Fantasy Standalones

Love and the Laws of Physics by A.C. MacLaren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok, so this book is clearly not for anyone younger than 18. As much as the story is filled with the many, and I mean MANY erotic and explicit sex scenes, there was also a surprising amount of tenderness and gentleness that I would not have expected from a story like this. I think that’s what sold me on this book because then there was something to relate to, something that wasn’t just all about sex but about relationships, personal backgrounds, and demons. There is also a sort of witty humor within the lines that had me laughing along!

View all my reviews

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo might just be my favourite Little Mermaid retelling I’ve yet to read. I’ve already re-read this wonderful standalone a few times now, and each time was just as exciting as the last! I loved the dynamic between our couple and how everything isn’t sunshine and roses as most fairytales tend to be! Really recommend this novel!

View all my reviews

Fly Free by Allison Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been recently really getting into fairy type stories so I was really excited to pick this one up! Fly Free by Allison Rose is kind of like A Court of Thorns and Roses mashed with TinkerBell and yet it’s wonderfully twisted and interesting to read! I found myself really engrossed in the storyline and the disagreements with the two different High courts (Night and Day). This is the first book of the Light Fairy series and I’m really looking forward to the rest!

View all my reviews

Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson was utterly charming. I loved the Beauty and the Beast Re-telling mashed with queer themes. Though I loved the characters and their dynamic, there were moments when I wished there was a bit more sparks or danger, or lives on the line. It was really sweet to see their slow-burn romance bloom when they were clearly interested in each other.

View all my reviews

Gravebriar by Casey L. Bond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just want to say, every time I read another book by Casey L. Bond, I always think that it is my favourite…. let’s just say, that Gravebriar has quite literally become the new favourite out of them all. The characters are so loveable. I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burn type of romance this author presents, even though there is also a hint of immediate attraction. There was the perfect balance of action and adventure as we followed along on Caster and Forge’s journey! Seriously, check this book out, you won’t be disappointed!

View all my reviews

Promises and Pixie Dust by Elle Madison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ahh! Another great novel by these authors! I’ve had the pleasure of reading some of their other works, and this one I found to be just as enjoyable and interesting as the others. First off, I thought the characters were really unique and loveable. Lina isn’t your everyday damsel that needs saving from some mucho cocky bastard. Instead, she’s strong, intelligent, has a massive heart, and adventurous. I found myself really relating to her character and it was enjoyable to see her interact with Edrich! This book had amazing and compelling world-building writing, which I thought was quite creative and unique.

I also found that this story had a lot of really great morals that are perfect for younger readers. Things like: the ideal of freedom, trying this out and going with the flow, healthy relationship building (whether it’s romantic or friendship), communication, family comes first, and many others. I also liked how the authors made Lina, not a perfect character but one that has her own struggles and personal issues that she needs to experience and overcome herself.

View all my reviews

Love’s Curse by Ellen Mint
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, this book was really something else. I’ve always been a fan of mythology and Egyptian culture so I was quite happy that I found a story that included those themes plus a spicy romance! First off, Tarek (the main lead male), is just so dreamy. Secondly, the building romance between Emma and. Tarek had me turning pages faster than most other romance novels I’ve read recently.

This story was much more action-packed than I originally thought, and I’m all here for it! There’s action, romance, life or death situations + decisions, and of course a splash of Egyptian culture and history. I would recommend this book!

View all my reviews

House of Salt And Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig was just… wow. Seriously. I personally love any kind of fairytale re-telling and this book was all that and more. Being a fairytale re-telling, this novel was much darker, more of a mind fuck than anything. There were ghosts, gothic themes, salt tombs, themes of family and love, and dancing in glittering balls. Reality and nightmares blurred like crazy. Honestly, my review doesn’t do this bok justice, I truly believe you need to try this book out for yourself.

View all my reviews

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such an adorable read! Being the first book I’ve experienced from this author, I was incredibly pleased with all the touching/sweet-hearted romance moments in-between storylines. I was expecting a ‘historical fiction’ novel, but was happy to see that it played more with the fantasy aspect! Plus, I really enjoyed the little mermaid retelling in the background!

View all my reviews

So This Is Ever After by F.T. Lukens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found this book to be charming, adorable, and entertaining. At first my opinion of the main lead was bratty and selfish, but as you read, you see how utterly in love he is with his best friend. The story gives you all the sweet feels with a satisfying ending. Lovely story!

View all my reviews

The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t know what to say, I generally loved this book. Even though it had the creepy feel and lots of seriously messed up characters, there was just something so charming about reading through Stephen’s inner monologue while all the other shit in his life is happening. It’s funny and yet serious at the same time. Throughout the book, we see characters that struggle through their own version of mental illness, as they all try to go about each day normally. It’s really a wonderful read and this standalone is quite short, so you will be sure to finish it in a day!

View all my reviews

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is actually the first book by this author I’ve experienced. First and foremost, I really enjoyed her take on a ‘vampire’ story. This was new, fresh, and quite exciting to read through. I thought the characters were well-developed and I enjoyed reading the growing chemistry between the main couple and the struggles each person when through. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

View all my reviews

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an amazing read! Truly! I really loved the character’s personalities and how they interacted with each other. The narrative was interesting because in one moment, the characters would be in the present (insulting each other), and the next, be somewhere in Gabe’s past! The transitions between were really smooth and yet clear enough to know whether it was past or present. I didn’t even mind the length of the book! Great read!

View all my reviews

The Dreamer’s Wish by N.E. Absolom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Like many of the other reviews for this book, I absolutely loved this book. The storyline was so vastly different than any other book I’ve read and that immediately caught my attention. It gave me strong Alice in Wonderland vibes, which I was all here for. The world-building was breath-taking and the characters were all so rich and fascinating, in my opinion. This is definitely going into my pile of stories I would recommend!

View all my reviews

Magnificent by Novae Caelum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novel was a lot of fun to read! I’m so happy I finally found a non-binary representation in a book and what better than to have it in a superhero-themed one! Truly lovely! There was something so heartwarming about reading about Magnificent’s struggles and how they push through with any issues or negative thoughts that came their way. It gave the book an earthly – down to earth – realistic feel. Now that I’ve discovered this author, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more wonderful works!

View all my reviews

The Fairest by Sam Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Fairest by Sam Burns is the first book by this indie author that I have explored. I have to say, that this short Snow White Re-telling was quite adorable with a splash of spice. I liked the dynamic between our ‘snow white’, Carwyn, and his ‘huntsman’, Gareth, as their personalities and appearances were completely different from each other yet, complimented. I wish it was longer. I felt this story could have been written with more world-building and character development, but for what it was, 142 pages, it was quite cute and enjoyable.

View all my reviews

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was really nice to read. The way this author writes is very much ‘storytelling’. I haven’t read a creative book like this in a while, so it was quite appealing to me. Plus, I didn’t realize that Winterwood was a murder mystery with plot twists until I started reading it. I really enjoyed the little mini-stories of previous Walker Witches and spells in between chapters as well.

View all my reviews

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First things first, this book had the best opening sentence that I’ve ever read! I knew from the very first page that I was going to love this story! It’s the first time I’ve read something by Tricia Levenseller and this particular book has received a lot of hype over various social media platforms. Personally, I thought The Shadows Between Us deserved all the hype I’ve seen on Tiktok and Instagram. Besides having a stunning book cover, the storyline was new and exciting to me.

I really loved how seductive and cunning Alexandra is (main character). Her character is extremely confident with themselves which is usually a novelty with main characters. I’ve read so many stories where characters have to grow into this level of confidence and usually only showing it near the end of the book/series, but Alexandra was showcased like this right from the very first line. Thus, I found the style fresh and interesting for that reason.

I really love Kallas’ character as well. He was the perfect amount of alluring, tempting, and romantic for me to love him. Though it was rather predictable his character growth and development due to Alexandra, I didn’t feel bored or let down in any way with the writing style.

Then there is the plot twist at the end of the book…. 10/10!

Seriously, if you need a sign to pick up this book and check this story out, this is me telling you that this is a book that shouldn’t be missed!

View all my reviews