Tag: lgbt+

Flawless Girls by. Anna-Marie McLemore | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Flawless Girls

Author: Anna-Marie McLemore

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 5/28/24

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Categories: Young Adult, Finishing School, LGBT+, Mystery, Horror, Thriller

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Soler sisters are infamous in polite society—brazen, rebellious, and raised by their fashionable grandmother who couldn’t care less about which fork goes where. But their grandmother also knows the standards that two Latina young ladies will be held to, so she secures them two coveted places at the Alarie House, a prominent finishing school that turns out first ladies, princesses, and socialites.

Younger sister Isla is back home within a day. She refuses to become one of the eerily sweet Alarie girls in their prim white dresses. Older sister Renata stays. When she returns months later, she’s unfailingly pleasant, unnervingly polite, and, Isla discovers, possibly murderous. And the same night she returns home, she vanishes.

As their grandmother uses every connection she has to find Renata, Isla re-enrolls, intent on finding out what happened to her sister. But the Alarie House is as exacting as it is opulent. It won’t give up its secrets easily, and neither will a mysterious, conniving girl who’s either controlling the house, or carrying out its deadly orders.

Tautly written, tense, and evocative, this is a stunning YA novel by award-winning and critically acclaimed author Anna-Marie McLemore.


Content Warning:

I was really intrigued with the first part of the book, Isla and Renata are sisters and sent to a finishing school that is so supposed to help refine a girl into a proper young woman. The author’s note does explain how Isla is intersex and we do get Isla’s thoughts about feeling out of place which is nice since an intersex character is rare in books.

When Isla goes back to find out what happened to her sister, that’s when things go kind of over my head because I’m just here for the mystery/horror/thrill of it all but what we get are…metaphors about jewels. I get what the author is trying to do and it is poetic but I was not in the mood for it. The message in the book is awesome though and strong because it talks about how this finishing school not only taught the girls how to act and be in the public eye, but it was also teaching them how to cause division between the girls also. I kind of loved the scene of the girls being wild at night when they could let loose. The story talks about the expectations of women and how women have to wear several faces.

I totally get the vision but I think it was too much imagery for me.

My Thoughts:

I like the intersex representation and the strong message about society’s expectations about girls and how we have to live. I don’t think there was much horror in the story except for maybe psychological horror. There is a lot of symbolism and imagery with this book and I totally get it but I definitely had to be in the right mood for this one.

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So Let Them Burn By. Kamilah Cole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: So Let Them Burn (Divine Traitors, #1)

Author: Kamilah Cole

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 1/16/24

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Jamaica Inspired, Dragons, Romance, LGBT+


Whip-smart and immersive, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who’s forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland.

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

“By turns hopeful and devastating, So Let Them Burn is a masterful debut with a blazing heart. I was captivated from beginning to end by Cole’s sharp, clever prose and by her protagonists—two remarkable sisters with an unforgettable bond.” — Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

Content Warning: violence

I thought the premise of this book was very intriguing – Jamaican inspired and dragons?

I love the sister bond between Faron and Elara. Faron is the Child Empyrean – chosen by the Gods, and gifted with power. She is the chosen but is the younger sister and makes a few mistakes in this books showing her immaturity. Elara is the older sister and is always in her sister’s shadow but longs to shine on her own. The sister are apart for most of the book but I think it helps to see them apart because Elara grows a lot from her new situation, whereas I think Faron alone needed her sister’s guidance.

I liked learning all about the dragons and the world-building is great. I would have liked more about the dragon academy since I think the best thing about this book was about the dragons. There is an interesting plot twist that occurs and I can see how this is going to complicate things a lot for the sisters. There are two romances happening for each sister, I’d say I was more into Elara’s building romance than Faron’s. But with everything that happened in the end of the book, I’m now much more curious how it’s going to end up for Faron. I think Gael Soto’s character is very intriguing and it will be interesting to see what happens to him in book two.

I did feel like this is more for younger young adult audiences.

My Final Thoughts:

Overall this one was entertaining and you definitely like it if you are looking for a younger young adult novel with dragons in it.

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One Last Breath by. Ginny Myers Sain | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: One Last Breath

Author: Ginny Myers Sain

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, LGBT+, True Crime, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readersfor giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things. 

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste’s murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long-dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she’s supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders – and the death of her own sister – invade her every thought. It’s only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe. 

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell-bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can’t resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio…along with their other-worldy connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red.

Content Warning: death, alcoholism, violence

This was an interesting read with a few twists in the story but it is a slow burn of a mystery. I felt like the first half was so slow but I did feel the setting was pretty immersive. I could feel that Florida humidity and mosquito bites just from the descriptions. It’s definitely a summer vibe kind of book and does take place before Tru is supposed to go off to college. Tru comes from a broken home, her father is a deadbeat, her mom is grieving and dealing with it through alcohol and her older sister, Dani was killed years ago in a hit and run.

Tru does have a bit of a awakening as she is steadfast in love with her best friend since forever, East, but then meets a girl Rio who intrigues her. There is a twist to their attraction though.

And throughout this story this town is the place where murders that happened years ago that people are obsessed with, including Tru. When Rio comes along, the both of them do some digging and find out the truth. I think I caught on quick who was the suspect and I was right. There is a lot that happens in the second half of the book which is what helped hold my attention. Also I don’t know that the paranormal aspect of the story worked for me

My Thoughts:

Overall, this one was too slow for me but the ending is where most of the action happens. I thought the twists were interesting but I didn’t quite vibe with the paranormal stuff going on. I think if you love mysteries you will really enjoy this one but for me it was just okay.

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Dark and Shallow Lies by. Ginny Myers Sain | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Destroy the Day by. Brigid Kemmerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Destroy the Day (Defy the Night, #3)

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 550

Publication Date: 1/23/24

Categories: Young Adult, Series, Romance, Fantasy, LGBT+

Left for dead, but desperate to survive . . . they have one last chance to save their kingdom.

Prince Corrick is out of options. Held captive by the vicious Oren Crane, he’s desperate to reunite with Tessa, but will need to ally with the rebel leader Lochlan, who until now wished him dead. An unlikely but deadly pair, Corrick and Lochlan must plot their next moves carefully.

An island away, Tessa Cade is heartbroken and angry. Grieving Corrick, and unsure how to find a way back to Kandala, she doesn’t know who to trust. Until Rian—the man she trusts least—makes an offer: aid in a plot to finally oust Oren Crane and see what the future holds . . .

Meanwhile in Kandala, Harristan is dethroned and on the run. He’s struggling to unite the rebels in his fractured kingdom, but he finds support—and maybe more—in unexpected places.

Can Harristan be the king his people need? Can Corrick and Tessa find their way back to each other? As outside threats loom and the fires of revolution burn from within, time is running out to save their kingdom.

In the thrilling conclusion to the Defy the Night series, Brigid Kemmerer crafts heartrending twists and devastating turns that will keep readers breathless to the very end.

Content Warning: violence

+ I found this series addicting since book one and I think what makes it good are the characters! Yes, I was mostly reading it because of the romance between Corrick and Tessa but they are mostly apart in this book. And when I say apart…I mean up until the last few chapters of this book! But just because Corrick and Tessa weren’t together doesn’t mean there were not any meaningful relationships in this book. There are actually surprising friendships made along the journey of this story.

+ One surprising partnership in the story that was entertaining is Corrick and Lochlan – especially since they do not like each other. But being on the verge of death changes everything between them. Another pairing is Harristan and Quint which if I may say, was the romantic highlight of the story since Corrick and Tessa were apart. I loved that for Harristan and Quint. And lastly, Tessa and Rocco had to stick to one another. 

+ There is a lot happening in this book with it being told through three POVs: Corrick, Harristan and Tessa. Everything is happening with the goal of all of them coming together in the end. There is action, there is danger, there are some plot twists.

~ I was intrigued by Rian in Defend the Dawn, he was mysterious and a little shady. He didn’t turn out so great in this book and to top it off was hardly in this book at all when he was mostly in book two. I was disappointed in his character because I thought there was potential there to make things interesting and not in a way where I wanted Tessa to be with him. I wanted him to have his own story and liked how he called out Corrick on Kandala’s troubles but in the end he was just a not so great guy. So if you loved Rian in book two – this book is not for you. Honestly this happened to me in her other series, Cursebreakers, where I loved book one and then things veered off the track I was hoping it would take and never did.

~ There is a new character named Ellmo and honestly…it made me think of Sesame Street Elmo all the time lol. 

~ I don’t know if I love the ending, it’s bittersweet. 

My Final Thoughts:

This book didn’t go in the direction I was hoping it would but it was still entertaining and the relationships are my favorite parts of the story. This wasn’t my book favorite of the series but this is a solid conclusion.

Book Links:

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Defy the Night by. Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Defend the Dawn by. Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by. Brigid Kemmerer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Heart so Fierce and Broken by. Brigid Kemmerer ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by. Brigid Kemmerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Forging Silver into Stars by. Brigid Kemmerer | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Letters to the Lost by. Brigid Kemmerer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

More Than We Can Tell by. Brigid Kemmerer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Fragile Enchantment by. Allison Saft | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Fragile Enchantment

Author: Allison Saft

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 1/2/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

Content Warning: self harm, alcoholism

+ Okay I said maybe I’m over historical romances, but I think if it’s a historical fantasy romance like this particular book then I’m not over it at all. I definitely like how this story had the drama of a gossip sheet (like Bridgerton), the balls, a royal wedding, a romance and a rebellion going on.

+ There’s magic in this book and Niamh’s craft is sewing. I thought it was pretty cool how she could create fashions that evoke emotions. Other characters have magic too like but not everyone has it. It definitely made the story feel enchanted with the element of magic that certain characters could wield.

+ This story has a strong cast of characters from the main ones Niamh and Kit to the rest of the group which consisted of Kit’s future wife, his best friend and his family. I like the LGBT+ representation, Niamh and Kit are both bi-sexual, and other characters are queer as well.

+~ Speaking of romance -I love a good enemies to lovers romance and there is a lot of tension between Niamh and Kit which for the most part I enjoyed. But there was something about their romance at times that frustrated me also maybe it’s the times he’s being rude – but his grumpiness is supposed to be attractive? I just felt like he was being a brat at times.

~ The political conflict in the book didn’t feel solved at the end, and honestly I think Jack and his wife could have their own book where they fall in love with one another and he figures out how to become a better leader.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book and loved that it was historical romance with magic elements I thought the writing was very lyrical and made the story enchanting. 

Book Links:

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A Far Wilder Magic by. Allison Saft | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Plot Twist by. Erin La Rosa | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Plot Twist

Author: Erin La Rosa

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/14/23

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Canary Street Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Content Warning: alcoholism, rehab/relapse, dysfunctional family, stalking

+ An author with writer’s block, Sophie, is trying to get writing inspiration by talking to all of her ex’s. Dash is her landlord and he’s a famous actor, and also her best friend’s brother. He’s also working on his sobriety which he’s kept a secret from his family. I thought Sophie and Dash had good chemistry and they didn’t hook up right away, it was nice to see their attraction grow. They have a few spicy scenes together which made this story a little sweet and spicy.

+ I do like that the two characters were working on themselves a lot before committing to anything with one another. They definitely tried to give each other space enough to do that – but their attraction kept getting in the way. Dash doesn’t have the best relationship with his mom – he comes from a famous family full of actors and his mom always makes him feel like he doesn’t live up to her expectations. So he’s going through a lot.

~ The TikTok storyline with Dash’s stalker didn’t quite work for me. I thought it was interesting he was a crafter on the side to help with his sobriety though.

~ I didn’t totally click with Sophie. She’s trying to figure out why her past relationships ended but then tries to get back with an ex or explore the feelings there while she’s having a physical relationship with Dash. I thought she was a bit messy in that department but she did seem like a very supportive friend to Dash.

Tropes: one bed, best friend’s brother, forced proximity

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was okay and wish I liked Sophie better but at least I did like Dash’s story a lot. I did enjoy how both characters were working on themselves as they navigated their attraction and feelings for one another. There’s some spice to this one!

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All That Consumes Us by. Erica Waters | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: All That Consumes Us

Author: Erica Waters

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 10/17/23

Publisher: HarperTeen

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Suspense, Mystery, Secret Society, Dark Academia, LGBT+

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to HarperTeen for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everyone knows the students in Corbin College’s elite academic society, Magni Viri, have it all—free tuition, inspirational professors, and dream jobs once they graduate. So when Tara is offered a chance to enroll, she takes it.

But once she’s settled into the gorgeous Victorian dormitory the academy calls home, something strange starts to happen. She finally has the chance to write, but her stories are dark and twisted. When she’s not sleepwalking, she’s dreaming about being trapped in a coffin, buried alive. And she’s starting to feel an unseen presence stalking her through the halls of her dorm.

As Tara slowly loses her grip on everything she’s ever known, she discovers a terrible secret at the heart of Magni Viri, one that just might turn her dreams into nightmares, one that might destroy her before she has a chance to escape.

All That Consumes Us will pull readers into a hypnotizing, utterly lush and gothic reverie that blurs the lines of reality and shows that the addictive nature of ambition, and its inevitable price, always claim their due.

Content Warning: death, self-harm

I’ve read only one other book from this author called The River Has Teeth and I enjoyed it a lot. When I read the synopsis for this book it sounded so intriguing I had to request it.

I like that this book is set in college because I feel like there isn’t many young adult books set in college, but so many things happens to a young adult after high school. And we see it in this case with Tara who is trying her best to do good in her classes, hoping one day to be a novelist but she is a young woman who has to pay her own tuition and make things meet. Tara doesn’t have a wealthy family to help her pay for school so when she is invited to the secret society, Magni Viri, she feels this is her one chance to realize her big dreams.

The secret society gives the whole story its mystery. There is a backstory with the founding fathers of Magni Viri and we learn about it with Tara who is new to it all. The twist in the story is a good one and so unexpected. I found it creative and definitely gave all the dark academia vibes! Tara lives in a Victorian dormitory, there are woods around her and a graveyard. She also feels like she’s being haunted and obsessed with writing this novel – she feels like she’s becoming someone else which becomes really creepy.

I like the diverse cast of characters but I wish I felt like I could connect to them but I didn’t. I do like how each student had lofty ambitions and being part of Magni Viri was a chance to reach those goals – but at what cost? And was it all worth it to be so consumed by their passions that they would do anything to make their dreams come true.

Tropes: secret society

Why you should read it:

  • you want to read a modern gothic horror story
  • good twist in the story, dark academia vibes with ghosts, obsessions, strange things happening

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into horror

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was fairly entertaining but maybe a little too slow for me in the beginning and I wish I could’ve connected to the characters. Once everything starts unraveling for Tara is when I got more engaged and I was trying to figure what was going on with these Magni Viri kids. I like that it’s a college setting and it has a diverse cast. I thought the twist in the story was good and I like how the characters question if everything they are doing to achieve their goals are worth it.

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The River Has Teeth by. Erica Waters | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Flip the Script by. Lyla Lee | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Flip the Script

Author: Lyla Lee

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 296

Publication Date: 5/31/22

Categories: Young Adult, K-Drama, Romance, LGBT+, Contemporary

The first rule of watching K-dramas: Never fall in love with the second lead.

As an avid watcher of K-dramas, Hana knows all the tropes to avoid when she finally lands a starring role in a buzzy new drama. And she can totally handle her fake co-star boyfriend who might be falling in love with her. After all, she promised the producers a contract romance, and that’s all they’re going to get from her.

But when showrunners bring on a new girl to challenge Hana’s role as main love interest—and worse, it’s someone Hana knows all too well—can  Hana fight for her position on the show while falling for her on-screen rival in real life?

-K-drama lovers will fall for all the fan-favorite tropes that make for a hit show.
-Romance is everywhere in this swoony, joy-filled novel, with fake dating, a secret relationship, and a classic love triangle!
-Visit South Korea as Hana takes readers through popular spots and hidden gems.

Content Warning:

This book has been sitting on my shelf for awhile so I decided it was time to pick it up and read it. I loved Lyla Lee’s first book I’ll Be the One. In Flip the Script, Hana is a K-drama actress who is making her debut, but the ratings are lagging and the studio needs to boost it up so they make her fake-date her co-star, Bryan. But it is really fake dating meaning, Hana has no feelings whatsoever for him because well, she’s bi and have been crushing on her best-friend Minjee for a long time. Minjee is not only her bestie but her acting rival also, they compete for roles and even support one another when they either get roles or don’t. But Minjee doesn’t know about Hana’s feelings for her.

So this book was just okay. I didn’t connect with anybody and the story was boring but it’s a quick, easy read. I did like the behind the scenes looks behind filming a k-drama and the things the actors go through but other than that I wasn’t really feeling it. I also do appreciate that it’s a queer book and set in the world of k-drama. Hana, Minjee, and Bryan can break barriers in the industry with their homophobic views on LGBT+ and I’m so glad they stand up for what they believe in.

Tropes: love triangle (sort of)

My Final Thoughts:

This book was just okay but I did like how it’s a book about k-drama actors who don’t quite fit the perfect mold. I like how Hana and Minjee brave the industry big heads and fight for their right to love who they love. It’s a light-hearted, and a quick read but I just wanted more from it.

Book Links:

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I’ll Be the One | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

All the Dead Lie Down by. Kyrie McCauley | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: All the Dead Lie Down

Author: Kyrie McCauley

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 5/16/23

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Categories: Mystery, LGBT+ Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Gothic, Horror

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Katherine Tegen Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.

But as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.

Content Warning:

I never read The Haunting of Bly Manor (but now I’m intrigued) but I did read House of Salt and Sorrows and loved it. This book was not what I expected. Here is what I thought:

+ Right away the cover gives off that this will be a creepy book and I’m here for it. Marin moves into the house of her mom’s friend, Alice, an author with three daughters. Marin’s mom died so she’s alone and so she is now the nanny to Thea and Wren. The girls, especially Wren – are creepy. The writing is atmospheric and I got the gothic vibes for sure.

+ I was definitely kept guessing throughout the book. And there were weird and gross things like finding teeth in clams, or the girls cutting their hair and saving it in a chest and of course the dead animals around the property. If I was Marin, I would have left the moment Wren tried to feed me poisonous berries as a test lol.

+~ The lgbt+ romance was a sweet one – Marin and Evie complimented one another and they bonded through their grief. Marin lost her mother and Evie, her father. But I also felt like it didn’t work for me. I was caught up in trying to figure out what was going on at the Lovelace estate instead of wanting to read a romance happening.

~ The main reason this story didn’t work for me was to slow in the first half and it just lost my attention. I also failed to connect to any of the characters.

~ I’m probably not the right audience for this book or it was due to me not being in the mood to read it that I didn’t really enjoy it.

Tropes: creepy secluded house

Why you should read it:

  • you like gothic mystery and horror
  • the theme of grief

Why you might not want to read it:

  • too slow for me

My Thoughts:

The beginning was too slow for me to get invested into the story but I did think the writing was atmospheric and brought the creepy vibes. This one didn’t work out for me but I think if you like gothic horror and mystery, you will enjoy this one a lot especially in the second half of the book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Song of Achilles by. Madeline Miller | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Song of Achilles

Author: Madeline Miller

Narrator: Frazer Douglas

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 9/20/2011

Categories: Greek Mythology, Romance, Adventure, LGBT+, Historical Fiction

Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Content Warning: violence, death, war, war wounds

I’ve finally read this book that apparently was published in 2011 (how did I not know this?) and yet was getting all the hype only a few years ago! I don’t know if I’m sad I didn’t read it as a book, to have the words of this story ingrained in my heart, soul and brain. Or I’m happy that I completed it as an audiobook because wow was the storytelling wonderful. It lived up to all the hype. It is such an epic, well told story…the audiobook was absolutely fantastic and this is coming from someone who struggles with audiobooks. I listened to this in 2 days and the narrator did this story justice – his narrating is perfection!

I am also someone who has been struggling reading stories based on Greek Mythology so let me tell you how happy I was to hear this story. It had everything I wanted in a Greek mythology retelling – the gods and goddesses interfering with mortal lives, the prophecies, the war and the battles for glory and honor, and a beautiful and heartbreaking love story in the middle of it all. Oh my heart…😭. I grew to care for Achilles and Patroclus from their moment as boys, to men who are fighting a war that basically meant nothing to them. Damn that Helen and her beautiful face that caused men to fight for 10 stupid long years, damn men and their prides and desire for glory and worship.

The author did such a beautiful job at showing both sides to these characters, especially Achilles and his struggle with always being told he would be a hero, but he will die if he does this one act. His mother tries to pave a path for him were he will not die…but the fates will not be denied. Achilles wants to be a hero, he wants the praise but he also loves Patroclus. And Patroclus, his lover and best friend – the boy who was awkward and never in the spotlight like Achilles. He was never as athletic, not a leader of men, never one to be heroic…oh what an ending to the story. By the way most of the action comes at the end, the beginning of the book moves a bit more slowly since it’s laying the foundation of Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship.

Mind you the only Achilles story I know is from the Brad Pitt movie, Troy which I loved (ugh…I mean sure Brad Pitt was a hot Achilles but it was Hector who had my heart!). That’s a whole different story they told in the movie and I think Patroclus was Achilles cousin in the movie? lol…I did not read the Iliad and I won’t – so I can’t nitpick about details. I just know that this story touched my heart and then broke it.

Why you should read it:

  • beautiful, heartbreaking love story
  • epic story-telling, greek mythology

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into greek mythology

My Thoughts:

I was warned this book would break my heart and let me tell you, it did. It lived up to the hype – I can see why people love it so much and now I love it too. I did get annoyed with how long this damn war kept going on – 10 years of senseless killing? It was so pointless! But hey…it was for, Helen, glory and riches. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And all Patroclus wanted was Achilles by his side forever 😭 even knowing he it wasn’t going to happen. Okay…off to mend my broken heart.💔

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | Circe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️