Never Been Witched

                                       

Title: Never Been Witched

Series: Starfall Point #3

Author: Molly Harper

Published: Audible Originals, October 3, 2024

Length: 10 hours 17 minutes

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Alice Seastairs leads a quiet life working in her grandparents’ antique shop and hiding her magical secret from the human world. As one of Starfall Point’s resident witches, it’s her job to protect the Island from dark magic and unruly ghosts—including the ones that show up at her shop attached to antiques. But her orderly life is turned upside down when a gorgeous stranger buys the islands most historic—and haunted—hotel.

There’s something about Collin Bancroft that that makes Alice want to muss his polished exterior and find out what’s underneath his expensive suit. But romance will have to wait, because his hotel is being haunted by a ghost so dangerous that Alice’s whole coven must step in. Turns out, a supernatural event is unfolding that’s bigger than any of them ever imagined—and it’s about to blow the secrets of Shaddow House wide open. Will Alice and Collin survive long enough to have a future together?

This trilogy was a cute little escape. Riley, Caroline, and Alice are great. I wasn't pleased that miscommunication was the biggest conflict in this story, but you can't have everything. I'm just glad somebody taught that girl that she didn't have to take the baloney from her grandparents lying down. I know that there will be another trilogy in this world, and I might seek it out. It's cute enough, and time will tell!

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 2/5

King of Hollywood

    

Title: King of Hollywood

Series: Tales from the Tarot

Author: Fae Quin

Publisher: September 2, 2024

Pages: 413

Genre: LGBT Paranormal Romance

Marshall: I’ve lived a carefully cultivated life on a quiet suburban cul-de-sac. My anonymity and meticulous routine are all by design. No one knows of the monster that lurks inside me, this insatiable urge to commit murder, that thrives just beneath my pastel sweater vests and buttoned-up demeanor.

No one, that is, until my tiny menace of a neighbor comes along and ruins everything.

Felix Finley and I have nothing in common. He’s small and pretty, all friendly chatter and soft features, fair skin and pearly sharp teeth. He’s intriguing and I hate it, loathe him entirely. Definitely don't want to kiss his stupid, gorgeous lips.

But late one night, when I witness him dragging a lifeless corpse from his home and across his front lawn, I wonder if maybe Felix and I have more in common than I thought. Maybe Felix Finley needs my help, my expertise, and this is my time to shine. He’s batty and wicked in a way I never expected. Because I may have lived years of cautiously concealed truths, but in the wake of Felix’s pouty lips and sad eyes, I’m tempted to spill every secret at his feet. And that thought alone, is more terrifying than any monster.

Marshall is such a sassy thing. I love that he is huge and a scary killer and all of that. But he's also so petty and sassy and kind of dainty when it comes down to it. When things are not going his way, no one is happy. Especially Marshall. And I love him.

Felix is tiny and flighty and wants to be admired. And Marshall is so very good at admiring him. Some might call it stalking, but Felix is down for that. I like the way they balance one another. Felix somehow makes Marshall more human. And Marshall does the same for him. And they're adorable. Also, you've got to love a bit of size difference.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 3/5

Ice Massacre

                        

Title: Ice Massacre

Series: Mermaids of Eriana Kwai #1

Author: Tiana Warner

Published: Rogue Cannon Publishing, September 18, 2014

Pages: 378

Genre: LGBTQ Young Adult

For twenty years, the island of Eriana Kwai has sent its young men to battle the mermaids that plague their waters. None have ever returned alive.

Now, Eriana Kwai sends its daughters to fight—their last hope against the mermaids’ deadly allure. Among them is eighteen-year-old Meela, trained as a warrior and ready to avenge her brother's death.

But Meela has a secret: a lost childhood friend named Lysi, a mermaid who is nothing like the vicious creatures Meela was taught to hate and fear. When Meela comes face-to-face with the mermaids in battle and reunites with Lysi, their hatred for each other melts as their old friendship lingers beneath the surface.

With her loyalties tested and her mission in jeopardy, Meela must choose between duty to her people and the dangerous yet irresistible connection she feels with Lysi. Her decision could either end the war or ruin them all.

I really enjoyed this book. There were mermaids, training sequences, battle scenes, etc. It had a little bit of everything. There was also a heavy sprinkle of Lord of the Flies in there. When you send 10+ 18-year-old young women to be in charge of one another for at least a month in a life-threatening situation, tensions are bound to boil over. And boil over they do. 

At the end of the day, this is a second chance romance between Meela and her childhood, mermaid friend, Lysi. Not a romance novel. That's not what I'm saying. But a second chance romance, absolutely. And they reunite just long enough to be ripped apart again, which is why I have purchased the second book and am very excited to have time to fit it into my reading calendar!

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Shark Heart

    

Title: Shark Heart: A Love Story

Author: Emily Habeck

Publisher: S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, August 8, 2023

Pages: 415

Genre: Lit Fic

For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis: He will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. As Lewis develops the features and impulses of one of the most predatory creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams.

At first, Wren internally resists her husband’s fate. Is there a way for them to be together after Lewis changes? Then, a glimpse of Lewis’s developing carnivorous nature activates long-repressed memories for Wren, whose story vacillates between her childhood living on a houseboat in Oklahoma, her time with her college ex-girlfriend, and her unusual friendship with a woman pregnant with twin birds.

TikTok, you are such a bad influence. I mean, maybe the correct phrase is just that TikTok is such an influence. I really enjoyed this book. It was poignant and melancholy and kind of beautiful. Even if the premise is absolutely wild and fantastical. 

It felt really tragic for this woman to have cold-blooded creatures surrounding her for her entire life. Like what are the odds? In this world where evolving into wild animals is hereditary and always skips a generation, fairly good, apparently. But bad luck all the same. Also, I think my biggest concern about all of this is that the solution for evolving into a wild animal is either release into the wild, or "ethical euthanasia." We can't come up with a better solution in a world where this is a known medical condition?!? Seems rough. 

Now. If I lived in this world, I would really hope that evolve into a house cat. I already know that my partner is excellent to our pets, and I think they would take care of me too. I don't want to ask them because I already asked them if they would still love me if I turned into a worm, and it shockingly hurt my feelings when they said no. Like I get it. But here we are. And it was still a great book.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Celestial Monsters

                       

Title: Celestial Monsters

Series: The Sunbearer Duology #2

Author: Aiden Thomas

Published: Feiwel & Friends, September 3, 2024

Pages: 415

Genre: LGBTQ Young Adult

Teo never thought he could be a Hero. Now, he doesn’t have a choice.

The sun is gone, the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison, and chaos and destruction are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. All because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiós during the Sunbearer Trials.

With the world plunged into perpetual night, Teo, his crush Aurelio, and his best friend Niya must journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos, battling vicious monsters while dealing with guilt, trauma, and a (very distracting) burgeoning romance between Teo and Aurelio. Determined to rescue the captured semidioses and retrieve the Sol Stone, the trio races against the clock to return Sol and their protective light. With it, order can be restored.

The future of the whole world is in their hands.

Reading my review of the first book, I really did love that book. I'm a little sad that I didn't have the same love for this second book. The beauty of the mythology was still there, absolutely. But I don't know if I just really am burnt out on YA right now, or what. 

Now just because I didn't like this as much as The Sunbearer Trials doesn't mean that this wasn't a beautiful story. Teo is a wonderful protagonist, he's so funny and cute! I think this would make the cutest TV show. If they leaned into the fun light vibes of the book, not the dark spooky ones! The plot line can still get heavy as necessary, but anyway. I'm not a screenwriter! I would love to see an on-screen version of Teo's wings though!

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Pumpkin Spice and Poltergeist

      

Title: Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist

Series: Maple Hollow #1

Author: Ali K. Mulford & K. Elle Morrison

Publisher: Rogue Fables Pty Ltd., September 3, 2024

Pages: 218

Genre: LGBT Cozy Fantasy

Get ready for a bewitching tale of love, laughter, and supernatural shenanigans in the heart of Maple Hollow!

The last thing apothecary witch, Jordyn, had on her mind was romance, but when she got witchy-wasted, she cracked open the coffin of her love life and conjured the ghost of her ex-girlfriend. Jordyn is in for a spell of trouble now that the snarky specter is determined to haunt her until she finds someone new.

Enter Harlow, the new girl in town, who just wants a job in her sister’s cafe but she discovers that the spooky town of Maple Hollow is more than just a gimmick. Real magic lives here. But after run-ins with vampires and one too many grave cafe blunders, she's ready to hop on a broomstick and fly out of town. Until she finds herself falling under the spell of the enchanting witch who asks her on a date.

As sparks fly and cauldrons bubble, will this unlikely pair brew up a love potion that defies the ghostly odds? Or will Jordyn's shade-y ex be the ultimate buzzkill to their budding romance?

Adorable. Cozy and adorable and I loved it. It was just the right amount of hokey and cliche. While still keeping me guessing for a pretty good portion of it! I hope that we get to read Willow's book because she treated Harlow pretty horrendously in this book. Not the whole time, and Harlow isn't perfect, but dang, I could use her redemption arc for sure. 

Ultimately, just a really quick cozy fall read. 

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 1/5

Where Willows Weep

     

Title: Where Willows Weep

Author: Luna Fiore

Publisher: June 4, 2024

Pages: 226

Genre: LGBT Horror

If these walls could talk…

Years ago, Jess ran away from her small Southern town and vowed to never return. But when her mother needs a caretaker, Jess is forced back into her childhood home with its rotting floors and growing stains. Reconnecting with her high school sweetheart, Sam, is the bright spot as Jess is haunted by disembodied cries, malicious shadows, and sleepwalking episodes. Will she survive the specters that haunt her home or will the house drown her in its secrets?

This was pretty spooky. Which I know was the idea, but dang y'all! Honestly kind of nightmarish. I don't know if the ghost stuff or the family stuff was scarier, to be frank.

And then at the heart of this, there's a second chance romance for Jess and Sam. And I love Jess and Sam. Jess isn't good enough for Sam, and this town isn't good enough for Sam. But I love them so much.

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Spice: 1/5

This Wicked Fate

    

Title: This Wicked Fate

Series: This Poison Heart #2

Author: Kalynn Bayron

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA, June 21, 2022

Pages: 319

Genre: LGBTQ YA Fantasy

Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she'll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart. To locate the missing piece, she must turn to the blood relatives she's never known, learn about their secret powers, and take her place in their ancient lineage.

But Briseis is not the only one who wants the Heart, and her enemies will stop at nothing to fulfill their own ruthless plans. The fates tell of a truly dangerous journey, one that could end in more heartache, more death. Strengthened by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can Briseis harness her power to save the people she loves most?

I am so pleased that Briseis gets some time with her birth family. Circe was an absolute delight. And I enjoyed their quest. But in the first book, Marie felt like a whole woman. This book saw her as just a mischievous teen. Which is better to see her matched with Bri. But hard to swallow when you imagine she's been alive for centuries and her impulse control hasn't gotten any better. Really leaves a girl with no hope for the future of her own impulse control.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

The Singing Hills Cycle

        

Title: The Empress of Salt and Fortune

Series: The Singing Hills Cycle #1

Author: Nghi Vo

Publisher: Tordotcom, March 24, 2020

Pages: 124

Genre: Myth & Legend

A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

Beautiful. It's a really fun way to tell a story. And the way that the author plays with gender and sexuality is really refreshing. Mostly, I like the idea of a bird tape-recorder that can follow you around and speak to you. That would really come in handy for someone tasked with collecting the stories of their world.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Title: When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain

Series: The Singing Hills Cycle #2

Author: Nghi Vo

Publisher: Tordotcom, December 8, 2020

Pages: 98

Genre: Myth & Legend

The cleric Chih finds themself and their companions at the mercy of a band of fierce tigers who ache with hunger. To stay alive until the mammoths can save them, Chih must unwind the intricate, layered story of the tiger and her scholar lover—a woman of courage, intelligence, and beauty—and discover how truth can survive becoming history.

This is riveting. I'm obsessed with the back and forth between Chih and the tiger. I understand why the bird couldn't be there, as a story telling device. Too enticing as prey, too annoying, and would have changed the dynamic quite a bit. I did miss that bird. But the sexy tiger made up for it. And the really cool, pretty much telepathic mammoths didn't hurt!

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Title: Into the Riverlands

Series: The Singing Hills Cycle #3

Author: Nghi Vo

Publisher: Tordotcom, October 25, 2022

Pages: 100

Genre: Myth & Legend

Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills travels to the riverlands to record tales of the notorious near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. On the road to Betony Docks, they fall in with a pair of young women far from home, and an older couple who are more than they seem. As Chih runs headlong into an ancient feud, they find themself far more entangled in the history of the riverlands than they ever expected to be.

Accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an indelible memory, Chih confronts old legends and new dangers alike as they learn that every story—beautiful, ugly, kind, or cruel—bears more than one face.

Almost Brilliant returns! What a delight?! This was a really cool story about everyday gods. Seeing Chih capture a story of this magnitude in realtime was beautiful. And I love the idea that gods might be more than willing to live their lives mostly in mundanity while protecting travelers on their way.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Cover Story

        

Title: Cover Story

Series: Stars Collide #2

Author: Rachel Lacey

Publisher: Montlake, March 26, 2024

Pages: 297

Genre: LGBTQ Contemporary Romance

Natalie Keane is one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies, but she’s paid a steep price for her fame. After she was stalked eight years ago, the ensuing media frenzy almost broke her. So when a new threat arises, Natalie agrees to extra security, but she wants to keep it under wraps. The last thing she needs is another tabloid spectacle, especially during awards season.

Taylor Vaughn has made a career as a bodyguard to the stars, but an injury has kept her sidelined for the past three months, jeopardizing her future in the job she loves. When an opportunity arises to work for Natalie Keane, Taylor jumps at the chance—even before knowing the details of the assignment.

From the moment they meet, Natalie knows this could work: Taylor, the bodyguard, masquerading as her girlfriend. The perfect cover story. But as circumstances push the two women closer, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur.

This was much spookier than the first book in this series. There is a trigger warning at the beginning of the book, but here's mine. If stalking is a trigger, do not read this book. What actually happens in the book is actually pretty innocuous. But there's so much suspense around what might happen again, and the stories about what did happen, definitely get you in that mindset. But if you can get through that, I really enjoyed Taylor's and Natalie's story. I love a fake relationship, so it was right in that sweet spot.

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 2/5

Time and Time Again

       

Title: Time and Time Again

Author: Chatham Greenfield

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA, July 23, 2024

Pages: 330

Genre: LGBT YA Contemporary

Phoebe Mendel's day is never ending--literally.

On August 6th, she woke up to find herself stuck in a time loop. And for nearly a month of August 6ths since, Phoebe has relived the same day: pancakes with Mom in the morning, Scrabble with Dad in the afternoon, and constant research into how to reach tomorrow and make it to her appointment with a doctor who may actually take her IBS seriously. Everything is exactly, agonizingly the same.

That is, until the most mundane car crash ever sends Phoebe's childhood crush Jess crashing into the time loop.

Now also stuck, Jess convinces Phoebe to break out of her routine and take advantage of their consequence-free days to have fun. From splurging on concert tickets, to enacting (mostly) harmless revenge, to all-night road trips, Jess pulls Phoebe further and further out of her comfort zone--and deeper in love with them. But the more Phoebe falls for Jess, the more she worries about what's on the other side of the time loop. What if Jess is only giving her the time of day because they're trapped with no other options? What if Phoebe's new doctor dismisses her chronic pain? And perhaps worst of all: What if she never gets the chance to find out?

Watching Phoebe Mendel learn to love herself was a beautiful thing. Watching her figure out how to love Jess was even better. It wasn't all good all the time. Life isn't either. But this was very very cute.

Time loops are fun. There's a certain air of optimism and endless hope at the start of a time loop. But being alone with people you love would be really hard. I really enjoyed the way that time caught up with everyone eventually. Maybe not everyone, and not in ways that they acknowledged. But when it really mattered, those days weren't just gone. 

Ratings

Stars: 4/5

Stars Collide

       

Title: Stars Collide

Series: Stars Collide #1

Author: Rachel Lacey

Publisher: Montlake, May 2, 2023

Pages: 313

Genre: LGBTQ Contemporary Romance

Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever. The stage is the only place she’s ever felt like she truly belonged, and yet, her last album flopped, and her upcoming tour hasn’t sold out. Eden’s desperate for her star to shine bright again, but when her team suggests a collaboration with an up-and-coming young star to give her a boost, she balks.

Anna Moss is pop music’s rising star. She’s idolized Eden Sands for most of her life—so it’s a dream come true when she’s invited to perform with her at the Grammys. Anna’s tired of being defined by her bubbly persona. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, and a duet with Eden could be just what she needs.

As Anna and Eden rehearse, they soon realize they have more in common than their musical talents. Now they just have to decide if what is between them is a one-hit wonder or the making of a romance worthy of one of the greatest love songs of all time.

If someone were to tell me that this was a Taylor Swift / Sabrina Carpenter fanfic, I would absolutely believe them. Maybe not Taylor Swift because Eden Sands is supposedly experiencing a rough year, but something like that. And it's very cute. Just a little light sapphic romance about pop stars. 

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 1/5

This Poison Heart

   

Title: This Poison Heart

Series: This Poison Heart #1

Author: Kalynn Bayron

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA, June 29, 2021

Pages: 387

Genre: LGBTQ YA Fantasy

Briseis has a gift: with a single touch she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms.

When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents hope that surrounded by plants and flowers, she will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they never expected-it comes with a mysterious set of instructions, a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world, and generations of secrets. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it.

I love a retelling! Especially a retelling of a story that I am not as familiar with. I love Greek mythology, and I'm obsessed with witchy books for fall. So this was pretty perfect and very timely. This is like a contemporary Circe meets Practical Magic, and that is a beautiful thing. 

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Into the Drowning Deep

         

Title: Into the Drowning Deep

Series: Rolling in the Deep #1

Author: Mira Grant

Published: Orbit, November 14, 2017

Pages: 562

Genre: LGBTQ Horror Science Fiction

The ocean is home to many myths, 

But some are deadly. . .

Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy. 

Now a new crew has been assembled. But this time they're not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life's work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost. 

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. 

But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

This book is exceptionally spooky. It's beautifully well-written. I could not put it down for a single second. I mean, I guess for a single second. But it was tough, for sure! And I am DESPERATE to know what happens after this book. Like, no spoilers, but I have to know!!!! 

I think the romance in this book was actually for the sirens. Sure, Poppy and Tory are wonderful. But those sirens were DEVOTED. Could it have been biological imperative. Maybe. Does that make it less romantic? Maybe. Does that make me care less. Absolutely never.

Ratings

Stars: 5/5

        

Title: Rolling in the Deep

Series: Rolling in the Deep #0.5

Author: Mira Grant

Published: Subterranean Press, April 6, 2015

Pages: 79

Genre: LGBTQ Horror Science Fiction

When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received before: an assortment of eyewitness reports that proved nothing, some footage that proved even less, and the kind of ratings that only came from peddling imaginary creatures to the masses.

They didn't expect actual mermaids.  They certainly didn't expect those mermaids to have teeth.

This is the story of the Atargatis, lost at sea with all hands.  Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.  Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the bathypelagic zone in the Mariana Trench…and the depths are very good at keeping secrets.

Even knowing how this would end, I HAD to read this novella. And it did not disappoint. It was just as hauntingly well written as the novel. I am glad that I read the novel first, but this was so beautiful.

Ratings

Stars: 5/5