jmcclelland17's reviews
230 reviews

A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

📚A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️1/2

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Feminine Rage
⚔️Morally Gray MMC
⚔️30+ year old FMC
⚔️Intelligent, Capable FMC
⚔️Political Intrigue 
⚔️Shadow Daddy
⚔️Epic Finale
⚔️Identities Revealed
⚔️Top Tier 🌶️

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Oh. My. God. The way this book had me in such a chokehold that I read it in one day. This series was incredible, but this final book was nothing short of perfect (for me). I love to see just how far Katherine and Bastian have progressed throughout this series. There were so many twists and turns throughout this book that it kept me hooked the entire time. The amount of times I gasped while reading was obnoxious (and I fully apologized to my husband for scaring him). I don’t want to say much more because I don’t want to spoil anything. What I will say is that you have to read this immediately!

✨Pros✨
  • Having a more mature FMC who is not only capable, but consistently shows us her intelligence is so refreshing. It’s rare to find an FMC as great as Katherine.
  • Bastian is already the shadow daddy of my dreams, but the way he goes through the physical, mental, and emotional challenges presented is nothing short of incredible.
  • The spice!! OMG!! I haven’t read spice that good in so long!
  • The balance between spice and political intrigue was masterful. It was the perfect balance (for me).
  • The way things were tied up by the end of the book/series was so well done. I won’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil it, but let’s just say that things were hard won and the ending was nicely tied up for the characters in a very satisfying way.
  • The emotions! I laughed, raged, cried, and cheered during this book.

✨Cons✨
  • No notes. 


Thank you to Haus of Fables PR and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
A Touch of Poison by Clare Sager

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

📚A Touch of Poison by Clare Sager📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
🧪Feminine Rage
🧪Strong, Mature FMC
🧪Mental Health Rep
🧪”She’s Mine”
🧪Morally Gray MMC
🧪Healing From Abuse
🧪Political Intrigue 
🧪Dual POVs

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Wow. Just wow. This book is incredible! I haven’t loved a series like this in so long. I loved the progression and healing of Katherine. Bastian as well, and especially the progression of their relationship. I’m looking forward to reading the next one, especially after the ending!
A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

📚A Kiss of Iron by Clare Sager📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
💋Romantasy
💋Forbidden Romance
💋Twists and Turns
💋Mental Health Rep
💋Hidden Identities 
💋Mature FMC
💋Fae x Humans
💋Fake Courting
💋Morally Gray MMC

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I loved this book so much! I love that our FMC, Kathrine, is in her 30s and married. I love that she is both strong and vulnerable in the perfect mix. I loved the romance between Kathrine and Bastian. And I loved this story. I can’t wait to read the next book.
The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall by J. Ann Thomas

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

📚The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall by J. Ann Thomas📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4
Spice Rating:🌶️

✨Tropes✨
👻Gothic House
👻Forbidden Romances
👻Sheltered FMC
👻Strong FMC
👻LGBTQIA+ Rep
👻Mental Health Rep

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I enjoyed this book so much. It reminded me of the Haunting of Hill House, Starling House, and Janene Eyre. It has a very gothic, occult, and spooky vibe. The author has created an immersive story which kept me interested throughout. My only criticism would be that some parts of the book dragged out unnecessarily long in my opinion. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading about the various spirits’ stories, personalities, and how the female main character, Elergy, interacted with them. I really loved Elergy and I found a little of myself in her. This would be a fantastic book to read during October and I would definitely reread it then solely for the vibes.

✨Pros✨
  • The varied dynamics of the spirits.
  • A surprising ending - it really did catch me off guard.
  • Elergy’s character development.
  • The MMC, Atticus, and the way the relationship played out.
  • The spooky, gothic atmosphere. 
  • The immersive atmospheric world building.
  • The attention to detail the author gave, especially to being consistent with the old fashioned way Elergy spoke.

✨Cons✨
  • This book dragged out far too much in certain places. I understand that the author wanted the reader to be fully immersed in the house, but I think it could have been achieved in a more concise manner.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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funny inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

📚 A Sky of Emerald Stars by A.K. Mulford📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Magic
⚔️Shifters x Humans
⚔️LGBTQIA+ Rep
⚔️Secrets Revealed 

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the first book in the series, and usually the second book (especially when it focuses on a different person or couple) isn’t as good. Not this book! I dare to say this was better than the first. We still get snippets of Calla’s story, but the main focus is Sadie. I love Sadie. And I enjoyed how she evolves and broadens her understanding of the world she lives in. There are things that challenge the very black and white thinking of the wolf shifter society, and Sadie is accepting and willing to learn and grow. Especially when it comes to understanding Navin and his gender identity as well as who he is as a person. 
I was very upset with Navin in the first book and a little bit in the beginning of this book. However, as his secrets are revealed, I grew to love him. I actually enjoyed the level of mystery surrounding Navin throughout the story.
One thing that stood out to me was the incorporation of music and how magic can come from music. I loved this new added element to the story. It kept it fresh as a second book, but then we have a small continuation of the first book and the story there. 

✨Pros✨
  • The spice- it was a lot spicier than the first book and I loved it.
  • The evolution of Sadie. I loved her as an FMC.
  • The evolution of Navin. I can always appreciate not liking a character in the beginning, but then loving them at the end.
  • The dialogue is great. It seems so rare to find good dialogue, but this author achieves it every time.
  • The discussion of gender identity and how it’s infinite. This book does an incredible job of explaining and discussing gender identity.

✨Cons✨
  • There were a few parts in the middle that dragged a bit in my opinion.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.25

📚A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/4
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Sleep Beauty Retelling 
⚔️LGBTQIA+ Rep 
⚔️Mental Health Rep 
⚔️Self Acceptance 
⚔️Strong Main Characters
⚔️Secret Identities 
⚔️Wolf Shifters x Humans

✨Initial Thoughts✨
This book is so wonderfully profound. It explores gender identity, self acceptance, and mental health issues, amongst other themes. It is presented in a Sleeping Beauty retelling with wolf shifters, but it’s done so that all of the aforementioned themes make sense. Calla’s journey from bitter self loathing to beautiful self acceptance is one of the best character development stories I’ve read in a long time. Calla’s personal struggle with not knowing their place in the world as well as what “category” she “falls” into is heart wrenching. However, with the assistance of the people around them, Calla makes personal discoveries that finally bring them peace.

Favorite Quote:
“I realized there was someone within me under the layers of self-doubt and agitation…. Daggers and jackets, dresses and kohl, man and woman beyond. I exist somewhere, flowing in between them. And I thought I’d have to break myself into little pieces to make them fit me, but I don’t…. I am a whole person always, flowing, carving my own path.”
Elemental Affections by Jaime Ryanne

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inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

📚 Element Affections by Jaime Ryanne📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
🔥Second Chance Romance
🌊Magic
🔥Academic Setting
🌊Forced Proximity
🔥Top tier spice
🌊Intelligent, capable FMC

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I enjoyed this book so much! I especially loved how the author combines magic and science. As a woman in STEM, I found this so unique and refreshing. Our FMC, Anadae, turns 30 during this story and it’s so wonderful to see a mature, intelligent, capable woman who finds her voice and pursues her passions. While this book has excellent, top tier spice, there’s also so much substance to this story. Our MMC, Ezzyn, while I don’t love all of the choices he makes throughout the book, I do love how obsessed he is with Dae. He really was lovable despite the questionable choices he makes. 

What makes this story stand out is not only the magic being tied to science, but the characters. On the surface, this could just be a cute, spice romantasy. However, at the core of this story is the characters, specifically Anadae. Anadae is finally breaking away from her family’s lofty and unfair expectations of her. She was persuaded to enter into an arranged engagement with a man who belittled her and emotionally abused her. Anadae breaks away from the comfort and familiarity at 29 years old to go back to school for magic so she can do some good for the world. She wants to find and grow her potential even if it means being disowned by her influential family. She shows a strength of character that is inspiring. Dae constantly insists she does not need to be rescued and proves it. Despite her misgivings and old insecurities, Dae carves out a path in magic and becomes successful in her own right. 

✨Pros✨
  • Smart, capable, lovable FMC.
  • MMC who is obsessed with the FMC in the most delicious way.
  • No cringey nicknames!!
  • Fantastic spice scenes.
  • Magic combined with science.
  • I love the forced proximity!
  • The way the second chance romance was done reminded me of Jane Austen’s Persuasions and I LOVED it!

✨Cons✨
  • I don’t love the third act break up, but I understand the intent behind it.

Thank you to The NerdFam for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
Once the Skies Fade by Vanessa Rasanen

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

📚Once the Skies Fade by Vanessa Rasanen📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Banter
⚔️Trials
⚔️Shadow Mama 
⚔️Feminine Rage
⚔️Touch him & 💀
⚔️Morally gray FMC
⚔️Political Intrigue 
⚔️Golden Retriever MMC
⚔️Bargains

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Oh. My. Goodness! This book! This book is phenomenal! There is no other way to describe it. I loved the first book in this interconnected series, but this book is a masterpiece. Truly. The character development that is done in this book is incredible. I went on a wild journey of liking Calla, our female main character, to hating her decisions and being frustrated with her, to loving her. As far as our male main character, Matthias, I loved him in book one, but I have fallen completely in love with him in this book. I never thought I would love a golden retriever type of MMC, but Matthias has proven me wrong (or is at least the greatest exception to this rule). Matthias has laugh out loud lines, fantastic banter, and is just so lovable overall. When I had heard this book would focus on Matthias, I was excited. Little did I know that he would be my new obsession.

✨Below contains spoilers, beware✨

I went into reading this book a bit blind. I knew it would be about Matthias and Calla but that was all I knew. I’m genuinely so happy I didn’t know anything else beyond that, because chapter one was a total shock. From book one, I knew that Connor’s brother, Brennan, was to marry Calla and they were content to do their political duty. I wanted Brennan to find his mate, so in my mind I thought that he would do just that which would make way for Calla and Matthias. That theory was short lived. Brennan dies in chapter one (I may have shed a tear, because I did want the best for him), which sets off a cascade of events for Calla and Matthias to see each other more than just in passing. 

Calla has lost both of her parents (making her queen) and her husband, who she did truly care for, within a matter of months. Grief does different things to people (as Matthias points out later in the book) and for Calla, it makes her rage. She enters into a bargain with a witch who is able to tell her who was behind Brennan’s death and curse them. The cost of this magic is that Calla cannot tell anyone about the killer (the magic physically prevents her from speaking). Calla finds out that humans are behind Brennan’s murder. In her grief, she banishes all humans from her kingdom and does some very questionable things to those who dare to disobey her orders. Calla reveals that she is a Shadow Keeper (aka, hot shadow mama), who is particularly powerful. Unfortunately, she must answer, if only a small amount, to her council, The Assembly. They inform Calla that she must choose another husband. Calla is still reeling from losing her entire family, and therefore decides to hold a tournament for the next king. She wants to be as detached as possible from caring about anyone else.

Rumors begin to swirl throughout the kingdom and make it back to Connor and Lieke that Calla killed Brennan. They decide to send their general, Matthias, to compete in the tournament so that he may find out the truth. Matthias goes and performs in the deadly trials. He spends time with Calla and soon realizes that even though she has done so many terrible things, it is because she is hurting and is lashing out. While he does not condone the things Calla has done, and continues to do, he at least has empathy for her. He sees beyond her grief and sees that she is a product of the awful circumstances she has endured. 

Calla and Matthias are constantly tested in their fortitude and they do come out so much strong on the other side. Plus, they achieve it together.

✨Pros✨
  • Morally gray FMC. She does so many awful and questionable things. It challenges society’s standards for women to be ‘perfect’, meek, and mild.
  • So much feminine rage!
  • An extremely lovable golden retriever MMC.
  • Fun new characters - I’m looking at you Asher (and his dragon shapeshifting brothers).
  • World building.
  • Expert level character development.
  • Trials!! I’m a huge fan of anything with trials or competitions. This was particularly fun.
  • Twists and turns.
  • Adventure and tense moments.

✨Cons✨
  • I’m sad Brennan had to die (though I understand why) because I really wanted a happier ending for him.

Thank you to Vanessa Rasanen for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
Sing Me Awake by R.A. Raine

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adventurous emotional inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

📚Sing Me Awake by R.A. Raine📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice Rating:🌶️

✨Tropes✨
🐉Fated Mates
🐉Why Choose
🐉Mental Health Rep
🐉Feminine Rage
🐉Animal Companions/Familiars
🐉Bargains
🐉Fae x Shifters x Humans x gods
🐉”She’s Mine”

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Wow, I enjoyed this book so much! It was such a wild ride that I didn’t want to end. I’m already anticipating the second book! This was such a fun, unique take on a ‘why choose’ romantasy. 
Dove is such a great FMC. She’s been beaten and abused by the people who have taken her in since she was a child. Dove escapes when she kills the head priestess (and her main abuser). While Dove doesn’t remember the murder itself, it does give her a way to escape, physically and emotionally.
In Dove’s escape, she’s found by Gideon, a wolf shifter. She’s also found her bonded mate, Rivern, a fae prince hellbent on finding her and dissolving their bond by any means necessary.
Dove and Rivern set off to the fae kingdom. Once there, everything changes for Dove. Her life takes an unexpected path that will send her down a wild trajectory. I did not see the second half of this book coming and I cannot wait for the next one. I, in no uncertain terms, need the next book. Immediately!

✨Pros✨
  • Unexpected twists and turns.
  • Likable FMC.
  • Pure feminine rage- love to see it.
  • Multiple POVs.
  • Swoon worthy MMCs.
  • Fury (I did not see him factoring into this story and I’m so happy he exists).
  • Dragons!

✨Cons✨
  • Chapter 33!!!- ma’am, I need an explanation right now. WTF! This is why I have blonde haired men trust issues! Chapter 33 made me want to throw my Kindle against the wall. Not cool! (Though I’m interested in seeing where that dynamic goes).

Thank you to Haus of Fables and the author, R.A. Raine for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.