Mini Reviews: Untamed Shore & Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing – A Shark and a Wolf Walk(?) into a Bar

Publisher: Agora Books Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Crime Release Date: February 21st, 2020 Page Count: 339 (hardback) Rating: 6.5/10 This is an odd one. One of those books that send your brain into a bit of a lull. And I enjoyed it (with a faint question mark attached). But I think I enjoyed it as I'd …

Review: Wicked Fox – Let’s Talk About What Cultural Representation Means

Release Date: June 29th, 2019 Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers Genre(s): YA Fantasy Subjects and Themes: Korean mythology, Family Rating: 7.0/10   It's super fitting that this post is going live during Chuseok weekend (which is totally not planned, by the way, just a happy coincidence). I'm gonna do something a little …

Mini Rants: His Cocky Valet & Idol Thoughts – How NOT to Write BDSM and Romance

Title: His Cocky Valet (Undue Arrogance 1) Author: Cole McCade Publisher: Self-Published Release Date: May 14th, 2018 Genre(s): Romance (M/M), Contemporary Subjects and Themes: BDSM, Age Gap Page Count: 347 (ebook) Rating: 2.0/10       Ash Harrington's life is out of control. At twenty-three years old, he's suddenly the head of a multibillion dollar …

Review: This is How You Lose the Time War – This is How You Write a Time Travel Story

Title: This is How You Lose the Time War Author: Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone Publisher: Saga Press Release Date: July 16th, 2019 Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Romance, Epistolary Subjects and Themes: War, LGBTQIAP+ (f/f) Page Count: 208 (hardback) Rating: 9.5/10       Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a …

Monday Chatter: Portal Fantasies and the Best Game of 2019 (So Far)

Happy Victoria Day to all you Canadian readers! I meant to go for a bike ride around the coastal beach trail in "celebration," but it's pouring rain so I'm writing this post instead.   Last Week - Books All the Worlds Between Us by Morgan Lee Miller: A YA F/F contemporary featuring a swimmer protagonist. …

Double Reviews: The Guildmaster and All the World Between Us – Water-themed Romances

One book has pirates. The other has swimming. Both involve water. (And I'm a sucker for themes) Let's get to it.   The Guildmaster (Vanguards of Viridor 3) by T.S. Cleveland Having helped foil the attempt to kill Viridor’s queen, Merric’s return to the Guardians’ Guild should have been celebrated. Instead, his support of elementals …

Review: The Binding – Sweetly Flawed and Somewhat Forgettable

Title: The Binding Author: Bridget Collins Publisher: HarperCollins UK Release Date: January 7th, 2019 Genre(s): Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance Subjects and Themes: LGBTQIAP+, Memories Page Count: 448 (hardback) Rating: 7.0/10     Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a letter arrives summoning him to begin an apprenticeship. He will work for a Bookbinder, …

In Defence of Romance: What it Can Do in a Fantasy Story (Or ANY Story)

Today is the start of Wyrd & Wonder (hosted by Lisa, Jorie, and imyril), a month dedicated to the celebration of all things fantastical. Look forward to essay posts, lists, reviews, and more. Let's get started! "But Kathy, who's going out of their way to attack romance in fantasy?" Well, no one in particular. But …

Series Review: The Wode – THIS is How You Do a Robin Hood Retelling

By J. Tullos Hennig Publisher: Dreamspinner Press The Robin Hood legend sat beside King Arthur as "stories I was obsessed with as a kid but am now sick to death of thanks to all the retellings that do the same things over and over" (except Robin Hood: Men in Tights. That one's a masterpiece. Fight …

Review: The Phoenix Empress (Their Bright Ascendancy 2) – Toppling into the Ashes

Title: The Phoenix Empress (Their Bright Ascendancy 2) Author: K. Arsenault Rivera Publisher: Tor Books Release Date: October 9th, 2018 Genre(s): Epic Fantasy, Romance Subjects and Themes: LGBTQIAP+ Page Count: 544 (paperback) Rating: 3.5/10       The Phoenix Empress picks up where The Tiger's Daughter left off, with Shizuka and Shefali reunited after eight …