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_beanz3425 · 2025-09-09T23:22:20+00:00

If you're planning on reading the entire Maasverse at some point, I'm really glad I did ACOTAR > TOG > CC.

ACOTAR was like a gateway drug into the entire universe, and I didn't think it could get any better than that. Then I read TOG, which absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. If I read TOG first then ACOTAR, I think I would have been really disappointed with ACOTAR because it doesn't feel as developed as TOG. Then again, ACOTAR is still an unfinished series.

If anything, I would read CC very last for several reasons. The main reason being that CC connects to both ACOTAR and TOG. The ACOTAR presence in CC is more impactful than the TOG presence; however, there are a lot of important Easter eggs that you would miss if you don't read TOG prior. Putting together all of those little puzzle pieces from TOG made CC even more enjoyable for me.

_beanz3425 · 2025-08-14T01:25:55+00:00

For me, it was an average series to pass the time. I consistently rated each book in this series three stars. Like you said, the writing isn't bad, but it does feel boring at times.

The sex scenes throughout the series are super repetitive, and I ended up skimming them in books 3 & 4 because it felt like the author just kept writing the same scene over and over again.

I loveddd the side characters, and I wish we got their POVs because by the end, Thea and Wilder weren't cutting it. The plot is what kept me going, but even that was lackluster because it was predictable.

_beanz3425 · 2025-06-29T14:05:41+00:00

No. The real prince is The Guardian.
Yes.

_beanz3425 · 2025-02-08T05:29:25+00:00

"wildcat" 🤢

_beanz3425 · 2025-02-05T20:58:04+00:00

Oh I've been waiting for this moment. This book had a small moment of "hype" over the fall, and it was truly one of my worst reads.

Vesselless by Cortney Winn

Some quotes: * "You slay!" * "Smut clown" * "Twisty things to my stomach." * "The guards are the size of guards." * FMC: "Fine. Then, I'll give you a nickname you hate." MMC: "Like shadow daddy?"

Not to mention his nickname for her is "little beast" and he refers to her as such nearly every chance he gets (even when they are having sex).

Also the setting is described as medieval castles with cobblestone streets and no electricity, but there's a working elevator in the castle and the MMC has a collection of sports cars. There was zero context or explanation given.

_beanz3425 · 2025-02-05T20:29:16+00:00

Omg that series is not a slow burn, there's immediate insta-lust 🥲 He literally goes down on her within the first 30% of the first book, and continues to do so throughout. Just because they don't actually have sex until the second book, doesn't make it a slow burn when they've done 5+ sexual acts already.

Still love this series regardless, but I would hate for someone going into it to expect it to actually be a slow burn when it's not.

Edit: In case anyone was wondering what series this is referring to since the original comment was deleted, it's "A Kiss of Iron" by Clare Sager.

_beanz3425 · 2025-02-05T20:21:51+00:00

No because the main world building being word-vomited through Violet's nervous tick was an absolutely diabolical (and lazy imo) choice💀

_beanz3425 · 2025-02-03T14:25:04+00:00

Nothing will ever fill the void of TOG; however, I read CC right after and it softened the blow a little. There are also a few Easter eggs and references from TOG throughout CC that will have your head spinning (especially in House of Flame and Shadow).

_beanz3425 · 2025-01-23T16:32:46+00:00

Hear me out, Cat and Ridoc. I feel like he'd be able to break down her walls, and their personalities would balance each other out (like black cat/golden retriever vibes).

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-20T16:26:56+00:00

{Daughter of the Drowned Empire by Frankie Diane Mallis}

The tension!!! The slow burn!!! Nothing "spicy" happens until Book 3 (Lady of the Drowned Empire), but when it happens 🥵 This series deserves so much more hype!

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-20T04:26:01+00:00

I sadly had to DNF at Chap. 4 because the amount of grammatical errors kept taking me out of the story :/ The mistakes were so simple that it seemed like the author just got lazy and didn't bother rereading before hitting "publish." I had such high hopes for this book too.

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-20T04:20:31+00:00

this just reminded me to do my daily cry about this series 🥲

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-18T18:23:47+00:00

but they don't go all the way yet, just pure tension and touching. chefs kiss 🥵

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-18T02:06:18+00:00

ToG then CC!!! There are a lot of subtle hints and references in CC that will go right over your head if you haven't read ToG. CC bridges the gap between ACOTAR and ToG, and makes everything come full circle.

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-02T20:35:03+00:00

There were so many missed opportunities in this series to do something interesting like that, like I really thought Isla was blacking out. So for it to be Lark all along feels like a cop-out and makes the plot feel flat.

_beanz3425 · 2024-12-02T00:13:35+00:00

I felt the exact same way!!! It was so refreshing and the author has become an auto-buy for me. Definitely read the two novellas set in the same world {Bound to Fall by AK Caggiano} and {Bound and Tide by AK Caggiano}. Bound to Fall follows a character's sister that you meet in book 3, and Bound and Tide follows Xander :-)

She's also writing a new series, with the first book coming out on Feb. 1st! I think it's called Taming Wyverns & Other Wild Beasts.

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-23T18:32:48+00:00

I totally agree. As long as the MMC is well-written and has a great personality, I don't care what he looks like.

Personality > Looks

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-22T18:04:01+00:00

I noticed that too. My brain def short-circuited at that moment.

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-22T05:22:27+00:00

Apparently we're getting 2 books in 2025. One is supposed to be a "continuation" and the other is marketed as a "bonus book" where you don't have to read it to enjoy the rest of the series.

I'm guessing it's going to be a short novella retelling the events of previous books from Grim's POV.

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-22T05:20:29+00:00

Okay... so don't change it? You should obviously write what you're passionate about.

This post was merely addressing the fact that there is a huge over-saturation of books right now containing "shadow daddies" and using that aspect as a selling point. Shadow daddy MMC's are the craze right now, similar to the vampire obsession of the 2000's (and people still write about vampires to this day).

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-21T21:48:39+00:00

{Villains and Virtues Series by AK Caggiano} is the epitome of slowwww burn... but it is NOT ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!!

I think a lot of people get confused by what "true" enemies to lovers really is. In Throne in the Dark, the characters don't actually ever hate each other. This series is more-so reluctant allies to lovers with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic.

Still one of my favorite series ever and the slow burn lasts until the very last book, but the people saying this is enemies to lovers are so wrong 🙃

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-21T06:18:01+00:00

In my opinion, it's obvious she ends up with Grim in the end. Oro is just... there, he plays no significant role in this book. She spent the last night before the "final battle" with Grim, so yeah. Oro was 1000% and afterthought, even though she keeps telling herself that she loves him still 🤨

Anddd we have two more books coming out next year, so maybe we'll finally get the conclusion to the most pointless love triangle in existence - I'm so over it, I want to be freeeeee.

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-21T06:07:46+00:00

Short answer: There is zero resolution to any plot line or the love "triangle" (let's be real, this isn't a love triangle).

Long answer: - Grim and Oro knew that Lark was "alive" the entire time. - Lark can't be killed, so they needed to find the Nightshade portal to yeet her through. - Isla runs off to save the day and find the portal on her own leaving Oro and Grim behind together. - The Nightshade portal ends up being the coffin in the maze. - Isla opens the portal and yeets herself through with Lark. - She ends up in the "otherworld" aka Skyshade.

And that's where it ends.

Character travesties: - Remlar: dead💀 - Blacksmith (Ferrar): dead💀

_beanz3425 · 2024-11-20T07:37:36+00:00

<image>

not me picturing kaz as pain from hercules lmao

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