• All Reviews,  Literature

    ARC Review: In the Roses of Pieria

    20 August, 2023

    Fans of lesbian vampires should look no further than Anna Burke’s next book. Think dark romantic fantasy, lesbian vampires, murderous fey, and you’ll have some idea of the content of the book. This alone should be enough to convince you to read it, no? But if it’s not, here’s a review that hopefully will!

    So, do yourself a favour and preorder this one!

    When Clara Eden is offered a job as an archivist working for eccentric estate owner Agatha Montague, she thinks her prayers have been answered. Soon, she finds herself sucked into her research world, captivated by a romantic correspondence thousands of years old. But as her feelings for her employer’s assistant, Fiadh, deepen, so does her suspicion that something about Agatha Montague isn’t right. Unfortunately for Clara, it is far too late to run by the time her suspicions are confirmed..

    In the Roses of Pieria

    Anna Burke

    Goodreads

    Rep: lesbian mc & li, sapphic side characters
    CWs: gore
    Release: 22nd August 2023

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  • All Reviews,  Literature

    ARC Review: Sea Wolf

    22 July, 2021

    If you haven’t read any books by Anna Burke, I’m going to need you to turn around and leave this site to go rectify that immediately. Anna Burke writes exclusively lesbian books, and they are, honestly, the best. Today I’m reviewing her upcoming release (which is the sequel to Compass Rose, so there will be some, vague spoilers!), out on 27th July, and one you won’t want to miss.

    In the year 2514, the only thing more dangerous than the seas is those who sail them.

    Life aboard the mercenary ship Man o’ War is rarely dull as hurricanes, swarms of jellyfish, and man-eating squid pose daily doses of danger. As intrigue and subterfuge from enemies old and new begin to surround its captain, the infamous Miranda Stillwater, even an uncanny sense of direction won’t be enough to help Compass Rose navigate these dangerous straits. As dark secrets bubble to the surface and everything she’s fought so hard for begins to crumble, Rose learns the hard way that she’ll have to rely on the only person who can save her from certain disaster. Unfortunately, that person is Compass Rose herself.

    This swashbuckling 26th-century adventure novel is smart, colorful and quirky, yet it manages to deliver a healthy dose of heart, humor, and humility on every single page.

    Sea Wolf

    Anna Burke

    Goodreads

    Rep: lesbian mc & li, lesbian side characters
    CWs: gore, violence, amputation
    Release: 27th July 2021

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  • All Reviews,  Literature

    ARC Review: Night Tide

    24 January, 2021
    49245102

    Tides change, but some feelings can’t be washed away.

    Lillian Lee doesn’t believe in love at first sight. Hate is a different story—and one she is intimately familiar with. Luckily, she hasn’t seen her arch-nemesis, Ivy Holden, since graduating from veterinary school five years ago. Since then, while her life isn’t going exactly according to plan, she’s happy. She has great friends, a job she loves, and the best pets in the world. Most importantly, her life is stable.

    Seal Cove, Maine, is the last place Ivy Holden anticipated ending up. But when an unexpected medical condition forces her to relocate to be closer to family, she can’t turn down the opportunity. Her new job at Seal Cove Veterinary Clinic has everything she needs: flexibility, proximity to her family’s summer home, and the chance to do the work she loves. Unfortunately, it also has Lillian Lee.

    Thrown back into each other’s orbits, Lillian and Ivy must find a way to work together, despite the treacherous emotions threatening to drown them both.

    Night Tide

    Anna Burke

    Published: 26th January 2021
    Goodreads
    Rep: bi mc, bi mc with MS, lesbian & bi side characters
    CWs: internalised ableism

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  • All Reviews,  Literature

    ARC Review: Spindrift

    19 August, 2020
    49245102

    Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it.

    Morgan Donovan had everything she ever wanted: a dream job as a large animal veterinarian, awesome friends, and a loving and supportive fiancée. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancée dumps her after realizing that Morgan’s job will always come first. And, while Morgan still has the job and friends, her heart is broken into a million tiny pieces.

    Emilia Russo is a burned-out shelter vet. When the unexpected death of her father triggers a mental breakdown that hastens the end of her relationship, she retreats to his house in Seal Cove, Maine. She plans on spending the summer renovating it while she figures out how to pull the pieces of her life back together. But when she runs into Morgan at the dock where her father’s sailboat is moored, her plans for a quiet summer of healing and reflection sink like a stone—the attraction is immediate and obvious, and Emilia finds herself slipping seamlessly into Morgan’s world.

    Each woman knows this fling will end when Emilia returns to Boston at the end of the summer, but they’re unprepared for the intensity and depth of their attraction. And, as the gales of fall begin to drive leaves like spindrift upon Seal Cove, Morgan and Emilia must each come to terms with how much they’re willing to give up to stay together.

    Spindrift

    Anna Burke

    Published: 25th August 2020
    Goodreads
    Rep: lesbian mc with depression, lesbian mc, bi and lesbian side characters
    CWs: past suicidal depression, death of a parent (off page), mentions of animal euthanasia

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  • All Reviews,  Literature

    ARC Review: Nottingham

    14 January, 2020
    45990075._sy475_

    Robyn Hood didn’t set out to rob the rich, but in Nottingham, nothing ever goes according to plan….

    After a fateful hunting accident sends her on the run from the law, Robyn finds herself deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest. All she really wants to do is provide for her family and stay out of trouble, but when the Sheriff of Nottingham levies the largest tax in the history of England, she’s forced to take matters into her own hands. Relying on the help of her band of merry women and the Sheriff’s intriguing—and off limits—daughter, Marian, Robyn must find a way to pull off the biggest heist Sherwood has ever seen.

    With both heart and freedom at stake, just how much will she risk to ensure the safety of the ones she loves?

    Nottingham

    Anna Burke

    Published: 21st January 2020
    Goodreads
    Rep: lesbian mcs, lesbian & bi side characters, trans side character
    CWs: self-harm, mentions of gendered violence/rape, homophobia & internalised homophobia

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  • Interviews

    Author Interview: Anna Burke

    4 January, 2020

    We have for you a very sapphic treat today! We talked with Anna Burke and if you’re still somehow not familiar with her name, you should know she only ever writes F/F books and they’re magical. And her next book, Nottingham, is out on 21st January, so look out for that!

    You can also follow Anna on twitter.

    Enjoy!

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  • All Reviews,  Literature

    Book Review: Thorn

    11 February, 2019
    43294395

    On a cold day deep in the heart of winter, Rowan’s father returns from an ill-fated hunting trip bearing a single, white rose. The rose is followed by the Huntress, a figure out of legend. Tall, cruel, and achingly beautiful, she brings Rowan back with her to a mountain fastness populated solely by the creatures of the hunt. Rowan, who once scorned the villagers for their superstitions, now finds herself at the heart of a curse with roots as deep as the mountains, ruled by an old magic that is as insidious as the touch of the winter rose. Torn between her family loyalties, her guilty relief at escaping her betrothal to the charming but arrogant Avery Lockland, and her complicated feelings for the Huntress, Rowan must find a way to break the curse before it destroys everything she loves. There is only one problem―if she can find a way to lift the curse, she will have to return to the life she left behind. And the only thing more unbearable than endless winter is facing a lifetime of springs without the Huntress.

    Thorn

    Anna Burke

    Rating: 4/5 🌈
    Published: 29th January 2019
    Goodreads
    Rep: wlw mcs

    “You,” she said, as if she had only just realized who I was. “Rowan.” Her eyes dropped to the dress, then back to my face. “Rowan,” she said again, like it was the only word she knew.

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