lenni reviews

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Lenni Reviews “Bag the Beast” by Jane Perky

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I purchased this book for free from All Romance Ebooks and is intended for 18+.

Clement, a werewolf, is in dire need of a pumpkin for a pie he plans to bake for a Thanksgiving baking contest. And only the best pumpkins grow on Dall’s farm; a reclusive bear shifter affectionately nicknamed ‘The Beast.’  Intending to steal it, Clement sneaks on to the farm in wolf form and ends up not only ending up at the wrong end of Dall’s gun but senses the werebear is his mate.

This story is so short (18 pages) it’s hard to really rate it. The conflict – such as it was – could have been developed more so that the ending provided more satisfaction. It felt so fast, I didn’t get enough time to care if these two got together. I’d call it ‘drive by erotica’ with just enough smut to titillate if not completely entertain. Not bad but not really good either. I’d give it a 2 for having potential but being too short to really leave an impression.

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Lenni Reviews: “Cruel to be Kind” by Kim Dare

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I purchased this book from All Romance Ebooks and is intended for 18+.

Xander, a human, has wanted to belong to Malone, a vampire, for a long time. As they are friends and business partners. In a last desperate effort, Xander offers himself to Malone knowing if a human offers themselves to a vampire, the vampire has 24 hours to do whatever they want with the offering. Xander is determined to show Malone he can endure anything Malone can throw at him but Malone is equally determined to show Xander how bad it can get so he never does it again; believing if he is cruel to Xander now it will spare him future pain. Will Xander be able to take it? Will Malone even be able to bring himself to hurt a man he loves for his own good?

This story isn’t bad as far as BDSM paranormal M/M erotica goes. As it is so short (35 pages) if you’re looking for long sessions between the two main characters, you won’t get them. It’s more about whether or not they will reach an understanding. You do get some interesting insight into the mindset of a submissive and Kim Dare is a good writer, but I give this story a solid 3. But if BDSM isn’t your thing, don’t read this one. And this is obviously for grownups only.

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Lenni Reviews: “Fireworks: A Sexmas Short Story” by Kate Lowell

 

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I purchased this book for free at All Romance Ebooks.

Carter and Thilo are very different so when the straightlaced and shy Thilo asks to see Carter dance at the strip club where he works, Carter is understandably taken aback. Carter is worried his profession will cause a problem in their new relationship and that the prim accountant wouldn’t be able to handle watching such a spectacle. However, Thilo is determined to show Carter he can look beyond the job and still treat Carter the same. On New Year;s Eve, Carter arranges for Thilo to watch a show. Will the reserved Thilo be able to see Carter at work and stay in the relationship?

This was a short and sweet read with a relatable situation. Carter and Thilo are as fleshed out as characters can be in 23 pages. And it’s honestly not that graphic. Of course, the story takes you to the strip club and describes what happens in one but I’d rate this a PG if I was feeling very judgemental. Out of 5, I would give this a vague 3 because I enjoyed it despite it being really short and it was nice to read something sweet without it being overloaded with smut.

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Lenni Reviews: Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling by Nicolette Andrews

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I got this book for free on Amazon.

After all the crappy smut I’ve been reading lately, I figured I deserved a break.

Our main character, Rin, is a kitsune. She runs afoul of a witch who makes her human and will only restore her if she cozies up to a prince named Hikaru and get him to break a newly signed treaty between two clans. If she doesn’t, the witch will turn her into a regular fox. On the other side of it, Hikaru is the first born son of a lord and nobody has any faith in him. This treaty he negotiated is one of the few things his father has praised him for. It could mean war if the truce is broken.

This story was a treat. It was well written with smart characters and an engaging plot. Rin is clever, Hikaru is sympathetic, and you are firmly placed in the world of magic and spells they live in. When the side characters are there, they are written as carefully as the main characters to provide welcome support to the story.

The writing is very rich and detailed, not something fluffy you can knock back in a day. It gets a little bogged down in the details and if you are unfamiliar with Japanese lore and culture, you may get a little confused. I was surprised to hear this was a YA novel but I do need to adjust my own expectations when it comes to YA. Kitsune doesn’t pander in its tone and I was glad for that. It made the book feel braver to me.

The blossoming romance between Rin and Hikaru is believable despite being expected and given their circumstances in the book. This book does provide an interesting take on The Little Mermaid story while also making its own creative mark. I’d give this book a 4.5 out of 5 and I’m glad I took a chance on this free read.

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Lenni Reviews: Steins Gate vol 1 by Yomi Sirachi

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Stein’s gate is about a self-proclaimed ‘mad scientist’ Hououin Kyoruma, who seems to spend his time screaming like a maniac at other scientists at lectures and calling them out on their bullshit. He walks out of one lecture in particular, bumps into a girl with strange eyes, then immediately after; finds her stabbed in a dark room. Then he walks outside and the usually crowded streets are empty. And the girl who was just stabbed comes walking around the corner…

Turns out Hououin has a time machine made out of a cell phone and a microwave and the girl is working for the Future Gadgets Team – with their ability to send text messages to each other into the past – is now sniffing around him with unclear intentions.

I found I couldn’t get into this volume. Hououin as the smart but quirky scientist is so cliche, I got bored. It’s more of a situation comedy (with one character dressing up as another, funny interruptions with super-deformed screaming, cat girl humor) that reminds you there’s a science fiction story going on as well. I give this volume a meh; 3 out of 5. I don’t think I’ll be investing time in the next volume.

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Lenni Reviews: Noragami: Stray God vol 1 by Adachitoka

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This manga was sent to me as a Loot Crate exclusive.

Yato is a bottom tier god trying to increase his status by taking odd jobs for mortals for a few yen a pop. In the meantime, he lives on the streets waiting for someone to tall him as only people who really need his services can even see his number.

In this first volume, we are introduced to Yato and his shinki, Hanki. A shinki is a living weapon who looks like a person but can transform into a weapon. Hanki quits after the first chapter because Yato is a bit of an ass. Bur he happens upon a girl named Hiyori who can see spirits, astral project, and loves wrestling (it looks more like MMA but they call it wrestling). She runs into Yato when he’s hot on the trail of a lost kitten for a young boy who finds his number.

So far, this series is amusing. Yato is your typical lovable oaf and Hyori is the typical special powered high school girl who helps him. It’s difficult to predict where a manga will go by just the first volume but it was funny and creative enough for me to want to read the next volume. I give it a 4 out of 5 because I can see the potential for future amusement and I find the interaction between Yato and Hiyori funny.