Chris

I have a lot of feelings about this one. I loved the premise and what it stood for. I loved the ending especially around page 430. Did I love the way the MC went about things? No. I do have bias though.

During my undergraduate years, I was initiated into my fraternity. I hold my chapter and organization to high standard even almost a decade since graduating. The Greek System has A LOT of work to do. I am ever so thankful that my chapter had members from various backgrounds and not just the “straight, white, Christian frat bro” stereotype.

Frat Girl had flaws. It also really tackled important issues though within Greek Life. If the system wants to survive, it must grow and evolve. If it continues with the stereotypical behaviors, it will collapse and be a thing of the past. We should be applying our ideals, mottos, and ritual to all that fit and not just a select few.

With that, I hope Greek members read this. It provides a glimpse into what a future could truly hold. To my brothers around the world, IHSV. I love you all. Continue to be the force of change that I know you can be.

If this book proved anything it is this...THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR ASPEC IDENTITIES!

I have read many asexual non fiction books this year and many of them reference the same material and the same few “Ace Celebrities” with just different quotes. This isn't any fault of author, but more an observation and fault of the society we live in.

Ace Notes is another YA geared (at least to me) Ace nonfiction. It wasn't memorable, but it had the pieces to be. The biggest drawback for me were lengthy interview transcripts and the random drawings. Both served a purpose, but they felt misplaced.

Thank you NetGalley, Michele Kirichanskaya, and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review!

Ace Notes by Michele Kirichanskaya releases March 21, 2023!

What an exciting read! I love a good historical fiction and Solomon's Crown is a good historical fiction!

I was reminded of The Song of Achilles many times while reading this. I would not say they are comparable, but it sent little reminders.

I love a good bending of history too. It was refreshing to say the least. My biggest concern was the pacing. There were times I felt like the story had unnecessary passages and I think overall it made it feel longer than necessary. I found the ending to be cute, but again because of the pacing it felt almost incomplete.

Anywho, thank you to NetGalley, Natasha Siegel, Random House Publishing, and Megan Whalen for bringing my attention to this debut and allowing me the opportunity to read an eARC for my honest review!

Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel releases today, March 14, 2023!

When I finished this book, I slept before wanting to write the review because I needed to really understand how I felt.

I was not a fan. This book read as if I was reading the transcript to a podcast. The flow was choppy at best. The added quotes were cute. However, they were difficult to distinguish from the authors because there was no quotation marks only a snippet after the quote such as (Jane Doe (she/they) Graysexual, panromantic).

It felt as though there were too many authors writing and again it ruined the flow. I suppose this is a good book if someone wants their perspective or is a fan of their podcast, but there is better material out there that touches the same subject.

Thank you NetGalley, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Singing Dragon, Sarah Costello, and Kayla Kaszyca for providing an eARC for an honest review!

I was really hesitant about this book at the beginning. It just didn't sound like something I would want to read, but oh boy was I wrong!

I had to force myself to pace this one out and not just binge read because I would be reading and then look at my progress and it was over halfway done! The ending made me a little sad and hopeful, but it honestly made the most sense.

Please please please go read this one! Tiny Ghost Press has been killing it with their releases.

Thank you Tiny Ghost Press and Chloe Spencer for sending me an eARC for my honest review!

Monstersona by Chloe Spencer releases February 14, 2023!

Oh. My. God. I do not even have words right now. This was everything I didn't know I needed.

I will fight for Sandro. Such a lovable teddy bear! Bash can defend himself, but ugh what a relatable character!

And the rep?! A Mexican Black bi boy and an Italian gay bear? Like what hello!

I know this isn't much of a review, but just know I want to tell everyone to read this book!

Thank you NetGalley, James Acker, and Inkyard Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Long Run by James Acker releases February 7, 2023!

Edd Tello's second YA novel written in verse! I am so honored to have been able to review this eARC just I had for Only Pieces.

Ugh I loved this story simply because it felt like a fairy tale. Make no mistake though, this was No Place for Fairy Tales. The dynamic between Yuriel and his parents and Azul was amazing. We got to see such a fresh take on familias hispanas that I haven't seen before.

You want a story that has drama y un poco de chisme? Then you may want to pick up this quick read!

Thank you NetGalley, Edd Tello, and West 44 Books for allowing me to read this eARC for an honest review!

No Place for Fairy Tales by Edd Tello releases February 2023!

I'm crying. I'm laughing. I'm accepting. I'm healing. I'm learning. I'm loving.

I Am Ace is exactly what I feel like I needed. A book on aceness that actually approached Asexuality as humanistic and not scientifically. Cody shows that love is possible. That sex is possible. That relationships with others are possible.

He opens up the world and says “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL” without the condescending bits we tend to hear such as the “despite” or “even though” additives. Thank you so much for this and I hope that every person regardless of their attractions picks this up.

I hope every person, especially those in allo/ace relationships, gives this a read. This is the book that I feel was missing. It is going to help so many people. So from one flavor of queer to another, thank you Cody!

Thank you NetGalley, Cody Daigle-Orians, and Jessica Kingsley Publishers for the opportunity to review this eARC for my honest opinion.

I Am Ace by Cody Daigle-Orians releases February 21, 2023!

I'm struggling to write this because this book was so intriguing. There were moments I wanted to know what was going to happen next and moments I wanted to just stop reading.

Overall, I feel that Please Report Your Bug Here was an interesting look into how we as humans connect to one another. However, I feel that it also fell short of accomplishing its goal right at the finish line.
The novel may not have been my cup of Joe, but I definitely can see how this would be intriguing to the right audience.

Thank you NetGalley, Josh Riedel, and Henry Holt & Company for the opportunity to review this eARC for my opinion.

Please Report Your Bug Here by Josh Riedel releases January 17, 2023!

What can I say about this novel? I was enraptured by it.
Ghost Music is such a wonderful display of grief. I cannot even begin to explain it beyond that.
I believe that if you want to take a look at how grief is so complex and challenging and different for each person, then read this book.
The only reason I am not rating this as 5 Star is because I felt that the novel ended so abruptly. I found myself jabbing my finger at the screen waiting for the next page that never came. It is my own form of grief now.
Thank you An Yu, NetGalley, and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this haunting eARC for my honest review.
Ghost Music by An Yu releases January 10, 2023!

Awwww! This gave me all the feels! What a splendid way to start the new year!

How amazing would it be to find out you are a long lost twin and Prince? It's giving Tangled vibes! I am so incredibly excited for everyone to read this one when it finally releases next week!!!!

It really puts so much in perspective about how the world views and viewed LGBTQIA+ people on a global celebrity and political scale. We must keep fighting for our rights to exist and love even if it means tearing down Royal norms. God Save the Queers!

Thank you Inkyard Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC for an honest review!

A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron releases on January 10, 2023!

What a phenomenal deep dive in the next chapter of the Skinny Dipping series! I was blessed with having the author reach out for my honest opinion and I'm so thankful for that!

Dead in the Water continues to build on the mystery of Lan and his fellow swimmers. I was constantly on the edge of seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

The guttural scream I let out when I reached the end of this one could probably be heard for miles. I would love to see more people read this series. In my opinion, it is unlike anything I have read and unlike anything out there currently.

Thank Aiden Lovely for reaching out and allowing me to read this and giving me a new series to auto-buy!!!

How far would you go to bury secrets and protect your loved ones?

This book was definitely outside my normal book type. I am so happy I read it though!

I was simply captivated by the writing style. The character development of the Lena, Jonah, and Luke is so delightful to read.

My biggest gripe about this novel though comes from the side characters. I felt that some of them were almost unnecessary outside of a scene or two. They were characters that just as easily could have been written out with minor changes, but I digress.

Please please give this book a read! I think it was beautifully done and shows the depth of what one would do to bury secrets and protect their loved ones.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dark Rivers to Cross by Lynne Reeves is out November 8, 2022!

Before anything else, WE MUST PROTECT ALOYSIUS AT ALL COSTS! Okay moving on...I LOVED THIS! It was so genuinely perfect for what I expected! I was captivated from the start. I hated when I had to put it down to actually work or sleep.

The whole Mean Girls meets The Heathers meets serial killer? chefs kiss Give me more of it! I really do hope that a sequel or series is started from this one because it could be so amazing!

Thank you so much to Justin Arnold and Tiny Ghost Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this!

Wicked Little Things by Justin Arnold releases November 15, 2022!

Actual rating: 4.5

I'm so excited for y'all to meet Thomas and Bruce and everyone else in this story. I actually started reading this in the midst of Hurricane Ian. I lost power and didn't want to waste my flashlight reading traditional hardcovers or paperbacks.

I. DEVOURED. IT! I had to know what was happening next. I needed for my boys to make it and give me the HEA I felt the deserved! Learning why THOSE numbers were significant was gold. There was so much that was so special about this book.

I don't want to post spoilers on accident so I'll conclude with this:

BUY. THIS. BOOK. READ. THIS. BOOK. CHECK OUT. THIS. BOOK. (Get my point here?)

Thank you BookSirens and Deep Desires Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When Things Happen Together by Jordan Clayden-Lewis releases October 11, 2022!

I want to preface this by saying I loved The City Beautiful so I had high expectations.

Bone Weaver is an interesting fantasy story, albeit confusing at some points. It has a cool magic element to it and the creature building was really fun!

However, I found it to be very slow and not very engaging until almost half way through the book. Aden writes a lovely fantasy, but I found this to lack the elements of what I loved in The City Beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bone Weaver by Aden Polydoros releases September 20, 2022!

Y'all are so wrong for having me read this. I'm in tears, sobbing and ugly crying. That was just pure perfection. A story of love and loss. I don't have the words to explain what this book has done to me.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I gobbled this up. It was everything I didn't know I needed. The representation was mind blowing. We had a whole cast of gay, trans, lesbian characters and most were Latine! I never expected to enjoy a classic remixed, but boy am I glad I gave this a chance. I loved it so much!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore releases September 6, 2022!

I understood what the author was trying to do, but I think it was not accomplished in the way he thought. I found myself get angry at some points for just the way things were said or how certain view points were expressed. Overall, a great story especially for today's world that just lacks in the execution and writing style.

The story was cute and funny. However, I felt a lack in the execution. I feel like there were also many plot holes and unexplained things. Also for being a novella, it took some time for me to get into and reach a point of enjoyment. It just didn't possess me the way West does Griff.

I. Need. More!

What a fantastic debut and opening to a trilogy! I cannot fully articulate the joy this brought to my life.

I have so many questions that I hope are answered in the next books. I could never fully explain to anyone why they should read this book. JUST READ IT! PREORDER IT! COMMIT YOUR LIFE TO ALL THINGS FAERIE AND THE WORLD OF VVELLION!

I have high hopes and expectations for this trilogy. It is certainly in my top books of all time! It gave me the same feelings that Wolfsong did and I don't say that lightly!

Watch out world here comes Kalob Dàniel and their faeries!

Thank you Kalob for sending me an eARC for an honest review. I truly cannot wait to see what the future holds for you and Vvellion!

Okay I originally was going to place this on the back burner. Then I started it in July before putting it back down, but something told me to pick it up again. I am so glad I did! It was such a lovely story and it was so much fun to read. I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a heartfelt story! This story really touches on so much about being in the LGBT+ community ESPECIALLY in a small town in Montana!!!

This was such a rare gem for me. I had not seen it anywhere on Booksta or BookTok. I stumbled across it on NetGalley and I cannot stop singing my praise now!

Please please please go read this one!

I received an eARC of Grayality by Carey PW through NetGalley and Pride Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Grayality is out July 12, 2022!

I have a lot of conflicting emotions about this one. I enjoyed the story, but it was missing something.

I felt the characters were flat at times. In my opinion, the story would fluctuate in pacing.

It wasn't horrible. It wasn't amazing though either. It was a middle of the road kind of read.

Aces Wild by Amanda DeWitt releases September 6, 2022.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was simply marvelous. Each entry had such power and emotion behind the words. There were moments were I felt as if we were talking face to face and I was listening to you speak. As the collection progressed, I could feel that metamorphosis that was occurring. There was growth between each entry culminating in an ending that brought hope and light for the future despite the past.

Thank you and Alien Buddha Press so much for allowing me to read this early in exchange for an honest review!