Format: eBook

A queer M/M take on the classic haunted mansion with a historical forbidden love premise, Ben Alderson’s the Haunting of William Thorn is a paranormal romance book that has a lot of great ideas and concepts. Featuring a gothic and eerie setting, a layered multi-generational mystery, and light horror elements that aren’t overly graphic, with its attractive cast of male characters and pining attraction, by all accounts this book should be an appealing and accessible read. Unfortunately, like its hallmark mansion, despite its good bones and a promising start, the execution leaves a lot to be desired across the board and despite giving it my best effort, I struggled to finish this book only to arrive at an eyebrow-raising ending. Set in a rural small-town village of Stonewall, the story follows William Thorn who has been gifted the decrepit Hanbury Manor by his late boyfriend Archie. Not long after arriving, what was meant to be a weeklong stay of isolation is intruded upon by an overly friendly man named Edward who has his own connection to the Hanbury Manor and its past. The book’s strongest element for me was the intrigue behind the manor’s history and presumed death of Robert…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Berkley Publishing Group. In the wrestling ring, the Dragon faces off against the Ice Prince in a no holds match for the championship belt on live entertainment. Featuring a scrappy up and coming wrestler paired opposite the ruthlessly cold history-making champion, the path to glory and success seems so straightforward until feelings get involved, pun intended. Celine Ong’s debut novel Hold Me Like a Grudge is an entertaining and witty queer sports romance story full of the expected adrenaline-fueled fights, choreographed training arcs, and entertainment industry shenanigans one would expect in a wrestling focused rivals to lovers narrative. Yet beyond the spotlight and headlining matches, this book is so much more. Backed up by strong platonic and romantic chemistry, excellent character writing, and earnest themes of acceptance and found family, this book is equally punchy as it is endearingly wholesome, a well-rounded and amazing read! In the world of sports and live entertainment, professional wrestling is perhaps one of the most homoerotic sports out there and it’s slightly surprising there aren’t very many well-known MM romance books that are themed to the sport. Anyway, for those that are not…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by St. Martin’s Press. Love, guilt, judgement, and paranoia, all within the four walls that may or may not be alive and angry, You Did Nothing Wrong is psychological thriller and explores Elodie’s twisted descent into madness. C.G. Drews’s adult novel debut, rather than simply serving as a straightforward haunted house narrative, this book instead is a horror story of an entirely different monster. Compared to Drews’s past books that had a more paranormal and fantasy angle to their stories, You Did Nothing Wrong instead plays off the monsters in our head and the horrifying ways love and devotion can spiral into something dark and unrecognizable. While featuring Drews’s signature macabre metaphors and stylistic prose, this book is very different from past YA books for those that enjoyed their past books. Marketed as a pulse-pounding and clever take on the haunted house novel, I went into this book expecting something along the lines of Drews’s past books that mixed elements of paranormal horror with fantasy flair. As a strong cautionary disclaimer upfront, You Did Nothing Wrong is very different and was not at all what I was expecting. While…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing. As a genre, contemporary romance has been crossed with just about every topic and premise under the sun. Romance with musical elements is nothing new, but Erin Connor’s take on the concept is uniquely distinctive thanks to its commitment to the metal band focus. Where most star-crossed romance novels have swoony and smooth vocals, this book features mosh pits, overstuffed tour vans, and adrenaline-fueled passion that can only be found in a hardcore battle of the bands music festival. Centered around a second chance romance storyline and forced proximity through professional work trope, Still Into You is a solid romance novel with a swoony romance and well-written music industry storylines that are far more developed and insightful than expected. I originally picked up this book based on the positive reception around Connor’s debut novel Unromance that I had never gotten around to reading when it was first published. Going into her second book blind, I was immediately impressed by Still Into You’s compelling music and band elements that go much further than typical for the romance genre (spent too long trying to…

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. Magically captivating while simultaneously dark and harsh, Julia Alexandra’s debut novel Midnight on the Celestial is a well-paced and solid YA fantasy story that effortlessly walks the line between the fantasy and thriller genres. Prominently featured on both the book’s cover and in its blurb, the focal luxury cruise line enchanted with opulent and imaginative magic immediately catches attention but there’s a lot more to this story than what meets the eye. A dark fantasy thriller featuring a likable group of found family friends paired with a great plot and excellent age-appropriate character writing, Midnight on the Celestial is a great all-rounder book that tells a compelling standalone story with dazzling visuals. The land of Tamarynth is overseen by the elected Council and system that regulates those with magical powers. Referred to as morphia, this substance possessed by certain individuals grants them a variety of powers, in Roe Damarcus’s case the power of resurrecting spirits from the afterlife. As the famed daughter of one of the councilmen and only member with magical powers, her powers are largely used…