You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
luluwoohoo's reviews
470 reviews
Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria
"'I’m not certain all the guys who say ‘Mine’s bigger’ fully understand the size and maximum capacity of a human vagina.'"
4.25
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey ☀️☀️⛅
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
"It’s a wild rush, being needed like that, so I whimper ridiculous things into the dark I’d never say in the light. Things that sound amazing right now but I’ll blush over in the morning."
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
"It’s a wild rush, being needed like that, so I whimper ridiculous things into the dark I’d never say in the light. Things that sound amazing right now but I’ll blush over in the morning."
"It’s the moment when the girl in the teen rom-com abandons her glasses and ponytail and descends the stairs in all her prom-ready glory. It’s the moment when her high school crush finally sees her for the beautiful twenty-six-year-old actress that she is."
"'I’m not certain all the guys who say ‘Mine’s bigger’ fully understand the size and maximum capacity of a human vagina.'"
All by My Elf by Olivia Dade
3.0
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey ☀️☀️⛅
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
"It’s a wild rush, being needed like that, so I whimper ridiculous things into the dark I’d never say in the light. Things that sound amazing right now but I’ll blush over in the morning."
"It’s the moment when the girl in the teen rom-com abandons her glasses and ponytail and descends the stairs in all her prom-ready glory. It’s the moment when her high school crush finally sees her for the beautiful twenty-six-year-old actress that she is."
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
"It’s a wild rush, being needed like that, so I whimper ridiculous things into the dark I’d never say in the light. Things that sound amazing right now but I’ll blush over in the morning."
"It’s the moment when the girl in the teen rom-com abandons her glasses and ponytail and descends the stairs in all her prom-ready glory. It’s the moment when her high school crush finally sees her for the beautiful twenty-six-year-old actress that she is."
"'I’m not certain all the guys who say ‘Mine’s bigger’ fully understand the size and maximum capacity of a human vagina.'"
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
"It’s the moment when the girl in the teen rom-com abandons her glasses and ponytail and descends the stairs in all her prom-ready glory. It’s the moment when her high school crush finally sees her for the beautiful twenty-six-year-old actress that she is."
"'I’m not certain all the guys who say ‘Mine’s bigger’ fully understand the size and maximum capacity of a human vagina.'"
2.5
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey ☀️☀️⛅
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
Only Santa's In The Building by Alexis Daria ☀️☀️☀️☀️🌥️
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade ☀️☀️☀️
These Christmas novellas from the same "Under The Mistletoe" collection all aimed to be short, sweet and smutty bundles of cheer. Some were more successful than others but overall they achieved the goal!
My biggest gripe with #1 and #3 is that they weren't quite Christmassy enough for my liking, given the prompt. #2 was perfect in this regard. It was by far my favourite of the three stories for several reasons: impressive chemistry and well written sex, good character depth, funny and believable banter, and just overall good quality writing.
The humour in #3 was impressive and it did rely on some of my favourite Christmas tropes, so it also gets a good rating from me despite being more confusing and less believable. #1 was only okay - the least memorable and most reliant on character dynamics that aren't for me (plus I'm clearly just not a fan of her writing because I cringed a bunch through this one)
If you have a few hours to spare this Christmas these novellas are a fun way to pass the time and bring out the holiday spirit.
"It’s a wild rush, being needed like that, so I whimper ridiculous things into the dark I’d never say in the light. Things that sound amazing right now but I’ll blush over in the morning."
"It’s the moment when the girl in the teen rom-com abandons her glasses and ponytail and descends the stairs in all her prom-ready glory. It’s the moment when her high school crush finally sees her for the beautiful twenty-six-year-old actress that she is."
"'I’m not certain all the guys who say ‘Mine’s bigger’ fully understand the size and maximum capacity of a human vagina.'"
Witch Hat Atelier, Volume 12 by Kamome Shirahama
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Witch Hat Atelier Volumes 10-12 by Kamome Shirahama
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
"The counter-clock seal is but a fleeting, fruitless struggle against the immutable current of time[...] Fate is always waiting when the clock reaches its moment once again."
Witch Hat Atelier, Volume 11 by Kamome Shirahama
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Witch Hat Atelier Volumes 10-12 by Kamome Shirahama
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
"The counter-clock seal is but a fleeting, fruitless struggle against the immutable current of time[...] Fate is always waiting when the clock reaches its moment once again."
Witch Hat Atelier, Volume 10 by Kamome Shirahama
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Witch Hat Atelier Volumes 10-12 by Kamome Shirahama
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
☀️☀️☀️☀️⛅
Now that we're in the thick of it, this once sweet and innocent series has developed into a dark and tense fantasy that captivates with its art as well as its plot.
These three volumes run seamlessly together in a climactic storyline that kept me enthralled. The development of the universe has led to a point where the worldbuilding can take a backseat to the growing drama between the characters. There are powerful friendships and connections reaching their peak in these volumes which is wonderful to see.
I love the in depth examination of magic and it's gatekeeping, and the fact that we've yet to take a side on that argument when both sides are equally to blame. The catastrophic results of misuse is clear from volume one, but the journey to resolution is far from over and I'm desperate for more after finishing on such a cliffhanger.
The growth and maturity in this series has been lovely to see. I would absolutely recommend this series to someone starting out with manga, and I'm waiting with baited breath for more installments to be released.
"The counter-clock seal is but a fleeting, fruitless struggle against the immutable current of time[...] Fate is always waiting when the clock reaches its moment once again."
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (audiobook narrated by Rosalyn Landor)
☀️☀️⛅
A relatively enjoyable historical romance that had all of the elements to be a solid read, but spoiled it with yucky, unacceptable behaviour.
This isn't objectively bad. In fact, I enjoyed quite a lot of the story. It's cheesy and tropey and doesn't take itself seriously which I appreciated, but there was one too many major icks involved for me to rate this any higher. Coercion and rape do not belong in HEA romance, especially not one as popular as this. There wasn't nearly enough actual discussion after the fact, and despite me disagreeing with Simon's stance on children, he was perfectly within his right to hold his ground and should not have forgiven Daphne her gross transgression.
The characters weren't developed significantly enough for me to really like or dislike them, though I'm most charmed by Violet and overall disappointed by the general portrayal of masculinity. Is it historically accurate? Probably. I just don't enjoy the heavy reliance on stereotypical masculinity when there are so many prevalent male characters to add variety to.
The writing is fine but is reliant on over-explaining everything to irritating degrees - letting readers think for themselves occasionally would significantly improve the overall quality of the book.
I'm not sure if I'll continue the series based on my concerns within this book. I take issue with an author romanticizing toxic behaviours and still delivering a HEA despite them, so I'm not sure if this series is the one for me.
☀️☀️⛅
A relatively enjoyable historical romance that had all of the elements to be a solid read, but spoiled it with yucky, unacceptable behaviour.
This isn't objectively bad. In fact, I enjoyed quite a lot of the story. It's cheesy and tropey and doesn't take itself seriously which I appreciated, but there was one too many major icks involved for me to rate this any higher. Coercion and rape do not belong in HEA romance, especially not one as popular as this. There wasn't nearly enough actual discussion after the fact, and despite me disagreeing with Simon's stance on children, he was perfectly within his right to hold his ground and should not have forgiven Daphne her gross transgression.
The characters weren't developed significantly enough for me to really like or dislike them, though I'm most charmed by Violet and overall disappointed by the general portrayal of masculinity. Is it historically accurate? Probably. I just don't enjoy the heavy reliance on stereotypical masculinity when there are so many prevalent male characters to add variety to.
The writing is fine but is reliant on over-explaining everything to irritating degrees - letting readers think for themselves occasionally would significantly improve the overall quality of the book.
I'm not sure if I'll continue the series based on my concerns within this book. I take issue with an author romanticizing toxic behaviours and still delivering a HEA despite them, so I'm not sure if this series is the one for me.
"'I don't like your tone,' was Violet's standard answer when one of her children was winning an argument."
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
3.5
When The Tides Held The Moon Vanessa Vida Kelley
☀️☀️☀️⛅
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy!
This queer historical romance paints a vivid picture of 1910's New York City woven in with lovely fantasy folklore concepts to form a predictable but enjoyable read.
Firstly, I must acknowledge the gorgeous illustrations dotted throughout this book. My first introduction to Kelley was as an illustrator so I'm thrilled that she's incorporated so many into her debut. They really helped me to visualise the characters during key scenes.
The writing is good overall, and I appreciate the presence of so much untranslated Spanish (translating it in real time spoils the vibe), but some of the period appropriate language did come to feel repetitive and gimmicky by the end.
The found family aspect was probably my favourite part of the story, with the romance being sweet but rushed. The twist at the end was entirely predictable - a bit too predictable for my liking - but I didn't dislike it. The structure of the epilogue was a great choice.
Overall I thought this was a good debut with very solid vision and execution. I can't say I was captivated but I did enjoy myself and would recommend this to someone wanting a more realistic style fantasy romance.
☀️☀️☀️⛅
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy!
This queer historical romance paints a vivid picture of 1910's New York City woven in with lovely fantasy folklore concepts to form a predictable but enjoyable read.
Firstly, I must acknowledge the gorgeous illustrations dotted throughout this book. My first introduction to Kelley was as an illustrator so I'm thrilled that she's incorporated so many into her debut. They really helped me to visualise the characters during key scenes.
The writing is good overall, and I appreciate the presence of so much untranslated Spanish (translating it in real time spoils the vibe), but some of the period appropriate language did come to feel repetitive and gimmicky by the end.
The found family aspect was probably my favourite part of the story, with the romance being sweet but rushed. The twist at the end was entirely predictable - a bit too predictable for my liking - but I didn't dislike it. The structure of the epilogue was a great choice.
Overall I thought this was a good debut with very solid vision and execution. I can't say I was captivated but I did enjoy myself and would recommend this to someone wanting a more realistic style fantasy romance.
"How would it feel to wake up to the ocean of his eyes? To measure his perfect dimensions against my imperfect ones, breathe in the turquoise sea of his skin, and feel like home had come to find me instead of the other way around?"
"I'd gotten so used to being treated like I couldn't feel pain; I was a machine meant to labor until the gears failed and I became just another punchline to a white man's joke. But I was one of Río's seashells in his hands--treasured, precious, apt to shatter if pressed too hard."
Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland
☀️☀️☀️☀️
A pacy, laugh-out-loud book that balances low-stakes fantasy, romance and personal growth in one cozy story.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the other works from Rowland that I've read, and this one is no different. The narrative is simple but doesn't pretend to be otherwise, and is backed up by enough worldbuilding to be intriguing without being weighed down by information. The prose is good and the banter is funny which all marries into an easy to read book.
The overall arc of the story follows Tam as he works on himself and his prickly relationship with Nicolau. Tam is definitely a character who won't appeal to everyone, but his humour as a crutch to cover up his defensiveness and self-loathing really worked for me. I found the humour similar in tone to "Running Close To The Wind", which also utilised this grumpy-sunshine dynamic well. I liked the lessons that Tam was forced to learn along the way and the internal conversations that portrayed just how hard he was trying to improve himself.
I do wish that the ending wasn't quite so abrupt, though I do see why Rowland did it, simply because I was having a lovely time. I'd love to see more work from this universe in the future and would recommend this to anyone wanting an easy read that feels a bit like a hug.
☀️☀️☀️☀️
A pacy, laugh-out-loud book that balances low-stakes fantasy, romance and personal growth in one cozy story.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the other works from Rowland that I've read, and this one is no different. The narrative is simple but doesn't pretend to be otherwise, and is backed up by enough worldbuilding to be intriguing without being weighed down by information. The prose is good and the banter is funny which all marries into an easy to read book.
The overall arc of the story follows Tam as he works on himself and his prickly relationship with Nicolau. Tam is definitely a character who won't appeal to everyone, but his humour as a crutch to cover up his defensiveness and self-loathing really worked for me. I found the humour similar in tone to "Running Close To The Wind", which also utilised this grumpy-sunshine dynamic well. I liked the lessons that Tam was forced to learn along the way and the internal conversations that portrayed just how hard he was trying to improve himself.
I do wish that the ending wasn't quite so abrupt, though I do see why Rowland did it, simply because I was having a lovely time. I'd love to see more work from this universe in the future and would recommend this to anyone wanting an easy read that feels a bit like a hug.
"...then maybe he'd finally be a different person, someone he liked more than the person he was now. Someone who could let sweetness and softness happen to him without his throat closing up in fear and suspicion. Someone who could be loved."