Tw // blood, tattoos, death, ADHD, anorexia, drugs, addiction, heroin, eating disorders, PTSD (briefly mentioned), alcoholism, depression, knives, razor blades, self sabotage, cutting, needles, self violence, OCD, food, selective mutism, forced to leave, mention of experimentation, cancer, car accident, brain cancer, drugs

 

 

 

YALL. 

I went into The Castle School thinking it was a mystery novel, but what I got was so much better. 

 

The Castle School took a deep dive into the taboo subjects ((grief, depression, alcoholism, to name a few)) and in my opinion turned it into something beautiful. 

 

I loved reading the chapters of how all the girls were subjected to coming to The Castle School, and how each girl deals with her vice in their own ways. 

 

I feel like this couldn’t have come to me a better time, as I am dealing with grief and death over half a year later. Sheinmel describes grief with a stunning outlook. 

 

Moira’s journey and self discovery was dynamic and reflective of how she was feeling. I feel like Moira was good as a main character but I would’ve loved to see the others as main characters as well. 

 

Overall, TCS has a slow pace but is so powerful and beautiful.

"For one second before I fall asleep, I think I hear music. But maybe I’m already dreaming."

"Natural beauty, Mei decided, was not a straight thing, not a right-angled thing. Beauty was alphabetization and carefully laid plans. Beauty was counting each bristle on a toothbrush, each slat in the blinds hanging above the living room windows. What was beautiful about something as random as the looks she’d been born with? Something over which she had no control, over which her parents had no control?"

"I always hated it that teachers got to choose what books we read during the school year—I firmly believe that what you read is a deeply personal choice—but I quickly realize why our English classes were structured that way. It’s very dull—not to mention confusing—to listen to eleven girls talk about books I’ve never even heard of."

"In stories, things always go wrong at midnight. That’s when Cinderella’s coach turned back into a pumpkin, when she was exposed for who she really was."

Thank you to Booksirens for providing an ARC copy. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved Cubed's world building and the entire novel in general. I love everything vampires and paranormal and when you add an LGBTQIAP+ aspect, it makes it that much more inspired. 

I knew going into it that i would love it, I just didn’t know how much. 

I felt at times that it was a bit confusing, with the dual POVs in a single chapter and the flashback scenes. 

I really liked hearing both perspectives, one that’s “considered” a monster and one hunter. Just that dynamic alone and turn it into romance was killer. 

To be honest, I wasn’t really into the sex scenes (asexual cat here :) ) but I loved that Leather and Lace didn’t focus on the romance, that it incorporated it into a hunter and supernatural story. 

Highly recommend to any vampire lover, LGBTQIAP+, or any person who’s down for a scary fantasy time. 

TW // gore, blood, death, alcohol, violence, animal death, gun violence., sexual content