A sapphic piece of literary fiction that starts off great but falls flat halfway through. 

This book starts off the way you expect it to as this kind of sad summer vibe with Sara and Emilie’s adolescent traumas. Sara’s childhood best friend turned girlfriend is found dead in a river which results in 16 year old Sara running away to LA. Emilie, at 15, witnesses her older sister overdose in their home. The books goes back and force between the two POVs and it also switches from their past and present throughout the book. This flow works at times and other times is very clunky. I found myself liking their stories separately but not really caring about their story together. 

The book is advertised as being this romantic drama where these two women are connected by this one small thing, and they have to overcome their past trauma to make their relationship work. However, the women don’t meet until the halfway point. They meet briefly and then don’t meet for another year where it then takes a few months before they run into each other again and start a relationship that’s gone on for a couple of months before they hit a (albeit mild) snag that has them both questioning the relationship and their own self-worths. It’s this point that’s lost on me. Their connection is instant which I get and could be on board with, but then it’s all very instalove and high stakes when it’s only been a couple of months. And their entire relationship is brushed over. Which, if this is just literary fiction, say that, don’t advertise it as this romantic drama when the romance is barely in the book, and the romance that is there, is pretty insignificant. These women are 26 and 28, which is relatively young, but they’re acting like they’re 19 and 21. 

I did like Emilie’s struggle with her Creole identity and passing, but it’s just kind of brushed over. Just like Sara’s past is brushed over. 

The book eventually meanders through these two stories that takes away from the emotional aspect of the book. I’d honestly prefer if this was just their two respective stories to show maybe their hardships so you can connect to them, but make the stories more linear, only jumping back when it’s relevant. Then end with them meeting and leaving it open ended. 

It gets points for the first half and actually getting my cold, dead heart to feel something. 

This was delightfully adorable. A quirky, funny historical romance between a Duchess and a thief that will have you grinning like an idiot. 

I haven’t read the Queer Principles of Kit Webb, but I definitely will now! I just thought this book was a lot of fun and entertaining. Something light and breezy. The story takes place in Georgian London and the Kent countryside. It’s a dual POV, following highwayman, Robert Brooks, and the Duchess of Clare, Marian Hayes. The only problem? The young, 23-year-old new mother isn’t the legitimate wife to the Duke of Clare as his first wife is still living. *gasp* Bigamist! And Rob just happens to be the only legitimate son of the Duke, unfortunately for him since he despises the upper class for their crimes against the middle and lower classes. He’s your classic Robin Hood, stealing from bad rich men and giving his spoils to the poor. 

Rob attempts to blackmail Marian with his knowledge about the duke’s bigamist ways, and Marian and Rob start a nearly year long correspondence. Marian is not what Rob expects from a woman of noble birth. She has a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind. She’s extremely intelligent and compassionate. She may be cold, but she cares deeply for those around here. In an attempt to ensure that she, her daughter, and Percy (the Duke’s son from his second “marriage” and Marian’s childhood best friend) are cared for, she and Percy attempt to stage a robbery that will allow them to obtain evidence of the duke’s bigamy and blackmail him into giving them funds. However, it all turns for the worst when Marian is forced to shoot the Duke and save Percy’s life during the robbery. 

Marian then enlists the help of her blackmailer, Rob, to get her to her father’s home to make arrangements to flee the country if she’s suspected of the duke’s murder. Marian, though the daughter of an earl, was not raised as such. Her father is the youngest son and suddenly found himself inheriting a title he was never meant to have. Rob finds himself falling even more in love with Marian as he was already in love with her through her letters. On the other hand, Marian is hard pressed to admit she has developed feelings, that are most certainly anything but love, for Rob. 

I love the dynamic between Rob and Marian, though their relationship develops rather quickly. I really appreciate the dive into how love can feel, either a romantic love or maternal love, and that it’s not always this all-consuming, poetic feeling, but it doesn’t mean it’s worth any less. And just the different ways to be physically intimate and engage in intercourse. Because I related a lot to Marian have no enjoyment from “traditional” heterosexual intercourse and I think it’s important to show that a hetero relationship can be just a sexually fulfilling without it. I also love that Rob is the one that begs Marian and definitely has a praise kink. They’re both bisexual and explore sexually with each other, and I just love the trust and openness between them that allows this. They have excellent communication and constantly obtain consent from one another. There is no shame regarding Marian’s sexuality or sexual experience given this is set during the Georgian period and is something that’s often depicted in female characters in historical stories. 

I thought the book was very cute and had its funny moments. There’s some decent spice (not smut) but it’s hot enough. It’s very much a book where the man falls in love first and loves her more than she him. Rob’s a shameless flirt and is extremely charming and you just can’t help but love him. And despite Marian being his opposite and not big on socializing, they’re definitely well suited for one another. I appreciate that she’s not this dainty lady, that despite her lack of experience with crime and weapons, she holds her own. 

This is a fun, cozy, laidback romance to just escape with and definitely worth a read. 

 

This was a decent, cute, a little steamy “one-night-stand-turned-love” romance. 

The story takes place in a fictional town in downtown Atlanta. Rashida is a good critic and Elliot is an architect. Elliot’s handling his father’s business while he’s recovering from a heart attack. They has a very serendipitous meeting in a bar turned one night stand. Rashida wasn’t planning on ever seeing Elliot again. Unfortunately, on of his father’s projects is gentrifying Rashida’s grandmother’s community. It’s pegged as Rashida and Elliot being on opposite sides of this dispute, but really it’s Rashida on one side and Elliot trying to work and compromise with her. Rashida immediately takes up the defensive when she finds out who Elliot is and organizes protests and the sort without attempting to speak with Elliot given he’s not really apart of his father’s company. Elliot wants nothing but to help Rashida and also be with her, and Rashida spends a good portion of the book demonizing Elliot for being like “all men” while fighting her sexual attraction. Eventually, she loses that battle and falls for Elliot as they try to compromise. Of course there’s a miscommunication in the last bit of the book that leads to everything imploding. 

I would say this book is an example as to why I don’t like the instalove or miscommunication trope. It just seems to unrealistic and immature. Rashida is this strong, independent woman, yet she’s incredibly insecure and immature when it comes to romance. It was just infuriating when Elliot had been so nice and willing to make life harder for himself just to make her happy. 

I don’t think the romance was fleshed out enough. It’s clear they have sexual chemistry but there wasn’t much going on to make me believe they were falling in love. Much of this book focuses on zoning commission and business-type stuff. It was extremely irritating that everything was insinuated. Like the words “gentrification” or “gentrify” were only used a couple of times. And not once was race brought up. Again, just insinuated. Like it’s a Black community that’s being gentrified. A wealthy, white man has bought commercial land to “bring in better businesses” that will “improve the community”. The book’s couple is an interracial couple, like there’s no reason to insinuate that this is a race issue when it clearly is. If your romance book is going to spend more time on the politics and economics of gentrification, then don’t hold back or worry about making people uncomfortable. It felt it was watering down what was happening (“oh this will push out the elderly and the poor”) and not mentioning something that is extremely important and relevant. This is ATLANTA GEORGIA we’re talking about. 

There were issues with repetition. Several times there were different things repeated throughout the book that just felt like it should’ve been caught during the editing reprocess (i.e. “The only thing I remembered about my father was a dark skinned man and the smell of mangoes.” Then a few chapters later. “The only thing I remembered about my father was dark skin and the smell of salt and sweat”. It was just weird and obvious since it happened more than once). The resolution was extremely rushed. Between Elliot and his father and Elliot and Rashida. The Reverend and Rashida’s mom didn’t even interact in this book so the whole thing between them was super weird and random. And the thing with Karla and her husband’s unfaithfulness was just randomly there with no development or real reason in being there. To further prove to Rashida the women in her family are cursed when her grandmother had a happy, loving, successful marriage to her grandfather? 

I know it seems like there were a lot of negatives, but it was a decent story. I mean Rashida’s grandmother and her friends had me laughing. Elliot was incredibly adorable the cartoon cover does no do him justice. And Rashida was very passionate and funny in her own way. I like Rashida’s relationship with her grandmother and her community. I was let down that she wasn’t as confident in her own body because she was curvy and didn’t have a flat stomach. Just didn’t seem to suit her personality to be so sure in everything else but her love life and her body image. 

Sex scenes are more steamy than spicy or smutty. More PG-13 than R. That’s not a criticism that is just for your information. 

The bones are there, I just wish the relationship and story were developed more. 

I’m soooo disappointed in this book. It’s not that I had any expectations, I was very much intrigued by the concept and the first few chapters really reeled me in. But it just got soooo bad from there. The sarcasm was great. But so much of the dialogue was cringey. I thought I’d run into some issues that were overlooked in 1993 but wouldn’t hold up in the light of day in 2022, and I was right as there were a few fatphobic and homophobic comments made. There’s also one unfortunate comment about a “spook squad” in reference to the police tasked with supernatural crimes. But those aren’t the real reasons why I was disappointed with this book, if anything, they got like a few points shaved off for it. It’s just that this book isn’t good. 

The book follows Anita Blake who’s an animator, which is someone who can raise the dead (make zombies). Zombies can talk and then be put back to rest. Anita works for a company of animators that get paid to bring back loved ones and victims of crimes. She consults with the police about supernatural crimes. She’s also a vampire bounty hunter called The Executioner. Other than going to crime scenes to tell the police what kind of supernatural creature seems to have been the culprit (something I feel a coroner would be able to do at this point), I can’t fathom why she consults with the police. I’m assuming she can raise the dead to get answers from murder victims, but they say that’s hard to hold up in court. And it’s not explicitly said she does this for the police. 

Anita is strong armed into working for vampires to track down a vampire murderer. Anita hates vampires and sees them as dangerous animals that have manipulated society as seeing them as just humans with pointy teeth. Along the way we meet Jean-Claude (a vampire master), Edward (a human assassin), and Nikolaos (a thousand year old child vampire master). Among other people who aren’t really important but just kind of there. 

The first book in a fantasy series often gets the rep of being a little bit boring as it’s trying to explain the world building, magical system, and introducing the main characters. This book did none of that. Other then a quick: oh vampires are real and there’s a court ruling that made them citizens, there’s no explanation for any of the other magical beings (lycanthropes, ghouls, zombies, and animators). How is Anita an animator if she’s a human? Does she have magic? Can anyone be an animator? Also it’s said that Anita’s eyes glowed and that if anyone found out what she was then she’d be killed, but it’s never revealed what she is and it’s never hinted at ever again. This happens at like the 20% mark. Then Jean-Claude is introduced for five seconds, creates a psychic bond with Anita (without her permission or full knowledge of what it is) then is gone for the rest of the book. And this bond is so random and sporadically hinted at, it doesn’t even seem like it’s a real thing. Supposedly she’s stronger and can heal faster, but none of that is depicted. She’s still a very weak, feeble human. 

After the first couple of chapters, I started to feel like there was just chunks of information that was scooped out. Nothing made sense and there was no time to get to know any of the characters, including Anita, to really care about them, and really, I didn’t like any of them. Like even Phillip, who’s probably the only character you can sympathize with, was unlikeable. He was whiny and extremely immature and useless. I like a morally grey or even villainous main character, but Anita was just irritating. For some badass vampire hunter, she makes incredibly dumb decisions. Scenes seemed like they were cut out and then you’d be jumping into a completely different event and not know what was going on. Anita’s investigation method is all over the place. Like what was the purpose of the freak party? Also, if these are human vampire junkies, why are humans biting them? That’s not explained AT ALL. What even is Guilty Pleasures? A strip club? Because it doesn’t seem like it. 

There was also zero consent in this book. It was very moleste-y and pretty much sexual assault happened every few chapter in this book. A wererat (already want to throw up at that) tries to rape Anita in his rat form? Also, there was a naked child and some borderline erotic shit was happening with her. I don’t care that she’s a thousand years old, she has the body of an 8 year old and it’s disturbing as hell. Every vampire in this book has either assaulted, murdered, or taken the free will of someone, and this is all above board with the justice system? Yet, humans need a warrant to act against them? 

How is Anita a hunter of vampires if she’s like 5’0” tall and just over a hundred pounds? And she says she can only lift a hundred pounds. She can’t take out an average human man, but we’re expected to believe that an ordinary human, who’s explicitly described as not having any real talent for hand-to-hand combat or using weapons, has killed 14 vampires? I was all for a short, slightly curvy vampire hunting (possibly Latinx?) badass that strikes fear into the hearts of the undead, but it seems she’s just extremely lucky. Or she’s only killed very recently made vampires (the older the vampire, the stronger they are) or she must kill them when they’re in a coma-like sleep during the day (a fact that isn’t explicitly made until the very end). 

It wasn’t just the magical system or events that weren’t explained, but also random characters. Who is Ronnie? I thought she was Anita’s stepmother, but now I’m not sure. It’s stated in the very beginning, that crosses and holy water don’t work if there’s not so kind of faith backing up the intent (like an atheist would have no protection behind a cross), but then it doesn’t mention faith or religion until 75% of the way through when Anita has to go to church and is this devout Catholic (but forced to convert since animators were excommunicated by the Pope)? I know there’s a lot of things that are left unexplained, because it’s setting up stuff for the next book, like how Anita can “feel” a vampires age (why is this such a big deal to the vamps?) and what the psychic bond means for Anita and Jean-Claude. However, when it’s added on top of a million other things that should have been explained in the first book, it seems as though this is all just very lazy writing. 

It really is a shame, because it is a very interesting concept. And I like that it’s an urban horror fantasy with mystery elements and no romance (I understand it becomes romance and erotica later, but not the point). It just feels like I read the pitch of what could’ve been a great book but they left out all the important things and proper transitions.

I’m not sure how to start this. It’s not even the craziest, kinkiest shit I’ve read, but this book intrigued me and disturbed me on a level I wasn’t aware of, and not like a higher level, but like a secret side level. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. 

Immediately, I was laughing about a priest named Tyler. And my guy went from 3 years of priesthood and 5 years of seminary study and the deacon year (which doesn’t totally add up with Tyler being 29, but I’ll let it slide) to straight up tossing his vows out the window after meeting Poppy ONCE. Like, damn, girl, yes, but at the same time this man didn’t not an iota of self-control. He was just a walking, talking, delusional sin incarnate. How did he ever become a priest, fam? Cause I can’t see it. And Poppy?! Oh my god, saying the most dirty things to a PRIEST. Instant attraction between these two and almost immediate gratification. Why was this book nearly 400 pages long? Could’ve cut out a hundred pages and just had back-to-back smut. Because the in-between hardly mattered. 

I’ve never experienced being so attracted to a literal stranger, that I couldn’t master control over my own actions, but if this is how it is for literally anyone, I’m not sure how anything is ever done. Like it was hot, like really hot, but Jesus. I don’t know how they had any emotional connection as it really only felt like a raw sexual and animalistic attraction. Don’t even get me started on the sacred oil! 

Desecrating a church? Hot. A priest trying to justify this as being God’s will? Cringe. And gross. And problematic to the nth degree. Tyler was constantly trying to be a “feminist ally”, like fam, you can be a feminist or not. There is no “ally”? And that was annoying. Just because a woman likes it rough or to be degraded doesn’t mean she’s damaged or that you’re not a “feminist ally” (*eye roll*), if she likes it, asks for it, and gives her consent, that’s all you need, stop questioning her! And I’m all for Poppy being sex positive and embracing her sexuality, but it was borderline hypersexuality (with Tyler too). 

Tyler was constantly having the filthiest thoughts and their whole relationship just seemed to take place in a different world not based on reality. I just did not feel like I was reading the inner monologue of a 29 year old man, maybe a 19 year old boy, but he was so whiny and dramatic and, again, delusional! In no way are these two people good for one another or make a healthy relationship. “Priest: A Love Story”? Nah. “Priest: A Hot-Ass-Filthy-Blasphemous-Sex-and-Make-It-Toxic Story” 

I also don’t really want to get into the whole problem of the missionary trip to “Africa” where they don’t have showers or soda (*groans*). But there’s that. 

Also, they will talk about these really deep things like Tyler’s sister’s suicide and history of abuse from their priest while growing up. And then they’ll be going at it literally a sentence later. It was so weird. 

The smut and dirty talk and the longing was great. Sexual tension was good. Everything else? Nope. Absolutely not. 

In actuality it’s3 stars for being a decent smut novel, but the 2.75 stars for what it is as a whole. So if you can block out all this crap and enjoy the smut? Then go for it. Because I was living for it. All I heard in my brain was the Fleabag and Hot Priest music. 

Also, to save you from disappointment, they do not bang (in any form) in the confessional. It’s all I wanted and it did not deliver. 

This is a medium-paced, mid-ish fantasy romance that’s very laidback and easygoing. 

This story follows three magically gifted sisters, Arabessa, Niya, and Larkyra, with this first book focusing on the youngest, Larkyra. She has just come of age (19) and her powers seem to be the most dangerous and more difficult to control as they come from her voice. I love the quick wit and quips between the sisters. They’re very funny and witty and odd in the best way. Though other characters like their father, or Clara, or Zimri are just kinda there without substance. The trio have gifts based in music, Lark’s is her voice, Niya is her dance, and Arabessa is from playing an instrument. Together, they’re extremely powerful, deadly, and intoxicating. They’re the daughters of Count Dolion Bassette, and their house is one of the most powerful in Jabari. Magic is scarce and their abilities are hidden except when they enter the Thief Kingdom, where all sorts of debauchery and magic run amuck. 

The sisters are trained in all matters of magic, deception, and combat as they work for the Thief King to squash gross injustices across the land. This is when Lark is assigned to feign an engagement with Hayzar, Duke of Lachlan, stepfather to Lord Darius. Hayzar has been taking phorria, which is a drug made of stolen magic that is highly addictive and it gives non-magic people the ability to wield temporary magic. This drug is illegal outside of the Thief Kingdom so Lark is tasked to discover his supplier. While there she discovers other horrors and injustices, leading to a change in her plans. 

Also, if you’re looking for spice, there’s like one PG-13 scene that doesn’t fade to black.

There were a lot of interesting things like the magic system and world building, that weren’t given enough attention or explanation. The book does brush over a lot and it goes back in time a lot (memory flashbacks) though thankfully these scenes are in italics so you know it’s a memory. It tries to get you emotionally attached to the characters too quickly. Like you can feel it in the writing instead of it just happening naturally (which by the end I did care for the characters). I also feel like the relationship between Lark and Darius could’ve had more development to really sell that they have chemistry and have feelings for one another. Also, their father’s identity is strange and isn’t really explained. 

I don’t know if I’ll read the other books. It took until I got halfway through this one to really be engaged. I’d hope the other ones are more developed. It was mostly a nice, easy fantasy to kickback, relax, and enjoy. 

An epic political and historical fantasy retelling set in 14th century China? It’s also sapphic, genderqueer and badass? SIGN ME UP! Needless to say, I enjoyed this book, despite struggling through most of it. 

I don’t know if this book is anything like The Poppy Wars or The Song of Achilles since I haven’t read them yet, but it is similar to Game of Thrones (at least the show, again, didn’t read the books) in that there are multiple POVs across the country and none of the characters are wholly good or wholly bad. They do what they believe is necessary to obtain their fate. There’s also a lot of (in my opinion) boring political war strategy taking place. Love the drama of politics, but war strategy is a snooze fest. There’s also just a lot of “setting the scene” for the two major characters, Zhu and Ouyang, which is somewhat necessary to understand the characters but it does drag on a bit. 

This book does not hold back when it comes to the horrors of violence and war (there’s literally a whole descriptive scene where a man is burned alive). It’s also descriptive in medieval hygiene practice (or lack thereof) so if you’ve ever wondered how smelly everything was back then, this book will tell you in heavy detail. Don’t make the mistake of eating during this book as there’s bound to be something unsettling to occur. 

This book starts off following Zhu as a 9 year old girl in a village that’s been suffering through a famine that claimed the lives of her mother and many siblings, leaving just her, her father, and her brother, Zhu Chongba. From the start it’s clear Zhu is very clever and more capable than her father and brother, but they treat her as if she is nothing. One day her father takes her and her brother to this fortune teller who states that her brother’s fate is greatness whereas hers is nothingness. That is until her father is killed by bandits and Chu Chongba kills himself. This is when Zhu assumes her brother’s identity, hellbent on taking his fate since he gave it up, and she takes his place at a monastery to be trained as a monk. She masters her lessons and is even ordained early when she turns 19. We spend the book watching Zhu struggle with her identity, live in fear of people and Heaven discovering her deception, and claim her fate. 

However, the Mongol army, led by General Ouyang, burns her monastery to the ground. She ends up joining the rebels and slowly climbs the ranks, constantly running into Ouyang, a eunuch, as it seems their fates are intertwined. Ouyang is Nanren, and his family was killed by the Mongol empire, but he was spared, castrated, and enslaved but was favored by the Prince’s son, Esen, and therefore was able to rise in status and became a general. He’s mistreated since he’s a eunuch and despite being an incredible warrior and successful general, he is denied any respect. Ouyang’s journey is similar to Zhu, but he has postponed his fate for as long as he can, but once events are set in motion, he charges headfirst into his fate. 

I LOVE the very obvious similarities between Zhu and Ouyang in terms of their gender identities and sexualities. As well as their backgrounds and social standings as leaders. And I believe they’re both Nanren in this Mongol empire(?), I can’t remember. 

This book has a lot of turmoil, physically and emotionally. There are a lot of shocking things, and we see how far both Zhu and Ouyang are willing to go to succeed. They’re both selfish in their own ways and make morally questionable decisions constantly. 

This book doesn’t have romance, not really, like it’s not even a subplot. It’s more like a subplot’s subplot. The magic is minimal. Like those that have Heaven’s Mandate can produce flames and Zhu can see ghosts. That’s pretty much it for the magic. It’s also a common misconception that eunuchs don’t have their penis or testicles, most of the time it’s just the testicles that are removed, however, I learned while trying to understand some things about Ouyang that in China the practice of removing everything was common there for eunuchs. So that’s just a little fun fact to take with you. 

I liked this book, but it just took forever to get through the first half. It’s definitely a long read and slow-paced. But it’s very interesting. I feel like I’m learning so much about another culture and it’s just so unapologetically authentic. Like Parker-Chen doesn’t waste any ink trying to explain cultural concepts or anything and I really like that. And they just write so beautifully. Like it’s full on poetic. It’s also just so queer. And I really love that Zhu doesn’t know her name, because it doesn’t seem like an accident that she struggles with her gender identity as well as who she is in general. 

And (SPOILER) once she DECIDES who she is, she chooses a name for herself. 


I’m hoping the next book just has more action in it. I suspect it will be slow-paced, but now that the events at the end of the book have occurred, I’m interested in what this means for Zhu and her relationships with her loved ones and Ouyang. Very good, definitely read if you like political historical fiction. 

To sum it up this is a MLM historical fantasy romance mystery that had maybe a 2.5/5 in the spice department with its 3 sex scenes (that were pretty drawn out and descriptive). However, as fun as the book was, it lacks a lot of substance. It took nearly 45% of the way for it to finally pick up a decent pace. The book starts as if it has all the time in the world to set the scene but it’s only 372 pages long and other than a few scenes here and there, it was hard to keep engaged with the reading. 

The story takes place in Edwardian London, and we have Robin, who’s a non-magical baronet, and we have Edwin, who is a low level magician (like a wizard, not a conman you hire for kids’ parties). Due to a clerical error, Robin is assigned to work with Edwin at a magical liaison office for Parliament. Now, magic is a secret that only a few non-magical people know about outside of the non-magical people born to magical families. Edwin’s family actually treats him like shit because he barely has magic and this is just common practice within the magical community. The magical system is based on the game cat’s cradle which is interesting and reminds me a little of The Magicians. 

In the liaison office, there’s meant to be a magician representing the magical governing body in Britain and a non-magical person representing the British government. Robin is assigned this position because the previous employee, Reggie, has gone missing. Robin has just been told that magic exists and he’s still digesting that when he’s attacked and cursed by a group of magicians dead set on finding something of importance in Reggie’s belongings. This launches Robin and Edwin into investigation mode trying to solve what happened to Reggie, how to lift Robin’s curse, and what is so important it’s worth killing over, all while the attraction between the two men develops, dealing with awful family members, and nearly dying every other scene. 

I do want to say that I like Edwin and Robin as individuals. Edwin is the grumpy academic type who’s expertise is more magical theory and experimentation. Robin is this very sporty, heart of gold, and not very academically inclined gentlemen. But I wish these characters were more fleshed out. They were very two dimensional, but bordering that three dimensional area we want characters to be in. Even Adelaide and other side characters, were given basically the same treatment as the two main characters. Even though this is a third person dual POV, it doesn’t feel like it. It was hard at times to really distinguish who’s POV I was reading from unless the two men weren’t in the same room together. 

I also think their attraction was rushed. The timeline of the book’s events takes place over 8 days, I think. And they went from not particularly caring for one another, to having this intense attraction for one another once they find out they’re both gay. Which is a bit problematic seeing as gay people aren’t attracted to every gay person they meet. I could see an attraction and relationship developing over a longer period of time, but I couldn’t see it as it was written. 

Another thing I had a little issue with is this assumption that POC have no place in Western history. That POC didn’t hold prominent positions or accumulate wealth in the West. And in this case, this is a historical FANTASY, so I don’t see why the only POC of color in this book is Adelaide, who is a side character that’s in like a couple of scenes and is a secretary that serves two white men. Which is incredibly unfortunate because she was giving me a mix of Jenny from Doctor Who and Kate from Bridgerton. She was very interesting but again, her character wasn’t fully developed and it was a missed opportunity. 

Side note: I immediately mentally casted Chance Perdomo as Edwin, Jonathan Bailey as Robin, and Charithra Chandran as Adelaide. Which definitely helped me like the characters more so do that with what you will. 

I don’t necessarily think more pages were necessary to really do this story justice, I just think Marske spent more time on less important things. Like the climax and resolution felt very meh. For instance, I wasn’t all shocked who the villain was because I honestly forgot about that character’s existence. I felt for Edwin and Robin and their family troubles, but it was hard to connect with both of them. Robin’s innocence and eagerness and awe really reeled me in, but there wasn’t anything keeping me engaged with his character. I did laugh a few times and I enjoyed the spice, but I didn’t feel that tug at my heartstrings or feel that anything was at stake to feel suspense or worry. There were all these interesting things that were teased or rushed that would’ve been this book exceptional instead of just average with a sprinkle of disappointment. Depending on the reviews for the next book, I may or may not continue this series if serious changes aren’t made. 

Yeah these books definitely read like some Tumblr/Wattpad smut. Mind numbingly entertaining. Quick to the point. More instalove, dominant alpha-type guy. Possessive. Some of the dialogue is cringe, but not the worse thing I’ve read. 

I really loved this book. This series has been great. I like the characters so much. Pip is such a badass antihero and I love her. Ravi is adorable, but I feel like he was pushed to the side in this book, probably because it made sense that Connor was helping Pip. This one did seem to really zero in on Pip and the aftermath of the first one and her coming to terms with who she is as a person. 

In this book, Pip has set up a podcast (cleverly named “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”) to tell the whole story behind the Sal and Andie murders she solved in the Fall/Winter of the previous year. It’s only been a few months between the first and second books. Pip is finishing out her senior year as a mini celebrity with her well received podcast. She doesn’t think she’ll do a second season of the podcast, but that all changes when her best friend, Connor, asks her to help find his missing brother, Jamie. This book is a little random in what happens to Jamie since the entire time I was thinking it would have something to do with Max Hastings or even the accident everyone got into years before. 

This books touches a lot on the issues with the justice system and believing rape survivors. It kind of takes a step back when Pip has Ravi break into a house after the first book when he makes it clear that as one of the few POC in their small, white town, this is not something he can just do and it be okay. Where the first book looks at the issues with the justice system as it pertains to race, this book looks at the issues of the justice system as it pertains to public opinion and when a wealthy, cishet white man is being accused for a crime. The fact that the police didn’t take Jamie’s disappearance seriously, leaving the case in the hands of an 18-year-old girl who nearly died the last time she looked into a case, just goes to show how screwed up the system is, in not just this town, but throughout the country.

This book had me crying for Nat and Pip, frustrated to hell with how people treated Pip and just all the women in this book who told the truth, and I got at least one moment of stomach dropping fear. Like a “holy shit wtf” moment. I’m not sure I liked that Jackson tried to redeem Stanley’s character. It seemed like his issues with the Singh family were racially motivated not because of his personal issues and history. 

Pip is there to tell the truth, she holds the truth to such a high standard, and between the first book and this one, she realizes that the truth doesn’t always matter in the eyes of the law. And that really breaks down her belief system. She’s young, white, and privileged so it makes sense she’s having this moment after the first book where she successfully redeems an accused POC and his family. I’m curious what the next book is about! I’m ready for more Pip! She’s too unethical to ever be an investigative journalist, but I love that she gets results. The use of multi media in these books are another thing I like, it really makes you feel like you’re apart of the investigation.