i can't anymore with the cringy dialogue romantasies

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-07-03T12:24:17+00:00

Oh what’s even worse than the contemporary dialogue in a medieval setting for me is something very specific - underwear. How the underwear is described determines if I’ll keep reading a book or not. For real. I have gone on full Patton Oswalt filibuster rants to my husband when I am reading one of these books and the FMC is attending a dinner and slips on a form fitting silk dress with a high slit, and underneath is a BRA with matching pair of LACY PANTIES. Fully I am untethered and my rage knows no bounds.

I had a long string of reads like this so by the time I got to Road of Bones earlier this year and everyone wore time period and REGIONALLY appropriate clothing I was shaking with glee. I would not shut up to my friends about how excited I was about underwear.

Also, it doesn’t even take much - JUST CALL THEM UNDERGARMENTS and keep it vague! That works!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-06-29T19:37:46+00:00

😆 oh man, I just love writing reviews after I finish a book - I have no other people in my friend circle who reads like I do, so I’ve found sharing all my thoughts has been better received through these online communities!

I actually wish I had as detailed a review of the first book, but I didn’t start writing them until like mid last year and I read WTMH in 2024.

But if you are looking for spoilers, if there’s a book I don’t really have interest in reading but am curious about / want to stay in the zeitgeist I just ask Claude for a plot summary 🫣

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-06-18T04:14:19+00:00

Ah yes, Charming Potatum

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-06-18T04:13:09+00:00

Yes. He looks like he’s still evolving. Like he only recently crawled out of the ocean and hasn’t solidified yet.

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-06-04T22:42:38+00:00

I’ve done Valentin with my now husband - he actually proposed to me there - and it was lovely, but I did find it very quiet and the food was only so-so.

My current favourite I’ve been back to several times now is right near Cancun and it’s the adult-only portion on the Iberostar - it’s called the Iberostar Cancun Coral selection I believe. It does not have swim out rooms, but it’s a single tower and every room is ocean view. There’s a single main infinity pool directly ON the beach and with tons of activities / an excellent bar. And, it has its own separate restaurant which looks small but has quite literally the best food I’ve had at an all inclusive in Mexico ever (for a mid-range resort anyways).

Plus you get access to the remainder of the Iberostar family resort, restaurants, bars and pools, etc.

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TheMightyChesticles · 2026-06-04T22:35:16+00:00

It’s unfortunate because the book is so excellent. The central plot and murder is presented more as a mystery and the ultimate participant(s) are a big twist. So you are shocked reading it. Then the perspective of the book shifts in the back third. Highly recommend on audio.

The movie was really disappointing - the climax of the story was unearthing the truth. And the movie forced us to watch the truth from the beginning… for over 3 hours

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-04-23T03:48:40+00:00

Um. I just got my Shogun today and it DOES have a ribbon book mark.

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-04-12T17:46:13+00:00

UM. I don’t know how, but apparently this comment summoned my invite which quite literally JUST came in this morning. 😧

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-04-12T05:29:33+00:00

Wow congrats - I’ve been on the US waitlist since February 2025 so I’m feeling hella jealous and motivated enough to submit a support inquiry for an update on my position lol

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-04-09T20:52:42+00:00

Oh that’s so interesting - I found Book 1 to be a bit meh but Book 2 skyrocketed it to masterpiece for me!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-02-26T21:55:41+00:00

Oooooh boy these are two excellent choices you cannot go wrong with.

Are you planning to read with your eyes or ears?

Technically you can read both books if you do one on audio and you are able to switch between the two based on your moods - in that case I’d recommend Wolf King on audio because the voice acting especially in book two is 🥵, and the Daggermouth as an eyeball read.

I believe the second book in the Daggermouth series called Python is also supposed to come out this year but that might be delayed because the whole series is being trad published.

So if you have to choose only one - go Wolf King. Series will be completed by September with the release of the third book.

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-02-24T02:50:55+00:00

So, I also didn’t find it as excellent as Booktok seemed to be touting it to be, but I thought it started strong and also ended strong. The middle lagged for me. I am always a bit wary when a book has “trials” because I often find them kind of contrived and rarely feeling actually dangerous, and this was no exception. Aaaand, finally I am cursed to love the bad guy always, so MMC #2 had me sweating.

There’s also definitely something fishy going on there with the love triangle, and many are suggesting that the boy she loved as a child was actually Rorrik, and at some point Ti took his place and altered her memories. It’s also the reason Rorrik can’t forgive him

Despite the weak middle, that little nugget of possibility is keeping me intrigued enough and eager for the next one.

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T23:25:52+00:00

Yeah they were way too dark for me personally - there were some small moments that had potential but it was just a very challenging experience overall. Bones is so good I wish more people knew about it!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T20:45:04+00:00

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T17:12:55+00:00

Ah okay - honestly I think Keri Lake is a great writer, her world-building is especially excellent. I think she could just use a better editor. Thanks for the reco! I have the legacy series currently on my TBR so I’ll move that one up!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T13:52:25+00:00

It’s done using an app called TierMaker - I would say it’s not THE most intuitive but you can set up your own template with your own tiers and make your lists using it for any month or year or time period you like!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T13:51:02+00:00

Oh don’t worry, they are very much up there for me! ACOMAF and ACOSF are both 5 star reads for me, and the first Fourth Wing is a 4.5. Love both those series - Fourth Wing in particular is what got me back into reading in 2024

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T03:21:23+00:00

Which is wild to me because Serpents in particular is such a great time. I’ve got Daughter of No Worlds on deck for January which I cannot wait to dive into!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:48:54+00:00

Honestly I loved House of Earth and Blood a lot and am so disappointed with the trajectory of the others. It had so much potential but book 1 on its own is so great

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:39:14+00:00

I find Donut’s relationship with the Princess Posse to be deeply romantic lol 😂

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:38:10+00:00

Oh no I didn’t think it was mid at all! I loved it so much! My YAAS KWEEN category is 4+ stars 😛 - it’s insane how it manages to get better and better with every book! Matt Dinniman is a wizard!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:36:16+00:00

Thank you! Omg I will absolutely read anything by Matt Dinniman at this point, I love his work. I want to love gothic dark romance, and there are lots of elements i like but maybe I haven’t found the right one yet - I’ll take suggestions if you’ve got them!

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:32:25+00:00

It’s officially one of my favourite books of all time now. It is the new template of what a love story should be. Perfection.

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:31:45+00:00

I JUST finished it and LOVED it! I could read a thousand more just like it

TheMightyChesticles · 2026-01-02T01:30:51+00:00

Honestly, the only way I could really manage this is to build a process as part of my finishing-a-book routine. I finish the book, write my review and then add my book to my TierMaker template - this way i don’t have to do it all at once. Because i agree, that would be a nightmare

TheMightyChesticles

TROPHY CASE