Tag: Queer

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: September 17th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Adult, Gothic, Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor’s murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.

First Line:

Sylvia was in the river again. Lorelei didn’t need to see her to be certain of it.

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of A Dark and Drowning Tide alternated between slow and medium.

POV: A Dark and Drowning Tide is told from Lorelei’s 3rd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: A Dark and Drowning Tide has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Death
  • Murder
  • Antisemitism
  • Eugenics
  • Colonization
  • Grief
  • Loss of Sibling
  • Blood & Gore
  • Violence
  • Dead Body
  • Injury Detail
  • Drowning
  • Drugging
  • Fire
  • Vomit
  • Alcohol Consumption

Sexual Content: There are sexual situations in A Dark and Drowning Tide. They are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in A Dark and Drowning Tide. There is also language used that could be considered offensive to people.

Setting:  A Dark and Drowning Tide is set in Brunnestaad, Albe, Ebul, and The Vanishing Isle.

Age Range: I recommend A Dark and Drowning Tide to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Lorelei is a folklorist who is the cohead of an expedition to find a fabled spring for the king of her wartorn country. As the expedition starts, her beloved mentor is killed, leaving her in charge. That enrages other party members until they are reminded why they are there. Lorelei is desperate to find the spring before her fellow expedition members make good on their threats to kill her. But she soon discovers there is more to the expedition than finding the spring. And that includes the tentative partnership with Sylvia von Wolff. Can Lorelei find the spring before they decide to kill her? Will she be able to prove herself to the king?

Main Characters:

Lorelei Kaskel (folklorist)—Lorelei was a tough character to like. She presented as very defensive and had an acid tongue on her. But, as the book went on, I began to see why Lorelei was the way she was. The hatred that she dealt with from certain party members was awful. She was on edge the entire time. However, her character started softening when Ludwig got cursed, and I liked her by the end of the book.

Sylvia von Wolff (naturalist)—I liked Sylvia but found her almost too naive. She acknowledged her friends’ faults, but at the same time, she protected them. I got very frustrated with her during the last half of the book. Even in danger, she still believed that her friends would do no harm. But, she did rise to the occasion during the critical battle scene.

Johann zu Wittelsbach (medic)—II couldn’t stand Johann, but at the same time, I pitied him. He was molded into what he was by his abusive father. In some parts of the book, the author conveyed that a part of him hated what he became. His death was one of the more gruesome ones in the book.

Heike van der Kaas (astronomer and navigator)—Heike came across as someone you didn’t want to mess with. But, as the book went on, she mellowed out. I figured out that she was all bark and no bite.

Adelheid de Mohl (thaumatologist)—Besides Ludwig, she was the kindest on the boat to Lorelei. So, when things went sideways, I was shocked at her role.

Ludwig von Meyer (botanist)—I liked him and wished he had more page time. But, the author took him out fairly early in the book.

My review:

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a wonderfully dark fantasy lesbian romance. When I read the synopsis on NetGalley, I knew I needed to read this book. So, I wished for it and was thrilled when I got the email that my wish was granted.

The main storyline of A Dark and Drowning Tide centers entirely on Lorelei and the journey to find the Ursprung. This storyline was wonderfully written. Lorelei and the team have to make trips that are intense and strange. They have to contend with dragons, mermaid-like creatures, forests that move, curses, and other obstacles. Those obstacles also include what they feel towards each other, whether hate or love.

The fantasy angle of the book was perfect. I enjoyed reading about how the magic works in this work, the different magical beings portrayed, and the various lands that they traveled through. I enjoyed that the magic wasn’t all sunshine and roses but had a darker element.

The romance angle was all right. It may be overshadowed by everything else that is going on in the book. It also seemed forced in some sections. But, overall, I enjoyed seeing Lorelei and Sylvia fall in love.

The mystery angle was interesting. I thought I had figured out who killed Ziegler. I wasn’t wrong; there was more to that than what the author initially let on. I was shocked when Lorelei figured it out in the middle of the book.

The end of A Dark and Drowning Tide was heartbreaking but enlightening. I liked that there was a HEA for Lorelei and Sylvia. The last chapters, detailing life after the expedition, were what I thought they would be. I was surprised by what was asked and the reaction it got.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Allison Saft for allowing me to read this ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Dark and Drowning Tide, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Allison Saft

Fall for Him by Andie Burke

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: September 3rd, 2024

Genre: Romance, Queer, Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Fiction, MM Romance, Contemporary Romance, Gay

Publication Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Fall for Him by Andie Burke, seven-hundred-fifty square feet isn’t enough for the home-renovation-fueled hatred and the building sexual tension.

Dylan Gallagher’s hot neighbor loathed him from the second he moved in, and causing a flood, falling through the floor, and landing directly onto that same neighbor’s bed probably means that’s unlikely to change. The poorly timed “It’s Raining Men” joke didn’t help.

Meanwhile, ER nurse Derek Chang’s life is a literal when-rains-it-pours nightmare. A man he hates dropped into his life along with an astronomically expensive problem originating from Derek’s own apartment’s plumbing. Also, the local HOA tyrant has been sniffing around trying to fine him for his extended, illicit banned breed dog-sitting.

Since Dylan also wants to keep the catastrophe quiet, he offers to fix the damage himself. Dylan’s sure he’s not Derek’s type, so he focuses all his ADHD hyper fixation energy on getting the repair job done as quickly as possible―avoiding doing anything stupid like acting on his very inconvenient crush. Meanwhile Derek tries to ignore that the tattooed nerd sleeping on the couch is surprisingly witty, smart, and kind, despite the long-term grudge Derek’s been holding against him. But will squeezing all their emotional baggage plus a dog into a tiny one-bedroom apartment be a major disaster…or just prove they’re made for each other?

Fall for Him combines banter, hijinks, and heart in a story of finding out what it means to fix things after your life crumbles.

First Line:

The only warning had been a millisecond of ominous crunching before the kitchen floor collapsed beneath Dylan Gallagher’s feet.

Important details about Fall for Him

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Dylan, Derek)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Fall for Him contains themes that include alcoholism, death, homophobia, death of a parent, workplace violence, anxiety, anxiety attacks, blood, physical injuries, grief, physical assault, and bullying. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Fall for Him contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderately graphic sexual content in Fall for Him.

Setting: Fall for Him is set in Frederick, Maryland.

My Review:

When I got the invite for Fall for Him, I was excited to read it. I had read Fly with Me and enjoyed Olive and Stella’s romance, so I was giddy when I realized that this was Derek’s romance. Derek was one of my favorite secondary characters in Fly with Me, and I was hoping he would get his own book.

While these books are technically not in a series, I recommend reading Fly with Me before reading Fall for Him. That first book gives a lot of background about Derek (which should have been my first clue there would be a book 2). The author goes over everything rather quickly in Fall for Him. However, the nuances and relationships are fully explained in Fly with Me.

The main storyline of Fall for Him centers around Dylan and Derek and their romance. The book literally begins with Dylan falling through the floor onto Derek’s bed and taking off from there. I found the storyline to be well-written, funny, and often sad.

The romance angle of Fall for Him was slow. While Dylan and Derek had feelings for each other, some major misunderstandings kept popping up. The most major one (and the one that broke my heart) was Dylan and Derek’s relationship with Olive’s deceased brother. That relationship and what Derek thought he knew about it almost derailed Dylan and Derek’s romance. Besides that, it was fun to see a relationship that was true to life.

Dylan’s mental health issues were also a considerable part of the book. As the mother of a daughter who has severe ADHD, I applaud the author for her true-to-life depiction of ADHD. Everything that Dylan experienced in the book mirrored things that my daughter has experienced. It was refreshing to read a book where ADHD wasn’t demonized or put down.

A secondary storyline runs throughout the book involving a nosey HOA president. I couldn’t believe her audacity and the power trip she was on because of that title. I will give a small snippet of what Carol did:

  • Tried to tell Derek that renovating an apartment was against HOA rules (it wasn’t)
  • Broke into Derek’s apartment with a spare key given to her (it was in case of an emergency)
  • Tried to have Dylan’s younger sister arrested for breaking and entering.
  • And my favorite
  • Accused Dylan of making porn in his apartment.

And that isn’t even all of it. Carol made me mad and even more determined not to end up in a building or house with an HOA.

The author also touches upon workplace violence (Dylan is an ER nurse) and sibling bullying (his father and brothers mercilessly bully Dylan). It is essential to understand that both happen, but only workplace violence gets any attention if brought up. Seeing how Dylan was treated by his father and brothers was heartbreaking.

The end of Fall for Him was perfect, and the epilogue had me laughing and crying. I will never hear “Death to the Patriarchy” again without picturing Dylan’s niece. I am also looking forward to seeing if there will be another book.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Andie Burke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Fall for Him. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

No Road Home by John Fram

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: July 23rd, 2024

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, LGBT, Mystery Thriller, Queer, Paranormal, Adult, Suspense

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

For years, single father Toby Tucker has done his best to keep his sensitive young son, Luca, safe from the bigotry of the world. But when Toby marries Alyssa Wright—the granddaughter of a famed televangelist known for his grandiose, Old Testament preaching—he can’t imagine the world of religion, wealth, and hate that he and Luca are about to enter.

A trip to the Wright family’s compound in sun-scorched Texas soon turns hellish when Toby realizes that Alyssa and the rest of her brood might have some very strange plans for Toby and his son. The situation only grows worse when a freak storm cuts off the roads and the family patriarch is found murdered, stabbed through the heart on the roof of the family’s mansion.

Suspicion immediately turns to Toby, but when his son starts describing a spectral figure in a black suit lurking around the house with unfinished business in mind, Toby realizes this family has more than murder to be afraid of. And as the Wrights close in on Luca, no one is prepared for the lengths Toby will go in the fight to clear his name and protect his son.

First Line:

The knife slides free, the door clicks closed and here, at last, is the rain.

Important details about No Road Home

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (mainly Toby, with a couple of chapters from Luca and Julian’s POV)

Content/Trigger Guidance: No Road Home contains themes that include bullying, classism, conversion therapy, homelessness, incest, pedophilia, grooming, sexual assault, child abuse, cheating, infidelity, addiction, anxiety, depression, dissociation, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, overdose, infertility, pregnancy, blood, gore, chronic illness, dead body, loss of autonomy, medical treatment, physical illness, cancer, death of a parent, death of a sibling, grief, suffocation, confinement, knife violence, murder, attempted murder, physical assault, gun violence, and flood. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: No Road Home contains explicit swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content on page in No Road Home.

Setting: No Road Home is set in Hebron, Texas.

My Review:

When I read the blurb for No Road Home, it caught my attention. I have a strange fascination for evangelical preachers. I don’t know why; they have always fascinated me. Anyway, when I saw that the family of such a preacher was going to be featured, I was super interested to see how messed up they were (and the book didn’t disappoint). With the main character being a man who is parenting a queer child, I was also very interested in seeing how that was going to play into this book. I wasn’t disappointed. No Road Home had me glued to it until the wee hours of the morning.

The main storyline in No Road Home is centered on Toby, his son Luca, and the hellish couple of days he spends with his new wife’s family in Texas. This storyline was twisted. Actually, it was not twisted; it was knotted. Much was happening with and around this family, and the author took his sweet time revealing everything. But the same thing can be applied to Toby. A lot was happening internally with him, and his internal issues added extra depth.

The book gets off to a slow start, but it doesn’t stay slow for long. After Jerome is found killed, everything just snowballs. Throughout the storyline, one surprise after another is revealed, and each reveal explains a little more about Toby and the Wright family. By the end of the book, this storyline was blazing fast.

The relationships in No Road Home did make the book. I liked seeing how the author defined each and changed each relationship. The one that stood out the most to me was Luca and Toby’s relationship. That was pure love. Toby was willing to do whatever it took to shield Luca from bigotry in any form. He was also willing to do whatever it took to make sure that he and Luca left the property. The other relationship that stood out was weirdly Jerome and Cora. I can’t get into that relationship without massive spoilers, but it was similar to Toby and Luca’s….except that Cora did everything for the wrong reasons.

No Road Home is huge on secrets. Every character in this book either had a secret or knew one. I was overwhelmed when the author started revealing everything because it seemed all done simultaneously.

There were quite a few mysteries with some huge twists. The author does a good job of keeping them all under wraps. My biggest one was Willow and her connection to Toby and the Wright family. That was one of the biggest twists in the book. The other twists paled in comparison but still took my breath away.

There is a paranormal angle to the book that interested me. At first, I thought what Luca was talking about was a type of imaginary friend. But the more Luca spoke about it, and what Toby found on the roof, the more I figured out not only who but also what Luca befriended (and, weirdly, who was shielding him from the family).

I have so much more to discuss, but doing so would mean revealing spoilers, and I don’t want to do that.

The end of No Road Home was quick. I liked how the author explained everything and left no storyline open. I rarely end a book like this feeling satisfied, but in this case, I did. Everyone in this book, except the victim, got what they deserved. Why except the victim? He should have been kept alive to face the music with everyone else.

Many thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley, and John Fram for allowing me to read and review this ARC of No Road Home. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to No Road Home, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by John Fram

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: April 9, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Retellings, Historical, Fiction, Queer, Romance, Lesbian, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Once a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale The Selkie Wife.

When a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, already drenched to the bone in the freezing cold and barely able to speak a word of English.

Although Jean is the only midwife in the village and for miles around, she’s at a loss as to who this woman is or where she’s from; Jean can only assume she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean’s questions continue to grow. Why has he kept his wife’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin’s open demeanor change completely the moment she’s in his presence?

Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean she can’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean’s actions with their life?

First Line:

The ship was burning.

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Important details about A Sweet Sting of Salt

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Jean)

Content/Trigger: A Sweet Sting of Salt contains themes of animal death, homophobia, kidnapping, confinement, murder, pregnancy, animal cruelty, death, emotional abuse, infidelity, blood, medical content, stalking, lesbophobia, fire and fire injury, outing, gaslighting, domestic abuse, suicide*, death of a parent, rape*, sexual assault*, and sexual violence*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Suicide—Jean’s mother commits suicide off-page, with a very brief description of how she was found.
  • Rape, sexual assault, and sexual violence—These all happened to Muirin off page. The author does not go into detail.

Language: A Sweet Sting of Salt contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content in A Sweet Sting of Salt. The nonconsensual sexual content is alluded to, and the author gave no details other than it happened.

Setting: A Sweet Sting of Salt is set in Barquer’s Bay, Nova Scotia. 

My Review:

A Sweet Sting of Salt is the second book in a series of four books that have made my April must-read list. I was initially caught by the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?). But when I read the blurb, I was captivated. I haven’t read many retellings of The Selkie Wife and was curious how this retelling was. Well, I am happy to say that I loved this book.

The main storyline of A Sweet Sting of Salt centers around Jean (a young midwife), Muirin (the mysterious wife of her neighbor), their developing relationship, and the mystery of how Muirin came to be with Tobias (the neighbor). This well-written, gut-wrenching, and engaging storyline kept me glued to the story.

Jean was quickly one of my favorite characters in the book. As a midwife, she assisted women in the town and outlying areas with their pregnancies. But she didn’t have many friends due to her forced outing as a lesbian by her lover/best friend’s mother five years earlier. Her loneliness, discomfort, and sadness was palpable. After helping Muirin give birth and keeping her at her house, I could see Jean getting attached. And the struggle to keep away from Muirin was real, even when Tobias started threatening her on her land. But Jean wouldn’t let Tobias get the best of her and was determined to help Muirin.

Muirin was my other favorite character in the book. Despite her language barrier (she spoke Gaelic), she could communicate enough with Jean to let her know something was wrong at home. She didn’t bother hiding her feelings for Jean (they were apparent from the beginning). She was sweet, sassy, and very protective. Her love for Jean and her baby and her yearning for freedom was also palpable.

I want to mention Tobias since he is a significant character in the book. I had mixed feelings about him. On one hand, I was disgusted by what he did to Muirin and Jean. But on the other hand, I couldn’t help but pity him. His upbringing (which was chaotic and abusive) directly contributed to his capturing Muirin. He had this fantasy of having the perfect family. But the cracks started when Jean visited and spread after Jean’s ex’s mother told Tobias about Jean. The state of his mental health slowly deteriorated after that. His stalking of Jean and killing of her goat, Honey, was a small glimpse into his mind. What broke him was when Jean found Muirin’s pelt, and they left the house (after it caught on fire). I do not doubt in my mind that he would have killed Jean by the pond if Muirin hadn’t done what she did.

The LGBT angle was interesting. I liked seeing Jean, Muirin, and Lauri have so much love and support from their family and friends. Heck, before Jean met Muirin and after her ex left, Lauri’s mother tried to set her up with her Native relatives. It was refreshing.

The fantasy angle is kept in the background until the end of the book (when Muirin gets her pelt back). I liked that Muirin, through her uncle, explained everything. I also loved that Jean wasn’t as freaked out as I thought she would be.

The epilogue of A Sweet Sting of Salt made this book. I liked seeing what everyone was doing five years in the future. It was a HEA that made me smile.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Rose Sutherland for allowing me to read and review this ARC of a Sweet Sting of Salt. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Sweet Sting of Salt, then you will enjoy these books:

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of Publication: March 12th, 2024

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary, Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The sequel to Ripley Jones’s unforgettable YA thriller Missing Clarissa , The Other Lola is about what happens when the people you love the most are the people you can trust the least.

In the months after Cam and Blair broke their small hometown’s legendary missing-girl story and catapulted to accidental fame, they vowed never to do it again. No more mysteries, no more podcasts, and no more sticking their heads where they don’t belong.

Until Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their high school, shows up on their doorstep, begging Cam and Blair for help. Mattie’s sister Lola disappeared mysteriously five years ago. No trace of her was ever found. Now, she’s back–but Mattie is convinced the girl who returned is an impostor. Nobody believes Mattie’s wild story–not Mattie’s brother, not Mattie’s mother, and not even Cam and Blair. But something is definitely wrong in the Brosillard family. And Blair has her own reasons for wanting to know what really happened to Lola while she was gone.

With Cam and Blair still struggling with the aftermath of their first mystery—and with new secrets swirling between them—the stakes are higher than ever in this can’t-miss sequel to Missing Clarissa.

First Line

Lola was gone before she ever went missing.

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones

Important details about The Other Lola

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Cam and Blair), 2nd person (letters written to Mattie and emails written to Blair’s publisher)

Trigger Warnings: The Other Lola contains themes that include panic attacks/disorders, adult/minor relationships, drug abuse, abandonment, religious bigotry, bullying, deadnaming, drug use, suicidal thoughts, transphobia, murder, and sexual harassment.

Language: The Other Lola contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is minor sexual content in The Other Lola.

Setting: The Other Lola is set in and around Oreville, Washington.

My Review

The Other Lola is the follow-up novel to Missing Clarissa. It occurs several months after Cam and Blair solve Clarissa’s cold case. Blair and Cam had been put through the wringer by the press, the people in town, and people worldwide. Dealing with the repercussions of solving her case, they swore they would never do another podcast or look into another mystery. So, when Cam agrees to listen to Mattie’s tale about a sister disappearing and reappearing after five years and how they suspect the person who claims to be their sister is an imposter, she is inclined to laugh it off. But something about Mattie strikes a chord in Cam, and she has Blair listen to their story. The deeper Cam and Blair dig into Mattie’s story, the more they realize that something isn’t right with the family.

The Other Lola was such a great book to read. Right from the beginning, the storyline caught my attention. As the story went on and Cam and Blair dug into Lola’s disappearance and the events surrounding it, I couldn’t put my Kindle down. This was a well-written story with so many layers.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. The author does reveal something major about Lola in the first chapter. Even with that reveal, this storyline had so many twists and turns that I almost had difficulty keeping up.

The author also focused on Blair and Cam’s relationship and their separate ones. It was a little heartbreaking to read about Cam’s anxiety and her flashbacks. It was also sad to read about Blair and how she felt her friendship with Cam was suffering. I also liked how the author portrayed Cam’s relationship with her girlfriend. Now, Blair and her relationship with Lola’s twin was creepy, considering why she had started dating him. I never felt she was really into him, but that ending scene on the boat made me wonder.

The end of The Other Lola was sad. I was not expecting the book to go in the direction it did, but in hindsight, it did make sense.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Ripley Jones for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Other Lola. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Other Lola, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by Ripley Jones

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton

Date of publication: March 5th, 2024

Genre: Horror, Vampires, Queer, Fantasy, Gothic, Lesbian, LGBT, Fiction, Historical Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Across two different time periods, two women confront fear, loneliness, mortality, and a haunting yearning that will not let them rest. A breakout, genre-blurring novel from one of the most exciting new voices of Latin America’s feminist Gothic.

It is the twilight of Europe’s bloody bacchanals, of murder and feasting without end. In the nineteenth century, a vampire arrives from Europe to the coast of Buenos Aires and, for the second time in her life, watches as villages transform into a cosmopolitan city, one that will soon be ravaged by yellow fever. She must adapt, intermingle with humans, and be discreet.

In present-day Buenos Aires, a woman finds herself at an impasse as she grapples with her mother’s terminal illness and her own relationship with motherhood. When she first encounters the vampire in a cemetery, something ignites within the two women—and they cross a threshold from which there’s no turning back.

With echoes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and written in the vein of feminist Gothic writers like Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier, and Carmen Maria Machado, Thirst plays with the boundaries of genre while exploring the limits of female agency, the consuming power of desire, and the fragile vitality of even the most immortal of creatures.

First Line:

The day is white; its glare burns if you look straight at the sky.

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk

Important details about Thirst

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Maria and Alma)

Trigger Warnings: Thirst contains themes that include the death of a parent, blood, murder, terminal illness, death, suicide, violence, suicidal thoughts, grief, body horror, chronic illness, gore, physical abuse, sexual violence, medical content, suicide attempt, pandemic, confinement, sexual assault, medical trauma, child death, racism, and classism.

Language:  There is moderate swearing in Thirst. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is graphic sexual content in Thirst.

Setting: Thirst is set in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Maria’s (the vampire) backstory is set throughout Europe, but she ends up in Buenos Aires reasonably early in the book.

My Review

Thirst is a dark book. It starts dark (with Maria’s mother giving her to her Maker) and ends dark. Usually, this would put me (I do like a bit of light showing up in my horror/gothic books). But in this case, it worked. I finished this book more disturbed than when I started it.

Thirst’s storyline is separated into two parts. The first storyline follows Maria. The storyline explains how Maria became a vampire, her exploits across Europe with her sisters, her fleeing Argentina, her killings in Buenos Aires during several periods, her friendship with an immigrant, and her deal with that immigrant. I did enjoy this storyline. I found it well-written, and it scared me at times. It also showed that Maria did have a little bit of humanity left in her. But it also showcased what a monster she was.

The second storyline follows Alma. This storyline focuses on Alma, her mother’s illness, and how it was affecting her and being a mother herself. I did sympathize with Alma. She had a lot going on in her world and was losing control. This isn’t a gradual descent into depression; the author plunged us in with her. Her feelings of motherhood were interesting (I related to the dentist scene because I had been in that exact situation with one of my kids).

The storylines merge when Alma accidentally releases Maria. She doesn’t know what she did except that something happened in the vault, and Alma couldn’t account for a few hours. It isn’t until Maria makes herself known that Alma puts two and two together.

The horror angle of the book was terrific. Again, to reiterate, this is a very dark gothic book. The author kept the vampire myth very simple, and in that simplicity, she was able to write a truly terrifying story. Maria didn’t glitter, she couldn’t daywalk, and she wasn’t exactly beautiful (Alma’s first good look at her likened her skin to corpselike). But the horror also extended to Alma’s mother’s terminal illness. During Alma’s storyline, her mother went from being bedridden and at home to being hospitalized with tubes coming out of her. It was terrifying for Alma to see and witness.

The end of Thirst was interesting. I understood Alma’s decision and what she asked of Maria. And I also understood why Maria said yes. It wasn’t a happy ending. I mean, for Alma and Maria, it was. But for everyone else in Alma’s life, what she asked would have long-reaching repercussions. And that made me so sad for all of those people.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton, NetGalley, and Marina Yuszczuk for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Thirst. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Thirst, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Marina Yuszczuk

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

Publisher: Soho Press, Soho Teen

Date of publication: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Fiction, MM Romance, Gay, Young Adult Contemporary, High School

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this YA pop-punk debut about queer romance and destroying labels, a teen risks everything to write his own story. Perfect for fans of Sonora Reyes and Adib Khorram.

Stonebridge High’s resident bad boy, Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie, is failing senior year—thanks to his unchecked anger, rowdy friends, and a tendency to ditch his homework for skateboarding and a secret photography obsession. So when his mom drags him to a production of The Nutcracker, Wes isn’t interested at all . . . until he sees Tristan Monroe. Mr. Nutcracker himself.

Wes knows he shouldn’t like Tristan; after all, he’s a ballet dancer, and Wes is as closeted as they come. But when they start spending time together, Wes can’t seem to get Tristan out of his head. Driven by a new sense of purpose, Wes begins to think that—despite every authority figure telling him otherwise—maybe he can change for the better and graduate on time.

As a falling out with his friends becomes inevitable, Wes realizes that being himself means taking a stand—and blowing up the bad-boy reputation he never wanted in the first place.

From a debut author to watch, Skater Boy delivers a heart-wrenching, validating, and honest story about what it means to be gay in a world where you don’t fit in.

First Line:

I hate people.

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium and stays medium throughout the book.

POV: 1st person (told from Wes’s POV)

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of alcoholism (off and on page), alcohol (consumption/off and on page), bullying (graphic and on page), drug use (marijuana only/on page), panic attacks/disorders (on page), violence (on and off page), car accident (on page), domestic abuse (off page for actual assaults but on page with the aftermath—bruises, etc), homophobia (on page), injury/injury detail (on page), child abuse (off page/remembered through memories), and racism (on page). If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: Graphic swearing is used in Skater Boy. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: Skater Boy is mainly set in Valentine, Ohio. Towards the end of the book, a chapter is set in New York City. Wes also remembers living in Louisiana.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Wes “Big Mac” Mackenzie is known for his anger, petty crimes, bullying, and rowdy friends. What people don’t understand about him is that he loves photography and musicals-and he is gay. On top of that, Wes is in danger of failing out of school. The day he receives that information, his mother makes him go to a local production of The Nutcracker with her obnoxious boyfriend and his daughter. He was expecting to be bored out of his mind, and he was until he got a look at who was playing the Nutcracker: Tristan Monroe. Tristian is everything Wes isn’t, including being comfortable in his skin.

As Wes meets and spends more time with Tristian, he starts falling head over heels for him. Wes begins to see a future that isn’t as grim as the school’s counselors and teachers have made it out to be. But when Wes’s friends find out that he is seeing Tristan, it sets off a chain of events that could ruin not only Wes and Tristian’s relationship but also Wes’s future. It is up to Wes to set everyone and everything straight. And if that means coming out, then he’ll do it. Can Wes make things right? Will he get his happily ever after? Or will everything crash and burn?

Characters:

The main character in Skater Boy is Wes. I will be brutally honest about him—Wes was not likable for more than half the book. But he was a sympathetic character. He had gone through a lot as a child, and that shaped him into the angry, violent teenager portrayed in the book. But, as the author peeled back Wes’s layers (surprisingly, there were many), a different person was revealed. This person was artistic, sweet, a little (who am I kidding, a lot) insecure, unsure, and an anxiety-ridden mess. I loved Wes and liked that the more he hung out with Tristian, the more that side of him came out.

I do want to talk about Tristian. While he technically wasn’t a main character (the book was more focused on Wes), he was a considerable part of Wes’s life and the driving force behind Wes doing certain things. I wasn’t a fan of his to begin with (the whole talking about Wes behind his back was crappy), but that didn’t last long. I could see his feelings for Wes growing and understood his impatience with Wes (who was in the closet) to go public with their relationship.

Other secondary characters in this book are fascinating and have backstories that pique my interest. The author was able to incorporate those backstories into Wes’s story without taking Wes’s story over (if that makes sense). The author also used them to show how much Wes grew during this book.

My review:

The main storyline of Skater Boy centers around Wes, his relationship with Tristian, his growth throughout the book, and how his past trauma shaped him into the person he was. It was an emotional read for me. There were times when I wanted to hug Wes and tell him it was OK. But mostly, I was a captivated bystander to Wes’s ups and downs and his character growth.

As I mentioned above, I enjoyed seeing Wes’s character growth. At the beginning of the book, Wes is miserable. He had this facade of a bad boy to maintain. That included doing petty crimes, ditching school, bullying people, and just being a jerk. Add in his massive panic attacks (as someone who suffers from those, I sympathized with him) and the fact that he was gay and hiding it, and I could understand why he was stressed all the time. By the middle of the book, a different Wes emerges after he starts seeing Tristian. I wished this Wes showed up more initially, but I understood why the author let this Wes gradually out.

Wes and Tristian’s relationship is interesting and cute. I say interesting because I didn’t think Tristian liked Wes (only tolerated him). It wasn’t until Wes started shooting Tristian’s headshot and other pictures (for his portfolio) that I think Tristian started to like Wes. However, their relationship is very rocky throughout the book. Wes was very closeted, and it did affect their relationship. The whole bridge scene made me mad. No one deserves to be treated like that, and Tristian had every right to be upset with Wes.

Interwoven with the main storyline are numerous secondary storylines. Each storyline added extra depth and understanding to Wes’s character. Some of them explained why he wanted to keep Tristian a secret. Others explained why he bullied people (and it wasn’t as black and white as the author made it to be). And still, other storylines explained his past.

The end of Skater Boy was interesting and sweet. Once Wes did something, he committed wholeheartedly to it. I was surprised at the music Tristian chose to dance to. Also, his reaction to Wes outside the audition was one of the sweetest ones I have ever read. And the last chapter warmed my heart!!

Many thanks to Soho Press, Soho Teens, NetGalley, and Anthony Nerada for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Skater Boy. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Skater Boy, then you will enjoy these books:

Suggested Playlist (feel free to add songs or remove songs)

  1. “Sk8er Boi” – Avril Lavigne
  2. “Superman” – Goldfinger
  3. “All the Small Things” – Blink-182
  4. “Basket Case” – Green Day
  5. “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
  6. “Welcome to the Jungle” – Guns N’ Roses
  7. “Icky Thump” – The White Stripes
  8. “Misery Business” – Paramore
  9. “The Middle” – Jimmy Eat World
  10. “Teenagers” – My Chemical Romance
  11. “American Idiot” – Green Day
  12. “Anarchy in the U.K.” – Sex Pistols
  13. “Nothing Else Matters” – Metallica

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan: Book 1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Thriller, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Queer

Series: Shadow of the Leviathan

The Tainted Cup—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A Holmes and Watson-style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett

In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.

Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.

First Line:

The walls of the estate emerged from the morning fog before me, long and dark and rounded like the skin of some beached sea creature.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium but does increase to fast during crucial scenes.

POV: 1st person (told from Dinios Kol’s POV)

Series: The Tainted Cup is the first book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series.

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of body horror, murder, death, gore, violence, injury and injury details, animal death, classism, chronic illness, medical content, death of a parent (off page), fire and fire injury, gaslighting, alcohol, pandemic/endemic, ableism, blood, war, bullying, genocide, physical abuse, grief, vomit, and drug use. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Tainted Cup. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The Tainted Cup is set in and around the city of Talagray in the country of Tala.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When a high imperial officer is murdered by a tree erupting from his body, Investigator Ana Dolabra is called in to investigate. Instead, she sends her assistant, Dinios Kol (magically altered to take in and remember everything), to assess the crime scene. But, the murder of the imperial officer soon isn’t the only one. People of all classes are dying of trees erupting from their bodies. Called back to Talagray, Ana and Din are soon embroiled in an investigation that takes them from the front lines of a battle against sea leviathans to the gentry folk who run the city. With the death toll mounting, Ana and Din are in a race against the clock to find out who is killing these people and why. But the answers that they uncover will shock them.

Characters:

The main characters in The Tainted Cup are Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol (Din). Several secondary characters regularly appear, but the author keeps Ana and Din as the book’s main focus. I found them interesting. I was fascinated with Din’s magical alteration—he can remember and recall anything he has heard, read, or seen (also called a Sublime). The deeper into the book I got, the author revealed more about both Din and Ana. I also loved the relationship that they had. It was one of mutual respect which shone the most at the end of the book.

The secondary characters were interesting, adding extra depth and insight to the storyline. I will warn everyone, though, that the author is not very attached to his secondary characters and does kill a bunch off. So keep that in mind when reading, and don’t get too attached to the secondary characters.

My review:

I was excited when I checked my email and saw I had gotten a widget for The Tainted Cup. I loved the author’s Foundryside series and wanted to know when he would publish a new book. In the past, I have been disappointed by books that I get my hopes up for, and because of that, I temper my excitement a little. But, once I got reading, I allowed my inner fantasy geek to scream with joy. Why? Because this book was excellent!!!

The storyline of The Tainted Cup was very intriguing. It starts with a gruesome murder and takes off after that. The author kept the murder (and soon, murders) in my focus. The storyline is very complex and has a ton of layers to it. Once one layer was peeled back, another was there. That multilayering of the storyline added to my enjoyment of it.

The mystery angle of The Tainted Cup was excellent. Not only did I not see who the killers (there were two) were, but I did not expect the book to go in the direction it did. That twist at the end threw me and turned everything upside down. And guess what, I loved it!!

The fantasy angle was terrific, too. I had questions about the sea monsters and why they were trying to get further inland. The author never explained it, but the explanation should appear in upcoming books. I am also sure it is something super simple (breeding grounds/intelligent creatures/who knows).

The end of The Tainted Cup was interesting. Again, the twist took me completely by surprise. The author did wrap up the murder storyline in a way that left me satisfied. But he left so much more open, and I look forward to seeing how he expands upon them in upcoming books.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Robert Jackson Bennett for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Tainted Cup. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Tainted Cup, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Robert Jackson Bennett

Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: December 5th, 2023

Genre: Science Fiction, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Dystopia, Lesbian, Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Feminism

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The year is 2050. Ava and her girlfriend live in what’s left of Brooklyn, and though they love each other, it’s hard to find happiness while the effects of climate change rapidly eclipse their world. Soon, it won’t be safe outside at all. The only people guaranteed survival are the ones whose applications are accepted to The Inside Project, a series of weather-safe, city-sized structures around the world.

Jacqueline Millender is a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate, and thanks to a generous donation, she’s just become the director of the Inside being built on the bones of Manhattan. Her ideas are unorthodox, yet alluring—she’s built a whole brand around rethinking the very concept of empowerment.

Shelby, a business major from a working-class family, is drawn to Jacqueline’s promises of power and impact. When she lands her dream job as Jacqueline’s personal assistant, she’s instantly swept up into the glamourous world of corporatized feminism. Also drawn into Jacqueline’s orbit is Olympia, who is finishing up medical school when Jacqueline recruits her to run the health department Inside. The more Olympia learns about the project, though, the more she realizes there’s something much larger at play. As Ava, Olympia, and Shelby start to notice the cracks in Jacqueline’s system, Jacqueline tightens her grip, becoming increasingly unhinged and dangerous in what she is willing to do—and who she is willing to sacrifice—to keep her dream alive.

At once a mesmerizing story of queer love, betrayal, and chosen family, and an unflinching indictment of cis, corporate feminism, Yours for the Taking holds a mirror to our own world, in all its beauty and horror.

First Line:

The Inside Project started with the best intentions.

Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Yours for the Taking held steady at a medium fast pace.

POV: Yours for the Taking was told in 1st person, 3rd person, and 2nd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Yours for the Taking has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Transphobia
  • Confinement
  • Grief
  • Death
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Mental Illness
  • Misogyny
  • Suicide
  • Medical Trauma
  • Death of a parent
  • Pregnancy
  • Gaslighting
  • Classism
  • Ableism
  • Bullying
  • Panic attack/disorders
  • Self-harm
  • Rape
  • Slavery
  • Toxic Relationships
  • Violence
  • Forced Institutionalization
  • Medical Content
  • Kidnapping
  • Lesbophobia
  • Pandemic/Edemic
  • Body Horror
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Abandonment
  • Refugee Experiences
  • Workplace Harassment
  • Depression
  • Drugging
  • Eugenics
  • Loss of autonomy
  • Climate Change

Sexual Content: Yours for the Taking has moderate to graphic sexual content.

Language: There is moderate to graphic swearing in Yours for the Taking. Also, terminology and language will be offensive to most readers.

Setting: Yours for the Taking is set in a dystopian New York City.

Age Range: I recommend Yours for the Taking to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

In 2050, the world is ravaged by climate change. When a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate decides to build climate-safe, domed cities, it is a ray of hope for most people. Ava is one of those people, and when she is selected to live in the Manhattan Inside, she is thrilled. But, when her girlfriend, Orchid, isn’t selected, Ava is forced to journey to The Inside alone. Once settled, Ava learns of a program that will guarantee her better meals and rooms. But, doing this program would mean doing something she never planned–becoming a mother.

Jacqueline Millender is the reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate who pitched the idea of The Inside Project to donors. She wants to make a perfect world where women and men run equally. Or does she? There are secrets hidden from her donors and the people who run the day-to-day administration of The Inside Project. These secrets can make the project (and Jacqueline’s lifestyle) crash and burn.

Shelby is a young, bright transwoman who wants to make an impact in the world. Horrified by the effects of climate change, she hears about Jacqueline and her life as a women’s rights advocate. So, when Shelby becomes Jacqueline’s assistant, Shelby jumps at it. But Shelby soon learns things aren’t all sunshine and roses with Jacqueline or what she wants to be with The Inside Project.

Olympia is a promising medical student on the verge of graduating when Jacqueline offers her a job as the head of her health department. When she is forced to accept, Jacqueline shows her a different side of The Inside Project than what is projected to the world. Only Olympia’s actions prevent Jacqueline from doing something that could ruin the project. But Olympia can only stall for so long.

How will Shelby, Ava, and Olympia unite to bring down Jacqueline? What is so horrible that they will lose everything to prevent a more significant catastrophe?

Main Characters

Ava: I liked Ava the best of all the main characters. Her core values at the beginning of the book were the same at the end. She was sweet, and she loved her daughters. But, she knew, deep down, that something wasn’t right with The Inside. She was my favorite character in the entire book.

Jacqueline Millender: I liked what she initially put forward at the beginning of the book. She was building safe havens for people during the climate crisis that they were experiencing. But, slowly, cracks started to show in her facade and what she was doing. By the middle of the book, she disgusted me (what she had Olympia do to Ava and the other Inside residents was criminal). By the end of the book, I pitied and didn’t like her. I want to believe she was drunk on power, but with everything revealed about her family and herself, I think not.

Shelby Silver: Shelby rated second on the characters I liked. She went into the job with Jacqueline with rose-colored glasses. Even I could see how she was treated as early as the chapters where Olympia got recruited. Once she got on the ship (after the bedbug debacle), she was treated as less than a person. In the end, she is the one who brings about Jacqueline’s downfall.

Olympia: Olympia, for me, was a morally gray character. She followed Jacqueline’s orders until she started to develop a conscience. But until then, Olympia was willing to do whatever it took to cover up what Jacqueline was doing in that Inside facility. I liked that she finally found her backbone, stood up to Jacqueline, and ended what was happening. What Jacqueline suggested and what Shelby found out was the straw that broke her.

My review:

I am going to be very blunt here: If you do not like feminist books that are centered almost entirely on queer, lesbian, and trans people, then this book might not be the book for you. The author laid the “men destroyed everything, so the women need to fix it” on very thick in this book. But, you know, in a way, she’s right. Our climate is changing, and the powers in charge sit there, twiddling their thumbs. And yes, they are 85% men. I’m not saying that an entirely matrical society would be different, but anything that will slow climate change would be welcome.

The main storyline is wrapped around the four main characters, climate change, and takes place over twenty-two years. It was well written. As mentioned above, I found it very heavy-handed with the “men are destroyers” angles. I also wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did with any of the main characters. The author interconnected everyone, and she did it very gradually.

The storyline with Ava, The Inside, and her daughters brought tears to my eyes. I felt so bad for her, and I wanted at least something to go right for her (at the beginning of her storyline). The way Orchid left her was horrible. Then she went through the added trauma of bearing children, going through pre and post-natal depression. She was happy while Brook and July were with her but lost when they left.

The storyline with Jacqueline brought a terrible taste to my mouth. I didn’t like her initially, but I figured she was building these safe havens for people. But then, the author took her character and added these layers to it that made me disgusted. Over the twenty-two years that she ruled over her fiefdom (and yes, it was that), she suggested such horrible, vile things that I truly hoped Olympia wouldn’t listen to her. She got everything that was coming to her and then some.

The storyline with Shelby was sad. She adored Jacqueline and would do anything to help her. It broke my heart to see how she was treated, not only by Jacqueline but by other people. She was so sweet. I was also in awe of Shelby’s resourcefulness. She, along with Olympia and July, worked together to bring Jacqueline down.

The storyline with Olympia was sad, but I felt that she made her bed for most of the book. At the beginning of her storyline, she was forced into the position (someone doxxed her). But, after that, she participated in everything Jacqueline asked or wanted. It wasn’t until the death of one of Brook and July’s friends and the coverup that she realized that maybe what she was doing wasn’t good. I mentioned that Olympia was more of a morally gray character, and I believe she was. Olympia starts acting like the human and doctor she is by the end of the book. And that began by fessing up to Ava about what was going on.

There isn’t a happy ending in Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. The book ends with a maybe. I’m not too fond of books that end with a maybe. I need to know what happens to people. I hope they end up where they are going, but the implications could be better.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Gabrielle Korn for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Yours for the Taking. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Yours for the Taking, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Gabrielle Korn

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: November 28th, 2023

Genre: Romance, LGBT, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Queer, Lesbian, Historical, Retellings, Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.

They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run-up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen’s childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom’s only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.

Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, Gwen and Art make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight, and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen’s royal brother. Lex Croucher’s Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.

First Line:

When Gwen woke up, she knew she’d had the dream again-and that she’d been loud.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is medium-paced. The book does pick up towards the end, but the pacing for the rest is medium.

POV: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a 3rd person, dual POV storyline. The book is told through Gwen and Art’s POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Violence (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Death of parent (moderate, on and off page)
  • War (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Injury/Injury Detail (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Death (graphic, on and off page)
  • Homophobia (minor to moderate, on and off page)
  • Blood (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Alcohol (moderate, on and off page)
  • Alcoholism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Murder (minor, on page)
  • Emotional Abuse (moderate, on page)
  • Misogyny (moderate, on and off page)
  • Sexism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Grief (moderate, on and off page)
  • Religious Bigotry (moderate, on and off page)
  • Hate Crime (minor, off page)
  • Classism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Mental Health Struggles (moderate, on and off page)
  • Child Abuse (moderate, on and off page)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are sex scenes, but the author uses the fade to afterward, and they are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are also some scenes that people might find offensive.

Setting: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is set in Camelot, England.

Age Range: I recommend Gwen & Art Are Not in Love to anyone over 16.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Hundreds of years after King Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, his namesake, Lord Arthur, is betrothed to Lady Gwendoline. At odds with each other since they were toddlers, both were surprised when their fathers announced that a wedding would be happening after Camelot’s annual royal tournament.

Within hours of Art arriving, Gwen finds him kissing another boy. And, to her horror, Art finds her hidden diary. Her longing for the kingdom’s only knight, Bridgid Leclair, is written in that diary. But, when events make them realize they are better allies than enemies, Art and Gwen vow to cover for each other. But, with the tournament heating up, Art recognizing he is attracted to Gwen’s older brother, and cultists poised to try and overthrow the king, can they both uphold their pact? Or will everything they have worked to hide be out in the open?

Main Characters

Princess Gwendoline: I might be the odd one out on this, but I didn’t care for Gwen. Her attitude and inability to decide didn’t endear her to me. She was unbelievably waspish towards Art (even though he did deserve some of it) and Agnes (she didn’t deserve that at all). But, by the middle of the book, I did see her change. It was when she accepted herself that she started to become likable. She still had her moments, but her character changed for the better overall.

Lord Arthur Delacey: I liked Art right away. He comes off as a drunken fool in the book’s first few chapters. He delights in needling Gwen (his opinion of her was spot on). But, as the book went on and his backstory was revealed, I started to see how horrible his life at home was. I was a little surprised at his attraction to Gabe, but it didn’t surprise me. Also, what didn’t surprise me was the battle scene and what he did.

Prince Gabriel: Out of everyone listed here, I didn’t have an opinion of him. He had a lot to deal with. Gabe was the heir to the kingdom and came across as stern and cold. But his true nature shone through during the scenes where he was one-on-one with Gwen and Arthur. Gabe was a nerd. All he wanted to be was a scholar and hide within the library.

Bridgid Leclair: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and the closest thing to a true family that Art had. Sidney fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Sidney: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and, if I am going to be honest, the closest thing to true family that Art had. He fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Lady Agnes: I felt bad for her at first. She was one of Gwen’s ladies in waiting. That meant she got the sharp edge of Gwen’s temper and tongue. But she dealt with it all with a grace that I know I wouldn’t have had. She had the same reaction to Sidney that he had to her. It was funny to see them making out all over the castle. When she finally stood up to Gwen, I almost cheered!!

My review:

The main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love focuses on Gwen, Art, their pseudo engagement, love interests, and the events during and after the tourney. It was well written. While it wasn’t historically accurate, I could have cared less about that. I was more interested in the storyline and seeing if Gwen and Art would get their HEAs.

I was intrigued by the main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. The storyline focuses on Gwen, Art, their relationship, their love interests, and, eventually, the events at the end of the book. As stated in the Main Character section, I liked seeing Gwen’s character growth. Even though I didn’t like her, she did become somewhat likable. I also liked seeing Art’s character growth and his healing.

I liked the romance angle of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. I liked seeing Art/Gabe and Gwen/Brighid’s relationship flourish. I thought they both were sweet. I loved seeing Art’s gradual realization that he had feelings for Gabe. Gwen’s feelings for Brighid weren’t as hidden, but seeing that relationship bloom was still sweet.

The last half of the book did take me by surprise. Looking back, hints dropped about what was going to happen. I didn’t notice them. So, when the shit hit the fan, I was shocked. There were a couple of scenes that broke my heart. In a warning, this is the most graphic part of the book and the saddest. But it explains so much and sets up for what happens ultimately.

The end of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was bittersweet. I loved that the characters got their HEAs, but there was a considerable price that I am sure none of them wanted.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Lex Croucher for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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