Bee Casey (Author of What If?)

Bee Casey rated a book liked it You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Now that Natalie Sue has released her sophomore novel, I can finally confirm the vibes I got from her debut are more than a fluke — Sue makes books that are just so very strange, but also completely mundane and that makes for something unbelievably w ...more
14 hours, 27 min ago · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book liked it (Mostly) Human Resources (Entity Case Files, #1) by Grace Viall (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
One of my favourite hyper specific story types is “supernatural but with boring paperwork” — so of course when I saw this, combined with whatever eldritch madness is going on with the cover, this was a must-read for me. This book had everything — slo ...more
15 hours, 55 min ago · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book really liked it The Dark in Her Veins by M.K. Lobb (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In a world where sins leave a very real mark on your soul, the rich and powerful can outsource their sins and leave the fatal consequences to those less fortunate. We find our narrator, Talin, immediately in the middle of murder, throwing us into a d ...more
Jul 17, 2026 05:16AM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was ok Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1) by Jasmine Mas (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This was ballsy. But I have to say, the marketing needs a fix because it’s not the book I thought I was getting. A unique premise where the dieties of Ancient Greece survive into modern day, a second coming titan uprising destroys the world, and a yo ...more
Jul 15, 2026 04:34PM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Okay, ever since I was a little girl first trying to read up on mythology, I’ve wanted Justice for Ariadne — and finally I’ve got it. This is a truly beautiful reclamation of the bloody, brutal events in Crete that shifts the focus away from Theseus ...more
Jul 14, 2026 12:41AM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A dark, poisonous reimagining of Snow White from someone who has clearly read the source material and knows just how unsetting fairytales really are. This is magical, tense and compelling — set in a gothic, twisted world full of spells, potions and p ...more
Jul 12, 2026 06:31AM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing We Could Be Rats by Emily R. Austin (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I’m just gonna come out and say it — does Emily Austin lace the pages of her books with nicotine or something? Because I am addicted to her writing. Once again proving that she is firmly one of the voices of this generation, she’s created another tal ...more
Jul 12, 2026 06:27AM · 1 like · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing The End Crowns All by Bea Fitzgerald	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Jul 10, 2026 10:22AM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book liked it Circe by Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Okay so I’m rereading this as I DNF’d back in 2018. I still LOVED the new write on Circe’s story, how it wove existing mythology with a creative new story to give backstory, to build up her character and draw out the stories women have seen between t ...more
Jul 09, 2026 08:57AM · like · see review
Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
After hearing so much about this book, I was so pleasantly surprised how much I adored it. A lot of reviewers warned you needed an in-depth knowledge of Dante’s inferno, of hades and other mythological iterations of hell, and as someone who is well-v ...more
Jul 09, 2026 08:53AM · like · see review

Bee Casey rated a book liked it

You’ll Love It Here
by Natalie Sue (Goodreads Author)

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Now that Natalie Sue has released her sophomore novel, I can finally confirm the vibes I got from her debut are more than a fluke — Sue makes books that are just so very strange, but also completely mundane and that makes for something unbelievably w ...more

Bee Casey rated a book liked it

(Mostly) Human Resources (Entity Case Files, #1)
by Grace Viall (Goodreads Author)

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One of my favourite hyper specific story types is “supernatural but with boring paperwork” — so of course when I saw this, combined with whatever eldritch madness is going on with the cover, this was a must-read for me.

This book had everything — slo ...more

Bee Casey rated a book really liked it

The Dark in Her Veins
by M.K. Lobb (Goodreads Author)

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In a world where sins leave a very real mark on your soul, the rich and powerful can outsource their sins and leave the fatal consequences to those less fortunate.

We find our narrator, Talin, immediately in the middle of murder, throwing us into a d In a world where sins leave a very real mark on your soul, the rich and powerful can outsource their sins and leave the fatal consequences to those less fortunate.

We find our narrator, Talin, immediately in the middle of murder, throwing us into a dark, gritty fantasy world run by the preaching of a prophet, whose word has seeped into every hidden corner of the country as they desperately cling to his speeches in hopes of avoiding damnation. I adored the small details that made the setting so engrossing, so beautiful, rich and gothic but imposing and unsettling — a mixture of opulence and decay.

Talin leads us through with first person, dual timeline narration, and from the start she paints a complex, murky picture. Someone complicit in the regime, but silently criticising the corruption, the authoritarian state and how they force a singular worldview. The world is governed by a tyrant, who enforces religious control, decides what resources and power people can access, assumes complete authority over the way people look, act and even think — one full of fear and division, with dazzling underground speakeasies, hidden criminal activity and of course, dissenters. The world is so rich, especially for a standalone, but isn’t weighed down by pages upon pages of description or exposition, weaving it into the slow but always moving story as Talin finds herself behind enemy lines as a double agent, losing her grip on her sense of right and wrong.

For most of the book, I couldn’t really tell which side Talin was following inside — which both was great, because it gave that doubt and tension but also made me feel a bit lacklustre as I didn’t feel that commitment to either side of her mission between the two sides of the Regiment and the Diabolists. I honestly wanted more of her, more adventure through this world of cults and maybe a little less time processing trauma through BDSM (not to say I didn’t enjoy those parts)

It’s a mixture of gothic horror, dark dystopia and a dash of a banned, power struggle romance with a man who “looks like the physical manifestation of a bad decision” that starts with a knife fight in an illegal bar and results in some very, very darkly delicious spice if that’s your cup of tea. It ended rather abruptly, but with a wonderfully chaotic crescendo — one that if there’s a follow up, will definitely have me reading on. ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was ok

Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)
by Jasmine Mas (Goodreads Author)

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This was ballsy. But I have to say, the marketing needs a fix because it’s not the book I thought I was getting. A unique premise where the dieties of Ancient Greece survive into modern day, a second coming titan uprising destroys the world, and a yo This was ballsy. But I have to say, the marketing needs a fix because it’s not the book I thought I was getting. A unique premise where the dieties of Ancient Greece survive into modern day, a second coming titan uprising destroys the world, and a young girl finds herself walking in the footsteps of heroes to complete her own epic quest in an academy that makes their own Gods, with futuristic, sci-fi style twists. The world building was super interesting, had a lot of potential and a creative flair that I appreciated but that’s where it ended for me.

I just couldn’t enjoy it. It read like a YA, but had a dark romance theme (not much spicy content but heavily implied) which just didn’t gel for me — it’s like adding softcore BDSM to the hunger games, it just felt so out of place. If this leaned more in one direction or another, I think I’d have genuinely liked it.

I didn’t like the main character, Alexis, which I can usually move beyond because good characters don’t have to be likeable, but not liking her meant not having any stakes or care about the entire plot. She just felt like the generic chosen one for me and lacked any real personality for me to connect to. All of the potential love interests didn’t have any personality beyond being scary and protective, but if you’re into the whole reverse harem/who did this to you (says that line verbatim) then you might like them. And I do, just with a bit of substance please.

There’s a part of me that finds making a dark romance novel from mythology that is still very much practiced religion a bit odd — like absolutely retell the story however you want, mythology from any religion is absolutely able to be retold and interpreted, regardless of the religion but it felt a bit strange in this context.

If you’re into the slow burn possessive, stalkery romance tropes, you might still very much enjoy this but I just couldn’t get past the fact that Alexis read like a kid in the context. I might try the second one to see if it evens out and develops but I haven’t decided yet. ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing

Ariadne
by Jennifer Saint (Goodreads Author)

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Okay, ever since I was a little girl first trying to read up on mythology, I’ve wanted Justice for Ariadne — and finally I’ve got it. This is a truly beautiful reclamation of the bloody, brutal events in Crete that shifts the focus away from Theseus ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing

Hemlock & Silver
by T. Kingfisher

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A dark, poisonous reimagining of Snow White from someone who has clearly read the source material and knows just how unsetting fairytales really are.

This is magical, tense and compelling — set in a gothic, twisted world full of spells, potions and p ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing

We Could Be Rats
by Emily R. Austin (Goodreads Author)

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I’m just gonna come out and say it — does Emily Austin lace the pages of her books with nicotine or something? Because I am addicted to her writing.

Once again proving that she is firmly one of the voices of this generation, she’s created another tal ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing

The End Crowns All
by Bea Fitzgerald

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

“Every woman in this city might as well carry a part of that curse in her: that we will always have to fight to be believed, to matter, to be heard. And maybe, together, we’re getting a little louder.”

This was STUNNING. A sapphic, woman-led reimagin “Every woman in this city might as well carry a part of that curse in her: that we will always have to fight to be believed, to matter, to be heard. And maybe, together, we’re getting a little louder.”

This was STUNNING. A sapphic, woman-led reimagining of Cassandra and Helen during the war and fall of Troy. Two women both hated for different reasons, both who had their stories told for them, both much more than men could understand.

I adored Cassandra, even when I didn’t like her. I loved that Fitzgerald allowed her time to grow, wasn’t afraid for her to be a spoiled, entitled princess at the start, the pride of Troy, one who doesn’t mean to break a deal with a God but does anyway. Then our other narrator, Helen, jumps in after we’ve learned about Troy — again I adored this incarnation of her, one sick of being a prize, really capturing the complexity of her life in Troy, the mixture of imprisonment and love, wanting to leave but also knowing she has been given away by a goddess of love.

Their relationship is a tense, excellent crafted one: I can see why Cassandra begins hating Helen, not because of her, but what she represents, and their rivalry is ever so slightly schoolyard but still works, becoming more playful, more intense, a friendship forming through a wonderfully creative common ground. They understand each other, they learn, they work together to try and get Cassandra’s cursed prophecies heard

Every scene felt like a memory, with beautifully crafted setting that felt ancient and sweeping, but without spending pages describing each tower and rampart, managing to use modern storytelling but maintain the atmosphere and feeling. There were a few choice phrases that felt entirely out of place given the setting, but easily forgiven. It captured the isolation of being trapped within the walls while war rages outside, keeping an excellent pace, focusing on the chaos between Cassandra and Apollo, the visions, and the internal madness within Troy to keep the story moving and let us peer within the walls while the war continues, veering off into a brand new land, a brand new story full of false prophets, godly bargains and secrets all wrapped up with a beautiful romance subplot.

“The end crowns all, Cassandra. We won’t know until it’s over. Either way, we keep fighting, and we dream and we hope.” ...more

Bee Casey rated a book liked it

Circe
by Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)

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Okay so I’m rereading this as I DNF’d back in 2018.

I still LOVED the new write on Circe’s story, how it wove existing mythology with a creative new story to give backstory, to build up her character and draw out the stories women have seen between t ...more

Bee Casey rated a book it was amazing

Katabasis
by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author)

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

After hearing so much about this book, I was so pleasantly surprised how much I adored it. A lot of reviewers warned you needed an in-depth knowledge of Dante’s inferno, of hades and other mythological iterations of hell, and as someone who is well-v ...more

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	What If? 4.33 avg rating — 30 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Healing in (Re)Verse - Poems About Not Dying Yet 4.69 avg rating — 13 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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