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verbalhaven's reviews
183 reviews
Squeak by Vera Valentine
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Obsidian Feathers by N. Cáceres
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Ours for Halloween by Violet Taylor
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Scribe by Elizabeth Hunter
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wed to the Lich by Layla Fae
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dark Monster Romance
Dual POV
Arranged Marriage
Fated Mates
Age Gap
Monster/Human Pairing
Touch Her and 💀
Slow Burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Body Dysmorphia
Eating Disorder
Somnophia
Animal 💀
This book takes place after an event known as The Shift where Earth and humanity were almost decimated, and aliens we vacuumed through and deposited in a mirror of their planet, divided into different territories. Humans live mostly in poverty on the edges of civilization, and the best hope for women to have a better life is to submit a blood sample to a matchmaking temple to find the perfect match based on DNA compatibility.
“It feels numinous to be inside you. I never thought… But it is. I want to worship you. I want to never leave. I want to always be in you, so close, so warm and alive…” - Virgil
May is an orphaned human young lady that has been abused in multiple ways, and made to believe that she is less than in every way possible by the head of the orphanage. Virgil is a Lich, an undead alien race with skeletal-like bodies that feed off energy. I adore Virgil. He doesn’t know much about interacting with humans, but he truly wants to give May the world he knows she deserves. He’s very patient with her, but ultimately pushes her when he sees that giving her space and patience to adapt to having a husband like him made him almost lose her. Their love story is dark and achingly beautiful, and both deserve happiness and to be loved.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dual POV
Arranged Marriage
Fated Mates
Age Gap
Monster/Human Pairing
Touch Her and 💀
Slow Burn
Spice 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Body Dysmorphia
Eating Disorder
Somnophia
Animal 💀
This book takes place after an event known as The Shift where Earth and humanity were almost decimated, and aliens we vacuumed through and deposited in a mirror of their planet, divided into different territories. Humans live mostly in poverty on the edges of civilization, and the best hope for women to have a better life is to submit a blood sample to a matchmaking temple to find the perfect match based on DNA compatibility.
“It feels numinous to be inside you. I never thought… But it is. I want to worship you. I want to never leave. I want to always be in you, so close, so warm and alive…” - Virgil
May is an orphaned human young lady that has been abused in multiple ways, and made to believe that she is less than in every way possible by the head of the orphanage. Virgil is a Lich, an undead alien race with skeletal-like bodies that feed off energy. I adore Virgil. He doesn’t know much about interacting with humans, but he truly wants to give May the world he knows she deserves. He’s very patient with her, but ultimately pushes her when he sees that giving her space and patience to adapt to having a husband like him made him almost lose her. Their love story is dark and achingly beautiful, and both deserve happiness and to be loved.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
YA Romantasy
Limited Dual POV
Rivals to Lovers
Slow Burn
🚫🌶️ but lots of tension and some steam
Violence (war setting)
Family Death
Alcoholism
Depression
Found Family
We follow the journey of two rival journalists working as war correspondents in a war between the gods. When I tell you that this book just opened me up and exposed everything... I mean it. That’s just how much this book made me feel. I’m not kidding, from the very beginning, I knew that this book was going to hit me hard. It’s such a beautifully heartbreaking read, that also manages to have a cozy feel to it.
“He found me on my darkest day. He followed me to war, to the front lines. He came between me and Death, taking wounds that were supposed to be mine.” - Iris
Iris and Roman. The tension between them is thick enough to cut, but they also have the best banter and so much angst. I went from being irritated with Roman, to falling in love with his absolute devotion to Iris. The end of this book wrecked me. It ends on a cliffhanger that left me with so many doubts about a character that I was hoping for the best.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
Adult Romantasy
Morally Grey mmc
Brave and Determined FMC
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Spice 2/5 🌶️
Touch Her and 💀
Found Family
Dark Academia (war college)
Dragons
Grief
Violence
Disability Representation
I went in with no expectations as I try to do with a wildly successful release, and was blown away. There was not a single moment or part that I felt like the book was dragging or had parts I had to struggle through to get to the good stuff. This is a fantasy book for easy read fantasy lovers who enjoy character development, very little world-building, and more romance focused than fantasy. There isn’t a lot of spice, but the spice that happens is great. There’s tension, longing, angst, and a gradual build that I love in slow burns. This book does end with a plot twist and cliffhanger. The last two sentences wrecked me in the best way.
“My fingernails bite into my palms as I search for another reason, another excuse, but there isn’t one. I might not want to appear different than every other rider on this field, but I already am” - Violet
Violet Sorrengail was born with a chronic illness that makes her easily susceptible to injury. She trained her entire life to go to the scribe quadrant, but only months before that she’s informed by her mother that she’ll be going to the war quadrant to become a dragon rider. She has months to prepare for what others going to that quadrant have trained years for. It’s very much a survival of the fittest, and only the strong survive. This book will take you on a journey of Violet’s will to overcome and survive. There’s love, loss, betrayal, character development, and beautiful world-building.
Morally Grey mmc
Brave and Determined FMC
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Spice 2/5 🌶️
Touch Her and 💀
Found Family
Dark Academia (war college)
Dragons
Grief
Violence
Disability Representation
I went in with no expectations as I try to do with a wildly successful release, and was blown away. There was not a single moment or part that I felt like the book was dragging or had parts I had to struggle through to get to the good stuff. This is a fantasy book for easy read fantasy lovers who enjoy character development, very little world-building, and more romance focused than fantasy. There isn’t a lot of spice, but the spice that happens is great. There’s tension, longing, angst, and a gradual build that I love in slow burns. This book does end with a plot twist and cliffhanger. The last two sentences wrecked me in the best way.
“My fingernails bite into my palms as I search for another reason, another excuse, but there isn’t one. I might not want to appear different than every other rider on this field, but I already am” - Violet
Violet Sorrengail was born with a chronic illness that makes her easily susceptible to injury. She trained her entire life to go to the scribe quadrant, but only months before that she’s informed by her mother that she’ll be going to the war quadrant to become a dragon rider. She has months to prepare for what others going to that quadrant have trained years for. It’s very much a survival of the fittest, and only the strong survive. This book will take you on a journey of Violet’s will to overcome and survive. There’s love, loss, betrayal, character development, and beautiful world-building.