Tag: Deep End

Book Lists

Worth the hype?!

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Worth the hype?!

Every year I am definitely influenced by social media to pick up certain books that are super popular or just generally hyped! And for some reason all the girlies have been gravitating more towards fantasy and romantasy, or at least that’s what’s coming up on my FYP over the last year or so. I have 5 books that I thought were worth the hype and another five that I didn’t quite like or understand as much as the masses…

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – wild, weird, unexpectedly touching, and genuinely funny. Definitely worth the hype!

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith – This has potential, but I wanted more depth, more connection.

The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli – this just had me hooked right from the start!

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli – unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations after the first book!

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – the dragons and the plot twists did it for me!

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood – Just ok… Scarlett was a little too insecure for me, Lukas was everything!

Gild by Raven Kennedy – I had very low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised!

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – I had to DNF after this book literally put me to sleep.

Quicksilver by Callie Hart –  just enough spice sprinkled onto this pretty typical fae storyline with some fun twists and turns along the way!

Powerless by Lauren Roberts – just an unnecessarily long, tropey book

Reviews

Deep End Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Deep End Review

Deep End was a quick, enjoyable read, but it didn’t quite match what the blurb promised. It was marketed as a kinkier romance, but the so-called “kink” was mostly just discussed rather than explored. The scenes were steamy, but nothing out of the ordinary for the genre. If you were expecting something bold or edgy, you might be left wanting more.

Lukas was definitely the highlight for me. He was mature, caring, and grounded, with a thoughtful backstory that made his character feel real. I liked how he showed up for Scarlett even when things between them were supposed to be casual. His actions made it clear how much he cared, even when he tried to keep it light on the surface.

Scarlett was a bit more complicated. She’s kind and relatable in some ways, but her constant uncertainty about Pen (Lukas’s ex and her friend) dragged on longer than it needed to. Pen had moved on and given her blessing, yet her presence still caused unnecessary tension. Scarlett often seemed to put Pen’s feelings ahead of her own, which became frustrating.

I also couldn’t help noticing how often Lukas being Swedish was mentioned, it got to the point where the repetitiveness was annoying and I’m still undecided on the “troll” nickname. The chemistry between the leads had its moments, but I wanted to see a bit more emotional development alongside the physical side. I believed Lukas was all in, but I wasn’t completely convinced about Scarlett.

That said, the pacing kept me turning the pages, and the ending was sweet. While it wasn’t quite the romance I expected, I still enjoyed the ride.

⭐️3/5 stars I was pretty engaged the whole time and it was quite charming.