Fly with Me

 

Fly with Me
By  Andie Burke

ISBN: 9781250886378
384 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: On Page Death of a Loved One, Lots of 0Sexism

Synopsis:

A one-way ticket to love or a bumpy ride ahead?

Flying-phobic ER nurse Olive Murphy is still gripping the armrest from her first-ever take-off when the pilot announces an in-flight medical emergency. Olive leaps into action and saves a life, but ends up getting stuck in the airport hours away from the marathon she's running in honor of her brother. Luckily for her, Stella Soriano, the stunning type A copilot, offers to give her a ride.

After the two spend a magical day together, Stella makes a surprising request: Will Olive be her fake girlfriend?

A video of Olive saving a life has gone viral and started generating big sales for Stella's airline. Stella sees their union as the perfect opportunity to get to the boys' club executives at her company who keep overlooking her for a long-deserved promotion. Realizing this arrangement could help her too, Olive dives into memorizing Stella’s comically comprehensive three-ring-binder guide to fake dating. As the two grow closer, what’s supposed to be a ruse feels more and more real. Could this be the romantic ride of their lives, or an epic crash and burn?

My Thoughts:

Fly With Me has been on my to-read list for quite a while. I actually qualified for an ARC from NetGalley before the book was published, but I had a lot going on at the time and never got a chance to download it before it was archived in their system, making it unavailable. So I had to wait for it to be published and become available at my local library, and then sit through months of library (well, Libby really) waitlist. But I feel like it was worth the wait and I am glad that I did not give up on it.

The main character in Fly with Me is Olive, a nurse who is dealing with some serious family drama. Her brother is hospitalized in a coma after an accident and she has found herself at odds with the rest of her family about how his care is being handled. The story opens with her traveling on a plane - which she is absolutely terrified of - to attend a marathon and fulfill a promise she made with her brother before his accident. Mid-flight, another passenger suffers a medical crisis, and Olive uses her nurse training to save the man. Unfortunately, the emergency causes the flight to be diverted, and the inability to secure another flight puts her at risk of missing out on the marathon. Stella, the copilot of the redirected flight, steps in to save the day by offering to drive Olive the rest of the way to the marathon. Olive is initially hesitant, but acquiesces when she realizes that she really has no other options.

The pair hit it off and become friendly, and then return to their normal lives. Soon after, Stella reaches out to Olive with an insane proposal - to be her fake girlfriend. There had been a giant amount of media coverage over the nurse's heroic rescue on the flight, and the airline was getting a lot of media. Stella, who had been repeatedly skipped over for pilot promotions due to the industry sexism, believed that aligning herself with the moment of celebrity could play out in her benefit. Olive considers and decides that the fake relationship could benefit her as well and accepts. This is the plotline that drew me in and made me want to read the book. Fake Dating, or "fauxmance" if you will, is my absolute favorite romance trope. 

Both Olive and Stella are decently likeable characters, though I could definitely relate to Olive more. Most of the narration is from her point of view, and Stella feels a little more distant and detached at times. They both have some variant of trauma; Stella from dealing with rampant career sexism, and Olive from family drama and a loads of anxiety and self-deprecation. Olive's mental hang-ups unquestionably cause their relationship to be slower to develop, but this helps it to evolve naturally in a way that it is believable.

The secondary characters are a mixed bag. Olive's co-workers are super and help her evolve as a person. Derek is a champ. The depiction of Stella's dad is such a refreshing take on a parental role in a contemporary novel like this one, and is a bittersweet yet realistic disability representation. Those characters are all a hit. And then there are the misses. Olive's family are pretty awful. Stella's coworker is a PoS and her boss, while he has a few "maybe he is redeemable" moments, is ultimately garbage. But the worst offender has to be Olive's ex Lindsay. Not just in the "she's supposed to be the villain" way, but the character was just so extra, to an unnecessary degree. And to believe that she could do all the insane stuff that she did and face absolutely no repercussions or comeuppance? It's infuriating.

While the main focus of Fly with Me is clearly to tell a romance story, the book does not forget the non-romance side plots, and even completely throws away the romance for a brief point. There is a lot of additional drama, both family and job related. I would like to say that these side plots are adequately wrapped up at the end of the story, but honestly, some of the outcomes felt underwhelming or less than satisfactory. I don't think this diminished the story overall, but I had a higher expectation at that point.

Overall, I think that Fly with Me was a pleasant read and a nice offering for sapphic romance fans. There are maybe some points that were a little more... meh? But for an introductory book, this was a great showing.

Parent's Guide:

While there isn't anything too graphic in this book, it is a lot of adult situations and sexual banter. There are also some traumatic family situations that would probably be uncomfortable to a younger audience. I would consider this one solidly 16+ at best.

Strike the Zither

    

Strike the Zither
By  Joan He

ISBN: 9781250258588
368 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, and Kindle
Trigger Warning: Violence and Death

Synopsis:

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the realm’s most powerful strategist, serving under a leader whose cause jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed.

When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, the only strategist who has ever rivaled Zephyr’s talent. But mastermind though Crow may be, he is no match for Zephyr. She will defy the heavens to win and no one―neither human nor god―can stop her.

Featuring gorgeous map art and black-and-white portraits, Strike the Zither is the first book in Joan He's riveting Kingdom of Three duology that explores human greed and ambition in a war-torn world. Don't miss the epic conclusion in Sound the Gong!

My Thoughts:

Strike the Zither is the first part of a two part fantasy story based loosely on the well known and often adapted Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (often shortened to Three Kingdoms - which is also the designation for era when the story takes place). There are omissions and distinct changes - most notably that most of the main cast is women, where in the original tale, all of the important players were men. The lead character Zephyr is based on Zhuge Liang, and her lordess Xin Ren is based on the hero Liu Bei. I've actually never had the opportunity to read Three Kingdoms, and in fact have only seen one adaptation - the Taiwanese drama K.O.3an Guo (part of the KO One franchise). And I watched that probably 10 years ago, so I don't remember the entire story. If you are familiar with the Three Kingdoms story, you will definitely see similarities in personas and certain happenings, but there are a lot of differences as well. Strike the Zither completely holds up as an independent story and will be just as enjoyable to readers who are not familiar with the Three Kingdoms story.

The main quartet of characters, like those seen in Three Kingdoms, is a trio of swornsisters and their military strategist. Each of these characters has unique personalities, are likable, and you can empathize with them and their motivations. The focal and secondary players of the story are clearly Zephyr and Xin Ren, so you get more background on them than on the other characters. Miasma, the villain of the story, is written to be perfectly detestable, though her strategist Crow is someone I couldn't decide if I loved or loathed.

The author paints a lovely picture of the scenery with her words (and provides a map in the index for context). She describes the action in vivid detail - which is sometimes quite violent, as to be expected in an epic story about war. Much of this story, however, was not what one would expect. Around halfway through, there is a bit of a twist - that I wouldn't dare spoil - and the narrative shifts drastically. As someone who dislikes when books are overly predictable, I absolutely relished the unexpected change.

I stumbled across Strike the Zither at the local library and the cover art is what drew me in first. I've been on a bit of a Xianxia drama binge lately, and this book looked like it would be right up my alley. If I'm being totally honest, the first couple of pages were a little overwhelming to me. It introduced several of characters very fast, and jumped right into the action; so it took a little while to get my bearings and remember who everyone was. It turns out that when you are reading a book instead of watching a show where you can learn faces, that much information up front can be a lot. Once I got a few more pages in, I was invested in the story and really didn't want to put it down. I finished this book in a week, but only because I was busy. This was the type of book that I could usually complete in one sitting.

Overall, Strike the Zither was a delightful read. As mentioned previously, it is the first of a two part series. It doesn't really end on a cliff hanger, but with an incomplete feeling and a bit of last minute suspense. I cannot wait to start the second half. I was really grateful that I did not discover this book before the library had both volumes.

Parent's Guide:

This book has a lot going on, but isn't too complicated. It is a war epic so there is quite a bit of violence, sometimes graphic. I wouldn't advise this for younger or sensitive readers, but it has a good deal of entertainment value for more mature teens.

September Reading Goals

I'm behind on my reading goal, so I have an ambitious list for the month as I try to catch up. This month's reading list includes mostly books picked up from a trip to the local library, plus a few catch up review requests.  My priority is to finish Enchanted Ever After. Finishing the Enchanted, Inc. series has been a task because the last book was impossible to find! I finally found a copy, thanks to my new library's Hoopla account, but when I got 80% finished reading it, the checkout expired and I had exceeded my allowance for the month. So I have been waiting 2 weeks to finish the last few pages. So frustrating! Once I finish that, there are a few more old reads to finish that I hope to finally complete, and then several new library finds.

This is what my September reading list looks like:

Enchanted Ever After by Shanna Swendson (FINALLY)
The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite
Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
Vic Boyo Doofus Detective: Double Murders are Twice as Bad by Milo James Fowler
The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor
Never Less Than a Lady by Mary Jo Putney
A Storybook Hero by Shanna Swendson
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
The Curse of Cain by Theophilus Monroe

And if I get to it, this further volume from another series that I have started:

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite

There are still reviews incoming for my August reads as well. Still; getting situated in the new house and trying to get everything for my business established in a new state (plus prepping for a festival at the end of the month) means that I have quite a backlog to post. I will get them all posted as soon as I can. I had ambitiously set up a goal of 2-3 posts a week before the move, and once things get balanced out, I hope to get back to that. Which means that there are a lot of posts coming! Please be patient and check back.

And, as always, I am open to and love discussion, so I invite you to grab a book and read along!

July/August Reading Selections

This month's reading list is 2 months in one, because I am posting late in the month. The books included are the result of my finally getting a card at the local library and going wild with it. I now have access to Libby AND Hoopla! And Hoopla had Enchanted Ever After, a book that I had been struggling to get my hands on, so it's on the top of the list. After that there is a slew of other books I grabbed when I went to explore. A lot of them are graphic novels. No reason in particular - I just love graphic novels and they had a really good selection. ^.^

This is what my August reading list looks like:

Enchanted Ever After by Shanna Swendson
The Complete ElfQuest Volume 1 by Windy Pini
Star Trek: The Manga Volume 1: Shinsei/Shinsei by Chris Dows
Heartstopper Vol 1-4 by Alice Oseman
Check, Please! Book 1 & 2 by Ngozi Ukazu
Bloom by Kevin Panetta
Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney
Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
The Bride was a Boy by Chii
Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra by Kevin Panetta
Spinning by Tillie Walden

I actually got my library card at the very end of June, so there were two late June reads that will covered as well - both short stories in the Enchanted, Inc. series that I didn't even know existed until I found them whilst searching for EEA.

June Reads:
Paint the Town Red and Criminal Enchantment by Shanna Swendson

Two Rogues Make a Right

Two Rogues Make a Right (Seducing the Sedgwicks #3)

By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062821584

320 Pages

Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on KindleKindle

Synopsis:

Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world.

Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on.

As a lifetime of love transforms into a tender passion both men always desired but neither expected, can they envision a life free from the restrictions of the past, a life with each other?

My Thoughts:

Two Rogues Make a Right is the third installment in Seducing the Sedgwicks, Cat Sebastian's second M/M historical romance series. This book has a markedly different feel from the previous two volumes, and many other regency era romance novels. In this friends to lovers story, the two lead characters already have an existing history, including a couple of brief past romantic encounters, but have never truly explored or admitted those feeling to each other.

Will Sedgwick, the youngest of the series' titular Sedgwick brothers, has just returned from naval service and is is concerned at his inability to locate his best friend Martin, whom he greatly cares about and whom is suffering from an incurable affliction. Martin Easterbrook cares equally about Will, but does not want the young Sedgwick beholden by his malady, doomed to always be his caretaker. Unfortunately, he is not that great at taking care of himself either, and at the beginning of the book he is quite ill. Which forces Will's hand, as he essentially kidnaps Martin and takes him to a cottage in the country where he can be cared for. 

This sojourn to the countryside gives the men a chance to reconnect and learn more about themselves, as well as each other. It gives them an opportunity to explore the feelings that have always been there, under the surface, as they live together peacefully in their little one room cottage. It also gives the reader a chance to enjoy a different setting and lifestyle, in contrast to how most regency era books focus on the ton and the bustling London life with. One of the things that I love about Cat Sebastian's regency era books is how they spend a lot of time outside of London social circles and all that comes with that.

The side characters in Two Rogues Make a Right are delightful. Especially Daisy, whose youthful exuberance is a breath of fresh air, and her mother, who is rational and supportive and protects the men when she deduces that they are more than just an ailing man and his indifferent caretaker. The pair provide a bit of humor to a book that is otherwise pretty serious in tone. One of my favorite bits is when Daisy innocently asks one of the men to pretend to be her beau for very teenage reasons.

Two Rogues Make a Right has much less action and side plot that the previous volumes. But this doesn't detract from the story at all. This volume is much sweeter and focuses more on the pair and their slow burn romance. But this doesn't mean that there is no drama included. A few people start to get ideas about their relationship and try to tear them apart, including Martin's aunt, who tries to control him for her own benefit. Most notably, Martin learns some very interesting information about his father that changes his world and his whole family dynamic.

There is also family drama on the other side. Will's older brother Hartley (from A Gentleman Never Keeps Score) supports his brother, but does not understand or agree with his choice to care so much for Martin. He is distrustful of the man thanks to some bad family history between the Easterbrooks and the Sedgwicks. But then Martin gets an opportunity to show how much he truly cares for Will, which results in Hartley having a change of heart and making peace with Martin, and Martin in turn making reparations for his father's misdeeds.

After reading six other Cat Sebastian books (the entire Turner's series and the first two Seducing the Sedgwicks volumes) back to back, I was pleased that this one had just enough of a difference to keep me interested without feeling old or played out. I really enjoyed Two Rogues Make a Right. With it's friends to lovers storyline, it had almost a completely different vibe than the previous books in the series.

Parent's Guide:

Same as with the rest of the series - 100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

It Takes Two to Tumble

It Takes Two to Tumble (Seducing the Sedgwicks #1)

By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062821577

304 Pages

Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Some of Ben Sedgwick’s favorite things:

• Helping his poor parishioners
• Baby animals
• Shamelessly flirting with the handsome Captain Phillip Dacre

After an unconventional upbringing, Ben is perfectly content with the quiet, predictable life of a country vicar, free of strife or turmoil. When he’s asked to look after an absent naval captain’s three wild children, he reluctantly agrees, but instantly falls for the hellions. And when their stern but gloriously handsome father arrives, Ben is tempted in ways that make him doubt everything.

Some of Phillip Dacre’s favorite things:

• His ship
• People doing precisely as they're told
• Touching the irresistible vicar at every opportunity

Phillip can’t wait to leave England’s shores and be back on his ship, away from the grief that haunts him. But his children have driven off a succession of governesses and tutors and he must set things right. The unexpected presence of the cheerful, adorable vicar sets his world on its head and now he can’t seem to live without Ben’s winning smiles or devastating kisses.

In the midst of runaway children, a plot to blackmail Ben’s family, and torturous nights of pleasure, Ben and Phillip must decide if a safe life is worth losing the one thing that makes them come alive.  

My Thoughts:

It Takes Two to Tumble is the first installment in Cat Sebastian's second M/M historical romance series, Seducing the Sedgwicks. It tells a sweet love story between a stern ship captain and a reserved yet not-so-naïve vicar - it's all very Maria von Trapp. Maria in this case being the lead character Benedict Sedgwick, eldest of the series' titular Sedgwick brothers, who had a very unique upbringing for that time, having been raised in a household with their father, his wife, and his mistress - as well as various other interlopers and stragglers. After he is granted the vicarship of the parish of St. Aelred's, Benedict is happy to have a chance at normalcy in his life and looks forward to a most mundane future, including a marriage with his best friend Alice Crawford. That is, until the arrival of Captain Philip Dacre, the absent master of Barton Hall, a large estate within his parish. 

Captain Dacre is distant and abrasive, tormented by his own difficult childhood, but also by several recent losses: that of his wife, who he didn't so much love as appreciate for her capability at raising their children and keeping order of the household, and more importantly that of a fellow sailor on his ship. who he DID love despite not being willing to admit as much. When he arrives home from sea, his children are completely out of control, having not had a firm hand to guide them in the four years since their mother passed. He finds them in the temporary care of Benedict Sedgwick, who has been roped in to keep them out of serious trouble until a more permanent situation can be managed. He has no idea how to interact with the children, as he had almost always been at sea and had rarely seen them.

Of all the Cat Sebastian books I have read up to this point, the pair in It Takes Two to Tumble undeniably have the best chemistry. The relationship develops slowly at first, with innocent glances and touches, but by the book's halfway point they have moved beyond thoughts and to actions. To some, it may seem as though they moved too fast, but I feel like this just emphasizes the loneliness that the two have been suffering. Philip has been at sea for a year grieving the loss of a loved one that he could share with no other person and Benedict, in trying to keep his feelings in alignment with the teachings of the church, has been denying his true self for much longer than that. They are both burdened with a deep seated need for true companionship and understanding, and as soon as the realization hits that the other person may be the one to fulfill that, the door opens. The turning point in their relationship, when Phillip confessed his preferences by drunkenly telling Benedict about his feelings for his lieutenant, was a straightforward, calculated act of a man who is always in control - who was at that point desperate for a clear answer. He chose to reveal something in a manner that would be received compassionately yet could be explained away if it was not accepted as he hoped it would be.

As I have mentioned previously, I am usually hesitant about romance books that involve children. But of course, for the whole Sound of Music theme to work, children have to be present. I did appreciate the way they were handled in this book. The children were pivotal to the story, in that they initially brought Benedict to the home, and also in how they helped Philip open up and accept his own flaws - some in return gave him the ability to better bond with the children. But the children were somewhat independent and not so heavily present as to make the development of the romance awkward.

It Takes Two to Tumble did have a lot going on in the sidelines. Aside from the parent child relationships, there was plenty of Sedgwick family drama and landowner drama, plus the whole thing where Benedict had Alice the fiancée and that had to be resolved. The writer did manage to wrap that up quite conveniently in a way that may be seen as a little contrived, though no more so than a million other drama tales out there. I liked the Alice character quite a bit - she was well developed and had a strong background. I appreciated the way her storyline was resolved and would consider reading a novella about her were it not for the fact that I believe most of what could be told has been summed up in these pages already.

Overall, I quite enjoyed reading It Takes Two to Tumble. I think that of all the Cat Sebastian books I have read so far, The Lawrence Brown Affair is still my favorite, but this one comes as a close second.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

A Little Light Mischief

A Little Light Mischief (The Turners #3.5)
By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062951045
144 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A seductive thief

Lady’s maid Molly Wilkins is done with thieving—and cheating and stabbing and all the rest of it. She’s determined to keep her hands to herself, so she really shouldn’t be tempted to seduce her employer’s prim and proper companion, Alice. But how can she resist when Alice can’t seem to keep her eyes off Molly?

Finds her own heart

For the first time in her life, Alice Stapleton has absolutely nothing to do. The only thing that seems to occupy her thoughts is a lady’s maid with a sharp tongue and a beautiful mouth. Her determination to know Molly’s secrets has her behaving in ways she never imagined as she begins to fall for the impertinent woman.

Has been stolen

When an unwelcome specter from Alice’s past shows up unexpectedly at a house party, Molly volunteers to help the only way she knows how: with a little bit of mischief.

My Thoughts:

A Little Light Mischief is a much shorter addition to Cat Sebastian's The Turner's book series. Often referred to as book 3.5 in the series, this novella is the first to feature a F/F relationship, focusing on the previously introduced Molly Wilkins and her current mistress' young charge Alice Stapleton. This is the first F/F historical romance that I have read and it was interesting to see the differences in how these characters were handled.

The main character in A Little Light Mischief is Molly Wilkins, acquaintance of Jack and Georgie Turner from A Soldier's Scoundrel and The Lawrence Brown Affair. Like Georgie, Molly is a morally ambiguous, chaotic bi confidence artist. Or rather, a former confidence artist. Due to some life changing circumstances, Molly has secured legitimate work and is trying to live an honest life. Which most recently has brought her into the household of  Mrs. Wraxhall and into the life of Alice Stapleton, Wraxhall's ward.

Both Molly and Alice are depicted as feminine and innocent, each in their own way, and they are both likeable characters. Molly has had a rough life, has been taken advantage of, and came out of it more worldly, while Alice is more demure and naïve. Her naivete causes her to be slow to outwardly admit to her feelings for the ladies maid. Thus their relationship is very slow to develop. The couple only get physically intimate once in the entire book, and it does not go into the same illicit amount of detail as most of Sebastian's novels. This seems fitting given Alice's inexperience and upbringing, not to mention her trauma.

As typical with Sebastian's books, A Little Light Mischief offers a well thought out and developed non-romance side plot. For Molly, this revolves around a little secret that is kept in a house across town, and in the case of Alice, this involves family drama and betrayal. The story is surprisingly detailed for how short the book is overall. All in all, A Little Light Mischief was a good story and I found it to be a pleasant quick read, and a nice addition to the Turner-verse. 

Parent's Guide:

Probably not appropriate for any degree of youths. While being pretty vanilla when compared to the writer's other books, A Little Light Mischief is still adult in nature, with clear sexual situations. Definitely should be  18+

Scared Shiftless

   

Scared Shiftless
By  Theophilus Monroe

ISBN : 9798749348521
363 Pages
Available in Paperback, on Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A stiletto heel through a vampire’s heart…

Who ever said you had to sacrifice fabulous for functional?

Eventually I’d find her, the one who stole my abilities.

Now I was stuck like this…

As a water elemental, everything about me before was fluid…

My shape, my gender…

Hell, I didn’t even have a gender before…

Whatever form was most appealing to my human prey… that’s the shape I’d take.

Luring my prey to my watery lair through sex appeal and alluring song…

I didn’t even know that vampires were real…

How was I supposed to know that I’d chosen a vampire as an entree?

When I was bit that damned bloodsucker stole my shape-shifting ability…

I was scared shiftless.

I'm out for more than vengeance. I want my life back. But even if I catch her, even if I kill the vampire who ruined my life… can I even take my abilities back? Or, am I destined to stay like this…forever.

My Thoughts:

Scared Shiftless is the tale of Nyx, aka Nicky, I was surprised to see it spelled that way in the publisher's literature - in my head she was a fabulous Nikki <3 a vampire hunter with a unique background - she is a water elemental. Nicky was bitten by a vampire who stole her ability to shapeshift, an elemental necessity, which has kept her from being able to return to her watery home and has trapped her into a seemingly human existence - in a seemingly human male body.  

A pivotal element of Nicky's character is that she identifies as a trans woman. In reality, previous to her humanlike existence, Nicky did not have a concept of gender at all. However, after being trapped in a gendered human body, she had to start living like a human - eating human food and wearing clothing - and discovered that the clothing that spoke to her heart was that which was traditionally designated for human females. This causes difficulties and judgements against her that she does not understand until she is befriended by Donnie, a trans woman who at first assumes that Nicky is like her. She explains to Nicky what it is to be trans and the two become roommates and look out for one another.

The writer appears to have a good grasp of the struggles and realities that occur within the trans community and this book goes a long way in explaining those struggles to outsiders. If I had one complaint about this book, it is that occasionally these explanations become like lectures, going off on wild tangents and diverting too far from the core story for too long. The most notable case of this is in chapter two. But eventually the story gets reigned back in and on its path, and the reader has a better understanding of the character for it. 

The world presented in Scared Shiftless is a recognizable one, the American Midwest, but is also presented to the reader as a new place, full of magic and creatures of the night. There are very real locations, that most everybody has heard of, as well as whimsical imaginary ones. This pseudo-real world is wonderfully developed and the history of the vampires and other mystical beings is explored in length, leaving the reader with a solid grasp of who everyone is and what they can do. 

The story has plenty of familiar vampire concepts, with some new ones thrown in for good measure. A lot of the "vampire rules" reminded me of the world from the shows The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. It you like those, you will definitely enjoy this book. Best of all, the book was not predictable. I mean sure, there may have been a thing or two along the way, and I kinda guessed the endgame outcome with Wolfgang, and even had an inkling as to the outcome with Alice. But that surprise twist at the end where  Devin turned out to be a warlock and had been working for Alice all along really caught me off guard.

The audiobook is narrated by Kasey Logan. The narrator has an emotive, lively voice, and is capable of keeping the listener interested. Her character voices are top notch and she has energy to give both Donnie and Nicky just the right amount of fabulous sass.

Scared Shiftless is the first audiobook in a while that I can truly say I thoroughly enjoyed listening to from beginning to end. I was engaged throughout the whole thing and did not have to rewind and replay bits because I got bored and tuned out. Rather, I was eager to hear more, and I cannot wait for the following volumes.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of Scared Shiftless from StoryOrigin in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon at the links I have shared above.

Parent's Guide:

Scared Shiftless is your standard sci-fi fantasy fare - a bit of violence and a minor touch of swearing. It also touches quite a bit on personal development and discovering one's true self. and  For younger readers, it may be a bit heavy. But for the older teens, this is an excellent fantasy read, especially if they like vampires.

Persephone Plus

Persephone Plus
By  Stevie Rae Causey

ISBN: 9798742133803
67 Pages
Available in Paperback, on Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

After a year of banishment in the modern world Persephone must convince Olympus that love comes in many forms.

Persephone and Aphrodite must settle an old rivalry regarding their shared lover, or forfeit them to the mortal realm forever in this LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy short story. As their time runs out and the Goddess of Love shows no sign of wavering, it is up to Persephone to find a way to save the mortal she loves, without hurting the immortal she married.

If you like old myths with modern twists and complicated romance, you'll love Persephone Plus.

My Thoughts:

Persephone Plus is a short story adaptation of the tale of the relationship dispute between Persephone, Adonis, and Aphrodite that is told in a modern high school setting. I listened to the audiobook version, which was just under 37 minutes long. It's definitely a quickie read, but I think it could have benefitted with a little more time to flesh out the story more.

The story is full of imagery and emotion, but lacking in exposition in some key areas. For starters, it felt like you jumped in mid-narrative. The way the characters are talking, you feel like you should know what is going on, but you don't. There is backstory about the characters being banished from Olympus that is never properly covered or elaborated on. As you listen, you start to figure out some of the intricacies of the existing relationships, but other parts remain unclear if you do not know the mythological history behind the characters.

Persephone Plus is marketed as a LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy, but I find that label to be slightly misleading. The main theme of the story is that of polyamorous relationships, which typically do not by default fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. The only LGBTQ+ aspect occurs in the form where, for whatever reason, the writer chose to have Adonis identify as they/them. Historically, there is no case for this. In fact, Adonis was very much male - so much that "adonis" has long been used as a term for extremely handsome men. It feels more like an attempt to emphasize the "wokeness" of the writer and shoehorn the book into a LGBTQ+ classification. If it was an original story with original characters, it would be less questionable, but to take well established characters and change something so drastic just makes little sense. 

If you are a mythology lover like me and are familiar with the lore behind the Adonis & Persephone story and maybe I am more critical because of this, then you will notice several other changes. Persephone Plus is clearly written to make Persephone out to be the champion, solver of problems, and a caring person, while painting Aphrodite as your typical vapid "mean girl". Whereas, in the mythos, Persephone was the one who stole Adonis. Aligning with this noticeable change in narrative is the fact that when the contract is settled Adonis chooses to split his year equally between Persephone and Aphrodite, whereas in the original story he chose Aphrodite and spent his remaining 4 months that were previously unallocated with her. 

It also seems like the story is written to lift up the concept of polyamorous relationships, when in truth it is a really bad example of polyamorous relationships because Persephone's decision is forced on Hades rather than being made with his consent. It also appears that Adonis has been trapped into making a decision and Aphrodite is being coerced to agree to something they clearly do not want. The reality is that Persephone Plus is trying to romanticize a toxic situation, but is not really succeeding. Overall, the substance is lacking, but the storytelling is creative. It makes for a okay short read if you want a fluff tale to waste some time. 

In regards to the narration: The audiobook is narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo. The narrator has a nice clear voice and she was capable at distinguishing between the characters and portraying believable emotion in the characters. The reading pace was decent and the storytelling was engaging enough to keep you interested in listening.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of Persephone Plus from StoryOrigin in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon.

Parent's Guide:

Persephone Plus is a tame tale and set in a relatable high school setting. There isn't a lot of exposition, so if the reader isn't familiar with Greek mythology they may get confused, but overall there isn't anything that is really inappropriate for pre-teen or teen readers. If your child likes mythology, they will probably enjoy this fresh and relatable perspective on an old tale.

The Ruin of a Rake

 

The Ruin of a Rake (The Turners #3)
By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062642530
336 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Rogue. Libertine. Rake. Lord Courtenay has been called many things and has never much cared. But after the publication of a salacious novel supposedly based on his exploits, he finds himself shunned from society. Unable to see his nephew, he is willing to do anything to improve his reputation, even if that means spending time with the most proper man in London.

Julian Medlock has spent years becoming the epitome of correct behavior. As far as he cares, if Courtenay finds himself in hot water, it’s his own fault for behaving so badly—and being so blasted irresistible. But when Julian’s sister asks him to rehabilitate Courtenay’s image, Julian is forced to spend time with the man he loathes—and lusts after—most.

As Courtenay begins to yearn for a love he fears he doesn’t deserve, Julian starts to understand how desire can drive a man to abandon all sense of propriety. But he has secrets he’s determined to keep, because if the truth came out, it would ruin everyone he loves. Together, they must decide what they’re willing to risk for love.

My Thoughts:

The Ruin of a Rake, the third installment in The Turner's series, is your standard love/hate relationship. The lead characters start out with a severe dislike for each other and slowly fall in love despite every effort made not to. They eventually come around, after a good amount of "why do I like this person, it's so infuriating" moments.

The physically intimate scenes in The Ruin of a Rake are more scandalous and more frequent, similar to the style of A Soldier's Scoundrel. As a result of the seething dislike between the characters at the beginning, some of the intimate scenes are very one sided and have a strong sense of shame associated with them, but nothing happens that is against anyone's will.

While the first 2 books in the series are pretty much capable of being read as standalone stories, I feel like the reader needs to know what happened in The Lawrence Brown Affair to fully understand and appreciate the events of The Ruin of a Rake. A significant portion of Lord Courtenay's personality hinges on his relationship with the Earl of Radnor's son and a lot of groundwork into the two leads' interactions is set up in the previous book. You could read this one without reading the previous story and eventually get the main idea of what all has transpired, but for the full experience, I recommend reading The Lawrence Brown Affair first.

The side plot in The Ruin of a Rake is less memorable than that of it's predecessors, centering mostly on dealings with Lord Courtenay's finances and diminished reputation. The best part of it is the mysteriousness behind The Brigand Prince, the scandalous novel that is the primary source of Lord Courtenay's reputation woes. But even then, there is a degree of predictability. Overall, I felt like this book was the weakest of the trio, plot wise, but it was still a decent read.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

The Lawrence Browne Affair

The Lawrence Brown Affair (The Turners #2)
By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062642516
336 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

An earl hiding from his future . . .

Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down.

A swindler haunted by his past . . .

Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl.

Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives?

Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.

My Thoughts:

The Lawrence Brown Affair may be the second book in the four title The Turner's series, but it's actually the first one I read. I happened across a copy of it at my local library and immediately picked it up. Before this book, I didn't know that M/M romance novels were a thing, much less M/M historical romances. I enjoy reading historical romance, so I love finding new variants to try.

The main character in The Lawrence Brown Affair is Georgie Turner, brother of Jack Turner from A Soldier's Scoundrel. (Hence the "The Turner's" series title, which was actually originally created by fans, as the series was originally released without a set designation.) Georgie is a morally ambiguous, chaotic bi confidence artist who loves his family above all. Jack T. was a vanilla villain, doing bad to help others, whereas Georgie T. is definitely less vanilla and playing cons to get ahead in life. That is, until he starts to develop a conscience and gets himself in trouble in the process. To shield him from said trouble, his brother sends him on a job to investigate Lawrence Brown, the "mad Earl" of Radnor. 

Both Lawrence and Georgie are extremely likeable characters, despite their intentional character flaws. They both have some deep background damage that causes them to see the flaws within their selves and to not trust others, and as such, their relationship is slow to develop. Lawrence has the worst of it. He spends his days hiding in his crumbling estate, fearing for his own sanity and being effectively a social recluse. Which makes him pretty much wholly inexperienced in physical relationships. The couple only get physically intimate about three times in the whole book. Remember how I said that I read this one first? Yeah, I was expecting this to be the standard in all of the books in the series, so I was pretty shocked when A Soldier's Scoundrel turned out to be a lot more physical. But I have to say that, in the case of The Lawrence Brown Affair, this lack of physical scenes is perfect. It really drives home the emotional state of the characters without forcing in unnecessary scenes just for the sake of sex.

Just like with it's predecessor, The Lawrence Brown Affair offers a solid non-romance side plot. There is family drama, a mystery, a bit of smuggling, and a touch of danger. There are new side characters introduced who greatly enhance the story. I absolutely love Lady Standish and what her character signifies in a time period where women were not really free to make their own choices, much less be scientists and free thinkers. How Lawrence accepts her at face value and thinks nothing of it endears him to me even more.

When they introduced Lawrence's son, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. Kids appearing in intense romance novels is always a little weird to me. But it added another depth to the characters and seeing how they adapted to act as a family was nice. The book in whole was a sweet story and I enjoyed reading it. The Lawrence Brown Affair is by far my favorite book out of the entire The Turner's series.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

Would You Like To Be A Family?

Would You Like To Be A Family?
By  Koyama

ISBN: 9781427868459
176 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Families come in many shapes and sizes, and these three are no different!

Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!

Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.

Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.

Follow three very different relationships in this intimate collection of short Boys Love stories.

My Thoughts:

Would You Like to be a Family? is a graphic novel compilation of 3 separate short stories all sharing a theme. That theme being romantic boys love relationships. The first story, for which the book is named, is about a single father who befriends the reclusive "new guy" at work and the relationship that develops between them. The second story is about a high schooler who falls for a college student after seeing the man display emotion over getting dumped. The third story is about a college student experiencing love for the first time with one of his classmates. At the end there is a bonus short that revisits the titular family again.

The three stories are touching and emotional without being over the top sappy or contrived. The relationships feel authentic. This isn't high fantasy or dramatic BL fluff - these stories reflect on real issues and judgements that gay men in Japan face in their lives. The first story is definitely my favorite.

The art work in the book is very clean and the story is easy to follow. With some graphic novels, it is hard to tell which blocks to read to follow the flow of the story in the correct order, but there is no issue with that in Would You Like to be a Family? There is even a chart at the end of the book that explains the flow, as Japanese graphic novels are read right to left and most people unfamiliar would start at the wrong end of the book.

There are scenes that are sexual in nature, mostly in the second of the three stories. Not horribly graphic scenes, but some images were more graphic than I was expecting and more than I am accustomed to seeing in mainstream manga, which historically is known for censoring male genitalia. In Would You Like to be a Family? the art is not super detailed on those bits but nothing was censored. So you do see people grabbing their junk (or their partner's) and there is one full on sex scene.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Would You Like to be a Family? from NetGalley and publisher LOVE x LOVE in exchange for a fair and honest review. It is currently available for preorder and will be released on September 21, 2021.

Parent's Guide:

This book is rated M due to the content that is considered taboo in some places, and the fact that the second story shows characters having sex. Overall, it is not for kids. Mature older teens may enjoy it, but that is a decision for them and their parents to make.

September Reading List

Did I up my reading goal again? You bet I did! This month's reading list includes a few books picked up from a trip to the local library, but mostly review requests and NetGalley selections. 

This is about half of my goal for the month. Which means
I will be done with them in a week at the rate I have been going.

This is what my September reading list looks like:

Would You Like to be a Family? by Koyama

A Secret Scottish Escape by Julie Shackman

Kiss and Spell by Shanna Swendson

Séances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry

My Dad is a Russian Spy by Candy Berg

Devil on Her Shoulder (V1) by  Cédric Mayen

Deep Space by Milo James Fowler

There are still reviews incoming for some of my August reads as well. I have quite a backlog to post, but will get them all up as soon as possible. Ideally, I am aiming for 2 posts a week, but being careful to not get burned out again. But there are a lot of posts coming! So remember to check back.

And, as always, I am open to and love discussion, so I invite you to grab a book and read along!

The Soldier's Scoundrel

The Soldier's Scoundrel (The Turners #1)
By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062642486
308 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A scoundrel who lives in the shadows

Jack Turner grew up in the darkness of London’s slums, born into a life of crime and willing to do anything to keep his belly full and his siblings safe. Now he uses the tricks and schemes of the underworld to help those who need the kind of assistance only a scoundrel can provide. His distrust of the nobility runs deep and his services do not extend to the gorgeous high-born soldier who personifies everything Jack will never be. 

A soldier untarnished by vice

After the chaos of war, Oliver Rivington craves the safe predictability of a gentleman’s life—one that doesn’t include sparring with a ne’er-do-well who flouts the law at every turn. But Jack tempts Oliver like no other man has before. Soon his yearning for the unapologetic criminal is only matched by Jack’s pleasure in watching his genteel polish crumble every time they’re together. 

Two men meant only for each other

My Thoughts:

The Soldier's Scoundrel is the first book of the set now referred to as The Turners, but it was the second book in the series that I read. I expected something a little more timid than it was and was surprised, but not disappointed. The genre of M/M romance novels is still a new thing to me, and it has been quite a while since I have read any romance novels at all, so I somewhat forgot that they can sometimes be... detailed. This didn't put me off of reading it, but it meant I had to be more careful about WHERE I was reading it.

The story is a touching tale of redemption, but not in the way you expect. Jack Turner, the more roguish character, holds the moral high ground throughout most of the book, quite adequately schooling Oliver, the proper gentleman / former soldier who needs a good reality check. This is a fun change from the typical "let me, the wealthy hero, rescue you from depravity" notion that male written romance novels tend to circle around. 

The romance element isn't forced, but develops quite naturally. But once they hit that point, they don't waste any time enjoying what each other has to offer. There are several scenes of varying degrees of intimacy. At the same time, they deal with very human relationship issues - like how Oliver is struggling to feel like a complete person after his injury - and how, due to his past, Jack has some mental hang-ups of his own to work through. In a very real way, they help each other to heal.

The best thing about this book is that the story doesn't just revolve around the relationship. There is a solid secondary plotline where they are working to solve a mystery, and it is just as captivating as the romance plot, if not more so. As someone who loves mystery stories, I was completely invested in finding out the solution to the case. I have read a lot of romance novels in the past, and while most have secondary plotlines to drive the story, The Soldier's Scoundrel has to be one of the most detailed and interesting ones I have read to date.

Overall, I thought The Soldier's Scoundrel was an excellent read. I was originally only planning to read the first book in the set that I had happened across at the library, but after going back and reading this one as well, I was motivated to finish the four book series.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche
By  Maria Llovet

ISBN: 9781950912407
144 Pages
Available in Hardcover and Kindle/Comixology

TW: Blood, Suicide

Synopsis:

From the artist of the bestselling Faithless series...comes Eros/Psyche.

La Rosa's female boarding school is paradise for young girls...but only if you follow the rules. Because, if you disobey them, you can end up expelled, or even worse, dead.

Sara and Silje are two students learning the rules of the school, which includes classes by day...and the casting of curses and spells by night. A love develops between the two, which is tender, but threatens to break under the weight of the dark secret society within La Rosa.

My Thoughts:

The artwork in Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche is stunning. The artist is an established graphic novelist with a very distinct style that is lovely. The color palate works really well to give the story an appropriately dark feel. The story, on the other hand, is a little lacking.

The premise is very promising. Magic, mystery, secret societies. What's not to love? Except, when you get down to it, there is little of what was promised. The story has inadequate exposition to actually see many of these things beyond minor allusions. In fact, it has a shortage of dialogue at all, making it jerky and hard to follow at times.

There is mystery around the school. That is made clear from page one. But all the mystery that you see seems to revolve around new students arriving and then getting the "white uniform" and being removed, in a very Survivor "voted off the island" format.

As far as the magic? I didn't see it. The synopsis mentions casting curses and spells by night. But the only seemingly witchy reference you actually notice is that the students are always collecting different herbs. Everything else they do is mundane things like making necklaces or collecting bird eggs. 

The relationship between Sara and Silje, the two main characters, is extremely subtle. It is sweet and isn't graphic or over the top. The use of plants growing to represent different stages of their friendship and developments in the story was really interesting. 

The ending felt very "M. Night Shyamalan plot twist"-ish. That's not always a bad thing, and in this case it worked well to tie it all together and wrap it back around to page one, but it still left as many questions as it answered. Overall, despite it's flaws, it was an enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This graphic novel book is a collection of all 5 volumes of the comic (despite the fact that the Goodreads page has it marked as #1-#4). It is currently available for preorder and will be released on October 12, 2021.

Parent's Guide:

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche, while not overly complicated, is confusing and not for the faint of heart. There are scenes with blood - as well as a suicide - that make it not really child friendly. There are also several images of nudity. I would recommend this book for upper level teens who like gothic art and sapphic love stories.

August Reading Selections

I forgot how good it feels to spend all day lost in a book! I have already had to up my reading challenge goal twice in the last month. This month's reading list includes mostly books picked up from a trip to the local library, but also some past review requests and LibraryThing wins. 

This is what my August reading list looks like:

Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan (Omnibus, Vol. 1 & 2) by Gaku Kuze

It Takes Two to Tumble, A Gentleman Never Keeps Score, & Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian 

Damsel Under Stress, Don't Hex with Texas, & Much Ado About Magic by Shanna Swendson

Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures by Milo James Fowler

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

There are also reviews incoming for my July reads, including:

The Turners series by Cat Sebastian (I had only intended to read the first book that I picked up, but once you read one book in a series you have to read them all asap. Same thing happened with the Seducing the Sedgewicks series on the August list. Her books are addictive!)

Enchanted, Inc. & Once Upon Stilettos by Shanna Swendson

Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer

Reviews will be posted over the remainder of the month and well into the next one. So remember to check back. A lot of this month's and last month's reads are books in the same series, so I will try to stagger the reviews with other ones in between them. 

And, as always, I am open to and love discussion, so I invite you to grab a book and read along!