Well, this was a trip, and I loved practically every minute. It's a messy story of grief and codependency, and while Andrew isn't the most likable MC I've ever met, to put it mildly, I also found him incredibly relatable. To tell the truth, no character in this book was 100% likable (Riley came closest?), but plenty of them made me feel for them and kept me intrigued. Sam in particular was a great character to follow throughout the story as he revealed more and more of himself, like piling back layers of an onion. And West's subplot, although rather small, was one of my favorite things about the book. And then there's Eddie, who exists in the plot purely as a memory full of contradictions, never to be resolved. 

The writing style here really stuck with me. It's incredibly... sensory? Tactile? There's sure a lot of emphasize on bodies—Andrew is constantly aware of his own muscles and bones, and everyone around him—and physical sensations in general. It was interesting to see how the author focused on all the physicality and through that brought emotions to life. I'm usually the opposite, both in how I write and how I perceive the world, and I'm also not a super visual reader, but the prose here really pulled me into the story and the setting and made me experience some scenes as though I were watching a movie.

As for the plot, if I had to describe the story in one word, I'd pick "liminal." Andrew spends pretty much the entire thing stuck between things. The past and the present/future. His memories of Eddie and the true legacy Eddie left him. The orderly cut-throat academic world and the wild freedom of nighttime drives with the bad crowd. The sunlit summer in the real world and the cold land of the ghosts. Grief has a way of trapping you in the moment, in that empty page between chapters, especially when you're grieving someone you had a weird codependent relationship with, doubly so when they abandoned you even before they died, and Mandelo captures the feeling masterfully while also crafting a great southern gothic horror story. There are so many nested secrets here, the mystery Andrew investigates and the one he keeps from the reader, as well as the things he doesn't understand about himself that everyone else does. Also, I'm torn between wanting a sequel, because I so much want to know how Andrew and the people around him fare now that his amber bubble is burst and the next chapter begins, and being completely, utterly, 100% satisfied with the final scene.

For all of my praise, however, there are aspects of the book that won't let me five-star it. For once, the story is incredibly masculine. That in itself isn't a flaw; such stories have their place. But literally all the women in the plot only exist to drive the male characters' storylines further, in a variety of ways. They're pretty much all more plot devices than characters, tools that resolve plot questions, trigger events, or bring forth necessary revelations while exhibiting zero character traits that aren't 100% relevant to their role in the plot. That's a stark and unpleasant contrast to the way more nuanced handling of male characters, and it didn't sit well with me. Like, come on. This has good trans rep, this has decent poly rep that compares and contrasts healthy and unhealthy dynamics in a throuple, but somehow female characters get this odd treatment? Why?

Another part I wasn't fully satisfied with was the dark academia aspect. The academic parts of the book were so often pushed to the curb or just briefly summarized without proper focus, and considering how crucial that part of the story turned out to be for the main plot resolution, that was just... weird. Finally,  for me it felt like the author went overboard with all the substance abuse. At some point, all the mentions of drugs and alcohol started feeling like they were just there to make the story darker and edgier.

PS: I'm kind of convinced that Lee Mandelo had my favorite Placebo song (Kings of Medicine) on repeat while writing this, because if not, then how?

Another Rainbow Advent Calendar (http://alexjane.info/rainbow-advent-calendar-2022/) offering. I think this one was... sweet, but kind of weird? :) It's a rather short story, but I got the weird feeling that it could have been even shorter and lose nothing—and I'm normally an "I wish this was longer" kind of reader. Maybe I would feel differently if I'd read the original novel first and was already familiar with the characters—then it could have been cool to see all the familiar faces. On the other hand, it's my understanding that the novel all these fictional people come from isn't even out yet.

All in all, yeah, it was pretty sweet: a couple who haven't been together all that long hanging out with friends, exchanging gifts in the form of a party game with baked-in pranks. The first half of the story had all that build up about how wild the group is when it comes to game, jokes, and pranking, but honestly? Yeah, the central prank was fun and sweet, but it didn't seem anywhere worthy of that kind of build-up. Then again, maybe this is just my opinion that says a lot about my own group of friends... :D

For the most part, I found this book incredibly fun! The romance was hot and messy, the family dynamics were even messier, there were great friendship moments, delicious sibling clashes, side plots that were just as compelling as the main storyline, and Kian's run-on inner monologues made me openly chuckle quite a few times. On top of that, there was some good (I felt) discussion of heavier, really important topics such as race and class that gave me a lot of food for thought, but it also never got so heavy that it overshadow the overall romcom vibe. 

At the same time, there were a couple of things that left me unsatisfied. This story builds on two of my favorite tropes: second chance romance and fake dating. The latter was done wonderfully; the former left a lot to be desired for me. Mostly because there's so little discussion of how things used to be between Kian and Hudson before the break-up. We don't even know *why* they broke up in the first place! And that, for me, is possibly the most vital part of a second chance romance: what was good, what went bad, how can the characters avoid making the same mistakes / show they've grown from the experience / heal the emotional wounds they've inflicted on each other, etc. But we don't get that. Sure, there are some hints; the difference in class/riches probably was a part of it, and the differences in approaching life in general, and it's also clear that Hudson didn't open up about a lot of things their first time together. But like, what exactly happened? How similar was it to that big dramatic moment that nearly drove them apart again closer to the end of the book? How can we compare and contrast it with the initial break-up to fathom out that yes, this time, if they manage to make up, things *will* be different? Even Kian doesn't do any real comparing and contrasting, at least not on page!

Also, everyone keeps saying that Kian is really smart and would make a wonderful investigative journalist, and while I wound't call him *not* smart, I just... hardly saw him actually display any qualities I would associate with a person who's good at digging for truth and pulling facts together and such? The one exception may be that side plot around his little chat with Danni that culminated in the aforementioned big final drama. But even there, that seemed more like general empathy. That was... a little werid, tbh. I mean, I can choose to believe Kian simply thought he wanted to be an investigative reporter, but would be happier just writing about stuff that mattered to people; the overall plot even supports that. But there were all those comments about him having the qualities that he doesn't display, and that took me out of the story a bit.

Another super cute little read from the Rainbow Advent Calendar (https://jamielynnm.wordpress.com/2022/12/09/free-rainbow-advent-calendar-story/), this is apparently a mini-sequel to a book called An Endless Sea of Stars, which I haven't read but will be putting on my TBR now. Just like the author promised, the story worked perfectly well as a standalone. I never felt lost on any of the setting/situation details, and the characters were fleshed out enough that I easily found myself invested into their ongoing relationship. 

There's not much here in the way of plot—it's pure holiday fluff: a Christmas party on an interstellar ship, a long-distance call with family, lots of sweet romantic times for the main couple. The small bits likely hinting at the plot of the main novel (the cat-like aliens, the universe around the characters, the whole point of this big space journey) are intriguing enough that I'm likely to pick that book up. I found the prose to be a bit awkward at times, like maybe the story hasn't been proofread enough times, but hey, it's a free offering, so I can't complain! Regardless, this was a pretty enjoyable experience that made me smile a lot. I like smiling.

Somehow, this book very much reminded me of works by RoAnna Sylver and Claudie Arseneault (who both happen to be among my favorite authors). Part of it is the predominantly queer cast and the wonderfully queernorm world. Part of it is this shiny hopepunk vibe that doesn't involve shying away from the darkness that may lurk even in the best, most wholesome communities.

I greatly enjoyed the worldbuilding with all the solarpunk splendor, the emphasis on a better way to interact with the natural world and each other, and technologies that get so indistinguishable from magic that some of them *are* literally called magic. The main character, Orpheus, was a joy to spend time with. She's the quintessential bard, with her songwriting, her trusty guitar, and her endless flirtations. She's also such an interesting combination of cautious and reckless. The plot starts with her getting targeted by a member of an order of assassins, or rather, those who deal out retribution which may or may not involve someone's untimely death. Naturally, she wants to know who put a contract on her, so of course, she soon decides to join the order herself for a thorough investigation.

The Order of the Vengeful Wild is a super interesting structure that, at first glance, doesn't fit all that neatly into the sparkling, wholesome solarpunk world. But the more I read about these people and their goals, the more I realized how much of an indispensable part of the setting they are (even though they *could* and *should* be better). I don't want to give too many things away, but honestly, the worldbuilding here is an absolute joy on all levels, and the way the society is shown is no expection.

The one thing I found a little bit lacking was the plot, or rather, the way it was presented. Several important part were so rushed that I got confused. It was like it was so clear to the author how A stems from B from C, that they neglected to explain it to the reader. I felt that also prevented me from getting to know many of the secondary character as well as I would have liked to. They're all super colorful and have interesting backstories and personalities, but some of them get too little "screen time," I think. Or rather, they don't have the spotlight on them often enough to showcase their deals.

Another free Rainbow Advent Calendar offering (https://sukifleet.wordpress.com/cute-as-cats/), this was a super quick, cute, and smile-inducing read. I love how optimistic this story is. There are parts that initially look like they can lead to drama, but instead they just lead to talking and mutual understanding, and I absolutely dig that. Sometimes, you just need a feel-good story, and this one delivers.

I loved the diversity in this that goes beyond sexuality: the main character is fat, the LI is deaf, and there's some wonderful discussion around both fatphobia and ableism. It never ventures into too heavy territory, but that context both characters exist in is acknowledged.

And of course, much like the title and the cover would suggest, there are cats! Plenty of cats, each of them with his/her own character, and plenty of cute moments surrounding them. I smiled so many times as I read it!

All in all, I would heartily recommend this short story to all lovers of queer romance, unexpected meet-cutes, the "stranded together because of the weather" trope, and cat cafes. Also, simply to anyone who could use a few smiles and a dose of optimism in these dreary witner months.

This was even better than I expected, and I have to say I had some pretty high expectations! The romance was lovely, with all the best parts of enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and reunited childhood friends/sweethearts blended into one, complete with an awesome rendition of the "only one bad" thrown in. Susan is such a genuinely awesome character: strong, smart, stubborn, practical, hiding her vulnerabilities even from herself. I loved getting into her head and being exposed to the way she sees the world. And Templeton/James's journey that was half redemption and half figuring out who he is? Chef's kiss.

It was also awesome to see all the familiar faces, though I regret that while I met both Jerry and Alec again, I never got to see them together. I mean, maybe it's a good thing, because those two would totally steal the show for me and I would probably just focus on a one-paragraph interaction so much that I would forget about the actual novel's plot... but I still regret not getting to see them together, okay. They're my absolute favorite couple, across all K.J. Charles's works and maybe ever.

I also enjoyed how deeply ingrained this book is in the rest of the series. The personal arcs stem straight from Any Old Diamonds, and the external plot is rooted in The Rat-Catcher's Daughter. And let's not forget how this entire series is basically a sequel to that one book from the earlier Sins of the Cities series that I really need to re-read one of these days.

I also just need to scream for a moment about K.J. Charles's writing. The dialogue! The brief description that pain such big pictures! The emotion! The mood-setting! I want to write like that when I grow up. (Yeah, yeah, all grown up already... who cares if I don't feel like it? :D)

One more enjoyable offering from the Rainbow Advent Calendar (http://alexjane.info/rainbow-advent-calendar-2022/). I wasn't sure about this novelette, because the summary isn't super informative and I'm not a big fan of stalker romance. But the cover looked cute, the story was free, and I felt I was losing nothing if I cracked it open. And hey, I ended up really liking it!

Nine months ago, Conrad booked a skiing holiday with his boyfriend and their friends group. Six months ago, his boyfriend cheated on him and a messy break-up ensued, with all the mutual friends siding with the boyfriend somehow. Conrad still goes on that trip with them, out of sheer stubbornness, spite, and, well, because he can't get a refund. He expects the trip to be miserable, but then he runs into a hot stranger in the airport and a whirlwind holiday romance begins. It's pretty wonderful, but some things soon begin to feel a little too... planned?

It's not *really* a stalker romance, rest assured. Arlo (the LI) did plan the "running into each other" thing but he was fully prepared to leave Conrad alone if Conrad didn't want to hang out. There are plenty of sweet moments, fun family holiday feels, and plenty of wish fulfillment against the backdrop of Swiss chalets in the mountains. My one regret is, predictably, that this is so short and condensed. I would love to see these guys' budding romance play out for a little longer, and maybe even to see the immediate aftermath of the holiday trip!

I'm sorry to say I didn't enjoy this book anywhere near as much as I loved The Outside. The vibes were great. The plot... I got totally lost on it.

At first, I was fascinated by the premise: life in the Chaos Zone after Yasira's bold action in the first book's finale? How the people there are saved, as in they're alive and they get to keep on surviving, but the gods and the angels continue to be the real danger, one that is much scarier than any of the Outside horrors? The struggle to keep up a peaceful resistance slowly morphing into the understanding that an open, forceful rebellion is the only way forward? I'm digging those themes.  The way they were executed over the course of the book, though... I don't know, it's like all the plot threads were too slow-moving and too convoluted.

I did enjoy the parts that were focused closely on the characters, though. It was awesome to get to know Tiv. In the first book, she was just this important piece in Yasira's story (and for the most part, she was a missing piece, really). Here, we get some great POV chapters from her, and she proves to be this really good, kind person, who has ample room for others in her heart even as she keeps going through one crisis of faith into another. While I was reading the first book, I sometimes thought that Yasira maybe idealized her a little, but no, Tiv is that good, and she's also awesome.

By contrast, Akavi (the, um, fallen angel on the quest for vengeance) continues to be terrible, in a way that's fascinating to follow. I liked reading the chapters that delve into his/her thought process, as well as following the impact Akavi had on Elu, who loves him so much and hates what they're both doing. There was also Enga's arc that was rather fascinating at times, when it came to the emotions and the relationships between the three angels. In general, I liked all the character-driven parts, both in the angels' and the humans' storylines. But when it came to actual action and physics and plot points, I got bored every time. A lot of it was just so tedious.

I don't know yet if I'm going to pick up the last book of the trilogy or not. On one hand, I would love to hang out more with these characters. On the other hand, I'm so lost on the plot, I don't even know.

I guess I'll end with an obligatory mention of how wonderfully queernorm the setting remains and how sensitive the portrayal of mental illness is here. Those are big draws for me, always. But apparently not big enough to fully make up for the messy, awkward plotting.

Despite being written by a completely different author, this book was almost a copy of Up for Heir (book 1 in the Rosavia Royals series) in so many way. There was the same prince & commoner dynamic, with the same "gorgeous, kind, sexy prince swoops in to make everything better and starts spoiling the commoner rotten" trope. The commoner is, once again, responsible for a younger family member, although it's just one niece this time and not a bunch of siblings. The commoner also has taken a big hit to his self-esteem recently thanks to a shitty ex who broke up with him in a shitty way. There's the same type of insta-love, based on little more than "I saw him, and there's something about him, can't stay away." There are even similar long-winded inner monologues in every chapter, although mercifully, in this book the characters manage to mostly stay on track instead of getting off tangent every paragraph. 

The only thing that strongly distinguishes this story from the first book is the hidden identity twist. Otherwise... Even Cas's initial deal/the starting point of his arc is weirdly similar to Leo's from the first book, since both are centered a lot about the responsibilities that come with being part of the royal family. Yeah, Leo was more, "Responsibility sucks, I never asked for this, so I'm gonna live for myself as long as I can!" And Cas is more, "Responsibility's tiresome, but I'm still going to shoulder it... until I get too tired and then I'm gonna go off and live for myself a little."

There are actually a lot of super sweet moments in this book. It's all wish fulfillment and fluff, except for a few angsty moments here and there that reliably get resolved with more candy-sweet fluff. The characters are for the most part kind and nice,  the fake European country this story takes place is full of beautiful, opulently described places, and the story hits all the beats of a modern fairy-tale. Sometimes, I need that kind of stuff to lift my spirits. I'm sure I would have liked it better if I wasn't familiar with Up for Heir. But outside of the hidden identity trope, it's almost like parts of the books were written from the same outline, and I kind of expect a bit more variety in a series!