Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother by Zoe Krave [Review]

Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother (Green World Monster Stepbrothers #4) by Zoe Krave
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 5, 2026

Green World Monster Stepbrothers
1. Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother
2. Knotted by the Werewolf Stepbrother
3. Taken by the Minotaur Stepbrother
4. Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother - Kindle
5. Caught by the Drider Stepbrother

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Primal Monster Stepbrothers
1. Stepbrothers of the Green World

Zoe Krave
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Escaping from the dying Earth through the portals was only the beginning. To find us a safe place in the Green World, my mother married the Dryad High Elder.

My stepbrother, Thorne, is a force of nature. He is seven feet of muscle and living wood, with glowing emerald eyes that strip me bare. While other dryads are the calm of the forest, he is the storm. He watches me with a hunger that has nothing to do with family. He looks at me like a rare flower he intends to transplant into his own private garden. I tried to keep my distance, but when he decides it is time to claim what is his, escape becomes impossible. He is determined to root himself deep inside me.

Thoughts on Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother: Reading these out of order (because the spidery dude caught my eye first) and Thorne is a little...huh. I don't actually know how to put this. Lily very much initially wanted to escape from Thorne and everything he represented where Hallie was VERY into Arans and could freely admit it to herself before things progressed. I guess I'm trying to say that Thorne had to use the stick (*snerk*) before Lily would admit to both herself and him that she wanted exactly what he wanted.

Anywho. Lily is trying to escape the forest and her Dryad stepbrother's influence. She's convinced herself she'd be better off in a rumored human enclave, but before she reaches the borders of the Dryad land, Thorne catches up to her. And he uses her desires against her to get her to admit that she really didn't want to escape after all.

Things get physical, Lily learns just how creative Thorne can get with his ability to control the environment around him, and Lily has to come to terms with all the pent up feelings she has for her very dominant step.

The Pixie in the Pickle Jar by Hailey Edwards [Review]

The Pixie in the Pickle Jar (Groom & Doom #4) by Hailey Edwards
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 9, 2026

Groom & Doom
1. The Vampire in the Potting Shed
2. The Goblin in the Sink Drain
3. The Mermaid in the Shot Glass
4. The Pixie in the Pickle Jar - Kindle
5. The Ghost in the Pole Barn

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Car bombs are exploding on the streets of Brentwood, and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets caught in the blast. Add to that a rash of poisonings that leaves several Walshes incapacitated, and the clan is more vulnerable than ever. And that’s before you take into consideration that Mercer Bates now rules the Sartori pack.

There’s also the small fact Carmichael is still out there, no doubt plotting his revenge. He might no longer be an alpha, but he’s still a threat, and Ana is his number one target. To eliminate the danger he poses to her new life, she’ll have to track him down. But she’s not the only predator on the hunt, and silver or not, her claws might not be the sharpest this time.

Thoughts on The Pixie in the Pickle Jar: Ana has dealt with a lot and the end isn't quite in sight yet. Her number one issue at the moment is putting a stop to Carmichael's claim on her and cutting off the threat of her being used against the Walshes. Well, that and the car bombs and the poisonings. I mean, all those are important. But until they figure out what to do about Carmichael, Ana needs to keep the bond between them intact so she can track him.

Which is risky and dangerous all all sorts of other things that are probably making Rian's hair stand on end. But he's wise enough to realize he needs to give Ana the space to make her own choices after she'd been punched down for so long. (Still, the guy is dealing with things, you know. THINGS.)

Meanwhile, there are those car bombs. And the poisonings. And Ana beginning to fledge into her dragon-ish nature. We have some closure on a few things and a few dangling threads that are leading us to the finale. THINGS ARE HAPPENING and I'm super excited about it!

Copperhead by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Copperhead (Naga Brides #8) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 12, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa
8. Copperhead - Paperback | Kindle
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I do not want a bride. They are difficult to protect. And those males who are mated have homes—clans. I have neither.

My nest was destroyed. My territory usurped, and it is her peoples’ fault.

Julia’s. The unmated female soldier within Zaku’s home.

But when I discover nagas have arrived from across the land, and that she is going to choose one to help her get back to her people, I am unsettled by what she offers in return...

Then hundreds of ships arrive.

With the landscape changing, and the tides shifting, I must leave to find out what is going on.

Except I am not alone. Julia will come with me.

Because I do not want her to be with another. I refuse to imagine it. Even if the forest is dangerous, and it is entirely up to me to keep her safe, I will take her with me.

But what if there is no safer place for her than in my arms?

Thoughts on Copperhead: Oh my goodness. Krellix and Julia fought against the thing they had. Not by choice, mind you, but because they're both a little guarded (they play their cards SERIOUSLY close to the vest) and don't want to force a situation they didn't think the other wanted. There were other reasons, too. Ones I totally got. Krellix was still grieving the loss of his clan and his nest and didn't think it was fair to bond with Julia (or anyone!) when he had nothing to offer her. Julia was in something of the same boat. She'd been betrayed by her squadron and abandoned, but she was still going through the mental motions of being a soldier. She didn't want to form attachments because she saw her future on the front line of the war against the Ketts. Plus, the naga she was most drawn to was one that didn't seem interested.

Joke's on her, though, because Krellix was VERY interested. But since these two had some difficulties actually communicating with one another (not literally, they just didn't talk things out), they kept dancing around one another until they finally broke and convinced themselves that a few nights together would be enough.

Guys. GUYS. Nagas are not good at letting go. They're territorial about a lot of things and their special someone is TOP of that list. Krellix might *think* he can walk away (and he does everything he can to make it happen), but he's still heavily invested in Julia's safety. He wants her protected and he thinks the best place for that is within a human encampment, but the big guy is still out there. Making sure she's safe.

Things are happening on the Dreadnaut survivor front. There are hidden labs and baby nagas and THINGS happening. The humans are back on Earth (not by choice, but they are definitely back) and they have to figure out how to make things work with the new dominant species if they hope to continue surviving. MAN, I like this series!

Titanoboa by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Titanoboa (Naga Brides #7) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 6, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa - Paperback | Kindle
8. Copperhead
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She is not supposed to be here, so how is she? This human woman, found outside my nest.

Is she from the sky like the metal crafts now flying around?

Is she from the forest where my enemies are?

Until she wakes, I do not know. And deciding what to do with her if she does…

That is going to be a problem.

Because if she is my enemy, I cannot let her leave, and if she is not…

The secrets I keep close can’t come to light.

But I will not kill her. I will not let a female—any female—come to harm.

So, I believe I only have one option…

I will need to convince her to trust me… to not fear me.

I will need to convince her to be MINE.

Thoughts on Titanoboa: Well dang. Syasku caused a bit of chaos when he busted out of his chains and went on a rampage to rescue his honey aboard the Dreadnaut. Sparking a rebellion, killing a few (more than a few, really) soldiers, and causing a mass exodus from the ship was only the beginning. Now there are thousands of refugees making their way planet-side, the Dreadnaut is gone, and the survivors have to figure out their next steps.

Sabrina is one of those survivors. She and her small crew made it off the ship (barely) and landed in the (mostly) deserted ruins of a city. Their plan is to scavenge some old Earth tech to trade for fuel and beat feet to somewhere more inhabited. It's not a terrible plan as plans go, but the city isn't entirely uninhabited. As Sabrina finds out when she stumbles a little too close to Darolus's lair.

Darolus is...not bad as jailors go. He doesn't want to hurt Sabrina, but he doesn't trust her not to give away his location to any of his enemies. He's also pretty clueless when it comes to what a human needs to survive. So while he's not a bad individual, he doesn't always do the right thing when it comes to caring for her. No worries, though, she sets him straight pretty quickly.

Soon the two are navigating a tentative sort of friendship. And then...well, their friendship takes a bit of a turn and becomes a relationship. Being that Darolus never expected to have ANY sort of relationship with a female given his perceived monstrousness (and that he's a naga with all the possessive instincts that go along with that), he gets very territorial about his little human. Which doesn't sit all that well with Sabrina.

They get past that though and deal with all the weirdness that rolls in their direction. And YESSSS I am so here for all these nagas finding their special someones and treating them to their special brand of possessiveness. *thumbs up*

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming [Review]

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy (Cosmic Chaos #2) by Kimberly Lemming
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 11, 2026

Cosmic Chaos
1. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com
2. I Punched and Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy - Paperback | Kindle

Kimberly Lemming
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s not in Blair’s nature to just give up. Not when she’s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she’s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And definitely not when she’s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he’s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she’s that arrogant King Osid’s mate.

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they’re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of The Bachelor with Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are—somehow—even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.

Thoughts on I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy: Another couple are being gently guided toward matedom by bird aliens who are WOEFULLY unprepared for the reality of human ladies who ARE NOT going to sit back and take things gracefully. Nope, Earth girls hit hard and go for the soft spots.

They also destroy enclosures, make friends with dinosaurs, and burn down (with a little help) buildings. Because YEAH THEY DO.

Anywho. We met Blair in Dory's book and Blair is a lot. I want to say that I don't mean that in a bad way, but that lady is terrifying. Just straight up chaos with a side of gleeful destruction. BUT...Osid is kinda the same. He's a good leader overall (as in he really does want his people to thrive), but he rules through fear and he's a little bloodthirsty. I'm laughing because I understated that. He's a lot bloodthirsty. He's the guy who lops off heads and asks questions later.

He's also really into Blair and her chaos demon vibe. The two of them together are gale force winds that leave a path of destruction in their wake. Which might be exactly what the survivors from Osid's planet and the abducted Earth ladies need. Throw in Dory and her men and the combined can-do attitude of the other human abductees and THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

Probably good things. Maybe slightly chaotic things. In fact, there might be a straight up uprising against the aliens facilitating all these unhinged meet-cutes. (Also, to be fair to those aliens, Dory and Blair did mess up all their plans by escaping, but what do you expect when you put a bunch of Earthers in an unknown situation. THINGS HAPPEN.)

Dinosaurs, a whole lot of plotting and planning, a little backstabbing, a lady who is very protective of her hair, and a couple who just might have been made for one another. *thumbs up*

Cottonmouth by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Cottonmouth (Naga Brides #6) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 4, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth - Paperback | Kindle
7. Titanoboa
8. Copperhead
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ever since humans arrived, my world has changed. Tensions are high as we quarrel over territory, reforming our fractured clans.

I will have none of it. I did not capture a bride.

But then my world goes dark—and she appears.

A female so lovely she possesses my mind, a bride who blushes every time she catches my eye.

She is sweet.

She is young.

She is everything I am not.

Except nothing is as it seems. I’m no longer in the forest; I’m in a cage. I’m on a ship, far from my nest, wrapped in chains.

And the female?

She is my enemy.

Only… I’m the devious naga who does not care.

Thoughts on Cottonmouth: I really like this series and I absolutely ADORE how feral these naga are when it comes to their special someones. BUT, WOW, was I stressed about all the information being amassed by the scientist in charge of Syasku's imprisonment and "testing". And then there was the whole thing with Asera. Like, bro, no mate is worth the price you're paying to get a little V.

But that's down the road. First up, Syasku and Vivian. He was the naga captured in the previous book. She's on the medical (and I use that term loosely because A LOT of what was done to him was medical in name only) team assigned to manage him. She's also one of the children of the Dreadnaut's commander (who is NOT a good person in any way, shape, or form) and she's almost as trapped as Syasku is. Her dad's desperate to hang onto the power he has and her boss is just plain power-mad. She's caught in a place where her best bet is to remain unnoticed.

Frankly, being unnoticed gets throw out the window when Syasku speaks to her. She's the only one he'll communicate with which puts her in a tough position. A serious of events has her ending up imprisoned in his cell with him and, well, things escalate from there. Soon the two are enjoying their alone time A LOT.

But they're both still prisoners and the people in charge aren't about to let a valuable asset slip through their fingers. Let's just say things get messy and Vivian and Syasku have to fight their way to freedom.

(Also, Asera, no. Just no.)

A whole lot of danger (at pretty much every turn), a rebellion, a very bad woman using every drop of her power to take what she thinks she deserves, a naga who will carve a path through a ship to keep his mate safe (once he heals, that is), and a lady who has found someone worth burning down her world for. *thumbs up*

RtP's Week in Review (08/16/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe [Review] - Serious Mulder/Scully vibes!
• World's Okayest Oracle (Reluctantly) Seeks Demon by Olivia Dade [Review] - Demon/Oracle ROMANCE!!
• Chosen by the Hunter by Lynnea Lee [Review] - Alien love!
• Marc by Anna Hackett [Review] - Next generation love!
• Never Text a Minotaur by Honey Phillips [Review] - Minotaur love!
• Caught by the Drider Stepbrother by Zoe Krave [Review] - Monster love!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• None!
• Currently reading
• Trapped with a River God by Sable Rowan