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Hot, Hungry, and Haunting: Reviewing Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I am coming to you, yet again, writing a review instead of sleeping. I can either read a book in a month or in a day; there is no in-between. I am not sure if I have ever said this before but I am a fan of American Gothic/Southern Gothic literature. It is a very underrated genre, in my personal opinion. When I found Summer Sons while browsing Amazon, I quickly saved it to my list. Now that I have finished the book, it’s time to get spooky (yet again) and talk about it.

Andrew’s life is turned upside down by the apparent suicide of his closest friend, Eddie. Having known each other since childhood, Andrew thought he knew everything about him. That is until Eddie left him abruptly to attend graduate school. Now, Andrew must sift through the remains of his dearest friend’s life, only to discover a horrifying phantom that latches onto him. Desperate to be free of this curse, Andrew recruits Eddie’s enigmatic friends to help him discover the truth behind his death and lay him to rest once and for all.

If you are looking for a book that is part Southern Gothic horror with a touch of dark academia, then look no further than Summer Sons. Maybe I am a bit biased towards this novel because it reminds me of the early seasons of Supernatural (which Mandelo lovingly references), but I loved the way that Mandelo captures the atmosphere and aesthetic that is so crucial to crafting a Southern Gothic novel. Some people may find the attention to detail to be a bit too much, but I enjoyed how visceral this particular version of a haunting was in the novel. What I particularly liked was the way that Mandelo blends together the human elements with interesting drama and the inherent tension of a lurking supernatural threat. I personally would recommend this book if you are looking for a fresh take on the Southern Gothic genre with the welcome addition of LGBTQ+ representation.

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Intimacy is About Truth: Reviewing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. This review is a bit of a departure for me as this book is typically within my favorite genre, but sometimes you just need to embrace the impulse. Many of you are probably aware that this book has become a darling on BookTok so I will now offer my review of it. Let’s get into The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Monique Grant is stuck. Between her stagnant writing career and divorce, she is looking for something pull her out of her slump. Out of the blue, she is approached by the glamorous and enigmatic Evelyn Hugo to write her biography. Together, the two women explore Evelyn’s complicated love life and storied career in Hollywood. It becomes clear to Monique that her and Evelyn’s stories are tied in ways she couldn’t imagine and that this woman will change her life forever.

This was a suprising novel to me for many reasons. First of all, I was expecting something rather explicing and scandalous. Reid, however, takes an honest and emotional look at the complicated lives of celebrities. Evelyn Hugo is a fascinating character to study who is as multi-faceted as a gem. While Monique is mostly in the background, she does bridge the gap between the Golden Age of Hollywood and the world of modern fame. Most importantly, this novel has wonderful LGBTQ+ representation as it explores the complicated lives of those forced to hide their love from the public eye. I was truly captivated by this book. In my opinion, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo defies expectations, which is essential to the overall theme of the book.

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Our Kingdom, Our Throne: Reviewing Neon Gods by Katee Robert

Hello everyone! It is allergy season, which means I won’t be able to breathe properly for the next couple of days. That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good book (and a spicy one at that). Before I even begin this review, I want to give a heads up that this is a very adult book. If you are under the age of 18, please keep scrolling. I won’t be going into graphic detail, but this book does indeed have rather graphic detail. Now that my PSA is done, let’s get a little spicy and a little mythical with Neon Gods.

Persephone Dimitrou has always been the good girl, Demeter’s obedient daughter. She has always done her best to keep out of the spotlight in the turbulent high society of Olympus. She is thrust into the spotlight when Zeus, the most powerful and dangerous man in Olympus, proposes to her out of nowhere. Fearing for her safety, she flees across the River Styx and right into the arms of Hades, who isn’t supposed to even exist. Wanting to escape her life in Olympus, Persephone and Hades strike a deal with each other to get revenge on Zeus. Soon, the two begin to fall for each other and realize that there is nothing they won’t do to be together, even if it means destroying Olympus itself.

If you are looking for a faithful retelling of the myth of Persephone and Hades, then this might not be the novel for you. Katee Robert does take some creative liberties with Greek mythology in general and, while it initially deterred me a bit, I quickly realized that I actually liked the restructuring that Robert does. Most importantly, I really liked the way that she portrayed Hades and Persephone. I liked the way that their relationship developed into love and trust. It was genuinely sweet. This genuine relationship, plus the spicy love scenes, made them a fantastic couple. I also appreciated that they had healthy communication, which you don’t get much of in adult romance books. If you are looking for something dark, sexy, and rather sweet, (and you are an adult) then definitely read Neon Gods.

Side note: Katee Robert just released the second book in this series that is a retelling of Eros and Psyche. I was initially iffy about the premise but I think I will be giving it a shot now.