Just a Taste

Here's Briar Prescott's latest novel, "Just a Taste."

["Lake
So... I’m getting married.
Just three minor details: my husband-to-be is technically also my step-brother, he’s straight, and we’re absolutely nowhere in the vicinity of being in love.

Ryker
Only then comes the you-may-kiss-your-husband part. Turns out kissing your husband is a terrible idea because it makes you have strange thoughts you’ve never had before.
Turns out kissing my husband makes me question everything I know about myself.

Lake
It's fine. It doesn't have to mean anything. Just a blip on the radar. I'll leave it be.
But then I find out I’m not the only one who’s having ideas because of that kiss.
And we do something incredibly stupid and give in to temptation.

Ryker
Again.
And again.
And again.

Lake
Until something casual and temporary turns into something very different.
Something unexpected.
Something serious.
Something terrifyingly real.

Ryker
Now I'm determined to show Lake how good the two of us could be together.
Because with him? Just a taste will never be enough."]

This book was A. LOT. So many emotions and personal demons and almost-fights and sex and fluff and wow. But it was so good!

So many friends who were there. So many family members that just fucking won't (trigger warning). So many moments of understanding between Lake and Ryker. Ryker being a stubborn, soft-hearted, Golden-Boy fool for Lake. Lake being a stubborn, petty, broken boy with walls up for everyone but Ryker.

This was a really good read! And Briar says its not over for them yet, so I'll be excited to see where they go next.

#justataste #briarprescott #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Devil's Own (Palm Island #6)

Maybe trying to get a few things crossed off my reading lists. Here's K.M. Neuhold's "Devil's Own." It's the sixth and final novel in her Palm Island series. In K.M.’s words, “the psychic, gothic, femboy icon we’ve been waiting for..”

["There’s nothing Devil loves more than giving Angel whatever he wants, especially when it’s what he wants too. The only question is… Does Raven want them?

Of course, I’ve noticed Angel and Devil noticing me. I’ve felt their eyes and the deep pulse of their heated wanting. I’ve also seen plenty of men coming and going from their house all summer long, year after year, and I don’t want to be one in a long line.

The energy of Palm Island is so strong, it’s hard not to get swept up in it sometimes. Temporary lust, the hedonistic thrill of excess… I’m only human after all. But something stops me every time I want to give in and let go.

I’ve managed to avoid getting too close to Angel and Devil… until now. Months of endless, heated dreams and the long, lonely slog of the winter are threatening to break my resolve. And all the tarot cards and tea leaves in the world couldn’t prepare me for what they’re really like.

What if all the three-ways are just because they’re desperately searching for something? What if soulmates can come in thirds? What if I let go and see what happens?

Just because I play the part of a psychic, doesn’t mean I know a damn thing about relationships or how we’re going to make this one work…"]

Raven has been my FAVORITE character from the very beginning of this. He’s so sweet and odd and caring and broken and loving and just— He deserves soooo much for everything he does for everyone else. The least Harold could do (resident gay ghost of the island) was give him is carousel HEA.

I toooootally understood the lack of communication here: Raven didn't want to break his own heart when he finally gave into the mutual lust, and Angel/Devil didn't want to spook him away with how much and how long they wanted him (forever, spoiler alert, it's forever). BUT the lack of communication was frustrating and made most of the novel slow-burn, and I just wanted them to TALK or FUCK or boooooth (both is good)! D:

BUUUT (x2) when they finally fell into the lust and accepted the love they felt for each other, it was explosive and beautiful and sooooo Harold (and George) approved! :D

I'm sooooo sad this series is over. I fucking LOVED this series. It was beautiful and raunchy. Hopefully something equally as amazing is in the works soon.

#therealdeal #perfectten #takenbystorm #dirtytrick #easydoesit #devilsown #wildgoosechase #theoffseason #theoffseasonseries #palmisland #palmislandbooks #kmneuhold #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson

I haven't been on #NetGalley in a while, and when I went, I stumbled upon the CUTEST of graphic novels. "Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson" was written by Lydia Corry. 

["Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful.

Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the “buccaneers of buzz.” And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm.

This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo."]

"Her friends understood that Emily saw the world differently."

I never knew Emily Dickinson loved wildflowers. I knew her as the quirky recluse poet who was maybe queer. This book was beautiful (in words as well as pictures).  And Carlo?!?! He was freaking fabulous! I looooved him.

I loved this book! It was colorful and bright and lighthearted. It was filled with flowers and anthropomorphic bugs and supportive af family/friends. That's the life (maybe minus the bugs--though they were cute): flowers, sunshine, and family/friends.

This graphic novel debuts on October 15, 2024, and you HAVE to get it! 

#flowersforemily #astoryaboutyoungemilydickinson #flowersforemilyastoryaboutyoungemilydickinson #lydiacorry #childrensnonfiction #graphicnovel #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Queer History A to Z: 100 Years of LGBTQ+ Activism

I haven't been on #NetGalley in a while, and when I went, I stumbled upon "Queer History A to Z: 100 Years of LGBTQ+ Activism." It was written by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Vivian Rosas. 

["An essential resource for young readers that details the people, events and places that have shaped queer history in North America.

In this exploration of the history of LGBTQ+ activism in North America, middle-grade readers can learn about the key people who led the fight for equality, the events that brought about change and the places where history was made. Presented in an A to Z format, with one topic per letter (“P Is for Pride”), the entries include subjects such as coming out, pride flags, Jazz Jennings and the Stonewall Inn. Young readers will be particularly interested in learning about youth activists such as Gavin Grimm, the history of the first gay-straight alliance and the ongoing issue of banned children’s books in America."]

This book was really good! Some of the information, facts, people, places were a review, but I did learn a lot! Some more modern terms, some new people, some Canadian facts. 

Plus, the pictures and illustrations were gorgeous! The colors popped right off the page. 

This book debuts on May 7, 2024, and you NEED to go check it out!! :D

#QueerHistoryAtoZ #100YearsofLGBTQ+Activism #QueerHistoryAtoZ100YearsofLGBTQ+Activism #robinstevenson #vivianrosas #childrensnonfiction #history #lgbt #queerhistory #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

A Planet Is a Poem

I haven't been on #NetGalley in a while, and when I went, I stumbled upon the CUTEST of books. "A Planet Is a Poem" was written by Amanda West Lewis and illustrated by Oliver Averill. 

["Science and poetry combine in an out-of-this-world exploration of the wonders of our solar system.

From a ballad of Earth and an ode to the sun to a villanelle for Venus and a sestina for Saturn, here are 14 original poems about planets and other bodies in our solar system. Each poem is written in a different poetic form that’s been chosen to reflect the object’s unique characteristics, and each is bursting with intriguing details sure to capture readers’ imaginations. Why is Mars known as the Red Planet? How many moons does Jupiter have? And what exactly is the Kuiper Belt? Budding astronomers, young and old, can find the answers to these questions and many more in this innovative, enchanting book.

Amanda West Lewis’s unique and engaging poems and text are lavishly illustrated with stunning artwork by Oliver Averill that celebrates the vastness of space while bringing its curious objects to vivid life. Every spread features a stunning space scene, a poem and a fold-out flap that, when opened, reveals easy-to-understand science facts about the object as well as an explanation of the poetic form used and why it was matched with that object. From sonnet, free verse and persona to prose, acrostic and hip-hop poems, there are 14 poetic forms to enjoy. With loads of curriculum connections in Earth science and language arts, this immersive and beautifully crafted book is a terrific choice for STEAM lesson plans. The back of the book contains a glossary, references, an activity, an illustration of our solar system and an index."]

This. Book. Was. Fabulous.

It was informative on planets and space and stars and that fast nothingness-everythingness that is the universe. It was also super informative on poetry, stanzas, styles, and famous poems/poets. Plus all those fabulous, colorful, expressive, explosive pictures?!?! Hell. Yes.

You have to go read this!! I got it as an ARC, but I might need to go buy the physical book (it debuts May 7, 2024).

#aplanetisapoem #amandawestlewis #oliveraverill #childrensnonfiction #steam #stem #poetry #sciencepoems #picturebooks #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Easy Does It (Palm Island #5)

Maybe trying to get a few things crossed off my reading lists. Here's K.M. Neuhold's "Easy Does It." It's the fifth novel in her Palm Island series.

["I've never shied away from the hard things in life. But falling in love with Lux… EASY has never felt so good.

Most of the guys on Palm Island call me the token straight guy. The truth is, I'm not so much straight as I'm just… nothing. Asexual, demi, the label doesn't make much of a difference to me. And living on an island that's nothing but parties and nudity half the year… well, let's put it this way… I'm the guy who sells clothes.

As long as I have Easy, everything else is a day on the beach.

I didn't think anything could ever change things between us… but that was before I saw the tape.

It's like seeing him that way flipped a switch in my brain. Now it's all I can see when I close my eyes. It's all I can hear. I think I want the real thing…

It's the middle of the season which means nothing but beach parties, theme weeks, and all of the insanity that comes with the six months of Palm Island being overrun by tourists flooding our shops from dawn to dusk.

Can Easy and I figure things out in the middle of all this chaos? Or are we just building a sandcastle that's bound to get washed away with the tide?"]

Lux, about the infamous “haunted” (by the gay founders of the island) carousel: “Why do you think everyone else has so much trouble with that thing? Its always worked fine for us?” Shot me in the heart right now. D:

I’m really not sure why I put off read like this books for months, because there wasn’t really any angst at all. At. All.

These two were as perfect as they’ve always been. So in sync and caring and touchy feely. But at least this time around, they were more than just best friends. ;) 

An easy (pun originally not intended) read from a FABULOUS series (filled with intended puns—and lots of dicks). 

#therealdeal #perfectten #takenbystorm #dirtytrick #easydoesit #devilsown #wildgoosechase #theoffseason #theoffseasonseries #palmisland #palmislandbooks #kmneuhold #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

A Beginner's Guide to Demonic Possessions (Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures #3.7)

Another day, another paranormal read (because why the hell not?). Here's Shannon Mae's "A Beginner's Guide to Demonic Possessions." It's a part of her Demonic Disasters and Afterlife Adventures series.

["The dreaded Valentine's Day is coming next week, and Trent can’t stomach the thought of another holiday alone. Hiding in the restaurant bathroom from his terrible date, he wishes for a way to skip V-Day all together. Alien abduction? Demonic possession? Coma? Anything else sounds good right about now. When he looks in the bathroom mirror, Trent suddenly realizes he isn’t in charge anymore. Demonic possession it is then.

Paz certainly didn’t expect such a welcome (apparently most hosts spend all their time screaming internally), and he also has quite a bit to say about Trent’s life (who lives in an apartment for six years and doesn’t decorate it?). Trent had no idea his demonic possession was going to look more like a home improvement show than a spring break gone wild special, but Paz manages to break Trent out of his comfort zone and show him what he’s been missing in life (and it isn’t just random hook ups)."]

And the bonus tags (because they're arguable better than the blurb itself): ["Trent is not a morning person; Paz is way too bright and cheery for a demon; sharing a body is a surefire way to get rid of loneliness; who knew shopping for flatware (whatever that is) could be fun; Paz takes Trent toy shopping (yes, those kinds of toys); demonic friends keep popping up (and sometimes even helping); maybe Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a horrific holiday filled with loneliness and despair; Trent and Paz might just be a match made in heaven… or hell."]

I will forever be amazed at how soft and sweet and kind and caring demons are in this world. They are practically perfect, from their horns to their tails. They want so much goodness (and chaos--but good chaos) for humanity. And when they stumble into love themselves? They're flabbergasted and unsure they deserve it. Silly demons. 

Trent deserved this possession. Not because he was a bad guy, but because he needed the positive change in his life that Paz was able to bring. I mean, I don't like shopping for mundane otems or trying new, scary things either, but Paz was with him right away.

There wasn't too much progress on finding out who the bad angel is (or the good one), nor was there any pop-ups from Luce or Yah. :( 

#abeginnersguidetodeathdemonsandotherafterlifedisasters #abeginnersguidetomistakenlysummoneddemonsandothermisadventures #abeginnersguidetorevengechaosandotherabsurdescapades #abeginnersguidetothecareandfeedingofdemons #abeginnersguidetochristmasmiracles #abeginnersguidetoghostsfallenangelsandotherafterlifers #demonicdisastersandafterlifeadventures #demonicdisastersandafterlifeadventuresseries #shannonmae #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks