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Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stainton

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Blurb:

In 1920s Scotland, even ghosts wear plaid.

Welcome to a sexy, spooky new paranormal historical series from debut author Ella Stainton.

Scotland, 1928

Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric.

Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogues him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life’s work.

But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley’s intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland’s most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he’s not crazy—he just needs someone else to know it, too.

Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he’s not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland’s lovely—and definitely, definitely haunted—landscape, Joachim’s resolve starts to melt. And he’s beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed…

Review:

This was such a fun romp through 1920s Scotland as somewhat eccentric Ainsley drags Joachim from place to place to prove the existence of ghosts.  

Both of the characters are equally compelling.  Joachim carries both emotional and physical wounds from the war and, for his Ph.D. research, is in Scotland to study the behavior of Dr. Ainsley Graham, who claims that he speaks with ghosts. On the other hand, the flirtatious commitment-phobic Ainsley is quite eccentric and most likely suffers from ADHD. He’s also carrying some deep emotional wounds himself, especially grief from the loss of his brother Charlie.  

Once Ainsley discovers with certainty that Joachim is also gay, he wastes no time in trying to get the man into bed, which doesn’t take him long at all, resulting in many steamy moments of pure erotica; heavenly, tawdry and scintillating.  Typically, I’m not a fan of numerous sex scenes in a story and tend to breeze past them.  They worked really well here, however, and each one helped us to learn a little bit more about the personalities of our guys as well allow us to watch as their feelings continued to deepen for each other.

However, these feelings between our characters take quite a while to develop, given that each of them carries some intense emotional baggage.  That being said, the author does an exquisite job of developing these two characters.  They were so vivid, so distinct that I felt as though I were interacting with actual people in real life.  Additionally, the chemistry between them was off the charts.   It was also fun to watch each man’s desperate attempts to hide his feelings for the other.

As for the paranormal aspect of the story, it was a hoot to journey along with them as Joachim refuses to believe what’s right in front of him. The author threw in a couple of extra added twists to the ghost aspect of the story which added to its intrigue. 

I enjoyed how some of the ghosts popped in and out of the story, and we learn their connection to our two protagonists.  Another character, Ainsley’s friend Barley, who is psychic and is trying to seduce a lad who may or may not be straight, added a bit of extra fun to the storyline.  

I appreciated the commentary about being gay in the 1920s and how the discovery of such could be not only ruinous to one’s career, but could also result in being sent to prison or locked up in an asylum.  So in this way, we see how acting on feelings for another could be extremely dangerous if not deadly. So though two men may love one another, the decision to live as a couple provided an additional level of conflict in the story.

But all in all, I loved this historical romance/ghost story. This fun and beautiful book stole my heart. It’s an enjoyable story that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss, grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, and love, all of which the author writes with winning charm.  

But apart from the ghosts and the romance, I found that this book is ultimately also about facing unimaginable heartbreak and coming out stronger on the other side, no matter how long it takes you. 

A huge thank you to Ella Stainton and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

Purchase Best Laid Plaids on Amazon

Review of The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor

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Blurb:

Emma Woodhouse is a genius at math, but clueless about people. After all, people are unreliable. They let you down—just like Emma’s sister, Izzy, did this year, when she moved to California for college. But numbers…those you can count on. (No pun intended.)

Emma’s senior year is going to be all about numbers, and seeing how far they can take her. When she and George, her Coding Club co-president, are tasked with brainstorming a new project, The Code for Love is born—a matchmaking app that goes far beyond swiping, using algorithms to calculate compatibility. George disapproves of Emma’s idea, accusing her of meddling in people’s lives. But all the happy new couples at school are proof that the app works. At least at first.

Emma’s code is flawless. So why is it that perfectly matched couples start breaking up, the wrong people keep falling for each other and her own feelings defy any algorithm? Emma thought math could solve everything. But there’s nothing more complex—or unpredictable—than love

Review:

The Code for Love and Heartbreak is a clever modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s classic, “Emma,” with a somewhat nerdy twist. I loved the premise of this story in which a somewhat socially awkward number/data-focused girl creates a dating app along with her coding club in order to win the national championship. The app is programmed to use algorithms to find a person’s perfect romantic match, and, according to Emma, the math is always right. So given that we’re delving into the realm of human emotions and feelings, it’s not surprising that all sorts of drama and hijinks ensue, and of course, things go horribly wrong.

This was such a cute and lighthearted young adult contemporary. The characters were incredibly well-developed and complex. It was especially fun delving into Emma’s head as she failed to understand why some of the matches weren’t working as she anticipated — or when she learns that some people were using her app for nefarious purposes. It was also fun to watch her have to deal with suddenly becoming popular overnight.

It’s always refreshing to see realistic characters in stories, especially stories about high school. From the moment I met Emma and started to feel the pressure that she was under to succeed and get into Stanford, I immediately formed a bond with her, flawed and stubborn though she was. She grows so much throughout this story, even though it takes place over only a couple of weeks as she begins to understand that feelings and relationships may not be as quantifiable with math as she thought.

Though the book’s plot was more or less predictable, the story was endearing and a joy to read. The friends-to-lovers theme also helped, as this is a trope that I typically enjoy. I liked how the love story aspect fell into place as certain realizations were attained (coupled with an enormous romantic gesture). All in all, I found this to be a delightful and endearing young adult romance with lovable characters and an engaging storyline.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

The book goes on sale October 6 but is available now for preorder.

Purchase The Code for Love and Heartbreak from Amazon

Review of A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman

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Blurb:
Both seventeen. Both afraid. But both saying yes.

It sounded like the perfect first date: canoeing across a chain of lakes, sandwiches and beer in the cooler. But teenagers Amelia and James discover something below the water’s surface that changes their lives forever.

It’s got two stories.

It’s got a garden.

And the front door is open.

It’s a house at the bottom of a lake.

For the teens, there is only one rule: no questions. And yet, how could a place so spectacular come with no price tag? While the duo plays house beneath the waves, one reality remains:

Just because a house is empty, doesn’t mean nobody’s home.

Review


“Just because a house is empty, doesn’t mean nobody’s home.”

Though this is classified as a horror novel, I’d say that it’s more akin to a suspense story. However, for those of us who have a fear of water/drowning or the deep dark blackness of the sea, then there’s definitely a horror element there for us — one scene in particular in which one of the teens is thrust into complete darkness while deep inside the underwater house comes to mind. That being said, it’s definitely creepy once our two characters begin exploring the depths of the house under the dark lake, lending quite a claustrophobic feel to some scenes. I shuddered as I thought how easy it would be to get trapped there and unable to find your way out.

There’s also a fascinating human element of “obsession,” which I thought worked well in this novella. So yes, there is a major creep factor, but it’s subtle and kind of sneaks up on you, causing the hairs on your neck to stand up without you even realizing it.

I loved the whole premise of this slice of life story following two awkward and somewhat shy teens on a first date who not only discover a hidden lake, but a complete house sitting on the bottom of the lake. The teens feel compelled to investigate, leading to several subsequent diving explorations of the house as each time, they enter deeper and deeper inside. In this way, we have a first love accompanied by extreme adventure.

Interestingly, the existence of the house with all of its furnishings is completely illogical, and that was kind of the point of the story. In fact, we are reminded not to ask “why” or “how” but simply experience the house, and I found this aspect of the story especially fun. Every item in the house is firmly rooted in place, contrary to the laws of physics, including books and knick-knacks on the shelves.

In addition to the house’s mesmerizing mystery, we also follow along with our young couple as they share their secrets with each other, slowly get to know each other, and eventually experience first love. Their budding relationship, paired with the intrigue of the irrational house, lent to some interesting symbolism which I’ll leave the reader to discover themselves.

All in all, I thought this was a beautifully written and haunting story with vivid imagery, especially of the house. Though it’s a short tale, coming in at 188 pages, it definitely packs a punch, and I loved how Malerman continuously ratcheted up the tension. A House at the Bottom of the Lake felt disconcerting, and even a tad sinister, but was charming at the same time. The story sucked me right in, and I couldn’t read it fast enough to find out what was going on with the house.

But…as if often typical of horror stories, the story concluded with an ambiguous ending. Personally, I’m not too fond of such endings, and for that, I knocked off a star. Yes, the story was undoubtedly unique and addictive, and I enjoyed the heck out of it. Still, the vague ending left me feeling a tad unsatisfied — but not enough to stop me from highly recommending this gem of a novella.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

This book will be released on December 1, 2020 but it as available for pre-order now.

Purchase A House at the Bottom of the Lake from Amazon

Review of Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

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Blurb:

Xochital is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village’s stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enimagic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.

Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.

One night, Xo’s wish is granted—in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town’s murderous mayor. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match… if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.

Review:

The story follows Xochitl, who lives in Empalme in Central America. Since she was eight years old, she has filled the role of the “cuentista” of her village, which is sort of a sin-eater. She has the power to “take in” the villagers’ stories and, later, deliver those stories to Solís, their god. Giving their stories to a cuentista removes the burden of their transgressions, guilt, and secrets from the villagers, in essence, freeing their conscience in the process. So in taking their stories, Xochitl refreshes them, unburdens them, and cleanses them. Once Xochitl gives the story back to Solís in the desert through a ritual, she no longer remembers any of the story that was given to her, though she is utterly drained, exhausted and forgetful for quite some time afterward.

After a particularly horrendous and brutal event in her village, Xochitl decides to head out into the desert to find her true self — to try and discover her place in the world. Along the way, she encounters all sorts of unusual beings, some human, some magical.

She ends up traveling with a girl named Emilia, which may seem surprising given that Emilia is the daughter of the brutal, murderous man who terrorized Xochitl’s entire village. In the beginning, neither woman trusts the other, but they slowly warm to each other as they progress along their perilous journey.

It’s also worth mentioning that this is a post-apocalyptic story, in that the world was burned by Solís, an event referred to as La Quema. This event is considered to be Solís’s wrath/curse upon humanity. Thus, the majority of the story takes place in the desert, and the author does an excellent job of taking the reader along with our characters into this harsh environment. The setting is vivid, intense, and atmospheric, and we really get a sense of the desperation, sadness, and mistrust of the people of the various villages that were ravaged by the angry god’s fire. In this way, I found the world-building to be phenomenal.

I loved Xochitl’s character arc throughout the story as she ends up being quite a different person by the end of the book — strong, brave, and resilient. Moreover, she learns that just because a story/belief has been passed down to you, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true. In the process, Xochitl discovers, in an eye-opening way, that though a belief or an idea can extend through generations and across different lands, the actuality of that idea may be different from culture to culture and from village to village. And it is this aspect of the story I found especially riveting. In this way, our main character learns that things are not always what they seem, and there may be more than one “right” way of viewing a situation, thus challenging her belief system in the process.

As Xochitl and Emilia journeyed through the desert, several different themes and lessons unfold in the story, such as freedom, the power of stories, sacrifice, responsibility, human shortcomings, the coexistence of different belief systems and destiny. I really enjoy stories centered around the idea and power of “story,” and this novel was no exception. I loved how the story focused on not just our own personal stories but how those stories fit in with the stories of our community and of our land.

Additionally, I found the prose to be utterly beautiful — ethereal and flowing. I thought that the substantial inclusion of Spanish words added to the authentic feel of this story, though it did send me running to my Spanish dictionary many times. I imagine some people may find this aspect of the book a bit off-putting as not every Spanish word’s meaning is clear from the context. So the reader may have to put in a bit of work.

The LGBTQ+ relationship in this story was such a beautiful, slow burn, and though it was by no means the main point of the story, it was satisfying and a joy to read.

All in all, I really loved this powerful story. Though I found the ending a tad abrupt, overall, Each of Us a Desert is an ambitious, unique, and at times heartbreaking novel with compelling characters and lush, gorgeous writing. This is my first Mark Oshiro novel, and I hope to read more of his work.

Each of Us a Desert will be release on September 15, 2020 though it is available now for preorder.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this novel.

Purchase Each of Us a Desert on Amazon

Review of Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

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Book cover for Surrender your Sons

Blurb:

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down.

Review:

This story follows Connor Major, a gay teen who, at the incessant urging of his boyfriend Ario, has just come out to his mother. She did not take it well at all, especially since she’s become quite a religious zealot after getting involved with a fundamentalist Christian church lead by a super-creepy pastor. Connor hopes his mom comes around and ends up accepting him, but instead, she has him kidnapped in the middle of the night and sent to a religious conversion camp on a secluded island off of Costa Rica.

And thus Connor’s nightmare begins.

This ended up being quite a disturbing thriller — a dark, raw, intense, and heartbreaking story that explored themes of suicide, homophobia, parental abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, murder, conversion therapy, and religious zealotry. The author did an excellent job of capturing the camp’s horror and the terror of the campers into the written word. We witness firsthand the brutality of the “camp counselors” and the monstrous things they did to their young prisoners. So, in addition to being poignant, the story is atmospheric and evocative.

The author also gives us some fantastic side characters. I thought the queer kids in this story were utterly brave and commendable, considering the unimaginably terrifying situation in which they found themselves. No matter what monstrous events they faced, the theme of hope ran throughout the narrative. So though it was quite dark and creepy in places, there was always a light of hope in that darkness.

I loved the camaraderie and solidarity that developed between them as they faced imaginable odds and ended up turning the tables on their captors. In this way, this dark and disturbing survivalist story ends up being a hopeful tale of bravery and resilience.

Though it was an uncomfortable, intense, and violent book that delved into some pretty gritty places, it was also fast-paced, thrilling, twisty, and adventuresome. In fact, the entire story took place over a period of two days, which really lent a sense of urgency to it. The book also ended up being a compelling mystery as Connor, and a few other campers begin investigating the mysterious death of a former camper, leading them to uncover the camp’s deepest and darkest secrets. I found the story compelling, gripping, and unputdownable as the secrets were revealed to us one by one.

Surrender Your Sons had a satisfying conclusion with everything neatly tied up at the end and is well worth the read. I ended up loving this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

This title will be released on September 15, 2020 but is now available for preorder.

Order Surrender Your Sons from Amazon

Review of Better Be True by Anyta Sunday and Andy Gallo

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Blurb:

Two friends. One bed. A big Italian Wedding.

Nico Amato is in trouble.

He’s in love with his roommate. Who’s hung up on his ex. This so isn’t part of his summer plans. Luke’s an all-American jock, a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. The kind of guy who thinks Nico is too much.

That doesn’t stop Nico from pretending to be Luke’s boyfriend, once, twice, thrice . . . A friend does what a friend does to make an ex jealous.

Just . . . How many favors before Luke gives up on his ex?

Lucas DeRosa has a problem.

His roommate pushes every one of his buttons. Every. Damn. One. This so isn’t part of the script. Nico is flamboyant, a tight jeans/purple blazer kind of guy. The kind of guy who thinks Lucas is boring.

That doesn’t stop Luke from pretending to be Nico’s boyfriend again, and again, and again . . . A friend does what a friend does to repay a favor.

Just . . . How many favors before he wins Nico’s heart?

Review:

This book pressed all the right buttons for me.  Slow burn?  Check.  Roommates to lovers?  Check.  Fake boyfriends?  Check!  

Better Be True was such a fun, sweet and endearing book, and the principal characters, Nico and Luke, were totally lovable.  Both men have just gone through a horrible breakup:  Luke’s boyfriend broke up with him (via text!) because Luke was to “boring,” whereas Nico’s boyfriend broke up with him because he’s too “colorful” and “dramatic.”

Luke, who was planning on moving in with his boyfriend, is now saddled with a one-bedroom apartment that he can’t afford.  The solution?  Find a roommate.  Nico, who needs to remain in Philadelphia because he’s planning his sister’s large Italian wedding and needs a place to say, answers Luke’s ad.  But there’s one teeny, tiny problem:  there’s ONLY ONE BED.  But the guys can work around that, right?

Things become even more interesting when both guys need a “fake boyfriend” for several events, so they each agree to play the role.  And we can guess what happens from there….

I thought the authors did a phenomenal job with character development here, and I found our two protagonists to be vivid, dynamic, and brilliantly rendered.  These irresistible and wonderfully complex characters came to life for me and felt that they both thrived in their depth and complexity.  Both characters come with past heartache, self-esteem issues, and baggage, all of which added an extra intriguing element to the storytelling.

But what really worked for me was the slow burn romance between Luke and Nico, as we move from strangers, to roommates, to fake boyfriends and finally to lovers. And though we had to wait until the last quarter of the book for them to hook up, when the guys finally did get together, it was HOT!

All in all, I loved this book, through and through.  I found it impossible not to fall in love with the world and characters that the authors created here.  It’s a delightful heart-tugger of a love story.  Snappy dialog, stellar world-building, a lovable Italian family, and a slow-burn romance make this novel standout. 

This is the second book in a series, and though they can stand alone, I believe there is some crossover with the characters.  This one definitely makes me want to read the rest of the books in the series.  I’ve read many other Anyta Sunday books, and they’ve never disappointed, but this is my first experience with Andy Gallo.  I hope to read a lot more from this duo. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Purchase Better be True on Amazon