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edgybutfemme's reviews
127 reviews
Berries and Greed by Lily Mayne
funny
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
I absolutely adored this book! I have so many feelings and I've been really bad at writing reviews lately but I absolutely need to share how awesome this book is!
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a MF monster romance that is both sweet and spicy with an adorable and socially anxious 7 foot tall monster submissive and his confident 5 foot tall gentle domme girlfriend.
Greid is maybe one of my favorite MMCs I've ever read. He is sweet and dorky and anxious and deeply lonely at the start. I love that even though his relationship with Beryl pushes him to grow as well, the core of their romance is about finding someone you can be 100% yourself with. He is a introverted jewelry maker whose perfect night is curling up under a dozen blankets, getting high on shade (their version of weed), eating lots of snacks, and rewatching his favorite sitcoms with his definitely platonic new roomate. Beryl's story of cult recovery and learning that it's never too late to leave your comfort zone and become your own person is so wonderfully executed.
To be honest, I have no complaints about this book. Both love interests are amazing! They have a very sweet and domestic romance that unfolds very organically. The book is long but felt well paced. The worldbuilding and monster lore are some of my favorite bits. The smut is top tier and features a sweet submissive monster boy! Also, Beryl is the first character I've ever read with vaginismus / an aversion to penetration and it's so well handled! This is going to be a top competitor for my favorite monsterfucking book of the year and I also read and loved A Bone In His Teeth recently.
Go read this book!
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a MF monster romance that is both sweet and spicy with an adorable and socially anxious 7 foot tall monster submissive and his confident 5 foot tall gentle domme girlfriend.
Greid is maybe one of my favorite MMCs I've ever read. He is sweet and dorky and anxious and deeply lonely at the start. I love that even though his relationship with Beryl pushes him to grow as well, the core of their romance is about finding someone you can be 100% yourself with. He is a introverted jewelry maker whose perfect night is curling up under a dozen blankets, getting high on shade (their version of weed), eating lots of snacks, and rewatching his favorite sitcoms with his definitely platonic new roomate. Beryl's story of cult recovery and learning that it's never too late to leave your comfort zone and become your own person is so wonderfully executed.
To be honest, I have no complaints about this book. Both love interests are amazing! They have a very sweet and domestic romance that unfolds very organically. The book is long but felt well paced. The worldbuilding and monster lore are some of my favorite bits. The smut is top tier and features a sweet submissive monster boy! Also, Beryl is the first character I've ever read with vaginismus / an aversion to penetration and it's so well handled! This is going to be a top competitor for my favorite monsterfucking book of the year and I also read and loved A Bone In His Teeth recently.
Go read this book!
To Kidnap A Princess by Katee Robert
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-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
4.25
This is exactly what I was hoping it would be, which was an extremely fun sapphic pirate x princess romance! I would describe this as a fun romp and suggest it for anyone who wants a sapphic pirate romance that feels like it has princess bride vibes!
I've actually read the two books out in the Crimson Tides series that this is a prequel for, and it was so fun to see how well this sets up the world! Also, the only major antogonist (other than Maura standing in her own way) in this book is Bowen, the love interest of the next book which is very fun!
My favorite thing about Katee's shorter books is how well crafted they are and how they don't over commit or under deliver. This has just enough plot, just enough romance, and just enough worldbuilding to come together in a satisfting way. It sets the scene for the series without getting too bogged down in the more intricate worldbuilding details that you get to delve into in the next two (longer length length) novels! The main couple having a pre-established dynamic and bond helped make the romance feel well paced. They had some misunderstandings and relationship tension that might be frustrating if you hate miscommunication plotlines, but not too much to make it drag or frustrate me. The smut, as always, was good and always hit just right! As usual, Katee Roberts has left me delighted and reminded me why I consider her to be one of my favorite authors 💜 I will say I might not have enjoyed the novella as much if I hadn't come in with preexisting love for the worldbuild, so I'd actually recommend reading the full length novels first and coming to this like I did as a fun prequel later!
I've actually read the two books out in the Crimson Tides series that this is a prequel for, and it was so fun to see how well this sets up the world! Also, the only major antogonist (other than Maura standing in her own way) in this book is Bowen, the love interest of the next book which is very fun!
My favorite thing about Katee's shorter books is how well crafted they are and how they don't over commit or under deliver. This has just enough plot, just enough romance, and just enough worldbuilding to come together in a satisfting way. It sets the scene for the series without getting too bogged down in the more intricate worldbuilding details that you get to delve into in the next two (longer length length) novels! The main couple having a pre-established dynamic and bond helped make the romance feel well paced. They had some misunderstandings and relationship tension that might be frustrating if you hate miscommunication plotlines, but not too much to make it drag or frustrate me. The smut, as always, was good and always hit just right! As usual, Katee Roberts has left me delighted and reminded me why I consider her to be one of my favorite authors 💜 I will say I might not have enjoyed the novella as much if I hadn't come in with preexisting love for the worldbuild, so I'd actually recommend reading the full length novels first and coming to this like I did as a fun prequel later!
A Bone in His Teeth by Kellen Graves
dark
emotional
fast-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
This book is everything to me! It made me feel SO many things. Every single beat hits from the horror to the mystery to the romance to the monsterfucking. I am absolutely obsessed with Alba and Eridanys. They have incredible chemistry and they bicker from minute one. Both are too stubborn for their own good, but they have a beautiful relationship arc. I believe in their deep and devout love for each other, and every minute of the HEA is absolutely painstakingly earned. The smut in this is also absolutely peak and does a good job with the monsterfucking elements. Also, if you like a relationship between a human and a monster where the VERY sweet human is actually the one with the higher on screen body count, this story is absolutely for you!
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 11 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Oh wowsa! Jinshi backstory! This one is a doozy folks, but I am so glad we finally have the Deep Lore on Jinshi (even if it is even more horrifying than I thought)! We love a boy with trauma. I'm glad even though Jinshi and Maomao haven't realized their feelings for each other, literally everyone else has. I hope we get some more development in their relationship soon, but regardless this always keeps me coming back with the mysteries and court intrigue.
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 10 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I am obsessed with moon goddess Jinshi and I think maomao should get to dress her boyfriend up more often. I hope Consort Lihua gets to fully clean house after this volume, because she certainly deserves more trustworthy ladies in waiting. Also, obsessed whenever the emperor asks maomao for help and she is so aggressively like "my curiosity WILL be the death of me why do all these people in power keep paying attention to me" it's so funny.
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 9 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I honestly rolled right from this volume into the next, so I had trouble remembering specifically what this volume was about but it was good as always! Mostly dealing with another death, this time involving mushrooms! Justice for maomao, she didn't even get to keep her mushrooms :(
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 8 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I absolutely love that we got more Maomao backstory drop! Also there is a cat in the volume, a cat AND a baby, so really peak content all around.
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 7 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Ahhhhh I am both relieved and despairing that the next book is in my partners room, therefore forcing me to sleep instead of continuing to binge all of this delightful manga in one evening. This volume was exceptionally good and I am very much looking forward to seeing where Maomao's scheming goes next.
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 6 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The plot is really plotting! This does end on a bit of a cliffhanger so I reccommend having the next one to roll right into, which is exactly what I plan to do. It was extremely satisfying watching all the threads from this last arc come together, and we are getting so much maomao backstory! Also I haven't mentioned it in awhile but I really like how things are developing between Jinshi and Maomao. I love how much he cares about her, and how much she is begrudgingly starting to care for him as well!
The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 5 by Itsuki Nanao, Natsu Hyuuga
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I really commend the original creator for so skillfully changing up the set up and dynamic! Moving from the inner court to the outer court brings a whole new set of characters, expectations, and mysteries. I particularly enjoyed watching Maomao piece together the secrets of the metal worker's will. On to the next one! (Even though I should probably be going to bed instead 😅)