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Ghostlight Falls
Defined And Defiled
Shirley would do anything for her students. Even flirt her way into the closed off basement of her school.
But her students might not be the only ones learning a thing or two when she finds a sentient Dictionary that can re-define what love means to her.
Set in Ghostlight Falls, the coolest fictional small town in the Pacific Northwest, Defined and Defiled is a grumpy/sunshine standalone novella.
But her students might not be the only ones learning a thing or two when she finds a sentient Dictionary that can re-define what love means to her.
Set in Ghostlight Falls, the coolest fictional small town in the Pacific Northwest, Defined and Defiled is a grumpy/sunshine standalone novella.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2025
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 11, 2025
School teacher Shirley gets way more than she bargains for when she convinces a janitor to take her to the schools off-limits basement so she can hunt for supplies. Instead of the supplies she wanted, she ends up with an old dictionary…who happens to be alive.
Suddenly, Shirley is on a mission to uncover what happened to Dic. And um…she wouldn’t mind experimenting a bit too. That is, as long as she can keep herself and Dic out of trouble long enough to get some answers.
This story was a fun little mystery that was clever, spicy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
I love LePlant’s use of vocabulary as chapter headers. Shirley and Dic are both such teachers, and I’m here for it.
While sentient romance isn’t always my thing, the writing hooked me from the beginning. It’s important (to me) for a story to have an actual plot aside from just spice and relationship building, so this was right up my alley. My favorite part of the book were the details LePlant added to Dic— like all of his doodles on pages. So much fun! And different from a lot of what I’ve seen in the stories out there.
Thank you to the author and the other authors in the Ghostlight Falls series for sharing your babies with me.
Suddenly, Shirley is on a mission to uncover what happened to Dic. And um…she wouldn’t mind experimenting a bit too. That is, as long as she can keep herself and Dic out of trouble long enough to get some answers.
This story was a fun little mystery that was clever, spicy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
I love LePlant’s use of vocabulary as chapter headers. Shirley and Dic are both such teachers, and I’m here for it.
While sentient romance isn’t always my thing, the writing hooked me from the beginning. It’s important (to me) for a story to have an actual plot aside from just spice and relationship building, so this was right up my alley. My favorite part of the book were the details LePlant added to Dic— like all of his doodles on pages. So much fun! And different from a lot of what I’ve seen in the stories out there.
Thank you to the author and the other authors in the Ghostlight Falls series for sharing your babies with me.
September 28, 2025
It was defined intervention that made me pick this one up!
As with everything from Elsie, this one was funny, creative, and sexy!! Love this strange town and can’t wait to see what she puts out next!
As with everything from Elsie, this one was funny, creative, and sexy!! Love this strange town and can’t wait to see what she puts out next!
September 30, 2025
A sentient dictionary named "Dick"... I mean, it can't get much better than that 😂
September 2, 2025
This story was unlike anything I have ever read before…
It was so unique and original… I absolutely loved it!
I mean a walking talking book… in this little town…honestly it tracks!
I’m not sure what was more entertaining… Shirley’s reaction to Richard… or Richard’s reaction to the audiobook.
These two characters had me cracking up. Between Shirley’s quirkiness and Richard being completely stuck in the 90’s… they were both so entertaining!
But then this author was like oh you like Richard?! Let me make him the most well endowed book you could ever imagine!
Seriously how this author makes it work and makes it so HOT?! It’s a form of wizardry!
This was such a short and spicy little read!
That still managed to have a great plot to it!
It was so unique and original… I absolutely loved it!
I mean a walking talking book… in this little town…honestly it tracks!
I’m not sure what was more entertaining… Shirley’s reaction to Richard… or Richard’s reaction to the audiobook.
These two characters had me cracking up. Between Shirley’s quirkiness and Richard being completely stuck in the 90’s… they were both so entertaining!
But then this author was like oh you like Richard?! Let me make him the most well endowed book you could ever imagine!
Seriously how this author makes it work and makes it so HOT?! It’s a form of wizardry!
This was such a short and spicy little read!
That still managed to have a great plot to it!
October 5, 2025
3.5 stars
Shirley was a fun grumpy awkward character, and very eager to “experiment” with Richard. Their love story was unconventional, but sweet. I wish we’d gotten a more cleanly wrapped up in a bow ending to what happened to the antagonist, but it was still a good read overall.
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: serial workplace harassment, past curse, confinement (past)
Shirley was a fun grumpy awkward character, and very eager to “experiment” with Richard. Their love story was unconventional, but sweet. I wish we’d gotten a more cleanly wrapped up in a bow ending to what happened to the antagonist, but it was still a good read overall.
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: serial workplace harassment, past curse, confinement (past)
August 30, 2025
Elsie is so funny and creative! I loved this book and all the characters. Definitely a fun and witty sentient romance!
September 10, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Y'all this book is FANTASTIC! It's funny, sexy, unhinged and mysterious(ish). I absolutely love Richard and his doodles, every time a doodle pops up I giggle 🤭 it's so funny!
Y'all this book is FANTASTIC! It's funny, sexy, unhinged and mysterious(ish). I absolutely love Richard and his doodles, every time a doodle pops up I giggle 🤭 it's so funny!
September 12, 2025
Elsie has done it again! In just a few short pages a compelling & fun plot, a myriad of interesting characters, and of course creative steaminess are fully fleshed out. AND THE PUNS!! 😍 I loved every second and will never look at a ribbon bookmark the same…
August 30, 2025
this is one of the best books i’ve ever read, it was so funny, had me blushing and kicking my feet!
September 11, 2025
This was a neat Ghostlight Falls story. I liked the idea behind the man in the book and thought him and Shirley were cute together. Shirley was a fun FMC and it was cute to see a school in town.
I wish we would've gotten to spend more time actually seeing the town outside of just the school and also a more solid conclusion. There were a lot of inconsistencies and this book really didn't feel like it was connected to the rest.
3⭐
3🌶️
I wish we would've gotten to spend more time actually seeing the town outside of just the school and also a more solid conclusion. There were a lot of inconsistencies and this book really didn't feel like it was connected to the rest.
3⭐
3🌶️
September 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Defined and Defiled by Elsie LePlant is another wild ride in the Ghostlight Falls series—quirky, spicy, and full of surprises. Teacher Shirley Summer crosses paths with Richard, a cursed dictionary who’s way too charming (and powerful) for a book. From flying sex to laugh-out-loud chaos, this story had me hooked… and that cliffhanger ending left me desperate for more!
Defined and Defiled by Elsie LePlant is another wild ride in the Ghostlight Falls series—quirky, spicy, and full of surprises. Teacher Shirley Summer crosses paths with Richard, a cursed dictionary who’s way too charming (and powerful) for a book. From flying sex to laugh-out-loud chaos, this story had me hooked… and that cliffhanger ending left me desperate for more!
September 14, 2025
Another fantastic read from the #ghostlightfalls series!!!
This book was very punny. It gave Airplane! vibes and I loved it all!!!
What else is a girl supposed to do when she finds out the dictionary she stole from the school's basement can talk?!?
Bang it and solve an old mystery. Duh.
Thank for the laughs and if you need some of your own 😆😂🤣- definitely check this one out.
This book was very punny. It gave Airplane! vibes and I loved it all!!!
What else is a girl supposed to do when she finds out the dictionary she stole from the school's basement can talk?!?
Bang it and solve an old mystery. Duh.
Thank for the laughs and if you need some of your own 😆😂🤣- definitely check this one out.
September 28, 2025
“He's also full of 90's references if you have any need for those.” I tease.
“But the nineties were like a hundred years ago.” Jaxon scoffs.
An okay story. Hate the title as I'm thinking Defiled in terms of rape not like defiling the pages of a book.
The references and puns abound. The S on the book, scribbles on the pages of old books and the fact that Richard was a dictionary (if I was really bored during prep in high school and didn't have a novel to read, I'd read the dictionary). Also having the school secretary (or what I experienced, teachers who were already old when you were in school and you come back how many years later and they are still teaching) was a good dose of nostalgia.
What the hell was Ribbit?!
All in all, a funny short story.
September 5, 2025
“It says a lot about the Ghostlight Falls paramedics that ‘l crashed my car because my dictionary started talking to me’ only gets me a warning and referral to the mechanics.”
“Cupcakes and cocks tomorrow. Sounds like a great day.”
Also, I’m definitely using the word Libidinous more often.
“Cupcakes and cocks tomorrow. Sounds like a great day.”
Also, I’m definitely using the word Libidinous more often.
September 29, 2025
The book puns the reader puns the facts and the use of the bookmark
It all added up to perfection and immense enjoyment.
I’m a fan!
Because at in the curses the witchy vibes.
And the ending of the epilogue 👀
I could have read a hundred more pages of this!
It all added up to perfection and immense enjoyment.
I’m a fan!
Because at in the curses the witchy vibes.
And the ending of the epilogue 👀
I could have read a hundred more pages of this!
August 29, 2025
This book is pure GOLD!!!!!!!!!! I can’t get over it, so good, 100/10, chefs kiss!
September 4, 2025
Such a fun read!! A little spice and a bit of mystery around how Richard became a Dictionary made for an interesting and unique story!
October 23, 2025
"It is the kind of book you set on a podium in the front of the library for students to absent-mindedly flip through. It's a gorgeous tome to be suffocated by."
Shirley is a desperate teacher fighting for better supplies for her students, and the school is of course telling her that it's out of budget. Her only option? To get into the schools basement and see if the resources she needs are down there. The downside? The guy she has to talk to to get down there is a creep who can't stop flirting with her.
While she's down there, she finds the "Merryham-Debster Unofficial Dictionary". Should she take it? No. Does she? Yes. And he starts talking to her in the car, with a lot of sass. "Not understanding something's mortality is no excuse for being reckless with it! You ripped my page!" So she sasses him right back. "Not much of a conversationalist, I see. You'd think a literal dictionary would be better with his words."
Not only does this dictionary start to re-define what love means to her, but he also brings up some secrets about missing teachers at the school she works at, and his real identity. Mystery, romance, and magic combined make for a well-defined romance in Ghostlight Falls.
Defined and Defiled is a standalone grumpy/sunshine sentient object romance that takes place in a shared universe. There's a mysterious coven, age gap, ribbon play, lots of puns, and "fun" in the sky.
Defined and Defiled is part of the Ghostlight Falls universe. They say Keep Portland Weird but Ghostlight Falls is weirder. This is a shared world series set in the cutest little paranormal town in Oregon. There is a little bit of everything non-human, from shifters to sentient objects, and even a few alien encounters. Books released throughout the month of September 2025.
I was lucky to ARC read this one and it was one of my favorites from the series. The banter was incredible, and Elsie managed to write about a book in a book that kept me giggling. "What does it even mean to feel horny for as a book? Does he want me to slide a thick, hard bookmark into his pages? Should I add some delicious annotations in his waiting margins or lay down some sensual tabs on his side? Would he throw on a dust jacket for some safe sex? It could be worth investigating all of the possibilities."
Just like with all my reviews, here are a few quotes from the book that I enjoyed:
•"What I specifically said was if you are going to cheat, do so in a clever way. I'd rather be outwitted than have another essay full of 'as an artificial intelligence, I cannot find blah blah blah' on my desk."
•"I'm not proud of my Victorian seduction technique, but who needs dignity when the state of education is at risk?"
•"It seems impossible for me to function if the audiobook isn't at two-times speed. Once you go double, there's no going back."
Shirley is a desperate teacher fighting for better supplies for her students, and the school is of course telling her that it's out of budget. Her only option? To get into the schools basement and see if the resources she needs are down there. The downside? The guy she has to talk to to get down there is a creep who can't stop flirting with her.
While she's down there, she finds the "Merryham-Debster Unofficial Dictionary". Should she take it? No. Does she? Yes. And he starts talking to her in the car, with a lot of sass. "Not understanding something's mortality is no excuse for being reckless with it! You ripped my page!" So she sasses him right back. "Not much of a conversationalist, I see. You'd think a literal dictionary would be better with his words."
Not only does this dictionary start to re-define what love means to her, but he also brings up some secrets about missing teachers at the school she works at, and his real identity. Mystery, romance, and magic combined make for a well-defined romance in Ghostlight Falls.
Defined and Defiled is a standalone grumpy/sunshine sentient object romance that takes place in a shared universe. There's a mysterious coven, age gap, ribbon play, lots of puns, and "fun" in the sky.
Defined and Defiled is part of the Ghostlight Falls universe. They say Keep Portland Weird but Ghostlight Falls is weirder. This is a shared world series set in the cutest little paranormal town in Oregon. There is a little bit of everything non-human, from shifters to sentient objects, and even a few alien encounters. Books released throughout the month of September 2025.
I was lucky to ARC read this one and it was one of my favorites from the series. The banter was incredible, and Elsie managed to write about a book in a book that kept me giggling. "What does it even mean to feel horny for as a book? Does he want me to slide a thick, hard bookmark into his pages? Should I add some delicious annotations in his waiting margins or lay down some sensual tabs on his side? Would he throw on a dust jacket for some safe sex? It could be worth investigating all of the possibilities."
Just like with all my reviews, here are a few quotes from the book that I enjoyed:
•"What I specifically said was if you are going to cheat, do so in a clever way. I'd rather be outwitted than have another essay full of 'as an artificial intelligence, I cannot find blah blah blah' on my desk."
•"I'm not proud of my Victorian seduction technique, but who needs dignity when the state of education is at risk?"
•"It seems impossible for me to function if the audiobook isn't at two-times speed. Once you go double, there's no going back."
September 22, 2025
I mean I have said "I'd f*ck that book" but I never reallyyyy meant it... until now?
September 2, 2025
Defined and Defiled – Elsie LaPlant
We’re BACK in Ghostlight Falls, baby and this time our resident teacher is just trying to survive a weird-ass day. She’s being lowkey bullied by the principal, hit on by the janitor, and then decides for reasons I cannot entirely comprehend that she simply must go snoop in the creepy school basement. (Because that always ends well, right?)
Down she goes… and what does she find? Not cobwebs, not rats, not the janitor’s stash of lost-and-found underwear nope nope. She finds a magical talking dictionary with a FACE. Meet Richard. Yes, Richard the Dictionary. Turns out he was cursed into book-form back in the 80s, so not only is he bound in leather but he’s also slinging some very questionable old-school slang.
She drags him around the school, introduces him to an old admin lady (??), chaos ensues, and then she’s like: Cool, I’m taking this cursed talking book home with me. And on the way home listen. I still don’t know how this happened we get car smut. 🤣 Pages, ribbons, flipping paper, and suddenly my dining table is covered in post-it sketches of “possible logistics” that don’t make sense to anyone, least of all me.
The story itself? Classic Ghostlight Falls unhinged chaos. Short, kinda cute, but I definitely got lost a few times like: Wait, where the hell are we now? And the ending didn’t give me the HEA I wanted but it left the door cracked open for a sequel.
So yeah. I probably will never look at a dictionary the same way again.
We’re BACK in Ghostlight Falls, baby and this time our resident teacher is just trying to survive a weird-ass day. She’s being lowkey bullied by the principal, hit on by the janitor, and then decides for reasons I cannot entirely comprehend that she simply must go snoop in the creepy school basement. (Because that always ends well, right?)
Down she goes… and what does she find? Not cobwebs, not rats, not the janitor’s stash of lost-and-found underwear nope nope. She finds a magical talking dictionary with a FACE. Meet Richard. Yes, Richard the Dictionary. Turns out he was cursed into book-form back in the 80s, so not only is he bound in leather but he’s also slinging some very questionable old-school slang.
She drags him around the school, introduces him to an old admin lady (??), chaos ensues, and then she’s like: Cool, I’m taking this cursed talking book home with me. And on the way home listen. I still don’t know how this happened we get car smut. 🤣 Pages, ribbons, flipping paper, and suddenly my dining table is covered in post-it sketches of “possible logistics” that don’t make sense to anyone, least of all me.
The story itself? Classic Ghostlight Falls unhinged chaos. Short, kinda cute, but I definitely got lost a few times like: Wait, where the hell are we now? And the ending didn’t give me the HEA I wanted but it left the door cracked open for a sequel.
So yeah. I probably will never look at a dictionary the same way again.
September 18, 2025
While trying to find resources for her classroom, Shirley grabs an old dictionary to cover her elicit haul. But all is not as it seems - the book is cursed and has a face! He also has a name, Richard Diction, and seems to come from the 90s. Can Shirley and Richard find out what happened to him, while also finding love?
Shirley is a hot mess express, but you totally love her for it and Richard’s 90s references warmed my 90s high school heart! I’m a big fan of Marge the school administrator, she embodied the best traits of the school secretaries I know! Sylvia Morrow gives us a cozy paranormal mystery alongside a sentient object romance. The story is fast paced, quirky and fun with a good amount of intrigue. I would have liked to find out a bit more about Mike and Principal Bailey, but the relationship between Shirley and Richard made up for this.
My favourite moment in this book is, hands down, when Shirley is listening to her smutty audiobook in her car (don’t we all?!) and realises Richard is listening - damn!!
There is a good level of spice in this story, so be prepared for fun in public places, praise kink, ribbon play and a take on the mile high club! On the less fun side, there are creepy dude vibes throughout the story from one character.
Defined and Defiled feels like a great introduction to sentient object romance, cozy mysteries and supernatural romance. Expect relatable characters in a small town setting with some smutty fun!
Shirley is a hot mess express, but you totally love her for it and Richard’s 90s references warmed my 90s high school heart! I’m a big fan of Marge the school administrator, she embodied the best traits of the school secretaries I know! Sylvia Morrow gives us a cozy paranormal mystery alongside a sentient object romance. The story is fast paced, quirky and fun with a good amount of intrigue. I would have liked to find out a bit more about Mike and Principal Bailey, but the relationship between Shirley and Richard made up for this.
My favourite moment in this book is, hands down, when Shirley is listening to her smutty audiobook in her car (don’t we all?!) and realises Richard is listening - damn!!
There is a good level of spice in this story, so be prepared for fun in public places, praise kink, ribbon play and a take on the mile high club! On the less fun side, there are creepy dude vibes throughout the story from one character.
Defined and Defiled feels like a great introduction to sentient object romance, cozy mysteries and supernatural romance. Expect relatable characters in a small town setting with some smutty fun!
September 24, 2025
Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews (BookTome Edition): “Defined and Defiled ” by Elsie LePlant
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily
When Shirley, a school teacher in the town of Ghostlight Falls, investigates the abandoned school basement in search of equipment for her classroom, she has no idea that soon, she would find herself a “lit-eral” book boyfriend!
From the author of “Squashed” comes the eighth installment in the author-collaborated Paranormal Romance series “Ghostlight Falls” by Elsie LePlant! This latest installment in the series effectively combines elements of 90’s Sitcom Nostalgia with a modern reimagining of a character from the classic 2000’s Fantasy film “Ella Enchanted”! You’ll also fall in love with Shirley and Richard as they bring the definition of “bookish chemistry” to an entirely new level! Ready to head to Ghostlight Falls to take a look, dive inside this book, and go beyond the Reading Rainbow? Then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on September 24, 2025!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
- Tropes: Paranormal Romance, Sentient Book MMC x Teacher FMC, Cursed Professor, Insta-Love/Insta-Lust, Academia Narrative, Cute Animal Sidekick, Love Triangle, Grumpy/Sunshine, Secrets and Lies, Twists and Turns, Bookish Hijinx, and Supernatural Small Town.
- 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
When Shirley, a school teacher in the town of Ghostlight Falls, investigates the abandoned school basement in search of equipment for her classroom, she has no idea that soon, she would find herself a “lit-eral” book boyfriend!
From the author of “Squashed” comes the eighth installment in the author-collaborated Paranormal Romance series “Ghostlight Falls” by Elsie LePlant! This latest installment in the series effectively combines elements of 90’s Sitcom Nostalgia with a modern reimagining of a character from the classic 2000’s Fantasy film “Ella Enchanted”! You’ll also fall in love with Shirley and Richard as they bring the definition of “bookish chemistry” to an entirely new level! Ready to head to Ghostlight Falls to take a look, dive inside this book, and go beyond the Reading Rainbow? Then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on September 24, 2025!
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
- Tropes: Paranormal Romance, Sentient Book MMC x Teacher FMC, Cursed Professor, Insta-Love/Insta-Lust, Academia Narrative, Cute Animal Sidekick, Love Triangle, Grumpy/Sunshine, Secrets and Lies, Twists and Turns, Bookish Hijinx, and Supernatural Small Town.
- Trigger Warnings: (Full Descriptions Can Be Found in the Book).
September 8, 2025
This was definitely a fun and crazy one from this series, which is saying something! We get some sentient object in this one which is a nice change of pace from the primarily monster books in the series. This is my first time reading a sentient book, technically a grimoire of sorts, with special abilities and hardware (if you catch my drift). I also was intrigued by the mystery of it and was surprised by the reveal as well. I thought Richard and Shirley had such a cute dynamic! I would’ve loved to see some more domestic moments of them together but all the teaching moments were so wholesome. I was always looking forward to seeing what Richard could do next.
The spice was fun, I definitely was not expecting Richard to have the special equipment that he did. All the book stuff during the spice was entertaining and I loved how he switch from shy to demanding as well. I would have liked to see more resolution at the end; I was expecting Richard to possibly be free and more conviction of the people who cursed him. The ending is kinda hinting at possibly another book so I’ll hold out for that. Overall, it was fun and refreshing so I enjoyed it!
The spice was fun, I definitely was not expecting Richard to have the special equipment that he did. All the book stuff during the spice was entertaining and I loved how he switch from shy to demanding as well. I would have liked to see more resolution at the end; I was expecting Richard to possibly be free and more conviction of the people who cursed him. The ending is kinda hinting at possibly another book so I’ll hold out for that. Overall, it was fun and refreshing so I enjoyed it!
September 14, 2025
When I started the Ghostlight Falls series, I did not expect to be reading two paper based non human love stories, but here we are! See: earlier review of Her Wonderful Wonder Belle.
5th grade teacher Shirley faces a problem that we should all be familiar with - there’s no money for needed supplies for her classroom. So she convinces janitor Mike to take her to the locked basement on a supply hunt and returns with so much more than she bargained for in the form of a sentient dictionary named Richard Diction. Mr Diction has everything we could ever want including doodles that allow him to fly, a naughty ribbon bookmark, and TWO 🍆🍆. He’s tattooed, a great kisser, he flies, and the students love him.
But what happened to him in the school basement 20 years ago? Join along on the adventure as we unravel the mystery and find the bad guys!
Loved this entry in the series! Shirley is so relatable with her beat up car and hot mess life. There were so many laugh out loud moments, like when Richard listens in on her smutty audiobook, and so many steamy moments. I have no idea how the logistics of dictionary sex work, but I do not care. It’s fun.
5th grade teacher Shirley faces a problem that we should all be familiar with - there’s no money for needed supplies for her classroom. So she convinces janitor Mike to take her to the locked basement on a supply hunt and returns with so much more than she bargained for in the form of a sentient dictionary named Richard Diction. Mr Diction has everything we could ever want including doodles that allow him to fly, a naughty ribbon bookmark, and TWO 🍆🍆. He’s tattooed, a great kisser, he flies, and the students love him.
But what happened to him in the school basement 20 years ago? Join along on the adventure as we unravel the mystery and find the bad guys!
Loved this entry in the series! Shirley is so relatable with her beat up car and hot mess life. There were so many laugh out loud moments, like when Richard listens in on her smutty audiobook, and so many steamy moments. I have no idea how the logistics of dictionary sex work, but I do not care. It’s fun.
November 1, 2025
Defined and Defiled has so much old-school late 90s nostalgia, and I loved seeing all the references come back around again (do you know how many times I drew that S growing up in the early 2000s 😂)
This book did feel a little rushed to me, though. The plot skipped around some without really connecting itself together, and I got a little lost at times on where the characters were and what they were doing. Defined and Defiled also didn't seem to connect as much with the other books I've read in the series so far.
Love the concept of a sentient book! Elsie gave it a new slant with how Richard eats and the things he could do, and I really liked how she did that. It gave him more depth as a "sentient object" and made him more of a factor in the story.
All in all, Defined and Defiled is hilarious with a hot mess FMC you can't help but love and a very appropriately named sentient dictionary that gives new life to math teachers everywhere!
This book did feel a little rushed to me, though. The plot skipped around some without really connecting itself together, and I got a little lost at times on where the characters were and what they were doing. Defined and Defiled also didn't seem to connect as much with the other books I've read in the series so far.
Love the concept of a sentient book! Elsie gave it a new slant with how Richard eats and the things he could do, and I really liked how she did that. It gave him more depth as a "sentient object" and made him more of a factor in the story.
All in all, Defined and Defiled is hilarious with a hot mess FMC you can't help but love and a very appropriately named sentient dictionary that gives new life to math teachers everywhere!
September 9, 2025
Only in Ghostlight Falls could snooping in the school's basement for lab supplies lead to a cursed, sentient dictionary with a face and somehow make it romantic.
Shirley is the kind of teacher you can’t help but root for, equal parts quirky and determined, and her banter with Richard (yes, Richard the Dictionary) had me laughing out loud. He’s stuck in the 90s, full of sass and random slang, and somehow also manages to be one of the most unexpectedly charming love interests I’ve ever read. Their dynamic is fantastically ridiculous; it's sweet, cheeky, and way spicier than you’d expect from a leather-bound book.
The humor landed perfectly, the definitions sprinkled throughout were such a clever touch, and the spice was pure wizardry. This novella is weird, wild, and yet still heartfelt, proving once again that Ghostlight Falls is the quirkiest little town worth getting lost in.
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book.
Shirley is the kind of teacher you can’t help but root for, equal parts quirky and determined, and her banter with Richard (yes, Richard the Dictionary) had me laughing out loud. He’s stuck in the 90s, full of sass and random slang, and somehow also manages to be one of the most unexpectedly charming love interests I’ve ever read. Their dynamic is fantastically ridiculous; it's sweet, cheeky, and way spicier than you’d expect from a leather-bound book.
The humor landed perfectly, the definitions sprinkled throughout were such a clever touch, and the spice was pure wizardry. This novella is weird, wild, and yet still heartfelt, proving once again that Ghostlight Falls is the quirkiest little town worth getting lost in.
Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book.
September 8, 2025
If this wasn't the most out there stop on my Ghostlight Falls tour so far, oh my god 😂😂😂😂
Find a super cool dictionary in the basement of the school you work in so you take it home but on the way it hears your smut playing in the car and can't help but to say something causing you to crash into a tree. That sounds like a totally normal thing to have happen, right? Well life in Ghostlight Falls proves more often than not to be anything but *normal*
I was living for the Snicket-esque placement of definitions throughout the story. The humor was definitely hitting my funny bone in all the right places. I couldn't stop giggling, even when the action picked up unexpectedly. I've never considered doing the deed with a dictionary but if the one I was talking to had 2 d*cks pop out of the cover, Shirley I'd be inclined to at least consider 😏🤣
Find a super cool dictionary in the basement of the school you work in so you take it home but on the way it hears your smut playing in the car and can't help but to say something causing you to crash into a tree. That sounds like a totally normal thing to have happen, right? Well life in Ghostlight Falls proves more often than not to be anything but *normal*
I was living for the Snicket-esque placement of definitions throughout the story. The humor was definitely hitting my funny bone in all the right places. I couldn't stop giggling, even when the action picked up unexpectedly. I've never considered doing the deed with a dictionary but if the one I was talking to had 2 d*cks pop out of the cover, Shirley I'd be inclined to at least consider 😏🤣
September 26, 2025
Defined & Defiled by Elsie LePlant was such a fun read! I really enjoyed it! There was never a dull moment while reading this story. The 90’s references were perfect, they added the perfect touch to the story! I loved the plot for this story, it made it more than just a sentient object romance by adding an eerie aspect to it. Elsie did a great job with the characters and their chemistry with each other too. Being in such an inconvenient situation, they definitely end up making the most of it!
I definitely recommend this short story! It’s super fun, the characters and written great, and the plot is well done! If you like sentient object romances and are looking for a short, fun read, definitely pick this one up!
I definitely recommend this short story! It’s super fun, the characters and written great, and the plot is well done! If you like sentient object romances and are looking for a short, fun read, definitely pick this one up!
September 14, 2025
✨✨ARC REVIEW✨✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
If there is a book in the Ghostlight Falls series I think you curious little creatures need to read I think it would be this one! We have a sentient dictionary!! NAMED RICHARD?! And there’s a line that had me cackling where the FMC Shirley says something like “usually you get the name Dick from Richard but we got Dictionary instead” 🤣🤣
It is said Richard had a face kind of like a face behind a glass but for some reason I kept picturing something from that show Big Mouth and also assumed Richard sounds like Nick Kroll so I guess that’s my cursed fan casting!
This was such a great read I had such a fun time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
If there is a book in the Ghostlight Falls series I think you curious little creatures need to read I think it would be this one! We have a sentient dictionary!! NAMED RICHARD?! And there’s a line that had me cackling where the FMC Shirley says something like “usually you get the name Dick from Richard but we got Dictionary instead” 🤣🤣
It is said Richard had a face kind of like a face behind a glass but for some reason I kept picturing something from that show Big Mouth and also assumed Richard sounds like Nick Kroll so I guess that’s my cursed fan casting!
This was such a great read I had such a fun time!
September 24, 2025
4.5⭐️
4/5🌶️
Shirley is a teacher that cares for her students, too bad her creepy principal won’t fund her classroom to give her necessary supplies. She takes it into her own hands and convinces the janitor to let her in the abandoned basement to find more school supplies. Along with finding goggles and other supplies, she finds a…sentient dictionary…named Richard. And apparently he was once a human…how’d he get that way??
Hear me out guys, maybe I’ve gone so far unhinged that the idea of a dictionary sentient object romance didn’t phase or shock me, because YALL THIS WAS GOOD. There was mystery. Laughs. Shmex. Puns. Dude. It was fun.
4/5🌶️
Shirley is a teacher that cares for her students, too bad her creepy principal won’t fund her classroom to give her necessary supplies. She takes it into her own hands and convinces the janitor to let her in the abandoned basement to find more school supplies. Along with finding goggles and other supplies, she finds a…sentient dictionary…named Richard. And apparently he was once a human…how’d he get that way??
Hear me out guys, maybe I’ve gone so far unhinged that the idea of a dictionary sentient object romance didn’t phase or shock me, because YALL THIS WAS GOOD. There was mystery. Laughs. Shmex. Puns. Dude. It was fun.
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