Dark academia, to me, are those books set in a collegiate atmosphere (they don’t even have to necessarily be set in a cGothic dark academia heck yeah!
Dark academia, to me, are those books set in a collegiate atmosphere (they don’t even have to necessarily be set in a college, but the atmosphere needs to be collegiate in nature) where the plot of the book is centered around the darker and more predatory aspects of academia: publish or perish, predatory lending practices, racism, secret societies, homophobia, corrupt officials, and so on. All That Consumes Us is gothic in nature due to the isolated setting of not only the liberal arts college it takes place in (fictional Corbin College), but also because the secret society at the heart of the plot, Magni Viri, lives in an isolated Victorian dorm building on the oldest and most isolated reaches of the campus. The students of Magni Viri really are set above and apart from the rest in more ways than one.
As for the dark academia aspect of the book, the dark and predatory side of college here is in how each student of Magna Viri is recruited: They all have dreams, skill, and ambition, but they need a little more push to get them to the top. Magna Viri dangles a carrot in their faces and usually warns them that there will be a stick. They just don’t know how hard that stick will whack them until it’s too late. By then, they’re stuck. The director of Magna Viri dangled the carrot in front of Tara, our protagonist, but never bothered to tell her about the stick. Telling you anything more than that would make this review spoileriffic.
This is an enjoyable book, and a great fall read. I loved the creepy, New England vibe to the book. Did it feel like a college book? Not really. Did it feel like Waters was trying to drive the dark academia vibe down my throat? Yes. Did I need The Secret History mentioned so many times in one book? No. Did I enjoy the plot itself? Yes.
I’m going to go ahead and recommend it because it was fun and I liked the way the plot was approached, even though I felt it was a little immature in its approach. It’s also well-trodden territory. But it was a tasty treat anyway.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I’m not a big fan of WWII fiction, but I’m inexplicably drawn to WWI fiction. From 2022’s lit fic novel Two Storm Wood (which this novel reminds me ofI’m not a big fan of WWII fiction, but I’m inexplicably drawn to WWI fiction. From 2022’s lit fic novel Two Storm Wood (which this novel reminds me of in some ways) to Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals (which takes place in an alternative-Earth’s version of WWI), novels that capture the ghosts and horrors of those monstrous trenches and stories of those who love them are of interest to me. Add my interest to my curiosity in author Katherine Arden (I’d not read one of her novels before this even if they are on my wishlist) and I was so happy to get a chance to read The Warm Hands of Ghosts.
Arden’s writing is impeccable, from the words chosen to the sentence structure. The prose flows smooth as silk, the dialogue is perfectly suited to the characters and the time period, and the pacing is perfect. The story arc is sublime, with the alternating character-POV chapters lasting just long enough and hitting just when they need to in order to keep the suspense and emotion going. The world building is without fault, as its clear Arden didn’t skimp on the research one bit and put that knowledge to good use in conjunction with her ample writing talents. It’s an absolute masterpiece of a novel.
The themes of trauma, grief, love, fidelity, memory, “madness”, and darkness are all implemented so well here, woven with one another like a complex braid until it becomes one messy unit of no ends or beginnings. Such is the life of a common soldier or a nurse who comes to war. They don’t come to the battlefield until the people in charge have already decided it’s time to fight. The war started before they got there.
It’s a beautiful novel, even if it’s sad and brutal. I cried, but not as much as I thought I would. It was a fantastic read and I’d read it again.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Historical Fantasy/Historical Fiction/LGBTQ Romance/Military Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy ...more
Now this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodNow this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodel and one up-and-coming adult movie star, throw them together in a moment of serendipity, and you have an explosively passionate and dirty romance novel that will warm up some sheets and make you swoon at the same time.
If I could put a theme to this book it would be, “I’m not ashamed of you, I just care that you’re mine.” This goes both ways, too. Donovan may be the uber-rich supermodel in this book, but it’s not unheard of for the character who has money to be the one who has to work hard for affection in a romance novel. Instead, Ella and Brooke worked hard in this novel to put Donovan and “Sin” mostly on the level: neither of them is ashamed of the other. “Sin” mostly doesn’t care that Donovan comes from money and Donovan couldn’t give a crap that Sin comes from none and lives in a shoebox apartment. The thing they care about most is that they belong to each other and with each other. They each feel like they were made for the other and they want to fight to find a way to stay together.
It’s really freaking sweet. They’re really freaking sweet. That is, when they’re not busy having filthy hot spicy scenes. (And believe me, they are H O T.)
The rest of the Park Avenue Princes are around providing advice, comedy, and color commentary, as per usual. It’s unclear which of the Princes are up next for a book, but keep an eye on Donovan’s little brother, because he’s a sullen brat in this book and is definitely going through some stuff.
Overall, I liked this installment more than the first book in this series, so it’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it. You’ll definitely want to start with Infamous Park Avenue Prince, but that’s not a hardship.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without recompense. Thank you.
This is a very sweet, poignant, small town romance that’s heavier than Cora Rose’s usual books. It’s a change in direction and writing style that didnThis is a very sweet, poignant, small town romance that’s heavier than Cora Rose’s usual books. It’s a change in direction and writing style that didn’t work out perfectly, in my opinion, but it was still a really good read: emotional, angsty, and even a little dark in places. The two MMCs, Wes and Simon, both have some issues to deal with, but Simon is definitely the one who’s hurting the most here.
Small town romances can be hit or miss for me, but Cora Rose just somehow makes them work, usually by drawing attention to the zany parts of small town life (I was born and raised in a small town and had to move back to it after my divorce, so I know small town). In this book the zaniness of small town life is downplayed, though, to match the emotions and moods of Simon and Wes. That’s also a switch for the author, but it’s not a bad one. I have a feeling this book, or maybe even this series, is Rose trying on something new for size. I’m glad she’s experimenting some.
There did seem to be some stiffness, or maybe awkwardness to the book, though. It had some uneven pacing and I thought the story just didn’t flow as easily as her other stories.
The spicy scenes are off the charts fantastic, but that’s never been a problem for Rose. She writes terrific spice, and this book has some of her best spice I’ve seen in a couple of books. I love when characters are desperate for one another, and these two are absolutely ravenous when they come together. It’s hot. So hot.
So while I would’ve liked the story to have flowed a bit smoother and not been so uneven, it was a solid read and I’m really interested in where this series will go.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Discovering Damon is the third book in Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes’ immensely enjoyable Behind the Camera series, which features beautiful camboys fallDiscovering Damon is the third book in Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes’ immensely enjoyable Behind the Camera series, which features beautiful camboys falling in love. I really, really enjoy this particular subgenre of romance, whether it’s camgirls or camboys. To be honest, I enjoy any and all romance novels that delve into sex worker subgenres, because I’m sex positive and sex worker positive and believe that visibility helps in the destigmatization of sex workers as a whole.
This time around we have the outgoing, unapologetically femme Damon (gorgeous and fabulous from head to toe every day, thank you very much) who is house/dog sitting for Carter’s moms (in case you need a memory check, Carter is one of the MMCs from the first book in this series, Reaching Reed) and is lusting after their neighbor, a hunky mechanic named Tomas. Alas, Tomas is straight (because of course he is) but he’s also very nice. Damon is a smitten kitten but knows that even if Tomas gets a little…curious…that he probably should keep his distance because curious men have a tendency to break hearts.
Yes, this is a bi-awakening book with a more gay-for-you vibe, but I am honestly a sucker for anything Cora Rose writes and for this writing duo when paired together. It helps that I love a good mechanic character who’s secure in his masculinity enough to do face masks and let someone do exfoliating treatments on him. Tomas may be blue collar with calloused hands and more used to drinking cheap beer than champagne, but he’ll try just about anything for Damon, because Damon absolutely fascinates him. Revelations can come at any point in our lives, and that’s part of the appeal of bi-awkening and gay-awakening novels.
Tomas and Damon are so sweet and sexy together, all desperation and hunger in bed and cuddles out of it. The spice is on point and the fluff is cute as heck. I loved it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
This is book five of the Puckboys series, and I think this is the first time I’ve given a book in this series less than five stars. For some reason, tThis is book five of the Puckboys series, and I think this is the first time I’ve given a book in this series less than five stars. For some reason, this entry just didn’t gel for me as well as the others: it was a combination of not liking one of the MMCs too much, the two MMCs not having as much chemistry as I wanted, and not having the amount of spice I was expecting that threw me off, I think.
Of course, the formidable writing duo that is Eden and Saxon didn’t fail me in the writing department, though. The plot is solid, their effortless humor is there, and our beloved Queer Collective makes a few cameo appearances. Asher, Quinn’s teammate, made my day almost every time he was on page.
Minor annoyances aside, any entry in the Sadenverse is a good entry. Eden and Saxon don’t write bad books, in my opinion. This is just a little less of a good book than all their other absolutely excellent books, that’s all.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
As far as variations on Sleeping Beauty go, I enjoyed this secret twin, LGBTQ+ variation of the tale. You’d think I’d get sick of Sleeping Beauty reteAs far as variations on Sleeping Beauty go, I enjoyed this secret twin, LGBTQ+ variation of the tale. You’d think I’d get sick of Sleeping Beauty retellings, but nope! It continues to be one of my top fairy tale retelling/remixing/variation starting points for a plot even after all these years. In the case of A River of Golden Bones, it helps that the infamous Sleeping Beauty isn’t in the driver’s seat and the actual FMC is on a journey of self-discovery with a whole lot of burning questions in their metaphorical pocket.
As the first book in a new series, you do have to put up with some of the typical hang-ups that come with a new series: exposition, worldbuilding, magic systems, hierarchy, cultures, politics, and since this is a wolf shifter romance you also need to learn how the shifter world works in this universe and how it interacts with the humans. All of that, plus the plot, is a lot to cram into 400 pages. Mulford does an admirable job of it, but it’s not the smoothest ride it could be.
One of the best ways Mulford engages with exposition is via having our FMC and supporting characters join up with a band of traveling musicians. As they ride together across the lands in the musician’s wagon, the shifters learn more about the humans and the way the world works for those who aren’t wolves. It’s a great way of showing and not telling in a manner which is subtle and completely connected to the plot. If you didn’t think to look at it as exposition you might not even notice it.
I had a lot of trouble with the ending, because it seemed far too convenient for my tastes, but it’s still a really entertaining and engaging read. I will be waiting with anticipation for the next book!
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fairy Tale Retellings/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Found Family/LGBTQ Fantasy/LGBTQ Romance/Shifter Romance/OwnVoices/Spice Level 1 ...more
(Please Note: This story is connected to Olivia Lewin’s other PoisonVerse novel, Pack of Lies, via that book’s character Marlowe. This book is about M(Please Note: This story is connected to Olivia Lewin’s other PoisonVerse novel, Pack of Lies, via that book’s character Marlowe. This book is about Marlowe’s older alpha sister, Leighton and the pack Marlowe left behind.)
First of all, y’all should know I’m a huge fan of all the PoisonVerse novels. I’ve read them all. They’re all on my wishlist to own as paperbacks. So I was happy to come across a post where Olivia Lewin had some copies of her ARCs up for grabs. I know I already have ARCs to review, but it turned out to be great timing, because I wasn’t feeling so good yesterday and when I’m not feeling good all I want to read is spicy books anyway. So I took the time to read this a couple of days ahead of schedule and finished it up just this morning. I have to say that I liked it better than I did Pack of Lies, and that’s all due to a little someone called Kiara.
Kiara is the desperate, almost-feral omega at the center of the conflict in Lonely Alpha. Kiara isn’t gold pack like most of the omegas at the center of the conflicts in the other PoisonVerse novels. No, Kiara is actually just about omega royalty: well-bred and raised in luxury to be the best omega she can be for whatever pack her father decides to marry her off to. Too bad she was raised by nannies, her father was cruel, and her beta brother was even worse. One night, on the advice of [spoiler] she gets away from her cruel brother by grabbing a jeweled dagger and attacking him and fleeing to the home of professional corporate fixer, Leighton Winston, and begging Leighton to dark bond her.
This is the first of the PoisonVerse novels I’ve ever read to employ a dark bond. Honestly, I was wondering if they (the collective authors who have written books in this universe) were ever going to deploy it as an actual bond device or if they were going to let it always simmer around the edges as a constant, looming threat to all omegas instead of trying to turn it on its head and try to show it being something an omega could actually want, need, or desire. I’m glad Olivia Lewin (who does tend to delve into the darker side of omegaverse) decided to be the one to finally approach the dark bond, because she did a wonderful job of showing not only why an omega might want or need one, but also how an omega could ultimately feel better protected and more comfortable in their skin having a dark bond after living a certain kind of traumatic life. It also showed how it takes a very certain type of alpha to both accept an omega’s desire to willingly be dark bonded, to tend to and nurture both the omega and the bond, and to treat both with the utmost respect, because ultimately what the dark bond equates to is a 24/7 M/s power dynamic in our world that’s then been turned into a paranormal link in their world. Just as in our world there are bad Masters, in their world there are bad Alphas. But not every Alpha needs to be bad. Ergo, not every dark bond needs to be bad. But, just as in real life, communication and instinct are key in such a relationship. In an omegaverse book, the bond takes up some of the slack of communication and instinct, but not all. That’s a shortcut.
I do truly love Kiara. I love how her dagger is her first friend and her “emotional support dagger”. I love myself a stabbity omega. I love how she’s a spitfire and will choose violence if she can. I actually love the whole pack. I even love some of the supporting cast like Liberty and Soren (I just can’t with him).
A problem I do have is how it seems that the men of the Loranger pack (Dash, Ambrose, Mercury) can’t seem to pull themselves together until Leighton and Kiara start making bridges for them. They’re all falling apart until two shiny female toys are placed in front of them and then all of a sudden it’s like, “Oh! We can all of a sudden start to heal all of our broken pieces now!” I’m not fond of men who can’t communicate with other men they’re supposed to be as close as brothers with (or lovers with). Women aren’t magical, fix-all cures. Women don’t put band-aids on men’s boo-boos. Men need to be emotionally intelligent all on their own. It’s a tired trope.
Otherwise, it’s a really great read, and I highly recommend it. The spice is right, it’s very propulsive, it’s a page-turner, and I got very invested in the characters. And, like I said: I love a stabbity omega.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I love it when Lynn hits all my sweet spots…in her writing, of course. What, did you think I meant it another way? You must have as dirty of a mind asI love it when Lynn hits all my sweet spots…in her writing, of course. What, did you think I meant it another way? You must have as dirty of a mind as I do!
One Night has all the best things I love about Lynn’s writing wrapped up into a lovely gay romance with a suspense subplot that could be potentially triggering (so be on the lookout for TW/CW if they’re in the final copy or make sure you look for them online).
I mean, I absolutely adore Daddy-looking bottoms and femme tops. I mean, I swoon! I don’t know what it is about it: I think it’s the visual combined with the subversion of the traditional roles? I just find it hot, hot, hot! Then Lynn went and added one of my biggest weaknesses in the world: dirty talk. So we’ve got an older, bigger, silver fox bottom with a younger, femme top that talks dirty. The spicy scenes are smoking hot. They can’t keep their hands off one another. What’s not to love?
Mason and Jasper (our MMCs) are just so easy to love, too. I recognize Mason’s childhood trauma in a way, having been raised by a narcissistic mother myself (even though narcissistic mothers raise their daughters differently than they raise their sons), and Jasper’s childhood abuse is sadly not an uncommon tale for gay males who long to express their feminine side from a young age. Mason’s anxiety is also something that resonated with me and made me feel for him.
It was terrific to see old friends from both Due Process and Unholy Yearning in this book, especially since I loved both of those books so much.
This was a great book to start off this spin-off series with. I’m looking forward to the next!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Age Gap Romance/Book Series/Book Universe/Contemporary Romance/Gay Romance/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Sex Worker/Spice Level 3/Suspense ...more
This book had everything going for it but the plot. That’s the main point I feel I need to make in this review. It’s that I Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
This book had everything going for it but the plot. That’s the main point I feel I need to make in this review. It’s that I read this book and kept hoping Ella and Brooke weren’t going where they were going with the plot. I kept hoping they were going to give it a new twist or a spin. They didn’t, and I can’t tell you how disappointed that made me.
Because otherwise, this book is a yummy, spicy, funny, charming, and sometimes sweet bi-awakening LGBTQ romance. This is the first book in Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine’s new Park Avenue Princes series, so there is a good amount of page time given over to introducing us to all the Princes, not just West, who is the “Infamous” Prince who’s one of the two MMCs in this book. The other is JT, a freshman at Astor University, where his mother runs the show. JT is eager to break out of his childhood chrysalis and make new friends, since all of his high school friends had chosen to go to college elsewhere. He’s aware since his mom runs the school he’s already a pariah, in a way, and he’s eager to try and stand out and make his own way. JT is sweet, earnest, and hardworking. West is almost the exact opposite. You could call him gregarious and maybe even well-meaning, but he knows money solves almost any problem and he’d rather party than work any day.
I did love the humor, the spicy scenes (good lord I forgot how much I love Ella and Brooke’s spicy scenes!), the dialogue, and I always love a good New York romance. I just wish with all of my being they had gone with another plot.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein is a dual timeline reimagining of Mary Shelley’s life before she completed her novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern PMary and the Birth of Frankenstein is a dual timeline reimagining of Mary Shelley’s life before she completed her novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In one timeline, we are with Mary in Dundee, Scotland, in 1812 as she fostered long-term with the radical Baxter family. In the other, we are with Mary in 1816, “the year without a summer”, on Lake Geneva in Switzerland with her husband Percy, their son William, and her stepsister, Claire. They’re splitting their time between their smaller cottage where they stay with William and his nanny and Villa Diodati, where Lord Byron and John Polidori are staying.
I absolutely loved this book. Adored it, even. Percy Bysshe Shelley is one of my favorite poets, and the mythology of the events surrounding what happened during the “year without a summer” at Villa Diodati is a fascinating subject to me. Mention Villa Diodati within my hearing range and I immediately will swivel my head in fascination. Not to mention the fact Mary Shelley is one of my heroes.
This book was originally written in Dutch, but as far as I can tell, the translation was exceptional. The prose was smooth as silk and never felt awkward to read. I don’t know if this is what translators want to hear, but it didn’t feel like a translation–it felt natural.
The book itself does take some liberties with history when it comes to Mary’s time with the Baxters, but since the book’s most fanciful, whimsical, and even mystical moments take place during this timeline it would make sense for Eekhout to shuffle some things around to make room for her narrative. Mary is only 14 when she arrives in Dundee, happy to be away from crowded London, her indifferent father, the stepmother she doesn’t get along with, and her overdramatic stepsister. She is immediately transfixed by Isabella Baxter, who is a year older than her, and they form an incredibly close bond. It’s here that Mary hears the most stories and begins telling her own. It’s here that Mary discovers the first villain in her life that takes something from her.
No one knows quite for sure what all happened in 1816 at Villa Diodati. We know this is where Claire Claremont fell pregnant with the child that Lord Byron would own up to fathering. This is where Mary Shelley started to pen her infamous novel. Some say this is where Percy Bysshe Shelley became convinced he saw his doppelganger one night. In Eekout’s book, however, this is the place where Mary Shelley remembers the villain she met in Dundee and the stories she heard there. This is where her anger at men and marriage grows. This is where her grief simmers and her depression deepens. This is where she takes up the effort to write a ghost story and decides to write about a monster, instead.
I will tell you that this book is all vibes, imagery, and emotion. While Eekhout is careful not to neglect her supporting characters, you can be sure the focus of her energy is definitely on the complexity that is Mary. You can tell she’s studied Mary Shelley extensively and has her vision of Mary down to a science because her characterization is utterly consistent.
The worldbuilding is lush and atmospheric and the prose is languid, even dreamy in places. It’s a well-crafted and beautiful novel and a lovely fall read.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I thank the universe for sending the romance world Cora Rose. I honestly don’t remember what reading romances was like before her and I don’t think I I thank the universe for sending the romance world Cora Rose. I honestly don’t remember what reading romances was like before her and I don’t think I want to remember. What I do remember is that I wasn’t a huge rom com fan before her, but with one book she made me fall into instalove with her style, her characters, her charm, and the hilarious situations her characters somehow seem to end up in without it seeming completely cheesy. Let’s not forget her impeccable ability to embed her characters with dimension, depth, and a wealth of personality.
Exception is shorter than most Cora Rose novels simply because it’s part of a series in which all the novels are on the shorter side. They’re meant to be fast-burn and low-angst. But Cora wouldn’t be Cora if she didn’t do the book her way. It turned out magnificent.
Exception is hot, hot, hot! The spice is nice and plentiful, but not so plentiful that we don’t get plenty of plot and character development. The book is hilarious, full of marijuana-induced hijinks and a perverted kleptomaniac of a monkey. It’s also emotionally touching, with our opposites-attract main characters maybe not being as opposite as they think and coming together in the most auspicious of places.
It’s an excellent entry into the Unlucky 13 series and just a stellar rom com all on its own. I’m here for it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
If A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was “swoon, swoon, swoon”, then All the Hidden Paths could best be described as, “angst, angst, angst”. This does If A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was “swoon, swoon, swoon”, then All the Hidden Paths could best be described as, “angst, angst, angst”. This does somewhat have to do with me liking this book less than ASaSE, because I’m not the sort to enjoy angst due to either willful miscommunication (AKA I’m uncomfortable and I don’t want to tell you this thing because it might make things more difficult even though I know that honesty is the best policy and has kept us out of trouble in the past) or out of ignorance (AKA I knew this but I conveniently didn’t think to tell you about it because while it’s in my character to be forgetful about these things you’d think I’d have learned by now that you don’t know enough about how stuff works around here and I should’ve explained it).
In other words: the main reason I didn’t like this book as much as ASaSE is because the large amount of angst between Cae and Tel doesn’t only feel unnecessary, it also feels contrived for the purpose of the plot and that’s not a good enough reason for more than half the book to seemingly be dedicated to it.
I had thought, starting out, that All the Hidden Paths might be a novel dedicated to allowing Cae to grow as a character and to learn how to stand on his own in court politics without Vel to aid him at every turn, but instead the book turned simply into a lesson of how much Cae simply couldn’t exist at court without Vel’s help (or Markel’s, for that matter). Cae made it no secret how he hates politics and games and that sentiment only grows throughout the book.
For all of the above faults, I still love Tel and Cae beyond reason. I am besotted with the pair of them, for all their faults. Tel and his absolute disregard for his own personal welfare. Cae and his lumpheadedness. I still think Markel is the absolute best. I love fantasy novels where court intrigue and politics are the main plot (I am weak for them). Most of all, I just love a great love story like this.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fantasy/LGBTQ Romance/OwnVoices ...more
Anyone who is familiar with Saxon James’ Divorced Men’s Club series should be familiar with Molly, a supporting character in that series who acted outAnyone who is familiar with Saxon James’ Divorced Men’s Club series should be familiar with Molly, a supporting character in that series who acted out when his best friend started dating his dad and decided to set out for Seattle to try and get a fresh perspective on life and a fresh start. That’s not where this book begins, but that’s a good thing to know when one goes in to read this book. I would love to tell you that you could read this book without that knowledge, but I thought long and hard about how I would feel if I hadn’t read the DMC books, and I realized I’d feel very confused. I don’t know if that will be every reader’s experience, but it definitely contributed a touch to my rating of this book.
Normally, almost every Saxon James book gets five stars from me, but there was a second factor that lowered my rating to a 4 star: I just thought the beginning of the book was slow and a little messy (not in the good way). I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters for a bit and the dynamic felt a little forced. Everything smoothed out around the 20% point, but before that I felt like the characters were kind of floundering a bit. Then it clicked in and we were on our way.
Of course, when you’re on your way with a Saxon James book, you’re in for a good time and a good ride. Molly is cute as a button, with Xander being a neurotic sweetheart right behind him (and I swear, that better be chemistry between him and the guy at the pharmacy or I’m going to die). Rush made me snicker and snort every time he came on page, and the fact that nude yoga in the backyard is an everyday thing in their household for Madden is something I am totally on board for. Auntie Aggy is giving me life! Then there’s Seven. That boy kept breaking my heart and mending it. I call foul.
Did the plot feel a little loose? Yes. Did I enjoy the medium-burn? No. Did it feel a bit crowded? Yes. Did I wish it was spicier? Yes (but I’m me and I’m like that so don’t listen to me). Did I still enjoy the heck out of it? Yes I absolutely flippin’ did!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
This book was amazingly diverse in so many ways: Native American representation, socioeconomic representation, ethnic representation, mental health reThis book was amazingly diverse in so many ways: Native American representation, socioeconomic representation, ethnic representation, mental health representation (I’ll get back to that), and so much LGBTQIA+ representation I was absolutely giddy for the queerness of it all.
I only have one huge gripe with this book: Did it have to be so predictable? That’s what lost this book a star. Well, that and the fact that I didn’t love the book enough to need it on my own bookshelves.
Don’t get me wrong: I truly enjoyed the book. I was hooked on it from the beginning and engaged from start to finish (in spite of the predictability). The story is compelling, especially with the added diversity and representation angles that aren’t simply thrown in for the sake of marketing appeal. Edgmon is definitely using fantasy’s ability to comment on sociopolitical and sociocultural issues to full potential with this book and I was living for all of it.
I can’t tell anyone reading this or the author in the length of a book review how much the mental health representation in this book meant to me. I may be cisgender, but Gem’s mental health struggles in some ways feel so much like the ones I’ve dealt with my whole life as a bipolar and having BPD. That feeling of needing to do whatever I can to keep people’s love, attention, and to keep myself safe. That feeling of sometimes not knowing if you’re real (I call it “my meat suit doesn’t feel right”), saying things you don’t mean, acting out even though you don’t even want to and then having to face the aftermath of your destruction once the episode passes? Yeah. I’ve been there. When I was a teenager I would’ve given anything for a book like this to identify with. I’m glad teenagers today have books like these to identify with.
So even though this may not be something I want to live on my bookshelves, I highly recommend it to all of you. Please, go read it. It’s everything diverse and important fantasy needs.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Coming of Age/Disability Rep/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fiction/LGBTQ Romance/OwnVoices/Psychological Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy ...more
I’m so happy that Amber Nicole and Jenn Bullard seemed to have upped the ante and put some really solid work into Locked Promises, the middle book in I’m so happy that Amber Nicole and Jenn Bullard seemed to have upped the ante and put some really solid work into Locked Promises, the middle book in the Society for Lost Souls trilogy. This is definitely not a case of sophomore slump–this is a case of sophomore improvement.
While I enjoyed Locked Hearts a lot, I did think it had a whole lot of potential that wasn’t fully realized. The book simply felt like it hadn’t been worked through enough or polished enough to be published. It still felt really rough around the edges. And the characters were still only cookie dough; they weren’t quite cookies yet. They needed to rise and fill out and become fully fleshed-out cookies and they just weren’t there yet.
Thankfully, so many of these issues have been resolved, leaving behind a much smoother, leaner, suspenseful storyline and plot and characters that are definitely fully baked and perfectly cooled cookies.
We got to know so much more about Chastity and all the other characters in this book, and a lot more about the Society for Lost Souls, too. We got so many answers to burning questions from the first book and in the last act of the book we were suddenly peppered with many more!
And then, there’s that last step known as a cliffhanger. It’s a doozy! If you thought the cliffhanger from the first book was a wallop, then this one is going to twist your head around.
Let’s not forget the spice, because Bullard and Nicole sure don’t forget how much they denied us satisfaction in the first book. They make up for it with some very sexy and sensual spicy scenes I quite enjoyed. But I’m the blasphemous type.
If you liked Locked Hearts you’ll love Locked Promises. If you were mild on Locked Hearts, I say give it a try before you make up your mind. If you haven’t tried this series yet, give it a shot!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
It’s a little bit non-royal Mia Thermopolis is mistakenly chosen to compete on The Bachelor (but make it three super hot men), and a whole lot of fun It’s a little bit non-royal Mia Thermopolis is mistakenly chosen to compete on The Bachelor (but make it three super hot men), and a whole lot of fun and spice. Welcome to the Royal Trials, where one omega is chosen from each country that chooses to participate in sending a representative to potentially become the mate of the Royal Pack and eventually becoming Queen or King Consort.
Can I just say that I’m currently loving the current trend I’m seeing in the reality show approach to some omegaverse romances? Because I really am. Omegaverse romances are already a huge source of escapism for me, but adding in these made-up reality shows to a paranormal and fantastical genre not only adds a satirical kick but also allows for more variety in plot and some added facets of angst, comedy, and anger.
I loved this installment of the Knot Their Omega series almost purely for the sheer fairy tale feel of the whole thing. Kaz, Wolf, and Tai were all clearly drawn, which I appreciated, since some authors don’t take the time to make sure their MMCs are as distinctive and unique in personality and interests as they are in looks. I have a definite soft spot for Wolf, that’s for sure. I loved the relationship shared by the three men, the respect they had for one another, and the way they felt so deeply for one another and expressed it so eagerly. I loved how Maddie managed to get her feet under her and made brave choices, even if she knew they would hurt. She was honest with the people around her and with herself.
The spice is not lacking, people. It’s here, it’s polyamorous, it’s spicy, it’s swords-crossing as much as it can get away with, and it’s hot. I am here for it. I will always be here for it.
The only bone I really have to pick is how quickly some minds were changed around at the end and how rushed it seemed. I may be the only one that feels that way, though. Otherwise, it was a great book. Smashed it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
It’s very rare for our beloved Eden and Saxon to step outside the box and try something new, but I do like it when they do. Up in Flames is their firsIt’s very rare for our beloved Eden and Saxon to step outside the box and try something new, but I do like it when they do. Up in Flames is their first time writing something other than hockey romance as a joint endeavor, and just like any other time these two have a document shared between them, if there’s a single crack in there you sure as heck can’t see it. These two are so symbiotic when they write it should be scary, but it nets all us readers amazing books so I think I’ll just sit here and be in awe of their symbiosis instead.
Like Eden’s solo effort, Can’t Say Goodbye, this book is made of somewhat heavier stuff than the author duo’s usual fare. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s good for authors to stretch their wings and try new ventures. You never want to stifle the muse when they come to call. Of course, neither Eden nor Saxon is in the business of getting truly angsty, but they did want to tell a story that wasn’t all just sugar, spice, and everything hilarious. Of course there was sugar (the way Sanden and Remy are to one another is definitely sweet and considerate), and there was spice (definitely fewer spice scenes than we’re used to from the writing pair, as well as somewhat less explicit but they’re still hot), and I don’t think either Eden or Saxon could stand to release a book that didn’t make us smile and laugh more than we got the sads.
Speaking of the sads: This book does have the sadness, but it has the healing for the sadness too. Or, rather, it showcases the path to healing the sadness. I applaud both authors for fully endorsing, researching, and having both Remy and Sanden going through the process of therapy to help them work through their inner demons and trauma separately and for themselves. They both owned up to the fact they needed to be healthy to move on in life and sought out the tools to help them get there. Men seeking treatment for mental health issues is still a stigmatized issue, and seeing it normalized and visible in media can only work in favor of helping to destigmatize the process.
I took a star off because I thought the ending was a bit rushed, but otherwise it’s an outstanding novel.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Oh, Andrew Joseph White, if you keep writing books as good as this one and your debut I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.
I fell in love wiOh, Andrew Joseph White, if you keep writing books as good as this one and your debut I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.
I fell in love with White’s 2022 release, Hell Followed With Us, from the moment I first heard of it. It was like nothing I’d ever heard of before and I was ready to board the ship. I enjoyed the ride immensely. Then, when White announced his second novel, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, I could’ve swooned. Everything about this book made me swoon and behave like Veruca Salt, shouting, “Don’t care how, I want it now!”
Obviously, this is one of my most-anticipated releases this year, and holy hot damn it didn’t disappoint. If I could give this book more than five stars I totally would. This book hits really close to home for me in more than one way. My ex-spouse is both trans and autistic, my older child is gender fluid and autistic, and my younger child is autistic enough that he’s been declared permanently disabled. I myself am bisexual and mildly autistic, besides also being bipolar and having a host of other psychological issues. In the 1880’s (the time period this book takes place in) I’d likely have been placed in an asylum when I was in my early teens and left there to rot. For that matter, any of my family members might have met that unfortunate fate, if not worse.
AJW deserves not only all the accolades but also all the admiration for writing a book with a main protagonist that’s both trans and autistic. It couldn’t have been easy to write, and it couldn’t have been easy to convince agents and editors to publish it. But I’m so ecstatic that this book got written and made it onto book shelves because it’s brilliant and it’s beautiful in its own savage way.
When writing historical fantasy, you need to be just as careful with the “historical” portion of the book as you would be when writing historical fiction so as to not only keep your world building framework steady and make sure your atmosphere is correct, but also to avoid anachronisms where you can. AJW acknowledges in the back of the book that the queer historian he consulted to help him with the research for this book pointed out that such things as the constant chaperoning of unmarried females in Victorian times were definite obstacles to fiction. Therein lies the joys of historical fantasy, where all of a sudden the fantastical parts of the plot can create opportunities to circumvent what would otherwise be seen as an anachronism.
The world AJW created in this book is cold, cruel, grey, dreary, hateful, and wretched. There is no beauty to it except for the ties between the women at Braxton’s, which start out as tenuous and loose as a hasty basting stitch when Silas arrives but steadily tighten and grow stronger like corset laces as the book goes on and the abuses they endure grow with every day that passes.
There is precious little sweetness in this book, but when it is there it’s worth slowing down for, just to sink into a little and revel in it. It’s intimate and soft and a little unraveling. It’s an oasis, a pit stop in the midst of desperate chaos as Silas and the girls try to figure out where the spirits are and how they can escape a place that is sure to only serve up their deaths in the near future.
The climax of this book is manic, horrific, and grotesque. No one escapes without trauma. And even as the book ends, the trauma lingers and the business isn’t quite done.
I can’t recommend this book enough. To all ages. To all readers.
(AJW does include a list of possible CW/TWs inside the book for those who need them.)
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. Any thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Body Horror/Ghost Story/Historical Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Horror/LGBTQ Fiction/LGBTQ Romance/Occult Horror/Own Voices/Paranormal Fantasy/Paranormal Horror/Secret Society ...more
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