jmcclelland17's reviews
233 reviews

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

Wow!!!! This was such an incredible story!! If I could give more stars, I would. I listened to the audiobook version and the narration was impeccable. If you’re looking for spookiness with your spice as we as trials, and a great plot, this is the right book for you. I was skeptical at first because it has become so popular, but it’s for a reason. I loved this and I’m going to beg everyone in my life to read this as well.
Bound by Fate by A.N. Caudle

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

📚Bound by Fate by AN Caudle📚

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

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Morally dark gray MMC
⚔️Epic/High fantasy 
⚔️Touch her & 💀
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Political Intrigue 
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Possessive MMC
⚔️Mental Health Rep 

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Oh my freaking goodness!!! It was an honor and pleasure reading this masterful novel. The was an incredible rollercoaster of emotions in a book. It’s not often that I love a second book in the series more than the first book, but I did with this book. It’s so hard to properly explain what went on in this book without giving spoilers. What I will say is that I came to love the familiar characters even more (I was surprised it was even possible) than book 1, and I fell in love with the new characters’ stories. Zalen is the morally dark gray MMC of my dreams. 
The author crafts lush imagery of this world and I ate it all up. I finished this book in 2 days and I didn’t want it to end. After the ending, I feel desperate for book 3, but I know it’s going to wreck me (more intensely than this book did) in the best way.

✨Pros✨
  • Engaging multi POVs and new, lovable characters.
  • Very well written.
  • A great blend of familiar and new characters.
  • World building.
  • The spice and romance!
  • The way the mental health and addiction representation was respectfully handled.

✨Cons✨
  • Cliffhanger ending.
  • Nicknames- this is my own personal pet peeve
  • The fact that I don’t have the next book in my possession!

Thank you to AN Caudle for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
The Mirror in the Mountain by Dana Evyn

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

2.0

📚The Mirror in the Mountain by Dana Evyn📚

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Found family
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Mental Health Rep 
⚔️Romantasy
⚔️Secret Heir
⚔️Chosen One

✨Initial Thoughts✨
I think this would be a great series for someone first getting into the genre. Unfortunately, I’ve read so many romantasies throughout the years that this just didn’t hit like it would have if it had been one of my first romantasy series. There are some good elements and the writing is very good, but it all felt very rinse and repeat. It’s pretty forgettable and there was nothing very new or original in this for me. If I had read this early one in my love for romantasy, I most likely would have enjoyed this and given it a higher score. So don’t let this put you off reading this series if you’re new to the genre by any means. I just want to be truthful on how I personally felt about this book. 
It does pick up right after the first one ends and it does have great discussions on mental health. There’s potential for sure.

✨Pros✨
  • Good dialogue 
  • Enjoyable tropes
  • Likable characters 

✨Cons✨
  • Felt unoriginal for me and lackluster in my opinion
  • Nicknames- this is my own personal pet peeve though.

Thank you to the NerdFam and the author for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly by Sophia St. Germain

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inspiring mysterious reflective 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

📚A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly by Sophia St. Germain📚

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

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Trials/Competition
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Love Triangle
⚔️Half Fae-Half Human FMC
⚔️Mental Health Rep 
⚔️Conversations of Discrimination 

✨Initial Thoughts✨
Wow, I loved this book. The beginning had a lot of world building and character building, but by 25% in, I was completely hooked. While I don’t want to give spoilers in this review, all I will say is that there were some great twists and turns that I did not see coming. This is especially great because I’ve been reading a lot of romantasy lately and so many of them feature “twists” that I could see a mile away. Not this book! My mouth literally dropped at a few parts. While there were a few phrases that I thought were particularly overused, overall, this was a well written book. It opens up a conversation about discrimination and what it’s like to not feel apart of any one community because you’re either too “human” or too “fae.” Or in other terms, not enough of one thing and therefore both parties are hostile towards you. The book does not end on a cliffhanger, but rather the ending closes one door and opens up another door to the next phase in the story. I found this refreshing because sometimes cliffhangers can be downright frustrating. I truly did not want this book to end and I look forward to the next book in the series.

✨Pros✨
  • Well written.
  • Great tropes- some of my favorites.
  • Great world building and character development.
  • Unpredictable twists and turns.
  • A great ending of book one.
  • A compelling storyline that opens up a greater conversation of discrimination.
  • No nicknames!! It’s a personal pet peeve of mine when the MMC gives the FMC a silly nickname. While one of the MMC does use the term ‘darling’, he used it sparingly and not in place of the FMC’s real name. I’m forever grateful for that.
  • No cliffhangers.

✨Cons✨
  • Prevalence of over using a phrase.
  • The first quarter goes heavy on the character and world building. I didn’t personally mind it, but some readers could give up at this point and miss out on a fantastic story.


Thank you to Sophia St. Germain for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.
The Other Side of the Mirror by Dana Evyn

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

📚The Other Side of the Mirror by Dana Evyn📚

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Found Family
⚔️One Horse
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Secret Identity 
⚔️Forced Proximity 
⚔️Mirror Magic

✨Initial Thoughts✨
There’s nothing inherently wrong with this book, but there’s also nothing special about it either. It would be better if you’re new to the romantasy genre as there’s not a whole lot of world building and a heavy emphasis on romance. The “twist” in the story was easily predicted, but may not come off that way if you’re new to certain tropes. Having encountered many novels with this particular twist, it didn’t hit as hard. That being said, I do think this is worth a read. It’s  quick, easy, and relatively enjoyable.

✨Pros✨
  • Likable characters 
  • Enjoyable tropes
  • Mirror Magic 

✨Cons✨
  • Nicknames- though this is a purely me problem.
  • A rinse and repeat storyline- I felt like I’ve read so many stories like this before and it didn’t feel as fresh as I wanted.
Shadowed Moonlight by K.C. Harper

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 5%.
I found the start of this book confusing and not well explained from the beginning. It didn’t grip me at all and for all of those reasons, this book was not for me and I did not wish to continue.
Even Angels Fall by E.V Sauvage

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adventurous inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Tropes✨
🪽Shifters
🪽Assassin FMC
🪽Arranged Marriage/ Marriage of Convenience
🪽Instant Attraction
🪽Strong FMC

✨Summary✨
I could not put this book down. Legitimately, I read this in a day and I was completely hooked. There’s no real reason why, but that it was pure enjoyment. The FMC, Angelique, is just a joy to read. She’s tough, yet vulnerable and overall relatable. Most importantly, she’s not whinny when she’s being vulnerable. The MMC, Elhyor, was also so enjoyable to read. He’s a tough dragon shifter, but he’s so understanding of Angelique and her trauma. I loved him so much. And the spice is top shelf. While this may not be the most original romantasy, it certainly is a fast and fun read. 
This book isn’t all surface level enjoyment. There is also the theme of overcoming oppression and discrimination. Angelique is actively despised by her father for not having white wings like him, but rather black wings. He whips her and tries to turn her into a weapon to serve his own purposes. Once she is away from his grasp, she is able to overcome oppression and suppression of her shifting ability and find acceptance in who/what she is.

✨Pros✨
  • Meaningful themes throughout the book.
  • Incredible FMC and MMC
  • Fantastic spice.
  • Easily consumable story.

✨Cons✨
  • There’s not a whole lot of world building- while this wasn’t a huge issue for me, some may find it lacking.


Thank you to The NerdFam and E.V. Sauvage for providing the ARC and the opportunity to review this book. 
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

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adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

What an incredible read! It did start out fairly confusing, but once the story got going, it was impossible to put down.
A Trial of the Heart by J.E. Larson

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adventurous hopeful tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️1/2

✨Tropes✨
⚔️Trials
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Mythical Creatures 
⚔️Strong FMC
⚔️He would 💀 for her
⚔️Possessive MMC
⚔️Evil Queen
⚔️Fae x Shifters x Humans

This was an action packed novel and I absolutely loved it. Picking up right where book one left off, Skylar is now in the fae world and faces the trials. The twists and turns of even the first trial, kept me on the edge of my seat. I won’t go into too many details at the risk of spoiling anything, but I will say that the trial of the mind was intense, but in the best way. The romance steps up a notch and there is such a fantastic pay off for this slow burn romance between Skylar and Daxton. 

✨Pros✨
⚔️Skylar’s character development and growth. I thought she was pretty immature in the first book, but she has become wiser and way more likable for me.
⚔️Daxton. Enough said. I love him as the MMC.
⚔️We see more of Castor, and he has become one of my favorite characters. I feel like I need an entire series based on Castor. I love him that much. I need a happy ending for him.
⚔️Action packed. There were very little lulls in the story and I flew through this book (despite being 500+ pages). I couldn’t put it down.
⚔️The spice is so good and so worth the wait. 

✨Cons✨
⚔️The dialogue still felt stilted and disingenuous at times. Though, it was improved from the first book.
⚔️The “big reveal” was predictable and didn’t have as much impact as it could have if it was revealed sooner. 

👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
If you enjoyed the first book, I’m confident you’ll love this book even more. The world was built in the first book and the characters are developed in this book. 

Thank you to J.E. Larson for the gifted copy and the opportunity to review this book.