Book Review: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Assistant and the Villain Book 1)

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Villain Gets the Girl, Morally Grey MMC, Forced Proximity, Secret Identity, Castle Intrigue, Revenge Plot, Cliffhanger Ending

Spice Level: None

Format: eBook

Series: Assistant to the Villain Book 1

                Evie left the blacksmith after an unfortunate happenstance and now she is out of work. As the sole caregiver in her house she must find work, but there are simply more workers than jobs in her small town. With an ill father and a younger sister at home to care for she will take a job from anyone. Including The Villain. Even if he has a terrible moniker.

                This is another BookTok made me read it. As always, they have yet to steer me wrong and I loved this book. My Aunt decided she wanted to read a book with someone so that we could keep each other on target and talk about the book. We set parameters of reading a chapter and then texting the other when we were done with that chapter. Then we either talked about it or just said to move on to the next. She said it helped her with accountability to finish a book. Personally, I was constantly waiting for her and going a little stir crazy needing to know what happened next.

                I really loved the book though. Evie is what I call my daughter, so that was fun. This book doesn’t have any spice in it, but I believe that will be changing sooner versus later. It also ended on a cliff-hanger, and I will be reading on in this series. It was amazing and Evie’s personality was wonderful.

                I will say I was surprised with who the rat in the Villain’s castle was. Realistically I knew it couldn’t be either of the 2 people that the book was setting it up to be, but I didn’t have a good option. The truth though? Brutal and I loved it. The Villain was probably my favorite character because how couldn’t he be? We always choose the villain. Although he doesn’t really live up to his moniker. So what if there are some heads in the atrium. That is nothing. Or he steals from the king. It’s fine and its all for revenge which makes it fine as well.

                I can’t wait to read on and find out how Evie deals with all the new circumstances that ended book 1. This will definitely be a series that has to be read in order. Besides, I can't abandon my favorite character, Kingsley. He is wonderful and I need to know all there is to know about him!

                This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $12.99 by clicking here.

You’ll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• “Villain” love interests

• Morally grey men with revenge agendas

• Fantasy castles and political intrigue

• Slow burn tension

• Zero-spice first books that build anticipation

• Twists involving hidden traitors

• Touch her and Die Vibes

• Series you must binge in order

A fantastic fantasy romance starter with strong characters, sharp twists, and a villain we’re absolutely rooting for.

Book Review: Ugly Girl by Mary E. Twomey (Faite Falling Book 1)

Genre: Romantasy / Urban Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Ugly Duckling Transformation, Hidden Identity, Magical Awakening, Best Friends, Kidnapped Heroine, Love Triangle Potential, Secret World Reveal

Spice Level: None (romantic tension only)
Format: Novel (Series Starter)

Series: Faite Falling Book 1  

    Rosie has always been the Ugly girl with horrible acne and a literal hunchback. Her constants have always been her aunt who raised her since her mother died when she was a baby, and her best friend. When leaving the bar with her best friend her only keepsake from her mother is lost from around her neck. The search for it lead nowhere, but now she has bigger problems. Her hunch is gone, so is her acne, and she has boobs. Like massive boobs. Which would all be great if people weren’t trying to literally kidnap and kill her now claiming she is some kind of seeker. 

    This book is adorable. We have a seemingly human girl who finds out that her literal entire life up till this point has basically been a lie. While she is hurt and a little upset with her Aunt about this she barely takes it out on her before forgiving her. I mean I kind of get it, she was acting in her best interest. At the same time, I don’t know that I could forgive as easily as she did for the decades of abuse she went through at the hands of her peers. 

    While the book is a romantasy it will keep you guessing on the type. Initially I hoped it was going to be a best friends to lovers book. The one person who ever stood by her side that wasn’t family getting her once she got hot and powerful. But, no. Then with the introduction of 2 kidnappers I thought it was going to be a why choose. Doesn’t seem to be the case, but the series is still early. So far, it seems like it is going to be a one on one book, but you won’t hear me complaining. She currently has options for her male, but is gravitating more towards one than the other. 

    While this is a romantasy there isn’t any spice in this book. I am sure there will be in the series, but currently there just hasn’t been any. That being said, I have books 2 and 3 in my library already and will read on in this series at some point. 

💫 You’ll love this book if you enjoy:

• Ugly duckling glow-up stories with a magical twist

• Hidden supernatural worlds

• Heroine discovers her entire life was a lie

• Kidnapping plots and dangerous protectors

• Love triangle or slow-burn romantic uncertainty

• Low-spice romantasy with series potential

• Strong emotional transformation arcs

If you’re in the mood for a sweet but chaotic romantasy about self-discovery, hidden power, and unexpected attention after a lifetime of invisibility, this one is a fun series starter.

    This book is available on Amazon for FREE by clicking here. 

Book Review: Broken Demon by Dante St John (After the Breaking Book 1)

Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance / Post-Apocalyptic Paranormal

Tropes: Demon x Human, Second Chance Encounter, Mercenary Crew, Found Family, Supernatural Apocalypse, Protective Alpha, Banter-Heavy Romance

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 – Very high spice, explicit from early on

Format: eBook

Series: After the Breaking Book 1

    On the day of the Breaking—when mythical creatures suddenly appeared on Earth—Andromeda woke up trapped in a closet surrounded by wreckage. Twenty years later, she’s part of a hardened mercenary crew navigating this new supernatural world. When demon Viktor hires her team to locate his missing siblings—who disappeared while tracking human traffickers—things get complicated fast. Because this isn’t the first time Andromeda and Viktor have met.

    This was a Facebook-ad impulse download that absolutely paid off. I loved this book. It’s spice-heavy right from the start, packed with explicit scenes, but the plot and world-building still hold their own. I highlighted so many lines it’s ridiculous—especially: “I would do some sketchy shit for some garlic rolls.” Honestly? Relatable. Carbs are life.

    The banter between Andromeda and Viktor is top-tier. He’s a demon with presence; she’s a human with lightning powers that are rare in their world and impossible in ours. That twist on her abilities—and the eventual explanation behind them—added depth beyond the standard demon-human pairing.

    This is one of those paranormal romances that balances heat, humor, and high-stakes action. The dynamic between them feels layered, especially with their shared history slowly unfolding. Book 1 wraps up Andromeda and Viktor’s arc in a satisfying way, but clearly sets up the next installment with another character from this world. I’m absolutely continuing the series.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $0.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll love this book if you enjoy:

• Demon x human romance
• Post-apocalyptic supernatural worlds
• Spice-forward urban fantasy
• Mercenary crews and found family vibes
• Banter-filled relationships
• Interconnected paranormal series

Book Review: Tasting Red by Holly Roberds (The Lost Girls Book 1)

     Having one of the most magically inclined grandparents does not mean that you will have a strong affinity for magic. Red knows this first hand, but she decided to make the most of it by living among the humans. At least there she wasn't looked down on for her lack of abilities. She could attend college and was working at a bar she enjoyed. But when Red comes home to visit her grandmother for the holidays she finds a wolf shifter instead. Thinking he is one of her grandmother's guards she accepts his "protection" without knowing his end goal.

    I found this book on BookTok and immediately downloaded it. I will start by saying book two for this series is absolutely on my TBR and my best friend received so many screenshots of highlights from this book. It is fun, witty, and most importantly sexy. 

    Scarlet, who goes by Red, is the granddaughter of everyone's favorite grandmother. She is the maker of Magical Morsels, a treat that lets humans have a taste of power for a short time. She is one of the only witches powerful enough for this kind of magic, but it also puts a continuous target on her back from competitors wanting her recipe. Red isn't sure what she is, but for some reason at certain times she craves sex like no other. Doing her best to control these urges goes well until she finds a werewolf shifter at her grandmother's house. He takes on the role of her protector, but can she protect herself from this sexy man whose sole purpose is to get close to her?

    I loved every bit of this book. From the spicy scenes to the continuous attitude. All of the girls in this book are my favorite. I can't choose just one. I will absolutely be devouring every single one of these books then hunting for more by this author once I am done. The characters are wonderful. The setting is exciting, and who doesn't love a sexy twist on our favored fairy tales? Yes, please. 

 This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Wolves and Daggers by Melanie Karsak (The Red Cape Society Book 1)

 

    Agent Clemeny has been a member of the Red Cape Society for years, but when her long-time partner disappears she is partnered with a werewolf, Sir Lionheart, to track down those who are capturing the cities alchemists. While "Little Red" has made a name for herself amongst the supernatural community partnering up with one has never happened before. Can the pair work together before their foes develop their secret serum?

    I got this book in a box set of books 1-3 and I loved them. That being said, if I happen to mention something from the other books versus just one I apologize. Once I finished book one I immediately began the next two. This book is engaging, set in a steampunk Victorian London. As with all my favorite period pieces Agent Clemeny is a far cry from meek and mild. In this fascinating dark fairy tale retelling it is the big bad wolves that should fear little red. 

    We start strong in this book jumping into some action with an abduction followed by an unlikely partnership. Unfortunately this is not an enemies to lovers book, just an action packed paranormal mystery type. We follow Clemeny and Sir Lionheart as they track the abductions to their source. They must stop those behind it before they complete their goal. Otherwise, the Red Cape Society, and likely the world as a whole, is going to have problems. 

    I am trying really hard not to give anything away in the book. I loved it from the characters sass to the suggestion of romance to the violence that reigns rampant. 

    This book is available on Amazon for FREE by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Alphas and Airships (Red Cape Society Book 2)

Peppermint and Pentacles (Red Cape Society Book 3)

Book Review: Splintered by A. G. Howard (Splintered Series Book 1)

     Alyssa Gardner had always been a bit different. Her mother had been locked into the ward for most of her life. Ever since she was a child and her mother had taken after her with scissors. She didn't really want to hurt her daughter. In fact, she wanted to protect her from the butterfly. So, when the flowers began to talk to Alyssa she ignored it until she couldn't any longer. After-all. She was the descendant of Alice and she too was destined to fall down the rabbit hole. What she finds was more intoxicating and amazing than she could have guessed. 

    I got this book as a gift from a friend of mine years ago and it has just sat on my shelf as a beautiful trophy. Given, I'd never read the back of it to know that it was Alice in Wonderland themed. Otherwise I would have read it long before I did. Bear in mind I am still ridiculously behind on my reviews. I finished this book August 2nd, 2023. I keep a notebook filled with my read dates just for moments like this. On to the good stuff. 

    This is and isn't an Alice in Wonderland retelling. We pick up on Alice's family a few generations later. She is living a mostly normal life, even if her mother long ago went off the rocker. She visits her mother frequently, has a crush on her best friend's brother, and has favored hobbies. Normal enough life. But, when the opportunity presents itself to see if Wonderland is real she has to travel there. Even if she accidentally takes her crush with her. 

    This isn't the wonderland she read about. Chaos rains and it is up to her to set things to rights. Undo the damage done and regain her life. Can she right the wrongs without losing herself to a certain mischievous creature?

    This book...gods. There is nothing I want more than to finish this entire series. It is on my list. While the person she ends up with hits all the right feels something is off. I may be reading way too many dark romances but there is just something about that morally grey character that will melt me every time. As I mentioned a bit above when Alyssa gets to wonderland she realizes things aren't the same as in Lewis Carroll's book. Not just that that was romanticized.  

    Alyssa has to go through wonderland fixing the things Alice unintentionally broke from her sea of tears to waking a slumbering tea party. The goal is setting her family free of it's curse. Along the way she must decide who to trust. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $8.26 by clicking here. Personally I suggest getting a physical copy. It does make such a beautiful shelf trophy. 

Book Review: Beauty and the Beast by Vivienne Savage (Once Upon a Spell Book 1)

     Anastasia has always been a free-spirited princess, even going so far as to cast a spell to sneak out of the castle to be a normal girl for an afternoon. She didn't think anything would change that, even being accepted into the collegium so she could continue her studies without having a husband. However, with her mother's failing health her father had become desperate to get a rose with healing properties from an abandoned castle. Upon learning the castle was guarded by a dragon he made a deal with a neighboring kingdom for Ana's hand in marriage in exchange for the rose and the dragon to be slain. When things don't pan out Ana ends up the captive of the Beast, forced to spend her days with the very dragon who threatened to burn her kingdom. Will she be just as trapped with this fire-breathing beast as she was with her betrothed?

    I got this book as one of the deals on BookBub in 2019 because Beauty and the Beast has forever been my favorite fairy tale and so far I have loved all variations I have ever read of it. This book is no exception. A new take on an old classic is always worth a read. 

    For the most part I loved this book. It really was a new take on the old story. We still had a cursed prince with a deadline. We had a promise that someone would come along and it would be up to the pair if they would fall in love. We have a castle and even a vast library. But there are also differences. For instance, the Beast in this story is a dragon shifter. Then there is the witchcraft. And of course the general descriptions of those involved. Very Scottish vs the traditional French. 

    For the goods. I loved all the classic aspects, of course. Then the Dragon shifter. If you have been reading my reviews for a while you know I have a mild obsession with all things dragon related. Witchcraft is always great and this is not the first Beauty and the Beast rendition I have read that includes it. The change from French to Scottish was definitely different, but not necessarily a bad thing. 

    I can't say I loved Beast as much in this book as I did in the classic as I have a personal vendetta against ginger males. I know I shouldn't, but bad experiences for the most part romantically with gingers. Odd considering my best male friend is a ginger, and I love him. But, to each their own in their choices of males. My biggest issue was actually that I don't get how the dragon was talking. Telepathy is normally how shifters are portrayed as talking while in their beast forms, but in this Beast paused talking when he had food in his mouth as if he was actually speaking while in beast form. Very odd.

    I have to say that this is an author I will very likely be reading more of in the future. In fact, I am considering getting more books in this series because of how much I enjoyed this book. For this book, though, it is free on Amazon by clicking here so there should be nothing stopping you from enjoying it as well!

Book Review: Sinful Cinderella by Anita Valle (Dark Fairy Tale Queen Book 1)

     Ever since Cinderella's father died she has become a servant to her step-mother and two step-sisters. Their cruelty had some pleasant side effects, however, since she had a fairy godmother who gave her a decanter that collects good deeds in the form of white magic that can be used to make her life better. Cinderella used it in exchange for beauty, becoming the fairest in the land. But is she fair enough to attract the attention of the Prince in order to become his Queen and take revenge on those who have wronged her?

    Apparently I have been in a Dark fairy tale mood recently since this is the second book review in as many days that is a twisted tale of sorts. I have many more that I own, but these being so close together was completely unplanned. As anyone who reads my reviews for any amount of time knows that I love all things dark, demented, and twisted. This book is no exception. I loved that it was dark and murderous. There is a nice set up for how book 2 will begin and that sometimes things aren't as they seem. I will not give things away any more than the normal version of Cinderella does, just know that while you may know certain aspects of the story it does not prepare you for what you will find in these pages. 

    Cinderella's persona is kind of a cunt. While no one deserves the things that happened to her in the book I didn't feel bad about them like I would have if they had happened to a less deserving individual. I don't know if things would have been different for her if her father had lived, but I do hope so. Anyways for the most part I enjoyed this book and I hope that you enjoy it as well. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Book Review: Mad as a Hatter by Kendra Moreno (Sons of Wonderland Book 1)

     Clara is a defense attorney that has always fought for the underdog against large corporations. Now, she may face her biggest challenge yet when Mr. White approaches her to "defeat the queen". She takes the case, thinking that it is a metaphor only to be transported to the actual Wonderland. Wonderland is not what it seems any longer as Alice has become the Red Queen and is destroying life as they know it. The once beautiful and exciting land is now one of carnage. However, there is a prophecy that states in order to begin the process to save Wonderland "Clara Bee" is destined to lose her heart to the Hatter and defeat the Knave. But she can't care for someone just because it was foretold. Will that even be a problem? 

    I seen an ad for this book on Facebook and immediately purchased it. The cover of the book looked like an evil Benedict Cumberbatch and it is a favored story. Besides, anything that is dark and twisted in relation to Alice in Wonderland I am all for. For instance my favorite video game is Alice Madness Returns. Also, The Mad Hatter has always been my favorite character. 

    I had high expectations of this book when I first got it. The book did not disappoint. I made my husband read the first page after I did because I was immediately enamored and have discussed multiple points of the book with my best friend during the time that I have read it. She is just as excited about it as I was. This book is a great new continuation on Alice in Wonderland. Everything is explained nicely and I have no negative comments to say at all about this. I hope that everyone who likes Alice in Wonderland gets a chance to read these books. I will definitely be reading the others in this series. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here.