Review: Arcana: The Lost Heirs by Sam Prentice-Jones

 Arcana: The Lost Heirs tells the story of a coven of witches when a mysterious magic leads them to discover a new witch. Then, the new witch, Eli, along with a group from the Arcana, discover their pasts are related. Each person is related to one of the former leading families of the coven. As time goes on, it becomes clear there is more than what it seems to the change in power within the Arcana. 

I really liked the art style of this graphic novel. The characters were diverse in race, gender, sexuality, and body type, which I really enjoyed. It is a great introduction to the story and characters. I'm definitely looking forward to what happens next when the next book comes out. 

I enjoyed how each character had sections about them that gave more insight into their character. I think the idea of a coven of witches with a mysterious change in power and a curse is really interesting. 

If you're looking for an easy but interesting read, I recommend checking this book out. It comes out on June 23, 2025. This is the author's debut book, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they make next. 

Also, apologies for the short review. I'm trying to refresh my reviewing, and I am a bit rusty after a long period away from it. 

Thanks and happy reading. 

Review: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pederson

 

Sacrificial Animals tells the story of a man who grew up on a farm, Stag's Crossing, with his father and brother. His father was a strict man who was hard to please. Our narrator Nick was the second son, too much like his mother, and a disappointment to his father. His mother died in childbirth leaving him alone with his father who was unable to show his love for his children and frequently beat them. Their tasks on the farm took an emotional toll on Nick who had a soft heart like his mother and struggled to kill animals the way his father and brother could. As a teen, Nick dealt with a fox that kept infiltrating the hen house and killing his chickens, but Nick struggled with this fox too. His soft heart made him weak in the eyes of his father. This of course is the past which the reader gets flashbacks to throughout the book. 

In the present, Nick has moved away from Stag's Crossing when his father calls him to tell him he is dying. He tells Nick he must come back and he must call his brother to make him come back, too. Joshua, the firstborn, was disowned by his father when he brought home his Asian wife. His father was against this woman who he saw as a stranger infiltrating their home. Nick calls Joshua and although Joshua refuses to return home, Nick knows he will. 

Nick and Joshua's wife, Emelia fly home first, meeting at the airport and driving home together. Nick has had an infatuation with Emelia since he first met her at her wedding. Something about her was deeply appealing to him. When they return to Stag's Crossing, Nick's father acts as if he never had any objection to Emelia. The longer Nick spends time with Emelia, the more his interest turns into an obsession. 

While reading this book, I was deeply drawn in. The writing was very magnetic and had me coming back for more. The actual story I didn't find all that engaging. For a horror book, it just didn't strike the sense of dread I think it intended. I wasn't expecting jump scares, but I think I was supposed to get a daunting realization that something was just deeply wrong with this family and I just didn't. Even the "twist" at the end was not a shock to me. However, the quality of the writing was wonderful. I could probably read this author's grocery lists or daily routine and I still want more. Perhaps I wasn't reading it as intellectually as I was supposed to and maybe that's why I missed the horror aspect of the story. Don't get me wrong, the story itself was interesting enough, but it just wasn't what did it for me. I think if you like more of an intellectual horror, this is a book you would enjoy, or if you just like quality writing. 

As for content warnings, there is sexual content, animal violence, description of animal injury, child abuse, parent becoming ill, parent death, baby death, and more. Please be aware before reading. 

Review: The Alone Time by Elle Marr Narrated by Jennifer Aquino, Christina Ho, Naomi Mayo, and Kenneth Lee

 

Yet another book by one of my favorite authors, Elle Marr. I listened to this on the drive back from visiting my boyfriend at the beginning of summer. I will say, this is not my favorite of Marr's books, unfortunately this one and the one I read before, The Family Bones, just don't match up with the quality of her other books. Still, I enjoyed listening to this book on my way home. 

This book is about two grown women who survived a terrible plane crash that resulted in their parents' deaths and left them alone in the woods when they were children. They referred to this time as the alone time in which they did what they could to survive on their own. 

Fiona, the older sister, becomes an artist as an adult and incorporates her experiences from the alone time into her art. She's just beginning to get the recognition she's been wanting when a documentary director comes to talk to her about her experience in the woods. She's completely against this until her father's alleged mistress comes out of the woodwork claiming to have additional information about the period before the fatal flight. 

Violet, the younger sister, is in college once again after struggling with addiction for a long time. She's become estranged from her sister, but when she's approached by the aforementioned director, she shows up on her sister's doorstep. Together they decide they need to ensure the narrative of their story in the woods needs to be controlled by them which they must do by participating in the documentary. The director claims to be 100% on their side, desiring only to tell their side of the story, but can they really trust him? 

Jumps back in time immediately reveal that despite what the girls said, their parents survived the initial crash and were with them, alive, in the first few days. I quickly began to question why they lied about their parents dying in the crash and what exactly they were hiding about the alone time.

Marr's time jumps are one of the things about her writing that draws me in. It's interesting fitting the past and present together like a puzzle to figure out the truth behind the mystery. I was really hanging on, desperate to figure out what exactly happened, but I will admit I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I feel that the "twist" just didn't match up with the usual surprise of Marr's twists. 

Although I think she has better books, I still really enjoyed listening to this one. It was entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out the truth. If you're looking for something fun to read or listen to, this may be the book for you. I'm excited to see what Marr writes next. 

As always, happy reading! 

Review: The Family Bones by Elle Marr Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, Sura Siu, Jennifer Jill Araya, and Arnell Powell

 

If you've read some of my other posts, you'd know that I am a big fan of Elle Marr. Her stories are fascinating and the way her audiobooks are done makes the stories so engaging. This book lived up to those expectations. I especially love that each character has their own narrator, it really makes the story more engaging. 

Following the stories of three different women, a story emerges piece by piece. One narrator, Olivia, is a 22-year-old graduate student (just like me) studying psychopaths due to her family's legacy of being psychopaths. Olivia is disconnected from her family which I definitely think is valid at worst some of them are murderers at best they're extreme narcissists. Olivia's avoidance of her family ends when a postcard comes in the mail telling her the Eriksen family (her family) is having a reunion. Eager to get more evidence for her dissertation, she decides to take herself and her fiance on the trip. The trip takes a turn for the worse on the first night when Olivia's cousin turns up dead in the lake. Immediately family members are suspicious and make guesses about who the murder could be. 

Another narrator is an unidentified woman writing in her diary. She details falling in love with a man she calls Teddy. Everything is going well until suddenly it's not. His family is odd and he is very defensive of them. Her life becomes more and more entangled with his and eventually, she becomes pregnant with his child. She's excited to be a mother, but her child ends up not being exactly what she expected. 

The last narrator is Birdie. Birdie is a true crime podcaster who focuses on the cases of people of color, whose stories are often neglected by the police and media. Based on a tip from an unknown source, Birdie begins investigating the disappearance of Li Ming Na who disappeared from a vacation with her boyfriend. Birdie decides to go to the source and begins going to places Li Ming Na was formerly. She eventually discovers that Li Ming Na was in a relationship with one of the members of the Eriksen family notorious for having a serial killer, patricide, and other less tasteful acts. She keeps digging deeper and eventually finds the place where Li Ming Na went missing. 

The book is also split up into newspaper articles about members of the Eriksen family and the crimes they committed. 

Slowly the story comes together. I was trying to figure out who the murderer was and what happened to Li Ming Na. There were multiple "twists" at the end that had me gasping. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but as a true crime lover, I am always more fascinated when the story is more gruesome (sorry I know that's horrible). 

As far as content warnings go, there are a few, some of which are obvious. There's emotional abuse, murder, violence, violence against animals, sexual content, and more. Please keep this in mind before reading this book. Personally, I recommend listening to the audiobook if you like them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope you will too. 

Review: Pageboy by Elliot Page Narrated by Elliot Page

 

I had been wanting to read (or listen) to Elliot Page's book since I first learned it had come out. A road trip to visit my boyfriend for spring break ended up being the perfect time to finally get into this book. I listened to the audiobook which Page narrated himself. There's just something so appealing about an author reading their own memoir. It's like listening to a friend tell their life story. 

There are lots of things I could say about Pageboy, but I will start by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Page is very open with his story, recounting very personal details from his life. He starts by clarifying that his book isn't THE queer story, simply his own experience. I love how he makes it clear that his story is not the story that people should take in as what it is like for all queer people. He seems hopeful that his story will help others and I think there is a lot of comfort in his honesty. 

Page jumps around through his life telling different stories. He talks about the complications that come with realizing you're gay and eventually the complications that come with realizing you're trans. His is a story of finding himself repeatedly. 

Like many queer people, he faced backlash from peers, snide remarks, complicated female friendships (queer women and queer formerly women know that experience all too well), body issues, identity issues, etc. A lot of the experiences he talks about are ones that myself and other queer people I know have expressed. 

There were many parts of his story that I resonated with, but at the time, the part in particular that I felt was seeing me was his talk about his eating disorder. At the time of listening to this book, I was recovering from my own eating disorder (something that I have struggled with since middle school, but only really acknowledged recently). He talks about being unable to eat things. Not an "oh I can't, I shouldn't", but a physical inability to swallow. I felt a sense of not being alone. 

He describes his experiences acting and the way that it impacted his life. At one point he had a stalker which he details. He also had many secret relationships to maintain his image or the image of his partner within the media. 

This book was a hard read(listen). Page's life was filled with a lot of really hard things. He talks about sexual assaults he experienced, eating disorders, the bullying he experienced from his own family, transphobia, homophobia, self-harm, and more. There were some instances in which he described injuries he experienced rather graphically. At some points, I had to stop the audio and collect myself before listening on. 

As mentioned above, there are difficult topics within this book so you should be advised before listening/reading. There is mention of sexual assault, eating disorders, physical assault, graphic descriptions of injury, self-harm, and more. Please take this into consideration before reading the book. 

Overall, I really loved this book. It was very intimate and personal even for a memoir. Page's ability to share his life story was deeply engaging. I highly recommend this book. 

Review: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

 

I picked this book up during the Trans Rights Readathon. I do have a Youtube video where I talk about it and my own experience with gender, so be sure to check that out if you're interested. 

This is a graphic memoir of Maia Kobabe's life as e learns about eir identity. E details realizing e didn't feel like a girl (which was eir assigned at birth gender). E felt like eir body wasn't right, e didn't understand what e was supposed to about eir body. It's really a journey of this doesn't work, this doesn't work, this doesn't work until e figured out what e wanted to identify with. Finding the right pronouns (e/em/eir). Coming out to people, especially at a time when there was a lack of knowledge about gender-nonconforming people. Coming out to people who viewed being transgender or nonbinary as misogyny. Trying out things sexually and relationship-wise and realizing it didn't work. Eventually realizing what made em most comfortable. 

I think for me, as I talk about in my Youtube video, it resonates a lot as a person who's always struggled with gender identity. I think reading this really helped me to realize that I need to stop trying to fit perfectly into every identity I think is right for me. I don't fit into woman perfectly, I don't fit into nonbinary perfectly, I don't fit into asexuality perfectly. I'm coming to realize that, that's okay and it's okay not to define myself. 

I think that this is a great book for people who want to know more about the experience of trans and nonbinary people (from one person's perspective, of course, this isn't the experience of every trans and nonbinary person). I also think it's a great read if you are someone who is questioning your own gender and maybe questioning asexuality. I think that reading this will help you to work through that a little bit as you think about what Kobabe writes. 

There are some heavy content warnings in this book. There is gender dysphoria, medical trauma (it's more about Maia's genital dysphoria and how that makes em unable to get a gynecological exam), sexual content, and more. There is also the mention of Harry Potter houses so if that is something that makes you uncomfortable (because JK Rowling is a bigot who hates trans people), then just be aware of that. For a better list of content warnings, check out StoryGraph for a list from both the author and other readers. 

If you're interested in purchasing the book, you can help me out as well as not supporting Amazon and instead, supporting local bookstores by buying the book on Bookshop.org. 

As always, happy reading, and I will see you soon. 

Review: Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick

 I received this book from Simon & Schuster as a part of their book club favorites program. 

Forget Me Not is the story of two young women who have made plans to leave their closed-minded hometown and move to California to be together. Just before they're about to move, Stevie (our point of view character) visits Nora on her farm and has an accident. Stevie wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the past two years. No memory of Nora or coming out. Stevie has to figure out life with no memories in an older body. She finds that things aren't as they were two years ago. She doesn't hang out with her friends, she doesn't hang out with her mom, and her dad is mostly uninterested in talking to her. To relieve some of the pressure of remembering, she hangs out with Nora, who she believes she doesn't have a past with. As the two spend more time together, Stevie starts to feel things she hadn't felt before. 

This was a great coming-of-age story that I really enjoyed reading. The love was very sweet, but it was really about Stevie finding herself again. The small town they live in is reminiscent of the small towns I've lived in, where people grow up to be closed-minded. I think many queer people and people of color have had experiences like Stevie's where their friends are much more open-minded when they're younger but grow up to be just as awful as their parents. I read this book in two days. I was absolutely in love with it from the first few pages. The author actually co-wrote another book with her wife recently. 

I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially to queer people and people who are struggling with their own identity. Despite a lot of the harder stuff, it really is a feel-good read. I was sobbing by the end of it (in a good way). As far as content warnings are concerned, there is homophobia, xenophobia, Asian hate, mild sexual content, bodily injury, memory loss, and more. Please check out StoryGraph for a full list of content warnings as provided by other readers. 

As always, happy reading! 

Review: Angels Before Man by rafael nicolás

Let me tell y'all one thing from the start, the description of this book on Amazon was very misleading. I was not prepared for the way this book took me and broke me. Before I talk about this book, I'm going to give a content warning that this can bring up some religious trauma. Please be kind to yourself when choosing to read this review and this book. Also, if you're religious, this book may be offensive to you, so again, this may be a review you want to skip. Also, I can't talk about this book without SPOILERS so I apologize in advance. 

Let's set the scene. I'm scrolling through Instagram and see one of my mutuals posting this book with its lovely cover. I hear the description. It sounds like something I'd enjoy. I hop on over to the Kindle app and borrow it from Kindle Unlimited. At first, this book is making me sob because it's so sweet. I'm waiting for the bad stuff to happen, knowing it will come, but not expecting it to be as bad as it got in the book. Then very quickly, everything went downhill. It changed from sweet to very traumatic: gore, violence, etc. I'm shocked because I was not expecting this at all, but I'm so invested in the book that I can't just stop reading it. This book taught me that I can read with tears gushing out of my eyes. I just keep reading even though it hurts so bad. It's so beautifully written, though, and I'm like, yes, please hurt me more. I finish it, and I'm wrecked. I'm sobbing. I can't even think about it without crying. I keep trying to record a video or even simple stuff, but again, I'm crying. I read the highlighted quotes, crying. After I stopped crying, though, I felt so good. I loved this book. I really needed the emotional damage it provided me. Writing this, I want to go read it again. I need like 600 paperback copies. I'm ready to write English papers on this book. This is probably one of my favorite books ever. 

So what was this beautifully painful book I read about? It's a retelling of Lucifer's fall from grace. In this, he falls in love with Michael, and that causes his fall from grace. That's essentially the description on Amazon. That makes it seem like it's this heartbreaking story about falling in love being someone's downfall which it is. However, it leaves out the important details. 

The book starts with Lucifer's coming into consciousness. We, as the reader, get to watch him discover everything for the first time. We get to see as he sees that he is painfully beautiful. We see as he realizes his purpose. We see him build friendships. We see how shy he is. We see how entirely devoted to God he is. And we see when he and Michael first meet. Their relationship is so sweet and tender. And although God says that angels are made whole and don't need another angel to fulfill them, the angels all seem to have someone that compliments them. For Lucifer and Michael, it's each other. But in his love, Michael teaches Lucifer something that really changes him, pride. 

(Spoilers start here)

We see as Lucifer becomes more prideful and more devoted to Michael, he is punished by God. And slowly, Lucifer changes and does these horrible things. Michael loves Lucifer dearly and is blind to his behavior. Lucifer becomes emboldened by his punishments. He begins to create an act reserved solely for God. He changes from the sweet, devoted person he was into this cruel, vain being. He was resistant to it at first, but he gives in when God tells him he is the evil within himself. Lucifer decides he must replace God, and in order to do so, he must pull all the other angels down with him. He begins creating acts of great violence, he teaches the angels sex, and he teaches them to lie. And Michael, in his love for Lucifer, believes that he can be redeemed even when he has done unforgivable things. 

Lucifer begs Michael to rule with him, to be by his side. And throughout his downfall, he keeps thinking, "I waited for your touch to save me." But Michael denies him, and Lucifer wonders if he imagined all the things he saw in Michael if he was just looking at himself reflected onto Michael. Still, he doesn't give up hope that Michael will choose him above God if it comes down to it, and it does. God commands Michael to take Lucifer down, and Michael pleads with Lucifer again to stop, to take it all back, and to repent. Lucifer won't, and he asks Michael if he loved him. And Michael delivers to of the lines that hit me so deep within me. First, '"You've spoiled me dirty, ruined me."' And second, the one that really broke me, '"You're everything to me, the stars and the moons, the heat and the cold, the earth and the seeds, the waters and the flowers, but you are not God."' And I don't know why that hit me so hard. Perhaps because I, too, feel that there are things more important, bigger than an all-encompassing love. I believe that what is right matters more than who I love.  And I do not believe in the strict rules of sin, but I do believe that kindness is my god. Lucifer lost kindness, lost rightness, lost God in his fall from grace, and that was not a path that Michael could follow. 

(Spoilers done) 

I could write and speak forever in this book. It has impacted me in ways that there are no words to explain. This book broke me in ways that healed me. I loved this book. It is beautifully written, I hope to write something half as beautifully as this. And I don't reread books, but I think I'll reread this one, and I think it'll impact me as if I were reading it for the first time. 

I'm not sure I can say I recommend this book. I feel that Tiktok sound of you don't have to like it because it was made for me. I don't know that it would impact others in the way it impacted me. I don't know that others will find it as beautiful as I did. I don't know that the hurt won't be too much. I love this book with my whole heart. 

As far as content warnings are concerned, this book is very dark. It contains extreme gore, murder, torture, sexual content (not really consensual), religious trauma, and more. StoryGraph has an extremely long list of content warnings as provided by other readers. Please check out the content warnings, this book is intense. I didn't before I read it, and I was not prepared. Did I learn my lesson? Will I now be looking at content warnings? Probably not. Most of the time, I don't even know what the book I'm going to read is about. I'm very irresponsible with my mental health. Don't be like me. 

You can get this book as a part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription. 

Happy reading! 

Review: The Blessed and the Cursed by Jade Musto

 I reviewed this book for Reedsy Discovery.

A forbidden romance between two young men who've loved each other for years. One, the prince, is dependent on the other, the nature blessed. Blossom is a man with rare powers that allow him to harness the powers of all nature's deities. Asher is the prince, but he was born with a death mark that only Blossom can heal. The two have been in love for years, but something keeps Blossom from acting on it. As the two's feelings grow and Blossom's secrets emerge, they find that Blossom might not be the only one hiding things.

This book was very easy to like. The romance is lovely and tender and drew me in right away. Blossom's secrets are kept from the reader for a long time, making them more interesting as they begin to piece together. I found the character's to be well-developed and unique. What I liked most was the magic system established in this book. The sun, moon, earth, fire, or water deities bless can the characters. These blessings give the people that are able to receive them abilities related to the blessing. Only Blossom has the ability to be blessed by all deities. Despite some of the more intense content in the book, it was a cozy read for me. The world sounds beautiful, and the characters seem like good friends. Musto did a great job balancing character growth, world-building, magic system creation, and the story. I also really appreciated the LGBTQIA+ characters in the story. In this world, they seem commonplace with same-gender partners and people who use they/them pronouns.

I recommend this book for LGBTQIA+, fantasy, and romance lovers. I found the balance between romance and fantasy to be well-maintained. A nature lover will likely also enjoy the aspect of nature powers. I think this is a book to check out. I enjoyed reading it. There are some content warnings to be aware of, and I will list some here. There are descriptions of physical abuse, sexual assault, bodily injury, and sexual content (mild). Overall, this was a great read, and I can't wait to see what else Musto puts out.

You can use my Bookshop.org to order the book. This will help support indie bookstores, and I get a portion of the sale. 

As always, happy reading! 

Review: Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

 

I read this book as a part of the trans rights readathon but had wanted to read it for a very long time. 

Manhunt is a horror novel that takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of the US, specifically the Northeast. The world has fallen apart due to a disease that causes anyone with higher testosterone levels to turn into animalistic monsters. This means that most men, transwomen not on estrogen, and other people with conditions causing higher testosterone levels have become these monsters. The story follows Fran and Beth, two transwomen who have to hunt these men and remove their testicles and other organs to keep their testosterone levels low enough to remain themselves. 

As if ravaging monsters that rape and eat people wasn't enough, terfs (trans-exclusive radical feminists) have decided to make it their duty to eradicate transwomen. Fran, Beth, and any other transwomen have to live in fear and caution to avoid being left to turn into a beast by the terf army. There's also Robbie, a transman living alone in the woods, killing off the men he can. Until his path collides with Fran and Beth, and he gets swept up into their lives. And there's also Indi, a doctor, a friend to Beth and Fran, and a fat woman. Even in the apocalypse, Indi always has to prove her worth and ability as a fat person to everyone else. Even as a doctor who makes estrogen, she isn't respected outside her friend group. 

This book is a lot. It's gruesome and violent from the get-go. Sexual intimacy is twisted by the backdrop of a dangerous world. The friendships and loves are desperate. The anti-trans sentiment is difficult to deal with when the world has ended. This is a great exploration of the possible extent that transphobes could go. It's an exploration of what it means to win. It is an exploration of what it means to be good in a world where goodness doesn't exist. 

It was everything I had hoped for and so much more. I was disturbed, heartbroken, and frightened. This is not a story for the faint of heart. It's not a story for everyone, and that's okay. This book's content warnings list is extremely long, but I will list the most notable. Transphobia is heavy in this book as well as violence, graphic injury, sexual assault, body horror, fatphobia, self-harm, and more. Please, please check out StoryGraph for a full list of these possible content warnings. For a book like this, it is essential to be aware of what you're getting into and make sure you have the emotional space to consume the content. Please be safe and kind to yourself when reading. 

Despite the intense nature of this book, it is still one I highly recommend. If you are a horror fan or enjoy queer literature, you should consider checking this book out. 

If you'd like to purchase this book, head over to Bookshop.org, an alternative to Amazon and where I get a portion of the sales made from my recommendations. 

As always, happy reading! 

Update!

For any lovers of my writing, I have a story up on Kindle Vella now. The first two episodes are available now, and another is scheduled to release on Friday. The first three episodes of Kindle Vella stories are completely free. The fourth episode will release Monday, 4/24/23. 

I would very much appreciate you trying it out and maybe even giving it a like. Writing is a big passion of mine, and I'm hoping to break into the field. 

Happy reading!

Review: Blood of the Orc Prince by Lionel Hart

 

This is the book that follows Claimed by the Orc Prince. There will be spoilers for the first book so if you don't want those, go ahead and skip this post. 

In this book, we are still following Zorvut and Taegan. However, now war has broken out between the Elves and Orcs. Zorvut wants to find his human father to see if he can train him to properly use his magic. The couple ventures out of the Elven kingdom and embark on a long journey to a port town where Zorvut's father lives. As Zorvut is learning magic, Taegan feels a strain on their relationship forming. He's worried and homesick which leads him to do something very stupid. 

I didn't like this book as much as I liked the first one. I still really like the relationship between Zorvut and Taegan, but this book dragged on. There wasn't as much plot/action until the very end of the book. It was a lot of Taegan talking about how lonely he was and Zorvut doing magic. With that being said, I still like this book and am planning on reading the last book in the series. 

I suspect that the last book will pick up on the plot and adventure given where this one left off. I'm excited to see what happens to this couple and finish their journey with them. I think I will also try some of Lionel Hart's other works because I did enjoy these books. 

For content warnings, this book does contain adult sexual content (there's not a ton of it in it, but it is pretty spicy), there is bodily harm, and more. StoryGraph doesn't have very many content warnings, but I do always recommend checking there before reading. 

If you would like to purchase this book and contribute to my reviews, you can purchase it from Bookshop.org where I get a percentage of your purchase. 

As always, happy reading and I will see you soon with more reviews. 

Review: Claimed by the Orc Prince by Lionel Hart

 

As a part of the Trans Rights Readathon I participated in at the end of March, I read this book and the second one. The author of this book is a transman. I believe he has three series all of which are men together. This book does not contain a transgender character, but I believe one of his other books does have a trans main character. 

This story follows an elven prince, Taegan, who is arranged to marry an orc prince, Zorvut. Taegan is apprehensive about this because he's been raised to believe he'd fight orcs one day, but now he's marrying one in order to establish peace between their species. Another issue is that Taegan has a lover who is very upset about this arrangement and unwilling to listen to Taegan and step back. 

Taegan and Zorvut get married and begin their life together. There's a lot of awkwardness at first and miscommunication. However, the two begin to grow closer to one another. They begin to engage in intimate relations (spice level I would say is moderate to high). They bond increasingly and realize that they are different from what they expected. 

Of course, as they are falling for each other, issues come up that threaten to pull them apart. 

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fantasy elements in it. I really loved the sweetness of the relationship between the two as they grow closer (that's not a spoiler, this is a romance, that's what happens in romances). I feel like it's a very sweet, cozy romance. Although the ending does get a bit more intense. 

For content warnings, I would say sexual content, violence, discrimination based on fantasy species, and more. Be sure to check out StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings as provided by other readers. This book is available as of writing this on Kindle Unlimited as well as the other books in the series. 

If you'd like to purchase this book, you can do so and support me as well as a company that is not Amazon by buying it from Bookshop.org. 

As always, happy reading, and I will see y'all soon as I catch up on my backlog of book reviews. 

Review: Woman of the Year by Darcey Bell

 

Due to FTC regulations, I do have to disclose that I received this book from Simon & Schuster for free as a part of their Book Club Favorites program. I appreciate their sending me this book so I could read and review it for y'all. 

Some of y'all may already be familiar with Darcey Bell's work. Her book A Simple Favor was turned into a movie in 2018 starring Blake Lively and Ann Kendrick. I had not read this book or watched the movie prior to reading Woman of the Year. 

What intrigued me about this book was the description of a "crazy" cat lady bent on revenge going after a former college friend who received the Woman of the Year award. I was not expecting the wild ride this book took me on. 

This book follows Lorelei, a former psychology student, and current unemployed cat parent. We start with Lorelei after the events of her story have already occurred and follow along with her journey. The entire time I was reading this book, I couldn't figure out if I liked it. To be completely honest, I'm still not sure. I read it very quickly so it wasn't horrible. It was just strange and parts of it were way more interesting than others. In this book, Lorelei talks about the death of her former friend Holly who won the Woman of the Year award, but she didn't kill her (she says). She then jumps back and forth between the present and her college days as she explains why she had this hatred for her former friend. 

Lorelei had a relationship with a professor which she says led to her falling out with Holly and her eventual departure from college right before her last semester. I found the story of her college experience to be far more interesting than the rest of the book and in fact, would've much preferred that had been the focus of the story. It reminded me somewhat of My Dark Vanessa (another book I read and reviewed on the blog) which is a book that jumps between past and present detailing the inappropriate relationship a high school girl had with her teacher. The vibes were somewhat similar although Lorelei was an adult at the time of her relationship with her teacher. 

I won't give spoilers, but I will say that Lorelei believes her professor and Holly conspired against her and did something awful. However, it is very unclear if Holly actually participated in the act Lorelei believes she participated in. It's also unclear if Lorelei is actually a reliable narrator or if her mind has been too twisted by delusions to tell the real story. 

When I read the description, I thought the part about her cat would be something cute, but it seemed to take up way more of the book than I would have liked. Her only personality traits were her cat and wanting revenge which made her a very boring character. 

I will say this, the book was entertaining. The twist was unexpected which is what we want in a thriller. There were things that were said that made me a little uncomfortable and had me researching if the author had gotten in trouble for problematic behavior prior (as far as I can tell she hasn't). I think if you want a quick read that doesn't require too much thinking and you're okay with most of your questions being unanswered, this is a fun read. 

There are content warnings present in this book such as adult sexual content, mentions of sexual assault, mentions of animal abuse, mentions of immoral psychological experimentation, and more. As always, check out StoryGraph for a better list of content warnings as provided by other readers. 

Again if you use my Bookshop.org link to purchase this book, I do get a percentage of the sale. 

As always, happy reading, and I will see y'all soon. 

Review: That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming

 

This is yet another Kimberly Lemming book. Check out my review of That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon if you haven't already. 

In this book, Cinnamon's friend Brie finds herself getting unwanted advances from her neighbor and when he attempts to get her with a love potion, she accidentally throws it at Felix, the werewolf. Felix instantly falls in love with Brie thanks to the potion and declares she's his fated mate. The main problem is that the love potion is likely why he feels this way and they tend to do serious damage to the person who takes it. 

Felix is all over Brie, entering her home (kind of uninvited), and obsessing over her. Brie on the other hand finds herself starting to fall for Felix, but needing to break this love potion, she consults with her friends on how to break the curse. In their efforts to remove the spell, things get a little hot and heavy and a tentacle monster is accidentally summoned. As things get more complicated between the two of them, women are going missing in the village as well and it's up to them and their friends to figure out what is going on. 

Lemming is a hilariously funny writer. Her characters are relatable, her fantasy is interesting, and her sexy scenes are spicy. I found myself highlighting way more quotes in this book than I did in the last one as I laughed uncontrollably throughout the read. 

This book does contain adult content, bodily harm, kidnapping, and more. Please check StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings as provided by other readers. 

As always, happy reading. 

Review: The Death God's Sacrifice by Jenny Nordbak

 

I recieved this book with a Kickstarted I bought back in October. It's the Peculiar Tastes Kickstarter that Bonkers Romance did. If you'd like to see a video of the books and art I received, an unboxing video is available on my Youtube channel. 

This is the first Jenny Nordbak book I've read and I absolutely loved it. We follow Stheno, older sister of Medusa, and monster slayer. She has been tasked with killing a druid in order to save her younger sister from Medusa's killer Perseus. Stheno agrees to be a sacrifice to the druid, but is drugged with and aphrodesiac powder. She and the druid engage in adult relations before she is able to kill him. She fails her task because of this, but manages to turn him to stone and run off to try to save her sister. On her way back, she finds Perseus who of course fights her. But then the druid isn't as dead as she thought. He fights Perseus and returns Stheno to his home. He makes a deal with Perseus to get Stheno's sister back but it means she and the druid will be staying with each other for the next two days. 

As the two spend more time together, Stheno has to decide if she's going to let this man in. She's attracted to him, he's kind, but can she really let herself weaken for a man? 

I really enjoyed this book. I liked Stheno's badass character traits and feirce love for her sisters. The druid's Scottish accent was delicious as well and his protective characteristics very sweet. I enjoyed the story building and mythology present in this book as well. It was a very quick read for me, I finished over 50% of it in a day and the rest I finished the day after. If you're looking for something, quick, spicy, and interesting, I'd recommend this book to you. 

As always I would recommend checking content warnings before reading. Content warnings include but are not limited to murder, violence, blood, adult intimate relations, and more. I recommend checking out StoryGraph for a full list of content warnings as provided by other readers. 

Happy reading and I will see you soon. 

Trans Rights Readathon

 

I am so excited to say I read five books for the #TransRightsReadathon! It has given me much hope and energy to see the bookish community come together to read for a good cause. Trans rights are on the line right now. 

For those of you who don't know, I'm from Texas and today the Texas House Public Health Committee is hearing House Bill 1686. HB 1686 is a bill that will prevent transgender youth from accessing the gender-affirming healthcare they need. For those who don't understand what it means to be trans, this may not seem like a big deal, but it is deadly. The likelihood that this will lead to an increase in trans youth being susceptible to people who would harm them as well as trans youth suicide rates increasing in Texas is high. 

Because I am a Texan, a queer Texan, I decided that I would donate $5 per book I read for this readathon to the Transgender Education Network of Texas (click "Support our work" to donate). I would very much appreciate those who would consider making similar donations to TENT or other Texas organizations dedicated to fighting for trans people. If you are looking for other ways to help fight HB 1686, you can attend the rally at the Capital at 1pm today. You can call the Committee Chairperson: Representative Stephanie Klick at (512)-463-0599. You can use this link to email committee members. You can also drop a card (instructions for dropping a card). (Information thanks to Texas Freedom Network)

Together we can fight unjust laws from being passed in our communities, states, and country. It is our job to stand up when injustice persists. Please remember that although my focus, in this case, was on the trans rights of Texans being threatened, anti-trans bills exist across the country. Furthermore, a plethora of bills fueled by hate for marginalized communities are being debated and in some cases put into place across the country. We must be vigilant. We have seen that when laws are filled with hate and fear of marginalized people, atrocities take place. 

I highly recommend staying on top of threats to our civil liberties by keeping track of the issues the ACLU is fighting and reporting on. Remember that it is far easier and far less energy-consuming to love others than to hate them. 

Review: I'm in Love With Mothman by Paige Lavoie

 

I've been excited about this book since I first heard about it on Booktok. Mothman, a queer icon plus romance? Yes, please. As many people know, Mothman is a cryptid with its own statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. A statue that I have not seen personally, but I hear has a nice butt. Mothman has captured the hearts of many a queer and many a monster lover. People just really want to get with Mothman and obviously, I'm here for it. 

Heather is a social media influencer, but not just any influencer, she's a mommy blog baby grown up and turned influencer. She's spent the entirety of her life behind or in front of the camera, documenting every bad hair day, breakfast, and break up. Influencing seems like the dream job. You can work from home, you get to do fun things for a living, you get lots of free stuff, and love from fans. However, Heather is exhausted from sharing every detail of her life. She finally decides enough is enough and impulsively buys a cabin in the middle of the woods and moves to it. 

Heather is a city girl and doesn't really know herself outside influencing, but now she's determined to figure it out. She makes some small-town friends and begins to feel more confident about her decision. Of course, she then makes the ridiculous choice to climb a tree. And when I say climb a tree I don't mean one or two branches, this girl decides to climb to the top of a tree. In a skirt and stylish boots. (I wish I could say that this isn't something I would do, but as a once tree climber and a stubborn person, I know I'd probably at least try to do the same). Once she climbs the tree, there's no getting down, so she plummets. Lucky for her, a mysterious forest monster saves her from death. 

Later when the same forest monster winds up hurt on her property, she brings him in to nurse him back to health. As she grows closer to him, there's only one problem, one of her friends is a monster hunter and he's determined to get her monster. 

This book was a great balance of silly, emotional, romantic, and cottage core. I liked the characters, except for Chris, we hate Chris. It's a good representation of a mid-size or possibly plus-size character (it's not specified) and a person with a chronic illness (thyroid issues). Mothman is a lovable yet strange character and honestly, I want to be him. 

This book does contain adult content but it is pretty tame compared to a lot of the other books I read. It's descriptive of adult intimacy but in a more vague way. Content warnings for this book include but are not limited to adult sexual content, gun use, injury, discussion of self-images and body image issues, and more. As always I turn my readers towards Storygraph for a list of content warnings as provided by other readers. 

I would love it if you'd purchase this book on my Bookshop.org page. This allows me to get a percentage of the profit from your purchase of the book and it is a great alternative to Amazon. As always happy reading and I will see y'all soon. 

Review: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

I've been meaning to read this book for quite some time, but I finally got around to it with a mutual's Monster Mash March idea. 

When I started this book, I knew from the first sentence I was going to enjoy it. Being drunk, looking for cheese, and trying to stumble home, now that's my kind of heroine. Cinnamon wanted a simple life living on her family's spice farm and enjoying their company, but life had other plans for her. On her stumble home, she finds a man in need of help but when she helps him he jumps up and chases her. Realizing she's just helped a demon, she knows her life is in danger. Her only hope is to run through the cinnamon maze and hope she gets to her parent's house in time. Luckily, she does and she barricades herself inside the house. This of course gets her teased by her family but better teased than killed by a demon. 

They don't believe a demon has chased her, but as they're eating breakfast he pops his horned head in through the window. He explains that their Goddess is who she says she is and he needs Cinnamon's help to get rid of her. With the threat of her family being in danger, Cinnamon agrees to help this demon man, Fallon. The two set off on a quest, but when it's finished, Cinnamon explains it'll take more to get rid of the false Goddess and Fallon tells her she has to come with him for the entire journey. Close proximity to a hot demon does things to Cinnamon's head and as they journey together she is unable to pretend she's not attracted to him. The two meet more friends along the way and the story gets more fantastical. 

I absolutely loved the world in this book as well as the fantastical elements of different kinds of demons (shifters, centaurs, etc). Lemming writes in a way that is funny and relatable. Her characters are the realistic side of a hero's journey, specifically Cinnamon, the hero that just wants to get back to her life. I found myself laughing out loud, gasping, and getting those schoolgirl feelings. For me, this book was basically reading happiness. If I could read only it and do nothing else, I'm pretty sure all my problems would be cured. 

I'm excited to read the second book as well as the third one when it comes out later this year. Lemming is a fantastic writer and very quickly managed to get into my top three favorite authors list. (It's Katee Robert, Kimberly Lemming, and Elle Marr for those of you interested).  If you want something adventurous, fun, and sexy, I highly recommend checking this book out. 

This book contains adult content, so you should be aware of it before reading it. For content warnings, I would say violence, drinking, intimate adult relations, and more. As always I point my readers toward StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings. 

This book is available currently on Kindle Unlimited and can be bought on Bookshop.org where I have an affiliate code. 

Happy reading and I'll see y'all soon with more reviews. 

Trans Rights Readathon

 As many people know, the transgender community is currently under threat in most US states. There are hundreds of anti-trans bills that the community is trying to combat. The bookish community has decided to rally together and do what we can to make a difference for transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-nonconforming individuals. From March 20th to March 27th, participating readers will read books by trans authors. In addition to this, it is a readathon so we will be donating to transgender organizations. Each participant is able to choose their own organization but some big ones would be the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Transgender Law Center, the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Trans Youth Equality Foundation, and more. Many participants are choosing to donate to organizations in their home states or cities. 

I have decided to support the Transgender Education Network of Texas and will be donating $5 for each finished book between the 20th to the 27th. I have also made a few purchases of books by transgender authors to help the community in that way. I am asking that my family, friends, and followers participate in the reading challenge or if possible contribute a monetary donation to a transgender rights organization. Together we can make a change for people in our communities. 

For me, this issue hits home. I have many trans and nonbinary friends and family members and identify as a gender-nonconforming person myself. Many trans people are going to be able to move out of unsafe states but many more will not be able to. Furthermore, if the country continues down the path it is going I fear that transgender rights will be threatened across the nation. We can not be quiet when marginalized members of our community are attacked. Everyone deserves to be able to live and present in their body in a way that makes them most comfortable. 

In my home state of Texas, the situation is particularly dire. Transgender children are already being denied affirmative care and parents who attempt to provide them with it are being investigated by Child Protective Services. It is likely that adults will face a loss of access to affirmative care in the near future. Transgender people are already killed at high rates in the state of Texas and the "Gay Panic" law remains in place allowing people to get away with murdering or attacking LGBTQIA+ individuals if they believe they are threatened by them. Black trans women are killed at high rates in the state of Texas. We have a lively queer community in the state, but with more rights under attack, that community is likely to dwindle. 

I hope you will consider reading or donating to the cause. Even making a purchase of a book by one or two trans authors is a big help. 

You can head over to my Bookshop.org list to find a list of books by trans authors. I will be adding more to the list soon, but the current ones are ones I've read or that I'm planning to read for the readathon.