foiblesandfiction's reviews
462 reviews

one of my favorite movies is Pitch Black. this story is absolutely based on that movie. three stars based on my bias as well as all the blood and other horror elements.

this story wasn't particularly great. the pacing was lightspeed and it was overall lacking the depth that i really wanted. but me and this series are in a committed relationship and i will continue devouring it.

he's a former cop and tan and fit with dark hair and intense eyes. his "masculinity" makes him want to hit on the FMC.

she's thin and fit and looks like tomb raider with her long dark braid and piercing blue eyes. but she'll never accept a compliment because she's just not like other girls.

so - lol no thanks.

it's all so good: the cover, the dog on the cover, the beautiful cover leading to a beautiful story, the angst and the trauma.

Isamu is returning home with his service dog and a medical discharge from the military. he plans to roll with all the significant changes in his life by traveling the country in a camper van, for which he'll need the help of John, a closed off and grumpy mechanic. a little forced proximity and some sideways glances full of longing later, the two men must decide whether to act on their romantic attraction to each other or continue on as just pit stops in each other's lives. 

there are complicated and thought-provoking themes throughout this book that are done incredibly well, such as familial trauma, self-identity, and community. but i think what makes this book really special is the author's ability to write characters with such nuance and depth. the characters are thoughtfully created - not just in their diversity but also in their fullness. they are vulnerable and flawed and raw. no one feels like a caricature, placeholder, or awkward self-insert, and you fall in love with them, root for them.

i finished the book motivated to let myself be better seen and known in my own life and also like i'll be missing some new (fictional) friends.

thank you to the publisher for a review copy.

this story was a bit of a fever dream. maybe i'm missing information because it's a novella that should have been a novel. or maybe there's necessary information to be found in the rest of the series even though this book should be able to be read as a standalone. nevertheless, i'm not really sure what i just read.

the general premise was interesting: a female academic main character (which i always love) and new-to-me magical system with gems. also themes of colonization and it's appropriation of culture and history.

but it was all rather abrupt, nonlinear. i don't know where we ended up or even really how we got there. though, it was a fun journey and i'd be willing to try another book in this series to see if the pieces come together a bit more.

i remember being excited for this ARC because historical romance is one of my favorite cozy genres, but this is an easy DNF. the mmc is despicable. i hate him. his thoughts, words, and actions to the fmc are truly mean. and yet the memory of his lips makes her "core throb". no thanks.

y'all, this was one of the books that i have been most looking forward to and i loved it! a fat autistic girl travels through the literal circles of hell to save her also autistic best friend and possibly her entire country as well, featuring accidental friendship and queer rep (demi main character and sapphic side characters). there are monsters and demons, mutual pining, and a badass heroine who just can't quit.

and there is also discussion of good versus evil and what we allow to dictate our worth on that scale.

of purity culture and beauty standards that are wielded for some to obtain power.

and of discerning who the real monsters are that benefit from the oppressive systems they create.

it’s ultimately a story of rebellion and true love (the romantic kind, yes, but also of self) conquering all.

i needed this story ten years ago and i needed it today. it can seem like a never ending process to accept yourself, to allow yourself to be seen outside of the conformity you folded yourself into for so long to stay safe. but then stories like this one are a light in the dark while on that winding journey of self-discovery.