#ARC review

[itsphoenix0724]

Received this beauty! I’m already a few chapters in and loving it so far! Everything that came in this box was such good quality and the horse sticker has already found an amazing home on my water bottle!! Can’t wait to dive further in, so grateful for @azsazz fantastic job!

[meltotheany]

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (Wayward Children, #9)by Seanan McGuire | ARC Review

Goodreads | Amazon US | B&N | Blackwell’s | Bookshop 1.) Every Heart a Doorway ★★★★★2.) Down Among the Sticks and Bones ★★★★★3.) Beneath the Sugar Sky ★★★★4.) In an Absent Dream ★★★★★5.) Come Tumbling Down ★★★6.) Across the Green Grass Fields ★★★★7.) Where the Drowned Girls Go ★★★8.) Lost in the Moment and Found ★★★★★ ARC provided by Tor – thank you so much !! “The door wasn’t there because…

[physalian]

ARC Reviewers Wanted! | Tell Me How Long - a modern merfolk mystery

Alrighty! I think I did this correctly? I think?? Looking for some ARC reviewers. And readers in general of course. First try at using Booksprout on recommendation.

Summary:

Finley McCann is an aspiring marine biologist, spending her days watching the ocean she loves die before her feet as the world spins on unmoved to stop it. Three years after a chance meeting with a survivor of a species thought extinct for centuries, Finley stumbles on an opportunity to save a Mer, and shock the world into acting before it’s too late. Tell Me How Long is a twist on the modern merfolk myth, and what it takes to survive under the threat of humanity in the open ocean.

For a deeper dive, I essayed about it here.

[hrngraystrs]

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch - ARC review!

5/5 stars

Forever blessed and honored I was given the chance to read this ARC. Thank you Bramble 🫶

The book is out March 11, 2025.

Review:

"You're worth staying for, Kristopher. You. Not what you have to offer people. You are worth it"

*Brittany Broski Voice* I NEED AN IRISH MAN

I am just being honest when I say from the moment I read the sneak peek chapter of this book at the end of The Nightmare Before Kissmas ARC that I knew I needed this book. I thought about it almost every day. The second the cover was announced, I was checking every day for this ARC. This was deeply serious for me. It always will be deeply serious to me.

I think I have to cite The Nightmare Before Kissmas as one of the best (not Shadowhunter) books I have read this year. It was so enjoyable to read. While The Nightmare Before Kissmas was a campy fun time with a slightly serious undertone, Go Luck Yourself did NOT come to play games. This story centers around Kris and his journey towards self-discovery and self-acceptance. It can be heavy in parts of it.

It was refreshing, albeit a little terrifying, to read about a character whose struggles are so similar to my own. I relate to Kris WAY more than to Coal and I think that played a big part in my enjoyment of this. It was about time we got some Mommy Issues representation in the media!!

(I am laughing at my own sentence there, but I'm serious. I find it rare to see such an accurate reflection of what I went through for so much of my life regarding that.)

Oh... oh Lochlann. Oh, sweet heavens. Irish man. Grumpy, yet a secret softy. Protective of his sisters and his holiday. Redheaded. A painter. I fear I need that man. Like bad. His character complimented Kris's well and I felt like their banter and dynamic sparked off the page. They have a good rivals thing going on and I ate up every second of it.

Of course, we got some little moments here and there of Coal and Hex but they felt well sprinkled in and like it didn't overshadow the main purpose of this book.

I never EVER EVER want sequels to romance books like this but I just feel like Sara Raasch wrote such an outstanding set of books that I'm like... what's one more? Go on, give Iris a book. I want this series to never end. SARA!!! Give me an Iris book and my LIFE is YOURS!!

Love a long book review? Check me out on bookstagram, goodreads, or storygraph !!

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: Metal From Heaven by August Clarke Rating: 5/5

I received an ARC of this title through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Marney Honeycutt works in the Yann I Chauncey Ichorite Factory but when their sister leads a workers' strike that turns into a massacre, they are suddenly all alone. Touched in the head by the metal they worked from birth, Marney has to get out of the city. They fall in with a gang of thieves who whisk them away to a mansion high in the hills by the sea. But Marney will come back. Because they are going to kill Chauncey and they're going to marry his daughter to do it.

August Clarke has done it again. I was captivated from the very first page by Clarke's signature dizzying, dazzling prose. I was utterly immersed in this rich world that blends fantasy and science fiction absolutely perfectly. I loved the different cultures, I especially loved the way Clarke emulated butch/femme lesbian culture, I loved that trans-ness was just part of the world and Marney never had to fight to be who they were.

The queerness really was my favourite part. It was so nice to finally read a book about a trans stone butch that feels like the trans stone butches I know. Marney felt and talked and behaved like so many of my friends do and that representation is so sorely needed. I have a list of friends a mile long to recommend this book because I know they ache to see themselves and their lives represented in media. I'm very grateful that August Clarke is able to do that with their books.

And the prose! Clarke has such a specific way of writing that just latches into your brain and doesn't let go. It flows so beautifully but has a staccato edge that I can't get enough of. I especially enjoyed how Clarke intermittently used second person to elevate how Marney was telling the story and the reason why they were doing that became so satisfying as the story went on. It was utterly brilliant.

If you are looking for a truly unique speculative fiction story that centres queerness and working class people in a story of revenge, I implore you to pick up Metal From Heaven and allow yourself to be swept away in this enthralling book. It's an absolute masterpiece.

Metal From Heaven releases October 22nd, 2024!

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

Release date: 24 September 2024

Genre: young adult romance fantasy

If you like:

Cozy/whimsical fantasy, Ghibli vibes

Slavik folklore

Disaster bisexuals

Poly romance

Enemies to lovers

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there’s Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he’s losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela’s plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela’s troubled past.

Content warnings

Death, violence, injury, a little blood

Mentions of past murder, suicide, rape (not explicit)

Biphobia, implied homophobia

Parental abandonment

Parentification

Suicidal thoughts

Religious bigotry

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!💖💖💖

This book is so swoon-y and romantic and whimsical and fun, like I can't remember the last time I had so much fun while reading. My very serious stoic reputation is in tatters from grinning at my phone like a goof.

(In public what's more! The embarrassment!)

The setting is straight up so wondrous and whimsical, it reminds me a lot of Ghibli movies. Not just because it's a spa town like Spirited Away, but because of the way the spirits and magical creatures are secretly living amongst the humans + the connection to nature.

The main focus is on the relationship between Gisela and Kazik. I loved how the dynamic between them grew over the course of the book, like, their enemies era is so fun to read, but the way they gradually grew closer to each other is so 🤌. The banter between them was so much fun to read, like this book could just be Gisela and Kazik talking and I would eat it up.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about their relationship with Aleksey. I feel like Aleksey actually had more chemistry with Kazik than with Gisela, mainly because of, uh, major spoiler reasons, but also they just happened to spend more one-on-one time together. When all three of them are together though, their chemistry is pure FIRE 🔥🔥🔥.

Outside of the romance, each of the MCs have their own motivations and character arcs going on, all of which I found very compelling. I will not elaborate for spoiler reasons, but Gisela's is my favourite.

There is quite a lot going on in this book though. I found myself wondering how on earth the author was going to wrap everything up satisfactorily, because there was no way everything was getting resolved perfectly. Turns out I was right, because THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK OF A SERIES.

I am more than fine with getting more of this world and its characters, but I wish I had known that this was the start of a series so that I could have adjusted my expectations accordingly, because I went into this book fully believing it was a standalone.

Anyway, I adore this book so much, and I am very much looking forward to the sequel <3

[triviareads]

ARC Review of A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera

Rating: 5/5 Heat Level: 3.75/5 Pub Date: February 4th

Premise:

Dr. Aurora Montalban Wright begins a no-strings affair with Apollo, Duke of Annan and accepts his protection as her underground women's health clinic is threatened by dangerous, powerful individuals.

My review:

THE historical romance of 2025— A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke is poignant, unabashedly political in its unflinching portrayal of the dire necessity of women's healthcare access, and INSANELY sexy.

Apollo and Aurora's chemistry has built over the course of the series, and seeing it in its full glory is EVERYTHING. Apollo was the secret son hellbent upon revenge against his shitty dad, and now he's claimed his rightful place as Duke. Meanwhile, Aurora served as the voice of reason in the last two books, except it turns out she's perhaps the biggest risktaker in her friend group— For one, she's running an underground women's clinic and is being terrorized by men in power for daring to treat women where other doctors refuse to. For another, this book STARTS with Aurora propositioning Apollo for some no-strings fun.

Apollo is *obsessed* with Aurora right from the get-go; they've had this charming, light enemies-to-lovers thing since book 1 and you get a lot more of that here except very one-sided because Aurora doesn't give quarter, even when Apollo is diving head-first between her legs and basically worshipping her pussy... and her. And to be fair, Aurora has been betrayed by the men in her life, and that too at a horrifically young age. Apollo advocates for her in a way that strikes a perfect balance between progressive and old-school *alpha hero*. Basically, if you like a clever, prickly heroine paired with an enormously charming, quite rakish hero with a chip on his shoulder.... this is the book for you.

Plot-wise, a lot of the story involves Aurora's women's clinic and the increasingly precarious position it's in. Adriana doesn't shy away from depicting the specifics of medical procedures (I learnt quite a lot), and more broadly, the systemic suppression and abuse of young women, often women of color, by the men around them. Apollo and Aurora continue their relationship under the assumption there's a deadline, because Apollo has to marry a proper debutante to increase his social and political standing.

Apollo and Aurora are people of color in relatively privileged positions— both are Afro-Latine and Apollo is a duke, while Aurora is from a wealthy family and was educated to be a doctor— but that does not mean they are immune to both systemic and interpersonal racism, both outside and within the community, especially in Aurora's case. Aurora is mostly content with her outsider status, but Apollo is conflicted about whether he should use his privilege for good from the inside, or if he can take on systems of oppression from the outside. And while I don't think all the villains in this story got their comeuppance, Adriana Herrera did a wonderful job of decolonizing Apollo and Aurora's happily-ever-after in a way that doesn't hinge on white acceptance.

The sex:

BONKERS HOT, like, I genuinely to an extent I have not read in a traditionally published historical in a while. Apollo is a little rough and a lot take-charge, but also just super smooth in the way he coaxes Aurora to let go of her inhibitions until she's just as vocal of her desires. There's a lot of biting, a lot of sniffing, a loooot of pussy worship and body worship in general, and Apollo's dirty talk is TOP NOTCH.

Standout scene is probably a jealousy-induced couch bang after Aurora comes across Apollo entertaining a prospective bride... IN THE NEXT ROOM, after which this man cleans her up and pockets said handkerchief and announces his intention to keep it under his pillow because she smells so sweet, like COME ON. No one's doing it like these two.

Also, I do appreciate the use of condoms throughout the book.

Overall:

This book is proof that a book CAN be political and sexy and in 2025, we could do with more of both. I can't recommend A Tropical Rebel enough for anyone looking for a swoony, satisfying romance that packs a punch in all the right ways.

Thank you to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[shallansolem]

ARC Review: Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

5/5 stars

Wow, this book is amazing. I don't even know how to start my review because there are so many important topics covered in Bury Your Gays. This book is jam packed with horror and action and queerness. I didn't want it to end. What a perfect thriller.

The author did an incredible job handling queer trauma and I literally had to stop and breathe a few times because it all hit so close to home. Growing up queer is hard and while the author didn't shy away from that, the author made sure we knew that there's joy in queerness, too. I also greatly enjoyed the discourse surrounding capitalism and AI and how queer identities are discussed.

Bury Your Gays is incredibly well written and a breath of fresh air amongst horror books (and this is coming from a huge horror fan). I'm already thinking about rereading it in the near future because so much happened. Truly, the queer horror book of my dreams. I wish I could thank the author for writing it. I have never preordered a physical copy so quickly.

PS. The ace representation in this book is 🤌🏽.

This book comes out on July 9th, 2024.

[eggcatsreads]

If you, like me, saw this book and was like "wow that looks cute and like a fun read" and pre-ordered it I'm telling you RIGHT NOW cancel that shit. I did. Trust me.

I got an ARC of this and the writing in this book is the most godawful thing I've ever subjected myself to. I got 16% in and had to stop because I don't hate myself enough to keep reading.

Everything is written like it's in a competition to win a slot in a "Family Guy Funny Moments" video, and when it's not doing this the book is telling you what's going on as opposed to actually writing it.

My review on Goodreads.

Trust me. Save the money and your sanity. If you see this book in the wild take the time to read the first chapter and I guarantee you will decide to spend your money elsewhere.

[bensbooks]

ARC Review: Don't Let the Forest In

Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him. High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more. But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won’t say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork—whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew’s wicked stories. Desperate to figure out what’s wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster—Thomas’s drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator…

My review:

Don't Let The Forest In does an incredible job of joining horror and emotion. We follow Andrew, back for his senior year at his boarding school where he hopes to spend another year with his twin sister, Dove, and best friend, Thomas. But right away, some things feel different. Dove and Thomas aren't talking to each other, and Thomas is acting uncharacteristically. Thomas, blood on his sleeves and secrets in his head, seems to be covering something up after his parents were reported missing.

And then the horror start. The forest, which students are banned from entering, starts to encroach upon the school and it's Thomas that's holding back the monsters. He's protecting Andrew, Dove and the other students but it's getting harder. So Andrew joins him in keeping the school safe, which dealing with Dove's reclusiveness, his own mental health, school bullies, and their changing relationship.

This book did not hold back the horror - it's deliciously dark, filled with secrets and twists, and was written so well that I kept thinking about it even while doing other things. This is a book that's going to stick with me for a long time. If you enjoy books like The Wicker King and The Forest Demands Its Due, this is a must-read!

[bookishbethanyerin]

• Review: What the River Knows •

I'm not quite sure how Isabel Ibañez has done it, but she has taken one of my least favorite plot devices – withholding information to purposefully keep someone ignorant of a situation – combined it with the chronic folly that is being a teenage girl, and turned it into an addicting tale that you'll want to devour in one sitting.

The story follows Inez, a railroad heiress who has spent her life in Buenos Aires while her parents largely live in Egypt, funding her uncle's excavations. But when she receives a magical artefact from her father and then the sudden word of her parents’ mysterious deaths, Inez goes to Cairo and inserts herself into their world – only to find that her uncle absolutely does not want her there, and there is Lots of Scheming afoot.

And of course, there is Whitford Hayes, a charming, rakish, British gentleman who works for her uncle. Inez knows she can't trust him, but she is outrageously attracted to him anyway.

Though none of the twists and turns here necessarily came as a surprise to me, Ibañez creates an evocative world of magical realism, and characters that are easy to love – Inez, though young and too trusting, is audacious and amusing, and Whit is very swoony, if a complete mess.

Set during the archaeological boom in Egypt, What the River Knows is an intriguing read that seamlessly blends historical fiction with magical realism, adventure, and a strong dose of mystery. Though the book will likely frustrate you to no end as Inez tries to learn the truth about her parents' fate, what her uncle is up to, and who she can trust, it's a hard book to put down.

And the epilogue? It'll have you screaming.

4.25🌟

0.5🌶️

[sapphic-agent]

Ranking MHA Arcs

Vs. Hero Killer Stain: A 9/10 arc. It had great tension, character development, character interaction, and villain. The friendship between Iida, Izuku, and Todoroki felt 10x more genuine than it ever did with Bakugou. The only thing I would change is maybe make Tensei not so virtuous. Maybe he made mistakes in the past or contributed to toxic hero society in some way. Perfect way to develop both Iida and Izuku

Shie Hassaikai: Again, just a great arc. Great villain and tension and love how the LOV are involved but aren't the current enemy. I love Mirio and his sacrifice for Eri was done perfectly, and him rejecting OFA made me love him even more. One of the only arcs where anyone cared about how Izuku was doing (love Iida and Todo forever). The only reason I'm putting it at #2 is Nighteye being a pretentious prick who pissed me off the whole time.

Battle Trial: One of the only arcs where Bakugou's actions aren't depicted as okay. Also calls out his behavior by making him lose because of it. Izuku's actions are recognized wholly, both what he did wrong and what he did right. Back when Momo was analytical and sharp. Also, evil Iida kills me every time. Just a pretty solid arc overall, good balance of tension and humor. There's only one thing I hate and it's that Izuku felt so guilty that he told Bakugou that he inherited his quirk

Meta Liberation: The only saving grace of season 5. The LOV was so well-written and Shigaraki's progression into a leader was so well done. I would have made it top three if it wasn't for Shigaraki's autonomy immediately being taken away by him wanting AFO. Kind of ruined the whole point of the arc

Entrance Exam: I had to make it top 5. It perfectly captures what made early MHA so great. It's so inspirational to everyone whose dreams have ever been discouraged. Some things could have been handled better which is why it isn't higher, but in general I love it

Sports Festival: I've talked about what I do and don't like about the Sports Festival before. There were a lot of good and bad things about it. Uraraka and Todoroki had great development, Izuku's and Tokoyamk's were okay, and Momo's was terrible. But what really keeps it out of the top 5 is the Bakugou pandering. It's the first arc that really starts to do this and it really ruins what could have been a really good arc

Hideout Raid: Again, the only reason this isn't higher is because it's so centered around Bakugou. If it wasn't just an arc pandering to him and his "development," it'd be a lot better. But I'm putting it at 7 because of the awesome fight between All Might and AFO. Easily one of the best in the series. And how that saved Bakugou was pretty damn cool ngl

UA School Festival: Gentle Criminal is tied for my favorite MHA villain with Stain. Not only is he relatable as fuck, his quirk is so unique. He was just so enjoyable. The festival was cute, though I felt as though this arc could have focused more on Eri's trauma. It's great that the festival was something for her to look forward to, but there could have been more done here. Also, Aizawa blaming his students for the other students being resentful and making them take accountability. Also, Bakugou being good at the drums for no reason

Paranormal Liberation War: As far as major arcs this one is okay. I feel like some parts of it were too drawn out, but it wasn't terrible. I liked Dabi exposing Endeavor, and Mirko chasing down Garaki like a bat out of hell was funny. Hawks' fight with Twice was also very impactful. BUT it also felt like a lot of the pros were useless. Like, Mount Lady struggling so much with Gigantomachia felt odd. She should have been more effective imo. I also wasn't a fan of how Midnight died in the manga, that felt unnecessarily brutal

USJ: This arc does a great job of introducing Shigaraki... And not much else. Like, I don't think it's bad at all, but it was a little boring. It does get points though for Tsu casually drowning Mineta, little moments like this make it watchable

Quirk Apprehension Test: The only reason this arc isn't lower is because of Izuku proving that he belongs at UA as much as anyone else. That was a great moment for him. But the QAT is quirkist and honestly just mean-spirited. Why would you humiliate a student in front of their classmates like that? Not to mention that Aizawa was blatantly singling him out with it. Just the beginning of Aizawa being a bad teacher

Provisional Hero License Exam: I struggled where to put this arc. Because honestly? It was good for the most part. I liked seeing how the kids each handled their tasks and opponents. Bakugou failed (I know I've said that this is undercut by Todo failing too, but it's still satisfying) and it really got into the nuances of rescue work. I liked it... Until Deku vs Kacchan Part 2. This fight ruins the entire arc for me. Bakugou fails because he couldn't stop being a dick for 2 seconds and decides he's allowed to take it out on Izuku? Then he trauma dumps on him while playing victim. And then coerces him into a fight. And then is rewarded from throwing this temper tantrum by being given what he wants (knowing about OFA). This was the arc where my feelings towards the series really soured. I really debated putting it at the bottom, but I didn't want to dismiss the good things about it so easily

Forest Training Camp: Only good thing about this arc was Izuku's fight with Muscular and his relationship with Kota. But after that it's Bakugou making bad decisions and everyone else having to suffer for them. I do appreciate Kota slapping Mineta though

Dark Hero: Just... So much potential. But it feels like we never really go below the surface with Izuku. This is supposed to be his arc and it barely focused on who he is. He should have spoken with the vestiges more. Also, while I can understand where they were coming from, 1A ambushing and then antagonizing him was terrible and Bakugou's bum ass apology was even worse. The only reason it isn't lower is because of my unhinged love for Lady Nagant. She's one of the best written characters in the series and I adore her. Unfortunately, it feels like Hori doesn't allow her to influence the overall story

Pro Hero: So this one is just... Weird. I mean, I don't think I hate it? The fight was pretty cool. I love seeing Hawks' quirk in action because his use of it is so creative. I don't like him and Rei being used to prop Endeavor's development though. I just don't think this arc was that good

Joint Training: So I mentioned this in a reply somewhere, but Bakugou's flawless win felt so unearned. He hasn't put any work into getting along with others and working with a team (all the "progress" he made was others- Izuku- doing the work for him). The fact that he didn't so much as struggle like everyone else was just bad writing. Momo losing even though she did put in the work to learn to strategize better and cover her bases just felt like a slap in the face to her character. Every time it feels like Hori wants to do right by her character, he ends up making it worse but had no problem propping Bakugou up every five minutes. I liked Uraraka being the unsung star of this arc, Monoma's team underestimating her and then living to regret it was nice. It's one of the only times the progress she's made as a hero is ever acknowledged. This arc didn't do a good job of making me care about Shinsou though, no substance to his character. Monoma was pretty entertaining

Endeavor Agency: Boring ass arc. It wasn't funny or entertaining and had zero character development for our main characters. Natsuo is antagonized for calling out Endeavor and poor Fuyumi gets yelled at by Bakugou in her own home for sharing her feelings. And then Izuku's bs "i tHiNk YOurE geTtINg REaDy tO fOrGiVE hiM." Like I love him but wtf is that line? Hori trying to force Endeavor's redemption down our throats

Final Exams: This arc is all kinds of bullshit. Sero takes a hit for Mineta and is incapacitated and fails. Yet Bakugou is continuously uncooperative, attacks him teammate, and is also incapacitated and passes? Not to mention it's all on Izuku to be the one to teach him how to work with others when that's supposed to be Aizawa's job. Every other match was also useless. The only one that has real development and interaction was Tododoki and Momo. Todo gets humbled and learns to stop acting above his classmates (even if he didn't do this with the intent of being harmful, he still did it) and Momo gets more confidence and agency. But no one else really learned anything or improved. This arc just proves how bad a teacher Aizawa is tbh

Remedial Course: I feel like this arc is evidence that Bakugou would suck as the main character. I was bored to tears during the entire thing. It felt like forced Bakugou and Todoroki interaction first of all. And truth be told I didn't know that kid was supposed to be mini Bakugou, I thought he was representative of Monoma. He was nowhere as bad as Bakugou was as a kid and felt a lot more chill. Also looked more like Monoma. Idk if this is how Hori wants us to see kid Bakugou or what but we know this isn't how he was. And then Bakugou gives him this whole lecture only to turn around the next arc and still treat Izuku like shit. Fucking hypocrite. Camie telling him to shut up was the only good thing about this arc (stan Camie)

And that's the list! I'm only doing these arcs because they're the only ones I've read/watched completely. I don't want to make judgements about the next three arcs without fully knowing what I'm talking about. Though the leaks for the Final War don't bode well for its ranking.

So what do we think? Agree? Disagree? Let me know!

[pagesandpothos]

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Official Blurb:

Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together. Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics. He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic. That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic. Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together. Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

My Thoughts:

Sorcery and Small Magics might be my absolute favorite read of the year! I absolutely devoured this book and loved everything about it.

First, the worldbuilding and magic system are both creative and really well done. Locations include a prestigious magic school, a rural countryside filled with people who use magic to make simple livings, and a dangerous forest filled with terrifying monsters. All of these settings are lush and described well. I felt fully immersed in this world while reading! The magic system is also unique and ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. Sorcerers are divided into either Scrivers (people who can write spells) or Casters (who cast spells). This division was inventive and it added a lot to the story. There's also some music-based magic that plays a really cool role in the story.

The characters are also really great. At the start of the story, Leo is a loveable screwup who lacks confidence in his magic abilities. He's from a wealthy and esteemed family that has high expectations for him. Sebastian, on the other hand, is from a working-class family and is an excellent student and spellcaster who takes his abilities (and most things) very seriously.

Their opposite personalities have caused conflict between the two at school and they start the story as rivals. A spell-gone-wrong demands that the two work together and their story truly begins to develop here.

I adored their dynamic from start to finish. Their dynamic in the first half of the book reminded me of the Harry/Draco fanfiction I read as a teenager. Their evolution in the second half was even more interesting and led to a lot of depth and complexity in their relationship.

I will caution that this is a true slow burn! So don't go in expecting feelings to be fully realized or spicy scenes to happen. Sorcery and Small Magics lays the groundwork for what should become a really amazing relationship in later books but there are a lot of misconceptions to overcome and growth that has to happen first. This series feels like it could finally be the amazing queer slow-burn love story that so many queer fans in so many fandoms have longed for. I, for one, am fully on board this ship and I'm ridiculously excited to see where it goes!

Along with the relationship growth, both Leo and Grimm have great character moments. Both young men are more complicated than they seem and I loved slowly discovering more about them.

In addition, there's also a whole cast of supporting characters that I enjoyed and look forward to seeing more of in future books. Some interesting political and moral issues are also set up.

I can't recommend Sorcery and Small Magics enough. I enjoyed reading this immensely and I can not wait for the sequel. If future books in this series match the quality of this book, I think this could easily become my new favorite series!

Honestly, I need everyone on Tumblr to read this and start making fan art and writing fanfiction because it's going to be a long wait for book #2 and I need more of this world and Grimm/Leo!

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tropes/Tags: Achillean, high fantasy, romantasy, slow burn, rivals to allies to ???, magic, forced proximity. You can see a trope graphic from the author here!

Content Warnings: If you have emetophobia there are a few scenes where a character vomits due to a curse or other magical influence.

If you liked this I think you will like Sorcery and Small Magics: The Last Binding series by Freya Marske, The Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell, anyone who has ever enjoyed Harry/Draco fanfiction, anyone who has ever wanted a good queer slow-burn romance

Other Notes: Maiga Doocy posted some beautiful art of Leo and Sebastian on her Instagram!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | MaigaDoocy.com

Sorcery and Small Magics will be released on October 15, 2024, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free thanks to NetGalley and Orbit. The above are my honest feelings on the provided book.

[turnthepagepub]

Turn the Page Publishing is looking for ARC readers and reviewers!

We're building our ARC readers list, and we only have two requirements:

Must love romance, and

Must post reviews to all the major retail and review sites (Amazon, BookBub, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, etc.)

So if you love reading romance and sharing your thoughts with fellow readers, email us at info@TurnThePagePub.com with "I'm a Reviewer!" in the subject line. Include a little bit about yourself, plus your preferred romance subgenres (contemporary, historical, paranormal, etc.), and any triggers you'd prefer to avoid.

We can't wait to hear from you! ₊˚⊹♡

[gcantread]

July 2024 reads

[loved liked ok nope dnf bookclub*]

^borrowing this format from @ofliterarynature—hope that's ok!

The Blue Castle • The Metamorphosis • A Reaper at the Gates • And Then There Were None • I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons • To Be Taught, If Fortunate • The Mysterious Affair at Styles • Till We Have Faces • This Ravenous Fate • Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch • Dragonhaven • [title withheld; SMP] • The Name of the Wind • Better Left Buried • The Body in the Library • Rose Daughter

My biggest reading month so far in terms of quantity, though only third-biggest in terms of "pages" (which I think is a bad metric anyhow—you can typeset them so differently! I wish every book told me its word count.) I read a lot of books in order to see if they're worth reading in @bellasbookclub for the 2024-2025 season, plus I was doing the BBC summer reading challenge! I also devoured my way through several ARCs coming out in August.

The Blue Castle ★★★★★ - I reread this once or twice per year at this point. This time around I read it to @flowerslut and we had a blast! Still the ultimate comfort read.

The Metamorphosis ★★★☆☆ - Also with Shannon (we listened to the audiobook on the way to and from San Diego!) Figured it was high time I actually read this if I was gonna go around calling things "kafkaesque." Somehow exactly what I expected.

And Then There Were None ★★★★☆ - Pre-screened for book club! So I don't wanna say too much other than "I liked it."

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons ★★★☆☆ - Disappointing. Plot was a bit all over the place and it was difficult to sympathize with the main characters. A shame, because I like the premise!

To Be Taught, If Fortunate ★★★★☆ - Read for the BBC 2024 Summer Reading Challenge. Fun and reflective! This was my first time reading Becky Chambers, and I liked the writing style and themes.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles ★★★1/2☆ - Another book club pre-screen. A solid mystery.

Till We Have Faces ★★★★☆ - Yet another book club pre-screen. My best friend's favorite book and now I can totally see why.

This Ravenous Fate ★★★☆☆ - An ARC I got signed by the author after seeing her speak on a panel about YA and romance. Unfortunately a huge letdown, possibly because I had such high hopes for the premise of "queer Black 1920s vampire x human." Alas, it had some cool vampire lore but was overall a convoluted mess and not nearly 1920s-enough!

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch ★★★★☆ - Another ARC I got from the same event and liked much better. Cool Jennifer's Body-esque premise, snappy voice, and a fun protagonist in the murdered and vengeful Annie. Perfect Halloween vibes!

Dragonhaven ★★★★☆ - Also pre-screened for book club so I shouldn't talk too much about it but I can't help myself (@ book club LOOK AWAY) I wasn't expecting much from this book because I've heard Robin McKinley fans voice their disappointment in it, but it turns out I'm the exact niche target audience for this. National Park politics and conservation science struggles and zookeeping?? I'm seated. I can see why others didn't like the pacing, but I was nodding along like "Yes, the difficulty of procuring grad students to come study dragons, of course. Do go on"

[title withheld; SMP] - I didn't realize this was an SMP book until I was halfway through it. Oops. A shame they still don't have their act together, because I'd love to talk about this one.

The Name of the Wind ★★★★★ - A title I've heard raved about a million times by a zillion people, so naturally I picked it as one of my BBC 2024 summer reading challenge books to see if it lived up to the hype. IMO it does! Fun, poetic writing style, cool framing device, and interesting worldbuilding and magic system. Curious to read the sequel.

Better Left Buried ★★★☆☆ - Another ARC. Cute queer YA murder mystery that I honestly don't have much to say about other than "it was cute."

The Body in the Library ★★★1/2☆ - And another book club pre-screen book. My first Miss Marple! Mostly elevated by having an interesting ending twist and class themes.

Rose Daughter ★★★☆☆ - And to no one's surprise, my final book of the month was also pre-screening for Bella's Book Club. Very pretty writing and it was fun to read while wearing a bit of rose oil (smell-o-vision!) but I didn't loooove the pacing and overall prefer Robin McKinley's other Beauty and the Beast retelling, Beauty.

DNF

A Reaper at the Gates (50%) - I sprinted through book 1 and walked sedately through book 2 of the Ember in the Ashes series, but this one (book 3) was taking me forever to read (and is almost 700 pages), and I was impatient to move on and read other stuff. Reaper at the Gates was decently interesting and I still care about the characters, but the timing just wasn't right. Will probably pick this series back up later.

July superlatives

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: All Shall Mourn by Ellie Marney Rating: 4/5

Simon Gutmunsson is on the run and he's taken his sister with him. To lure him back to the US, the FBI need Emma Lewis, the only other person Simon seems to care about, and her partner, Travis Bell. Lewis and Bell said they were done with the FBI. But Simon Gutmunsson cannot be the one that got away... It's been a long time since I followed a series as it was released. I've become the kind of person who buys the books as they come out and then reads them when they're all done. But None Shall Sleep was the bright spot in a very long COVID lockdown and as soon as I finished it I knew I wanted more.

Emma Lewis remains one of my favourite female characters of all time. She's tenacious and caring and self-sufficient and it's been an absolute pleasure to get to know her during this series. But I feel like this book was more about Travis, whom I also love, but am slightly less invested in. I just struggled to connect with his personal journey.

I also really struggled with how much travel there was in the story. So much time was spent hopping from one place to the other, always with new background characters to introduce, and I feel that really took away from the pace and the opportunity to dig deeper into the characters' emotional states. I also would've really loved to keep seeing Simon and Kristin's point of view like we had in the first few chapters.

Because Simon and Kristin. Oh, my dears. You clever, horrible creatures, you. I always had certain inklings about these two, especially Kristin, and it was thrilling to have some of those inklings finally confirmed. But again, the repercussions of those confirmations were never quite dug into enough for my taste.

But as series finales go, All Shall Mourn was just the ticket. It's a fast-paced cat-and-mouse thriller that shows the characters, both good and evil, at their very best and brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

If you want a YA mystery series that will drop your jaw and turn your stomach, All Shall Mourn releases in paperback February 5th 2025 and is available for ebook preorder now.

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.