This was an incredibly wholesome queer fantasy romance. Zorvut and Teagan, due to circumstances, marry to form a political alliance. As is to be expected, the elves in this world have a giant veil of pretentiousness surrounding them that makes them have very racist stereotypes about orcs. Thankfully, Teagan is open minded and Zorvut and him make the best of their relationship given the circumstances. In this world the marriage ceremony entails both parties having an emotional link that lets them know what the other individual is feeling. This makes for an interesting dynamic between Zorvut and Teagan. They clearly have a sexual interest in each other and as the story progresses the relationship between them becomes more emotional in nature. There are political stakes at play in the background, but they take a backseat to the development of the romantic relationship between Teagan and Zorvut. The sex scenes are very explicit, so if that's what you are looking for you will find it here. I think the author strikes a good balance between the development of the relationship and the sex scenes, though. There is an important revelation at the end of the story that will have some important implications for the rest of the series. I'm looking forward to seeing how Zorvut and Teagan continue to work together to solve the political issues that plague their respective kingdoms. Overall, this was a quick but wholesome romance with interesting world building. If you like worlds like the Forgotten Realms for Dungeons and Dragons or you like things like Pathfinder and want some romance, I would recommend this book. I think it would check most of the boxes for a reader seeking a romance in that kind of setting.

Wes and Jamie go through some relationship blues in this sequel and by the end of it I think they are stronger for it. I appreciate realistic conflict resolution in stories, and this plot delivered. Despite being secure in their relationship, Jamie and Wesley continue to have insecurities that they mutually have to grapple with. Due to his flourishing NHL career, Wesley is often traveling. There are moments in time when Jamie feels lonely and neglected. Both Wesley and Jamie have incredibly supportive family and friends, sometimes more than they are truly able to grasp. I liked that it felt like we got to know the side characters just as much as the main characters. Each one of them had a personality that bounced off the page and it made for both fun and meaningful interactions with the main characters. 

Themes of depression and mental health are heavily explored here which makes the story feel darker, yet meaningful. Despite its darker tones, it is hopeful. I felt like this exploration was respectful to those that struggle with mental health issues. By the end it is clear that even the lowest of lows don't last forever. I feel that the way the author told the events of the story also helps explore how things like depression can have many causes (e.g. medication side effects). It does not attach a stigma to taking medication and also treats the characters in question with humanity and gentleness. I'm looking forward to reading more books akin to this in the future. It was truly a wonderful read that brought me great joy. This is the kind of queer romance that we need more of. 

Gambit is one of my favorite X-men characters, so it was nice to delve into his backstory. Storm has been aged down and Remy is trying to help her regain her memories while also keeping her safe. They form a tentative trust throughout the story as they bump into people from Gambit's past. I appreciated the bold colors used in the artwork which I think is fitting for a character like Gambit and also made the story visually interesting. Every page felt like turning a corner into a new aspect of the story that added to the novelty of the plot. I had fun throughout and I'm looking forward to reading volume 2. By the end of this volume, Storm is more aware of what is happening and Storm and him seem a lot more comfortable with each other. I'm sure it will make for a continuously engaging story.

This installment gave us a much more thorough exploration of the side characters in the story. I did miss Darlington being explicitly present throughout the story, but I feel like Bardugo made up for it with how interesting everyone else was. I appreciated that we got more one on one interactions between Dawes and Alex. Both of them are connected by how much they care for Darlington and their association with Lethe. However, as the story progresses, it is clear that both of them have more in common about their past than meets the eye. They also form a more solid trusting friendship as they go through the ups and downs of the plot. This sequel leaned in more to the horror aspects of the world. There are moments that delve into the dark history of Lethe and how magic has been used in the past for less than honorable goals. I found the plot points to be creative, but still neatly interwined. I'm looking forward to seeing how some of the seeds planted in this installment become relevant in the next part of the story. I think the first book is still my favorite between the two of them. However, I think this was still a solid sequel and I'm looking forward to see what comes next.

 If there is a way to do a teacher student romance well, I think this is it. Usually the trope is problematic since there is an imbalance in the power dynamic in the relationship. However, I think the story does a great job of overcoming this issue. The male lead finds himself linked to a student accidentally and is not actively seeking out a relationship with a student (as is very common with tropes like this). The male lead takes all the measures necessary ensure the female lead's comfort. He immediately realizes that the circumstances in which they meet at the beginning of the book outside of class are inappropriate and does everything I wish a professor would do in a situations like this. Immediate respect for the male lead on that account. I also appreciated that the female lead had no shame associated with being a lingerie model. There wasn't any slut shaming at all in this book, which is also a breath of fresh air. The sex scenes weren't cringe and felt like they progressed with the relationship. I'm looking forward to reading the next Penny Reid book in this vein.

I took long breaks  reading this book because I kept picking up other things, but I'm very glad I got to finish it. This sequel expands on the universe and adds other mythical creatures besides vampires to the mix. This is still mainly a vampire story focused mostly on Celine and Bastien. There are intermittent subplots involving some of the side characters, such as Pippa and Arjun. However, the main story was always directly tied to the subplots, so the story feels very focused. 

The first half of the book has a slower pace. It is largely focused on the internal dialogue and deliberation Sebastien and Celine have individually. Celine struggles with the missing parts of her memory while Sebastien is coming to terms with what it means to now be the same type of monster that killed his mother. The second half has the characters being more active and traveling from one place to another (all with a purpose related to the plot, I might add). The conclusion of this installment is reasonably open ended. I'm looking forward to reading about Pippa and Arjun's story in the next book. I assume it's prot going to focus on the lore behind the fey and I'm looking forward to that.

This was such an informative piece of journalism that encompassed all necessary background information required to thoroughly understand the topic even if you have no previous knowledge. Iris Chang walks you through the long history between China and Japan prior to the Nanking massacre. This helps give context to the events that occurred during the massacre. This book also makes it easy to connect the events occurring in other regions of the world at that time to the massacre. It allows for the narrative history feel cohesive and relative to other events happening simultaneously. Nothing in history exists in a vacuum and I was happy to see that Chang was able to elaborate on this point in her writing. There is a plethora of useful sources provided in the book as well for further research. Chang proposes her own opinions within the narrative history, but always with support from sources that she cites thoroughly. She also clarifies which parts of the history she had limited sources for. Additionally, she reveals some of her own bias as she explains her own family's history pertaining to the massacre. The way Chang weaves the narrative helps to create both sympathy for the victims of the massacre, and allow for nuance for the perpetrators without absolving them of their culpability.

As I was reading through this piece it felt like I was mourning the loss of Iris Chang simultaneously. She died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2004 and reading this just made me think about what a great loss that was to the journalism community (in addition to her family and loved ones). I would have loved to see her continued contributions to the acknowledgement of Chinese and Asian history. To this day I think there is still a gap in understanding Asian history in the West. I will definitely be reading her other works. This book is one of the best nonfiction books I've read this year and it still holds up today. This has definitely reignited my interest in Asian history. Can't wait to read more!

Despite having a lot of erotica elements within the plot, this book was very wholesome. Themes of body dysmorphia, mental health, and self-love are heavily explored through the relationship between Barnaby and Gil. Barnaby is anxious and insecure and approaches Gil in an attempt to expand his sexual boundaries. Gil attends the same college campus as Barnaby and has a reputation for being promiscuous. As Barnaby continues having sexual encounters with Gil, it is clear that there is more to him than what's on the surface. Both Barnaby and Gil struggle with mental health issues and being vulnerable. With each other they are able to forge a path to satisfying communication and vulnerability as they go from friends with benefits to romantic and sexual partners. They learn to support each other through their struggles without being judgmental. There are side characters that make intermittent appearances within the story, including Barnaby's friend and Gil's family. Overall, their presence contributes to the story between the two but is not a central plot point. The sexual content is very kink heavy, so this may not be for readers that are not comfortable with or interested in that. The emotional development of the two main characters still ends up being the main focus of the story, though. This has been one of my favorite romances this year. I'm hoping the author publishes future books because I will definitely be picking them up.

If I could describe this book in a few words, it would probably be fun and ridiculous. Bee is very dramatic and is expressive (which goes from entertaining to mildly annoying). Levi, on the other hand, is very reserved and serious from an outsider's perspective. As the book progresses however, it is clear that Levi has had a crush on Bee for a long time. Once Bee starts letting go of her preconceptions about Levi as she gets to know him they are very cute together. I could have done with a less public display of affection from them since it went a little overboard for my taste at times (quite inappropriate at times actually). However, overall this was fun for what it was. A cheesy fun romcom. I'm looking forward to reading more lighthearted books like this in the future.

This was such a nice enemies to friends>friends to lovers story. Byron was my favorite character in the book. He is very clearly coded as someone on the autism spectrum. The book never explicitly states this, but he has a lot of the things that would indicate that he may be on the spectrum. Byron has a lot of sensory issues as well as trouble communicating effectively without coming off as a jerk. His bluntness can often be mistaken for an attempt to purposefully be a jerk to others. He also gives a lot of criticism that often is not communicated in a way that feels constructive. Underneath this prickly and cold exterior, he is very kind. He tries to help others as best he can. Whenever his friends, especially Winnifred, need something from him, he is willing to give them what they need. I found it especially endearing that he would pull back whenever he perceived that he was violating Winnifred's boundaries.

This is such a contrast to Jeff, and I'm so glad that Winnifred is able to contrast Byron and Jeff and their respect for her boundaries.

 

I appreciate that Winnifred and Byron are given the space to explore their relationships with other people. Winnie's perception of Byron is different from other people, so even from the beginning, there is definitely more to him than her initial perception. Byron is a great friend and it was cute to see him and Winnie getting along, even before they get together. I must say, though, drunk Byron is the most entertaining Byron. Winnie's compassion and ability to be understanding with him definitely helps propel their relationship forward. By the end of the book it's clear why they make sense as a couple. My only complaint is that it feels as if the book was cut short in the end. I wanted to spend more time with Byron and Winnie as a couple, so that's the only thing that brought the rating down for me. Highly recommend this if you're looking for a great enemies-to-lovers romance, especially if you like the male lead pining over the female lead.