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You have probably figured out by now that I will read almost anything for good asexual rep, but when it’s science fiction that is this beautifully crafted? Tarnished Are the Stars had me constantly hunting for more time to listen to it.
The Lunar Chronicles meets Rook in this queer #OwnVoices science-fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Sharon Cameron.
Tarnished Are the Stars CoverA secret beats inside Anna Thatcher’s chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog — donning the moniker Technician — to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner’s tyrannical laws.
Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner’s son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father’s respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father’s elusive affection is worth chasing at all.
Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner’s secrets at any cost — even if it means betraying her own heart.
When these uneasy allies discover the most dangerous secret of all, they must work together despite their differences and put an end to a deadly epidemic — before the Commissioner ends them first. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
Rosiee Thor and I are mutuals on Twitter. This is still an honest review of Tarnished Are The Stars.
Tarnished Are The Stars needs trigger warnings for neglect, physical and emotional abuse, parental death (on and off-page), child death and discussion of surgery.
It had an aesthetic to die for but this book really came through for me. You can read my full review here!
The Lunar Chronicles meets Rook in this queer #OwnVoices science-fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Sharon Cameron.
Tarnished Are the Stars CoverA secret beats inside Anna Thatcher’s chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog — donning the moniker Technician — to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner’s tyrannical laws.
Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner’s son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father’s respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father’s elusive affection is worth chasing at all.
Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner’s secrets at any cost — even if it means betraying her own heart.
When these uneasy allies discover the most dangerous secret of all, they must work together despite their differences and put an end to a deadly epidemic — before the Commissioner ends them first. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
Rosiee Thor and I are mutuals on Twitter. This is still an honest review of Tarnished Are The Stars.
Tarnished Are The Stars needs trigger warnings for neglect, physical and emotional abuse, parental death (on and off-page), child death and discussion of surgery.
It had an aesthetic to die for but this book really came through for me. You can read my full review here!
Topside offered glimpses of a well thought out universe and beautiful art, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me because there wasn’t quite enough backstory.
A wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way.
Topside CoverWhen Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes an error that destabilizes her planet’s core, she only knows one way to fix things: leaving her underground home for a trip to the planet’s dangerous, unruly surface. Soon she’s wandering through deserts, riding on the back of giant beasts, and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. Meanwhile, agents of the core are in hot pursuit. J. N. Monk and Harry Bogosian (co-creators of the web-comic StarHammer) present a wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Topside from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I felt like this story needed a prologue, or even a prequel to envelop readers in the world that Monk and Bogosian created in Topside. I loved Bogosian’s illustration, but I struggled to understand why we were seeing what we were. Mechanical shark in a dress? Awesome. Married to a living lightbulb? Sweet! Magic shapeshifting child? Amazing. But I needed more plot-wise.
You can read my full review here!
A wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way.
Topside CoverWhen Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes an error that destabilizes her planet’s core, she only knows one way to fix things: leaving her underground home for a trip to the planet’s dangerous, unruly surface. Soon she’s wandering through deserts, riding on the back of giant beasts, and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. Meanwhile, agents of the core are in hot pursuit. J. N. Monk and Harry Bogosian (co-creators of the web-comic StarHammer) present a wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Topside from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I felt like this story needed a prologue, or even a prequel to envelop readers in the world that Monk and Bogosian created in Topside. I loved Bogosian’s illustration, but I struggled to understand why we were seeing what we were. Mechanical shark in a dress? Awesome. Married to a living lightbulb? Sweet! Magic shapeshifting child? Amazing. But I needed more plot-wise.
You can read my full review here!
Hearth and Home was a great sequel to Heart and Hand, with just enough of the town’s meddling and great romance to make it delightful.
Can a wealthy businessman find love as a mail order groom?
Hearth and Home CoverJulian Baptiste was determined to find a love as epic as that of his parents. As the son of a freedwoman and a wealthy Union solider, Julian was unique among the glittering upper 400 of New York Society. Shrewd in business and discrete with his affairs, Julian was not a man to be trifled with.
Until her. One glimpse of Violet Shield and Julian is haunted. As the cook of the boarding house where he is staying while visiting his sister Julie and her two husbands Violet is a breath of fresh air. But Julian is hesitant to call it love at such a short acquaintance and is determined to be only a friend to her.
But when an unexpected advert for a husband is placed on Violet’s behalf, the frontier cook’s reputation and her very future are at stake. And Julian finds himself stepping into a role he is powerless to resist. Mail order groom.
Amidst the wilds of the sweeping Montana frontier to the riches of the New York 400, Julian and Violet fall deeply in love. But can love be enough when misunderstandings threaten the fragile new passion they have found? (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Hearth and Home from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in this series, Heart and Hand, got a mention in Xan West’s Polyamorous Romance Recs list. If you haven’t read Heart and Hand yet, you might want to go do that before you continue reading this review because there’s no way to avoid spoilers for it.
The fictional town of Gold Sky is wonderful at getting into each other’s business, which we saw a ton of in Heart and Hand. In that, Hearth and Home did not disappoint. I loved how the whole town, including Julie’s husbands, got involved in trying to get Julian and Violet together, even before they realized that was what they were doing. It was also perfect that Julian was working on bringing the railroad to Gold Sky because that is such a huge part of western history and stories.
You can read my full review here!
Can a wealthy businessman find love as a mail order groom?
Hearth and Home CoverJulian Baptiste was determined to find a love as epic as that of his parents. As the son of a freedwoman and a wealthy Union solider, Julian was unique among the glittering upper 400 of New York Society. Shrewd in business and discrete with his affairs, Julian was not a man to be trifled with.
Until her. One glimpse of Violet Shield and Julian is haunted. As the cook of the boarding house where he is staying while visiting his sister Julie and her two husbands Violet is a breath of fresh air. But Julian is hesitant to call it love at such a short acquaintance and is determined to be only a friend to her.
But when an unexpected advert for a husband is placed on Violet’s behalf, the frontier cook’s reputation and her very future are at stake. And Julian finds himself stepping into a role he is powerless to resist. Mail order groom.
Amidst the wilds of the sweeping Montana frontier to the riches of the New York 400, Julian and Violet fall deeply in love. But can love be enough when misunderstandings threaten the fragile new passion they have found? (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Hearth and Home from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in this series, Heart and Hand, got a mention in Xan West’s Polyamorous Romance Recs list. If you haven’t read Heart and Hand yet, you might want to go do that before you continue reading this review because there’s no way to avoid spoilers for it.
The fictional town of Gold Sky is wonderful at getting into each other’s business, which we saw a ton of in Heart and Hand. In that, Hearth and Home did not disappoint. I loved how the whole town, including Julie’s husbands, got involved in trying to get Julian and Violet together, even before they realized that was what they were doing. It was also perfect that Julian was working on bringing the railroad to Gold Sky because that is such a huge part of western history and stories.
You can read my full review here!
If you read my reviews of the first two books in the Gold Sky series, you’ll know I’m a fan of the books about the Wilkes-Barnes family. Honor and Desire was no different.
For as long as anyone can remember Seylah Wickes-Barnes has been at the side of August Leclaire, her best friend and the boy her fathers took under their wing.
Honor and Desire CoverNow a grown woman and looking for love, Seylah’s deepest regret, and secret, is quickly coming to surface: She has been in love with August for as long as she can remember.
For years she has been content in her role as secretary to the Sheriff’s department in Gold Sky, Montana. Mostly for the opportunity to be around the men of her family, and the one who still owns her heart. But there is no denying that the woman behind the desk is far more suited to wielding a gun and keeping the peace. If only she could convince her fathers to see her in a new light, as a person worthy of a deputy’s badge.
Determined to put her past behind her, Seylah gives her attentions to a handsome new arrival. One who sweeps Seylah off her feet-quite literally. Things are almost perfect until August suddenly declares his intent to court her. Can she trust that August’s affections are true and not inspired by jealousy?
Amongst gun fights and forbidden kisses, childhood friendships mature into a love built on forever and intimate desire in this tale of friends-to-prickly-allies-to-lovers romance. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Honor and Desire from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Honor and Desire wasn’t my favorite of the books so far, but it was a great addition to the Gold Sky series that led us into the stories of the next generation.
You can read my full review here!
For as long as anyone can remember Seylah Wickes-Barnes has been at the side of August Leclaire, her best friend and the boy her fathers took under their wing.
Honor and Desire CoverNow a grown woman and looking for love, Seylah’s deepest regret, and secret, is quickly coming to surface: She has been in love with August for as long as she can remember.
For years she has been content in her role as secretary to the Sheriff’s department in Gold Sky, Montana. Mostly for the opportunity to be around the men of her family, and the one who still owns her heart. But there is no denying that the woman behind the desk is far more suited to wielding a gun and keeping the peace. If only she could convince her fathers to see her in a new light, as a person worthy of a deputy’s badge.
Determined to put her past behind her, Seylah gives her attentions to a handsome new arrival. One who sweeps Seylah off her feet-quite literally. Things are almost perfect until August suddenly declares his intent to court her. Can she trust that August’s affections are true and not inspired by jealousy?
Amongst gun fights and forbidden kisses, childhood friendships mature into a love built on forever and intimate desire in this tale of friends-to-prickly-allies-to-lovers romance. (Goodreads)
Goodreads
I received an eARC of Honor and Desire from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Honor and Desire wasn’t my favorite of the books so far, but it was a great addition to the Gold Sky series that led us into the stories of the next generation.
You can read my full review here!
Dithered Hearts is a polyamorous historical fantasy romance between adult step-siblings who are nonbinary, female and female. It also features a side m/m romance. The main character is questioning their gender and uses multiple pronouns throughout the story, but for clarity’s sake, I’m going to use they/them pronouns.
It also deals with a lot of topics that are potentially triggering including abuse toward queer characters, including mental, emotional, and on-the-page physical abuse; abuse toward a disabled character; anti-queer rhetoric and microaggressions; excessive swearing, including gendered insults; mentions of deceased parents; mentions of substance abuse and addiction; misgendering, including accidental and willful instances.
Our main character, Cyn, is trying to get out from under their abusive step-parents and bring life back to the land that has kept their family alive for centuries. I loved Cyn a lot, both because and despite the lack of thought they put into their decisions. They never read the fine print or take time to think through the possible consequences of their actions except when it came to making sure they were safe from their step-parents. There’s also a great political subplot that has a huge impact on everything for Cyn.
Each of the other characters in this story were incredibly real people, even the fae. My personal favorite side character was Lord Gafford who was so terribly bad at pretending to be a human that it left me literally laughing out loud. I loved the political villain’s motivation and I love that Cyn and their step-sisters get justice and a happy ending. It made a great change from what I expected. I would absolutely love to see another story set in this world.
I loved so much about Dithered Hearts, and I think you will, too.
It also deals with a lot of topics that are potentially triggering including abuse toward queer characters, including mental, emotional, and on-the-page physical abuse; abuse toward a disabled character; anti-queer rhetoric and microaggressions; excessive swearing, including gendered insults; mentions of deceased parents; mentions of substance abuse and addiction; misgendering, including accidental and willful instances.
Our main character, Cyn, is trying to get out from under their abusive step-parents and bring life back to the land that has kept their family alive for centuries. I loved Cyn a lot, both because and despite the lack of thought they put into their decisions. They never read the fine print or take time to think through the possible consequences of their actions except when it came to making sure they were safe from their step-parents. There’s also a great political subplot that has a huge impact on everything for Cyn.
Each of the other characters in this story were incredibly real people, even the fae. My personal favorite side character was Lord Gafford who was so terribly bad at pretending to be a human that it left me literally laughing out loud. I loved the political villain’s motivation and I love that Cyn and their step-sisters get justice and a happy ending. It made a great change from what I expected. I would absolutely love to see another story set in this world.
I loved so much about Dithered Hearts, and I think you will, too.
