The Lavender Phantom

 I received an ARC of the Lavender Phantom via the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers, so please read at your own discretion.

The Lavender Phantom by Lainey Delaroque is not quite what I expected like when I read in the blurb that the Lavender Phantom helps Sophie inside the late night teahouse Lavender I assumed it will have real Phantom of the Opera vibes. It did not have those kind of vibes, but I loved the story nonetheless.

I was not expecting there to be sex in the book and I kind of wish authors would put it in the blurb. I found out because the author has a warning at the beginning of her book about some of the subjects in the book. Thank God, because otherwise it would have thrown me for a loop.

Once I warmed up to the rope play scene it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It really felt like the author was keeping her audience in mind so while there is some horrible things that happen to the characters power is given back to them throughout the book.

I absolutely adore how Sophie is like yes this is horrible but its okay I give consent I have power over my body, which is something us girls forget to do. We forget to give ourselves permission, and I love how the book addresses some of the more serious topics like rape, toxic relationships (I dare you to read Damien's and Penny's "relationship" and say it isn't toxic), sibling relationships while both parents are dead, and (for us prudes out there) kinky sex. The author did a good job with these topics as something horrifying happens, but there is also hope afterwards as well.

Damien and Sophie need to get together in the second book and stay together. I will accept nothing less and will wrap them in bubblewrap and place them on a high shelf where the author can't reach them if I have to. Nobody touches them or face a bookworm's wrath (it will not be pretty). The chemistry between them is *chef's kiss*. I love how they compliment each other and help the other one grow as a person.

And on a side-note: the children had better make it out relatively unscathed in the second book because they were put through enough in the first one. My heart still hurts after what they did to Thomas and Melanie trying to use them as puppets. How dare they?

But, I digress. I loved the whole world-building in The Lavender Phantom especially with the late night teahouse Lavender that doubles as a twisted kind of brothel where they drug the tea so that clients can take advantage of the birds (I know they are despicable) aka the poor girls and boys that are desperate for money or a job. I love how each room was different and the details that went into the place is like heaven to a detail oriented girl like me. I felt like I was there which is a good thing and a bad thing. (I could live there without the whole brothel situation).

I love how Sophie's love of rope play comes in handy throughout the book and that the author looked up how to pick locks. Finally, someone who acknowledges that you need two pieces to unpick a lock (it was in a writing advice post I saw a couple years back). She did not do it Hollywood style where you magically stick a bobby pin in and wiggle it around until the door magically opens (hate to burst people's bubbles, but it does not work that way).

I love how her skills both helped and hindered her and I love how the characters grew in general even Valerie and she was a class act b*tch.

I know the first book does not release until February 9 (five days after my birthday, so a late gift to me. I'm totally preordering it) but I cannot wait for the second book. I need to know if Sophie, Tanya, Damien, Melanie, Thomas, and Hana are safe. I will probably break into a blubbering mess and curse the author if at least Damien and Sophie don't get their happy ever after.

500 out of 5 stars 😈 (it was the closest to a phantom mask or is it?)

Oh, Alice

 I received a free copy of Alice the Dagger by Ashley McLeo in exchange for an honest review. There might be spoilers in this review, so read at your own risk.

This book is a mess in the sense that it needs another round of editing. I spent more time on the book rereading sentences trying to figure out what was happening, so I could not be emotionally invested in the story like I wanted to be. (I want to cry when characters die or are scared for them when they are close to being captured or their goals feel like they are slipping away).

Instead, I almost DNFed it after the first chapter but persevered because we had not gotten to Henri Hatter who was the sole reason that I wanted to read the book in the first point. And he did not disappoint, in fact, he is probably the only good thing about the book.

I loved how the author tried to twist the retelling of Alice in Wonderland with Alice being an assassin, but her bada*s got stolen from her infuriating need to be one of those characters who whine about the silliest things (like I am sorry, princess, that your fae kingdom needs you and a hot guy likes you and treats you with more respect than you deserve, but you feel you need to go back to the human world where nobody loves you). I despise those characters with a passion.

I love how she portrayed the Cheshire Cat, the twins, Caterpillar, and March Hare. My only wish for them is that we got to see more of them especially since one got beheaded before you could even get to fully appreciate them (I will not say which one).

I am curious to read the second book because I want to see if it is better than the first.

3 out of 5 stars.

Can You Catch Lili?

 Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers so read at your own discretion.

Catch Lili, Too by Sophie Whitmore is a story that I loved so much. It has that old comic book detective vibes like Jessica Jones (the reluctant detective that just wants to be left alone and does not want people to realize that she has a heart after all), it has the kind of mythologies that had me feeling like I was reading a better version of This Eternity of Masks and Shadows by Karsten Knight (because the author actually gave an f#ck about the mythologies and sexual orientations. Also, it did not feel creepy reading two girls kissing because it was a slow build-up to it that even Lili is surprised by it yet too) and that satirical writing style like Betsy Schow's Spelled.

I fell in love with every aspect of this story because it is gripping and the worldbuilding is set at a perfect pace. None of it felt forced and it felt like everything was meant to happen (if that makes sense?).

The characters melted my heart because they are all sweethearts in their own ways and I love how imperfect all of the characters were regardless if they were a monster or not. And that plot twist! Holy smokes, I should have seen it coming, but I never did and it makes so much sense when you think of it. Nope, I will not spoil it for you because it is too good and you should read the book because it is one of the better LGTBQ+ (sorry if I got the letters in the wrong order. I can never get them straight.) stories I have read in a long time.

My only criticism is that I wish the author played with the depression a bit more for Lili because there were ample opportunities to have Lili give into her depression, but for a while, it was almost like her depression was forgotten. However, I love how Lili tried dealing with the depression because it makes you feel so bad for her and you just want to hug her but you can't (because she has an aversion to touch).

And the location details at the beginning made my year and a vast majority of 2020 as well. I have never snickered so much reading those which also adds to the old-timey detective story vibes.

I could go on and on about this book, but you should have stopped reading at this point and gone to buy the book.

Although some things might be triggering for some people as it does deal with depression and identity.

I am a sucker for any book that toys with the idea of who is monstrous the monsters or the humans, so this book easily gets 500 out of 5 stars.

The Gatekeeper of Pericael

 I received a free arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off by saying that I normally not a fan of middle-grade books, but The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Reese Chow is so fricking cute. I could not not fall in love with it from Porter's constant fear of losing control to Ames's unflappable nature even when he is scared. I love how the characters seem to fuel each other and push each other to be better versions of themselves.

The magic system is wonderful and I love how spirits are what is used to fuel the magic. I love the different types of creatures although I wish the author had not introduced them in a list and done it gradually because I forgot what half of the creatures were as soon as I finished reading the list.

The map made me laugh because it is such a young boy's way of describing things. Also, it is a great start to Ames's characterization because he is so totally that kind of person.

Hayley Reese Chow has become one of my top ten favorite authors and has definitely made it onto my list of authors where you buy their books no questions asked. I have not been disappointed by any books that I have read from her. I devoured this book in a day and a half and I will have no qualms if there are more books in the Pericael world because I loved it so much. Spoiler: everything will try and kill (eat) you if you are not careful.

5 out of 5 stars (500 out of 5 stars)

The Night Sender

 I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers so read at your own risk.

The Night Sender by Christina Tsirkas is an intriguing read and the mystery of the night senders had me flipping the pages (or in my case on my Kindle it was tapping the pages). I held a love-hate relationship with most of the characters because I could never decide if I wanted to hug them or shake them.

I loved the idea of if you give pain in one life you will be forced to give pleasure in the next. And there is some Beauty and the Beast vibes in the book that I loved. The only thing that sets my teeth on edge is the ending because it feels like we work so hard toward something only for it to be naught. 

This is hard to review without spoiling anything because there are some fascinating twists in the story that pleased me and others that did not. All I will say is that there is a lot of sex and sexual pleasure in the book that I know is important to the story, but most of the time it was like "okay, we get it". I feel like the book can be just as strong if it focused more on the characters and not on how the night senders unleash pleasure in women (it will make sense if you read the book because I cannot say anything without giving things away).

3.5 stars out of 5.