Lemon Balm

by Artemis Quinn, Auden Eris-Everen

Cypress Borne is 22 years old, a dashing young non-binary lad with a fairly easy life in New York City. That is, until their routine is interrupted by a vicious dog attack. Their life turns upside down — blackouts, unexplained fits of rage and lost time plague him. Two years of medical tests, therapy, and a life that's spiraling down the toilet later, they navigate their way through the panic attacks and the hopelessness to an old, derelict, and a seemingly abandoned church in the woods. Little do they know, the church isn't abandoned; rather, occupied by a vampire hoping to die and rotting in a coffin.

Acanthus Sylene believes that a fine wine should never have an age attached, and neither should a fine being. Nonbinary in such a way that gender is completely irrelevant, Acanthus has lived a very long life and is frankly exhausted by it. Embroiled deeply into the politics of the World of Shadows, they have abandoned their duties to The Night Garden, a refugee path that they forged. But something changes when a lost, scared, ignorant werewolf shows up on their doorstep.

Both of these supernatural beings are looking for answers. Somehow, instead of finding their place in the world, they find each other. However, in the process of finding and growing with each other, they may have put their entire lives — and The Night Garden — at risk.

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

About the author

Artemis Quinn (he/they) is also known as Vamp or VampireAntihero in most of his social media interactions. He is nonbinary, and happily married to his husband. Originally from the city of Poughkeepsie, New York, he currently lives in Wisconsin with his husband and their three cats. Artemis is a fulltime freelance artist, and his work is a comic semi-realistic style. Much like their writing, their personal work is largely focused in dark fantasy, horror, and supernatural elements; shedding light on topics such as mental health, LGBTQIA+ experiences, and isolation. He also acts in a local theatre troupe on a volunteer basis. It is their goal to work on stories that can bring meaningful change to the world. They spend their time, writing, drawing, hiking, or communing with the unspeakable horrors of the void.

Reviews

[Grey Cupertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed this book via Backer Kit, and got the hardback as my pledge reward. I was extremely excited to back a couple of independent authors from my home state. The fact that it's urban fantasy with queer rep just made the project all the more appealing.

It took me far too long to get to reading the book, thanks to work and ADHD conspiring against me. I'm so glad that I managed to make this the last book I read in 2025.

Both Acanthus and Cypress are fully realized characters, and I love the concept of the Night Garden as a sort of Underground Railroad for supernatural individuals. Given how Acanthus was turned, and the way they spent the first 60 years of their immortal life, I completely understood why providing a path to freedom would be important to them.

The evolution of the relationship between Acanthus and Cypress was wonderfully organic, and I was very happy for the reveal that Acanthus had become Cypress's pack. My heart hurt for them as they each worked through their self-doubt and uncertainty regarding their relationship. They both needed that care and support, but it's so incredibly hard to reach for those things when one has been hurt so much.

Getting more insight into the Night Garden and how it operated was fascinating. Being a founder of the Night Garden, Acanthus's journey following it's path as a supplicant rather than a gardener was fraught and uncomfortable. However, it reconnected the vampire with the friends he'd left behind when he went into his self-imposed isolation. In my opinion, this was invaluable in helping Acanthus rediscover his strengths.

For Cypress, taking the path of the Night Garden was invaluable rediscovering their self-worth and self-confidence. He was also able to start rebuilding his faith in others, and discover a community that welcomed him with open arms. Without the Night Garden, I don't think Cypress would have learned to communicate their needs to Acanthus.

I'm incredibly excited for the next chapter in their story.

[Rosé Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors, Artemis Quinn and Auden Eris-Everen, for giving me a review copy of this book. Do you like it when a friendship starts reluctantly, but then buds into something that's not only strong but an unbreakable bond? Did you like the premise of the Twilight series, but wish it wasn't written by a crazy person? If you answered yes to these questions, then Lemon Balm is the book for you. In this story, not only do two people who should be natural enemies form a strong connection, but they also have to deal with a grudge going back over a century.


This book gets into some pretty heavy topics, and trigger warnings are available within. I thought each subject was competently handled. You will quickly pick up on a lot of similarities between Acanthus and Cypress, our POV characters, with one having had their curse for well over a thousand years, and the other not only having to learn to deal with theirs, but also the fact that it's different from their friend’s. While they are trying to help each other along in their journey of self-control and discovery, a looming threat is at their heels, waiting to rip them apart. If that sounds intriguing to you, give this tale a read.

[chaospaladin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cypress, a werewolf, is new to the world of supernaturals while Acanthus, a vampire, has hundreds of years of experience navigating it. After a seemingly random dog bite throws Cypress’ life into chaos, they become fast friends as they navigate avoiding a clash between a powerful werewolf pack and vampires.

[Jake Vanguard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Lemon Balm!
Cypress in wolf form is adorable, he's such a playful (and stubborn) puppy! And Acanthus? They appear so badass and strong and then there's this other side to him. I love both of them so much and can't wait for the 2nd book. Good thing it's coming soon!

[Taine AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, my first read in this genre. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the atmosphere and the way the story slowly pulled me in. It was an easy and enjoyable read, and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.