. There's even a sprinkling of bully to lover in this, which usually isn't my jam, but it was written so well I loved every bit of it.
Definitely check out the trigger warnings before reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice ratings -
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Genre: Fantasy/Erotica/fairytale
POV: Multible POV
Ending: HEA
Tropes: Fairytale Retelling, Forbidden Love, Dark Romance
Kinks: MF, MFM, MFMM, Stalking, D/s, Degradation, Exhibitionism, toys, masks
Stalking Cinderella is a dark, sexy and fun retelling of the classic fairytale. I love the vicious wonders series, how the leading lady isn't just saved but grows in her own power with the help of her supportive yet naughty male counterparts. Turning the fairy godmother into a demon offering a Faustian bargain, and the prince into an adoring but dark alternative was so good. There's even a sprinkling of bully to lover in this, which usually isn't my jam, but it was written so well I loved every bit of it.
Definitely check out the trigger warnings before reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice ratings -
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Stalking
Minor: Gore, Incest, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Hail Santa! by John McNee, John McNee
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Hail Santa is a holiday horror bordering on splatter punk with its gruesome death scenes and festive references to popular holiday songs. The book starts off a little slow with backstory to the main characters and the town, but soon it turns to a quick paced murder spree as you rocket towards the finish line.... Christmas day.
It almost has a hidden feel of loss of faith vs. Consumerism concerning the popular holiday and makes you question if believing in Santa Claus is really an innocent right of passage for today's youth or borderline worship to something we know nothing about.
It almost has a hidden feel of loss of faith vs. Consumerism concerning the popular holiday and makes you question if believing in Santa Claus is really an innocent right of passage for today's youth or borderline worship to something we know nothing about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content, Torture, and Blood
Minor: Racism
Captured by the Cupid: A Valentine's Gargoyle Romantasy by Emily Shore
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is book 2 in Emily Shores Roars and Romance series and is a Valentines Day themed retelling of Psyche & Eros meets Beauty and the Beast. This book is a romance wrapped in dad joke level puns with its own built in playlist curtesy of one of the characters Ero's jester and sometimes partner Crescendo. If you're looking for a fun and quick read for February this will fulfill all your cupid's arrow, chocolate loving, flowery love song needs.
We follow the FMC Aradia the pink haired, feisty, aura seeing psychic, who's more ghost friend than hunter as she visits a haunted church and somehow slips into the lands of purgatory where a stoic and heartless gargoyle Eros catches her and imprisons her with the intent to use and return our lovely pink haired heroine to the mortal world but Aradia's sweet, fun-loving and up for anything attitude win over the stone hearted god in the end along with several other characters.
3.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: romantasy/monster romance
POV: Dual
Ending: HEA
We follow the FMC Aradia the pink haired, feisty, aura seeing psychic, who's more ghost friend than hunter as she visits a haunted church and somehow slips into the lands of purgatory where a stoic and heartless gargoyle Eros catches her and imprisons her with the intent to use and return our lovely pink haired heroine to the mortal world but Aradia's sweet, fun-loving and up for anything attitude win over the stone hearted god in the end along with several other characters.
3.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: romantasy/monster romance
POV: Dual
Ending: HEA
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing and Violence
Minor: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
This is a dark romance/fantasy and many of the trigger warnings and themes have to do with kink related scenes, sexual scenes and trauma to do with both of the main characters background. I tried to pick what could be listed as well as I could, for full list of trigger warnings please see the authors website.
A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
13 ghosts meet the Winchester mystery house in this bug riddled haunted house tale.
The descriptions in this book were so rich and visceral I felt like I could feel the wallpaper in this house and smell the overpowering scents. If you like ghost stories, the age of spiritualism and family coming together against all odds you'll love A Place for Vanishing. I could not put it down.
Trigger warnings for mentions of suicide, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, bipolar disorder, entomophobia, death, possession, bodily harm, gaslighting, family trauma, generational loss, missing persons, prescribed substance use, bullying.
The descriptions in this book were so rich and visceral I felt like I could feel the wallpaper in this house and smell the overpowering scents. If you like ghost stories, the age of spiritualism and family coming together against all odds you'll love A Place for Vanishing. I could not put it down.
Trigger warnings for mentions of suicide, suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, bipolar disorder, entomophobia, death, possession, bodily harm, gaslighting, family trauma, generational loss, missing persons, prescribed substance use, bullying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Bullying, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Gaslighting
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
A somber and detailed look into the history of industry, medicine and the lives touched by the glowing element radium.
The Girls working in Radium factories, the "shining girls" glowing with what they thought to be simply a fantastical paint, peddled to the rich as a health tonic and beauty aid. They all took jobs to help their families in what seemed a safe factory setting painting watches, a coveted job for many. The beginning of their stories seems so hopeful and full of promise, it was truly heartbreaking listening as they had so many dreams and their lives taken from them from something they deemed do harmless.
The Girls working in Radium factories, the "shining girls" glowing with what they thought to be simply a fantastical paint, peddled to the rich as a health tonic and beauty aid. They all took jobs to help their families in what seemed a safe factory setting painting watches, a coveted job for many. The beginning of their stories seems so hopeful and full of promise, it was truly heartbreaking listening as they had so many dreams and their lives taken from them from something they deemed do harmless.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gaslighting
There's No Place Like Oz by Leann Belle
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Contemporary, MMMMF, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️,🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
•Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, "Good Girl" FMC, Touch her and Die, Possessive MMCs, Dark Reverse Harem Romance, supernatural romance
•Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, "Good Girl" FMC, Touch her and Die, Possessive MMCs, Dark Reverse Harem Romance, supernatural romance
I really enjoyed this! Great retelling where the author put her own love of horror, spice and romance into the book and gave it a great twist ending. The Wicked Witch(s) Are Evil, Gorey and sexy in their own way and each of the main characters you know and love from the book get a morally gray twisted dark new background. Read the Trigger warnings at the beginning of the book if you're new to Dark romance but if you love dark, murderous, I'd kill for you MC's then you'll love this kinky, sexy retelling of OZ.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual violence
Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Kidnapping
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
This book is dripping with 80's nostalgia. Grady Hendrix is great at setting a scene and immersing you into the book. I listened to it on audiobook and all it was missing was background music fit to be played by John Cusack's boombox. I don't consider this book scary but the 1st 50% is setting the scene for the demon in this tale and really, it's simply pure teenage trauma and was hard to listen to at parts. If you have past trauma with bullying eating disorders, religious trauma or have issues with confrontations this book might be rough and once things get moving it really hurls towards the ending in a quick paced pile of events that will leave you sitting there going what the heck?
If you watched the movie 1st and are now reading the book they are not the same, the ending is completely different
-------------------- spoilers below this line----------------------
.
.
.
.
---------------------spoilers begin here-------------------------
Elaborating to the trigger warnings above, the animal abuse includes the family dog, on page description of his death and the grief caused by it after. A Prominent side characters inclusion in the demons' plans included her being tricked that their pastor was in love with her and resulted in her attempted public suicide with partial nudity. During the exorcism both girls are described as being touched inappropriately by invisible "demon" hands and can be triggering for those who have suffered from past Sexual Abuse.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is dripping with 80's nostalgia. Grady Hendrix is great at setting a scene and immersing you into the book. I listened to it on audiobook and all it was missing was background music fit to be played by John Cusack's boombox. I don't consider this book scary but the 1st 50% is setting the scene for the demon in this tale and really, it's simply pure teenage trauma and was hard to listen to at parts. If you have past trauma with bullying eating disorders, religious trauma or have issues with confrontations this book might be rough and once things get moving it really hurls towards the ending in a quick paced pile of events that will leave you sitting there going what the heck?
If you watched the movie 1st and are now reading the book they are not the same, the ending is completely different
-------------------- spoilers below this line----------------------
.
.
.
.
---------------------spoilers begin here-------------------------
Elaborating to the trigger warnings above, the animal abuse includes the family dog, on page description of his death and the grief caused by it after. A Prominent side characters inclusion in the demons' plans included her being tricked that their pastor was in love with her and resulted in her attempted public suicide with partial nudity. During the exorcism both girls are described as being touched inappropriately by invisible "demon" hands and can be triggering for those who have suffered from past Sexual Abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
Tw: Alcohol, Animal death, Assault, Attempted murder, Attempted suicide, Blood, Cheating,
Child abuse (physical, on page), Cults (mentions of satanic cults), Demons, Drug abuse,
Eating disorders, Emesis (graphic), Gore, Hallucinations, Homophobia, Misogyny, Poisoning,
Potential rape (accusations of and suggestion) Racist language, Self-harm, Sexism.
Moonstruck by Nicole McKeon
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
- NO SPOILERS
This was book 2 in the series immediately picking up where book 1 (Vanished) left off. This can still be read as a standalone I think since it has its own storyline, but you miss out on some of the character development from book 1.
Moonstruck is a fast-paced multiple POV gaslamp fantasy following the FMC Gwen St. James as she galivants around an alternative Victorian London as she solves yet another magically inclined mystery. Witty, mysterious and fun this adventure is great from start to finish and will leave you clamoring for the next book. I know I can hardly wait for book 3 to be released.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
This was book 2 in the series immediately picking up where book 1 (Vanished) left off. This can still be read as a standalone I think since it has its own storyline, but you miss out on some of the character development from book 1.
Moonstruck is a fast-paced multiple POV gaslamp fantasy following the FMC Gwen St. James as she galivants around an alternative Victorian London as she solves yet another magically inclined mystery. Witty, mysterious and fun this adventure is great from start to finish and will leave you clamoring for the next book. I know I can hardly wait for book 3 to be released.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC from the Author in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Star rating - 3.25
spice level - 3.0
This is a monster romance staring the main character Violet who takes a job in the specialized fantasy species town of Cambric Creak at a "miking farm" (basically a sperm bank for Minotaurs) to pay off her student loan dept and her falling for one of her clients Rourke an older successful Minotaur who only has eyes for his new favorite "milkmaid"
Most of the book is a lead up to them meeting and Violet discovering more about the town she now works in which is described as idealic, the perfect suburb with farmers markets, artisan shops and friendly people albeit none of them human or at least 98% of them art besides the few (mostly women) who moved to be with their non-human relationship interests. The type of friendly place we all dream of moving really, post card perfect in every way, and her settling into the job she first thought would be embarrassing only to find everyone friendly and that it was just a job and one that paid well. It only gets better for her when she meets Rourke and he seems to be the perfect man.
Pros - This was light hearted and scenic and I found myself laughing at Violets commentary and enjoying the friendships she made while working on the farm. Her new BFF Geillis the vampire is truly the best friend a girl could ask for. As for the relationship with Rourke, it encapsulates all the new relationship butterflies. In short this was a very cute read with some fun spice mixed in. I love the details for all the characters and knowing they tend to pop up in other books it gives you a lot to look forward to and enjoy the world that is this pretty and ideal town of monsters. I'll definitely be looking for a book with Rourkes neighbor Lurielle and her boyfriend.
Cons- For all the lead up in this book I felt like the end was rushed, once the couple get together there are several events mentioned that are sort of glazed over, which at first I didn't mind since they weren't super cental to the story but after a bunch of jumping the book basically ends with them happy and together but really no further than they were 20 pages before the ending. I still enjoyed this book a lot, but I was hoping for at least an update on their relationship in the future to see where they ended up since we skipped so many other things to get to this ending. It felt a little anticlimactic to stop it before they really got super serious especially since the time was taken to reiterate Violet's mother through her journey from the city to the milking farm and her nerves about how her family will react. A Blue Ribbon Romance was teased at the end of my book which is this story from Rourke's perspective so if you want to know how this seemingly cool-headed Minotaur actually felt about Violet right from the get-go, I suggest picking it up right away.
Spice/Kinks - Age Gap. Milking, spanking, light Dominance
Trigger warnings - Financial struggles, Divorce, un-supportive family (mother knows best)
spice level - 3.0
This is a monster romance staring the main character Violet who takes a job in the specialized fantasy species town of Cambric Creak at a "miking farm" (basically a sperm bank for Minotaurs) to pay off her student loan dept and her falling for one of her clients Rourke an older successful Minotaur who only has eyes for his new favorite "milkmaid"
Most of the book is a lead up to them meeting and Violet discovering more about the town she now works in which is described as idealic, the perfect suburb with farmers markets, artisan shops and friendly people albeit none of them human or at least 98% of them art besides the few (mostly women) who moved to be with their non-human relationship interests. The type of friendly place we all dream of moving really, post card perfect in every way, and her settling into the job she first thought would be embarrassing only to find everyone friendly and that it was just a job and one that paid well. It only gets better for her when she meets Rourke and he seems to be the perfect man.
Pros - This was light hearted and scenic and I found myself laughing at Violets commentary and enjoying the friendships she made while working on the farm. Her new BFF Geillis the vampire is truly the best friend a girl could ask for. As for the relationship with Rourke, it encapsulates all the new relationship butterflies. In short this was a very cute read with some fun spice mixed in. I love the details for all the characters and knowing they tend to pop up in other books it gives you a lot to look forward to and enjoy the world that is this pretty and ideal town of monsters. I'll definitely be looking for a book with Rourkes neighbor Lurielle and her boyfriend.
Cons- For all the lead up in this book I felt like the end was rushed, once the couple get together there are several events mentioned that are sort of glazed over, which at first I didn't mind since they weren't super cental to the story but after a bunch of jumping the book basically ends with them happy and together but really no further than they were 20 pages before the ending. I still enjoyed this book a lot, but I was hoping for at least an update on their relationship in the future to see where they ended up since we skipped so many other things to get to this ending. It felt a little anticlimactic to stop it before they really got super serious especially since the time was taken to reiterate Violet's mother through her journey from the city to the milking farm and her nerves about how her family will react. A Blue Ribbon Romance was teased at the end of my book which is this story from Rourke's perspective so if you want to know how this seemingly cool-headed Minotaur actually felt about Violet right from the get-go, I suggest picking it up right away.
Spice/Kinks - Age Gap. Milking, spanking, light Dominance
Trigger warnings - Financial struggles, Divorce, un-supportive family (mother knows best)
Content Warnings
Minor: Medical content and Grief
Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Review of Mortal Follies- (please note this was given to me as an ARC but this is not a paid review)
Tags: Sapphic romance, historical fiction, fantasy,
Trigger warnings, mention of animal sacrifices, illness, family death, abduction,
I absolutely adored this book; it almost has grumpy/sunshine trope feels thanks to the close-knit group of friends alongside the main characters. It has fantasy, romance, whimsy, wonderful cast of diverse characters, and great queer representation. This is read via the perspective of a 3rd party fairy narrator and not the main characters which added an extra layer of fun and comedy to this beautifully told tale with the air of not so likely hero's facing off against the gods (or in this case goddess) if you love historical fiction this is absolutely a book to add to your TBR.
Tags: Sapphic romance, historical fiction, fantasy,
Trigger warnings, mention of animal sacrifices, illness, family death, abduction,
I absolutely adored this book; it almost has grumpy/sunshine trope feels thanks to the close-knit group of friends alongside the main characters. It has fantasy, romance, whimsy, wonderful cast of diverse characters, and great queer representation. This is read via the perspective of a 3rd party fairy narrator and not the main characters which added an extra layer of fun and comedy to this beautifully told tale with the air of not so likely hero's facing off against the gods (or in this case goddess) if you love historical fiction this is absolutely a book to add to your TBR.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, and Kidnapping