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REVIEW: The Witch and His Crow by Ben Alderson
The Witch Trials: The Witch and His Crow – Ben Alderson
‘Rule them. Win. Become Grand High.’
My name is Hector Briar, and I live for revenge. It’s been eighteen years since Witch Hunters murdered my parents, and still the night haunts me. A part of me died that night, when six-year-old me was forced to listen to their brutal murder. Since then, I’ve gone from prey to predator. I spend my nights stalking Oxford’s streets for those who’d see me slaughtered for being what I am. A witch. And more than that, the son of the last Grand High.
I’ve spent the last years hidden in the shadows, not only from Witch Hunters but also my own kind. But one fateful night lands me directly in the hands of the people I’ve been evading my entire life-the Coven. Whereas the Witch Hunters want to destroy me, the Coven want me for a darker fate. For my blood. It’s the key to starting the Witch Trials – a contest to find the next Grand High, a contest where witches battle to the death, or madness.
Thrown into the middle of the very contest my mother died trying to prevent, I must make allies with my enemies if I wish to survive the first night. Not so bad when my ally so happens to be an attractive blue-eyed, 6ft-something, tattooed from neck to navel, bloodthirsty rival-Arwyn Morgan.
But I soon discover that not is all as it seems. There are dark forces lingering in the shadows and the truth is a hard pill to swallow. The Witch Hunters seek a Champion of their own. Enemies and allies lose all meaning when a wolf invades the flock.
Surviving the Witch Trials quickly becomes the least of my worries when ancient forces reveal their true natures. Something dark stirs within me, waiting for its inevitable freedom. I’m the key to keeping it locked away, or freeing it.
The Witch and his Crow is the first book in a MM paranormal romance new series of heart-pounding romance, witchcraft, and bloodthirsty enemies, perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Her Soul to Take
The Witch and His Crow is the first book of The Witch Trials, an intriguing paranormal romance by Ben Alderson. I thought it would be a pairing between the witch and a crow shifter.
The witch is Hector Briar. He was orphaned at the age of six after his parents were murdered by witch hunters. His mother, Heather, then the Grand High of witches, left him in the care of a shadowy entity that takes the form of a crow.
Hector grew up under the care of his familiar, Cayman, hunting the hunters and hiding from the coven. He’s an air witch and a telekinetic. One day, he is caught and coerced to join The Witch Trials since his Briar blood is key to a big secret.
The plot then focused on a Battle Royale/Triwizard Tournament-style contest with three trials. Ever since watching the OG Japanese movie Battle Royale, other stories with this plot tend to pale in comparison. The book didn’t offer anything new, so in this aspect, it was more or less standard fare.
The crow, Cayman, was sadly absent for most of the story. He was the most intriguing character, and I wanted more interactions with him and the other characters. I hope he reappears in future books in one form or another.
The weakest aspect for me was the main characters. Try as I could, I didn’t connect with any of them. The characterizations felt shallow, and I felt Hector. as the 1st person narrator didn’t seem to own the story. I could swap another character, perhaps Salem, the scarred witch, and it would still work.
In the opening chapter, I was genuinely impressed by Hector. He appeared formidable as the lone wolf confronting the witch hunters, with only Caymen at his side. However, during the Witch Trials, he often jumped to rash conclusions and made questionable decisions that left me wondering how he had managed to survive alone for so long.
Arwyn, the enemy-turned-lover-turned-enemy-again, wasn’t necessarily cardboard, but he was the typical tall, dark, and witchy love interest mold. Even his big reveal wasn’t that surprising. But boy, that ending sure changed my mind about it. Darkness is a good look for the hunky witch.
Romy also piqued my interest in the opening chapter. Then she turned into some kind of manic pixie dream girl, conveniently catering to whatever Hector needed. Too bad because her gift is one of the scariest and the most helpful. She’s a fire witch who can melt flesh and bone, or conversely, mend them.
The strongest aspects were the world-building and the magic system. The vibe is wonderfully gothic. Think overcast skies, ancient castles, old graveyards, and secret passageways. This is a world where old magic no longer exists, and witches have gifts, typically associated with an element. It’s immersive despite Hector as narrator and a big factor why I stuck with the book.
They worship Hecate, and as the story progresses, we learn the limitations of Hecate’s powers and that darker forces exist in the periphery, biding their time. I’m hoping the darker forces will come into play more in future books. The combination of old magic and gifts would also make the world richer and more dangerous if they continue with the trials.
Hector, Arwyn, and Romy form a tentative coven and navigate the trials while dealing with betrayals from all sides, even among themselves, and enemies coming out of the woodwork. Everything hinges on Hector’s family legacy, and when it comes down to the wire – BAM! That twist was insidious and hella creepy!
And just like that, Hector became a million times more interesting and I’m super hyped for the next book. It came at the very end but still, a complete gamechanger!
The Witch and His Crow is a mixed-bag but won me over in the end. Atmospheric, fantastically witchy, with a bombshell ending that crept up the spine.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Shadow
Artist: Amigo The Devil
Album: Born Against
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SERIES REVIEW: Damned Connections Books 1 & 2: Patience & Justice by Lark Taylor
Damned Connection: Patience by Lark Taylor
I paid the ultimate price when I took the gamble to save my mate’s soul.
Ferry
Ferryman. The Grim Reaper. La Muerte. La Pelona. Shinigami. Charon.
I’ve been called many names over the millennia, all thanks to my role in Hell.
Ferrying dead souls over the river Styx.
But few know the demon behind the legend, how I came to be here, or the freedom I sacrificed to save the man I love.
Now I’m free to find him again. The problem? He doesn’t remember me.
And he’s straight.
Leo fell madly in love with me once before. Will he fall again before it’s too late?
Leo
All my life, I’ve felt like something is missing. Neither my job as a firefighter, my brother Matty, nor my ex-girlfriends have been able to fill that hole.
When a mysterious stranger approaches me in a bar, I find myself captivated.
I’ve never been attracted to men before, but I can’t seem to resist him.
Why is it that spending time with Ferry feels so…right? So familiar?
Patience is a fated-mates, second-chance PNR romance. The first in the Damned Connections series, each book will follow a different couple as they find their HEA. Although better read in order, these books can stand alone.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Infinity
Artist: Jaymes Young
Album: Feel Something
Damned Connections: Justice by Lark Taylor
Sebastian
Blood. Torture. Murder. They’ve been my only companions for centuries. I haven’t needed or wanted anything else.
Until I see Matty smile. Then something in me, something that’s been dormant for centuries, begins to reawaken.
Matty doesn’t belong in my world. He’s loving, innocent, and full of joy. The darkness of my life would corrupt him in a heartbeat, but when he’s dragged into it against his will, nothing can stop me delivering my personal brand of justice.
Matty keeps fighting for things I can’t give him, for things I’m no longer capable of. I can’t come between him and his family. I can’t give him what he needs.
But I also can’t stay away from him.
Matty
I’m surrounded by couples in love.
Once, I thought that’d be me. That I’d be swept off my feet and experience the kind of epic love you only see in movies.
Now, I know better.
A horrific night taught me to look for other things in a partner. Someone who’s predictable. Safe. Stable.
Sebastian is anything but.
Everyone tells me to stay away from him, but I don’t understand their concerns. How can he be a villain when all he’s shown me is kindness?
He makes me want things I thought I’d given up on. Things I’m too scared to admit I still want.
The trouble is, I can’t figure out what Sebastian wants. He tells me he can’t say no to me, but he won’t open up. He says to stay away from him, but he keeps coming around.
One thing is for sure, Sebastian is who I want in my future.
But how can I keep fighting for us if I’m the only one doing it?
Justice is a MM PNR romance about a grumpy vampire assassin and the sunshine human he can’t stay away from. The second in the Damned Connections series, each book will follow a different couple as they find their HEA. Although better read in order, these books can stand alone.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Sunshine
Artist: Red Clay Strays
Album: Moment of Truth
Damned Connections is part of Lark Taylor‘s universe of interconnected paranormal and contemporary series featuring supernatural creatures finding their fated mates. This is my first read from the author.
Patience grabbed my attention with its angsty premise of tragic love. Imagine an immortal—not just any ordinary immortal but Ferry, the Grim Reaper himself—doomed to spend an hour with his fated mate only to see him die.
This vicious cycle went on and on for millennia, and every time his fated mate, Leo, is reborn, he has no memory of his previous lives and his immortal lover until he dies and spends a precious hour with Ferry.
The angst and pining made my chest ache. My heart goes to Ferry who remembers everything from the beginning when he and Leo shared a home, the war with the angels, Leo’s death, and all his succeeding lives. And he was always there watching and protecting his mate. Patience is too weak a word.
While the feels were intense, the story as a whole didn’t fully capture my attention all the way through. The plot weaves together key events from the past and present in Ferry and Leo’s lives. At the same time, Leo struggles to come to terms with his supernatural connections and his fated mate. The book is written from a dual first-person point of view, and it was usually Leo’s parts that I found less engaging.
Also, there were a bunch of already established couples from the author’s other books who were friends with Ferry and Leo. It took me a while to figure out who’s who and which characters were paired together. There were a lot of appearances that sparked my interest in the other series.
Justice features Sebastian Lecler, a grumpy vampire, hacker, and feared assassin, along with Matty, Leo’s sweet, sunshine-y brother. Sebastian and Matty’s brief interaction in the final part of Book 1 made me sit up and think, ooh, there’s something there.
So I was ecstatic to learn they were paired in Book 2.
If you are like me, a sucker for a broody, morally grey anti-hero types, you’ll go gaga over Sebastian. He’s from a French aristocratic family of vampires. Sebastian was an affectionate, family-oriented man until a tragedy killed his heart, and he went to the dark side.
And so, when Sebastian latched on to Matty, stalking him, calling him “sunshine,” rescuing him from evil werewolves, buying him knitting yarn in his favorite colors, gifting him several pairs of Converse that he put trackers on to keep Matty safe, cuddling Matty when he has nightmares, and snarling at anyone showing a hint of interest at Matty, Sebastian has no feelings for his sunshine, none whatsoever.
Or so he claims…
Initially, Matty’s POV bored me, probably because he was suppressing parts of himself. I loved how his character blossomed when he went through a gamut of emotions that hit hard. The one that shattered the kokoro like an asteroid smashing into the earth was the text messages.
I will never forget Matty’s increasingly desperate text messages to Sebastian after he disappeared. The vampire thought he was unworthy and would only hurt Matty. All the messages were unanswered. That was the single, most poignant chapter of heartbreak. It completely made the book for me.
Matty deserved some hardcore groveling and major TLCs, so watch our boy Sebastian redeem himself. And answer the text messages! Serious squee moment! Just like Matty, I loved how Sebastian grew as a character.
Damned Connections is about unbreakable bonds and renewed connections. It’s a series that doesn’t pull punches on the angst, the pining, and the feels. Overall, swoony, impactful tales of fated mates and hurt-comfort goodness.
P.S.
For your sanity a.k.a. keeping up with a boatload of characters, it’s best to read Damned Connections in order, as well as Lark Taylor‘s other series.
Also, audiobook this because Will M. Watt’s Sebastian voice is the voice of your deepest darkest desire. Hearing him call Matty “sunshine” gets me everytime!
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REVIEW: Never Say Never by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
Vitale Brothers: Never Say Never – Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow
I’d do anything for my family. Even go undercover and devote my life to the FBI so they can continue to thrive. Everything I do is for the Vitale name. I just have to focus, complete my job, divert attention and stay out of trouble.
But trouble finds me.
Not just me, but York Washington. He’s my boss, but more than that he’s my friend. When he and his daughters are thrown into danger I have no choice but to step into the light. Finally, I get to go back home.
But home is a strange hellscape I no longer understand.
While a war wages on, I’m caught between who I am and who I was with a man I’ve betrayed. There’s no happily ever after for me.
The fourth book in the Vitale brother series. Each book can be read as a standalone but best enjoyed read in order. HEA guaranteed.
The Vitale Brothers is an all-time favorite series, and each brother is memorable in his own way. I thought this would be a trilogy, so learning Gin has a twin in the previous book, Say I Do, made my jaw drop.
Never Say Never finally unveiled Gianpaolo Vitale. Going undercover in the FBI for his family as Paul Gallow, he keeps tabs on cases and passes information to Benito, the only brother who knows about his mission. Paul is known as a man whore in his department, dating coworkers left and right and getting in trouble with HR.
But the man Paul is really crushing hard on is his boss, York Washington, an Idriss Elba of a hunk who’s good at his job and keeps his personal life private. And so he was pleasantly surprised to discover York in a gay bar and that he has twin daughters.
The plot highlights Paolo’s dual identity. In the first part, as Paul, I wouldn’t say there’s none of the darkness but mostly hints of a deeper obsession. You got to hand it to Paolo. The man buried his Vitale so deep it didn’t feel like a Vitale book at all. I was even borderline bored.
It took me a while to warm up to York. A 46-year-old widower and first-time gay, he’s still figuring out most things. Paolo is eager to lend a hand and I get that York doesn’t want to complicate things with a subordinate. At the same time, the older man wants to explore his sexuality.
The thing with York is that he’s hot and cold for almost the entire book and I wasn’t convinced he’s actually in love with Paolo. Also, his characterization lacks depth. It was only at the end that he stood out as a character.
My favorite in the first part is Paolo and York’s twin daughters. Paolo adored the girls from the get-go and would die to protect them. And being a twin himself, he knows all about the mischief the clever girls cook up, even taught them a trick or two.
And we all agree, we could do without the nanny. This character was terrible and unnecessary.
When York and the twins were in danger, he didn’t hesitate. When Gianpaolo shed the Paul Gallow persona, revealing his Italian heritage, his tattoos, and became a full-on Vitale, it was glorious!!! And this is where the real crazy starts! I wish we got to this part sooner because this is what I came for.
“Sanity was only a facade with me. I was born into chaos and I wielded mayhem freely.”
You can tell he and Gin are twins because Paolo is one fucked up motherfucker with fucked up thoughts and zero qualms dub-conning his boss into staying in the Vitale building for their safety. He has already declared the twins his daughters, whether York agrees or not. I loved how fiercely protective he is of those he loves.
My favorite in the second part is when the Vitales unleashed hell on their enemies. It was a spectacular free-for-all violence, gore, and mayhem with a dash of humor, usually involving a brother’s weapon of choice. All the known brothers were there, plus Benito’s beloved monstrizio, Harlow, because as the queen, he has to have the head of the enemy.
I have yet to meet a Vitale I didn’t love, and Gianpaolo stands rightfully beside Gin, finally completing the Murder Twins. Paolo was thrown in a unique position and showed his true colors much later, but he proved a Vitale through and through.
Overall, Never Say Never is a mixed-bag yet ultimately thrilling story of loyalty, trust, and family, where the mind says no, the heart says yes, and the blood screams vengeance.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Say It First
Artist: Sam Smith
Album: The Thrill Of It AllP.S.
Vitale Brothers is best read in order. Each brother is fascinating so go ahead and meet them all.
Take Me Apart by Brea – Vitales like to live dangerously and Enzo did it by kidnapping a cop
Paid In Full by Brea – Gin found himself a twink he can’t let go
Say I Do by Brea – Benito don’t do things by halves so he married a complete psycho
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SERIES REVIEW: A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by C.J. Ravenna
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Secrets & Sake – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
He’s a yakuza with secrets. I’m the reporter determined to bring them to light.
When people start going missing, I sense a story that could make my whole career. I even have the perfect Raiden Noboru, enforcer for the most powerful yakuza organization in Japan.
The plan is go undercover as “Hiro” the photographer, cozy up to Raiden, and discover all he knows about the disappearances.
Problem is? Raiden isn’t the monster I thought he was. The beast beneath his skin is fiercely protective of what’s his, but he worships my body and soul, showing me a tender side of himself he hides from the rest of the world.
But I’ve got a story to tell. All I have to do… is betray the man I’m falling for.
Raiden
I stopped believing in fated mates long ago. Love only ends in heartbreak.
Ever since I was a boy, my only purpose has been to serve the Namikawa-kai.
Until him. The minute I see Hiro smile like a sunbeam and catch his cherry blossom scent, I’ve got to have him. What I thought would be a casual fling becomes so much more. Hiro is mine. Mine to care for, mine to protect. No one else can have him.
Before I realize it, I’m beginning to dream of a life outside the yakuza, a life with Hiro. Too bad that’s all it’ll ever be. A dream. I’ll never make someone as innocent as Hiro happy. I’m a criminal, and I’m no good for him…
…But I can’t stay away from him.
Secrets & Sake is book 1 in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet. It features insta-love, fated mates and wolf shifters, a sunshine undercover reporter and the grumpy yakuza soft only for him, loads of possessive touch-him-and-die vibes, plenty of searingly hot spice, and a Happy-For-Now conclusion.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Unmei no Akai Ito (Red String of Destiny)
Artist: Koshitomo
Album: Atelier
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet: Curses & Kitsune – C.J. Ravenna
Jinta
Nothing’s easy when you’re fated to a yakuza boss.
I’m possessed by an ancient, powerful kitsune hellbent on chaos and destruction. Until we can find a way to lift the curse, I’m a threat to everyone I hold dear. Tensions within the Namikawa-kai, hunters lurking in the shadows, and vengeful ex-boyfriends want to thwart us at every step.
All I want is to be with Raiden, my mate, the man I love. If we stand together, we can get through it all. But when I see a new, ugly side to Raiden, I can’t help but question if we really want the same things.
When the time comes to run, will Raiden leave it all behind for me?
Raiden
I’ll destroy anyone who hurts my mate—but I’m the one hurting him the most.
I’m the boss now. This is my pack. Tokyo is my city. No one will ever control me again. As I fall deeper into my new responsibilities, Jinta and I grow more estranged.
When betrayal strikes from within my own pack, Jinta is the one who pays the price. Jinta has no place in my world. He’s a pure ray of sunshine in the darkness of my life, and I can’t be the reason he gets hurt. I don’t deserve him. Never have.
I’ve got to let him go. Before the shadows of my world consume the only person I’ve ever loved.
Curses & Kitsune is the final book in A Paranormal Yakuza Duet and concludes with a hard-won Happily-Ever-After.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku (Seasons Die One After Another)
Artist: Amazarashi
Album: Kisetsu wa Tsugi Tsugi Shindeiku
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet by new-to-me author C.J. Ravenna is a fabulous combination of werewolves and yakuza. Add to that a deft use of Japanese mythology that blended seamlessly into the plot, with action-packed scenes that pulled no punches on the violence and gore, the noir atmosphere, and it was easy to imagine how fantastic this would be as an anime!
Jinta Onodera, an ambitious young reporter itching for that big break, decided to go undercover as a yakuza fan magazine photographer to investigate the case of several people who disappeared in the Namikawa-kai territory. In his first meeting with the Namikawa enforcer, the notorious Wolf of Asakusa Raiden Noburo, the two hit it off immediately.
The romance started the very day they met. Raiden was immediately drawn to “Hiro,” who smelled like cherry blossoms. In turn, Jinta was falling hard and fast for the yakuza, who wasn’t the monster his reputation says he is. As fated mates, they were connected by the red string.
Raiden is growly, possessive, gorgeously tattooed, and drool-worthy in a suit or kimono. He suffered abuse and was groomed by another yakuza when he was just a teenager. He was traumatized by his parents when his father abandoned them, and his mother handed him over to the Namikawa as payment for his father’s debts.
Jinta was treated by his family as less than his golden boy brother. He’s super insecure about his worth, especially after he caught his ex-boyfriend in bed with his brother. Jinta is determined to make it big with the story he plans to write about the yakuza and the missing persons.
I was ready to root for Raiden and Jinta. Raiden calls Jinta, with his beaming smile, “sunshine,” which gives me life every time! And Raiden going after his Sunshine in the afterlife raises the bar for everyone! What I liked about Jinta is he gave Raiden the courage to dare hope for a life outside the yakuza.
While they were a solid unit at first, they soon fell into the hot/cold pattern of bitter fights and reconciliation sex. An incident would trigger an insecurity or trauma. One would lash out (usually Jinta) and then walk out. Then another incident would lead to a meeting, swoony words and grand promises are exchanged, sex ensues, and then all is okay until another trigger.
The first few times, it was emotions and feels. Then, I just stopped paying attention because the drama went on until the second book (Sunshine is a flaky boy, sadly) and I was tired. The real fun is in the paranormal and the yakuza business.
Yakuza politics, much like mafia politics, is a fascinating read. In Book 1, Secrets & Sake, the Namikawa-kai is headed by Namikawa, an elderly man who seemed to be around forever. The yakuza boss is a harsh master to Raiden, using alpha control to make Raiden hurt himself as punishment.
There is tension between the Namikawa-kai and their biggest rival, Takata-kai, headed by Takata, formerly a Namikawa, who thinks he should be their leader. There is also a painful history between Takata and Raiden, with Takata eager to get his hands on Raiden the moment the Namikawa enforcer showed weakness.
Later, we learn that Namikawa was cursed and that curse transferred to Jinta. Meanwhile, Raiden becomes the Namikawa-kai leader.
In Book 2, Curses & Kitsune, the famous nine-tailed kitsune is a bloodthirsty entity, and Jinta doesn’t know how to control it. Raiden drops everything to find a way to lift the curse (the Wolf of Asakusa always comes through). There is tension within Namikawa ranks when two members betray their pack. Wolf hunters are also making their presence known and are said to be working with the traitors.
Raiden is forced to do two unthinkable things: find his father and ask Takata for help. Meanwhile, Jinta made hissy fits. Then he tried to reunite with his family, only to realize it was best to say goodbye to the past and his family, and embrace the present and future with Raiden.
There are almost no lulls apart from the hissy fits. Lots of things are happening, and they’re happening relatively fast. The fight scenes are my favorite! The series also one of the most thorough at dealing with loose ends, with every bad guy given his comeuppance.
Representation of yakuza lore and Japanese culture was done with care, and the books were entertaining, apart from the romance. I am thankful that the author refrained from writing the books like manga in prose. I’ve encountered some books by authors doing very trope-y stories written like manga scenes, and they don’t translate well.
A Paranormal Yakuza Duet is not for the faint of heart. Passions and tempers run hot! Giant wolves and kitsune are on a rampage! Fated mates torn apart and reunited! Overall, intense, dark, and violent.
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SECRETS & SAKE: Kindle I Audiobook
CURSES & KITSUNE: Kindle I AudiobookIf you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!
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REVIEW: The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price
The Starving Years – Jordan Castillo Price
The chemistry between these three men is undeniable, but is it enough to save New York?
Imagine a world without hunger.-
In 1960, a superfood was invented that made starvation a thing of the past. Manna, the cheaply manufactured staple food, is now as ubiquitous as salt in the world’s cupboards, pantries and larders.
Nelson Oliver knows plenty about manna. He’s a food scientist—according to his diploma, that is. Lately, he’s been running the register at the local video rental dive to scrape together the cash for his outrageously priced migraine medication.
In a job fair gone bad, Nelson hooks up with copywriter Javier and his computer-geek pal Tim, who whisks them away from the worst of the fiasco in his repurposed moving truck. At least, Nelson thinks those two are acquainted, but they’re acting so evasive about it, he’s not sure how they know each other, exactly. Javier is impervious to Nelson’s flirting, and Tim’s name could appear in the dictionary under the entry for “awkward.” And with a riot raging through Manhattan and yet another headache coming on, it doesn’t seem like Nelson will get an answer anytime soon.
One thing’s for sure, the tension between the three of them is thick enough to cut with a knife…even one of those dull plastic dealies that come in the package with Mannariffic EZ-Mealz.
The Starving Years is a must-read for fans of dystopian romance looking for scorching M/M/M chemistry in a fast-paced, page-turning adventure.
I remember my Austrian cousin visiting our hometown with her baby. While here, she fed her child boiled fresh squash or potatoes rather than the instant baby food local mothers typically buy.
And I thought how ironic. Here we are, an agricultural country, so brainwashed by multinational corporate ads that we keep feeding our families artificial foods when we could easily pick organic vegetables growing wild in our backyards.
The Starving Years by Jordan Castillo Price has a brilliant premise that reminded me of that. A superfood, manna, is produced by corporations and distributed worldwide. This is a very convenient food supply that can be heated and eaten. The superfood mimics the flavors of most foods or is as close as chemically possible.
Some countries, usually those considered backward, still have their traditional foods. The immigrants of New York also insist on their traditional foods. The general population looks upon this with askance since preparing these usually takes time, effort, and money.
Then, our MCs discovered that the food corporations substituted a certain protein in the formula. The more people ate, the more hungry they became. Children are most affected. They became so hungry they started eating each other. It’s up to our heroes to reveal the truth before the powers that be catch them.
The story is in three POVs. It opens with Nelson Oliver bored out of his mind at a job fair. You wouldn’t know it if you look at him, shabby clothes and long hair, but the man has a double master’s and a Ph D in food science. He’s a genius, really, but is currently working the register at a video rental shop.
Nelson, our boy, is the ray of sunshine in the chaos and mayhem. Equal parts easy-going and cynical, he’s also a shameless flirt, an enthusiastic vers, a doting father, a resourceful patcher of wounds, and the best friend any woman could have. He’s a serial do-gooder with a matter-of-fact way of handling things that takes the awkwardness out of any situation.
Javier De La Rosa is the eye-patched undercover reporter Nelson met at the job fair. Our boy was hell-bent on getting Javier’s number. When chaos descended upon the job fair, they were stuck together, along with two other applicants, Mary Anne and Randy.
Javier is the most enigmatic character here. He used his connections and resources to help their cause. Little is known about him because the man hardly speaks about himself. Dominant and hella toppy, he can easily command a room. Later, we learn that he came from a wealthy Cuban family and is divorced. He has a 6-year-old daughter but is estranged from his family for running away to the Middle East with a man.
Tim Foster is the blogger behind Voice of Reason. His secret identity is tightly guarded since he’s blogging about the corruption of the big food corporations. His posts were highly incendiary. Javier got in touch with him because of his posts. Soon their interactions in the chat room also became incendiary for different reasons.
Tim is adorkable, awkward, sensitive, and wears his heart on his sleeves. He’s a computer genius, a shy bottom, a designated driver since he owns the moving truck, and a friend to Nelson’s son who he and Randy saved from the pits of hell a.k.a. prison. The children of the city were rounded up and locked in the Tombs since many were infected.
The two other characters are Mary Anne and Randy. Their POVs were not shown but they were important parts of the rag-tag group who saved New York.
Mary Anne is the peppy woman sitting next to Nelson at the job fair and she was swept along with Randy and Nelson when they escaped the riots. She was instantly a staunch ally though she was kept in the dark for most part of the story about Tim’s secret identity. And she was a huge fan of VOR. Mary Anne has her secrets but she held the group together through thick and thin.
Randy is a frat boy, a mansplaining, douchey person. In movies, this is usually a cannon-fodder type of character so I was curious to see how long he will last. The thing with Randy, he went from douche to not so bad to did the right thing, attaboy! He won me over and I ended up rooting for him.
The plot is unpredictable. Not because there are particularly clever twists but because the execution is all over the place. It didn’t feel smooth. You could really feel the forced proximity because most of the scenes are the five of them cooped up in a room.
The claustrophobic scenes also shut out the rest of the world so it felt like the riots were happening somewhere far away and not in their very city. Also, the story would be more compelling and exciting if it went all the way horror or at least more action-packed, with the affected people going feral in the streets.
The world-building is practically non-existent, and mentions of technology or certain customs is done through dialogues, like it’s assume the reader knows already. This style worked exceptionally well in the author’s sci fi series, Mnevermind Trilogy (a top fave!). Here, it was just confusing.
Also, the blurb mentioned 1960s but the setting felt more late 90s to early 2000s.
Despite the execution, I was completely riveted and heavily invested in the fate of our rag-tag heroes. The romance was passable, but what I loved most was watching how these five people formed deep connections forged by the desire to save the world.
The Starving Years is rated between like and love. It has an intriguing premise and fantastic characters but needed better execution. Overall, could have gone down smoother but still a satisfying piece.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Hunger Strike
Artist: Temple of the Dog
Album: Temple of the Dog
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THE STARVING YEARS: Kindle I Audiobook
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REVIEW: Whispers In The Dark by Nikole Knight & Lily Mayne
Black Oasis: Whispers In The Dark – Nikole Knight & Lily Mayne
You never know what’s hiding under your bed…
At twenty-four, Cody has already lost hope of having a life of his own. All his time is spent playing nurse to a dying, spiteful step-father and maid to his bully half-brother. His only escapes are playing his favorite online fantasy game, Black Oasis, and talking to the strange, unearthly presence under his bed that may or may not actually exist.
But everything changes when his nightly visitor, who introduces himself as Nor, starts talking back.
As their connection deepens, Nor invites Cody into the surreal world existing just beyond his nightmares, filled with haughty demons, passion-killing pet bugs named Gef, and a dark landscape that is oddly familiar. With his sweet but monstrous companion by his side, Cody might finally gain the life of freedom and adventure that he’s always wanted.
Join Nor and Cody as they unearth the true meaning of hope, passion, and a love of endless depths that spans between worlds in Whispers in the Dark, the first book in Knight and Mayne’s co-authored queer, monster romance series, Black Oasis.
Whispers in the Dark is an M/M monster romance full of hurt/comfort, angst, humor, and a sweet, spicy love between a redheaded Texan and his precious, six-fingered Deepdweller. This love story contains explicit content and is not suitable for young readers. Be sure to check the Trigger Warnings at the beginning of the book for more details.
I swear, this book was inspired by that cute meme where an anxious sleeper sought comfort by holding the hand of the creature under their bed.
Whispers in the Dark is the opener of Nikole Knight and Lily Mayne‘s monster romance series, Black Oasis. Downtrodden Cody, whose diabetic father hated him for being queer as much as he depended on him for his basic needs, and whose half-brother bullied him as much as he leered at him, discovered a sleep demon nesting under his bed.
Nor, a gigantic, six-fingered creature with dark, leathery skin and a tail, is protective of the young man he followed from dream to this world. Sensing that the unseen demon meant no harm to him, Cody started sharing everything from random things to his most embarrassing secrets.
Soon the two became friends and Nor became comfortable enough to come out from under the bed. These interactions were Cody’s only solace from a life of drudgery and abuse. Until one day, things took a turn for the worst and Cody and Nor had to get away from this world fast.
Both MCs were endearing and very likable. It’s hard not to root for Cody, even though I wished he would just walk out of his toxic family. Our boy’s trying. Nor was a surprise! He was this big scary claws and teeth sleep monster ready to rip anyone who’d dare harm his little rabbit, Cody. He kept his mystique until they’re back in his world, and he turned out to be a himbo! I loved this big dork!
Admittedly, I was underwhelmed. This story badly needed an adventure or a quest. Half of the plot takes place mostly in Cody’s bedroom while the rest happens in Nor’s world. There’s a “nothing going on” feel to it.
The bedroom scenes were pretty much standard human meets scary monster, scary monster becomes boyfriend. Cody and Nor kept the momentum going despite oft-repeated scenarios. Their dynamic was sweet and accepting. Together they kept me thoroughly invested in the book.
Cody’s jaunts to Nor’s world and then his permanent stay felt like missed opportunities to explore and create more action-centric scenes. Instead, the two mostly holed up in Nor’s hovel playing house a.k.a. fuck, which wasn’t very exciting.
My itch to explore Nor’s world is because of this huge but semi-low-key mystery the authors threw in. Black Oasis, the online game Cody played looked eerily similar to Nor’s world. This was mentioned a couple of times and then left by the wayside. Argh!
World-building wasn’t very detailed but it reminded me of Lily Mayne’s Monstrous. I imagined it’s set before the interdimensional rift of Monstrous happened and the game Black Oasis somehow caused it. It would be awesome if these series are related, they have a lot in common.
I’m sure answers will be revealed as the series progresses. Still, would be nice if we got more clues.
My favorite parts are Cody’s interactions with Lau, Nor’s best friend and self-proclaimed smartest creature in their world. Nor, bless this lovable himbo demon, whole-hearted believes that, much to Cody’s exasperation.
Cody and Lau love pushing each other buttons and these are the funniest scenes. Cody knows the demon is a blow-hard and feels protective of Nor. Lau loudly declares he hates humans and feels protective of his best friend.
The cocky demon is made for an enemies-to-lovers romance because we all know he has it bad for a human. Who? I’m dying to find out.
Whispers in the Dark is a sweet slow-burn romance about finding solace and acceptance in unlikely places. While it may lack some elements, overall, it is as heartwarming as the strange comfort of holding the hand of the monster under the bed.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Monster (Under My Bed)
Artist: Call Me Karizma
Album: The Gloomy Tapes Vol. 2
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WHISPERS IN THE DARK: Kindle I Audiobook
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REVIEW: You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian
Midcentury NYC: You Should Be So Lucky – Cat Sebastian
An emotional, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, queer mid-century romance about grief and found family, between the new star shortstop stuck in a batting slump and the reporter assigned to (reluctantly) cover his first season—set in the same universe as We Could Be So Good.
The 1960 baseball season is shaping up to be the worst year of Eddie O’Leary’s life. He can’t manage to hit the ball, his new teammates hate him, he’s living out of a suitcase, and he’s homesick. When the team’s owner orders him to give a bunch of interviews to some snobby reporter, he’s ready to call it quits. He can barely manage to behave himself for the length of a game, let alone an entire season. But he’s already on thin ice, so he has no choice but to agree.
Mark Bailey is not a sports reporter. He writes for the arts page, and these days he’s barely even managing to do that much. He’s had a rough year and just wants to be left alone in his too-empty apartment, mourning a partner he’d never been able to be public about. The last thing he needs is to spend a season writing about New York’s obnoxious new shortstop in a stunt to get the struggling newspaper more readers.
Isolated together within the crush of an anonymous city, these two lonely souls orbit each other as they slowly give in to the inevitable gravity of their attraction. But Mark has vowed that he’ll never be someone’s secret ever again, and Eddie can’t be out as a professional athlete. It’s just them against the world, and they’ll both have to decide if that’s enough.
You Should Be So Lucky is the second book of Midcentury NYC, a historical series by Cat Sebastian about queer newspaper reporters in 1960s New York City. The story stars Mark Bailey, whom we met in We Could Be So Good as the book reviewer and Nick Russo’s sorta friend.
Mark, outta sorts since the loss of longtime boyfriend William, was voluntold by the publisher and Nick’s boyfriend, Andy Fleming III, to write a series of diary-like columns on Eddie O’Leary, the golden boy recently traded to the newly formed baseball team, The Robins.
Mark is essentially, a grieving widower. He and William were married in all but the law. William was a lawyer. He left Mark a sizable fortune, a huge apartment full of antiques, and a spoiled diva of a dog, Lula.
Now in the worst slump of his life, Eddie is given the cold shoulder by his entire team and boo-ed by fans for his outrageous rants against the perpetually losing Robins when he was about to be traded. While he may be hot-tempered at times, this baseball player is also a ball of good cheer and contagious smiles.
Eddie’s skeptical about Mark’s column but as one of those see-ers of good in people, it wasn’t long until he trusted the reporter. It also didn’t hurt that Mark looked delectable in his suits and that the diary entries weren’t what he expected.
This is a story about a talented pro-athlete in a slump and I just realized as I was writing this, that Mark was also in a slump. I loved the author’s take on the theme. There are no miracle cures, no insta-power-ups, and no sudden heroes. Just Eddie, being a poster boy for slumps but in a good way. Because even golden boys have slumps, just like the rest of us.
Mark is slowly finding inspiration to write again the more he spends time with Eddie and the Robins. Sometimes it’s a matter of how you look at things. Mark realizes that there’s more to the story than Eddie O’Leary.
He finds other topics, such as the unexpected appeal of the Robins. There’s also an unlikely second chance in the team’s notorious coach, a former baseball superstar now a drunkard and a womanizer.
Meanwhile, Eddie grits his teeth and keeps at it until he is lucky to get a hit or two. The man was floundering but slowly won over his team. And they pitched in to help his batting skills. Like Mark, Eddie discovers the hidden depths of his notorious coach, a method to his madness.
There’s a lovely found family here, not only for the queers but for their allies. One of the most touching parts is Mark and his friendship with elderly reporter George Allen.
There’s a low thrum of grief in the story and many small joys scattered throughout. We have a wonderful friendship-turned-romantic-relationship between Mark and Eddie and an adorkable ray of sunshine in Eddie, whose wholesomeness and joy radiate happy vibes off the page. Grumpy Mark didn’t stand a chance!
But the book also suffered the same complaints as We Could Be So Good. The damned thing was so sloooow! I felt every drag of the molasses-slow pacing, it became a chore to read. And like its predecessor, there’s a lot of nothing going on. Sure, I sang praises earlier, but it took a god-awfully loooong time to get to those points. And it is repetitive, too.
I love slow-burn romance, but better make sure the rest of the book isn’t dragging its feet, too.
You Should Be So Lucky is a story of second chances, a celebration of baseball, and an appreciation for suits. It’s very much YMMV, so I still encourage everyone to grab it. Overall, an inspiring sports romance brimming with optimism and healing that falls between like and love.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Lucky You
Artist: Lightning Seeds
Album: JollificationP.S.
Midcentury NYC books are interconnected but We Could Be So Good and You Should Be So Lucky can be read as a standalones.
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YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY: Kindle I Audiobook
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REVIEW: We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
Midcentury NYC: We Could Be So Good – Cat Sebastian
Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this mid-century romdram about a scrappy reporter and a newspaper mogul’s son–perfect for Newsies shippers.
Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city’s biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can’t let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy.
Andy Fleming’s newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He’s barely able to run his life–he’s never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he’ll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it.
Except, Nick Russo keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can’t deny. But what feels possible in secret–this fragile, tender thing between them–seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they’re willing to fight.
Lots of conflicting feelings here.
We Could Be So Good, Book 1 of Midcentury NYC by Cat Sebastian, is one of those modern historicals I’m exploring since Regencies and Victorians aren’t doing it for me recently. Set in the late 1950s New York, it’s a best-friends-to-lovers romance between a closeted newspaper reporter, Nick Russo, and his newly awakened bisexual friend, Andy Fleming, the publisher’s son.
The book is touted as a “Casey McQuiston meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” in that comparative marketing style I hate. I usually see this when a niche genre/indie author (is this the proper term?) is marketed to mainstream readers (again, not sure of the proper term). It’s helpful to a wider audience who might want to venture into queer books, but I prefer the book to stand on its merit.
That said, I’d love it if more people discover Cat Sebastian and other brilliant MM romance authors. That way, their books would be popular enough to be picked up by Hollywood. My dream is to have my favorite books turned into movies. Sometimes, I entertain myself with the idea that if I win the lottery, I’d create my own production company just for that purpose.
Anyway, I’ve seen the movie version of the royal rom-com, though I’ve no idea about Evelyn Hugo. There are a few similarities to the former.
There’s the opposites attract trope where Nick is uber-competent and Andy is a bumbling himbo who can’t even shut a drawer without getting his tie caught. There’s the class difference where Nick comes from an Italian immigrant working-class family while Andy is third of his name and has more money than he knows what to do with. They also had to keep their blossoming romance on the down low.
There’s also a wonderful found family for Nick, Andy, and their queer/non-queer friends. I loved that, by some unspoken agreement, they built a safe space for everyone in Nick’s building apartment.
The story has all the ingredients that make a Cat Sebastian book a swoony, unforgettable experience. The scenes are brimming with mutual pining and longing and fluffy, adorable moments wrapped in cozy domesticity. There’s so much love and kindness between Nick and Andy, and I adore them! They reminded me of the author’s squee-tastic friends-to-lovers masterpiece Two Rogues Make A Right.
Sadly, the feels didn’t soak through to the bone. I wasn’t squee-ing. The romance is of the slow burn variety, which I usually love, but it’s so damn slooow that the slowness is all I could think about. I was audiobooking this, and even the great Joel Leslie couldn’t stop the draggy feeling.
The glacial pace is compounded by the fact that there is barely any plot. It’s just Nick and Andy doing not-so-exciting everyday things and sending feels to each other. While era-specific LGBTQIA issues are tackled, as well as Nick’s family woes and Andy having his bisexual awakening, these threads felt shallow.
I wanted to love the book so much but it is what it is. I’d still recommend this, since many people loved it and YMMV from mine.
We Could Be So Good is a story of loyal friends, complicated families, and hopeful lovers against the backdrop of the Big Apple. It could have been all my yes had it been faster. Overall, a cozy, sweet romance built on kindness and care that falls in that place between like and love.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: So Good
Artist: Public Library Commute
Album: Close to the Sun
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WE COULD BE SO GOOD: Kindle I Audiobook
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REVIEW: Evolved by N.R. Walker
Evolved – N.R. Walker
In 2068, androids are an integrated part of human life. Big Brother no longer just watches from the shadows. It’s in every household.
Lloyd Salter has OCD issues with noise and mess, and he’s uncomfortable with human interaction. When his ex claimed the only thing perfect enough to live up to his standards was an android, Lloyd dismissed it. But two years later, after much self-assessment, he thinks he may have been right.
SATinc is the largest manufacturer of androids in Australia, including the Fully Compatible Units known as an A-Class 10. Their latest design is the Synthetic Human Android UNit, otherwise known as SHAUN.
Shaun is compatible to Lloyd’s every need; the perfect fit on an intellectual and physical basis. But Lloyd soon realises Shaun’s not like other A-Class androids. He learns. He adapts. Sure that SATinc is aware Shaun functions outside of his programmed parameters, Lloyd must find a way to keep Shaun safe.
This is the second time I try reading Evolved. The first time was in 2018, when it was first released. I struggled so much with the book that I DNF’ed. I still have the draft of my initial thoughts on it and already have a song for it. The review was pretty negative, and since I didn’t finish reading, I didn’t post it.
I thought I try my luck again, and this time, I was determined to see it through. I would like to say second time’s the charm, but no. It was still a struggle. Though I could see the good parts, and they made it worth it.
First, the plot is pretty standard for human/android romances.
Philosophy professor and perpetual loner Lloyd Salter purchased a Class A Companion Android, Shaun, from SATInc. Shaun was programmed to be fully compatible with Lloyd’s personality and sexual preferences. Class A Androids are the most human-like of all the android classes, but Lloyd was starting to notice Shaun is evolving far beyond his Class A capabilities.
My first reaction to this is, gay Absolute Boyfriend, anyone? Technosexual romances, or even just the usual sci fi story, almost always feature androids evolving or acting as human-like as possible. My Star Trek crush, Data, being an early example.
I got pretty bored with how most of the plot revolves around Shaun’s androidness. It felt a lot like how older MM romances frequently revolved around the person’s sexuality. Maybe because I’ve seen it done a million times already, I would have preferred Lloyd be a bit cynical rather than being too star-struck by Shaun.
Which brings us to the main character. The story is in Lloyd’s first person POV. This was a tough hurdle for me because I don’t like Lloyd at all. I don’t actively hate him. It’s just if we were boyfriends or roommates, we’ll probably end up killing each other. We’re the same and opposites in all the wrong ways.
Lloyd has OCD and mysophobia. He is socially awkward and has only one friend. I could sympathize as a fellow loner, but I don’t like Lloyd’s sterile version of perfection. I want to introduce him to kintsugi so he could appreciate how flaws can make something perfect in an interesting way. He’d probably hate the discordant beauty of punk while I revel in it.
And just like him, my lack of social skills and the scarcity of people who can tolerate my difficult personality, I wouldn’t be surprise if I settle for an android companion in the future.
However, N.R. Walker is a master of her craft. The storytelling was engaging, the prose written in a way that makes it easy to read, even through some challenging scenes. The sci fi elements were well-conceived, and if Shaun got too technical in his droid-speak, it’s quickly translated into more understandable terminologies.
At the heart of it all is the romance. And this is where the book outdid itself. Even with my dislike of Lloyd and even knowing Shaun is built to be the man of his dreams, the chemistry was still palpable, the romance sweet, and their connection soul-deep.
Shaun was so charming he made Lloyd a hell of a lot more tolerable. I wished really hard that the story is written in his POV. It would be interesting to see Lloyd from a different perspective.
Because say what I will about Lloyd, but the man has the kindest heart. The reason I don’t hate him entirely is because he treats Shaun with the utmost respect. I loved that he acknowledge his personhood because artificial though he is, Shaun can think, reason, learn, joke, and feel.
The plot significantly picked up once Lloyd started worrying about Big Brother, a.k.a. SATinc, watching him. Things became more dynamic, and we see Lloyd’s friend, Jay, playing a key role. I really enjoyed this part because we see Lloyd and Shaun interacting with the outside world, and Shaun was having the time of his life. And charming people because this android is a ray of sunshine!
Evolved is a mixed bag for me. The plot might be factory-settings basic and the MC is an acquired taste, but it is a story powered by a lot of heart. And that’s all that matters!
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Binary Love
Artist: The Rakes
Album: Capture/Release
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One Line Reviews Of Some Books I Read This Year (July – December 2023)
This is a round up of the books I read on the 2nd half of this year that I’m too lazy to do a full review.
