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Wicked Flavors: A Horror Romance
She only wanted a doll.
He gave her a vicious appetite...
Cynical dollmaker Gwendolyn has only one goal in life: to customize dolls and stay employed so she can afford her hobby. But her carefully curated mask is starting to crack at work, something she can’t easily hide.
When the opportunity to work on the doll of her dreams arrives, Gwendolyn is determined to seize it no matter what. Something antique dealer, Ambrosius, is pleased to hear. After all, a kiss was worth the price of a doll… right?
Ambrosius is beautiful, bold, and everything she envies, but would never admit to. Yet, Gwendolyn can't stop the desire or overwhelming dread when he's around. There's something unnerving about the man. Something old that haunts Gwendolyn's dreams, all consuming... and deliciously demonic.
Wicked Flavors is a horror romance that asks the question: what happens when he makes her worse?
He gave her a vicious appetite...
Cynical dollmaker Gwendolyn has only one goal in life: to customize dolls and stay employed so she can afford her hobby. But her carefully curated mask is starting to crack at work, something she can’t easily hide.
When the opportunity to work on the doll of her dreams arrives, Gwendolyn is determined to seize it no matter what. Something antique dealer, Ambrosius, is pleased to hear. After all, a kiss was worth the price of a doll… right?
Ambrosius is beautiful, bold, and everything she envies, but would never admit to. Yet, Gwendolyn can't stop the desire or overwhelming dread when he's around. There's something unnerving about the man. Something old that haunts Gwendolyn's dreams, all consuming... and deliciously demonic.
Wicked Flavors is a horror romance that asks the question: what happens when he makes her worse?
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2025
14 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Azalea Crowley
14 books132 followersAzalea Crowley (she/they) writes for those who find beauty in the dark and unusual, where love thrives in the shadows. Her unique brand of horror romances combines the grotesque with the gorgeous—blood-soaked love stories that glimmer pink with a touch of gore. If you need a visual, imagine magical girls with chainsaws plowing the undead—fun, terrifying, and contradictory!
From the misty Pacific Northwest to realms filled with vampires, sirens, and shadowy monsters, Azalea Crowley creates darkly whimsical adventures where love blooms in unexpected and dangerous places. Weaving in Indigenous, Filipino, autism, disability, and LGBTQIA2S+ representation, their stories offer inclusive worlds.
For readers who crave both light and dark, Azalea Crowley invites you to embrace your inner misfit and discover that monsters can love—and keep their fangs.
Find her at https://www.azaleacrowley.com/ or sign up for her newsletter, where you can get bonus content.
From the misty Pacific Northwest to realms filled with vampires, sirens, and shadowy monsters, Azalea Crowley creates darkly whimsical adventures where love blooms in unexpected and dangerous places. Weaving in Indigenous, Filipino, autism, disability, and LGBTQIA2S+ representation, their stories offer inclusive worlds.
For readers who crave both light and dark, Azalea Crowley invites you to embrace your inner misfit and discover that monsters can love—and keep their fangs.
Find her at https://www.azaleacrowley.com/ or sign up for her newsletter, where you can get bonus content.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
April 12, 2025
MORE! PLEASE! I BEG! This was my first taste of a rather spicy horror romance & it was wicked! I was laughing & then sweating at the exchanges between these two perfectly depicted characters, I'm obsessed. I almost considered stopping before the end just so it wouldn't be over. Obviously that was impossible because I needed to devour all of this story. As my first read from this author, I can not wait to read every other thing she has written.
Thank You x10 for allowing me to be an arc.
Thank You x10 for allowing me to be an arc.
July 22, 2025
This was a wild ride full of unmasking and horror. Gwendolyn had spent years stuffing her feelings down and meeting Ambrosius forced her to confront many uncomfortable truths. I loved her whole sarcastic inner voice and seeing her stop filtering gradually. The chronic pain rep was on point—the hard thing about chronic pain is it doesn’t stop. Ambrosius was such a chaotic shit and I kinda loved him for it.
Spice: 4/5
Triggers: violence, gore, body horror, horror, cult, human sacrifice, cannibalism-ish, zombie, murder, estranged family, racism, sexual harassment, slut shaming, ableism, discussion of colonialism, dismemberment, loss of pet (past), police, religious persecution (implied), stalking, workplace harassment, anxiety, body dysmorphia, eye trauma, disordered eating, imprisonment, isolation, illness, hysteria, home invasion, dubcon, starvation, vore, loss of autonomy, creepy dolls, somnophilia
Spice: 4/5
Triggers: violence, gore, body horror, horror, cult, human sacrifice, cannibalism-ish, zombie, murder, estranged family, racism, sexual harassment, slut shaming, ableism, discussion of colonialism, dismemberment, loss of pet (past), police, religious persecution (implied), stalking, workplace harassment, anxiety, body dysmorphia, eye trauma, disordered eating, imprisonment, isolation, illness, hysteria, home invasion, dubcon, starvation, vore, loss of autonomy, creepy dolls, somnophilia
May 6, 2025
WICKED FLAVORS by Azalea Crowley
Gwendolyn, a cynical dollmaker, lives for her craft and nothing else—until charming antique dealer Ambrosius tempts her with the doll of her dreams in exchange for a kiss. Drawn to him yet deeply unsettled, she soon senses something eerie and inhuman lurking beneath his allure—something dark, ancient, and impossible to resist.
I went into Wicked Flavors not quite sure what to expect—Azalea has a reputation for straddling genres and subverting tropes, and this novel is no exception. What I found was a compelling, razor-sharp horror romance that balances gore, spice, and emotional complexity with surprising grace.
Gwen is, allegedly, an unlikable protagonist. I personally found her incredibly relatable, though that may say more about me than I’d like to admit. There’s something refreshing about a main character who is not here to win your affection, but to live (and unravel) on her own terms. Her voice is sharp, her worldview disillusioned but honest, and her arc, less about redemption than self-ownership, was one of the most satisfying I’ve read in a long while. She’s neurodivergent, older than your typical romance heroine, and gloriously uninterested in sanding down her edges to make herself more palatable. It was genuinely cathartic to see her lean into her hunger (literal and figurative).
Ambrosius, our demon, is less love interest and more forbidden offering. He isn’t some cold, distant entity—he’s magnetic, unsettlingly charismatic, and so vividly present it’s impossible to ignore him. His detachment from human norms makes him the perfect foil to Gwen’s awakening, not because he grounds her, but because he frees her. If you’re looking for a romance where love softens and redeems, this isn’t it. Ambrosius doesn’t change Gwen. He encourages her to change herself. As the synopsis promises, he makes her worse.
The horror elements are vivid, occasionally stomach-turning, but never gratuitous. The gore is balanced by well-developed emotional pacing and some truly electric chemistry. The spicy content is decidedly not for the faint of heart. Azalea doesn't shy away from taboo, and the blend of the erotic and the grotesque is one of the book’s most distinctive features. I cannot stress enough: read the trigger warnings. This book doesn’t flinch.
Structurally, the story unfolds at an engaging pace, and while the last fifth of the novel veers suddenly into more expansive territory, introducing new antagonists and larger mythos, it didn’t derail the experience for me. In retrospect, the groundwork is there; it just comes together rather quickly. That said, I’m intrigued to see where the series goes from here.
Azalea’s world-building is rich without being overwhelming. The Antiquarium and its lore, the hierarchies of demons, the metaphysical implications of the contracts—all of it feels mythic yet grounded, as though these things could exist just around the corner from our own reality. It’s that blend of the uncanny and the familiar that makes Azalea’s writing so memorable.
Above all, Wicked Flavors is a story about transformation. It’s about what happens when a woman stops trying to be good, stops trying to be normal, and allows herself to want more—even if what she wants is monstrous. And in that, there’s something strangely empowering.
I’ll be thinking about Gwen and Ambrosius for a long time. Here’s hoping we see more of them in future books.
**I was granted an eARC as a member of Azalea Crowley's Street Team. All opinions are my own**
@librisinetenebris
Gwendolyn, a cynical dollmaker, lives for her craft and nothing else—until charming antique dealer Ambrosius tempts her with the doll of her dreams in exchange for a kiss. Drawn to him yet deeply unsettled, she soon senses something eerie and inhuman lurking beneath his allure—something dark, ancient, and impossible to resist.
I went into Wicked Flavors not quite sure what to expect—Azalea has a reputation for straddling genres and subverting tropes, and this novel is no exception. What I found was a compelling, razor-sharp horror romance that balances gore, spice, and emotional complexity with surprising grace.
Gwen is, allegedly, an unlikable protagonist. I personally found her incredibly relatable, though that may say more about me than I’d like to admit. There’s something refreshing about a main character who is not here to win your affection, but to live (and unravel) on her own terms. Her voice is sharp, her worldview disillusioned but honest, and her arc, less about redemption than self-ownership, was one of the most satisfying I’ve read in a long while. She’s neurodivergent, older than your typical romance heroine, and gloriously uninterested in sanding down her edges to make herself more palatable. It was genuinely cathartic to see her lean into her hunger (literal and figurative).
Ambrosius, our demon, is less love interest and more forbidden offering. He isn’t some cold, distant entity—he’s magnetic, unsettlingly charismatic, and so vividly present it’s impossible to ignore him. His detachment from human norms makes him the perfect foil to Gwen’s awakening, not because he grounds her, but because he frees her. If you’re looking for a romance where love softens and redeems, this isn’t it. Ambrosius doesn’t change Gwen. He encourages her to change herself. As the synopsis promises, he makes her worse.
The horror elements are vivid, occasionally stomach-turning, but never gratuitous. The gore is balanced by well-developed emotional pacing and some truly electric chemistry. The spicy content is decidedly not for the faint of heart. Azalea doesn't shy away from taboo, and the blend of the erotic and the grotesque is one of the book’s most distinctive features. I cannot stress enough: read the trigger warnings. This book doesn’t flinch.
Structurally, the story unfolds at an engaging pace, and while the last fifth of the novel veers suddenly into more expansive territory, introducing new antagonists and larger mythos, it didn’t derail the experience for me. In retrospect, the groundwork is there; it just comes together rather quickly. That said, I’m intrigued to see where the series goes from here.
Azalea’s world-building is rich without being overwhelming. The Antiquarium and its lore, the hierarchies of demons, the metaphysical implications of the contracts—all of it feels mythic yet grounded, as though these things could exist just around the corner from our own reality. It’s that blend of the uncanny and the familiar that makes Azalea’s writing so memorable.
Above all, Wicked Flavors is a story about transformation. It’s about what happens when a woman stops trying to be good, stops trying to be normal, and allows herself to want more—even if what she wants is monstrous. And in that, there’s something strangely empowering.
I’ll be thinking about Gwen and Ambrosius for a long time. Here’s hoping we see more of them in future books.
**I was granted an eARC as a member of Azalea Crowley's Street Team. All opinions are my own**
@librisinetenebris
July 30, 2025
I freaking loved this! The writing was so atmospheric and creative. Amazing mix of horror elements and romance that made this creepy but not dark in the usual use of horror in my opinion.
Delving into the parallels of masking in order to conform. Reading and mirroring emotions to those arounds us in order to move through the day to day of life and the literal demon who is forced to physically be tied to the cursed shop and a human shell selling useless things on a never ending loop.
The horror built up in such a way that you are on the edge waiting for the next shoe to drop. The ending was appropriately gory and climatic. However the story was balanced with a lightness and vibrancy that made the whole story feel grounded and not overly heavy or oppressively dark.
I loved this and defiantly recommend if you are looking for a romance a little outside the box with a mix of horror thrown in for flavor! What a weird (in the best of ways) and cool read!
Delving into the parallels of masking in order to conform. Reading and mirroring emotions to those arounds us in order to move through the day to day of life and the literal demon who is forced to physically be tied to the cursed shop and a human shell selling useless things on a never ending loop.
The horror built up in such a way that you are on the edge waiting for the next shoe to drop. The ending was appropriately gory and climatic. However the story was balanced with a lightness and vibrancy that made the whole story feel grounded and not overly heavy or oppressively dark.
I loved this and defiantly recommend if you are looking for a romance a little outside the box with a mix of horror thrown in for flavor! What a weird (in the best of ways) and cool read!
May 1, 2025
A tantalizing and gory horror, romance that will have you questioning your sanity and exactly how far you're willing to go.
Disclaimer: I read this as an eARC from the author directly. The book releases May 8, 2025. All opinions on my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I wasn't really sure what I was going to get going into this novel because Azalea Crowley is so multidimensional when it comes to writing. But when I say that I loved this book from the first to the last page, I absolutely did.
The two main characters were absolutely my favorite part of all of this. Gwen was so relatable and interesting to me. While never expressly specified, Gwen clearly is Neuro spicy and portrays a very realistic representation of living with autism on a daily basis. I really enjoyed the day-to-day descriptions of how she manages her life and I really enjoyed her unique hobby of doll collecting. Interactions with her coworkers and those around her were some of my favorite parts of Gwen's characterization. Ambrosius was equally interesting. Clearly designed to be beautiful but deadly, he encompassed so many of our baser instincts and he was just absolutely haunting.
I really like the organic way the storyline unfolded and it really kept me on my toes for a lot of it. I absolutely did not see the climatic end coming at any point during the story. It was a surprise to me and I loved how it played out. It did not feel rushed or in any way unnatural to the plot line, even though it was completely hidden from me as I read.
There is an excellent mixture of Gore and spice in this horror romance. The spicy scenes were definitely descriptive interesting and very steamy. I felt like they were written really well and I enjoyed my time with those scenes. The Gore scenes were mixed in with the spice as well as detailed alone. And I feel like they were really well written and had great imagery.
I really like the induction of this new series in these new characters. I cannot wait for more stories along these lines from this author.
✍️: Azalea Crowley
📖: 395 pages
Genre: Horror Romance
Themes: embracing your differences, trying something new/self discovery
Gore: 🧟♂️ 🧟♂️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Rep: autism representation, Filipino main character
Disclaimer: I read this as an eARC from the author directly. The book releases May 8, 2025. All opinions on my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I wasn't really sure what I was going to get going into this novel because Azalea Crowley is so multidimensional when it comes to writing. But when I say that I loved this book from the first to the last page, I absolutely did.
The two main characters were absolutely my favorite part of all of this. Gwen was so relatable and interesting to me. While never expressly specified, Gwen clearly is Neuro spicy and portrays a very realistic representation of living with autism on a daily basis. I really enjoyed the day-to-day descriptions of how she manages her life and I really enjoyed her unique hobby of doll collecting. Interactions with her coworkers and those around her were some of my favorite parts of Gwen's characterization. Ambrosius was equally interesting. Clearly designed to be beautiful but deadly, he encompassed so many of our baser instincts and he was just absolutely haunting.
I really like the organic way the storyline unfolded and it really kept me on my toes for a lot of it. I absolutely did not see the climatic end coming at any point during the story. It was a surprise to me and I loved how it played out. It did not feel rushed or in any way unnatural to the plot line, even though it was completely hidden from me as I read.
There is an excellent mixture of Gore and spice in this horror romance. The spicy scenes were definitely descriptive interesting and very steamy. I felt like they were written really well and I enjoyed my time with those scenes. The Gore scenes were mixed in with the spice as well as detailed alone. And I feel like they were really well written and had great imagery.
I really like the induction of this new series in these new characters. I cannot wait for more stories along these lines from this author.
✍️: Azalea Crowley
📖: 395 pages
Genre: Horror Romance
Themes: embracing your differences, trying something new/self discovery
Gore: 🧟♂️ 🧟♂️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Rep: autism representation, Filipino main character
June 7, 2025
A wickedly delightful romance that will leave you screaming for more.
Gwendolyn, a hobby store cashier whose only joy is collecting and remaking dolls, begins to feel her work facade crumble as time goes on. It's getting harder and harder to pretend to be someone society says she should be, to remain easy and unassuming. But an opportunity of a lifetime soon presents itself, the chance to make over a highly coveted collectable doll - one that Gwendolyn will do anything to get her hands on.
And unfortunately, it's that little caveat - anything - that gets her into trouble. For you see, the person who sold her the doll (if you can call trading a single kiss for a doll selling something) is anything but a person. And as strange, supernatural occurrences begin to happen all around her, it becomes increasingly clear that Gwendolyn might have made a mistake. But despite the growing intensity of the haunting, she can't help but find herself attracted to the man who is the cause of all her problems.
What will happen if she gives in to what he wants?
This. Book. Was. Everything. First of all, let me just go ahead and say that Gwen is my spirit animal and from henceforth I shall give zero fucks like she does because this bitch is a QUEEN. I found myself in Gwen. Not 100% or to a T or anything, but I saw a lot of myself in her.
I think the biggest comparison is the way neither of us can stand stupid small talk with coworkers in break rooms. Seriously, what is it with break rooms making people think you want to talk to them and hear every little thing they have to say? I don't. (Especially since I'm usually nose first in a book and you're interrupting my reading time. Go away.) But I digress. Gwen is an intelligent, passionate, creative soul who has been constantly smashed down by those around her, shoved into a dull beige corporate box and told to behave. Watching her break free over the course of this novel was thrilling.
And don't even get me started on Daddy. I mean Daddy. I mean Daddy. I mean Ambrosius. Depraved, decadent, delicious Ambrosius. He's the kind of demon we all need in our lives. He's cruel, frightening, wicked, sinful, but most importantly, he's entranced by Gwen. I'd love to know more about his past because I suspect there is a story there and I want to know exactly how he came to be!
Their pairing is immaculate. If any couple has ever fed off each other and grown into more because of it, it's these two. He makes her the kind of monster she's always had the potential to be, she brings forth in him just a teeny tiny inkling of humanity. It's an incredible dynamic.
The banter, the graphic imagery, all A+. And don't even get me started on the spice. Holy hera this was one of the hottest, and most disturbing, paranormal romances I've ever read. I can't wait to see where the rest of the A Grim & Gorgeous Girl series goes.
Gwendolyn, a hobby store cashier whose only joy is collecting and remaking dolls, begins to feel her work facade crumble as time goes on. It's getting harder and harder to pretend to be someone society says she should be, to remain easy and unassuming. But an opportunity of a lifetime soon presents itself, the chance to make over a highly coveted collectable doll - one that Gwendolyn will do anything to get her hands on.
And unfortunately, it's that little caveat - anything - that gets her into trouble. For you see, the person who sold her the doll (if you can call trading a single kiss for a doll selling something) is anything but a person. And as strange, supernatural occurrences begin to happen all around her, it becomes increasingly clear that Gwendolyn might have made a mistake. But despite the growing intensity of the haunting, she can't help but find herself attracted to the man who is the cause of all her problems.
What will happen if she gives in to what he wants?
This. Book. Was. Everything. First of all, let me just go ahead and say that Gwen is my spirit animal and from henceforth I shall give zero fucks like she does because this bitch is a QUEEN. I found myself in Gwen. Not 100% or to a T or anything, but I saw a lot of myself in her.
I think the biggest comparison is the way neither of us can stand stupid small talk with coworkers in break rooms. Seriously, what is it with break rooms making people think you want to talk to them and hear every little thing they have to say? I don't. (Especially since I'm usually nose first in a book and you're interrupting my reading time. Go away.) But I digress. Gwen is an intelligent, passionate, creative soul who has been constantly smashed down by those around her, shoved into a dull beige corporate box and told to behave. Watching her break free over the course of this novel was thrilling.
And don't even get me started on Daddy. I mean Daddy. I mean Daddy. I mean Ambrosius. Depraved, decadent, delicious Ambrosius. He's the kind of demon we all need in our lives. He's cruel, frightening, wicked, sinful, but most importantly, he's entranced by Gwen. I'd love to know more about his past because I suspect there is a story there and I want to know exactly how he came to be!
Their pairing is immaculate. If any couple has ever fed off each other and grown into more because of it, it's these two. He makes her the kind of monster she's always had the potential to be, she brings forth in him just a teeny tiny inkling of humanity. It's an incredible dynamic.
The banter, the graphic imagery, all A+. And don't even get me started on the spice. Holy hera this was one of the hottest, and most disturbing, paranormal romances I've ever read. I can't wait to see where the rest of the A Grim & Gorgeous Girl series goes.
May 8, 2025
4.5 rounded up
subgenres: pink horror, bubblegum horror
- haunting as a love language
- deal with the devil but it‘s a tad twisted, k?
- creepy doll, the spiders are chill
- unmasking autism, but in a demonic kinda way
- she had nightmares, then she decided to become the nightmare
This book has quickly become one of my all time favourites and Gwen is easily my favourite protagonist.
Azalea Crowley has once again surprised me with their unique take on common horror and horromance tropes, creating a whole new experience. I had a lot of fun seeing Gwendolyn go through so much change after getting the creepy doll, and to have the doll represent (& influence) the process of her unmasking.
I did not see the plot twist coming, but I acknowledge that it has been foreshadowed. It was just such a great twist, and when I thought that Gwen had reached her maximum potential, Crowley surprised me yet again with a legendary ending.
Her writing flowed really well and the narration style suited Gwen as an (undiagnosed) autistic protagonist, as well as Ambrosius as this mysterious entity with an ulterior motive, without giving anything away too soon.
I adore Ambrosius and Gwen, they’re relatable protagonists who have both suffered their fair share of humans, especially the colonial aspects, being multiracial.
Crowley doesn’t shy away from this usually silenced part of history and weaves it seamlessly into her characters’ identities and plot.
I could relate a lot to Gwendolyn muting her creative and aesthetic expression to fit in, to not attract unwanted, negative attention, to cover up what could be perceived as “weird” about herself.
What if he made her worse?
This question is what lead me to read this book and I definitely have 💅not💅 been disappointed by the answer.
Throughout the later parts of the book I felt a little bit of envy toward Gwen, because she had, among other things, conjured the confidence to speak her mind and no longer care about the reaction. She ended up thriving and even inspired me to be more expressive myself (minus the bloodshed part).
Content Warnings are available on the author‘s website.
subgenres: pink horror, bubblegum horror
- haunting as a love language
- deal with the devil but it‘s a tad twisted, k?
- creepy doll, the spiders are chill
- unmasking autism, but in a demonic kinda way
- she had nightmares, then she decided to become the nightmare
This book has quickly become one of my all time favourites and Gwen is easily my favourite protagonist.
Azalea Crowley has once again surprised me with their unique take on common horror and horromance tropes, creating a whole new experience. I had a lot of fun seeing Gwendolyn go through so much change after getting the creepy doll, and to have the doll represent (& influence) the process of her unmasking.
I did not see the plot twist coming, but I acknowledge that it has been foreshadowed. It was just such a great twist, and when I thought that Gwen had reached her maximum potential, Crowley surprised me yet again with a legendary ending.
Her writing flowed really well and the narration style suited Gwen as an (undiagnosed) autistic protagonist, as well as Ambrosius as this mysterious entity with an ulterior motive, without giving anything away too soon.
I adore Ambrosius and Gwen, they’re relatable protagonists who have both suffered their fair share of humans, especially the colonial aspects, being multiracial.
Crowley doesn’t shy away from this usually silenced part of history and weaves it seamlessly into her characters’ identities and plot.
I could relate a lot to Gwendolyn muting her creative and aesthetic expression to fit in, to not attract unwanted, negative attention, to cover up what could be perceived as “weird” about herself.
What if he made her worse?
This question is what lead me to read this book and I definitely have 💅not💅 been disappointed by the answer.
Throughout the later parts of the book I felt a little bit of envy toward Gwen, because she had, among other things, conjured the confidence to speak her mind and no longer care about the reaction. She ended up thriving and even inspired me to be more expressive myself (minus the bloodshed part).
Content Warnings are available on the author‘s website.
May 13, 2025
Wicked Good
This was such a captivating experience. While things moved at bit of a moderate to slow pace in the beginning it was a beautiful descent into the madness. I was not a horror girl until I became an Azalea Crowley girl and for her I would read anything! I loved this more than I ever would have believed I was capable of. There is something so perfect to me when in a monster romance the human love interest becomes more monster. I love that dynamic so much more than when the reverse. I can’t even begin to explain how enthralled I was by how utterly delicious and creative Crowley gets with the smexy time in this book. It was like 5 alarm fire hot. The subplot and the romance were given equal attention because they feed and complement the other. Does the author have a tendency to write FMCs that I get a little frustrated with? Definitely! But do I love the spirit of those characters and what they represent? Every time!! There was so much to love about this story. I think one of my favorite things being how Gwen sarcastically throwing out a certain word triggered the monster in Ro sort of how “good girl” triggers the monster in reader girlies. I love how this is a story about reclaiming your power. And I am devastated that Crowley had the audacity to make me like freaking spiders!!! It never fails to amaze me how I start an Azalea book a bit pensive, then I move into a furrowed brow, followed by deep contemplation before smile over takes my face that last me for days! How she makes horror feel good I don’t have the slightest clue. But I knew after Chomp Chomp that she had me in a chokehold I wasn’t coming out of anytime soon!
This was such a captivating experience. While things moved at bit of a moderate to slow pace in the beginning it was a beautiful descent into the madness. I was not a horror girl until I became an Azalea Crowley girl and for her I would read anything! I loved this more than I ever would have believed I was capable of. There is something so perfect to me when in a monster romance the human love interest becomes more monster. I love that dynamic so much more than when the reverse. I can’t even begin to explain how enthralled I was by how utterly delicious and creative Crowley gets with the smexy time in this book. It was like 5 alarm fire hot. The subplot and the romance were given equal attention because they feed and complement the other. Does the author have a tendency to write FMCs that I get a little frustrated with? Definitely! But do I love the spirit of those characters and what they represent? Every time!! There was so much to love about this story. I think one of my favorite things being how Gwen sarcastically throwing out a certain word triggered the monster in Ro sort of how “good girl” triggers the monster in reader girlies. I love how this is a story about reclaiming your power. And I am devastated that Crowley had the audacity to make me like freaking spiders!!! It never fails to amaze me how I start an Azalea book a bit pensive, then I move into a furrowed brow, followed by deep contemplation before smile over takes my face that last me for days! How she makes horror feel good I don’t have the slightest clue. But I knew after Chomp Chomp that she had me in a chokehold I wasn’t coming out of anytime soon!
April 24, 2025
[ Huge thanks to the author for this ARC! ]
Dolls are Gwendolyn's life, particularly the Miss Moxie line of dolls. When she hears that a local antique shop has the highly sought after Maddie Moxie doll, she decides she would do anything to have that doll. Including making a deal with Ambrosius, the sly owner of the antique store.
~ ~ ~
This was such a fun and wacky read. I tend to shy away from the romance genre, but Wicked Flavors sounded intriguing and made me want to step outside my comfort zone. I'm glad I did take the leap because it ended up being such a good time. I really enjoyed the characters and their dynamic. I found the story really refreshing in the way it avoided a lot of the more annoying tropes of the genre.
Overall, I would def recommend this as it was such an entertaining read, especially to readers who enjoy some horror and supernatural themes in their romance. (Def check the content warnings tho! The author has helpfully included a list at the beginning of the book as well as on their website!) There seemed to be some hints throughout at a larger story waiting to be told so I hope the author will revisit these characters and their story again in the future!
Dolls are Gwendolyn's life, particularly the Miss Moxie line of dolls. When she hears that a local antique shop has the highly sought after Maddie Moxie doll, she decides she would do anything to have that doll. Including making a deal with Ambrosius, the sly owner of the antique store.
~ ~ ~
This was such a fun and wacky read. I tend to shy away from the romance genre, but Wicked Flavors sounded intriguing and made me want to step outside my comfort zone. I'm glad I did take the leap because it ended up being such a good time. I really enjoyed the characters and their dynamic. I found the story really refreshing in the way it avoided a lot of the more annoying tropes of the genre.
Overall, I would def recommend this as it was such an entertaining read, especially to readers who enjoy some horror and supernatural themes in their romance. (Def check the content warnings tho! The author has helpfully included a list at the beginning of the book as well as on their website!) There seemed to be some hints throughout at a larger story waiting to be told so I hope the author will revisit these characters and their story again in the future!
June 22, 2025
The way 365 days (the movie series) killed babygirl as a term of endearment for me, Wicked Flavours has lit a fire for me, for someone to call me my bittersweet.
Loved the cover! Loved itttttttt!!!!!
Loved that Gwen was 37 (same age group) and was working a realistic job, having very realistic I-relate-to-what-she-was-going-through-at-work backstory.
Loved the prose.
The book loses a star because personally, it wasn't that horrific to me. Which I both loved and hated because it wouldn't cause me to be jittery while /after reading but at the same time it wasn't creepy crawly enough (maybe because of the shows I've been watching).
My other issue was the very, very juvenile antagonist. So very high school mechanics type of villain.
I personally wanted an epilogue where
The other thing is we got snippets of Gwen+Ambrosious' backstory but by the end of this book the whole picture hasn't been filled in.
Areas I enjoyed reading, Chapter 7, Chapter 20-21,Chapter 28 smut heaven and from Chapter 40 action packed, I would love to watch this on screen.
I love a self aware character.
There's a lot in this book about societal expectations, dimming down to fit in and eventually growing into your skin and being like I don't care what you think, I shall live life to the fullest.
A.C. did you have a day like me where I had a song from the titled artist earworming me the whole day, I rabidly searched for it, but only to find out these days she goes by Marina only? The full original name made me smile.
And finally, my two final favourite quotes where it's that unhinged, over the top love:
So, loved this. Will be reading more from A.C.
Loved the cover! Loved itttttttt!!!!!
Loved that Gwen was 37 (same age group) and was working a realistic job, having very realistic I-relate-to-what-she-was-going-through-at-work backstory.
Loved the prose.
The book loses a star because personally, it wasn't that horrific to me. Which I both loved and hated because it wouldn't cause me to be jittery while /after reading but at the same time it wasn't creepy crawly enough (maybe because of the shows I've been watching).
My other issue was the very, very juvenile antagonist. So very high school mechanics type of villain.
I personally wanted an epilogue where
The other thing is we got snippets of Gwen+Ambrosious' backstory but by the end of this book the whole picture hasn't been filled in.
Areas I enjoyed reading, Chapter 7, Chapter 20-21,Chapter 28 smut heaven and from Chapter 40 action packed, I would love to watch this on screen.
The excuse sounded weak, like the kind of thing a character said to explain the weird shit that happened in horror movies.
I love a self aware character.
So much time wasted because of what other people thought. People who weren’t even a part of her life anymore.
There's a lot in this book about societal expectations, dimming down to fit in and eventually growing into your skin and being like I don't care what you think, I shall live life to the fullest.
Marina and the Diamonds,
A.C. did you have a day like me where I had a song from the titled artist earworming me the whole day, I rabidly searched for it, but only to find out these days she goes by Marina only? The full original name made me smile.
And finally, my two final favourite quotes where it's that unhinged, over the top love:
So, loved this. Will be reading more from A.C.
May 3, 2025
The visuals that Azalea Crowley can come up with are insane! Super creepy and vivid, but I fucking loved every second!
I loved the chemistry between Gwen and Ambrosius! (Also the joke about him being named after the dog from the Labyrinth was hilarious). So much banter and I love how purposely difficult Gwen is. You cannot make that girl do what she doesn’t want to! There was a lot of dark humour and I laughed a lot! But they developed into so much more! Eat together, kill together, kill for each other… so romantic!
I want a demon to come make me his warlock! Men these days just don’t do that anymore!!
I also relate so much to Gwen personally, you just want everyone to shut up and go away! Sierra was a mega twat, I wish she would have seen Gwen and known it was her in the end. Bitch had it coming!!
The spice scenes were perfect too! Ugh, I loved this story! Horror romance is my fave genre for sure
I loved the chemistry between Gwen and Ambrosius! (Also the joke about him being named after the dog from the Labyrinth was hilarious). So much banter and I love how purposely difficult Gwen is. You cannot make that girl do what she doesn’t want to! There was a lot of dark humour and I laughed a lot! But they developed into so much more! Eat together, kill together, kill for each other… so romantic!
I want a demon to come make me his warlock! Men these days just don’t do that anymore!!
I also relate so much to Gwen personally, you just want everyone to shut up and go away! Sierra was a mega twat, I wish she would have seen Gwen and known it was her in the end. Bitch had it coming!!
The spice scenes were perfect too! Ugh, I loved this story! Horror romance is my fave genre for sure
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2025
Huge thank you to Azalea Crowley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Gwendolyn keeps to herself, staying employed at a job she feels ambivalent towards in order to maintain her passion for altering the Miss Moxie dolls in her collection. Ambrosius is an eccentric owner of an antique store.
They each have something the other wants; Gwendolyn wants the limited edition doll of her dreams and Ambrosius wants something a bit less material...
Gwendolyn only needs to work on altering the doll and the doll is hers to keep, but not before Ambrosius seals the deal with a kiss.
Strange things begin to happen in Gwendolyns life; the more she works on the doll, the weirder her life becomes and the less she cares about what others deem as socially acceptable behaviour. Could this have something to do with the strange but handsome Ambrosius?
Wicked Flavors is a standalone and interconnected horror romance that I absolutely devoured! We get chapters from both Gwendolyns and Ambrosius' perspective (written in third person) and I really appreciate the author's ability to distinguish the two voices. We also have one of my favourite tropes; an over 30 year old FMC! We have ASD representation, multi-racial MMC & FMC, enemies to lovers, body horror, and a toxic couple with charm.
Make sure you always check the content warnings before consuming.
Gwendolyn keeps to herself, staying employed at a job she feels ambivalent towards in order to maintain her passion for altering the Miss Moxie dolls in her collection. Ambrosius is an eccentric owner of an antique store.
They each have something the other wants; Gwendolyn wants the limited edition doll of her dreams and Ambrosius wants something a bit less material...
Gwendolyn only needs to work on altering the doll and the doll is hers to keep, but not before Ambrosius seals the deal with a kiss.
Strange things begin to happen in Gwendolyns life; the more she works on the doll, the weirder her life becomes and the less she cares about what others deem as socially acceptable behaviour. Could this have something to do with the strange but handsome Ambrosius?
Wicked Flavors is a standalone and interconnected horror romance that I absolutely devoured! We get chapters from both Gwendolyns and Ambrosius' perspective (written in third person) and I really appreciate the author's ability to distinguish the two voices. We also have one of my favourite tropes; an over 30 year old FMC! We have ASD representation, multi-racial MMC & FMC, enemies to lovers, body horror, and a toxic couple with charm.
Make sure you always check the content warnings before consuming.
May 8, 2025
Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews (BookTome Edition): “Wicked Flavors” by Azalea Crowley
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
All dollmaker Gwendolyn wanted was to get a special doll at the nearest antiquarian shop to work on the ultimate doll-designing project. But after making a unique deal with Ambrosius, the store’s mysterious owner, she gets more than she bargained for—as her new doll comes with a new transformation for Gwendolyn…and a wicked appetite to boot!
From the author of “Good Mourning, Darling” comes the first installment in the brand-new horror romance series “Grim and Gorgeous Girls” by Azalea Crowley! Crowley’s world-building is truly exciting, combining horror homage elements that feel as vibrant and bold as Giallo Cinema, as edgy and reinventive as an A24 Horror Film, and as campy and gory as an ’80s Slasher flick! The chemistry between the chaotic duo Gwen and Ambrosius is off the charts, with their dynamic feeling reminiscent of a supernatural Bonnie and Clyde. And the twists and turns? Don’t even get me started—you need to read it yourself to experience Crowley’s page-turning narrative! Want to sink your teeth into this wicked romance? Don't miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on May 8, 2025!
Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Tropes: Horror Romance, Paranormal Romance, AANHPI/Neurodiverse Representation, Chronic Pain Representation, Enemies-to-Lovers, Supernatural Entities and Demons, Haunted Doll, Supernatural Animal Sidekicks, Faustian Bargain, Supernatural Antiquarian MMC x Dollmaker FMC, and Demi Representation.
Trigger Warnings: (Full Descriptions Can Be Found in the Book).
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
All dollmaker Gwendolyn wanted was to get a special doll at the nearest antiquarian shop to work on the ultimate doll-designing project. But after making a unique deal with Ambrosius, the store’s mysterious owner, she gets more than she bargained for—as her new doll comes with a new transformation for Gwendolyn…and a wicked appetite to boot!
From the author of “Good Mourning, Darling” comes the first installment in the brand-new horror romance series “Grim and Gorgeous Girls” by Azalea Crowley! Crowley’s world-building is truly exciting, combining horror homage elements that feel as vibrant and bold as Giallo Cinema, as edgy and reinventive as an A24 Horror Film, and as campy and gory as an ’80s Slasher flick! The chemistry between the chaotic duo Gwen and Ambrosius is off the charts, with their dynamic feeling reminiscent of a supernatural Bonnie and Clyde. And the twists and turns? Don’t even get me started—you need to read it yourself to experience Crowley’s page-turning narrative! Want to sink your teeth into this wicked romance? Don't miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on May 8, 2025!
Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Tropes: Horror Romance, Paranormal Romance, AANHPI/Neurodiverse Representation, Chronic Pain Representation, Enemies-to-Lovers, Supernatural Entities and Demons, Haunted Doll, Supernatural Animal Sidekicks, Faustian Bargain, Supernatural Antiquarian MMC x Dollmaker FMC, and Demi Representation.
Trigger Warnings: (Full Descriptions Can Be Found in the Book).
May 9, 2025
[♾️/5]
I adored this book and I’m making it everyone’s problem.
Hi hello. I am a reader who reads romance, but I think this is my first horror romance and I need more. I specifically need more from Azalea and need to read their backlist immediately AND need the time to move faster so I can get the rest of the books in this series.
So we have Gwendolyn, an autistic, Filipino and Native Hawaiian woman in her late thirties who is a doll maker. She is the FMC, and I’ve heard that she’s supposed to be unlikable, but I personally loved her DOWN!!!! She’s my girl and I will defend her rights and wrongs until eternity.
The love interest is Ambrosius, who is an antique dealer and much more than he seems. He’s eery, and vicious, and I adored him. His nickname for Gwendolyn makes me smile every time.
The side characters were not my favorite. They were just so boring, compared to my girl Gwendolyn. I also hated the things they did in the novel, but love how everything went down in the end. It was so satisfying!!! I did like Mrs Han, Dr Monday, Piki, andddd I think that’s about all the “good” side characters. The rest were fucking bitches lol.
Gwendolyn works, simply just to pay for her passion, which is customizing dolls. I found it so interesting that she would spend so much time and work on the meticulous details of the dolls.
It’s funny that Gwen is envious of Ambrosius, meanwhile I’m envious of Gwendolyn, just because she’s doing what she loves and simply works at her job to pay for that.
The horror aspects were AMAZING!!!!! Not for the faint of heart, but I’m not easily phased by much. As someone who hates bugs, I still loved this even with all the spiders/spiderwebs in it. That says a lot yall!!!
The gore was fun and creepy and chilling. It was everything gore was supposed to be. The deaths in this were brutal and raw, and they were so well done.
The way all the horror aspects were described was amazing. I loved the writing and think it was so engaging and kept me hooked from page one to the end.
Bonus points to this book for including a playlist at the beginning for the added reading experience. It made it that much better.
Now, the romance elements of this book made me smile so bad. I will include some of my favorite scenes in my spoiler section because I would like to talk about them without spoiling lol.
I will just say, the spice and romance was amazing. The spice is not for that faint of heart, I will say that. It’s not your normal contemporary romance spice, but I loved it that much more BECAUSE of that.
I was giggling, blushing, and screaming while reading every single scene from the small kisses to the explicit scenes AHHHHHH. I scream just thinking about it.
The plot is so interesting to me and I think it’s such a unique story. The long list of trigger warnings usually indicate (in my case) that the book will be amazing and this was no exception.
I know that this book will not be for everyone, but I was definitely the target audience and will be (not so) patiently waiting for the next books in this series.
Now for the spoilers, if you have not read the book, you have been warned. :)
Okay, so hi hello. You’ve read this amazing book. Let’s talk SPOILERSSS!!!
Don’t ask me why, this is just personal preference, but I find that romance books that have horror/paranormal elements and anything with explicit scenes/kissing with BLOOD, makes the scene so good. Just my opinion, i don’t know, it always adds that much more zing to the chemistry between the characters.
Any explicit scene between them had my blood boiling and my face turning red and all the sensations going through my body. I WAS HAVING SUCH A FUN TIMEEE.
I love the autism representation so bad. I myself am not autistic (that I know of), but I heavily related to Gwen and felt like the less high stakes parts of the books were so interesting and just right up my alley.
I will say, this book would be AMAZING as a tv show or movie. It was playing out in my head and I was like OH HELL YEAH. This would KILL on screen. (Literally and figuratively).
I don’t know what it says about me that I liked all the violence and gore in this and wanted more. I don’t know, it was just written so well. I was enraptured.
Her inner dialogue had me laughing so hard. Her head was such a fun place to be in. Literally one of my favorite FMCs ever, hands down.
Books that have animal companions are far superior to those that don’t, I’m sorry I don’t make the rules.
Ambrosius, I promise I loved him. He was unhinged and absolutely maddening, but I adored him.
Picturing him in my head does no justice, please send me any and all fanart to droool over thank you!!!!!!!
Them together just makes my heart so happy. I will be rereading this book soon, because I miss them already. I need to get the physical copy so I can annotate the hell out of this.
Please do check content warnings! They are at the beginning at the novel, ranging from light to heavy.
Thank you SO much to the author for the arc. All unhinged opinions are my own.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK AND COME TALK TO ME ABOUT IT!!!!! IM DEPRAVED AND NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND ALL THE DETAILS THAT I MIGHTVE MISSED.
- Z
pre-review:AUTO BUY AUTHOR UHHUH UHHUH full rtc but thank you to the author for the ARC!!!
I adored this book and I’m making it everyone’s problem.
Hi hello. I am a reader who reads romance, but I think this is my first horror romance and I need more. I specifically need more from Azalea and need to read their backlist immediately AND need the time to move faster so I can get the rest of the books in this series.
So we have Gwendolyn, an autistic, Filipino and Native Hawaiian woman in her late thirties who is a doll maker. She is the FMC, and I’ve heard that she’s supposed to be unlikable, but I personally loved her DOWN!!!! She’s my girl and I will defend her rights and wrongs until eternity.
The love interest is Ambrosius, who is an antique dealer and much more than he seems. He’s eery, and vicious, and I adored him. His nickname for Gwendolyn makes me smile every time.
The side characters were not my favorite. They were just so boring, compared to my girl Gwendolyn. I also hated the things they did in the novel, but love how everything went down in the end. It was so satisfying!!! I did like Mrs Han, Dr Monday, Piki, andddd I think that’s about all the “good” side characters. The rest were fucking bitches lol.
Gwendolyn works, simply just to pay for her passion, which is customizing dolls. I found it so interesting that she would spend so much time and work on the meticulous details of the dolls.
It’s funny that Gwen is envious of Ambrosius, meanwhile I’m envious of Gwendolyn, just because she’s doing what she loves and simply works at her job to pay for that.
The horror aspects were AMAZING!!!!! Not for the faint of heart, but I’m not easily phased by much. As someone who hates bugs, I still loved this even with all the spiders/spiderwebs in it. That says a lot yall!!!
The gore was fun and creepy and chilling. It was everything gore was supposed to be. The deaths in this were brutal and raw, and they were so well done.
The way all the horror aspects were described was amazing. I loved the writing and think it was so engaging and kept me hooked from page one to the end.
Bonus points to this book for including a playlist at the beginning for the added reading experience. It made it that much better.
Now, the romance elements of this book made me smile so bad. I will include some of my favorite scenes in my spoiler section because I would like to talk about them without spoiling lol.
I will just say, the spice and romance was amazing. The spice is not for that faint of heart, I will say that. It’s not your normal contemporary romance spice, but I loved it that much more BECAUSE of that.
I was giggling, blushing, and screaming while reading every single scene from the small kisses to the explicit scenes AHHHHHH. I scream just thinking about it.
The plot is so interesting to me and I think it’s such a unique story. The long list of trigger warnings usually indicate (in my case) that the book will be amazing and this was no exception.
I know that this book will not be for everyone, but I was definitely the target audience and will be (not so) patiently waiting for the next books in this series.
Now for the spoilers, if you have not read the book, you have been warned. :)
Okay, so hi hello. You’ve read this amazing book. Let’s talk SPOILERSSS!!!
Don’t ask me why, this is just personal preference, but I find that romance books that have horror/paranormal elements and anything with explicit scenes/kissing with BLOOD, makes the scene so good. Just my opinion, i don’t know, it always adds that much more zing to the chemistry between the characters.
Any explicit scene between them had my blood boiling and my face turning red and all the sensations going through my body. I WAS HAVING SUCH A FUN TIMEEE.
I love the autism representation so bad. I myself am not autistic (that I know of), but I heavily related to Gwen and felt like the less high stakes parts of the books were so interesting and just right up my alley.
I will say, this book would be AMAZING as a tv show or movie. It was playing out in my head and I was like OH HELL YEAH. This would KILL on screen. (Literally and figuratively).
I don’t know what it says about me that I liked all the violence and gore in this and wanted more. I don’t know, it was just written so well. I was enraptured.
Her inner dialogue had me laughing so hard. Her head was such a fun place to be in. Literally one of my favorite FMCs ever, hands down.
Books that have animal companions are far superior to those that don’t, I’m sorry I don’t make the rules.
Ambrosius, I promise I loved him. He was unhinged and absolutely maddening, but I adored him.
Picturing him in my head does no justice, please send me any and all fanart to droool over thank you!!!!!!!
Them together just makes my heart so happy. I will be rereading this book soon, because I miss them already. I need to get the physical copy so I can annotate the hell out of this.
Please do check content warnings! They are at the beginning at the novel, ranging from light to heavy.
Thank you SO much to the author for the arc. All unhinged opinions are my own.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK AND COME TALK TO ME ABOUT IT!!!!! IM DEPRAVED AND NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND ALL THE DETAILS THAT I MIGHTVE MISSED.
- Z
pre-review:AUTO BUY AUTHOR UHHUH UHHUH full rtc but thank you to the author for the ARC!!!
May 15, 2025
I was very excited to receive an advanced reader copy (ARC) of Wicked Flavors by Azalea Crowley last month. This fabulously creepy horror romance follows Gwendolyn, an autistic woman disconnected from life and herself, just getting through the days and living for her special interest; doll customisation. Her life takes a turn when she finds a rare doll in an unusual antique shop that has a higher price than she could imagine and meets the strange, mysterious and irritatingly handsome Ambrosius.
One thing I absolutely adored about this book was the way disability was represented. The main character Gwen is autistic and the love interest Ambrosius suffers from chronic pain in his hip. As a reader who is autistic and suffers from chronic pain, I really appreciate the way both were portrayed in this book. The way that Gwendolyn is depicted at the beginning of the book is an accurate portrayal of the way many autistic people are made to live and feel in an allistic-centric society; disconnected from her own feelings and desires and from the world around her to avoid judgement for who she is. It was great to read about an autistic person who had previously been very disconnected from herself coming into herself as a person and unmasking throughout the book. I also really appreciate the accuracy of the chronic pain rep through Ambrosius and that, whilst always a part of his existence, it was never a central part of who he was.
As a horror fan, I enjoyed the creepy haunting scenes especially toward the beginning of the book as Gwendolyn begins to be haunted with no idea what is happening to her and the way the horror develops toward the end of the book. I also really loved the body horror aspects particularly with Ambrosius.
Speaking of body horror, the smut in the book worked really well for me. It was well-written and not overdone. The smut was a core part of character and relationship development which I appreciated. I also personally loved the way the horror aspects of the book were blended with the smut.
All that said, I did find I had some issues with the way character development took place specifically for Gwen. Whilst much of the character development flowed naturally and characters grew over time, there were a few instances where Gwen seemed to very suddenly change her perspective on things in a way that I found slightly jarring and which took me out of the story when it happened. It’s entirely possible that this was intentional and I missed the reasons or that I failed to pick up on more subtle foreshadowing of these character developments, but I, personally, would have preferred to see that slower more natural progression throughout.
I also felt there were a couple of issues with pacing in the epilogue of the book. Whilst most of it was great, certain scenes felt like exposition dumps more than anything with a lot of worldbuilding to set up the next book which was honestly a bit overwhelming and went right over my head. I’d much rather have an epilogue that focused more on the main couple and left more of the worldbuilding aspects ambiguous to be explained in later books.
Overall, this book was a fun and compelling novel that excellently blended horror, humour and romance. If you enjoy unconventional smut, supernatural horror and books about autistic unmasking, I’d recommend picking Wicked Flavors up ASAP! I can’t wait to pick up book two when it releases.
Content Warnings: body horror, cults, decapitation, dentist, eye trauma, emetophobia, gun violence, knife violence, death, zombies, blood and gore, demons, physical injury and assault, sexual harassment, creepy dolls, familial estrangement, ghosts, loss of limb, racism, somnophilia, sexual content, spiders
One thing I absolutely adored about this book was the way disability was represented. The main character Gwen is autistic and the love interest Ambrosius suffers from chronic pain in his hip. As a reader who is autistic and suffers from chronic pain, I really appreciate the way both were portrayed in this book. The way that Gwendolyn is depicted at the beginning of the book is an accurate portrayal of the way many autistic people are made to live and feel in an allistic-centric society; disconnected from her own feelings and desires and from the world around her to avoid judgement for who she is. It was great to read about an autistic person who had previously been very disconnected from herself coming into herself as a person and unmasking throughout the book. I also really appreciate the accuracy of the chronic pain rep through Ambrosius and that, whilst always a part of his existence, it was never a central part of who he was.
As a horror fan, I enjoyed the creepy haunting scenes especially toward the beginning of the book as Gwendolyn begins to be haunted with no idea what is happening to her and the way the horror develops toward the end of the book. I also really loved the body horror aspects particularly with Ambrosius.
Speaking of body horror, the smut in the book worked really well for me. It was well-written and not overdone. The smut was a core part of character and relationship development which I appreciated. I also personally loved the way the horror aspects of the book were blended with the smut.
All that said, I did find I had some issues with the way character development took place specifically for Gwen. Whilst much of the character development flowed naturally and characters grew over time, there were a few instances where Gwen seemed to very suddenly change her perspective on things in a way that I found slightly jarring and which took me out of the story when it happened. It’s entirely possible that this was intentional and I missed the reasons or that I failed to pick up on more subtle foreshadowing of these character developments, but I, personally, would have preferred to see that slower more natural progression throughout.
I also felt there were a couple of issues with pacing in the epilogue of the book. Whilst most of it was great, certain scenes felt like exposition dumps more than anything with a lot of worldbuilding to set up the next book which was honestly a bit overwhelming and went right over my head. I’d much rather have an epilogue that focused more on the main couple and left more of the worldbuilding aspects ambiguous to be explained in later books.
Overall, this book was a fun and compelling novel that excellently blended horror, humour and romance. If you enjoy unconventional smut, supernatural horror and books about autistic unmasking, I’d recommend picking Wicked Flavors up ASAP! I can’t wait to pick up book two when it releases.
Content Warnings: body horror, cults, decapitation, dentist, eye trauma, emetophobia, gun violence, knife violence, death, zombies, blood and gore, demons, physical injury and assault, sexual harassment, creepy dolls, familial estrangement, ghosts, loss of limb, racism, somnophilia, sexual content, spiders
May 8, 2025
I received and ARC of this book but I am not compensated for this review and have already per-ordered a personal copy for my shelves.
Wicked flavors is a horror romance. You will find monsters, people that become monsters, and people that have been revealed to be monsters the whole time. Sometimes it will be scary, sometimes funny, romantic, empowering, anxiety inducing, a true range of emotion. If you read it quickly, for fun and entertainment you will find that you are not lacking in any department. It is a solidly entertaining book with spectacular pacing that keeps you on your toes with what will happen next. However, as is typical for Azalea, she holds and explores deeper themes with accessible clarity and mindful care. What does it mean to be someone other than who you truly are? What does it do to you to be always putting on a face, hiding your true self away? How does it impact you for no one to ever truly meet you and when they did, for it to be rejected? What would you do to yourself to make life smoother, easier, to simply drift through like a ghost of yourself? Azalea asks us to contemplate what is the nature of relationships when we are all backed into different corners for survival, for our needs, for freedom. What would we sacrifice and what would we be willing to put on others to have our most basic needs met? Would you sacrifice your humanity to loosen the shackles of another? Azalea holds the themes of agency, freedom, person-hood, and authenticity with a depth of thoughtfulness that is truly rare to find and brings me back to their books over and over. While I’m always guaranteed a fun time with Azaleas books it’s the effortless slide of the real complexities of life and relationships in between the lines on the page that knocks me over every time. You will never find a single idea, torment, or theme in her books that is without deep intention and meaning. All this and it’s an absolute breeze to read, to stay up late consuming more and more, equally satisfied and yearning for more.
While Azalea is VERY good about content warnings (and will personally answer any questions you have about them) and I highly recommend utilizing the extensive content warnings she writes I would like to discuss some myself (nothing negative just to provide more information).
Below I want to discuss some of the more important or personally relevant triggering warnings in depth WITH SOME SPOILERS. Please be mindful of reading further but for someone like me I need specifics about spoilers to just pick up a book especially one like this.
SPOILER SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPIDERS, for serious if spiders are a no from you, you may find this book difficult. I have very little problem with spiders and even find some endearing. Reading about them doesn’t bother me at all but they are very prevalent in this story. Spiders repeatedly enter and live in the main characters apartment. She interacts with them frequently and with lots of close physical proximity including on her and coming out of her. At one point she comes to herself gain spider-like features in a monstrous form (the ability to climb walls, shoot webs, call forth spiders from her mouth, and sharp dangerous fingers).
EYE GORE at some point a character is given a living, moving, slimey eyeball and it is kissed among other non sexual touching.
HALLUCINATIONS is a big one for me specifically as someone who has experienced hallucinations and assuredly will in the future. I’m not interested in medically identifying which conditions are the cause of my hallucinations but I have had ones very similar to what is described in the book. Spiders, items moving, hallucinations through mirrors, hearing things, and some things that are body horror. The middle-ish of the book has a lot of these and they are well portrayed with pretty reasonable and relatable responses to them. I found them relatable and not triggering, but I’m pretty at peace with my hallucinations, they aren’t frequent, and I am able now to differentiate them from reality. If you believe horror based hallucinations said to be induced by a “haunting” will trigger you please read with caution and a mind to put the book down before you are too upset. If you have specific questions again, Azalea is really wonderful at answering.
The sexualized use of the word “DADDY”. While it is mostly framed as a tease and is only used a few times in the whole book (I think my count was 2-3 times) it is present. I find this word and kink usually very triggering but in this context it was pretty easy to move past the few times it’s used. The fetish and associated fetishes aren’t really present in the book at all. The MC is not infantalized by the MMC and I would not say their dynamic fits into the Daddy/Girl kink dynamic very much (at least from my reading of the story).
RITUAL MURDER while this is not triggering for me there is a very important scene at the end of the book that involves a small cult that is performing a ritual to call a demon to possess a member of the ritual. There are captive “sacrifices” who remain alive the whole book but attempts are made on the MC’s life for this reason. None of the cultists remain alive by the end and none of the captives are children.
CANNIBALISM? An undead character eats a good chunk of another character and it’s pretty graphic just to be very clear.
BODY HORROR more than one character makes a transformation (or is revealed?) that is rather horrific.
Wicked flavors is a horror romance. You will find monsters, people that become monsters, and people that have been revealed to be monsters the whole time. Sometimes it will be scary, sometimes funny, romantic, empowering, anxiety inducing, a true range of emotion. If you read it quickly, for fun and entertainment you will find that you are not lacking in any department. It is a solidly entertaining book with spectacular pacing that keeps you on your toes with what will happen next. However, as is typical for Azalea, she holds and explores deeper themes with accessible clarity and mindful care. What does it mean to be someone other than who you truly are? What does it do to you to be always putting on a face, hiding your true self away? How does it impact you for no one to ever truly meet you and when they did, for it to be rejected? What would you do to yourself to make life smoother, easier, to simply drift through like a ghost of yourself? Azalea asks us to contemplate what is the nature of relationships when we are all backed into different corners for survival, for our needs, for freedom. What would we sacrifice and what would we be willing to put on others to have our most basic needs met? Would you sacrifice your humanity to loosen the shackles of another? Azalea holds the themes of agency, freedom, person-hood, and authenticity with a depth of thoughtfulness that is truly rare to find and brings me back to their books over and over. While I’m always guaranteed a fun time with Azaleas books it’s the effortless slide of the real complexities of life and relationships in between the lines on the page that knocks me over every time. You will never find a single idea, torment, or theme in her books that is without deep intention and meaning. All this and it’s an absolute breeze to read, to stay up late consuming more and more, equally satisfied and yearning for more.
While Azalea is VERY good about content warnings (and will personally answer any questions you have about them) and I highly recommend utilizing the extensive content warnings she writes I would like to discuss some myself (nothing negative just to provide more information).
Below I want to discuss some of the more important or personally relevant triggering warnings in depth WITH SOME SPOILERS. Please be mindful of reading further but for someone like me I need specifics about spoilers to just pick up a book especially one like this.
SPOILER SPOILERS SPOILERS
SPIDERS, for serious if spiders are a no from you, you may find this book difficult. I have very little problem with spiders and even find some endearing. Reading about them doesn’t bother me at all but they are very prevalent in this story. Spiders repeatedly enter and live in the main characters apartment. She interacts with them frequently and with lots of close physical proximity including on her and coming out of her. At one point she comes to herself gain spider-like features in a monstrous form (the ability to climb walls, shoot webs, call forth spiders from her mouth, and sharp dangerous fingers).
EYE GORE at some point a character is given a living, moving, slimey eyeball and it is kissed among other non sexual touching.
HALLUCINATIONS is a big one for me specifically as someone who has experienced hallucinations and assuredly will in the future. I’m not interested in medically identifying which conditions are the cause of my hallucinations but I have had ones very similar to what is described in the book. Spiders, items moving, hallucinations through mirrors, hearing things, and some things that are body horror. The middle-ish of the book has a lot of these and they are well portrayed with pretty reasonable and relatable responses to them. I found them relatable and not triggering, but I’m pretty at peace with my hallucinations, they aren’t frequent, and I am able now to differentiate them from reality. If you believe horror based hallucinations said to be induced by a “haunting” will trigger you please read with caution and a mind to put the book down before you are too upset. If you have specific questions again, Azalea is really wonderful at answering.
The sexualized use of the word “DADDY”. While it is mostly framed as a tease and is only used a few times in the whole book (I think my count was 2-3 times) it is present. I find this word and kink usually very triggering but in this context it was pretty easy to move past the few times it’s used. The fetish and associated fetishes aren’t really present in the book at all. The MC is not infantalized by the MMC and I would not say their dynamic fits into the Daddy/Girl kink dynamic very much (at least from my reading of the story).
RITUAL MURDER while this is not triggering for me there is a very important scene at the end of the book that involves a small cult that is performing a ritual to call a demon to possess a member of the ritual. There are captive “sacrifices” who remain alive the whole book but attempts are made on the MC’s life for this reason. None of the cultists remain alive by the end and none of the captives are children.
CANNIBALISM? An undead character eats a good chunk of another character and it’s pretty graphic just to be very clear.
BODY HORROR more than one character makes a transformation (or is revealed?) that is rather horrific.
May 8, 2025
*** ARC REVIEW***
Thank you so much to author Azalea Crowley for the ARC!
When a girl who hates life finds herself in a contract with an ancient demon, life ceases to be what she thought and changes for the worst (in the best way).
Wicked Flavors follows the story of two main characters, Gwen and Ambrosia, as they navigate what it means to be entangled by fate, hate, lust, trust, and everything else that makes life complicated and icky. None of it is easy, and none of it goes as expected.
The story focuses mostly on Gwen, a late thirty-something year old woman who has no real ambition, aspiration, or desire outside of wanting to be left alone to work and deal with life (girl, same). She has one major joy in life, making dolls, and finds that even that one thing isn’t safe. Because of “reasons” she finds herself within the midst of a demon (that she doesn’t know is a demon), makes a deal (which is pretty iffy from the get go) and finds herself dealing with all manner of things unholy and what the actual f***.
Personally, I loved the character of Gwen. She acts, thinks, and says all the things that I want to do as an older individual, and I could relate to her character in a way that I haven’t been able to since reading the John Dies at the End series. I love a good fantasy, but sometimes the 19-21 character age is hard to get in sync with, and Gwen was that outlet for me as a reader. Her development is great, her attitude is relatable, and she’s literally the person you know that lives next door, you work with, or is you. Ambrosia, being the other main character, is what you expect. Mostly. I was pleasantly surprised by his character development and the fact that he experienced emotions and things with Gwen that were unexpected for his character type.
The entire story from start to finish is a roller coaster of fun, horror, romance, what the f***ery, and just good story telling. The entire thing kind of plays out like if you were sitting at a bonfire with a friend and they were relating the story to you, while drunk. Which is good, because those are the best kinds of stories.
Now, for things I didn’t like. Spiders are not insects. It’s a small thing, but it drives me nuts. I also feel that there was a very abrupt shift in Gwen that was a little disjointed. She spends a good part of the beginning of the book fighting against Ambrosia and his will, methods, dealings, etc, and then suddenly she’s on board with everything and ready to go. I feel like her fight could have gone on a bit longer, but I do understand why it didn’t. It just felt like with her ultimatum of “I’m going to make you regret ever choosing me”, we never actually saw that go anywhere. It’s not enough to really detract from the rest of the story, but it was a detail that I was hoping would be addressed at some point.
Also, the end of the book reminded me of a combination of “The Thing”, “The Craft”, “Jennifer’s Body” and a couple of other really good horror scenes, so instant like for me.
Otherwise, that’s it. If you love romance, horror, demons, the occult, spiders, zombies, and the general disdain that humans feel for other humans, then you’ll love this. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going into, but it’s become an absolute must have for me. When this book officially launches for print, I’m going to add it to my bookshelf. 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Thank you so much to author Azalea Crowley for the ARC!
When a girl who hates life finds herself in a contract with an ancient demon, life ceases to be what she thought and changes for the worst (in the best way).
Wicked Flavors follows the story of two main characters, Gwen and Ambrosia, as they navigate what it means to be entangled by fate, hate, lust, trust, and everything else that makes life complicated and icky. None of it is easy, and none of it goes as expected.
The story focuses mostly on Gwen, a late thirty-something year old woman who has no real ambition, aspiration, or desire outside of wanting to be left alone to work and deal with life (girl, same). She has one major joy in life, making dolls, and finds that even that one thing isn’t safe. Because of “reasons” she finds herself within the midst of a demon (that she doesn’t know is a demon), makes a deal (which is pretty iffy from the get go) and finds herself dealing with all manner of things unholy and what the actual f***.
Personally, I loved the character of Gwen. She acts, thinks, and says all the things that I want to do as an older individual, and I could relate to her character in a way that I haven’t been able to since reading the John Dies at the End series. I love a good fantasy, but sometimes the 19-21 character age is hard to get in sync with, and Gwen was that outlet for me as a reader. Her development is great, her attitude is relatable, and she’s literally the person you know that lives next door, you work with, or is you. Ambrosia, being the other main character, is what you expect. Mostly. I was pleasantly surprised by his character development and the fact that he experienced emotions and things with Gwen that were unexpected for his character type.
The entire story from start to finish is a roller coaster of fun, horror, romance, what the f***ery, and just good story telling. The entire thing kind of plays out like if you were sitting at a bonfire with a friend and they were relating the story to you, while drunk. Which is good, because those are the best kinds of stories.
Now, for things I didn’t like. Spiders are not insects. It’s a small thing, but it drives me nuts. I also feel that there was a very abrupt shift in Gwen that was a little disjointed. She spends a good part of the beginning of the book fighting against Ambrosia and his will, methods, dealings, etc, and then suddenly she’s on board with everything and ready to go. I feel like her fight could have gone on a bit longer, but I do understand why it didn’t. It just felt like with her ultimatum of “I’m going to make you regret ever choosing me”, we never actually saw that go anywhere. It’s not enough to really detract from the rest of the story, but it was a detail that I was hoping would be addressed at some point.
Also, the end of the book reminded me of a combination of “The Thing”, “The Craft”, “Jennifer’s Body” and a couple of other really good horror scenes, so instant like for me.
Otherwise, that’s it. If you love romance, horror, demons, the occult, spiders, zombies, and the general disdain that humans feel for other humans, then you’ll love this. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going into, but it’s become an absolute must have for me. When this book officially launches for print, I’m going to add it to my bookshelf. 4.9 out of 5 stars.
June 27, 2025
*** ARC REVIEW***
Thank you so much to author Azalea Crowley for the ARC!
When a girl who hates life finds herself in a contract with an ancient demon, life ceases to be what she thought and changes for the worst (in the best way).
Wicked Flavors follows the story of two main characters, Gwen and Ambrosia, as they navigate what it means to be entangled by fate, hate, lust, trust, and everything else that makes life complicated and icky. None of it is easy, and none of it goes as expected.
The story focuses mostly on Gwen, a late thirty-something year old woman who has no real ambition, aspiration, or desire outside of wanting to be left alone to work and deal with life (girl, same). She has one major joy in life, making dolls, and finds that even that one thing isn’t safe. Because of “reasons” she finds herself within the midst of a demon (that she doesn’t know is a demon), makes a deal (which is pretty iffy from the get go) and finds herself dealing with all manner of things unholy and what the actual f***.
Personally, I loved the character of Gwen. She acts, thinks, and says all the things that I want to do as an older individual, and I could relate to her character in a way that I haven’t been able to since reading the John Dies at the End series. I love a good fantasy, but sometimes the 19-21 character age is hard to get in sync with, and Gwen was that outlet for me as a reader. Her development is great, her attitude is relatable, and she’s literally the person you know that lives next door, you work with, or is you. Ambrosia, being the other main character, is what you expect. Mostly. I was pleasantly surprised by his character development and the fact that he experienced emotions and things with Gwen that were unexpected for his character type.
The entire story from start to finish is a roller coaster of fun, horror, romance, what the f***ery, and just good story telling. The entire thing kind of plays out like if you were sitting at a bonfire with a friend and they were relating the story to you, while drunk. Which is good, because those are the best kinds of stories.
Now, for things I didn’t like. Spiders are not insects. It’s a small thing, but it drives me nuts. I also feel that there was a very abrupt shift in Gwen that was a little disjointed. She spends a good part of the beginning of the book fighting against Ambrosia and his will, methods, dealings, etc, and then suddenly she’s on board with everything and ready to go. I feel like her fight could have gone on a bit longer, but I do understand why it didn’t. It just felt like with her ultimatum of “I’m going to make you regret ever choosing me”, we never actually saw that go anywhere. It’s not enough to really detract from the rest of the story, but it was a detail that I was hoping would be addressed at some point.
Also, the end of the book reminded me of a combination of “The Thing”, “The Craft”, “Jennifer’s Body” and a couple of other really good horror scenes, so instant like for me.
Otherwise, that’s it. If you love romance, horror, demons, the occult, spiders, zombies, and the general disdain that humans feel for other humans, then you’ll love this. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going into, but it’s become an absolute must have for me. When this book officially launches for print, I’m going to add it to my bookshelf. 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Thank you so much to author Azalea Crowley for the ARC!
When a girl who hates life finds herself in a contract with an ancient demon, life ceases to be what she thought and changes for the worst (in the best way).
Wicked Flavors follows the story of two main characters, Gwen and Ambrosia, as they navigate what it means to be entangled by fate, hate, lust, trust, and everything else that makes life complicated and icky. None of it is easy, and none of it goes as expected.
The story focuses mostly on Gwen, a late thirty-something year old woman who has no real ambition, aspiration, or desire outside of wanting to be left alone to work and deal with life (girl, same). She has one major joy in life, making dolls, and finds that even that one thing isn’t safe. Because of “reasons” she finds herself within the midst of a demon (that she doesn’t know is a demon), makes a deal (which is pretty iffy from the get go) and finds herself dealing with all manner of things unholy and what the actual f***.
Personally, I loved the character of Gwen. She acts, thinks, and says all the things that I want to do as an older individual, and I could relate to her character in a way that I haven’t been able to since reading the John Dies at the End series. I love a good fantasy, but sometimes the 19-21 character age is hard to get in sync with, and Gwen was that outlet for me as a reader. Her development is great, her attitude is relatable, and she’s literally the person you know that lives next door, you work with, or is you. Ambrosia, being the other main character, is what you expect. Mostly. I was pleasantly surprised by his character development and the fact that he experienced emotions and things with Gwen that were unexpected for his character type.
The entire story from start to finish is a roller coaster of fun, horror, romance, what the f***ery, and just good story telling. The entire thing kind of plays out like if you were sitting at a bonfire with a friend and they were relating the story to you, while drunk. Which is good, because those are the best kinds of stories.
Now, for things I didn’t like. Spiders are not insects. It’s a small thing, but it drives me nuts. I also feel that there was a very abrupt shift in Gwen that was a little disjointed. She spends a good part of the beginning of the book fighting against Ambrosia and his will, methods, dealings, etc, and then suddenly she’s on board with everything and ready to go. I feel like her fight could have gone on a bit longer, but I do understand why it didn’t. It just felt like with her ultimatum of “I’m going to make you regret ever choosing me”, we never actually saw that go anywhere. It’s not enough to really detract from the rest of the story, but it was a detail that I was hoping would be addressed at some point.
Also, the end of the book reminded me of a combination of “The Thing”, “The Craft”, “Jennifer’s Body” and a couple of other really good horror scenes, so instant like for me.
Otherwise, that’s it. If you love romance, horror, demons, the occult, spiders, zombies, and the general disdain that humans feel for other humans, then you’ll love this. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going into, but it’s become an absolute must have for me. When this book officially launches for print, I’m going to add it to my bookshelf. 4.9 out of 5 stars.
May 15, 2025
Wicked Flavors was one of the books I was excited to delve into, and I can say that it did not dissapoint at all.
I was gifted an ARC and I'm leaving this review with my own opinions for free.
I really liked Gwendolyn right from the start of chapter one. She is a character that can capture and hold attention easily, with how relatable her interactions with other people are and how the way she is passionate about her dolls and their customisation. It was really cool to see a character with a strong love for a hobby and the hobby itself. Although I have some knowledge about dolls and customasation from YouTube doomscrolling, it was fun to see some of it in the book. Gwen is also very determined to get what she wants (in this instance, the new doll for her collection) and her no-nonsence attitude was really cool. Just seeing her interact with Ambrosius for the first time, I already kind of fell in love with their dynamic. I think it really worked mainly thanks to the fact that both of the characters were nicely fleshed out, not shallow in any way. And both were monstrous as the horror label on this book promised.
I think Gwen's journey as a character was one of the strongest and also most enjoyable points of this book, especially as it naturally progressed. I especially enjoyed how she found a more bold version of herself, ready to stand up when she was mistreated by people around her but also in her relationship with Ambrosius. This also shifted their dynamic, and although I already liked it in the beginning, it was even better when Gwen found her footing and embraced her monstrous nature.
The monstrosity was honestly such a fun thing, if I can word it that way. The horror was done extremely well, especially the body horror, and while it didn't exactly make my stomach turn, it was definitely a fascinating part of the book, along with the more mysterious plot apart from Gwen's transformation. I really liked how it was foreshadowed, how things clicked together later in the story and everything mentioned previously found its place.
When it comes to representation, I was really happy to see so many in just the two main characters. Gwen's autism was so integral to the story, which is something that always makes the reading experience great. Both her and Ambrosius' Native Hawai'ian heritage also brought more to the story, not just in the terms of Ambrosius' origin backstory, but also in Gwen's experience among humans.
The rep I have to especially highlight, as it made me extremely happy, is the ace rep. Both characters are demi, and I have to say this was one of the best depictions of it I have seen in a very long time. Like not only is it Ace4Ace, but there was no doubt that they are ace-spec. There was no skirting around the subject, like there sometimes is in (especially more mainstream) media, it was really clear in the dialogue and in Gwen's thoughts. And it wasn't just one mention, it was loud and clear, and it shaped the way they interacted. Nice.
I was gifted an ARC and I'm leaving this review with my own opinions for free.
I really liked Gwendolyn right from the start of chapter one. She is a character that can capture and hold attention easily, with how relatable her interactions with other people are and how the way she is passionate about her dolls and their customisation. It was really cool to see a character with a strong love for a hobby and the hobby itself. Although I have some knowledge about dolls and customasation from YouTube doomscrolling, it was fun to see some of it in the book. Gwen is also very determined to get what she wants (in this instance, the new doll for her collection) and her no-nonsence attitude was really cool. Just seeing her interact with Ambrosius for the first time, I already kind of fell in love with their dynamic. I think it really worked mainly thanks to the fact that both of the characters were nicely fleshed out, not shallow in any way. And both were monstrous as the horror label on this book promised.
I think Gwen's journey as a character was one of the strongest and also most enjoyable points of this book, especially as it naturally progressed. I especially enjoyed how she found a more bold version of herself, ready to stand up when she was mistreated by people around her but also in her relationship with Ambrosius. This also shifted their dynamic, and although I already liked it in the beginning, it was even better when Gwen found her footing and embraced her monstrous nature.
The monstrosity was honestly such a fun thing, if I can word it that way. The horror was done extremely well, especially the body horror, and while it didn't exactly make my stomach turn, it was definitely a fascinating part of the book, along with the more mysterious plot apart from Gwen's transformation. I really liked how it was foreshadowed, how things clicked together later in the story and everything mentioned previously found its place.
When it comes to representation, I was really happy to see so many in just the two main characters. Gwen's autism was so integral to the story, which is something that always makes the reading experience great. Both her and Ambrosius' Native Hawai'ian heritage also brought more to the story, not just in the terms of Ambrosius' origin backstory, but also in Gwen's experience among humans.
The rep I have to especially highlight, as it made me extremely happy, is the ace rep. Both characters are demi, and I have to say this was one of the best depictions of it I have seen in a very long time. Like not only is it Ace4Ace, but there was no doubt that they are ace-spec. There was no skirting around the subject, like there sometimes is in (especially more mainstream) media, it was really clear in the dialogue and in Gwen's thoughts. And it wasn't just one mention, it was loud and clear, and it shaped the way they interacted. Nice.
April 21, 2025
Thank you to the author for the advance copy of this title, which releases on May 8!
😈 The rundown: Gwendolyn only cares about her job insofar as it pays for her doll making hobby. When one of Gwen’s favorite customers lets her know where she can find the rare doll of her dreams, she’s desperate to have it, no matter what, and the brash, beautiful demon, Ambrosius, who runs the antique shop is eager to take advantage. Surely a single kiss is a fair price, right? Never mind that the memory of it, and other things, now haunts Gwen.
😈 Am I glad I read it? Despite some issues in the third act, I did still enjoy a lot about this book.
WICKED FLAVORS starts off strong with a really interesting set-up; I immediately wanted to know more about the Antiquarium & Ambrosius’ relationship to it.
This is a weird (complimentary), creepy, twisted (complimentary again) look at one of my favorite literature themes: monstrosity & marginalization. Gwen’s deal with a devil makes her worse, but ‘worse’ here really just means that our autistic FMC unmasks and embraces her whole self, fuck you very much. Hunger included. Ambrosius is an enabler (again, complimentary) and revels in the increasingly corrupted soul of his bittersweet girl. I loved their relationship.
I also really loved the idea of using a demon, a nonhuman creature for whom human emotions and experiences are abstract and literally foreign, to explore asexuality and aromanticism. Though Ambrosius’ aroace-ness wasn’t explicitly stated in the text (and was certainly less explicit than Gwen’s), it was one of the most interesting parts of the book for me.
My biggest qualm is when Crowley turns the dial all the way up on the external plot in the last 20ish%. I don’t think this element of the story was plotted well at all, and despite the plot crumbs I can identify in retrospect, everything that happened from that point through the end of the book, including the introduction of an antagonist, gave me whiplash. I literally made ‘wait, what?’ and ‘where did this come from?’ notes in the ebook. It’s clear that Crowley was trying to establish a larger universe for subsequent books, but it really damaged my enjoyment of the story.
So despite this late hit to my enjoyment, I did still like this story overall and am definitely interested in what Crowley does next in this series.
😈 Rating: 👍🏻 (liked)
😈 Content notes & TWs: The author has provided an extensive and thorough list in the front matter of the book that is too long to include here.
😈 The rundown: Gwendolyn only cares about her job insofar as it pays for her doll making hobby. When one of Gwen’s favorite customers lets her know where she can find the rare doll of her dreams, she’s desperate to have it, no matter what, and the brash, beautiful demon, Ambrosius, who runs the antique shop is eager to take advantage. Surely a single kiss is a fair price, right? Never mind that the memory of it, and other things, now haunts Gwen.
😈 Am I glad I read it? Despite some issues in the third act, I did still enjoy a lot about this book.
WICKED FLAVORS starts off strong with a really interesting set-up; I immediately wanted to know more about the Antiquarium & Ambrosius’ relationship to it.
This is a weird (complimentary), creepy, twisted (complimentary again) look at one of my favorite literature themes: monstrosity & marginalization. Gwen’s deal with a devil makes her worse, but ‘worse’ here really just means that our autistic FMC unmasks and embraces her whole self, fuck you very much. Hunger included. Ambrosius is an enabler (again, complimentary) and revels in the increasingly corrupted soul of his bittersweet girl. I loved their relationship.
I also really loved the idea of using a demon, a nonhuman creature for whom human emotions and experiences are abstract and literally foreign, to explore asexuality and aromanticism. Though Ambrosius’ aroace-ness wasn’t explicitly stated in the text (and was certainly less explicit than Gwen’s), it was one of the most interesting parts of the book for me.
My biggest qualm is when Crowley turns the dial all the way up on the external plot in the last 20ish%. I don’t think this element of the story was plotted well at all, and despite the plot crumbs I can identify in retrospect, everything that happened from that point through the end of the book, including the introduction of an antagonist, gave me whiplash. I literally made ‘wait, what?’ and ‘where did this come from?’ notes in the ebook. It’s clear that Crowley was trying to establish a larger universe for subsequent books, but it really damaged my enjoyment of the story.
So despite this late hit to my enjoyment, I did still like this story overall and am definitely interested in what Crowley does next in this series.
😈 Rating: 👍🏻 (liked)
😈 Content notes & TWs: The author has provided an extensive and thorough list in the front matter of the book that is too long to include here.
May 12, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review - and thank you to Azalea for the opportunity!
A woman walks into an antique shop to purchase a doll, and makes a deal - one kiss, for one doll. Sounds like a fair deal, right?
Azalea Crowley does it again with an excellent monster romance. Crowley writes amazing FMCs and amazing horror romances, and this book did not disappoint. Gwen was such a relatable character - I too wish everyone would shut up and leave me alone with my hobbies. While not specifically called out, Gwen is clearly neurodivergent, and Crowley writes excellent characters here. Ambrosius was such an interesting character, and I wish we had more of his backstory! Beautiful, but unsettling and deadly.
We got a great day-to-day view of Gwen’s life, something I feel is often glossed over in literature. I really enjoyed the look into her hobby of doll making, and basing the story around that was definitely interesting! The pacing was excellent, and nothing felt rushed. There’s a balanced mix of horror and spice, and Crowley writes excellent spicy scenes. I do think it was a bit messy and hard to follow at the end, but I definitely did not see that ending coming!
I’m a big fan of Crowley’s writing, and if I were rating this just on her writing style alone, it would be an easy 5 stars, and it was a very entertaining read. There were just a couple of things that weren’t to my preference. One, the spiders. I don’t mind them, but I definitely don’t need them building houses in my house. And two, the names used in the spicy scenes just were a turn off for me. I don’t particularly enjoy pet names like “Daddy” or “my sweet” or anything along those lines, and I find it somewhat off-putting. But that is my personal preference, and really has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. This would’ve easily been a 4 or 4.5 star read for me otherwise.
I would definitely pick up any future books featuring these characters regardless, because I really did enjoy spending time with them and am a big fan of Crowley’s writing.
A woman walks into an antique shop to purchase a doll, and makes a deal - one kiss, for one doll. Sounds like a fair deal, right?
Azalea Crowley does it again with an excellent monster romance. Crowley writes amazing FMCs and amazing horror romances, and this book did not disappoint. Gwen was such a relatable character - I too wish everyone would shut up and leave me alone with my hobbies. While not specifically called out, Gwen is clearly neurodivergent, and Crowley writes excellent characters here. Ambrosius was such an interesting character, and I wish we had more of his backstory! Beautiful, but unsettling and deadly.
We got a great day-to-day view of Gwen’s life, something I feel is often glossed over in literature. I really enjoyed the look into her hobby of doll making, and basing the story around that was definitely interesting! The pacing was excellent, and nothing felt rushed. There’s a balanced mix of horror and spice, and Crowley writes excellent spicy scenes. I do think it was a bit messy and hard to follow at the end, but I definitely did not see that ending coming!
I’m a big fan of Crowley’s writing, and if I were rating this just on her writing style alone, it would be an easy 5 stars, and it was a very entertaining read. There were just a couple of things that weren’t to my preference. One, the spiders. I don’t mind them, but I definitely don’t need them building houses in my house. And two, the names used in the spicy scenes just were a turn off for me. I don’t particularly enjoy pet names like “Daddy” or “my sweet” or anything along those lines, and I find it somewhat off-putting. But that is my personal preference, and really has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. This would’ve easily been a 4 or 4.5 star read for me otherwise.
I would definitely pick up any future books featuring these characters regardless, because I really did enjoy spending time with them and am a big fan of Crowley’s writing.
April 24, 2025
When a woman with undiagnosed autism unwittingly makes a deal with a demon, her neatly ordered world takes a turn for the really, REALLY weird.
Gwendolyn is 37 and she works at a craft store for the insurance and to get the employee discount for supplies for her (fixation) hobby of customizing dolls. She has carefully curated her appearance and attitude in public to be unremarkable, because her whole life she's been told that she "too much".
One day her favorite customer mentions that a nearby antique store has a rare doll that Gwen has been desperate to get her hands on. The eerie proprietor only agrees to let her have the doll if she will 1) kiss him and 2) satisfactorily customize the doll.
Begrudgingly, Gwen agrees to his odd deal and takes the doll home after an equally odd kiss. As the days pass life gets weirder and weirder for Gwen. She wakes up one morning with shockingly pink hair. A strangely colored spider crawls out of the dolls clothes and vanishes when Gwen tries to remove it from her apartment. She has oddly erotic nightmares of the antiquarian proprietor who takes on decidedly non-human characteristics in her dreams.
Her carefully curated mask begins to crumble.
Sick of the weirdness, she tries to bring the doll back to the antique store. To her horror, she learns that the proprietor is an actual DEMON and by accepting the doll she has entered into an agreement with him to be his warlock.
As Gwen and the demon butt heads over whether she will actually be his warlock, a strange sort of attraction begins to grow between them (which horrifies both of them).
If you love horrormance, autistic protagonists, demisexual rep, chronic pain rep, and heroines becoming a villain, then this might be the book for you. 🩷🩵
Gwendolyn is 37 and she works at a craft store for the insurance and to get the employee discount for supplies for her (fixation) hobby of customizing dolls. She has carefully curated her appearance and attitude in public to be unremarkable, because her whole life she's been told that she "too much".
One day her favorite customer mentions that a nearby antique store has a rare doll that Gwen has been desperate to get her hands on. The eerie proprietor only agrees to let her have the doll if she will 1) kiss him and 2) satisfactorily customize the doll.
Begrudgingly, Gwen agrees to his odd deal and takes the doll home after an equally odd kiss. As the days pass life gets weirder and weirder for Gwen. She wakes up one morning with shockingly pink hair. A strangely colored spider crawls out of the dolls clothes and vanishes when Gwen tries to remove it from her apartment. She has oddly erotic nightmares of the antiquarian proprietor who takes on decidedly non-human characteristics in her dreams.
Her carefully curated mask begins to crumble.
Sick of the weirdness, she tries to bring the doll back to the antique store. To her horror, she learns that the proprietor is an actual DEMON and by accepting the doll she has entered into an agreement with him to be his warlock.
As Gwen and the demon butt heads over whether she will actually be his warlock, a strange sort of attraction begins to grow between them (which horrifies both of them).
If you love horrormance, autistic protagonists, demisexual rep, chronic pain rep, and heroines becoming a villain, then this might be the book for you. 🩷🩵
May 4, 2025
Spicy, Gory Perfection
I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am reviewing it voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
What a wild ride! Weird and twisted in the best way possible. Azalea Crowley is one of my favorite authors, so my hopes for this one were high. It did NOT disappoint. Something I love about Azalea's books is how despite their fantastical elements, they somehow always feel grounded in reality. Her world-building skills are also on full display in this one with her unique and compelling take on demons.
This book kept me on my toes the entire time because I could never be sure what was going to happen next. Without spoiling anything, the synopsis is only a small part of what actually takes place in the story. Yet each unexpected turn made perfect sense in hindsight and when everything comes together, it does so brilliantly.
Wicked Flavors is every bit as horrifying as it is romantic. While most of the author's other books are on the cozier side, this one gets quite dark, especially in the blood-soaked finale. Pay attention to those trigger warnings!
Speaking of romance, Gwen and Ambrosius were absolutely perfect together. I loved their banter, their sizzling chemistry, and the push and pull of their relationship. As a demi reader, I appreciated that this was a spicy romance with two ace spectrum leads. Once again, Azalea gave me a story that made me feel seen and represented. I also loved Gwen's journey of empowerment and self-discovery.
The afterword notes that Wicked Flavors is the first in a series of interconnected standalones. I absolutely can't wait to read more 🩷💙
I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am reviewing it voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
What a wild ride! Weird and twisted in the best way possible. Azalea Crowley is one of my favorite authors, so my hopes for this one were high. It did NOT disappoint. Something I love about Azalea's books is how despite their fantastical elements, they somehow always feel grounded in reality. Her world-building skills are also on full display in this one with her unique and compelling take on demons.
This book kept me on my toes the entire time because I could never be sure what was going to happen next. Without spoiling anything, the synopsis is only a small part of what actually takes place in the story. Yet each unexpected turn made perfect sense in hindsight and when everything comes together, it does so brilliantly.
Wicked Flavors is every bit as horrifying as it is romantic. While most of the author's other books are on the cozier side, this one gets quite dark, especially in the blood-soaked finale. Pay attention to those trigger warnings!
Speaking of romance, Gwen and Ambrosius were absolutely perfect together. I loved their banter, their sizzling chemistry, and the push and pull of their relationship. As a demi reader, I appreciated that this was a spicy romance with two ace spectrum leads. Once again, Azalea gave me a story that made me feel seen and represented. I also loved Gwen's journey of empowerment and self-discovery.
The afterword notes that Wicked Flavors is the first in a series of interconnected standalones. I absolutely can't wait to read more 🩷💙
May 6, 2025
A lot of people wear colorful things. So why can't I? Why do I have to make myself small? Why do I have to make myself disappear?
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Content warning, not a complete list: violence, murder, body horror, profanity, gore, mutilation, somnophilia, dubcon and unprotected s€x
For more information check out the content warning in the book or the author's website.
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This is book 1 of the series.
Interconnected standalone.
Third person pov. Dual pov.
Spice: medium
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Wicked Flavors is a horror romance about a woman who customizes dolls and the enigmatic demon she has a deal with. This quirky book has different elements to offer readers, from horror to humor to spice. If you're in the mood for a fun book with diversity and representation, consider reading this.
I found Gwen and Ambrosius to be delightful characters. Ambrosius was intriguing. I liked Gwen, she was interesting and felt relatable. I rooted for her as she grew bolder throughout the book. And I liked that she didn't submit easily to Ambrosius. I enjoyed the chemistry and enemies to lovers dynamic between Gwen and Ambrosius. And both of them being ace made it even better.
There was something special about this book, I can't exactly explain it. I really enjoyed reading it. It's hilarious and has heart while having a bit of darkness to it. I really enjoyed reading it. Loved all the rep.
This is an ARC read and review. I'm grateful to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
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Content warning, not a complete list: violence, murder, body horror, profanity, gore, mutilation, somnophilia, dubcon and unprotected s€x
For more information check out the content warning in the book or the author's website.
-----
This is book 1 of the series.
Interconnected standalone.
Third person pov. Dual pov.
Spice: medium
----
Wicked Flavors is a horror romance about a woman who customizes dolls and the enigmatic demon she has a deal with. This quirky book has different elements to offer readers, from horror to humor to spice. If you're in the mood for a fun book with diversity and representation, consider reading this.
I found Gwen and Ambrosius to be delightful characters. Ambrosius was intriguing. I liked Gwen, she was interesting and felt relatable. I rooted for her as she grew bolder throughout the book. And I liked that she didn't submit easily to Ambrosius. I enjoyed the chemistry and enemies to lovers dynamic between Gwen and Ambrosius. And both of them being ace made it even better.
There was something special about this book, I can't exactly explain it. I really enjoyed reading it. It's hilarious and has heart while having a bit of darkness to it. I really enjoyed reading it. Loved all the rep.
This is an ARC read and review. I'm grateful to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
May 9, 2025
This one surprised me in the best way. It's a weird little gem of a book—part horror, part romance, and all kinds of strange in a way that just works. If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out or needed time to recharge after dealing with people, you’ll probably see yourself in Gwendolyn.
She’s a dollmaker who would rather stay in her own world than deal with the mess of real life. Her dry humor and awkward thoughts felt super real and relatable—especially if you're neurodivergent like me. I saw so much of myself in the way she overthinks, gets overwhelmed by noise or touch, and processes the world around her. But she’s also clever, creative, and unexpectedly brave.
Then there’s Ambrosius. He’s unsettling in the most delicious way. Charming, mysterious, and a little terrifying—like if temptation took human form. Their dynamic is full of push and pull. He knows how to push her buttons, and she knows how to dig her heels in. Their chemistry is weird, chaotic, and kind of addictive. I couldn’t stop reading.
The horror elements are there, but this isn’t blood and guts—it’s a slow, creeping kind of horror. Like something tapping at your window late at night. The book also has this strange Y2K nostalgic feeling, like you’re walking through a store full of Tamagotchis and Street Wear makeup somehow. It’s not just about spooky dolls—it’s about identity, desire, control, and letting yourself feel things, even when it’s scary.
If you like stories that mix the soft with the sharp, the tender with the terrifying, you’ll love this. This won't be for everyone—but for the weird girls, the quiet ones, the ones who feel too much? It’s a little masterpiece.
She’s a dollmaker who would rather stay in her own world than deal with the mess of real life. Her dry humor and awkward thoughts felt super real and relatable—especially if you're neurodivergent like me. I saw so much of myself in the way she overthinks, gets overwhelmed by noise or touch, and processes the world around her. But she’s also clever, creative, and unexpectedly brave.
Then there’s Ambrosius. He’s unsettling in the most delicious way. Charming, mysterious, and a little terrifying—like if temptation took human form. Their dynamic is full of push and pull. He knows how to push her buttons, and she knows how to dig her heels in. Their chemistry is weird, chaotic, and kind of addictive. I couldn’t stop reading.
The horror elements are there, but this isn’t blood and guts—it’s a slow, creeping kind of horror. Like something tapping at your window late at night. The book also has this strange Y2K nostalgic feeling, like you’re walking through a store full of Tamagotchis and Street Wear makeup somehow. It’s not just about spooky dolls—it’s about identity, desire, control, and letting yourself feel things, even when it’s scary.
If you like stories that mix the soft with the sharp, the tender with the terrifying, you’ll love this. This won't be for everyone—but for the weird girls, the quiet ones, the ones who feel too much? It’s a little masterpiece.
May 25, 2025
MF, Cozy Horror, 3rd Lightly Dual POV
Status: KU, Series of Interconnected Standalones, Conflict -
Gwen(dolyn): 37 Yrs Old, Autistic, Demi, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Chronic Pain, Customizes Dolls, Crochets, No Contact with Family, Insomniac, Works at a Hobby Store, Stretchmarks, Money Struggles,
Autism Notes: Unknowingly Autistic, Sensory Issues, Internal Monologue, Scripting, Masking, Special Interests (Dolls), Stimming (Pacing, Music, Roller Skating, ), Intense Emotions, Emotional Regulation Issues, Enjoys Routine, Hates Phone Calls, Mention of Meltdowns
Ambrosius: Demon, Apperars ~44 Yrs Old, Demi, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Antique Shop Owner, Chronic Pain (Hip), Cane User, Tattoos (Arms, Chest, ), Long Tongue, Plays Cello, Sexually Inexperienced
Monstrous Form:
Notes: Faustian Bargain, Enemies to Lovers, Autistic Unmasking, Autistic Rage, Feminist Rage, Anti-Colonialism
Sex Notes:
CWs: Detailed CWs on Author's Website
Status: KU, Series of Interconnected Standalones, Conflict -
Gwen(dolyn): 37 Yrs Old, Autistic, Demi, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Chronic Pain, Customizes Dolls, Crochets, No Contact with Family, Insomniac, Works at a Hobby Store, Stretchmarks, Money Struggles,
Autism Notes: Unknowingly Autistic, Sensory Issues, Internal Monologue, Scripting, Masking, Special Interests (Dolls), Stimming (Pacing, Music, Roller Skating, ), Intense Emotions, Emotional Regulation Issues, Enjoys Routine, Hates Phone Calls, Mention of Meltdowns
Ambrosius: Demon, Apperars ~44 Yrs Old, Demi, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Antique Shop Owner, Chronic Pain (Hip), Cane User, Tattoos (Arms, Chest, ), Long Tongue, Plays Cello, Sexually Inexperienced
Monstrous Form:
Notes: Faustian Bargain, Enemies to Lovers, Autistic Unmasking, Autistic Rage, Feminist Rage, Anti-Colonialism
Sex Notes:
CWs: Detailed CWs on Author's Website
July 12, 2025
I have to start this off by saying I loved Gwen. She was a very relatable character and I loved the progression as she slowly stopped masking as the story continued on. Her dislike of socialization and opening herself up to others was done really well, grasping the feeling of hiding even what could be considered ‘normal’ because of a previos rejection.
On the other hand, I enjoyed Ambrosius to a point. He was funny, witty, and detached in a fitting way for a demon. I liked that his character was consistent throughout the book for hatred of humans and the primary emotions he felt was anger/ annoyance.
Where this lost points was the meeting between Gwendolyn and Ambrosius. Their pact sealing kiss just left me uncomfortable and not the way I think it was intended. It gave him the feeling of a guy saying “aren’t you gonna give me a hug?” And while he does become a much more likeable and entertaining character afterwards it left a bad taste in my mouth. I also don’t like the use of Daddy as a sexual term, I could have forgiven the first time it was used because she was mocking him but every subsequent use left me cringing. Lastly the ending felt kind of rushed, I wished it just stretched a little more or held a more significant role in the earlier parts of the book to make it feel less like an information dump.
While I did have some qualms I did overall enjoy this book. I think Azalea Crowley is a very descriptive writer and I will be reading another book from her soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2025
Thanks to Azalea Crowley for letting me read and review this book early. All thoughts are my own!!
Wicked Flavors is a horror romance that follows Gwendolyn who makes a deal that changes her life. Gwen is such a lovely and complex character. Being in her world while reading this book was truly such a great experience. I found myself relating to her in multiple ways. I loved watching her change throughout this book.
I was so enthralled by this story. The dynamic between Gwen and Ambrosius was so intriguing and complex, and I really enjoyed every interaction between the two of them. While it never directly says it, it’s shown through smaller moments and interactions that Gwendolyn is neurodivergent, and I really appreciated how she was written. I loved watching her blossom into herself as she transformed. Ambrosius was funny, and I’m not even sure that was intentional. His thoughts and demeanor made me laugh multiple times.
The story was more intriguing with every turn. It seemed to grow and change alongside Gwen in a way that really connected me to the story. I loved that this book introduces us to other characters to start this series off. I can’t wait to read more in this series!!
This is the first book by Azalea Crowley that I’ve ever read, but it will absolutely not be the last.
Wicked Flavors is a horror romance that follows Gwendolyn who makes a deal that changes her life. Gwen is such a lovely and complex character. Being in her world while reading this book was truly such a great experience. I found myself relating to her in multiple ways. I loved watching her change throughout this book.
I was so enthralled by this story. The dynamic between Gwen and Ambrosius was so intriguing and complex, and I really enjoyed every interaction between the two of them. While it never directly says it, it’s shown through smaller moments and interactions that Gwendolyn is neurodivergent, and I really appreciated how she was written. I loved watching her blossom into herself as she transformed. Ambrosius was funny, and I’m not even sure that was intentional. His thoughts and demeanor made me laugh multiple times.
The story was more intriguing with every turn. It seemed to grow and change alongside Gwen in a way that really connected me to the story. I loved that this book introduces us to other characters to start this series off. I can’t wait to read more in this series!!
This is the first book by Azalea Crowley that I’ve ever read, but it will absolutely not be the last.
May 7, 2025
Thank you to the author, Azalea Crowley, for the ARC! All opinions in this review are my own.
Wicked Flavors blends horror and romance in a way that feels both fresh and nostalgic (cozy, even - like watching your favorite campy horror movie for Halloween).
As someone who’s read plenty of dark romance but hadn’t ventured into horror romance before, Wicked Flavors was the perfect entry point for me. Azalea Crowley skillfully balances the two genres, keeping me hooked in the story page after page.
Can we just talk about Gwendolyn for a minute? She is in her 30s, and that really felt true (in a good way). Her choices and inner dialogue felt well aligned and natural to someone in that age range, making the character feel more alive. Based on my own reading history, this age representation is rare and deeply welcome.
And, I have to say that Gwendolyn is one of the most relatable autistic characters (for me) that I’ve ever read. Her inner world felt authentic and so incredibly familiar. In other books, I’m used to seeing disability rep packaged as a trope or plot device. It was genuinely so exciting to see Gwendolyn written with depth, purpose, and intention as a fully realized and complex person.
SO if you’re horror-curious but still crave a rich, spicy romance - then you need to go ahead and buy this book.
Wicked Flavors blends horror and romance in a way that feels both fresh and nostalgic (cozy, even - like watching your favorite campy horror movie for Halloween).
As someone who’s read plenty of dark romance but hadn’t ventured into horror romance before, Wicked Flavors was the perfect entry point for me. Azalea Crowley skillfully balances the two genres, keeping me hooked in the story page after page.
Can we just talk about Gwendolyn for a minute? She is in her 30s, and that really felt true (in a good way). Her choices and inner dialogue felt well aligned and natural to someone in that age range, making the character feel more alive. Based on my own reading history, this age representation is rare and deeply welcome.
And, I have to say that Gwendolyn is one of the most relatable autistic characters (for me) that I’ve ever read. Her inner world felt authentic and so incredibly familiar. In other books, I’m used to seeing disability rep packaged as a trope or plot device. It was genuinely so exciting to see Gwendolyn written with depth, purpose, and intention as a fully realized and complex person.
SO if you’re horror-curious but still crave a rich, spicy romance - then you need to go ahead and buy this book.
May 3, 2025
*Thank you Azalea for providing me with an ARC - ESPECIALLY for so kindly providing me a link to it again after I let the old one expire!*
I find it difficult to talk about our protagonist Gwen. I like her. She's unapologetic, emotional and gets to rock some magical pink hair. I understand the author wrote her to have undiagnosed autism and I do feel seen in some of her mannerism as she tries to keep to the behavioural script of being Normal. Which makes it so much more cathartic when she gets to let go. I mean, she ends up doing a lot of wild af things, but hey I'm happy for her.
The beginning was a little slow for me so I wasn't prepared for how unhinged that climax was going to be. Oh man the body horror was so cool. The spiders. Ambrosius' demonic aspects.
Speaking of the devil, am finally glad for more older male love interests. I loooved his POV chapters with the spooky aspects of his Antiquarian role and all the pining he does over Gwen (gotta appreciate how he slips his hold on his human form whenever things get too hot).
The pacing jolts around at times, and it took me a while to properly get into Gwen's and Ambrosius' developing relationship but an overall fun read!
I find it difficult to talk about our protagonist Gwen. I like her. She's unapologetic, emotional and gets to rock some magical pink hair. I understand the author wrote her to have undiagnosed autism and I do feel seen in some of her mannerism as she tries to keep to the behavioural script of being Normal. Which makes it so much more cathartic when she gets to let go. I mean, she ends up doing a lot of wild af things, but hey I'm happy for her.
The beginning was a little slow for me so I wasn't prepared for how unhinged that climax was going to be. Oh man the body horror was so cool. The spiders. Ambrosius' demonic aspects.
Speaking of the devil, am finally glad for more older male love interests. I loooved his POV chapters with the spooky aspects of his Antiquarian role and all the pining he does over Gwen (gotta appreciate how he slips his hold on his human form whenever things get too hot).
The pacing jolts around at times, and it took me a while to properly get into Gwen's and Ambrosius' developing relationship but an overall fun read!
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