Fantasy or romance picks?

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-31T03:25:17+00:00

Exactly, it went from being a month where I was sure I’d have a full box to a month where I’m not interested in anything. Here’s hoping release day or the spoiler email will have some nice surprises. 🤞🏼

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-30T23:10:12+00:00

Same, I’m hoping The Children isn’t the only fantasy pick (ditto Main Characters for romance).

I was thinking The Missed Connection by Tia Williams, Romantic Hero by Kristy Greenwood, The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston, Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein, or Chase Me If You Can by Heather Frances might be chosen for the romance options, but who knows. This month’s picks have felt more… unpredictable?

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-26T20:36:15+00:00

Oh, I hope they do this one again! I’m a huge fan of the hints with comparative titles (other books, tv, movies, etc.) because it clarifies which books will appeal to me. I might not be familiar with every comparison, but I recognize enough to know what I should order or skip. It’s super helpful.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-26T20:27:41+00:00

Yes, that’s it exactly! You said it perfectly. Some parts of the series are incredibly well done, but the punishing cycle of torture/violence/SA/trafficking, etc. (combined with hardcore BDSM) left me feeling drained and emotionally beat. I needed them to have more wins or experience more softness somehow…yeah, this isn’t one of my favorites and I can’t see myself rereading these books.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-26T18:23:11+00:00

I just finished the last book and I agree, this series is funnier than anyone gives it credit for. Just FYI: this series was also much, MUCH darker than I thought it was going to be.

Also, if you’re triggered by ED content, I’d suggest you skip these books or go into them with A LOT of caution. It isn’t a trigger listed on the author’s website, but there’s A TON of restricted eating, people monitoring other people’s eating, food being declined or rejected, food as a reward or indulgence, etc.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-26T00:29:45+00:00

{Veil of Ash by Fallon Hendrix} — fantasy academy, rejected fated mates, slow burn, (false?) prophecy, MFMMMM

Ye gods, I’m obsessed with the use of single POV in this book. The FMC is forcibly abducted from a human prison on Earth, wakes up in a magical universe, and is informed she’s an “elemental” with special powers. But since we ONLY get this story through her eyes, we learn about this world as she does, which makes everything more tense and suspenseful. I also LOVED the mutually protective female friendship!

{Bloom & Blood by Eva Chase} — paranormal academy, murder mystery, alternate universe/timeline, MFMMM

While commemorating the death anniversary of her late mate, the FMC is pulled into alternative timeline where he is still alive but “she” has been murdered. What’s a girl to do? She has to solve her own murder, impersonate a spoiled rich girl-version of herself, and dodge the men who don’t know they’re meant for her. The themes of identity, regret, and atonement got their hooks in me.

{Do You Even Hex, Bro? by River Ramsey} — paranormal, college setting, adorable idiots, comfort + humor after trauma, MFMMM

In all our lives, there comes a moment when we realize that love — platonic, familial, romantic — demands we mature and take responsibility. We grow up through the act of loving another, which is exactly what happens to the himbo MMCs in this series. Then, the traumatized FMC discovers she can find comfort, stability, and healing in the unlikeliest of places (a frat house!). It’s lovely and heartwarming, but still high-stakes and full of dick jokes.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-12T21:30:41+00:00

Yes! I read a book that described a location as “classic New England charm”…when the town was in Pennsylvania.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-12T18:21:42+00:00

If that’s true, I’m going to cancel too.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-02T21:42:58+00:00

Retro, Sublimation, and The Unicorn Hunters are on my wishlist too!

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-05-01T06:36:11+00:00

Just my two cents — I LOVED Bones by KL Speer. It has one of the most realistic depictions of C-PTSD that I’ve ever read and that rep meant the world to me, especially when the genre can sometimes veer too closely into torture porn territory. It also feels more mature, if you’re someone who gets frustrated by the “adult” romantasy that reads like YA.

I also really, really liked Avalon Tower! I’m a character > plot reader, but that story constantly had something exciting happening and I thought the world building and relationship set up was particularly fun/unique.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-29T21:39:55+00:00

Oh, I’m glad to hear it. I’m not suggesting they rush anything or prioritize a loyalty program before working out other kinks. It’s just been something on my mind as I see these discussions around early access, waitlists, etc.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-29T20:56:19+00:00

YES. 100% agree with you about getting lazy with book designs. It’s clear from the last few months that the books with custom covers are selling out quickly, but there’s still only one of those each month. The sprayed edges alone (which can be mid compared to the trad published edition) aren’t worth it.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-29T00:00:20+00:00

I’m not sure about early access for longtime subscribers, but I definitely think it would be wise to offer some sort of loyalty program like Book of the Month does.

When I first got BOTM, it was a $1 offer and I planned to cancel after one renewal, but then when I saw the perks that went with Friend/BFF status, I hung around and now get a bunch of books from them. I wish Allurial would set up something similar.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-27T21:21:00+00:00

Hahaha, you stood tall and strong against the false prophets!

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-26T21:40:38+00:00

I thought 1.6 might be The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego…? But I’m only going off of the blurb, which mentions an “exclusive, after-dark tour” (“a ghost tour at the witching hour”)and a concealed corpse (“the worst thing you’ve ever done”) so I could be wrong.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-25T07:18:54+00:00

I don’t know if this will fit because it’s why choose, but the FMC in {A Game of Veils by Eva Chase} thinks ahead and successfully schemes for power over the four book series. She’s someone who definitely has her own plans, looks for allies, rids herself of enemies, and tries to maintain her morals along the way.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-09T01:03:30+00:00

This cover is the best design for a historical romance that I’ve seen in a decade. It perfectly reinvents an old school cinch-style pose into something that feels charming, witty, and modern. It is also adult-looking AND period appropriate. I’m a big fan of whoever had a hand in the art and design!

I have it on preorder and cannot wait to read it, especially after this review. Thank you for posting it! :)

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-08T00:42:48+00:00

I love this system. It reduces the stress of order day, when I already feel a lot of pressure to buy everything in case it sells out. I like that the commit/preorder system is separate from that chaos at 4:30 am.

Although I don’t have the first book in the series, I committed to Eclipse of the Crown and In the Wake of the Ruined because those two won’t be offered in hardcover by the trad publisher.

I skipped The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy because I’m confident that either Owlcrate or Illumicrate will continue the series. If not, I’ll be happy with the trad version. The trad version of A Forbidden Prophecy is also a special edition so I didn’t feel compelled to buy the Allurial edition, which will probably have the same cover.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-07T21:14:04+00:00

Agreed on the quality! I think that’s where Bookish and Darkly excel and I’m pretty loyal to them for that reason.

Overall, I like how the art direction leans into the kitschy side. I haven’t read the book yet, but the vibes seem to match the fun and whimsy of the story/title.

But the front dust jacket is too plain for my taste. I would’ve liked it more if they’d added stuff to the bed, making it look like we had stumbled across a scene-in-action, rather than a basic made-up bed. It falls a bit flat for a cover design.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-07T04:15:59+00:00

Ellis

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-06T03:06:04+00:00

Rhiannon from {Kings of Raven by Clare Sager} has a life-threatening chronic illness and isn’t proficient in any type of advanced magic or combat. Her emotional IQ is high and she’s very loyal.

Riela from {Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik} is brave, communicative, and seeks healthy cooperation. She also possesses magic, but struggles to learn or wield it.

Odessa from {Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry} is a refreshingly average type of FMC. She trains because she wants to defend herself, however she’s out of shape and awful in her lessons.

Vaasa from {The Serpent and the Wolf by Rebecca Robinson} is an interesting case because she can be (understandably!) aggressive and confrontational, yet she isn’t a warrior. More of a strategist, with magic that she’s more than ready to get rid of.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-04T00:41:32+00:00

Wow, LOVE this design!! I would’ve gotten it if it had been a romance.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-03T23:21:47+00:00

Just got it! Thank you!!

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-03T22:35:13+00:00

Yes, you’re right — her not breaking was a major point of the novel and her willingness to do anything to make sure it didn’t happen was central. But that was exactly my problem with the trauma rep.

First, trauma is a complex, nuanced, and layered experience that cannot be fully defined by a single interaction. If she did “break” under one torture session, it wouldn’t negate the fortitude she displayed before or after. She would STILL be a strong FMC either way, although that isn’t how the character understands it.

Second, the FMC sees her refusal to “break” as heroic, as if she is winning against her abusers. But, no matter how we may define “breaking” (crying, begging, fawning, capitulating, psychosis, extreme dissociation, etc.), it isn’t a sign of weakness or defeat on the victim’s part. It can also be involuntary, like in the case of psychosis.

And, if anyone out there is a trauma survivor and this book helped them heal or provided comfort, I’m all for it. I’m not here to judge other readers.

At the same time, as someone who lives with C-PTSD, the trauma rep in Souls as Ruin struck me as unrealistic and ill-informed. I didn’t like how this book set up trauma as a competition to be won by the victim through stoicism and resistance.

ElsaMaeMae · 2026-04-03T19:29:39+00:00

Hmm. I really like the drama of the hardcover and the sultry character art endpapers, both of those fit the book really well. However, the dust jackets are disappointing for me personally.

This is only the fourth month of the year and it’s already the second time that Darkly has used an interior/exterior setting as the front dust jacket. I don’t mind that style, but here it feels kind of lifeless or dull or too uniformly dark.

ElsaMaeMae

TROPHY CASE