Another "some-some" character... Ugh! Also, if you're going to write about Louisiana, know that we don't eat "crayfish" - whatever that nasty sounding thing is. We eat crawfish and other weird animals. I get that Louisiana (and New Orleans, specifically) are great settings for mystical and legendary creatures, but at least do some research into our foods before embarrassing yourself with something so blatantly obvious. It's almost as bad as the "some-some" slang - maybe worse.

Wow. I can't wait to dive into the sequel.

I thought the unique take on dragons was interesting. You often see unfeeling or uncaring dragons that can take human form, but you don't often see dragons take human form and then have to police themselves to keep their emotions in check or answer to Censors for slipping up.

This is a book I've been meaning to read for a while, so I'm glad I've finally read and finished it. It was fascinating to read.

I'm fascinated by the conclusion of the line story almost more than anything else. It was unusual in a chaste young adult book.

I'm also loving the way the Saints are tied into everything. Definitely worth the read and a good ending to the story.

Eh. It started out interesting enough and then devolved into a boring and predictable love triangle/square. Personalities suddenly flip-flopped at the end and nobody says anything about the weird switch.

It's possibly book one of a series, but I'm sincerely hoping that it's only labeled as such because of the .5 short story. There's just nowhere for this story to conceivably go...

I didn't really have much in the way of expectations, but I definitely enjoyed the book. The deeper "you have to face your fears" meaning impressed me.

I was worried that this book would be preachy or too much like a dictionary to be interesting, but it was fascinating. I missed out on some of the graphics because I had an app read this book to me, but I intend to go back and view all the illustrations and probably read this book again sometime soon.

Learning about the different definitions, the evolution of terms, and then hearing some of the anecdotes that were included was great. I'm one who considers herself an ally, but am always a bit confused by the terms (and to be honest, for once, google searches weren't super helpful because the results can often be very contradictory depending on which terms you're searching). While this book acknowledges that the terminology is essentially in flux (as is all language, to be fair), it does it's best to lay out the groundwork of proper definitions and even invites objections to definitions if you feel that something was defined incorrectly or simply not quite right.

Two spots that made me stop what I was doing, pause the recording, and highlight a passage are quoted below:

One of my favorite quotes regarding this matter is, “We have two ideas that pop into our heads when forming an opinion, the first idea is what we are conditioned to think, the second idea is what determines who we are as people.”

I love that quote. Since I first heard it I've loved it. I often tell people I'm a terrible person because of what's in my head. No, I don't actually think I'm a terrible person, but my first thought when I see certain things is often not very pleasant. My second thoughts, though... Those are me. And they are often much kinder than my first thoughts.

On top of those searching for a label, this book is also for allies and LGBTQIA+ people looking to pack in some extra identity know-how! Knowledge is a critical part of acceptance after all. Learning about new identities broadens our understanding of humanity, heightens our empathy, and allows us to see the world from different, valuable perspectives. Additionally, these words provide greater precision when describing attractions and identities, and there is never anything wrong with having an efficient, expansive vocabulary!

One of the reasons I try so hard to get people to read and engage in stories different from their own is because I'm a believer that reading can change the world. I grew up in Southern Louisiana surrounded by so many close-minded and bigoted individuals that it's shocking to me how I became such an open-minded individual. (Sounds self-righteous enough? Haha!) The biggest difference between those around me and myself? How much I read as a child and how much I still read now. I read about all sorts of people, from all sorts of backgrounds, and with all sorts of issues, dreams, and goals. I become those people while reading about them and in doing so I love them. This post from a while back is on my website: Reading vs Racism It's about how reading combats racism and helps build empathy. It's essentially saying the same thing as the above quote, but with more words. Haha!

Just, wow!

Okay, disclaimer to start, I was given an ARC to read, but I like to support my favorite authors so I also bought a copy! Also disclaimer, I do consider Gina a friend, but that does not change my review.

Have you read the Modern Girl's Guide series? If not, you totally should, but even if you haven't, it's okay. This is sort of a sequel series. Sort of. Remember Cash and Kim from [b:Modern Girl's Guide to Kink|30741636|Modern Girl's Guide to Kink (Modern Girl's Guide, #4)|Gina Drayer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466744358s/30741636.jpg|51284763]? Remember the bar Cash would hang out in with his friend Dylon? Remember where Lily successfully sent Cash and Kim home together? Remember getting tired of me asking you questions? Haha! Seriously, though. Cash and Kim make a few appearances in this book (and might provide a few pointed "go get 'ems") and it's delightful!

Our starring couple, though, is a scared witness in a huge case with potential ties to the mob and the super sexy bartender/owner of Bernadette's who has this thing about honesty. Lee Taylor O'Brien finds her way into Bernadette's while looking for a safe place to rent and hide until the trial is over, but she also ends up with a job at the bar using the name Lee Taylor (ooh, she lied!!), which will keep her from using up all of her savings, thankfully. Dylon Knightly likes strays and, in spite of being a "no strings attached" playboy, finds himself really caring for the girl who will share as little as possible about herself.

I'm not a huge fan of crime novels or of romance novels, which makes me loving this book as much as I did a huge mystery in and of itself! Haha! However, I place the blame firmly on the way Gina writes her characters - they truly come to life, as do the settings. This book is more serious in tone than the MGG books, but it doesn't take away anything from the enjoyment of the romance because it really just adds extra depth.

The bar is a huge part of the book as a setting and almost it's own character. Dylon loves the bar for a variety of reasons and he's given it an awesome retro look right down to how the employees dress. That vibe permeates most of the book and, with the addition of the potential mob problems, it really brings to mind some of the old school detective novels I used to read. This book is, for me, so much better than those. You can feel the tension (sexual and otherwise), Lee's fear for her life, and Dylon's frustration at not being let in.

I would love to go into detail about every single thing in this book, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Trust me, it's more than worth the few dollars from Amazon. If you're disappointed, I bet Dylon will eat his hat! ;-) And if you like this book, you should read everything from Gina Drayer like I do! Even if she never sent me another ARC again, she is on my auto-buy list! Also, I heard from a little bird that she's going to have lots and lots of books coming out in 2017! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!! She is single-handedly changing my opinion about romance books and crime/mystery books. (Check out [b:Lotus Petals|23264772|Lotus Petals|Gina Drayer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1411486745s/23264772.jpg|42038620] for a paranormal mystery with some romance thrown in.)

I very much love the messages included in this story - unity, hope, and togetherness. While that sounds cheesy, the book is anything but!