Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely adored the concept of this book. If it has queer vampires, I'm automatically on board. Add 1920s Harlem and I'm even MORE on board. This book was such a fun read despite not feeling quite fleshed out as much as it could be.

I think what disappointed me the most was the pacing. Some parts were very slow and dragged on, and other parts were very quick, so much so that I felt like I missed important information. Avoiding spoilers, the end was VERY sudden and felt so rushed. I felt like it jumped from scene to scene drastically in the last 10% of the book, and I was left confused enough to re-read portions to understand what had happened.

All this being said, I am quite enchanted with the love/hate relationship between Elise and Layla. I found them to be wonderful characters with a lot of depth, especially as they grapple with mental health issues, familial issues, racism, sexism, classism, and loss. I look forward to seeing where the sequel takes them and their relationship.

Publication date: 6 August 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is visceral, atmospheric, bleak, and full of creeping dread. It is a very slow burn horror novel that deals with themes of generational trauma, child abuse, coming to terms with sexuality, toxic masculinity, and racism.

I thoroughly enjoyed the past/present storylines and the way they came together. I also greatly enjoyed the prose in this book. It was so beautifully written, and these themes were dealt with so masterfully. I think the slower nature of this novel will deter some readers, but I found it perfect for the story that was being told.

The narration of this audiobook was wonderful, and it made me like the story even more.

Publication date: 20 August 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This little audiobook was alright. I enjoyed the concept and the little rag-tag band of characters, but it didn't keep my interest as much as I had hoped it would. I think I was expecting a few things that just weren't realized and that was 1) more outright horror instead of a seeping kind of insidiousness 2) a shift away from the "I'm a journalist so I must get the scoop on this" mystery trope.

All in all, it was not a bad story, and it was a nice quick listen, it was just not a story I found myself very invested in.

Publication date: 24 September 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This novel was such a beautiful and whimsical queer coming of age story. I truly adored every aspect of this story, from the characters, to the magic system, to the setting. It walked the line beautifully between humorous and serious, fantastical and realistic. I eagerly await the next books in the trilogy!

The narration for the audiobook was also wonderful. I love when narrators do distinct voices for each character. :)

Publication date: 24 September 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

WHEW. I adored this book. It's difficult to find novels that speak to my varied interests in ecclesiastical history, horror, and queer literature, but this one DID IT. Nicephorus and Tyun are such lovable characters, and their banter is so well written.

The setting, the writing style, the weird medieval shit, the VIBES... absolutely perfect. This one joins Brian Catling's [b:Hollow|56212878|Hollow|Brian Catling|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1617707208l/56212878._SY75_.jpg|87563515] and the game Blasphemous as a piece of media that fits the very niche religious horror vibe that I constantly long for.

For this creation, bless you, M. T. Anderson. BLESS YOU.

Publication date: 23 July 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely blazed through this beautifully written and faithfully adapted version of the Eros and Psyche myth. Both Eros and Psyche were such compelling characters, and their chemistry was incredible. I loved seeing the inner thoughts of both of them, and their reactions to their story as it unfolded.

The passages where Psyche mused on freedom, the taboo, love, and mystery were gorgeous and truly thought-provoking. I also enjoyed how Psyche addressed the reader on occasion, noting where the reader may judge her choices or how parts of the story send a message of self-love and queer acceptance to the reader. The choice to make Eros genderfluid was such a wonderful one. As the deity of lust and desire, this made complete sense and added such beautiful backstory to her character.

The writing style may be a little wordy for some, but I lowkey adore purple prose, so I had no problems with it.

Publication date: 13 August 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a creature-obsessed queer person, this book was ripe for my enjoyment. And don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it! The first through third sections of the book were very enjoyable to me and I loved the combination of folklore, historical figures, and anecdotes (all clearly well-researched) into these nice digestible chapters.

The fourth and fifth sections got a little muddy for me. The stretch of considering some of these things folklore was a little too much for me (superheroes? in a folklore book? no thanks). I seriously lost steam after section three, and the rest of the book felt like somewhat of a trudge to get through.

Overall, the book was lovely, and I think a lot of folks will really adore it.