#netgalley

[alliwanttodoiscollectpoetry]

Airborne by Victoria Hutchins

[bookishfreedom]

For anyone who loved The Raven Cycle, but thought, "that could've been scarier": This book is for you.

Don't Let the Forest In follows Andrew Perrault, returning to the elite Wickwood Academy for his senior year. And although high school has never been easy for Andrew, from the start, this year is different. His twin sister, Dove, is keeping him at arms length, and his best friend Thomas is acting strangely, disappearing into the forest behind the school at night. One night, Andrew follows him, to find Thomas fighting off horrifying creatures. But there's something familiar about these creatures: they look exactly like the ones from Thomas's drawings.

I absolutely devoured this book. It had me up way too late reading, and even though I finished at 3am, I wanted to turn to the beginning and start all over again. (And, at the cost of precious sleep, I did in fact reread the first chapter.)

I would recommend this book to anyone, and it's got me super excited to tackle CG Drews' backlist. The characters leap off the page and sink claws into your heart (in a good way). They're complex and messy and in need of a good hug. Andrew and Thomas are just two kids trying their best to figure out the world, and each other. My heart ached for them both, even when I wanted to shout at them. This story also has some of the best ace rep I've ever read. Andrew's identity is central to the story, and woven into all of his choices seamlessly, in a way that feels natural without distracting from the story.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and came away from the story thoroughly haunted. (It was maybe a mistake to read this in the middle of the night.... walking to the bathroom after was a terrifying experience.) Drews' prose is evocative, equal parts beautiful and macabre.

Thanks so much to Netgalley & Macmillan for the free review copy. Happy to say that I ordered my own copy before I even finished the ARC🖤

and thank goodness I did because do you SEE the barnes & noble special edition??? the DRAWINGS. and the @paperfury annotated chapter?? I’m obsessed

[vkelleyart]

Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) just dropped on NetGalley for WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON!

The Erewhon Team and I put ourselves through the gauntlet to make sure these ARCs included finished illustrations (which is why I’ve been so sparse on Tumblr of late, though I promise I will catch up here soon!), and I cannot wait for readers to meet Benny, Río, and Morgan’s Menagerie! I am rooting for everyone who applies for an ARC to get one, and hope those who snag one will love this book as much as I loved writing it. 💙🧜🏼‍♂️🇵🇷🌊🎟️🗽🎡

NetGalley members can request an ARC as an early reviewer at the link below:

[hayleyreadssapphicbooks]

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

“Amelia If Only,” by Becky Alberta is a slow-burn YA novel about a Jewish high schooler, Amelia, who drags her friends on a road trip to meet her favorite YouTuber. Though she thinks she has a crush on him, she ends up meeting and befriending him and realizes her crush is her best friend, Natalie.

By slow-burn, I mean she doesn’t realize her crush until way into the book (at least 80%). Though interspersed throughout the book are her subtle thoughts of her actually falling for Natalie. The book is a sweet YA novel that has an adorable group of friends who are all queer and deeply care for each other. Amelia is a jokester and as the book is in first person, the humor comes across on the page even in her thoughts.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to any readers looking for a YA romance, especially if looking for bisexual or Jewish representation.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the digital ARC!

POV: first person, present tense

Spice: 0/3

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[pipperoni32-blog]

“Em,” he said, taking my hand. “You will not have to ride Red Wind if you do not wish it. In fact, once I have retaken my throne, you will not have to do anything if you do not wish it. If you desire to sit in some corner of the castle hunched over your books and notepaper, bestirring yourself only to demand a tour of some brownie market or bottle den, then it will be done.”

I let out a trembling breath. “And what sort of queen would that make me?”

He looked perfectly earnest as he leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Mine.”

— Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales

Insanely honored to have gotten an ARC for this. I love these two, and am so excited to see Wendell’s kingdom and everything that lays in store for them!

[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!

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt

4.75/5. Releases 12/10/24.

The Vibes: stern hero/perky heroine, femdom with an alpha submissive, caretaking, and soothing long-held wounds

Heat Index: 8/10

The Basics:

Elspeth and Julian come from families with a deep history of betrayal and dislike. He's cold, brooding, and strictly regimented; she's free-spirited, quirky, and... oh yeah, aligned with a centuries-old secret society of Wise Women. Julian is on the hunt that his wicked uncle murdered his mother, which brings him directly into Elspeth's path as she seeks out an ancient text of vital importance. As they continue on their separate missions, they keep running into each other—and sharing secrets... and perhaps discovering that their feelings run far beyond on the forbidden....

The Review:

THE QUEEN HAS RETURNED.

I will read anything Elizabeth Hoyt writes. She's written several all-time favorites of mine (Thief of Shadows, Duke of Midnight, The Raven Prince, Sweetest Scoundrel... to name a few) and her Maiden Lane series is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the greatest things committed to the romance genre. She takes big swings, she writes some of the best sex scenes on the block, and she pays equal attention to the characterization of her tortured heroes and her varied heroines who, frankly, rarely have time for said heroes' collective shit.

I have missed her, and I was honestly getting a little worried that she'd decided to take a step back. But I kept the faith! And it paid off, because this return release is everything I could have asked for. It reminds me of what historical romance can be, how it can stretch, and how it can, at the same time, harken back to the bonkers romps I love most.

There is, by the way, a bonkers overarching plot that honestly isn't as wild as Hoyt can get, but. You know. There's a mystical ancient society of goddess-abiding women and also the whole thing where Elspeth's brother killed Julian's sister (Many Thoughts On This) and the hunt for two separate crucial books... It's still wacky. And it should be!

That being said, this plot falls to the wayside in favor of Julian and Elspeth's relationship and character development. I feel like the first Greycourt book, Not the Duke's Darling, which I actually did like, might not have hit as hard for some readers because the Other Plot kind of overtook the Romance Plot. That is not the case here at all. Elspeth and Julian are so front and center that I feel like the Other Plot is borderline tangential, aside from the battle against the Evil Uncle (who you will have seen in When A Rogue Meets His Match, which I really enjoyed a lot but need to reread). You get a satisfying follow-through on all that, but you're absolutely reading for a truly swoony, hot, FEELINGS-Y romance.

I am a longtime lover of books that are basically "stoic man who's constantly wrapped up in his tragic backstory is flabbergasted by That Broad's Audacity". That... could just be how you sum up this book. At every turn, Julian, who it must be said is stupid hot, tries to stay devoted to his brooding. And at every turn, Elspeth pokes him, blinks, and goes "Why is that?"

When she's not reading Georgian porn. Which she does a lot, for someone who's on the hunt for an ancient, super important book. While also dodging assassination attempts. And that's so valid of her.

Julian just can't deal with Elspeth. She baffles him. He's supposed to hate her! She's the sister of the guy who killed his sister! Mortal enemies and all that! Also, she's seriously getting in the way of his own hunt, what with her constantly getting almost murdered and, you know, That Ass. And she's just so disarming, so honest (... in some ways), so blunt about her interests, her desires, what she believes in and what she doesn't. She immediately begins worming her way into his heart, while also making him Hard As A Rock.

But he can't allow for worming into hearts! Not when he has so many secrets, from Plotty Secrets I can't tell you about, to Sexy Secrets I can tell you about. In many ways, this book is basically a classic melting of the hero book. But instead of Elspeth melting Julian with her good, innocent heart... She's melting him with her dogged inability to be anything other than who she is. And her disinterest in being anything other than who she is, for that matter. Which is such a great contrast to Julian, a man struggling to deny who he is, to be what society wants him to be.

It's Uptight Meets Wild in a lot of ways, but Elspeth's a unique form of a rebellious heroine. She's not super concerned about society, but she's also open about her lack of experience in some ways. She's not mean in any way, shape or form. She doesn't have a chip on her shoulder. She's not really like... fighting society? There's one tirade she has about the hypocrisy of it all, but it's less "Fight the power" than "this is so fucking stupid". Which is a refreshing take on it all. Elspeth doesn't get it because it's all so dumb that like... no one as real as her should be able to get it.

And before anyone goes in on how unrealistic this is, A) it isn't B) this is a romance novel C) it actually makes sense, because Elspeth's backstory literally involves being raised in an anti-society, weird family with their own ingrained beliefs and customs. Literally away from high society.

For all that I think the sex scenes in this book will be a major talking point (more on that later)... dude. This shit is so soft at points. You have multiple scenes where Julian just catches himself wanting to stare at this woman. Even before she understands the extent of his pain, she wants to care for him. This is not an enemies to lovers book, despite the enmity between their families. There's a melancholy to their forbidden, especially on Julian's part. He's baffled by Elspeth, but he doesn't dislike her. He's not even in denial about his feelings for her, after a point. He just truly doesn't think they can be.

On some more technical points—this JUMPS right into the story. They meet on like... the second page. The plot kicks off immediately. I've seen so many slooooow, overlong new releases lately. This is a brisk, story that reads so quickly and isn't in any way overlong. You have an extended chunk that takes place in one setting, and yet... plot happens. Character development happens. Relationship building happens. Julian and Elspeth are together for so much of the pagetime, despite their opposite goals.

None of this should be like... notable. But it is. You feel the expertise in the writing here. She's just one of the best to ever do it, in my opinion.

Also! I respect Elizabeth's process and whatever may affect her writing schedule. But my God, I hope we get more Greycourt books, and I hope we get them fairly soon. I counted at least three possibilities for future love stories. And I have Thoughts.

The Sex:

NOW. On to the elephant in the room. The good elephant. The elephant that is as big as Julian's Appendage.

As I said earlier, Elizabeth Hoyt writes some of the best sex scenes in romance. They're unique, they're earthy, they feel tailored to the character. She uses language that is sometimes anatomical and sometimes campy and sometimes like... feels kinda filthy, even though I've read filthier?

Julian's struggles lie in the fact that, for all that he is cold and domineering and stoic, he's submissive in the bedroom. While Hoyt has definitely dabbled in some light kink in earlier books, I would say that a lot of it tends towards like... The kind of kinkiness you often seem in historicals. Where there are definitely dog whistles, but it may not be intentional (historical romance has long lended itself to an unconscious dip into D/s dynamics, in my opinion) historical romance kink often isn't explictly stated.

Here, it's called out for what it is, the societal judgments about it (some of which remain to this day, mind) are discussed, and Julian has processes. Elspeth is more than down. It's like he's unintentionally found his perfect woman (sexually, at least).

But for all that this is explicitly a femdom romance, I think it skirts around so many stereotypes, and it is not, in my opinion, a BDSM romance. They don't get into anything super OTT or formalized. It's really something Julian just... needs. And it's really not a sadomasochism situation at all. It's truly about this soft domme/sub dynamic. He wants to serve, and he wants to be cared for. His submission and what it gives him is described so beautifully. There's a lot of caretaking in this book.

Which doesn't in any way take away from how hot the book is, mind. There's a really unique de-emphasis on something historicals and honestly romance in general often obsesses over, which was so refreshing. There's a true sensitivity to why Julian is into this, and where it stops for him. I feel like Hoyt was doing a sendup of the tortured alpha here, while also exploring what that can mean in more unique scenarios. It was so good.

And so... sooooo hot. There's a lot of body worship in general and pussy worship specifically. Elspeth is curvy, and has her moments of insecurity, and Julian LOVES her body.

Those of us who missed some fun Hoyt-isms about sex are well-rewarded. "Lazily mouthed her cunny" is like.... everything....................

Basically: I loved this. I am so glad she's back. I hope she's back for good (but no pressure). I want a million more Hoyt books. I will, again, read whatever she writes. When I tell y'all she's showing us how it's done... I mean it.

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[thegildedfantasy]

This Fatal Kiss in a nutshell. A witch and his two unhinged demons.

[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.

[eggcatsreads]

𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩, 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴.

Gory. Terrifying. Haunting.

𝑩𝒂𝒕 𝑬𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 by Kylie Lee Baker is a horror novel that will yank you in from the first page and won’t let up until you’re gasping for air by the end.

Taking place in New York during the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns with a focus on the rising anti-Asian racism - our main character Cora soon realizes that the supernatural might not be the biggest danger she faces.

A juggernaut into the horror genre, I truly believe this book is best gone into almost entirely blind to allow the story to drag you on the journey.

Releasing April 29 in the US, pictured is my Illumicrate Evernight edition!

I was originally given a copy of this novel as a digital ARC - thank you, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing!

[Also posted to my Instagram]

[bookishpixiereads]

“Rough Pages” by Lev C. Rosen

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5 Stars

Thanks to Tor Publishing Group/Forge Books for the eARC of this book. It dropped last week! All opinions are my own.

“Rough Pages” is the third book in the Evander Mills noir-ish, queer, historical fiction detective series set in 1950s San Francisco. Outside of the murderous plots, the series provides a well-researched look into how queer people lived during that time period. I adore this series. I already had pre-ordered this book before I even read the ARC and I never do that.  

Evander “Andy” Mills is a gay private detective for queer people who can’t go to the police because the police are not friendly to the LGBTQ community. He was a cop for the San Francisco Police Department before he was fired after they found out he was gay. 

A friend of Andy comes to him with a case. The two owners of a queer-friendly bookstore have gone missing. Along with selling queer books from a store front, they have a mail-order service where they mail queer books to subscribers. And the fear, along with the safety of the owners, is that the list of subscribers could fall into the wrong hands and at the worst, those people’s lives could be in danger and at best, they could become the object of blackmail. Also, at this point in history, mailing queer books is a federal crime.

And this list potentially puts people that Andy’s holds dear at great risk. And he wants to do everything he can to keep them and their newly adopted baby safe.

Were the bookstore owners arrested by the Feds? Was this a Mafia hit done out of fear of the possible outing of one of their own? Was there a crime at all and are they just on vacation?

Andy also has to deal with a reporter who is getting a little too close for comfort and his former boss, who is making implicit and explicit threats to Andy’s safety. And is his own romantic life falling apart?

“Rough Pages” comes during the current political climate of banning books. And it has beautiful things to say about representation in books, why books are dangerous (in a good way), and books as a whole.

What’s more important truth or secrets? Especially if the truth puts peoples’ lives in danger. 

[bibliomars]

'Queer as Folklore' by Sacha Coward

With a clever title and an engaging tone of voice, queer historian Sacha Coward expertly intertwines ancient folklore with contemporary pop culture, creating a web of associations that will resonate with most contemporary queer people in Western countries. From mermaids to aliens, new and old legends come together to explore why queer people seem to have an innate tendency to be drawn to the fantastical from a young age. Although this book is heavily written through a Western lens, other folklore is mentioned and explored with respect for the cultures they belong to, taking the reader on a breathtaking journey through time, places, and myths.

Coward is a talented writer and meticulous historian, and that shines through his work. With each word he writes, the reader is both transported in time and invited into an ongoing conversation with the author. Reading this book feels like being in that one fun class you look forward to every week, with the engaging teacher who values input and talks about history as though it's a story, giving flesh and voice to ancient humans and making them feel so much closer to us. I had the pleasure of attending the ‘Queer as Folklore’ book release event in London, which really solidified my review of the book. It was an enriching experience, and hearing the voices of other queer people, researchers, and storytellers building up momentum to the main conversation culminated in a memorable and well-spent evening.

This is a book I highly recommend to lovers of history and the fantastical, or to anyone who fancies an engaging and fun non-fiction read to get them out of a reading slump!

Thank you Unbound for providing an ARC for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[hayleyreadssapphicbooks]

Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti

Before reading, I was unaware that “Ladies in Hating” by Alexandra Vasti is part of a series until I added it on Goodreads. I’m glad I didn’t notice because the book is incredible! It’s likely “series” overstates the relationship of the books, and they may just be in the same world or Regency era. From a quick glance, it appears this one is the only sapphic one, too (sorry if I’m wrong about that). I can safely say this book is a standalone novel regardless of the others, as it made total sense and didn’t rely on any previous knowledge.

I loved, loved, loved this book! The novel features Georgiana and Cat, two authors who came from different but intertwined backgrounds (one of high status and the other in a servant family) who end up crossing paths years later. At this point, both are highly successful but controversial authors. Enveloped in a sort of feud because of their writing similarities, they both end up researching at a (possibly haunted) dilapidating mansion.

The relationship between the two women changes the course of both of their lives in a collision course of passion and intrigue and it is absolutely delicious and delightful to partake in. The Regency era gives a hint of scandal to their relationship while their colliding careers give stakes and drama.

If you’re interested in sapphic romance, this is definitely not one to miss! Especially if you like Regency romance. Also, a hint of supernatural and murder mystery spice up the novel (in addition to the actual spice). Highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC!

POV: third person, past tense, two POVs

Spice: 🔥🔥/3

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[elliepassmore]

Rebel Witch review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, witchy reads, enemies to lovers, dual POV

Heartless Hunter review

Big thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was one of my most anticipated sequels of 2025 and it did not disappoint! For those like me who were worried about where (and with whom) Rune ended Heartless Hunter with, have no fear: she is perfectly aware it's a problem and has no plans to really stick around. That was honestly my biggest issue with book 1, so I'm glad Ciccarelli had a solution for it.

Gideon and Rune are once more on opposite sides, but now they have the added complication of their feelings for each other. Falling for Rune made a fool of Gideon, even if he turned her in in the end, and falling for Gideon nearly got Rune killed and did get someone killed. The two are a big bundle of conflicting emotions in this one, though Rune seems more willing to let things slide than Gideon does (to be fair, Gideon also thinks Rune wants to be with Cressida). Only one of them knows the full story.

I liked that Ciccarelli started the book with Rune and Gideon about to meet again after weeks/months apart rather than starting it with them separated and part of the plot being them finding each other again. Enemies to lovers works best when they're in proximity, and in proximity they are. That's not to say they get along though. The 'enemies' are back in full force, with Gideon being particularly prickly and ready to double-cross Rune the second he gets the chance. Despite that, the two are still familiar enough with each other that they work quite well together and are mostly able to scheme a way out of trouble.

With the Blood Guard still in charge and Cressida gathering an army, politics naturally comes into the conversation. The Blood Guard is clearly bad, indiscriminately torturing and killing witches simply for being witches. On the other hand, Cressida presided over a reign of terror with her sisters, allowing and even participating in the torturing and killing of non-magical people. So...both sides are bad, but at this point there's no alternate solution. I was definitely interested in reading Rune and Gideon talk their perspectives out since they both make valid points but also don't see a non-extremist solution. Other people join in on this conversation as well and I liked seeing what other characters had to say about things. In the end, I think they come up with a good solution that works for everyone.

Rune is stuck between a rock and a hard place when the book opens. She greatly dislikes Cressida, but she can't go home and she still wants to see witches free. She does get out of the situation, but is in deep trouble with Cressida as a result of it, leaving her with two enemies at her back. Rune definitely goes on a personal journey in this book, trying to stay true to what she wants while also remaining free and dealing with the trauma that is Cressida Roseblood (and Alex's death). She has some low points, but her loyalty to the people she loves as well as to witches as a whole is able to bring her around.

Gideon is back to being fully against witches (although admittedly I don't know if that ever stopped). He's on thin ice with the Blood Guard, so he's determined to prove that Rune isn't a weakness where he's concerned. She is obviously, so Gideon has to juggle keeping her safe while also steering clear of the Blood Guard and trying to figure out where his loyalties lie and what he really believes. I have to say, Gideon really comes through in this one. He fought in the Revolution because it was the right thing to do and he continued to be in the Blood Guard because he thought it was right. This can very easily lead to a rigid character who sticks to his guns even when proven wrong, but Ciccarelli wrote Gideon to be moral, not necessarily loyal. As evidence mounts that neither side is entirely correct, Gideon is able to shift his perspective and comes to understand that there's good and bad on both sides. I really liked seeing this shift in him and seeing him put his brain power and experience behind a new solution that benefits everyone.

We meet some new characters as well as some old ones. Harrow is back and we get to learn a little more about her background. I enjoyed her character and do wish we got to know her a little better since she's still pretty closed off. Laila is also back and I liked seeing her camaraderie with Gideon. She definitely doesn't understand his actions always, but she's loyal to him and trusts that he at least somewhat knows what he's doing. Seraphine is back as well and we get to learn more about the older witch as well as her relationship with Rune's grandmother. Seraphine definitely has some surprises up her sleeve and she proves to be a good ally.

Bart and Antonio are two new characters. Rune and Bart used to run in the same circles before things blew up in Heartless Hunter, and it seems Rune wasn't the only one keeping secrets. Bart ends up being much more serious and down-to-earth than Rune thought, his socialite persona just as fake as Rune's was. Antonio is Bart's lover as well as an ex-acolyte for the Cult of the Ancients. He's not a witch, but is just as much at risk as Rune is if anyone finds out. I really liked the dynamic between the four of them and wish we got more page time to see a deeper friendship develop (maybe a novella?).

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book and think it's the perfect sequel to Heartless Hunter. I wish it were longer, but that's only because I want to stay in this world for a longer period of time.

[pipperoni32-blog]

He laughed, and the forest around us seemed to brighten.

— Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales

I love how nature responds to him. Not that nature responding/growing stronger with its monarch is a new idea to faerie worlds, but it just fits his character so well. Wendell is so bright and lovely, I adore him!

[miatsai]

The Memory Hunters is now on Edelweiss and Netgalley! And there is a cover-ish thing in my inbox! Maybe I should actually tell you what The Memory Hunters is about! It has:

Mushroom anthropologists

GAY in giant capital letters

Tiny weasel girl, always feral

Museum ethics

"This book makes me feel like I'm on drugs"

Things that I'm completely terrified of that I will now share with you

A reference list in the back

Epigraphs. So many epigraphs.

Diaspora and climate grief

Yeah, I know that doesn't really tell you anything . . . but hey, you can go download the PDF and read and review!