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Dangling High
After suffering an intensely traumatic loss at the hands of Jesse "Snake Eye" Musslin, the eccentric, queer, and legendary outlaw Ezra "Two Shots" Smith embarks on a lifelong quest for revenge, eventually crossing paths with Alexander "Good Times" Davis, who stubbornly refuses to let him be.
Dangling High is a gripping Western adventure that turns the genre’s typical, problematic tropes upside down for a more progressive rhetoric. It is a fresh, politically driven take on what the United States has stood for in the past, the danger of the current moment, and the potential to embrace a future that is based on entirely different systems of power and ways of life.
Dangling High is a gripping Western adventure that turns the genre’s typical, problematic tropes upside down for a more progressive rhetoric. It is a fresh, politically driven take on what the United States has stood for in the past, the danger of the current moment, and the potential to embrace a future that is based on entirely different systems of power and ways of life.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Kaycee King
8 books8 followers** I do not use AI to write my books. I shouldn't have to say that, but such is the world we live in now. I have a Bachelor's in English, and have been writing for over twenty years, first privately, then fan fiction over on AO3, and later self-published via Amazon and Inkitt.
My first two books were published before AI even existed. However, if you would like to see more of my writing process, I'm pretty open over on my social media, especially Threads/Instagram, where I share artwork and snippets of my writing under the username @kayceekingart - these snippets are often unrefined, with repetitive words being a notable weakness of mine before I've done final edits, just as an example of evidence, should you need it.
With regards to "Dangling High", in particular, I took two college courses that helped me write it well, one on Native American horror, and another on African American Westerns. I learned about the problematic tropes at the hands of white authors regarding these specific marginalized groups, and I learned a great deal about how Westerns have and continue to operate. I intended to subvert what I viewed as an overly conservative, toxic portrayal of masculinity, along with other problematic features.
All this to say, the reason I write well is a combination of education and extremely long hours spent dedicated to making sure I put out a book that is error-free and meaningful. I am against AI in general, as I believe it is destroying the arts and the attention spans/curiosity of human beings on the whole. I am sure accusations will continue to abound, as it seems they are just about everywhere these days, but I assure you, I write my own books. I hardly sell any at all! What reason would I have to use it? I simply love writing, and I wanted to share it with anyone who might need it.
Anyway, I will not engage with anyone who hurls these baseless accusations. This statement is about all I can do to address it, as Goodreads doesn't offer much support in the way of prohibiting this particular sort of author harassment.
Thanks to those of you who have read and, hopefully, enjoyed my books. <3 **
***
Kaycee King is an LGBTQ+ person who writes novels that center dark, realistic themes, intense challenges, and inner turmoil to showcase the resilience of complex characters. Their stories explore the messy, raw, and often brutal aspects of life, but do so with a steady undercurrent of hope.
When they aren't writing, Kaycee loves photographing wildlife, drawing their characters, spending time with family, cuddling their cats, or curling up with some coffee and a good book.
My first two books were published before AI even existed. However, if you would like to see more of my writing process, I'm pretty open over on my social media, especially Threads/Instagram, where I share artwork and snippets of my writing under the username @kayceekingart - these snippets are often unrefined, with repetitive words being a notable weakness of mine before I've done final edits, just as an example of evidence, should you need it.
With regards to "Dangling High", in particular, I took two college courses that helped me write it well, one on Native American horror, and another on African American Westerns. I learned about the problematic tropes at the hands of white authors regarding these specific marginalized groups, and I learned a great deal about how Westerns have and continue to operate. I intended to subvert what I viewed as an overly conservative, toxic portrayal of masculinity, along with other problematic features.
All this to say, the reason I write well is a combination of education and extremely long hours spent dedicated to making sure I put out a book that is error-free and meaningful. I am against AI in general, as I believe it is destroying the arts and the attention spans/curiosity of human beings on the whole. I am sure accusations will continue to abound, as it seems they are just about everywhere these days, but I assure you, I write my own books. I hardly sell any at all! What reason would I have to use it? I simply love writing, and I wanted to share it with anyone who might need it.
Anyway, I will not engage with anyone who hurls these baseless accusations. This statement is about all I can do to address it, as Goodreads doesn't offer much support in the way of prohibiting this particular sort of author harassment.
Thanks to those of you who have read and, hopefully, enjoyed my books. <3 **
***
Kaycee King is an LGBTQ+ person who writes novels that center dark, realistic themes, intense challenges, and inner turmoil to showcase the resilience of complex characters. Their stories explore the messy, raw, and often brutal aspects of life, but do so with a steady undercurrent of hope.
When they aren't writing, Kaycee loves photographing wildlife, drawing their characters, spending time with family, cuddling their cats, or curling up with some coffee and a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 14, 2025
Kaycee King’s Dangling High is a raw, unflinching narrative that thrusts readers into a world of grief, moral ambiguity, and the harsh boundaries between outlaw and justice. The story follows Ezra “Two Shots” Smith, a queer legendary outlaw, whose life is irrevocably changed after a brutal loss at the hands of Jesse “Snake Eye” Musslin. What feels remarkable to me about King’s storytelling is the nuanced way she exposes the costs of violence and the complexity of healing; the trauma is neither glossed over nor melodramatic…instead the emotional fallout feels lived in – messy, painful, and punctuated by fleeting moments of beauty and tenderness.
I found King’s prose evocative and visceral. The Western setting – laws, deserts, moral codes – is brought alive not merely through vivid landscapes, but also through the characters who inhabit the margins: those punished by society, those who make desperate choices, and those that carry scars both seen and invisible.
King revitalizes the Western, offering a modern lens on a genre often locked in nostalgia. By centering a queer outlaw as the protagonist, King not only expands the cultural boundaries of the Western but also repositions its central conflicts – lawlessness, loyalty, survival – as metaphors for contemporary struggles with identity, marginalization, and justice.
Just as Ezra confronts betrayal, violence, and grief in his quest for revenge, we witness modern parallels in the fight for dignity, equality, and self-definition in hostile environments. King’s achievement lies in making the Western both timely and timeless, proving that the questions of who we are and how we endure remain universal, no matter the century or setting.
Dangling High isn’t just another Western – it’s a story that resonates with today’s struggles. The tension between freedom and survival, justice and prejudice, mirrors issues our society still grapples with. I was hooked by King’s vivid prose and fast-paced storytelling, but what lingers is the emotional truth at its core: that even in the harshest landscapes, people fight to be seen to be loved, and to find peace.
I found King’s prose evocative and visceral. The Western setting – laws, deserts, moral codes – is brought alive not merely through vivid landscapes, but also through the characters who inhabit the margins: those punished by society, those who make desperate choices, and those that carry scars both seen and invisible.
King revitalizes the Western, offering a modern lens on a genre often locked in nostalgia. By centering a queer outlaw as the protagonist, King not only expands the cultural boundaries of the Western but also repositions its central conflicts – lawlessness, loyalty, survival – as metaphors for contemporary struggles with identity, marginalization, and justice.
Just as Ezra confronts betrayal, violence, and grief in his quest for revenge, we witness modern parallels in the fight for dignity, equality, and self-definition in hostile environments. King’s achievement lies in making the Western both timely and timeless, proving that the questions of who we are and how we endure remain universal, no matter the century or setting.
Dangling High isn’t just another Western – it’s a story that resonates with today’s struggles. The tension between freedom and survival, justice and prejudice, mirrors issues our society still grapples with. I was hooked by King’s vivid prose and fast-paced storytelling, but what lingers is the emotional truth at its core: that even in the harshest landscapes, people fight to be seen to be loved, and to find peace.
October 4, 2025
- I GOT A FREE EARLY COPY OF THIS BOOK -
This was my first Western style narrative and I really enjoyed!
The names of the villains are witty and kind of funny, I think it was the first thing that brought me into the story. The romance is built so sweetly and tenderly, Alex and Ezra feel something for each other from the start and I think beyond attraction, it was also that they represented what each other needed, one a reason to live and build community and the other the will to fight for oneself and all.
I like that it is a VIOLENT story, but it doesn't normalize or take it lightly, it simply acknowledges that people subjected to constant violence, will not gain their rights by taking it silently and throwing flowers at Fascists, while simultaneously understanding the risk and the pain it represents to have to be violent to fight back.
The only downside to me was that on the second part with more secondary characters participation in the narrative, I wasn't AS invested in them, as Ezra and Alex are so distinct in both looks and personality, the others were kind of one person with different names. With their perspective added, they needed a bit of background and development of their own.
Something that's not a problem of the writing itself, but that I struggled with, was the English stylized for the accents, it's not gonna be a struggle for native English speakers, but since it's not my first language, at times it was a bit jarring, but it's just a matter of getting used to it and doesn't affect understanding the meaning of things, just affects the flow of reading.
This is the second story by Kaycee King I read and I'm eager to read more in the future, the way they built romantic relationships it's awesome. I love it!
This was my first Western style narrative and I really enjoyed!
The names of the villains are witty and kind of funny, I think it was the first thing that brought me into the story. The romance is built so sweetly and tenderly, Alex and Ezra feel something for each other from the start and I think beyond attraction, it was also that they represented what each other needed, one a reason to live and build community and the other the will to fight for oneself and all.
I like that it is a VIOLENT story, but it doesn't normalize or take it lightly, it simply acknowledges that people subjected to constant violence, will not gain their rights by taking it silently and throwing flowers at Fascists, while simultaneously understanding the risk and the pain it represents to have to be violent to fight back.
The only downside to me was that on the second part with more secondary characters participation in the narrative, I wasn't AS invested in them, as Ezra and Alex are so distinct in both looks and personality, the others were kind of one person with different names. With their perspective added, they needed a bit of background and development of their own.
Something that's not a problem of the writing itself, but that I struggled with, was the English stylized for the accents, it's not gonna be a struggle for native English speakers, but since it's not my first language, at times it was a bit jarring, but it's just a matter of getting used to it and doesn't affect understanding the meaning of things, just affects the flow of reading.
This is the second story by Kaycee King I read and I'm eager to read more in the future, the way they built romantic relationships it's awesome. I love it!
January 21, 2026
I got an ARC for this book ✨️
The world just sucks you in this old west ruled by a tyranical man who wants nothing more than to punish people who don't fit into their mold. Their world is oppressive, and dystopian but the author managed to still sprinkle some glimmer of hope in small corners of their world.
The characters pulls you right in with their dialogue, emotions, thoughts, and experiences. I really really love the chemistry between Ezra and Alex. Like how they found warmth in each other and helped each other open up again despite the dire circumstances and past trauma they've endured.
The pace and writing of the story, especially the dialogue is spectacular for me as if you can literally hear the characters with the way they talk. The author really gave effort into making different character voices like Jesse's arrogance to Ezra's awkward yet charming way of talking.
If you love old west vibes, queer love, sticking up against tyranical governments, dystopia, you should definitely give this a shot.
The world just sucks you in this old west ruled by a tyranical man who wants nothing more than to punish people who don't fit into their mold. Their world is oppressive, and dystopian but the author managed to still sprinkle some glimmer of hope in small corners of their world.
The characters pulls you right in with their dialogue, emotions, thoughts, and experiences. I really really love the chemistry between Ezra and Alex. Like how they found warmth in each other and helped each other open up again despite the dire circumstances and past trauma they've endured.
The pace and writing of the story, especially the dialogue is spectacular for me as if you can literally hear the characters with the way they talk. The author really gave effort into making different character voices like Jesse's arrogance to Ezra's awkward yet charming way of talking.
If you love old west vibes, queer love, sticking up against tyranical governments, dystopia, you should definitely give this a shot.
October 27, 2025
Dangling High - Kaycee King
Even though I don’t read them often, I love books in a western setting or setting in the old West. I just love the cowboy aesthetic with the setting and the atmosphere. I loved not only Alex and Ezra, but I also loved Rebecca and Adeline. I love this author’s writing and how they don’t shy away from darker topics, but they don’t romanticize them either. I definitely will be looking out for any more work done by this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
🫑 / Spice Rating ☀️
# of Pages 🌙 256 pages
Release Date 🌟 11/1/25
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ Western, dystopian, romance, MM, revenge and justice
Favorite Character ☀️ Alex
Favorite Line 🌟 “They call me Good Times on account of my sparkling personality,”
Even though I don’t read them often, I love books in a western setting or setting in the old West. I just love the cowboy aesthetic with the setting and the atmosphere. I loved not only Alex and Ezra, but I also loved Rebecca and Adeline. I love this author’s writing and how they don’t shy away from darker topics, but they don’t romanticize them either. I definitely will be looking out for any more work done by this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Out of 5 Stars ⭐️
🫑 / Spice Rating ☀️
# of Pages 🌙 256 pages
Release Date 🌟 11/1/25
Format 💫 Gifted Digital Copy
Series 🌙 Unknown/Not Applicable
Genre/Tropes ✨ Western, dystopian, romance, MM, revenge and justice
Favorite Character ☀️ Alex
Favorite Line 🌟 “They call me Good Times on account of my sparkling personality,”
October 27, 2025
Dangling High is definitely a first for me and not in the usual genre I reach for, being in a western setting, but when Kaycee King announced they were publishing this book, with these characters I've seen so often on their socials, I had to jump onto an ARC copy. Overall, my rating is a 4.5 star, rounded up. I enjoyed this story immensely. It was atmospheric, dramatic, and I absolutely adored Ezra and Alex (and it actually got me out of my year-long reading slump!)
September 8, 2025
A western dystopian that pulls you right in the middle of conflicts and vengeance, a good piece for those who enjoy a romantic adventure with dramatic events.
Read
July 31, 2025I am the author, so I'm pretty smitten with this book. :)
October 21, 2025
Not even 20 pages in and I knew this story would rip out my heart. Starting off with a bang and leaving me shattered I needing to understand how the characters could come back from this. The story didn't disappoint and didn't feel rushed.
The main character Ezra is very relatable and I became attached quickly. The story did a great job at drawing me in and making me hope for some happiness for all the main characters.
A revenge story that everyone can get behind, with villains that are easy to hate and heroes who are easy to love; albeit with some questionable life choices.
Favorite line- "You know, you've really gotta stop trying to get away from me. It's doing you no good."
The main character Ezra is very relatable and I became attached quickly. The story did a great job at drawing me in and making me hope for some happiness for all the main characters.
A revenge story that everyone can get behind, with villains that are easy to hate and heroes who are easy to love; albeit with some questionable life choices.
Favorite line- "You know, you've really gotta stop trying to get away from me. It's doing you no good."
January 10, 2026
This is one of the 1st books I’ve read and felt it was mainly written by AI…. Wonder if anyone else felt that way.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews