Faun Over Me

Camp Cryptid #1

by B.L. Brown

Alternate cover edition of ASIN: B0D13L33S7

Avery Payne has one goal in this to pursue a Masters of Music at Carnegie Mellon. Years of training and no small amount of talent have led her to her goal, and admission should be a piece of cake. Except, Carnegie is an integrated campus, and Avery has lived a sheltered, human-only life.

To gain the experience she needs, Avery takes a job as the Assistant Director of Elkwater Music Camp—the only human and inhuman band camp in the nation. She has sixteen weeks between her and her Carnegie dream. Sixteen weeks at a band camp in the Monongahela National Forest...sixteen weeks to have her world turned upside down by a curly-haired faun.

~

Ever since the faun fell from the fae world to this one, Cricket has begged her family to move among the humans and into a permanent home. When property sales force them from the woods, Cricket vows to bring back her cousin, the only faun to have integrated with the broader human world, and convince the family to do just that.

But a monster lurks in the Monongahela National Forest, chasing her over ridgelines and into the heart of Elkwater Music Camp. Her cousin is gone, the roads are closed, and the red-headed Assistant Director can't seem to leave her alone.

When the monster begins threatening Elkwater Music Camp, Cricket and Avery band together, discovering the truth behind the land grabs in Green Bank and an undeniable attraction to each other.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Monster Romance, Queer, Paranormal

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2024

About the author

B.L. Brown is a writer of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy. She loves a good slow burn but recognizes that sometimes two characters collide with explosive chemistry that must be acknowledged. And boy, is it fun to read.

Random musings appear on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.

There's also a newsletter that releases new material with less frequency than George R. R. Martin.

https://brittawritesthings.com/contact/

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️

Fox fur. That was the only thing Cricket could focus on, and it was driving her insane. Fox fur and a pale blue morning sky.

A lovely sapphic romance that was ruined by a mediocre plot.
I hate when that happens, when a read could be awesome, but they have to spoil it with a shitty plot line.

Touch me, feel more, pull me to you. Let me know you want this as badly as I do.

A cranky faun and an insecure human getting to know each other through tender moments and passion.

“Please, sweet girl, say I can taste you.”

The spice was fire, all touching and teasing, moans and please, sensitive ears and sexy women. This was a sexy romance, and I would’ve been very happy had it been just that.

She was the assistant director, for goodness’ sake. What was she doing messing around with a … a monster.

The family drama was boring, the mystery predictable. The misogynistic/homophobic father, the hate for the ‘inhumans’, the closeted Christian good girl — it was all so overdone.
If not for the plot, this would’ve been a cute sapphic monster love story, and I’m kinda sad I couldn’t love it more.

But there was only this room, only this bed. Only this faun. Only Cricket.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Human vs faun
- Themes of speciesism/bigotry
- Themes of misogyny
- Homophobia
- Violence

[Lady Olenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I am pleasantly surprised reading Faun Over Me. I had the notion based on the cover that it would be sort of “mild” in a way that it’s PG13, Disney Channel Hannah Montana light. I mean, I don’t think it’s super hardcore or anything like that but the mystery in the story was quite sinister, racist, classist and very far right wing. And I love it!

It was a little bit difficult to grasp the non-humans in the book because they weren’t introduced officially. The rest of the characters were mentioned in passing, a little description of what they are and that’s that. A closer look on their kind would be nice.

[Delynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I ever read the words "oak and ivy" again it will be too soon.

I had my hopes up for this one, but it didn't end up resonating with me. The world felt fairly story-rich in the early chapters, and the characters had a decent amount of intrigue... but as the book went on, it became clear that it was lacking depth.

The characters mostly fell flat pretty quickly, although Avery had somewhat of an arc at least. I think the most disappointing part of this book was how quickly it became repetitive. The dialogue dragged on, restating the same information over and over, and whatever was interesting about the plot was over-explained to the point of babying the reader. Half of the book felt like a rehash of itself.

Despite this, there was enough here to hold my interest and I never got to the point of putting it down - except maybe out of frustration with "oak and ivy." I'm sure there's an audience for this out there somewhere, but it wasn't me.

[Robert Pierson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s odd how many times they keep becoming the first person to review a book on Goodreads and I feel kind of bad because I just thought this book was mediocre it’s not horribly written but it’s not greatly written if you’re interested in the monster Romance wave it’s going around you might like this one I didn’t think the writing was bad but I definitely wasn’t well either I did like how the sex scenes were not overly graphic and seem to be more realistic compared to some other books I have read though The writing definitely could use some work if you like monster and human sapphic romances you might like this though to be honest there’s better ones out there this is the first one in the series and I’m not really sure if I’ll read the rest to be honest I really struggle to get through this the plot isn’t bad but it’s some thing I’ve read 100 times before too.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was unique and kept me engaged the whole time! Avery and Cricket both struggled with their own issues but overcame them together. I appreciate how Brown wove real-life problems into this world, including struggles with prejudice, oppression, and religious trauma - which I did not expect going into this. The plot, pacing, and writing were well done.

[monsterinthepages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faun Over Me
RELEASE DATE: 3rd June 2024

━━ † ━━

⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot intensity: 📚📚📚📚
🔥 burn: 🔥🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬🍬🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵🩵🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣🤣🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸🩸
👤 POV: 3rd person — Dual POV

━━ † ━━

‘Faun Over Me’ really had a bit of everything to it! Some cute, wholesome sapphic monster romance, some nostalgic 90’s summer camp vibes, religious & family trauma, some smouldering spice and then, to top it off, some genuine horror elements that were evident JUST enough to give you a tingle down your spine!

Cricket & Avery were so LOVEABLE! I love them so much and I want to protect them both from anyone who might say otherwise haha Cricket is so authentic in her own skin; instinctual, witty, kind, grumpy but genuinely the SWEETEST. And Avery grows so MUCH within the pages of this story into a woman who feels comfortable in her own skin and embraces who she really is, aside from the projections her family have forced upon her her entire life; she’s so kind, gentle, hesitant but “sinfully” unashamed in the feelings she wears on her sleeve. They were fantastic characters apart, and seemed to only make each other complete when together. A beautiful romance that I thoroughly adored reading.

The plot and writing was wonderful and never felt like it was stalling, but set a great pace and kept at it with the constant underlying anticipation of the slow burn romance as well as the hauntingly creepy “horror” monster element just outside of the periphery. (I saw “horror”, because it’s not a horror book, but the vibes do remind me of those typical 80’s and 90’s slasher horror movies, but minus the slasher and add in a monster haha they are FANTASTIC vibes for this story too!)

And lastly, the SPICE. Wow, was it SMOULDERING! The romance itself was a bit of a slow burn but YEAH, it made up for it ten fold! The scenes weren’t too full on or graphic, but were written so well that they certainly built you up right along side the characters with the HEAT. I loved them. Full stop. Just hot, hot, HOT!! (And also the detail about Cricket’s anatomy & ears being a MAJOR erogenous zone and actually USING them for lots of foreplay??? *chefs kiss*)

So, if you’re looking for a cozy book to snuggle up with that has; a slow burn reluctant friends to lovers romance, some sapphic monsters, queer representation, 90’s nostalgia, witty banter, religious & family trauma, healing, smouldering spice and enough haunting thrills to keep you guessing, then I would highly recommend ‘Faun Over Me’! 5/5 stars!!!

━━ † ━━

❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so sweet. It's a sweet sapphic, kinda cozy, kinda scary summer camp adventure!

I wasn't sure how I initially felt about Avery, but I grew to love her. She was sweet and trying hard to be better than her father taught her. I really appreciated her journey, and I just wanted to hug her and Cricket so close! Cricket was my favorite, and she is just so stinking adorable!! She gave me all the good feelings. I especially loved how she would call Avery Aves and Sweet Girl ♥ I love sweet nicknames.

The story itself was nice, I loved the mystery and danger and it had me eager to keep reading. I don't always love the miscommunication trope, but in this case, I felt like it was done well. I was so frustrated on behalf of Cricket! I was like yelling at my Kindle, "LISTEN YALL!" Broke my heart a little at the end, but it all worked out. Avery's little glow-up made me so happy. It was like seeing a friend finally find themselves.

This was a great read, and I was so happy to get an ARC of it to read and review

[Courtney Lanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars. And it's all vibes. I can't say enough how much I loved this book.

I took one look at the cover while exploring the debut of a new bookstore in town and immediately snatched it up.

A monster sapphic summer camp romance? Sign me up.

Cricket and Avery have such good chemistry. And oh lordy, when the intimate scenes get going, B.L. Brown proves she can pen some steamy moments.

But the mystery of the faun, the magical worldbuilding, and the intense pacing of everything coming together in the last 100 pages kept me hooked.

This book made me so happy, and I can't wait to explore more of Brown's works.

[Anna Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this while I was sick and needed something cute and not too complicated and in that regard this book delivered.
But I didn't really get why the two MCs were so enamored with each other because their interactions weren't really... nice? The plot was entirely predictable and I think I would've preferred a story without Christian guilt. This sounds like the entire book is horrible and I want to make clear that that's not the case. I liked Brown's writing style and the story had its moments. It IS a cute story! I think I was just not exactly the right person to read it.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 – sapphic, fantasy, monster (faun). A surprisingly enjoyable faun romance—something I didn’t know I needed before. The world and creature elements were great, but the story goes darker than expected, touching on some typical right-wing shit with homophobia, racism/classism, and religious trauma. The conflict resolved a bit too neatly, and I wanted more couple time toward the end, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book.

It was sweet monster romance. Modern world mixed with supernatural one. I admired Avery’s strength and bravery that despite her upbringing she evolve into new wonderful version of herself and also Cricket’s determination to save her family despite nobody believed in her. I liked this story a lot. Definitely worth reading.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads)]

DNF pg. 84

This isn’t working for me. While I can appreciate a character who is trying to break away from her family and their Christian religion, I am not enjoying reading about it. Avery’s prejudices are all there and it's being directed towards children, which is a no for me. I don’t really like what I have seen of Avery and Cricket was just fine. She isn’t interesting enough for me to continue reading.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

really cute story! it took me a bit to get into, but once i was it was so engaging! i loved how avery and cricket’s relationship developed and the fantastical elements of the plot were intriguing while also dealing with a lot of real-world issues.

[Quinn]

DNF page 20

Woupss, Didn't realize one of the main characters is dealing/battling with her Christian upbringing in a world full of 'inhumans'. No thanks!

[Diana Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stars: 4
FMC(s): Avery, Cricket
Tropes: Chaotic Disaster Faun, Anyone else remember payphones?, Appalachian Lore, reluctant friends-to-lovers, 90s vibes, softball jokes, unassuming assistant camp director, HEA
> Reviewer add: Evangelical church nonsense, coming out story
Perspective: Third, Dual
Plot or character driven: Both
Spicy scenes breakdown:
> Present? Yes
> Detailed? Yes
> With only one character? Yes
> Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes
> Personal favorite? Their last scene.
> State of the joystick? None. Cricket is the faun, and she has multiple nipples.
> Anything else to note?
Burn speed: Slow
Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes, this is a start of a new series.
Re-Readability: High
Monster level: 2, for Avery as a Faun.
Content Notes: (These are neither tropes nor warnings.) Sapphic Monster Romance,
Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Front of Book. Also, presence of w* mythos.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.

“But at this moment, one of her grandmother’s most frequent lessons screamed across her mind: If you see something in the woods, no, you didn’t.”

Avery gets a job at Camp Cryptid as a music director and she has never been around cryptids before. There’s a learning curve. That curve is shaped like Cricket, the injured Faun that she ends up helping as they find out about who is taking up land around the camp and why.

This was cute and cozy, with a bit of a mystery and some suspense around what’s going on in the woods around Camp Cryptid. Cricket and Avery are really cute together, and it only amps up as Avery gets more comfortable in her skin and learns more so she can be better for her kids.

The only thing I didn’t like is the presence of w*, even the minimal way in which they show up, though I do appreciate that there was a heavy emphasis on don’t say the name.

I’m looking forward to more of this series from this author and more from this author in general.

[Angie]

Received this as an e-ARC directly from the author in exchange for an honest review. This was not for me. I felt like there were a lot of inconsistencies with stuff over even a few pages and I didn’t have any investment with the characters. Writing overall wasn’t bad. The plot could have arced better but it was interesting. I would be interested in future books by this author but this one just didn’t click for me.

[Taylor (Meepisreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received ARC in exchange for voluntary and honest review!

I liked this! The description of faun anatomy is really cool, and Cricket and Avery are so sweet! There is quite a lot of emotional conflict in this story, so I had to take a lot of breaks. I would enjoy more sweet moments, but what was there was nice <3

[Lindsey Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of the cozy summer camp vibes, but there was a creepy undertone not knowing what was after them.
I liked the characters overall, they both had issues that they worked together to over come. I thought they had good chemistry.
The book also tackled more complex themes than I was excepting. It helped the world feel more realistic to me. I loved the backdrop of the camp, but I wish we got to see a little more of the day to day activities.
If you are looking for a quick read with a good balance of spice and plot. Look no further.

[Terpretor · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐

This book was so sweet with the caveat that it dealt with so many unjust and discriminatory situations. The author handled these so well and I enjoyed her writing. So much so that I signed up for the ARC release of the next book in this series!

I enjoyed Avery and Cricket both separately and together as characters. They were so real (despite the fact that faun aren’t actually real ofc). The internal struggles that Avery went through align so much with what I know about religious trauma. And yet she kept believing in herself to overcome everything she learned growing up.

I definitely recommend this book!

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: As someone who grew up fundie and personally knows how challenging but necessary and rewarding it is to unlearn prejudice and bias from childhood I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. The author nails the feeling of shame/apprehension/guilt/desire to be better NOW that is all tangled up, especially when you're first trying to figure out your own core values. "Avery wondered what it was like to be so carefree when surrounded by so many mons—no. Inhumans. Back home, in Harrisburg, it wasn’t exactly rare to see them, but just as Director Murray said, she had grown up in an affluent area, surrounded by people who looked, spoke, and existed like her: human, white, and Christian. Elkwater Music Camp was the furthest from home Avery had ever been, not in terms of distance but in lifestyle and culture. Messiah wasn’t an integrated campus, and whenever she traveled to Philly or New York with her family, they were ushered from their car to the hotel, paraded about like a Christian Right Von Trapp Family, and ushered out of sight. The most diversity Avery had ever experienced was from playing softball as a teenager. Even then, the team was entirely human, as were those of the other private schools they played against. Sure, she had seen inhumans. She wasn’t a flower in the attic or anything weird like that. It was just that people like her didn’t associate with inhumans like them … until now. “I want to be here,” she said. “I want this job, I want to teach these kids, but I—” “There’s those buts again,” Director Murray smiled. “The campers have only been here for two weeks, and you did great during onboarding with the counselors and staff. Take it each day at a time, pick a different kid in each class, and give them some special attention. Learn how the unique qualities they each bring can help them excel in music, and you’ll have done your job.” Avery exhaled, blowing a stream of air at a curling wisp of her hair. “Okay.” “And maybe sit with the other counselors at dinner?” Director Murray added. Avery straightened, a tendon in her neck pinching. “It hasn’t gone unnoticed …” “They don’t want to sit with me.” “Says who?” “I—no one.” She dropped back in her chair, arms crossed. “But—” “No more buts, Avery, Jesus.” Avery flinched, and Director Murray dropped her head back, groaning. “Ugh, sorry. Look.” she rose and stepped around the desk, cuffing Avery on the shoulder with a loose fist. “I know this is a lot, and I respect how you addressed this in your interview, but don’t give up after two weeks. A lot of these kids and counselors have grown up in this camp. I marched at OSU with Nurse Almaden, and your roommate has been a counselor here for as long as I can remember. We’ve got you at a disadvantage, but it’s not one you can’t overcome. You’re here, and you’re coming to me when you need to talk it through. Keep doing that, and next summer this’ll be as common as a chord progression in C.”

This is such a wonderful scene and sets up Avery as a character beautifully. Having Cricket as Avery's not quite enemy but not friend either and having both of them learn and adjust to each other gradually was a delight for me and that journey was kick your heels in the air and squeal levels of sapphic joy. The blend of real world issues, politics, beliefs, and capitalistic greed set to a slightly fantastic backdrop was sheer perfection. 5/5 Stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[This · Rating 4 out of 5]

2.5 chili peppers 🌶️ on the spice scale.
Genre: monster romance
POV:Duel
Ending: HEA

Tropes:
Miscommunication
Friends to Lovers
90s vibes
HEA

Content warnings:
Religious Trauma
Injury (on page)
Misogyny
Anti-LGBTQ+ family member

Review:
This is described as a reluctant friend to lovers Sapphic romance, set in a summer camp in the Appalachian mountains. Cricket and Avery seem to have an instant attraction physically but spend the first half of the book emotionally charged and assuming each one hates the other until the monster stalking the camp brings them together in a steamy moment while hiding.

once they get together and start trying to pool their knowledge to save the camp their relationship is very sweet, but no one ever seems on the same page, so I feel this is more miscommunication than a reluctant friends to lover's trope. Avery is working through a lot of religious trauma while stubborn Cricket is learning to embrace the outside world and branch out from her very close-knit and cautious faun family.

I liked the mystery and feel of everything connecting and falling into place by the ending. The book starts a little slow, spending a lot of time setting up the dominos to bring Cricket and Avery together but really gets going at about the halfway point. I had a few issues with repetitive wording. Crickets cousin Bramble was simply referred to repeatedly as "my cousin" while they are off page so much, I struggled to remember their name until they were finally there as a present character.

The Appalachian lore isn't as in-depth as I expected, but there were some definite themes there with type of inhuman (monster species) characters and thoughts about growing up in the woods. "If you heard something, no, you didn't)

In total, it was a very sweet Sapphic romance.


My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.

Thank you to the author for my copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.

[Matilde · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOTE: I received this book as an ARC.

Rating: 2.5/5

I want to preface my review by saying that I have read all of B.L. Brown’s published books so far and have loved all of them… except this one. Which isn’t to say that this book is terrible. It just really wasn’t for me. There are a few glaring issues with this text, but mostly, I think that I just had a hard time connecting with the main characters, which made it difficult to immerse myself in the book. I found the main plot of the novel to be interesting, albeit predictable, and I really like the concept of a summer camp for magical creatures. I truly wish I had liked this book more.

My biggest gripe with this novel, and this is a common complaint I have for a lot of fantasy books in general, is when white fantasy authors co-opt real topics and issues of racial discrimination for their non-human/non-BIPOC characters without acknowledging real-life racial discrimination and racism. In this book in particular, the universe is set on our Earth, and the ‘racial’ discrimination of monsters is a central theme of the novel, but the discrimination of real BIPOC humans is never brought up. Considering that topics of LGBTQ+ discrimination, issues of female bodily autonomy, and political corruption are also brought up in this novel I thought it seemed like a gross oversight to not in any way acknowledge racial discrimination and how that might play an intersecting role in this universe given that many of the monster characters are discriminated against. Perhaps this may seem like a petty criticism to some, but it was something that I personally had trouble ignoring while I was reading this book and it made it difficult for me to immerse myself in the story.

Overall, I think this book should have taken a little more time to flesh out the characters and world-building a bit more and to make the ‘mystery’ of the novel a little more mysterious but I truly didn’t hate the novel. I think the storyline and concept were interesting, and I hope that with future novels in this series that we get to see everything a little more fleshed out.

Spice rating: 3/5

Will I continue the series? Probably, I think the concept is really interesting, and I have hope for future books.

Would I read another book by this author? Yes, absolutely.

Would I read this book again? Probably not.

[The Delightful Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.

If you like a sapphic love story with a grumpy faun and a human trying to break away from her ingrained family's belief system, add bit of spice in a summer camp setting with deeper layers of social/political/racial injustice with a hint of spooky mystery then this is the book for you.

B.L. Brown has a talent for creating very distinct worlds/environments. You can tell through the writing that she knows the ins and outs of everything and paints a very detailed picture that the reader can visualize. I loved the camp setting—especially a music camp! My little band geek heart was so happy!

I appreciated the detailed trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. Sensitive readers (like myself) may find themselves needing to take breaks periodically throughout the read. Things get heavy at times so definitely heed those trigger warnings!!

I do think there were a few moments of being dropped into a scene and I wasn't 100% sure what was going on at first. However, I love the blend of human and nonhuman creatures. The non-acceptance of nonhuman creatures feels very much like the world of T.J. Klune's House in the Cerulean Sea. I feel like the character growth of the human characters is also very akin to that—learning how to accept someone who is different from yourself especially growing up in a non accepting environment. In some ways I related a lot to Avery in her struggles to fight against the thoughts and feelings that had been ingrained into her by her father (he is the worst. Like...the WORST). But I think many people who grew up in a similar environment (aka have religious trauma) will really resonate and feel for her.

Oak and Ivy, go read this book when it launches!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger or content warnings? Included in book.

Details?
FMCS name is Avery, she is 22 years old. FMCS name is Cricket, she is 20 years old? That’s guesstimating. She was 5 when they fell thru, and it’s been 15 years since that happened.
No OW. No OM.
Neither are virgins.

My thoughts?
I was unsure if this book was going to be for me, but I found the author did a realistic job of tackling the heavier themes in the book. Cricket and Avery are new adults, only 22 and 20 years old. They have so much to figure out in life, and both have thrown themselves into the deep end with the hope that they can swim. Avery is working at a camp that’s has human and inhuman kids. She’s grown up around very religious white people, and has not experienced the diversity of life. Her parents (you hear more about her Dad) would go on entire rants about inhuman children and adults. This prejudice was instilled in Avery, and while it was tough to read her perspective at times I found it to be painfully accurate. Change takes time. It takes effort. I really love Cricket. She’s spunky, and surprisingly grumpy for being a faun. She’s been trusting her gut instinct, and something is not right where she and her parents live in the forest. So she comes to the camp to get help from her older cousin and their wife. I think Avery experiencing creepy things in the forest helps Cricket’s case, and adds weight to her beliefs. It is not love at first sight for Avery and Cricket. They do experience lust for each other first, which I appreciated since they already had the chemistry of bickering. Emotions are high between the two of them, and while they hurt each other’s feelings, it’s on accident. The beauty of learning a new person. I found this achingly real, and I love that they fell in love and chose each other.

[Wandering Seal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is my first story by B.L. Brown - do they write horror? This story had an amazing hint of a horror romance to it, if they don't write horror I hope they consider doing so in the future.

I really enjoyed this. I knew as soon as I saw it it was something I wanted to read - a sapphic summer camp story? With monster campers?! And something that threatens from the woods?!? Oh and it critiques evangelicals?!?! I particularly enjoyed the bits of Appalachian folklore with the different creatures living in the forest. It's not something I know anything about and it's left me very curious.

It feels petty to drop part of a star for this, but there was one thing that bothered me in the text - everyone was way too casual about the monstrous thing in the woods. There was no checking on all the kids after an attack, even really reporting to each other that an attack had taken place . Each time I noticed this it pulled me a bit out of the story as I felt irritated by how Avery was behaving considering her job title. I couldn't work out if this indifference was an intentional call back to old school summer camp slasher movies or not. This didn't get in the way of my overall enjoyment of the story, but it did leave me side eyeing Avery a bit.

I'm glad Camp Cryptid will be a series, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next! I read an advance copy of this book, my thoughts are very much my own.

[Siddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avery is working at a music camp in the woods, in a remote location in the mountains. She is there to further her career in music, even though her conservative evangelical father doesn’t really agree. The camp is the only integrated one in the US, where humans and inhuman species coexist, and actively work together. Several years before, many of the inhuman species represented at the camp ‘fell through’ from their home world, ending up in the woods there. Most are publicly known about, but a few keep to themselves. A faun named Cricket fell through with her parents and others when she was very young. They have all led a sheltered life deep in the woods, with only the local humans knowing about them.
Avery and Cricket meet up, and eventually through adversity they become friends, and then something more.
I really enjoyed this story. It took me a while to really get into it, to suspend my disbelief, but once I was in the mindset, I really became invested in their story. It’s fun, thoughtful, and adventurous. I will try to read more by this author. I really want to read others in this series.
I did find the physical intimacy between them a bit difficult. I realise this is a fun book, a slightly steamy romance, where Cricket is anthropomorphised to act as a human but still with a fictional faun anatomy. I am overthinking this. I should just read and enjoy 😊

[Martez HB · Rating 5 out of 5]

In B.L. Brown's enchanting novel, "Fawn over Me," readers are whisked away into a world where modern-day reality intertwines with mythical beings fallen to Earth. At the heart of this sapphic paranormal romance are two captivating characters whose perspectives alternate throughout the narrative.

Avery, a privileged young woman, finds herself drawn into an unexpected adventure when she takes on a new job, driven by her aspirations for the future. On the other hand, Cricket, a fawn desperate to save her homeland, brings a touch of the fantastical to the tale. Though seemingly incompatible at first glance, the undeniable attraction between them forms the core of the story.

As Avery and Cricket navigate their burgeoning relationship amidst a backdrop of mystery, readers are treated to a delightful blend of sweetness and spice. Brown skillfully weaves together elements of romance, mythology, and intrigue, keeping the pages turning with each revelation.

Overall, "Fawn over Me" is a captivating read that leaves a lasting impression. With its engaging plot, well-drawn characters, and a perfect balance of romance and suspense, this novel is sure to enchant fans of paranormal romance. Brown's storytelling prowess shines brightly, making this a book that readers won't soon forget.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Avery takes the Assistant Director position at Elkwater Music Camp, her main goal is to become more comfortable around all the campers - human and inhuman - in a way that she's always wanted to, but couldn't because of her strict Christian upbringing (and particularly her very conservative father). She does not expect to find an injured faun (Cricket) in the woods and then start falling in love with the crotchety inhuman. But as a dangerous presence in the woods stalks them and threatens Cricket's family and the camp, they have to step up to protect what matters most - acceptance and love for everyone.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved the portrayal of Avery, in particular. Her courage and persistence in moving away from her upbringing were inspiring. Cricket showed equal courage and persistence in the fight for her family’s home, even when everything was against her. The lore was deep, the softball jokes were appreciated, and I loved the vibes of the camp as a whole.

Also, I did not have “sapphic faun smut” on my 2024 reading Bingo, but it was amazing! I’m a huge fan of the possibilities afforded by faun biology!

Very much looking forward to the rest of the books in this series!

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faun Over Me is a cute, steamy, sapphic summer romance- the perfect kickoff to pride month! Cricket is a faun just trying to get her family to LISTEN, and Avery is the timid assistant director of the music camp Cricket is looking to find. Straight out of a strict, Evangelical upbringing, Avery doesn't know how to approach the inhumans she's surrounded by, but she tries her best not to offend ayone, including the faun that has her heart racing. Cricket believes Avery to be stern, uptight, and prejudiced, but she quickly learns that first impressions aren't always correct. They stumble along, dodging shadows in the woods, and they just might find their hearts along the way.

The first time Cricket and Avery find themselves in a secluded spot and can't control themselves anymore? SO. GOOD. They're so sweet to each other, when they finally things out, but when they let themselves go? Full steam ahead! They had me fanning myself, and I was suddenly very glad I wasn't reading those scenes in a public space. 4/5 🌶

I really loved this book, highly recommend it. And yes, there is indeed a HEA!

*I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.*

[Niki N Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, I will say this is the first sapphic romance I have read so it was different than normal slightly but still the same basic thing where two people fall in love, you have the main female character who is a human who was raised very evangelically very much women kept their mouth shut, you don't get with women the inhumans were no no in general not even just in the romantic sense but they were a no no all the way around, and then you have this faun, grumpy thing that just wants to get out of the world that she's in it's such a small sheltered world away from everything else and she leaves home where she ends up chased by this monster when she's trying to get to a camp that her cousin and cousin significant other own, you will find out more about later on the book I can't say that it was love at first sight I mean they definitely seem to have some kind of connection flicking from the beginning by not like bam I love you type of thing, I think the interactions between them are cute there are definitely spicy moments, I will add the human female character has not spent time around inhumans in the past so when she went to work at the summer camp she's at she struggled a lot with how to handle things and she was very self-conscious about this.