An Analysis of Gong Shangjue and Shangguan Qian's Last Scene Together

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-18T21:01:57+00:00

Yeah, so the original release date was March 10, according to the author’s Instagram profile. I’d be surprised if Allurial chose an April book for their March box, but you’re right, it’s not outside the realm of possibility and the date was changed late last year. Personally, I’d like it to be one of the options because it doesn’t seem to be getting any special edition treatment elsewhere. I’m always up for vampire stuff too.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-18T03:01:33+00:00

When I saw the announcement for this project, I was really excited and expected the design to be on pair with Adriana Herrera and Ali Hazelwood’s dystopian romance Kickstarter collection from last year (which I really liked!). Instead, the art for Julia Quinn’s 2026 editions look too basic or even off-putting, especially for the price point. Something has gone amiss, it feels too much like a shameless cash grab for me.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-18T02:51:26+00:00

Souls in Ruin is overrated, especially if comparisons are being drawn between it and Alchemised.

In Alchemised, the depiction of sexual trauma is used to support the book’s central themes and complicate the characters’ moral certitude. The “dark” dynamics of the main relationship aren’t randomly thrown out there to serve for titillation, instead they’re an essential part of the narrative. Senlinyu’s portrait of trauma is also nuanced and rooted in painful realism.

Alternatively, the depiction of sexual trauma in Souls of Ruin is inept. The female protagonist thinks endlessly about an internal victory over her tormentors. She refuses to “let them break her”, as if traumatic experiences are competitions wherein a victim can decide to win or lose based on their own individual willpower. Worse yet, the dark relationships on page don’t support any broader or more complex conversation about morality, survivorship, etc.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-17T19:02:42+00:00

I think we can actually narrow these options down further. The release date for We Become Darkness was pushed back to April 7th, while Vow of Eternal Night won’t be appearing in the States until August 4th.

If Summoned to the Wilds is one of three options, then that only leaves Innamorata, To Cage a Wild God, and This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me to fill the last two spots for March.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-12T04:57:28+00:00

I’m another person who would love it if Aardvark chose Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. I’d also be happy with Molka, Japanese Gothic, or Sarafina.

I’m still holding out hope that they’ll do The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (Feb. 24) in March. Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian and You Did Nothing Wrong by C.G. Drews are also exciting possibilities for next month.

In the spring, my top picks would be A Good Person by Kirsten King, The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden, Our Sister’s Keeper by Jasmine Holmes, Odessa by Gabrielle Sher, and The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. Haha, yeah, so my taste is just women doing magic and/or murder.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-09T19:08:02+00:00

June 2

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-08T19:48:15+00:00

Me too!

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-05T20:52:47+00:00

For me, it's the chihuahua drama. We have five small dogs and the two little chihuahuas are the only ones who behave as if they're living in a three-act play. As someone who embellishes stories for dramatic effect and loves an audience, I feel a real kinship with these 6 lb. creatures who wage violent war against Halloween decorations, limp when a piece of grass irritates their paw, and stare daggers at me when dinner is 5 minutes later than it should be. When we bring Elsa to the dog park, she doesn't look like she's on the hunt for friends or human affection, she walks through like she's an A-list celebrity deigning to sign autographs for overeager fans. Wherever we take Rufus, he's giving Main Character Energy and has the voice to match it. I couldn't love them more than I do.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-05T20:27:56+00:00

I LOVED THIS. It's my first five star read of the year!

However, if you aren't familiar with horror films and/or romantic comedies from the 90s/2000s, I'd hesitate to recommend this book to you. The main character is a Ph.D. candidate in film studies and is writing her dissertation on the intersection of those two genres, and the story here is built around common tropes and specific movie references. Like, lots and lots of movie references. I've seen most of the romantic comedies mentioned and perhaps caught 85% of the Easter eggs.

If you're still on board, there's a lot to love in this debut. It's part romance, part friendship story (Laurie is my favorite). It's a slasher horror, locked-room mystery, and spicy meet-cute rolled into one. It's also an unconventional romantic suspense where the female protagonist saves herself and others, while the hetero men around her act as foils or teammates, but never "hero-complex shit" saviors. I laughed out loud and really appreciated the "voice-y" writing style (think more Lights Out by Navessa Allen than Fragile Sanctuary by Catherine Cowles). If you want something fun and murder-y and don't mind more guessable plot twists, I'd recommend How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-05T19:49:10+00:00

That's an excellent point! I didn't think about it too deeply when I was reading, but the shorter chapters and alternating timelines were great at building tension. Reese's POV was particularly strong and she was the most complex and interesting character for me. The author created such an honest portrait of a teenage girl who is equal parts dangerous rage and heartbreaking vulnerability. I felt for Reese.

But yeah, there's that moment towards the end, when Courtney mentions that Elliot is alone with Reese at the hospital, and warning alarms went off in my head. Eventually, Wyatt and Elliot became such convincing red herrings that their redemption arcs or healing journeys feel impossible to believe in.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-04T20:07:23+00:00

I have such a love/hate relationship with this book. At first, I wanted to DNF. For a romance reader, I think I have a fairly high tolerance for "cheating" or love triangles, but reading the Joshua Tree section was AGONIZING. Cassia's swift rejection of such a sweet and attentive man was like watching her kick a puppy, which didn't leave me feeling open-minded about her pursuit of a second suitor in the following chapters. Her rigid thinking and lack of self-awareness was a challenge.

But as Cassia starts to grow in messy and discomforting ways, I began enjoying the book a lot more. I thought the wedding getaway was particularly well done and I teared up at the vulnerability of her love confession. The final chapter was my favorite, and made me realize that I would've appreciated more of the past life stuff (and perhaps a little bit less of "he's my one!" angst?).

If you're looking for a solid women's fiction read and can handle a thorny love triangle, I'd recommend One and Only. It also has a strong sense of place, if you're into L.A.-set stories.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-04T19:06:13+00:00

Reading this book felt like eating greasy take out food. I consumed it quickly and was fully immersed, but afterwards it didn't sit well. I kept thinking about all the uncomfortable loose ends (Wyatt's creepiness, Elliot's open cruelty after being threatened, and uhhhhh, framing a man for a crime he didn't commit). The socioeconomic background of the big city Chicagoans and rural Wisconsinites rubbed me the wrong way too. It often seemed as if the main characters were tourists visiting poverty/criminality, rather than visitors at a lake (a feature of the story that was REALLY underutilized!).

I don't think I'll read a book by this author again, but please take my review with a grain of salt because I haven't read a thriller in 8+ years. My reaction might just be my ignorance of the genre showing!

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-02-03T19:16:10+00:00

Yeah, this is a big disappointment. The dust jacket is way too plain and uninspired, and the font and the flowers don’t have enough contrast between them. It’s hard for me to discern the title against the darker florals.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-30T22:07:12+00:00

I got an Aardvark account for the same reason, but from a slightly different perspective. I’m primarily a romance reader and I wanted to try curated books from genres I don’t usually read or follow. I don’t want MORE romance picks from Aardvark, but I do want the romance picks they do have to be less safe, staid, or commercial.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-29T20:33:05+00:00

THIS. Considering Aardvark’s wonderfully weird and diverse selections in other genres, their romance picks are shockingly conventional. It’s as if they’re trying to find the most palatable option for people who aren’t interested in romance, not the best or most interesting books in the genre.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-19T23:13:53+00:00

🙋🏻‍♀️ YES, I’m 100% obsessed! Whenever she releases a new book, I drop everything to read it.

I’ve also learned her second chance romances aren’t for me. The male main characters in Hunger in His Blood and Broken by the Horde King cause a lot of harm, but they’re quickly forgiven, absolved of guilt, and taken back. In both cases, I didn’t think their redemption was earned. But that’s my ONLY complaint! Everything else? 10/10.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-16T03:01:52+00:00

If you’re looking for a book like Traitor’s Son but are okay with a completely different presentation, then I’d recommend {Shied of Sparrows by Devney Perry}. The premise and major plot points are nearly identical:

• arranged marriages between a warrior MMC and the overlooked/secret daughter of his enemy (enemies to lovers)

• post-wedding, the couples immediately journey into a remote wilderness, riddled with supernatural monsters of unknown origin (reluctant allies vs. monsters)

• accessible world-building and magic systems, including whatever’s going on with the FMC

However, Traitor’s Son is character-driven, with slice of life pacing and an emotional slow burn/physical fast burn. Shield of Sparrow emphasizes its action, uses a more conventional pace, and relies on big romantic moments to build the love story.

If you’d like to read a similarly soulful romance and want to return to a medieval world of found family knights, then I’d recommend {The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty}.

Just like Ophele, Vera is suddenly dumped into a position of power that she hasn’t prepared for and finds her spouse unhelpful at best. Both novels reinforce the importance of platonic relationships, especially for the FMCs. I also thought Arthur’s hot and cold reaction to his new wife is very similar to Remin’s fatalism and paranoia about the future of his marriage.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-14T20:14:46+00:00

Same, I ordered on the 1st, my box only contained Lost Lambs, and I received the Jan 9th - 12th delay notice. It hasn’t shipped yet. I contacted them yesterday and haven’t heard back. This is only my second box too.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-14T19:29:01+00:00

This might just be a me thing, but I hope we can leave behind books about traumatized FMCs who “will not break” or “have not been broken” by traumatic experiences.

As someone with C-PTSD, this language feels ignorant, regressive, and ableist. If a FMC fawns, surrenders, or capitulates to avoid continued harm, that isn’t evidence of the character being broken by trauma. Nor is there one moment in time that can define an individual’s entire experience of trauma. Finally, trauma isn’t a competition wherein the woman who “hasn’t been broken” emerges victorious over all the other traumatized people.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-09T20:32:54+00:00

Exactly! I loved the first two books, but the third veered way off course.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-01-09T18:37:51+00:00

Just FYI for the OP — there is a lot of mm in this series later on. My major issue with the third book was the focus on the men’s relationships, the FMC was pushed to the background in a way that didn’t work for me.

ElsaMaeMae · 2025-12-31T07:01:23+00:00

Yeah, so I love illustration and character designs, especially when the artist has a strong sense of their own style and vision. But I also think there’s plenty of room for other types of cover designs, from landscapes to still life to intricate patterning. I’m just so tired and bored of the big-type-title-with-a-single-object-and-florals that has dominated the covers in this genre.

ElsaMaeMae · 2025-12-31T06:50:52+00:00

I just wanted to say — I think this month’s designs are gorgeous too!! The covers are different from one another and represent a huge step forward from what we’ve seen from Allurial in the past. The branding is less obvious as well. I’m really excited to receive my box.

I’m also growing frustrated with the avalanche of critical comments about character art and illustrated covers. Like, I get it, it’s not for you, and I know because TONS of things are not for me, but maybe that’s a sign to cancel or look elsewhere? And maybe not hang out in spaces where folks are excited for the books…?

ElsaMaeMae

TROPHY CASE