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The Rune Tithe #3
An Elixir for Wanderlust: A Romantasy
Having once escaped the dark waters that cursed him, a young witch returns home to face the evil targeting his loved ones—whatever the consequences.
After almost a decade away, Taliesin Ashborne has come home to attend his grandfather’s funeral. While past tensions still linger between him and his family, a stiff drink and a steamy encounter with Kessian, the gorgeous man who approaches him at the wake, really takes the edge off.
But the old magic of Shearwater Spring has left more scars on Tal than he realized. Nine years ago, twenty-four townspeople, including Tal and his father, mysteriously walked into a deep river one night—and only Tal returned.
To this day, something dangerous lurks in Shearwater’s black waters. It’s hunting down everyone Tal loves, and after it got his twin, he couldn’t stand to lose anyone else. Hoping to rid him of this curse once and for all, his sibling Fae urges him to see the town’s new healer . . . who just so happens to be Kessian.
Trying to keep his emotions in check—for not only his own benefit but also Kessian’s safety—will be anything but easy for Tal after nine years of isolation. Now, with a wraith hot on his trail, he must uncover what corrupted the ancient magic of the river so he can finally come home for good.
Praise for A Spell for Heartsickness
“Reeves’s remarkably assured debut delivers a queer, witchy romp with deep feelings.” —Publishers Weekly
“As comfy and satisfying as ‘the taste of hot stew on a rainy night.’” —Kirkus Reviews
After almost a decade away, Taliesin Ashborne has come home to attend his grandfather’s funeral. While past tensions still linger between him and his family, a stiff drink and a steamy encounter with Kessian, the gorgeous man who approaches him at the wake, really takes the edge off.
But the old magic of Shearwater Spring has left more scars on Tal than he realized. Nine years ago, twenty-four townspeople, including Tal and his father, mysteriously walked into a deep river one night—and only Tal returned.
To this day, something dangerous lurks in Shearwater’s black waters. It’s hunting down everyone Tal loves, and after it got his twin, he couldn’t stand to lose anyone else. Hoping to rid him of this curse once and for all, his sibling Fae urges him to see the town’s new healer . . . who just so happens to be Kessian.
Trying to keep his emotions in check—for not only his own benefit but also Kessian’s safety—will be anything but easy for Tal after nine years of isolation. Now, with a wraith hot on his trail, he must uncover what corrupted the ancient magic of the river so he can finally come home for good.
Praise for A Spell for Heartsickness
“Reeves’s remarkably assured debut delivers a queer, witchy romp with deep feelings.” —Publishers Weekly
“As comfy and satisfying as ‘the taste of hot stew on a rainy night.’” —Kirkus Reviews
300 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2026
About the author
Alistair Reeves
4 books120 followersAlistair Reeves (he/him) writes romantasy about messy queers and morally grey characters. Born in Canada, he moved to England to indulge his addiction to hot caffeinated beverages. His influences range from video games to Chinese danmei. When not writing, he can be found playing Dungeons & Dragons or tending to his frankly absurd collection of succulents.
In 2019 he won a Watty Award for his queer science fiction, Static Crush, and was a 2022 Pitch Wars mentee. A SPELL FOR HEARTSICKNESS is his debut novel, releasing with Podium in Fall 2024.
He graduated from Sheridan College with a Bachelors in Animation, but he mostly uses his artistic skills to draw his OC’s kissing.
In 2019 he won a Watty Award for his queer science fiction, Static Crush, and was a 2022 Pitch Wars mentee. A SPELL FOR HEARTSICKNESS is his debut novel, releasing with Podium in Fall 2024.
He graduated from Sheridan College with a Bachelors in Animation, but he mostly uses his artistic skills to draw his OC’s kissing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 16, 2026
u know what .....just throw me into that river too.......
14/04: PUBLICATION DAY YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH
i'm seated. the publishers are scared and asking me to leave because it 'isn't even published yet' but i'm simply too seated.
14/04: PUBLICATION DAY YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH
i'm seated. the publishers are scared and asking me to leave because it 'isn't even published yet' but i'm simply too seated.
June 3, 2026
Full RTC… maybe…
April 25, 2026
This was so beautiful 😭 a perfect conclusion to the series but I’m sad it’s over now
June 4, 2026
Excuse me while I melt into a puddle and die 😭 this was the perfect conclusion to the Ruin Tithes series and I am going to miss this world so much I can’t even!!!
April 17, 2026
Home at last!
Loved this story - so sweet and full of emotional twisty turns. An easy 4.5 stars. I loved the question of where home is, whether it is a place or a person or both. I also loved the resolution theme, but I don’t want to add a spoiler here, as it’s a powerful and enduring idea for all of us.
The spice is gentle, believable, and unique - something which seems increasingly rare in the MM Romance world.
Absolutely loved the sentient campervan/motorhome, despite it being inaccurately referred to as a caravan - which is a very different beast. Nevertheless, when I get a motorhome, this is the kind I want - one with a dial that can lead you to infinite rooms of possibility, that puts the kettle on for you, and fluffs up the cushions! Yes please!
It was so lovely to see our other couples briefly getting involved, and getting a brief glimpse into the ongoing HEAs they are living. I often read reviews which talk about readers kicking their feet in delight - I think I get it now!
Just a few inconsistencies in familial relationships between cousins/siblings, mother/aunt, dad/ uncle. My suspicion is that the characters of Fae and Amelia went through some evolutionary developments along the way, maybe even splitting from one person into two, and these are minor artefacts left from those changes. Also, towards the end, a Volvo suddenly becomes a Golf!
But none of this detracts from a brilliant, well-written story.
Highly recommend - read the Spell for Heartsickness, then Hex for Hunger before reading this one.
Loved this story - so sweet and full of emotional twisty turns. An easy 4.5 stars. I loved the question of where home is, whether it is a place or a person or both. I also loved the resolution theme, but I don’t want to add a spoiler here, as it’s a powerful and enduring idea for all of us.
The spice is gentle, believable, and unique - something which seems increasingly rare in the MM Romance world.
Absolutely loved the sentient campervan/motorhome, despite it being inaccurately referred to as a caravan - which is a very different beast. Nevertheless, when I get a motorhome, this is the kind I want - one with a dial that can lead you to infinite rooms of possibility, that puts the kettle on for you, and fluffs up the cushions! Yes please!
It was so lovely to see our other couples briefly getting involved, and getting a brief glimpse into the ongoing HEAs they are living. I often read reviews which talk about readers kicking their feet in delight - I think I get it now!
Just a few inconsistencies in familial relationships between cousins/siblings, mother/aunt, dad/ uncle. My suspicion is that the characters of Fae and Amelia went through some evolutionary developments along the way, maybe even splitting from one person into two, and these are minor artefacts left from those changes. Also, towards the end, a Volvo suddenly becomes a Golf!
But none of this detracts from a brilliant, well-written story.
Highly recommend - read the Spell for Heartsickness, then Hex for Hunger before reading this one.
May 24, 2026
So dang good 😍🫶
May 29, 2026
I didn’t realize this was only a 3 book series. I’m sad it’s over.
This was a mixed bag for me, maybe a product of HIGH expectations based on book 2.
There was really interesting stuff regarding self sacrifice, family obligations, family resentments, dealing with chronic illness/pain.
The romance did work for me. I understood where they both were coming from regarding their relationship apprehension. There was this line that kept being repeated in various ways: ‘We were supposed to be pretending.’ That just gutted me.
I did enjoy the extra magic lore in this. There was extra depth to it. We had Tal’s cat familiar turn into a caravan (bus) when he left home so he’d still have a home. That stuff was well done.
I think my true issues with the book are:
1. I could’ve used 50 more pages to flesh out some kind of interesting ideas. There’s time travel(!!) and the timelines kinda got muddled, the action was kind of awkward to read about. The ending was really abrupt and then it’s the epilogue a year later
2. The series didn’t feel cohesive at all. Yes, they all use ruins hence the series title, but 1 felt like a different time period, like historical fiction. Briar uses a broom to get around and no mention of cars (I checked). 2+3 seem like the modern world.
3. We finally got interconnectedness with Briar/Rowan (they got married!!) and Emory/Ambrose make separate appearances and kinda, barely help them with their wraith problem. It was very deus machina: we need a Necromancer, oh I know one!
Also loved:
1. The Ghost-esque pottery scene. That always gets me.
Overall - I enjoyed the world and I’m down to read anything Reeves does next.
‘I said I’d sooner die than go back to Shearwater, but death forced me to return anyway.’
The priest said, “And lastly, Taliesin Ashborne, to whom Edwin devoted nine years trying to make this place home again; he hoped one day it would be.”
He didn’t taste like cigarettes; he tasted like oranges.
If flesh had memory, mine often forgot the warmth of a body lying next to mine.
I said, “What are the rules?” Kessian paused in kissing my neck to throw his head back and sigh as if I’d said something erotic. “Music to my ears.”
I could taste his heartbeat, the salt on his skin. I wanted to bite down. Leave a mark. Like a lover’s graffiti to say, I was here.
Others had come with me, drawn by the same song. We stepped in hand in hand. The thing about the strid is nobody who falls in comes out alive.
We’d been a normal family, once, but after I’d nearly died in the strid, things changed. Nightmares of a shadowy figure with dripping antlers haunted my sleep. Eventually, it followed me into the daylight, too.
The wraith was not something common or well-documented like a poltergeist. It was unique, a strange blend of wild and witch magic born from the strid. What it wanted, how it had come to be, they didn’t know. Without a means to communicate with it, they couldn’t find out. Without understanding its nature, they couldn’t hope to kill it, either. Most spirits were exorcised by burning the remains of the dead, but the bodies of those taken by the strid never surfaced.
“Magic? You’re a witch?” He had no familiar. At least, not one I could see. I’d met a witch once whose familiar was a ladybird, but tiny familiars were uncommon. But then, mine was a caravan. “Ah, not quite. My magic doesn’t come from within me. It comes from the spring.”
“I’m sorry. The visions aren’t usually that …” “Horrific?” “I was going to say deadly.” “Don’t I feel special?” I made a rueful noise. “It figures that to get my sister back, I’d have to sacrifice the both of us. The strid never did play fair.”
I’d been the favorite, but I didn’t realize it until I wasn’t anymore.
Between repainting my bedroom door, conjuring a second mug, and letting Kessian drive her, Lunaris was playing matchmaker. She wanted Kessian to stay.
“The forest and your strid, they’re like brothers. If you’re its Keeper—and you could be; it tends to pass down in families—and your grandfather passing away so recently, well … Wild magic has a way of drawing us back home.” I didn’t know how to absorb that. “My grandfather never said anything about that.” “Could be he didn’t have much mentoring, like me,” Rowan said.
His gaze kept drifting from the wheel to my face, a curious intensity to his eyes. I felt undressed. Not nude, but … known.
Do you have a home? (I did once, but I made a mistake. I made my home a person so the breakup felt like an eviction notice.)
“No. The forest is protecting you,” Rowan said.
“I was cursed with Bowen’s Wane. That’s how I know Briar. He had it, too, and he developed the cure.”
“If you want me, you’ll have to come get me.”
I count the freckles on his skin. “They’ve always reminded me of stars. We should make wishes on yours.” “I wish this night could last forever.” “We made the time we had count.”
“You kissed me.” “That’s not a question.” “Did you mean it?”
“Let’s catch a wraith.”
Lunaris pulled the covers tightly around me in a hug, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to be alone anymore.
’Cause being rejected by someone who doesn’t know me, that’s fine. But you … I don’t think I could take it from you.”
His home had to be a place. I wanted mine to be a person. The Venn diagram of our needs was two circles.
“There’ll be time,” I said. “No! I’m already forgetting.” Kessian said, “Tell us inside.”
I wouldn’t wish that on Kessian. It shouldn’t be his burden.” “Why do you think it should be ours?”
“Thank you. For not leaving me behind.” “I’d never do that.” Very quietly, he said, “I think I know that now.”
“…I’m never going to be good enough for anyone to find their home in me.”
“He had not meant to kill the first time. But he did with me.”
“Any more rules I should know about?” “Pretend like this isn’t our last night together.”
We were pretending, but if the world wasn’t ending, I would have drawn things out so much longer. Still, I said, “Beg.”
We were pretending. I didn’t think of those things.
But we were pretending.
“Taliesin,” he said. Just that. Just my name.
“I wish there was time to sleep.” “If there was, I wouldn’t want to. I’d miss you.” He looked at me like I’d told him a terrible secret.
We were supposed to be pretending, but we couldn’t pretend anymore. I’d said this once in a dream. It still hurt the second time. “We made the time we had count.”
If I was right about how everything ended, then I had to become this to make that ending happy.
“Say something to make this real,” I said “Something to prove I’m not dreaming.”
This was a mixed bag for me, maybe a product of HIGH expectations based on book 2.
There was really interesting stuff regarding self sacrifice, family obligations, family resentments, dealing with chronic illness/pain.
The romance did work for me. I understood where they both were coming from regarding their relationship apprehension. There was this line that kept being repeated in various ways: ‘We were supposed to be pretending.’ That just gutted me.
I did enjoy the extra magic lore in this. There was extra depth to it. We had Tal’s cat familiar turn into a caravan (bus) when he left home so he’d still have a home. That stuff was well done.
I think my true issues with the book are:
1. I could’ve used 50 more pages to flesh out some kind of interesting ideas. There’s time travel(!!) and the timelines kinda got muddled, the action was kind of awkward to read about. The ending was really abrupt and then it’s the epilogue a year later
2. The series didn’t feel cohesive at all. Yes, they all use ruins hence the series title, but 1 felt like a different time period, like historical fiction. Briar uses a broom to get around and no mention of cars (I checked). 2+3 seem like the modern world.
3. We finally got interconnectedness with Briar/Rowan (they got married!!) and Emory/Ambrose make separate appearances and kinda, barely help them with their wraith problem. It was very deus machina: we need a Necromancer, oh I know one!
Also loved:
1. The Ghost-esque pottery scene. That always gets me.
Overall - I enjoyed the world and I’m down to read anything Reeves does next.
‘I said I’d sooner die than go back to Shearwater, but death forced me to return anyway.’
The priest said, “And lastly, Taliesin Ashborne, to whom Edwin devoted nine years trying to make this place home again; he hoped one day it would be.”
He didn’t taste like cigarettes; he tasted like oranges.
If flesh had memory, mine often forgot the warmth of a body lying next to mine.
I said, “What are the rules?” Kessian paused in kissing my neck to throw his head back and sigh as if I’d said something erotic. “Music to my ears.”
I could taste his heartbeat, the salt on his skin. I wanted to bite down. Leave a mark. Like a lover’s graffiti to say, I was here.
Others had come with me, drawn by the same song. We stepped in hand in hand. The thing about the strid is nobody who falls in comes out alive.
We’d been a normal family, once, but after I’d nearly died in the strid, things changed. Nightmares of a shadowy figure with dripping antlers haunted my sleep. Eventually, it followed me into the daylight, too.
The wraith was not something common or well-documented like a poltergeist. It was unique, a strange blend of wild and witch magic born from the strid. What it wanted, how it had come to be, they didn’t know. Without a means to communicate with it, they couldn’t find out. Without understanding its nature, they couldn’t hope to kill it, either. Most spirits were exorcised by burning the remains of the dead, but the bodies of those taken by the strid never surfaced.
“Magic? You’re a witch?” He had no familiar. At least, not one I could see. I’d met a witch once whose familiar was a ladybird, but tiny familiars were uncommon. But then, mine was a caravan. “Ah, not quite. My magic doesn’t come from within me. It comes from the spring.”
“I’m sorry. The visions aren’t usually that …” “Horrific?” “I was going to say deadly.” “Don’t I feel special?” I made a rueful noise. “It figures that to get my sister back, I’d have to sacrifice the both of us. The strid never did play fair.”
I’d been the favorite, but I didn’t realize it until I wasn’t anymore.
Between repainting my bedroom door, conjuring a second mug, and letting Kessian drive her, Lunaris was playing matchmaker. She wanted Kessian to stay.
“The forest and your strid, they’re like brothers. If you’re its Keeper—and you could be; it tends to pass down in families—and your grandfather passing away so recently, well … Wild magic has a way of drawing us back home.” I didn’t know how to absorb that. “My grandfather never said anything about that.” “Could be he didn’t have much mentoring, like me,” Rowan said.
His gaze kept drifting from the wheel to my face, a curious intensity to his eyes. I felt undressed. Not nude, but … known.
Do you have a home? (I did once, but I made a mistake. I made my home a person so the breakup felt like an eviction notice.)
“No. The forest is protecting you,” Rowan said.
“I was cursed with Bowen’s Wane. That’s how I know Briar. He had it, too, and he developed the cure.”
“If you want me, you’ll have to come get me.”
I count the freckles on his skin. “They’ve always reminded me of stars. We should make wishes on yours.” “I wish this night could last forever.” “We made the time we had count.”
“You kissed me.” “That’s not a question.” “Did you mean it?”
“Let’s catch a wraith.”
Lunaris pulled the covers tightly around me in a hug, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to be alone anymore.
’Cause being rejected by someone who doesn’t know me, that’s fine. But you … I don’t think I could take it from you.”
His home had to be a place. I wanted mine to be a person. The Venn diagram of our needs was two circles.
“There’ll be time,” I said. “No! I’m already forgetting.” Kessian said, “Tell us inside.”
I wouldn’t wish that on Kessian. It shouldn’t be his burden.” “Why do you think it should be ours?”
“Thank you. For not leaving me behind.” “I’d never do that.” Very quietly, he said, “I think I know that now.”
“…I’m never going to be good enough for anyone to find their home in me.”
“He had not meant to kill the first time. But he did with me.”
“Any more rules I should know about?” “Pretend like this isn’t our last night together.”
We were pretending, but if the world wasn’t ending, I would have drawn things out so much longer. Still, I said, “Beg.”
We were pretending. I didn’t think of those things.
But we were pretending.
“Taliesin,” he said. Just that. Just my name.
“I wish there was time to sleep.” “If there was, I wouldn’t want to. I’d miss you.” He looked at me like I’d told him a terrible secret.
We were supposed to be pretending, but we couldn’t pretend anymore. I’d said this once in a dream. It still hurt the second time. “We made the time we had count.”
If I was right about how everything ended, then I had to become this to make that ending happy.
“Say something to make this real,” I said “Something to prove I’m not dreaming.”
April 16, 2026
4.75/5. While it didn’t feel like the previous two, it was still really good. I miss the vibes from the others, though, and I was happy to see the characters having their cameo moments. I wonder if there’s a next one where it’ll go and how it’ll tie in.
Want to Read
August 11, 2025Autistic MC
April 28, 2026
Such a beautifully written conclusion to one of my all-time fave cozy fantasy series! Even though I'm sad that the "Rune Tithe" trilogy has come to an end, this book was everything I wanted & hoped it would be. Reeves's trademark lyrical prose really shines in Tal and Kessian's story.
After 9 years on the run from the wraith that took his twin sister, and very nearly drowned him as well, Taliesin is back in town for his Grandpa's funeral. Nobody wants him there, himself included, for the bloodthirsty wraith that decimated his family is always hot on Tal's heels; but he cannot bring himself to skip the last chance at saying goodbye. Neither can he deny himself a wild night of pleasure with the dazzling young man he meets at the funeral, Kessian, whose freckles gleam like stars. When Tal's sibling Fae announces they're getting married in a few weeks, and would love for Tal to attend, fear of the wraith's bloodthirst urges Tal to run as fast as he can. But Kessian wields immense power connected to the stream where the family tragedy began, and Fae cannot bear the thought of their only surviving sibling missing their wedding. How is Tal meant to choose between keeping his family safe and showing them the love he's been holding back for 9 entire years? Is it true that there might be a way to exorcise the wraith for good? And why is it that, whenever he looks at Kessian, it feels like coming home?
Family curses, an unsolved murder mystery, wild magic and a cheeky familiar-turned-caravan went into the caudron for this one, and the result is exquisite. While I'm biased beyond reason because Emery is my absolute baby bean from this series, and nobody will ever take his crown, I fell head over heels for Tal and Kessian. Though they appear to be very different people, deep down they both long for the same thing; they both long for a home, though neither of them knows what that might look like. Dreamlike nostalgia permeated the story from front to back, but it wasn't necessarily sad. Instead, it felt like flipping through photo albums and reminiscing about all those happy memories you weren't aware would become precious sanctuaries you'd come back to time and time again when the world weighs too heavily on you.
Something I quite appreciated was the autistic and trans rep. Both realities were portrayed with nuance and respect, and while I'd encourage you to listen to people from either (or both) minorities regarding the accuracy of this rep, I personally found it to be really well done. There is neither any romantization of the (mostly societal) challenges faced by autistic and/or transgender individuals, nor any 'woe is them' discourse. Finding such representation is still rare, so I cannot recommend this book enough in that regard.
Overall another stellar book by Alistair Reeves. Already excited for whatever he'll write next!
After 9 years on the run from the wraith that took his twin sister, and very nearly drowned him as well, Taliesin is back in town for his Grandpa's funeral. Nobody wants him there, himself included, for the bloodthirsty wraith that decimated his family is always hot on Tal's heels; but he cannot bring himself to skip the last chance at saying goodbye. Neither can he deny himself a wild night of pleasure with the dazzling young man he meets at the funeral, Kessian, whose freckles gleam like stars. When Tal's sibling Fae announces they're getting married in a few weeks, and would love for Tal to attend, fear of the wraith's bloodthirst urges Tal to run as fast as he can. But Kessian wields immense power connected to the stream where the family tragedy began, and Fae cannot bear the thought of their only surviving sibling missing their wedding. How is Tal meant to choose between keeping his family safe and showing them the love he's been holding back for 9 entire years? Is it true that there might be a way to exorcise the wraith for good? And why is it that, whenever he looks at Kessian, it feels like coming home?
Family curses, an unsolved murder mystery, wild magic and a cheeky familiar-turned-caravan went into the caudron for this one, and the result is exquisite. While I'm biased beyond reason because Emery is my absolute baby bean from this series, and nobody will ever take his crown, I fell head over heels for Tal and Kessian. Though they appear to be very different people, deep down they both long for the same thing; they both long for a home, though neither of them knows what that might look like. Dreamlike nostalgia permeated the story from front to back, but it wasn't necessarily sad. Instead, it felt like flipping through photo albums and reminiscing about all those happy memories you weren't aware would become precious sanctuaries you'd come back to time and time again when the world weighs too heavily on you.
Something I quite appreciated was the autistic and trans rep. Both realities were portrayed with nuance and respect, and while I'd encourage you to listen to people from either (or both) minorities regarding the accuracy of this rep, I personally found it to be really well done. There is neither any romantization of the (mostly societal) challenges faced by autistic and/or transgender individuals, nor any 'woe is them' discourse. Finding such representation is still rare, so I cannot recommend this book enough in that regard.
Overall another stellar book by Alistair Reeves. Already excited for whatever he'll write next!
June 19, 2026
"An Elixir for Wanderlust" by Alistair Reeves is the third book in the "Rune Tithe" series. It's an MM romance set in a gorgeous modern fantasy world.
The story follows Tal as he returns to his hometown after nine years of traveling with his familiar - a magical caravan. But wherever Tal goes, the wraith follows. A dark spirit that drags members of his family to their deaths at the bottom of the local river.
Ratings:
Overall: 5/5 Hearts - I have no notes. This entire series has been incredible and this book lives up to the previous two. They're all beautiful and emotional and thoughtful.
Peppers: 2/5 - There's not many open door scenes. BUT there's a lot of sexual tension. So while I'm giving it two peppers, it definitely feels like more.
Spice: 5/5 - Spice that's sexy and emotional...sign me up. Each scene is beautifully done.
Plot: 5/5
Story: The story is really a mystery at its core with a good dash of romance. There's twists, turns, OMG moments, tearful scenes, and more.
Characters: Beautiful. Honestly, that's my one word review of this book as a whole. I LOVED the complexity of the characters. Tal is the POV MC and he has all of these little idiosyncrasies that made him feel incredibly human.
Then there's Kessian. A transman that is incredibly well written. Reeves gives him secrets and personality, fears, and hopes, and every one of those comes through in his actions.
Writing: Perfection. Reeves has a magical way of writing. Like he's putting out little stepping stones to guide you on an adventure, but giving you plenty of room to imagine and gawk along the way. Reading one of his books is magical.
In short: Read this book. It's on Kindle Unlimited, so there's no excuses.
The story follows Tal as he returns to his hometown after nine years of traveling with his familiar - a magical caravan. But wherever Tal goes, the wraith follows. A dark spirit that drags members of his family to their deaths at the bottom of the local river.
Ratings:
Overall: 5/5 Hearts - I have no notes. This entire series has been incredible and this book lives up to the previous two. They're all beautiful and emotional and thoughtful.
Peppers: 2/5 - There's not many open door scenes. BUT there's a lot of sexual tension. So while I'm giving it two peppers, it definitely feels like more.
Spice: 5/5 - Spice that's sexy and emotional...sign me up. Each scene is beautifully done.
Plot: 5/5
Story: The story is really a mystery at its core with a good dash of romance. There's twists, turns, OMG moments, tearful scenes, and more.
Characters: Beautiful. Honestly, that's my one word review of this book as a whole. I LOVED the complexity of the characters. Tal is the POV MC and he has all of these little idiosyncrasies that made him feel incredibly human.
Then there's Kessian. A transman that is incredibly well written. Reeves gives him secrets and personality, fears, and hopes, and every one of those comes through in his actions.
Writing: Perfection. Reeves has a magical way of writing. Like he's putting out little stepping stones to guide you on an adventure, but giving you plenty of room to imagine and gawk along the way. Reading one of his books is magical.
In short: Read this book. It's on Kindle Unlimited, so there's no excuses.
September 17, 2025
I was lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy of this book, and it just blew me away. But first, take a moment to gander at that glorious cover. It is truly everything.
When Taliesen returns home to attend the funeral of his grandfather, he fears the inky creepy wraith-like creature haunting him will harm his family, so he's in a hurry to get out of Dodge in his caravan (who is also his familiar.) This evil dates back to his youth when he nearly died in the same spring that has taken the lives of other townsfolk, including his sister and father. He's urged to meet with a healer, Kessian, the confident, sexy man who's new to town but already has a strong, magical connection with the spring. Together they search for a solution to Tal's menacing foe, building a rapport that begins to blossom into more.
An Elixir For Wanderlust is the third installment in The Rune Tithe series. While it can be read as a standalone, there are some old friends along the way that will be more appreciated after reading the first two lovely books. Each of these books is squarely romantasy with a smidgeon of horror at the edges, but this one has another dimension of depth and atmosphere and .... I want to say calculus(?) due to the mastery of some complex timey wimey wibbly wobbly intricacies Alistair handles with precision. Also, did I mention the familiar is a caravan? This whole book is bursting with creativity and wild imagination. My gob was smacked.
Mark this as a must read for 2026!
When Taliesen returns home to attend the funeral of his grandfather, he fears the inky creepy wraith-like creature haunting him will harm his family, so he's in a hurry to get out of Dodge in his caravan (who is also his familiar.) This evil dates back to his youth when he nearly died in the same spring that has taken the lives of other townsfolk, including his sister and father. He's urged to meet with a healer, Kessian, the confident, sexy man who's new to town but already has a strong, magical connection with the spring. Together they search for a solution to Tal's menacing foe, building a rapport that begins to blossom into more.
An Elixir For Wanderlust is the third installment in The Rune Tithe series. While it can be read as a standalone, there are some old friends along the way that will be more appreciated after reading the first two lovely books. Each of these books is squarely romantasy with a smidgeon of horror at the edges, but this one has another dimension of depth and atmosphere and .... I want to say calculus(?) due to the mastery of some complex timey wimey wibbly wobbly intricacies Alistair handles with precision. Also, did I mention the familiar is a caravan? This whole book is bursting with creativity and wild imagination. My gob was smacked.
Mark this as a must read for 2026!
May 13, 2026
★ Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Are There Gay People in this?*: ✅
Great end to the series!
I love the Rune Tithe series so much omg. Alistair Reeves is so good at writing books that have a lot of dark plot elements that are properly handled and treated seriously, while keeping the book flirty and whimsical. I really appreciated the conversation they had at the beginning about what words to use for Kessian's anatomy. It's a part of trans romances that I feel like sometimes gets skipped over a little. I also loved getting to see all the boys from the first two books again.
The narration was also great--Harrison Knights has the perfect voice for this series--however I did notice that this audiobook has a lot of pauses between sentences that felt slightly too long. I think that would be a production thing, not an actual narration thing, but I am not familiar enough with the process to be sure. I also read the second book on audio and don't remember this happening there.
Overall, super sweet romance between 2 characters I loved. I highly recommend this book, though I would recommend reading the other two books first since I would say this spoils a little bit of the first one.
* I count a book as including gay people if any of the main or secondary characters are implicitly or explicitly queer or trans. This does not necessarily mean the protagonist is queer or that there is a queer romance
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Are There Gay People in this?*: ✅
Great end to the series!
I love the Rune Tithe series so much omg. Alistair Reeves is so good at writing books that have a lot of dark plot elements that are properly handled and treated seriously, while keeping the book flirty and whimsical. I really appreciated the conversation they had at the beginning about what words to use for Kessian's anatomy. It's a part of trans romances that I feel like sometimes gets skipped over a little. I also loved getting to see all the boys from the first two books again.
The narration was also great--Harrison Knights has the perfect voice for this series--however I did notice that this audiobook has a lot of pauses between sentences that felt slightly too long. I think that would be a production thing, not an actual narration thing, but I am not familiar enough with the process to be sure. I also read the second book on audio and don't remember this happening there.
Overall, super sweet romance between 2 characters I loved. I highly recommend this book, though I would recommend reading the other two books first since I would say this spoils a little bit of the first one.
* I count a book as including gay people if any of the main or secondary characters are implicitly or explicitly queer or trans. This does not necessarily mean the protagonist is queer or that there is a queer romance
April 17, 2026
THIS BOOK! An Elixir for Wanderlust was such a joy to read and an absolute page turner. I finished it in about 24 hours and loved every second of it.
I very rarely tab or save quotes but I was highlighting and tabbing all throughout this book, so many amazing lines that ranged from extremely relatable, heart warming or laugh out loud funny.
One thing I love about Alistair Reeves' books is that they each feel so fresh and original! They don't follow a cookie cutter plot line. They are all unique stories and plots that leave me on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out how it will end and this book was no exception.
As a wanderer and traveler myself who has a complex relationship with my hometown, this story was so relatable and beautiful to read.
More detailed review to come when I've had time to process but until then, just all the love to An Elixir for Wanderlust and Tal and Kessian, I love them so much!
I very rarely tab or save quotes but I was highlighting and tabbing all throughout this book, so many amazing lines that ranged from extremely relatable, heart warming or laugh out loud funny.
One thing I love about Alistair Reeves' books is that they each feel so fresh and original! They don't follow a cookie cutter plot line. They are all unique stories and plots that leave me on the edge of my seat the whole time trying to figure out how it will end and this book was no exception.
As a wanderer and traveler myself who has a complex relationship with my hometown, this story was so relatable and beautiful to read.
More detailed review to come when I've had time to process but until then, just all the love to An Elixir for Wanderlust and Tal and Kessian, I love them so much!
April 18, 2026
So good! I preordered this immediately after reading A Spell For Heartsickness because I knew I would want to read it as soon as it came out - I can’t exactly say I enjoyed it as much as ASFH but that’s a very high bar lol. Both main characters are very likable and easy to get attached to. I LOVED being in Tal’s brain; his thought process and internal dialogue felt very similar to my own. Kessian is adorable and I do think he had much more agency in this book than Rowan did in ASFH, which I really enjoyed. Really my only criticism is that the writing felt very on the nose at times, like it was leading me to conclusions I could have gotten to on my own, but that was greatly overshadowed by how much fun I was having lol.
Very much worth the read!! I hope we get to see more from this series 🥰 I could read ten more of these little standalones lol
Very much worth the read!! I hope we get to see more from this series 🥰 I could read ten more of these little standalones lol
April 19, 2026
A wonderful mysterious heart-tugging story
I don’t write book reviews a lot, but I REALLY loved this and wanted to show my support.
This series of queer romances has been so beautiful and I think this one was my favorite. Exploring the meaning of “home” for different people, and what it means to trust others with your heart, along with a good magical mystery being solved the whole time, made this book into a really fun weekend read. I also really enjoyed the cameos from the other characters in the series. Briar was particularly funny and cute.
Anyway, I love this magical world and THE GAYS CAN BE HAPPY! 🥰
I don’t write book reviews a lot, but I REALLY loved this and wanted to show my support.
This series of queer romances has been so beautiful and I think this one was my favorite. Exploring the meaning of “home” for different people, and what it means to trust others with your heart, along with a good magical mystery being solved the whole time, made this book into a really fun weekend read. I also really enjoyed the cameos from the other characters in the series. Briar was particularly funny and cute.
Anyway, I love this magical world and THE GAYS CAN BE HAPPY! 🥰
April 22, 2026
Absolutely Marvelous
I cannot express how BEAUTIFUL all the books in this series are. I’ve been waiting for this one ever since the cover was announced, and it was better than anything I could have hoped for!
The characters are so beautifully human, and the grief, loss, joy, and love was so, so, so well written. The world is spectacular and absolutely gorgeous, and I’m obsessed with the magic system. If you haven’t read the books, please do! Alistair Reeves weaves beautiful stories with lovely characters. The emotions are so very potent and the characters so very real. Please read these books, you won’t regret it at all.
I cannot express how BEAUTIFUL all the books in this series are. I’ve been waiting for this one ever since the cover was announced, and it was better than anything I could have hoped for!
The characters are so beautifully human, and the grief, loss, joy, and love was so, so, so well written. The world is spectacular and absolutely gorgeous, and I’m obsessed with the magic system. If you haven’t read the books, please do! Alistair Reeves weaves beautiful stories with lovely characters. The emotions are so very potent and the characters so very real. Please read these books, you won’t regret it at all.
June 5, 2026
Look, did I enjoy this book? Yes. Did I also think it has incredibly messy pacing and an underdeveloped magic system? Also yes. If you are ok looking past how the magic doesn’t quite make sense half the time and don’t mind that it tends to fast forward or fully skip through a good part of the plot and then reference situations that weren’t properly fleshed out or mentioned at all before…
I don’t think its a good book, which is a shame, because it is a fun book. And I appreciate that we got to see characters from the first two books again, but their inclusion felt a bit forced and not entirely necessary.
I don’t think its a good book, which is a shame, because it is a fun book. And I appreciate that we got to see characters from the first two books again, but their inclusion felt a bit forced and not entirely necessary.
April 20, 2026
I am once again blown away and in awe from the emotional roller coaster I just got off of. Alistair Reeves has done it again! The first two books were beautiful, queer master pieces with magic woven in every word. An Elixir for Wanderlust is no exception. I'm still bawling my eyes out and grinning like a giddy fool over all the twists that kept me guessing and craving more. Plus, wonderful trans representation is always welcomed. ❤️ The only compliment I have is that I need more and would love to dive deeper into this fantastical world Reeves has built.
May 21, 2026
Tal has been running for 9 years from a wraith that sends to kill everyone he loves. When a funeral for his grandfather brings him home to where it all began, a chance to fix it (and maybe fall in love) tempt him to stay.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am excited to read the rest of this series. Both Tal and Kessian were lovable characters who felt real, from their pain to their love. The time travel was a bit hard to follow and led me to a lot of re-reading to orient myself, but that is often the nature of something like that.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am excited to read the rest of this series. Both Tal and Kessian were lovable characters who felt real, from their pain to their love. The time travel was a bit hard to follow and led me to a lot of re-reading to orient myself, but that is often the nature of something like that.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 28, 2026
An excellent book from start to finish. This series has been so unique and so interesting. Each book has its own vibe, but you can feel that they are all within the same world. I really enjoy the magical system used throughout, even though this book was more focused on wild magic over deliberate spellcasting. Both Tal and Kessian are rich characters with a lot of layers and dimension. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them and the narrative as a whole. Every minute of this book was great.
May 11, 2026
I love how diverse the cast of characters is in Alistair Reeves' books. The series is obviously queer, but we've also got main characters who are trans, neurodivergent, and disabled. And each of the books in this series are so very different, but they all just suck you right in and keep you (rather like the Strid, really...)
I adore Tal and my heart just hurt so much for him. An Elixir for Wanderlust kept me guessing at all the twists and turns and reveals, while drawing me in to solve the mystery of this wraith and Tal's curse, and flirting with the potential in Tal and Kessian's romance.
This is the third book in The Rune Tithe series and can be read as a standalone. That being said, the characters from both book 1 (A Spell for Heartsickness) and book 2 (A Hex for Hunger) do play a role as side characters in this book, and there are some (fairly minor) spoilers for the first two books in this one - so basically, if you're going to read the entire series anyway (which you *totally should*), it's probably best to read them in order. :)
I adore Tal and my heart just hurt so much for him. An Elixir for Wanderlust kept me guessing at all the twists and turns and reveals, while drawing me in to solve the mystery of this wraith and Tal's curse, and flirting with the potential in Tal and Kessian's romance.
This is the third book in The Rune Tithe series and can be read as a standalone. That being said, the characters from both book 1 (A Spell for Heartsickness) and book 2 (A Hex for Hunger) do play a role as side characters in this book, and there are some (fairly minor) spoilers for the first two books in this one - so basically, if you're going to read the entire series anyway (which you *totally should*), it's probably best to read them in order. :)
May 8, 2026
I liked the inclusion of the characters from the previous Rune Tithe books in this book, I don't know if there are more stories planned for the series but this made it feel a bit like a conclusion, bringing everyone together. I liked the story here, it had a lot of different elements weaving together; their pasts, the town, the wraith, the river's magic, and the relationship building between Kessia and Tal. An enjoyable addition to the series.
June 25, 2026
What is home?
A beautiful story exploring different takes on what you call a home, how to process grief and loss without losing yourself, and how to live on and heal.
The time-traveling bits had an interesting twist to them, because they were based more on magic than on science. Time travel in any sort of media tends to confuse me, but with its magic background in this, I found the suspension of disbelief much easier than usually.
Definitely worth a read!
A beautiful story exploring different takes on what you call a home, how to process grief and loss without losing yourself, and how to live on and heal.
The time-traveling bits had an interesting twist to them, because they were based more on magic than on science. Time travel in any sort of media tends to confuse me, but with its magic background in this, I found the suspension of disbelief much easier than usually.
Definitely worth a read!
April 23, 2026
Love this series
So good, hot and sweet and an awesome action packed magical mystery. I guessed the villain at the start, but the how and why was fun to reveal too.
I hope there's more in this series, but either way I'm so in love with it as is.
So good, hot and sweet and an awesome action packed magical mystery. I guessed the villain at the start, but the how and why was fun to reveal too.
I hope there's more in this series, but either way I'm so in love with it as is.
May 17, 2026
I absolutely loved the first two books, but this one blew the other two out of the water. Wow. I absolutely ADORED Kessian and Tal so so so so much. I didn't want to let them go. I also adored the call back to the first two books, too. I cannot WAIT for the next book by Alistair!
May 20, 2026
Couldn't Wander Away
This book was so thrilling, I couldn't put it down. All the twists and turns had me trapped within its pages. It was such a perfect addition to this series, especially with some little call backs.
This book was so thrilling, I couldn't put it down. All the twists and turns had me trapped within its pages. It was such a perfect addition to this series, especially with some little call backs.
April 24, 2026
Taliesen returns home to attend the funeral for his grandfather, to make matters worse the creature haunting him gets closer and closer; the looming feeling of his family being harmed by said creature he attempts to continue life on the run… at least until he meets a healer, Kessian might be new in town but he might just be what Taliesen needs to figure out how to stop the creature following him.
Adored this book. The characters were written so well and the plot had my interest the entire time. Also the trans and neurodivergent representation was amazingly done. The romance was quick to spice and had dimension and depth as it progressed. The magic and fantasy elements were so creative and entertaining to read with the plot of this book.
POV: First Person
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sad Level: 💧💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Taliesen and Kessian
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🌊🔮⚰️
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse
Adored this book. The characters were written so well and the plot had my interest the entire time. Also the trans and neurodivergent representation was amazingly done. The romance was quick to spice and had dimension and depth as it progressed. The magic and fantasy elements were so creative and entertaining to read with the plot of this book.
POV: First Person
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sad Level: 💧💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Taliesen and Kessian
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🌊🔮⚰️
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Emotional abuse
Did Not Finish
April 22, 2026dnf 70% 😔
April 30, 2026
The way this wove into the other two and yh tact that I'm still ugly crying over the ending.
Beautiful. Magical. Painful. Rip my heart out again.
Beautiful. Magical. Painful. Rip my heart out again.
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