• ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Catch Lili Too by Sophie Whittemore | ARC Review

    29th April 2021
    Cover of Catch Lili Too (Sophie Whittemore)

    Catch Lili Too (Gamin Immortals #1) by Sophie Whittemore

    Click on the cover for my review on Goodreads.

    Content warnings: death, blood, gore, cancer, murder, HP reference, attempted arson, drug abuse, vaping, alcohol (recreational)

    This is a whimsical story with a very funny and entertaining narrative. I love all the jokes threaded throughout even though a lot of important things were happening and I couldn’t really keep up with them all. I do think there are scenes that do not line up or are a tad bit confusing, but that might just be an ARC issue.

    Told in the first-person POV, the story follows an immortal, asexual, depressed Siren, Lili, who is haunted by her past and sick and tired of living, seducing people, and killing. Yes, you read that correctly: an asexual Siren. She arrived at Gamin after two murders of humans—a young girl Anna Snow and a poet Byron López (gay). After stumbling upon Byron’s body and his ghost (whom she fails to seduce because, ta-da, he’s gay), Lili is persuaded to help the town solve this murder mystery. But then supernatural beings start getting murdered, too.

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  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Lockset by Brenda Murphy | ARC Review

    8th October 2020
    Cover of Lockset (Brenda Murphy)

    Lockset (University Square #2) by Brenda Murphy

    Content warnings: death of parent, infidelity (side characters), homophobia, arson, drug addiction, violence, blood

    This is book two of Murphy’s new series University Square, and while there are a few recurring characters, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. But book one On the Square (review) has a wonderful storyline with a Blasian butch (focusing on her Chinese roots) that is worth a read.

    Eun (은) Park (42, lesbian), an attorney in Chicago, is estranged from her family because of her sexuality. When her father calls in hopes of reconnection, Eun gives in and agrees to visit. However things don’t go as planned, and Eun soon finds herself back home, fatherless, and meets a sweet butch Morgan Wright (42), who is taking care of Eun’s father’s dog Rudy, at the worst possible timing for dating. The chemistry between Eun and Morgan is undeniable, but Eun has a life back in Chicago and Morgan’s locksmith shop is in this small town. The pair has to decide if their encounter is merely for sex, or something more.

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  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    On the Square by Brenda Murphy | ARC Review

    17th August 2020
    Cover of On the Square

    On the Square (University Square #1) by Brenda Murphy

    General contractor Dale Miller’s (42, lesbian) ex-girlfriend took all her savings. Tight on money, Dale knows that she needs this business deal when celebrity chef Mai Li (~39, mixed race, lesbian) contacts her to renovate her old family house. Then Dale learns that Mai has nowhere to stay for the time being, so she offers her own basement as temporary lodging. With the both of them being burned in past relationships, Dale and Mai have to figure out if being together is something they both want.

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  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians by Laurel Beckley | ARC Review

    16th August 2020
    Cover of Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians (Laurel Beckley)

    Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians by Laurel Beckley

    CW: racial slights, mentioning of amputation

    If you want a very cute fantasy novella featuring a joyous cast of LGBTQ+ people, Evie and the Pack-Horse Librarians should be your top choice.

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  • ARCs,  Book Reviews,  Fiction

    We Go Together by Abigail de Niverville | ARC Review

    7th August 2020
    Cover of We Go Together (Abigail de Niverville)

    We Go Together by Abigail de Niverville

    CW: off-page rape, abusive relationship, (possible) PTSD, off-page transphobia, off-page pregnancy, off-page incarceration

    This was heavy. The narrative tone is somber and reminiscent. With its main theme being Kat dealing with an abusive past relationship, the story is less about what is happening in the physical world but more about what goes on in Kat’s mind. That being said, the many events during Kat’s time at Grand-Barachois are so sweet they made me slightly emotional again and again. In We Go Together, we follow her journey of healing as she begins to acknowledge what she has gone through, relearns to trust others, and finds her own voice again.

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