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Tag: lgbtqia+ representation

  • Vampire Book Reviews: Hollow By Celina Myers & The Fox And The Devil By Kiersten White

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    Vampire books are so back—almost like they never left…just lurked in the shadows. Gather round, lovers of Twilight, Vampire Diaries, and beyond. Because 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for vampire fans, and we’re here to bring you two new vampire novels.

    Celina Myers’ debut novel, Hollow, is a tale about Mia, a young woman who becomes a vampire and finds herself caught between two rival families and their complicated history. Kiersten White‘s new novel, The Fox and the Devil, follows Anneke, the daughter of a vampire hunter who becomes obsessed with taking down an immortal serial killer.

    These two vampire tales feature a bisexual and sapphic romance that we absolutely live for. Not to mention the powerful, unstoppable female protagonists. Here is our dual review of Hollow and The Fox and the Devil!

    Book Overview: Hollow By Celina Myers

    Vampire book: Hollow by Celina Myers
    Image Source: HarperCollins Publishers

    Content warnings: death, parent death, murder, attempted murder, attempted suicide, gore, bodies, corpses, violence, car accident, miscarriage, needles, poisoning, mentions of transphobia

    Summary: Mia Adair isn’t even twenty-five yet, but she’s starting to wonder if her peak has already passed. She’s spent years working at her local bookstore, a job that was supposed to be temporary. As a kid, she experienced a strange sort of fame within the paranormal community thanks to her inclusion in a book that revealed Mia’s ability to talk with the dead. But that was then, and Mia’s “gift” dried up once adolescence set in. These days, she feels like she’s nobody special.

    Until she dies in a tragic car crash and reawakens as a vampire…

    Forced to leave behind everything she knew, Mia must choose to live with one of two rival vampire families. The Bellamy and Sutton clans share a dark, complicated history that spans centuries. As Mia learns about their age-old traditions and extraordinary powers, along with their forbidden romances and betrayals, she’s drawn toward two very different loves. And as she feels her gift returning, more potent than ever before, Mia realizes she’ll need it to protect innocent lives—and save the only family she has left.

    Our Review

    Let’s start with Hollow by Celina Myers. You may know her online as CelinaSpookyBoo or have watched her journey writing this book until now. Maybe you haven’t seen her content but are open to a new vampire book featuring a bisexual protagonist trying to get back her ability to see ghosts. Whatever the case, Hollow is such a quick and easy read that you won’t want to put down. Seriously, we read it all within a few hours.

    Mia Adair’s vampire journey is as rocky as one might expect, given that she didn’t ask to turn. But the method of turning people changes from injecting just one vampire’s blood to injecting the blood of a whole family of vampires. This adds a deeper layer as we meet the members of the Bellamy and Sutton families and hear their stories. With a weakening matriarch at the helm, Mia soon regains her powers and discovers the crucial role she plays in both families.

    We also want to highlight the narrative flow of Hollow. When there are so many characters in play, it can be difficult to remember who someone is and why they’re important. But this novel gives us just enough information about each one before we get into their actions that move the plot. Every character adds to the story. It felt so seamless to read, and we know how much effort it takes to make the narration seem so effortless. We were hooked!

    Release date: January 13
    Order Hollow here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CELINA MYERS:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    Book Overview: The Fox And The Devil By Kiersten White

    Vampire novel: The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Content warnings: death, death of loved ones, murder, gore, bodies, corpses, violence, themes of trauma and grief

    Summary: Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to the study of vampires—until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that now plague Anneke every night.

    Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch this mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicable dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe, and Anneke is certain they’re all connected.

    But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps crucial evidence to herself: infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to her, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola.

    The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer…and much harder to destroy. Yet as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body.

    A heart that beats for Anneke alone.

    Our Review

    Our next vampire book is The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White. We were drawn in by the sapphic vampire story, and we stayed for the incredible storytelling. Told in two overlapping timelines in the late nineteenth century, we follow Anneke as she devotes years to chasing after her father’s killer. All the while, we start to get closer and closer to the present threat, which was so much bigger than Anneke had assumed.

    We absolutely loved traveling all over Europe, solving murder mysteries alongside Anneke and her chaotic found family: Dávid, Maher, and Igne. They are true ride-or-dies, even when they don’t agree with one another. But Anneke’s target seems to constantly stay two steps ahead and evade them no matter how hard they try. It doesn’t help that Diavola haunts Anneke’s dreams and thoughts every night and day, either.

    The buildup of romantic tension is also done beautifully in this Gothic novel. We really get a sense of intense yearning and curiosity on both sides, as evidenced in the letters that Diavola leaves for Anneke. And Anneke eventually uncovers Diavola’s true identity and reasoning for leading her on this never-ending hunt. We couldn’t see the plot twist or the bittersweet ending coming, but that just made the emotions even more heightened.

    Release date: March 10
    Preorder The Fox and the Devil here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KIERSTEN WHITE:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    What do you think of these new vampire novels? Have you added Hollow by Celina Myers or The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White to your reading list? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

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    Julie Dam

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  • Sweet Listens: September Audiobooks Filled With Fall Romances

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    Do y’all hear that? The unmistakable sounds of autumn winds, crunchy leaves, and September audiobook releases. Last month had a few fresh new debuts, and this month, we decided to focus on fall romances. (Just in time for cuffing season at that!)

    We opted for some cozy, small-town romances from all over the States. Spanning from Washington to Connecticut, here is our September Sweet Listens!

    Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful listening and checking the author’s website for any additional content warnings.

    Falling Like Leaves By Misty Wilson

    Image Source: Simon & Schuster

    Our first September audiobook recommendation is Misty Wilson’s new YA romance, Falling Like Leaves. Ellis reluctantly moves with her mom from New York City to Bramble Falls, Connecticut. Her parents’ separation throws off all her plans for senior year, and the only saving grace is the town’s annual Falling Leaves Festival. Between carving pumpkins and drinking seasonal lattes, Ellis also rekindles the flame with her former best friend and first kiss Cooper Barnett. They’ve grown apart since the last summer they spent together, and now he seems like he wants nothing to do with her. Or so she thinks.

    Release date: September 2
    Order Falling Like Leaves here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MISTY WILSON:
    BLUESKY | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

    Everything She Does Is Magic By Bridget Morrissey

    September audiobooks: Everything She Does Is Magic by Bridget Morrissey
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Next up, we have a cozy, sapphic romance between a mortal and a witch in Everything She Does Is Magic by Bridget Morrissey! Set in the small town of Fableview where every day feels like Halloween, this audiobook has two alternating POVs between local sweetheart Darcy Keller and witchy new girl Anya Doyle. Darcy’s parents expect her to take over their Halloween empire when all she wants is to leave for college. Anya’s initiation into her coven depends on her ability to find a mortal ally. They agree to help each other out of their respective predicaments, only they weren’t expecting feelings to also get in the way.

    Release date: September 9
    Order Everything She Does Is Magic here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BRIDGET MORRISSEY:
    INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    You’ve Found Oliver By Dustin Thao

    Sweet Listens: You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Finally, our last September audiobook is You’ve Found Oliver by Dustin Thao. The companion novel to You’ve Reached Sam, this audiobook follows Sam’s best friend Oliver as he navigates grief, romance, and a bit of magical realism. A year after Sam dies, Oliver still can’t seem to move on. When Oliver calls Sam’s old phone number and someone picks up, he unintentionally sets off a fluffy yet angsty whirlwind of a romance with Ben, a fellow college student only a few hours away. Despite several strange occurrences and bizarre timelines, Oliver and Ben continue to believe in each other and their fateful romance.

    Release date: September 30
    Preorder You’ve Found Oliver here!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DUSTIN THAO:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    What do you think of this month’s audiobook recommendations? Which of these September audiobooks are you most interested in listening to? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    If you want in-depth book coverage, we got you!

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    Julie Dam

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  • Book Review: Cursed Boys And Broken Hearts By Adam Sass

    Book Review: Cursed Boys And Broken Hearts By Adam Sass

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    There’s just something about summer romances that can cure a reading slump. Adam Sass is back with his latest YA romance, Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts! And we needed to get our hands on a review copy.

    Before we jump into the review, let’s go over some Easter eggs we found in Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts. Our main character Grant Rossi’s ex-boyfriend, Micah Summers, is the same character as the protagonist from Adam Sass’s The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers. We love this tie-in! And the concept of a cursed rose in this book parallels Prince Adam/the Beast’s curse in the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast.

    From LGBTQIA+ representation to addressing teen depression and therapy, we fell in love with this summer read. Here are three things we love about Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts!

    Cover: Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Book Overview: Cursed Boys And Broken Hearts

    Content Warnings: homophobia, depression, mention of grandparent deaths, divorce, trauma

    Summary: Grant Rossi is never getting a happily-ever-after.

    Ever since he was a kid and made a wish on his family’s iconic Wishing Rose, his romantic relationships have been cursed to end. Following his most recent (and extremely public) dumping, Grant is languishing in a hot Chicago summer, abandoning his beloved design projects to sink back into depression. But when his family suggests spending the summer helping his aunt and uncle refurbish their beautiful but rundown B&B and vineyard—the home of the Wishing Rose that changed everything for him—Grant decides to accept. Maybe he can finally find a way to recover his creative spark…and break his curse. 

    But things at the vineyard are not what Grant expects. The place is in almost total disrepair, and—even worse—the person his relatives hired to help is his former childhood crush, Ben—the first boy who broke his heart.  

    As their chemistry sparks and the summer heats up, the wedge between them can’t be ignored. But while they race to restore the B&B in time for the beloved local rose festival, grumpy but lovable Ben starts to break through Grant’s carefully crafted defenses. Can Grant find a way to overcome his curse and open his heart, even when it’s broken?

    Grant’s Character Development

    In the beginning of Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts, Grant Rossi fully believes that he’s cursed. That he’s the reason why his relationships never last long. But after weeks of staying with his aunt and uncle at the Vero Roseto Garden Inn & Vineyard, he’s able to reevaluate his curse. It’s taken him five years to find out what really happened between his ex-boyfriend, Hutch, and longtime crush, Ben, when they were 13. As he starts to trust himself not to “ruin” things, he can finally break his curse. And we couldn’t be more proud!

    Aunt Ro

    We all have those nosy relatives who mean well, right? Well, Grant’s Aunt Ro won us over with her lovely personality. She’s been running the B&B and vineyard ever since her mother passed, even when it’s in danger of closing down. And she’s been a safe space and supportive of Grant through everything. It’s partly thanks to her meddling that Grant and Ben find their way back to each other. Aunt Ro and her husband Paul have such a sweet marriage. We were gushing over them almost as much as the main love interests.

    The Rose Festival

    Maybe we’re too much of a romantic, but seeing Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts culminate with the annual Rose Festival healed us. We can only imagine how breathtaking Grant’s flower gown designs looked, along with the centerpiece for the Wishing Rose bush. The atmosphere feels so dreamy, and we wish to experience something similar in our lifetime. We also loved the full-circle ending between Grant and Ben as they make another wish with the Wishing Rose. Only this time, they have a better understanding of themselves and are learning how to be a couple for real.

    Adam Sass outdoes himself with Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts, a deeply personal and complex second chance romance that made us feel all the emotions!

    Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts by Adam Sass releases July 16th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Adam Sass’s Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts? Is it one of your favorite books by Adam Sass yet? Let us know on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ADAM SASS:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Julie Dam

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