If you enjoy historical fantasy and LGBTQ+ romance, you’ll love CRIMSON CODEX (The Mage and His Brute #3) by Ava Marie Salinger, the brand-new historical MM fantasy romance! getbook.at/CrimsonCodex 🗝️🩶🗝️ Cover Designer: 17 Studio Book Design #GayRomanceReviews #AvaMarieSalinger #CrimsonCodex

This one dealt with a lot of trust issues and long held hurt and guilt. Reid's traumatic upbringing definitely shows in his self image, and I appreciated the ADHD rep. Overall, I'm glad it wasn't a quick fix, and the relationship took time to build - the work both put in to heal made it worth it.

My 2025 reads

Listened to this while driving over the break so I couldn't do kicky feet, but I WANTED to! Absolutely adored seeing Patrick and Jono settled in love, and everyone together to celebrate them. If anyone deserves peace, it's these two. Kudos to @haileyturner.bsky.social and @garyfurlongvo.bsky.social

6 books I read in December

Fantastic follow up to the Soulbound series, with enough differences to be its own thing.

Just finished this! Great holiday anthology

Book 3. Kicks off with Bugs, ends with a volcano. Fantastic characters and lore. @kaibutlerauthor.bsky.social

Robin gets his turn at love in this book, foiling an assassination attempt by his mother and keeping the assassin. He's not entirely a person, just a weapon. The Rade help him discover his self, and scheme to outwit the Queen when she comes after Robin again.

November was a little rough in the ol’ brain pan

Ansel is a talented hacker, but he flew a little close to the sun on his last job. Cade just happens to be in the right place at the right time, with the wrong fake name. I loved the family/found family vibes and how far the brothers are willing to go for each other and their loved ones.

New book!

Relatable

I'm old. If you're not, listen to this. Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder. Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever. It's literally never been more important.

🌈📚#HappyMMBookReleaseDay 🎉 Love Is Magic: An MM Holiday Gift Anthology Fel Fern Becca Jackson Cari Z Universal Links at mmbookwormreviews.com #MMReaders #GayRomance #NovemberMMBooks2025 #LGBTQIACommunity #NewMMBooks

🐉🌈📚 New LGBTQ+ book releases: November 25, 2025. 🔗 Find them here: bit.ly/m/QBR Happy reading, y'all! 🖤✌🏼 #queerbookreviews #sapphicromance #queerromance #mmromance #mmromancebooks #lgbtbooks #mmbooksky #sapphicbooksky #queerbooksky #readqueerallyear #booksky #romancelandia

If you could do the grandma cheek squeeze to a book series. There's so much cuddling and gentle affection in this story; when Miles and Winter finally open up about their feelings it's going to be all over for everyone. The humour, slice of life, found family, hints of sad/dark is just what I wanted

While we meet Wren in the previous books, this one shows more about how their mind works. Augie is an introvert in a rough spot financially, but he was definitely the right one to break the cycle of generational trauma. Read this series in order for maximum enjoyment.

Flynn continues to be adorable; he is such a people person and I am here for that. Loved the action, the drama, Blair!, Davin, and of course Twist. Sexton was also a nice surprise in the end. The mystery keeps ramping up, and I can't even imagine what the big bad really is. @burnswrites.bsky.social

@larktaylorauthor.bsky.social mybook.to/EvanWE

This entire story is about chaos and control, and Theo and Rory both have their own issues with both. Loved the banter and chemistry between these two, as well as the overarching story. So well written, with fantastic characters and awesome plot.

I really enjoyed coming back to this group of friends. John is much calmer than Harper and I like the idea of him having a generations old friendship with a bog witch family. Venkat is in a position of modern slavery. The way everyone worked together to free him was fantastic.

Tbh my brain didn't want this story. Alvin is a bit hapless. But the more I read, the more I wanted to read. The pacing was great, and all the characters were well written. I enjoyed the intertextuality of the story, and there were some really unexpected points. I'm looking forward to book 2.

"situationship" was a word used multiple times. Dáithí is in denial that a past relationship gave him trauma; Eoin is out to prove Dáithí is The One. Bring on TeamBro, and the Summit of Love is begun. I loved that everyone was totally behind the relationship's success. Hilarious, sweet, and spicy.

I enjoyed this rockstar, enemies to lovers story. Lots of heat, a bit of angst as both MCs reveal their insecurities. A fun take on the fae, and all the Rade were interesting. The whole vibe of the book was kind of good natured and explorative even when Beck had to make hard decisions.

This was a totally sweet story of a normal guy ending up with demon wingmen. Wingdemons. I can 100% relate to being too exhausted and poor to be bothered by your flatmates being a bit weird. Luke and Matteo would have made it on their own, but the friendships between Luke and the demons was cute.

More October reads #📚💙

Some of my October reads #📚💙

The premise was fantastic and well executed. The worldbuilding was great, Reaper and Ghost (Max and Kas) were well written and very sweet, each with their own pasts which very much affected their present. I am so looking forward to more in this series.

Coming Soon!

You know the voice in the back of your head that says no one wants to read your book? Drown it. Burn it with fire. Get a bat and start swinging. Don't let it exist and lie to you. Destroy it and keep writing. Keep. Writing.

Quick Reviews

I cried like 5 times reading this

The truth will set you free… sort of. Not really.

Quinn's indefinable, impotent rage in this book is definitley relatable. Asher's patience and calm is a great contrast. Definitely read this series in order to understand what is going on. I'm of the opinion that having more than a cause to fight for, someone who's there for/with you, is a strength.

Demons in London, zombies in Paris. This was where I’d physically read up to in the series.

I’m on book five now

Last lot of quick reviews for today

Some quick reviews - Hailey Turner edition

Life is lifing, to be sure. I'm struggling at the moment to keep up with non-arc reviews - and arc reviews tbh. I hope this format works to fix that. x frum

I’m like, halfway through book 4 now #audiobooks

Just finished All Souls Near and Nigh audiobook @haileyturner.bsky.social SO GOOD.

Trey would've probably been a serial killer no matter what, but he focuses on taking out abusers. Walker is a doctor who saves lives. The juxtaposition is fantastic, and I think the tension between the two was written really well. #arcreview

This was SO good! So many mysteries and questions still to be answered.Flynn is a bit of a deadbeat, despite having so much going for him. Davin is just all kinds of interesting. But obviously it's Twist who steals the show. Definitely looking forward to more! #arcreview

I want to know more about Bryn's lost years, although we already know they were pretty horrific. Gunnar is very much the energetic, playful, and protective companion. All of the side characters are also interesting, and the villains are definitely villaining in this. Looking forward to more!

I was a little wary as ABO and student/teacher can be a bit hit or miss. However, Grae Bryan did a fantastic job of keeping things on the level in terms of power dynamics. Great characters and a satisfying storyline, with enough worldbuilding that I know what this world is about #arc

An enjoyable read, with teases about the other Demon's mates. This book returned to the group we already know, with a few new Angels from Noah's old unit. Noah and Jeremiah both face their fears and come out stronger for it knowing they are not alone and can lean on each other and their friends #arc

The 12th annual international Gender Census 2025 is now open until at least 30th August 2025! survey.gendercensus.com It's for anyone whose gender (or lack thereof) isn't described by the M/F binary. It's short and easy, and results are useful in academia, business and self-advocacy.

Just caught up making graphics for about 10 outstanding reviews... not ARCs, mostly just books I've read. So... expect those soonish. I'm laid up with cellulitis in my shin so not much else to do but read and write at the moment.

ARC time! Yay!