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But Not Too Bold
The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic in this sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings
The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House—Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides.
Dália, the old keeper’s protégée, must take up her duties, locking and unlocking the little drawers in which Anatema keeps her memories. And if she can unravel the crime that led to her predecessor's execution, Dália might just be able to survive long enough to grow into her new role.
But there’s a gaping hole in Dália’s plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.
The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House—Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides.
Dália, the old keeper’s protégée, must take up her duties, locking and unlocking the little drawers in which Anatema keeps her memories. And if she can unravel the crime that led to her predecessor's execution, Dália might just be able to survive long enough to grow into her new role.
But there’s a gaping hole in Dália’s plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.
160 pages, ebook
First published February 25, 2022
99 people are currently reading
16040 people want to read
About the author
Hache Pueyo
2 books78 followersHache Pueyo is the Argentine-Brazilian writer and translator of Cabaret in Flames, But Not Too Bold and A Study in Ugliness & Outras Histórias. She won an Otherwise Fellowship for her work with gender in speculative fiction, and her short stories have appeared as H. Pueyo in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, and The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, among others.
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February 12, 2025A sapphic Gothic romance, where the monstrous mistress of the isolated house is in fact an eldritch spider god. as you do. It's immensely creepy and warped with lots of murder and amorality and body weirdness. Lush writing and thoroughly entertaining, with a delightful line at the end. I don't know if I was convinced by the romance per se but the weirdness carried me along very effectively.
November 17, 2024
Gothic horror meets sapphic monster romance?! Y'all this was so good!!
I think this one is going to be a big hit. Blending gothic horror with sapphic monster romance and a mystery element, this novella blurs genre lines in a delightful way. But Not Too Bold follows Dália, a young woman becoming the new Keeper of the Keys after her predecessor was eaten by the Lady of Capricious House. But Dália has been raised for this and is not afraid, even after being tasked with uncovering a thief.
It's short so I won't say too much, but the writing in this is fantastic and it seamlessly navigated the line between horror and romance in a way that's hard to do. It's macabre in the best of ways. Hache Pueyo is an author to watch! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
I think this one is going to be a big hit. Blending gothic horror with sapphic monster romance and a mystery element, this novella blurs genre lines in a delightful way. But Not Too Bold follows Dália, a young woman becoming the new Keeper of the Keys after her predecessor was eaten by the Lady of Capricious House. But Dália has been raised for this and is not afraid, even after being tasked with uncovering a thief.
It's short so I won't say too much, but the writing in this is fantastic and it seamlessly navigated the line between horror and romance in a way that's hard to do. It's macabre in the best of ways. Hache Pueyo is an author to watch! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
October 9, 2025
A sapphic AND gothic monster romance narrated by the captivating pen of Hache Pueyo that will be in my thoughts long after writing this review — .
↠ 4 stars
Thanks to Tor Publishing Group, Tordotcom and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
↠ 4 stars
Thanks to Tor Publishing Group, Tordotcom and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
January 5, 2026
But Not Too Bold is so odd, and so beautiful and so compelling. It's oddly, beautifully-compelling.
I am almost at a loss for words. It felt at times like I didn't understand it, but I did, at the same time. The themes, the descriptions, the gorgeous characterizations, it felt instinctual, though I can't necessarily explain it coherently.
In fact, this is much less of a coherent narrative style than I tend to enjoy, but I fell in love with the writing instantly, so just decided to roll with it and I'm so glad I did!
But Not Too Bold is a Queer Fantasy Horror novella, of which I shall say nothing of the plot. It's only 112-pages and well-worth the read.
The synopsis lays out everything you need to know going in, but even with that, I feel you'll still be surprised at the depths to which this story will take you. It felt like falling down a dark, whimsical, dangerous rabbit hole, from which there's no escape.
I loved the main character, Dália. There was something so relatable about her. I was also surprised at how intrigued I was by the mystery that Dália is trying to solve.
More than that, I was shocked by the emotional impact this little story has. How is it possible to pack this much punch into such a small space?
Somehow, Pueyo succeeded in doing just that. The conclusion was gorgeous. My only small gripes would be that there were a couple of details I felt weren't adequately fleshed out, and also, I wish this were a little longer.
Overall though, I am so pleased with this. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Fantasy Horror, or stories that feel like modern folklore. Also, a bonus if you are looking for Queer, or female-centered dark fiction.
I am almost at a loss for words. It felt at times like I didn't understand it, but I did, at the same time. The themes, the descriptions, the gorgeous characterizations, it felt instinctual, though I can't necessarily explain it coherently.
In fact, this is much less of a coherent narrative style than I tend to enjoy, but I fell in love with the writing instantly, so just decided to roll with it and I'm so glad I did!
But Not Too Bold is a Queer Fantasy Horror novella, of which I shall say nothing of the plot. It's only 112-pages and well-worth the read.
The synopsis lays out everything you need to know going in, but even with that, I feel you'll still be surprised at the depths to which this story will take you. It felt like falling down a dark, whimsical, dangerous rabbit hole, from which there's no escape.
I loved the main character, Dália. There was something so relatable about her. I was also surprised at how intrigued I was by the mystery that Dália is trying to solve.
More than that, I was shocked by the emotional impact this little story has. How is it possible to pack this much punch into such a small space?
Somehow, Pueyo succeeded in doing just that. The conclusion was gorgeous. My only small gripes would be that there were a couple of details I felt weren't adequately fleshed out, and also, I wish this were a little longer.
Overall though, I am so pleased with this. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Fantasy Horror, or stories that feel like modern folklore. Also, a bonus if you are looking for Queer, or female-centered dark fiction.
January 30, 2025
3.5 stars
This book was weird but I think it could have been weirder.
This story follows Dalia who is the new keeper of the keys in a strange estate own by a giant spider woman. The estate is run almost like a hotel but the third floor is off limits and Madam Anathema hides her face from her staff. Only occasionally exposing her true form to her brides who she is known to eat after they shy from her in terror. She treasures the memory of these brides and has keepsakes for each one, when an item from her last bride is stolen she blames the previous keeper of keys and Dalia steps into the position.
The main plot involves a brief mystery to solve the theft and a growing closeness between Dalia and the Madam. I really enjoyed the writing style and the atmosphere really reminded me of a stop motion picture directed by Tim Burton or Henry Selick. It was weird but I think it should have been a little weirder, it almost shied away from the craziness in some places when it could have been leaning in a touch more. Regardless, a quick, compulsive read that I would recommend if you're in the mood for something odd and sapphic.
Do not recommend if you have arachnophobia!
This book was weird but I think it could have been weirder.
This story follows Dalia who is the new keeper of the keys in a strange estate own by a giant spider woman. The estate is run almost like a hotel but the third floor is off limits and Madam Anathema hides her face from her staff. Only occasionally exposing her true form to her brides who she is known to eat after they shy from her in terror. She treasures the memory of these brides and has keepsakes for each one, when an item from her last bride is stolen she blames the previous keeper of keys and Dalia steps into the position.
The main plot involves a brief mystery to solve the theft and a growing closeness between Dalia and the Madam. I really enjoyed the writing style and the atmosphere really reminded me of a stop motion picture directed by Tim Burton or Henry Selick. It was weird but I think it should have been a little weirder, it almost shied away from the craziness in some places when it could have been leaning in a touch more. Regardless, a quick, compulsive read that I would recommend if you're in the mood for something odd and sapphic.
Do not recommend if you have arachnophobia!
January 22, 2025
Title/Author: But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Tor Dot Com
Format: ARC/Netgalley/ebook
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: First time reading
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978125037...
Release Date: Feb 11th, 2025
General Genre: BISAC Categories: Fantasy - Dark Fantasy - Romantic - Gothic - LGBT - Lesbian
Sub-Genre/Themes: sapphic monster romance novella/gothic fantasy/spiders/humanoids/brides-marriage
Writing Style: Speculative
What You Need to Know: The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House--Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides. Dália, the old keeper's protégée, must take up her duties. But there's a gaping hole in Dália's plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.
My Reading Experience: This was very strange, borderline bizarre. I thought about not finishing a few times, it just didn't feel like I was the audience but there was a little nugget of interest that kept me invested. I couldn't let go. The spider stuff, all the tarantulas...I skimmed over. Characters are eating them or handling them, I don't know. I didn't want those visuals floating around in my brain before bedtime--I have enough spider nightmares.
The monster, Anatema, is a spider-like human. The author describes her features and movements in detail, it's quite alarming and fascinating. There is a bit of fantasy and whimsy that reminds me of Coraline/James and the Giant Peach...I could see this book in the same stop-motion animation. The ending was great.
Final Recommendation: I would recommend this to readers who enjoy reading something different and peculiar. I liked imagining this in stop-motion animation, vibrant and colorful. It's the only way to imagine the spider lady! There's an audience for this book so I hope it finds its people!
Comps: The Ocean at the End of the Lane/Coraline (not recommending Neil Gaiman right now, but it's great to know we have some alternatives to that kind of storytelling) James and the Giant Peach, The Shape of Water. Eric LaRocca's We Will Never Leave This Place
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Tor Dot Com
Format: ARC/Netgalley/ebook
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: First time reading
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978125037...
Release Date: Feb 11th, 2025
General Genre: BISAC Categories: Fantasy - Dark Fantasy - Romantic - Gothic - LGBT - Lesbian
Sub-Genre/Themes: sapphic monster romance novella/gothic fantasy/spiders/humanoids/brides-marriage
Writing Style: Speculative
What You Need to Know: The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House--Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides. Dália, the old keeper's protégée, must take up her duties. But there's a gaping hole in Dália's plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.
My Reading Experience: This was very strange, borderline bizarre. I thought about not finishing a few times, it just didn't feel like I was the audience but there was a little nugget of interest that kept me invested. I couldn't let go. The spider stuff, all the tarantulas...I skimmed over. Characters are eating them or handling them, I don't know. I didn't want those visuals floating around in my brain before bedtime--I have enough spider nightmares.
The monster, Anatema, is a spider-like human. The author describes her features and movements in detail, it's quite alarming and fascinating. There is a bit of fantasy and whimsy that reminds me of Coraline/James and the Giant Peach...I could see this book in the same stop-motion animation. The ending was great.
Final Recommendation: I would recommend this to readers who enjoy reading something different and peculiar. I liked imagining this in stop-motion animation, vibrant and colorful. It's the only way to imagine the spider lady! There's an audience for this book so I hope it finds its people!
Comps: The Ocean at the End of the Lane/Coraline (not recommending Neil Gaiman right now, but it's great to know we have some alternatives to that kind of storytelling) James and the Giant Peach, The Shape of Water. Eric LaRocca's We Will Never Leave This Place
September 14, 2025
The blurb made it seem like there'd be a lot of romance, but there was actually only one scene at the end, so it's not very developed. But I enjoyed the atmosphere, the writing, the idea of falling in love with a scary spider lady (who wouldn't, am I right?) and the hints of mystery throughout. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick read, if they're not afraid of spiders.
August 1, 2025
Reading a sapphic spider monster romance as someone who has arachnophobia? Yup, that's me and you're probably wondering how I got here...
BUT NOT TOO BOLD is like a cross between Alexis Henderson's HOUSE OF HUNGER and the Bluebeard fairytale. Dalia is the keeper of keys in the Capricious House, which is under the tyrannical rule of Madam Anatema, an eldritch spider monster known as an Archaic One. When she is displeased with her brides, she eats them, and she'll eat the servants, as well. Anatema has actually just eaten Dalia's predecessor, and she will be eaten as well if she can't figure out who is responsible for the mysterious thefts of her precious memory totems.
This is such a weird and trippy book. I think if you like monster romances and bleak gothic fantasy, you will really enjoy BUT NOT TOO BOLD. But honestly? This is a book that is for readers who run on vibes and don't ask too many questions. It had a happier ending than I was expecting but this is still a fairly dark love story-- if you can call what happens between these two souls "love."
3.5 stars
BUT NOT TOO BOLD is like a cross between Alexis Henderson's HOUSE OF HUNGER and the Bluebeard fairytale. Dalia is the keeper of keys in the Capricious House, which is under the tyrannical rule of Madam Anatema, an eldritch spider monster known as an Archaic One. When she is displeased with her brides, she eats them, and she'll eat the servants, as well. Anatema has actually just eaten Dalia's predecessor, and she will be eaten as well if she can't figure out who is responsible for the mysterious thefts of her precious memory totems.
This is such a weird and trippy book. I think if you like monster romances and bleak gothic fantasy, you will really enjoy BUT NOT TOO BOLD. But honestly? This is a book that is for readers who run on vibes and don't ask too many questions. It had a happier ending than I was expecting but this is still a fairly dark love story-- if you can call what happens between these two souls "love."
3.5 stars
February 3, 2025
I fear this is one of the few times I'm at a disadvantage for being terrible at visualizing things while I'm reading because wtf just happened...
I like the gothic vibes though.
I like the gothic vibes though.
November 29, 2025
ATMOSPHERE🌑 HORROR 🕷️ VIBES 🕸️In a house full of spiders, secrets, and living memories, a servant steps into a role that binds her to a feral, ancient mistress and an eerie mystery that feels part fairy tale, part nightmare. A beautifully eerie little novella that completely hooked me in the first half with its gothic atmosphere and unsettling energy, even if the second half didn’t land as strongly for me.
I’m not usually someone who reaches for romance, but the cover pulled me in, and when I saw a fellow reviewer describe it as, "The Shape of Water but the romantic interest is Shelob from Lord of the Rings", I was sold.
The atmosphere in this book is stunning. I couldn’t get enough of the architecture and the house itself: gothic, claustrophobic, and incredibly eerie. There are hidden terrors and spiders everywhere and a steady sense of creeping dread that made me feel incredibly immersed.
The themes of the spindly story explore power, exploitation, monstrosity, desire, and mystery. It’s unsettling, sensual, and uncanny, and there’s a satisfying balance between the horror and the beauty in the tone. I also really enjoyed the way the book handles the dynamics between the master of the house and her servants; there is a frightful power at play that felt palpable. Along with this, the memory dolls, the drawers of stored memories, and all the strange magical elements gave the story this eerie, almost folkloric quality that felt original and interesting to me.
Dália is such an intriguing lead. I found her just as compelling as the monster at the heart of the story. I never quite knew what she was planning, and I liked her curiosity and how it pushed the story forward. The dynamic between the two central characters has this magnetic, strange rhythm that made their scenes some of my favorites.
The second half didn’t live up to my expectations. It felt like so much time and attention were dedicated to building the house and its world that the plot didn’t have enough room to unfold. Some things felt rushed or incomplete, or even slightly confusing. The horror elements, though, stayed fun. Anatema is enigmatic and weird and feral in a way I really enjoyed, and I wanted even more of her.
It’s a great book for the vibes. Quick, eerie, visually rich, and worth it for the perfect first half alone. Even though the ending wasn’t a hard hitter for me, the atmosphere earns a recommendation.
Let this webby house swallow you for a little while. 🕸 🩶
I’m not usually someone who reaches for romance, but the cover pulled me in, and when I saw a fellow reviewer describe it as, "The Shape of Water but the romantic interest is Shelob from Lord of the Rings", I was sold.
The atmosphere in this book is stunning. I couldn’t get enough of the architecture and the house itself: gothic, claustrophobic, and incredibly eerie. There are hidden terrors and spiders everywhere and a steady sense of creeping dread that made me feel incredibly immersed.
The themes of the spindly story explore power, exploitation, monstrosity, desire, and mystery. It’s unsettling, sensual, and uncanny, and there’s a satisfying balance between the horror and the beauty in the tone. I also really enjoyed the way the book handles the dynamics between the master of the house and her servants; there is a frightful power at play that felt palpable. Along with this, the memory dolls, the drawers of stored memories, and all the strange magical elements gave the story this eerie, almost folkloric quality that felt original and interesting to me.
Dália is such an intriguing lead. I found her just as compelling as the monster at the heart of the story. I never quite knew what she was planning, and I liked her curiosity and how it pushed the story forward. The dynamic between the two central characters has this magnetic, strange rhythm that made their scenes some of my favorites.
The second half didn’t live up to my expectations. It felt like so much time and attention were dedicated to building the house and its world that the plot didn’t have enough room to unfold. Some things felt rushed or incomplete, or even slightly confusing. The horror elements, though, stayed fun. Anatema is enigmatic and weird and feral in a way I really enjoyed, and I wanted even more of her.
It’s a great book for the vibes. Quick, eerie, visually rich, and worth it for the perfect first half alone. Even though the ending wasn’t a hard hitter for me, the atmosphere earns a recommendation.
Let this webby house swallow you for a little while. 🕸 🩶
August 21, 2025
3.5/5 ✩
No review for this one! Read it during vacation and tbh I was hungover half the time, so I wasn't taking notes, etc as I usually do!
R.E.A.D.S. SCORE
R: 6/10
E: 7/10
A: 7/10
D: 7/10
S: 7/10
Total: 6.80/10.00
No review for this one! Read it during vacation and tbh I was hungover half the time, so I wasn't taking notes, etc as I usually do!
R.E.A.D.S. SCORE
R: 6/10
E: 7/10
A: 7/10
D: 7/10
S: 7/10
Total: 6.80/10.00
May 22, 2025
if you fear spiders I recommend staying away lol
October 14, 2024
Dalia has lived most of her life in the sumptuous Capricious House, training to be the Keeper of the Keys. When she is finally promoted into the role, she comes face-to-face with the house’s mistress Anatema, an ancient creature who resembles a giant spider. Dalia finds herself more intrigued than scared by her monstrous boss, who has eaten many of her servants and all of her past brides. Anatema immediately enlists Dalia to help solve a mystery, but as the two spend more time together, Dalia finds herself fascinated by more than just the case.
I love weird fiction, so I decided to give monster romance a try! And honestly, this book is so fun. The lush setting and food descriptions are on point, and I was deeply invested in the mystery. I feel like the actual romance is a bit underdeveloped; I didn’t quite buy that Dalia had strong feelings for Anatema. Still, this was a fun read, and with a sub-100 page count, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone trying to meet their reading goal.
I love weird fiction, so I decided to give monster romance a try! And honestly, this book is so fun. The lush setting and food descriptions are on point, and I was deeply invested in the mystery. I feel like the actual romance is a bit underdeveloped; I didn’t quite buy that Dalia had strong feelings for Anatema. Still, this was a fun read, and with a sub-100 page count, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone trying to meet their reading goal.
February 19, 2025
2.5⭐
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so I am devastated that I didn't love this!
First of all - I would not classify this book as a monster romance, because in no way did I find this book romantic. There wasn't really growth in their the characters' connection, and I honestly couldn't wrap my brain around how we got to that ending.
I was really interested in the first half of this novella, but I just didn't understand the events that happened in the second half. Based on what happened, I also didn't feel like the ending made any sense whatsoever.
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so I am devastated that I didn't love this!
First of all - I would not classify this book as a monster romance, because in no way did I find this book romantic. There wasn't really growth in their the characters' connection, and I honestly couldn't wrap my brain around how we got to that ending.
I was really interested in the first half of this novella, but I just didn't understand the events that happened in the second half. Based on what happened, I also didn't feel like the ending made any sense whatsoever.
December 16, 2024
3.0 Stars
This was such a strange and off kilter horror novella. It was more weird than terrifying for me. I liked portions of it but largely found the narrative not to my tastes. I imagine that readers who love weird horror will appreciate this more than I did but honestly it was hard to judge from the outside.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was such a strange and off kilter horror novella. It was more weird than terrifying for me. I liked portions of it but largely found the narrative not to my tastes. I imagine that readers who love weird horror will appreciate this more than I did but honestly it was hard to judge from the outside.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 13, 2025
That was fucking weird (complimentary). BUT NOT TOO BOLD is a sapphic monster mystery romance with a strong gothic undercurrent. Normally I find the "all vibes" for hundreds of pages of gothic fiction tedious, so this novella length was perfect for me. Do not read if you're afraid of spiders, or, conversely, if you love them so much you'd be distraught to hear of them being deep-fried and eaten.
November 22, 2023
this one is indeed for all the monsterfucker girlies out there
November 11, 2024
Even though Halloween is over, this is a perfect read for spooky season!
Ancient sentient humanoid spiders. Tarantulas as pets. Tarantulas as food. Life in the Capricious House is super goth and feels very Addams Family.
It's a very closed set type of setting, which makes it even better and creepier, imo. As someone who's not really a big fan of spiders, especially giant talking spiders who eat their mates, I was pretty creeped out. I loved the horror-filled descriptions, which kept me going. The prose was rich and very immersive.
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't really get the romance portion. It came out of nowhere at the end. I love monster romance, but this was on the very tame end to the point where it was nonexistent.
Anyway.
Read this if you love Goth vibes and weirdness. It's a quick novella and I couldn't put it down. I'd love to read more from Hache Pueyo.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
Ancient sentient humanoid spiders. Tarantulas as pets. Tarantulas as food. Life in the Capricious House is super goth and feels very Addams Family.
It's a very closed set type of setting, which makes it even better and creepier, imo. As someone who's not really a big fan of spiders, especially giant talking spiders who eat their mates, I was pretty creeped out. I loved the horror-filled descriptions, which kept me going. The prose was rich and very immersive.
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't really get the romance portion. It came out of nowhere at the end. I love monster romance, but this was on the very tame end to the point where it was nonexistent.
Anyway.
Read this if you love Goth vibes and weirdness. It's a quick novella and I couldn't put it down. I'd love to read more from Hache Pueyo.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this arc.
October 10, 2025
Obsessed with this intricate, odd little sapphic fable. Come for the spiders, stay for the unique elements...
From the marketing blurb: The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic in this sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings...
Combining old-school fairytale storytelling with a very intriguing spider motif and a surprisingly sweet/PG romance, But Not Too Bold was basically the perfect little horror novella for me this month.
I'm such a sucker for loving things I've never encountered before. It's the newness factor, the "oh I can't quite predict where we're going with this", the utter delight at being surprised in any capacity. The more you read, the less you get this high—unless you continue to ride the waves of the multiple genre/novella/emerging novels landscape. But Not Too Bold is one of those new little babies, and I'm thrilled to report it's worth your time if you're like me and looking for something fresh and fun to devour in one sitting.
Some people might not call this a positive thing, but I also loved that this novella felt like a highly structured fairytale—almost like an episodic play?—with its various acts and vignette-like approach to the narrative. I think this element made the relatively simple plot much stronger, and it added to the story's overall sense of timelessness.
And also, let's discuss the monster in the room—this novel has a VERY strong spider motif to it, and let's just say I was thrilled to see that in practice and done in a surprisingly unique way.
I'll also keep this note vague here... because short novellas are very hard to discuss without spoiling part of the magic... but there's a highly romantic component to this story that honestly made me realize that there's a large demographic of romance/fluffy readers out there who would love this tale if it was described to them. This is a sweet story? And I think there's a group of non-horror readers who would love this one.
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From the marketing blurb: The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic in this sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings...
Combining old-school fairytale storytelling with a very intriguing spider motif and a surprisingly sweet/PG romance, But Not Too Bold was basically the perfect little horror novella for me this month.
I'm such a sucker for loving things I've never encountered before. It's the newness factor, the "oh I can't quite predict where we're going with this", the utter delight at being surprised in any capacity. The more you read, the less you get this high—unless you continue to ride the waves of the multiple genre/novella/emerging novels landscape. But Not Too Bold is one of those new little babies, and I'm thrilled to report it's worth your time if you're like me and looking for something fresh and fun to devour in one sitting.
Some people might not call this a positive thing, but I also loved that this novella felt like a highly structured fairytale—almost like an episodic play?—with its various acts and vignette-like approach to the narrative. I think this element made the relatively simple plot much stronger, and it added to the story's overall sense of timelessness.
And also, let's discuss the monster in the room—this novel has a VERY strong spider motif to it, and let's just say I was thrilled to see that in practice and done in a surprisingly unique way.
I'll also keep this note vague here... because short novellas are very hard to discuss without spoiling part of the magic... but there's a highly romantic component to this story that honestly made me realize that there's a large demographic of romance/fluffy readers out there who would love this tale if it was described to them. This is a sweet story? And I think there's a group of non-horror readers who would love this one.
Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
February 20, 2025
3.5⭐️ give me all the weird, gothic, sapphic monster novellas
November 23, 2025
3.5 stars rounded down. Looking for a quick off kilter sapphic romance involving an ancient being that looks like a giant spider? Do you have a phobia of spiders? Does body horror bother you? You are not the right audience for this book.
I’m obsessed with books that are bizarre. I love the creativity & fearlessness it takes to dream up a horror/romance based on a lesbian spider. In that sense this novella does not disappoint! The author dove into a concept that is truly strange but made it seem relatively normal to our MC. Other things that I loved not only does spider being eat humans but humans eat lots & lots of spiders. The detailed descriptions of spiders being eaten & spider lady’s body constantly changing shape is where the horror sprang from.
Why rounded down not up? The romance between our characters happens so fast! Close enough to insta love that I never felt any developing tension or stakes. It made the idea of will one have to kill the other nonexistent. The book description had me hoping to see on page spider eating/killing people. Because of all that the book became tinged with cozy. By the end I felt like I was reading cozy romantic horror.
Anyways this is an off kilter idea that lots of people will enjoy but I won’t ever reach to read this again.
I’m obsessed with books that are bizarre. I love the creativity & fearlessness it takes to dream up a horror/romance based on a lesbian spider. In that sense this novella does not disappoint! The author dove into a concept that is truly strange but made it seem relatively normal to our MC. Other things that I loved not only does spider being eat humans but humans eat lots & lots of spiders. The detailed descriptions of spiders being eaten & spider lady’s body constantly changing shape is where the horror sprang from.
Why rounded down not up? The romance between our characters happens so fast! Close enough to insta love that I never felt any developing tension or stakes. It made the idea of will one have to kill the other nonexistent. The book description had me hoping to see on page spider eating/killing people. Because of all that the book became tinged with cozy. By the end I felt like I was reading cozy romantic horror.
Anyways this is an off kilter idea that lots of people will enjoy but I won’t ever reach to read this again.
July 30, 2025
Being able to craft a story that is so deeply horrifying and sickening, yet incredibly wholesome and romantic is actually crazy. Why am I rooting for this sweet serving girl and her giant humanoid spider mistress
June 7, 2025
#️⃣2️⃣6️⃣7️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 ⛈️⚡🚨
Date : 📢 Monday, June 2, 2025 🍙⚔️
Word Count📃: 22k Words 🏕️
──★ ˙💥🪨💣🪨💥 ̟ ⋆✮˚.*⋆
ദ്ദി ≽^⎚˕⎚^≼ .ᐟ My 5th read in "Explosive Impactful Reads June"
4️⃣🌟, eerie creepy fun
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
I didn't thought that this was going to be a romance...UNTIL THE VERY LAST SENTENCE. THE LAST SENTENCE........IS SOMETHINGGG 😰😰. This entire very short novella just explores a mini plotline with Lionel and other house tenants or just ppl that are in that specific house, the ✨The Capricious House, or Casa Caprichosa✨. That has a spider ..human, uhh hybriddd (well thats a bit unsettling). But romance?????????? I feel like there was no entire 'romance' on the entire thing, except for the last bit. This is literally just a thief mystery :// why is everyone thinking this is primarily a romance book 🤨, Dalia is just tasked to uncover a thief and get back the key/doll/ (the insert big plot twist, iykyk), with creepy stuff coming from Anatema because of the fear of whatever 'monster' she is, its a book about appreciation about who you are and who you present yourself, not staying away from who you truly are and to know that someone actually cares for you even through all of your flaws. Its not sapphic romance WHERE IS IT?????????? WHERES THE ROMANCE EXCEPT FOR THE VERY UNSETTLING CONFESSION IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE BOOK?? WHERE IS IT 😭😭😭 THERES LITTLE TO NO ROMANCE IN HEREEE
Date : 📢 Monday, June 2, 2025 🍙⚔️
Word Count📃: 22k Words 🏕️
──★ ˙💥🪨💣🪨💥 ̟ ⋆✮˚.*⋆
ദ്ദി ≽^⎚˕⎚^≼ .ᐟ My 5th read in "Explosive Impactful Reads June"
4️⃣🌟, eerie creepy fun
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
I didn't thought that this was going to be a romance...UNTIL THE VERY LAST SENTENCE. THE LAST SENTENCE........IS SOMETHINGGG 😰😰. This entire very short novella just explores a mini plotline with Lionel and other house tenants or just ppl that are in that specific house, the ✨The Capricious House, or Casa Caprichosa✨. That has a spider ..human, uhh hybriddd (well thats a bit unsettling). But romance?????????? I feel like there was no entire 'romance' on the entire thing, except for the last bit. This is literally just a thief mystery :// why is everyone thinking this is primarily a romance book 🤨, Dalia is just tasked to uncover a thief and get back the key/doll/ (the insert big plot twist, iykyk), with creepy stuff coming from Anatema because of the fear of whatever 'monster' she is, its a book about appreciation about who you are and who you present yourself, not staying away from who you truly are and to know that someone actually cares for you even through all of your flaws. Its not sapphic romance WHERE IS IT?????????? WHERES THE ROMANCE EXCEPT FOR THE VERY UNSETTLING CONFESSION IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE BOOK?? WHERE IS IT 😭😭😭 THERES LITTLE TO NO ROMANCE IN HEREEE
February 3, 2025
The nitty-gritty: I enjoyed parts of this bizarre fantasy/horror novella, but some elements were a little too bizarre.
But Not Too Bold is a very weird piece of fiction that didn’t completely work for me, but I do appreciate some of the things the author did with worldbuilding. I also loved the Latin American flavor of the story, as the author herself is Argentine-Brazilian.
In Capricious House, the master of the keys has just died—or rather, she’s been consumed by the master of the house, a giant, spider-like creature named Anatema—and her successor is Dália, a young woman who has been training for the position since she was brought to Capricious House as a child. Dália’s job is to attend to Anatema, who never leaves the third floor of the house. Dália holds the keys to every locked room and box and is in charge of opening them whenever necessary, but she also knows that Anatema has many rules, and if broken, the punishment is usually death—to be consumed by Anatema herself.
The day that Dália takes on her new position, Anatema discovers one of her memories is missing. Before eating someone, she weaves an elaborate, magical tableau of that person out of spider silk and locks the “memory” in a box. For someone in the house to betray Anatema by stealing from her is unheard of, and so she gives Dália the task of investigating the crime.
But what Dália uncovers turns out to be dangerous for everyone in the house.
First, what I enjoyed. The story idea was so far removed from anything I’ve read before, and I loved having my brain rewired for a bit with new ideas and storytelling concepts. Weird idea #1: Capricious House is surrounded by poppy fields, which are harvested for decoration, drugs and food. Weird idea #2: a giant spider/human creature rules the house, eating anyone who pisses her off, while she gathers “brides” from time to time (who always end up being eaten as well). The “employees” who work in the house expect that they too will be eaten someday. Weird idea #3: this land (the wider world is never explained) has had a spider plague, so tarantulas are everywhere. The people who live in Capricious House have decided to deal with them by taking them as pets (everyone seems to have their own personal tarantula) as well as incorporating them into the menu. How can you not appreciate such weird ideas? Hache Pueyo is a creative and talented writer, even if I didn’t fully love her story.
I also enjoyed the lush descriptions of food. One of Dália's favorites is fried tarantula legs, which was both fascinating and gross. One of Pueyo's themes seems to be "consumption," both in the way the humans appreciate the many delicacies from the kitchen, and the way Anatema revels in eating her employees.
Despite these mind-bending ideas, though, the story itself didn’t always work. I found the mystery of the missing memory to be weak and the reasons behind the theft a little convoluted. Also, the story is billed as a sapphic romance, but the romance elements, which are almost non existent, turned me off and didn’t work at all. The characters themselves are also weird to the point that it was nearly impossible to understand or connect to them. Dália and her fellow employees are human, but to live in a house with a giant spider who is going to eat you is sort of ridiculous.
Still, I’m glad I read But Not Too Bold, and I’ll definitely remember it as one of my more unique reads of the year.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
But Not Too Bold is a very weird piece of fiction that didn’t completely work for me, but I do appreciate some of the things the author did with worldbuilding. I also loved the Latin American flavor of the story, as the author herself is Argentine-Brazilian.
In Capricious House, the master of the keys has just died—or rather, she’s been consumed by the master of the house, a giant, spider-like creature named Anatema—and her successor is Dália, a young woman who has been training for the position since she was brought to Capricious House as a child. Dália’s job is to attend to Anatema, who never leaves the third floor of the house. Dália holds the keys to every locked room and box and is in charge of opening them whenever necessary, but she also knows that Anatema has many rules, and if broken, the punishment is usually death—to be consumed by Anatema herself.
The day that Dália takes on her new position, Anatema discovers one of her memories is missing. Before eating someone, she weaves an elaborate, magical tableau of that person out of spider silk and locks the “memory” in a box. For someone in the house to betray Anatema by stealing from her is unheard of, and so she gives Dália the task of investigating the crime.
But what Dália uncovers turns out to be dangerous for everyone in the house.
First, what I enjoyed. The story idea was so far removed from anything I’ve read before, and I loved having my brain rewired for a bit with new ideas and storytelling concepts. Weird idea #1: Capricious House is surrounded by poppy fields, which are harvested for decoration, drugs and food. Weird idea #2: a giant spider/human creature rules the house, eating anyone who pisses her off, while she gathers “brides” from time to time (who always end up being eaten as well). The “employees” who work in the house expect that they too will be eaten someday. Weird idea #3: this land (the wider world is never explained) has had a spider plague, so tarantulas are everywhere. The people who live in Capricious House have decided to deal with them by taking them as pets (everyone seems to have their own personal tarantula) as well as incorporating them into the menu. How can you not appreciate such weird ideas? Hache Pueyo is a creative and talented writer, even if I didn’t fully love her story.
I also enjoyed the lush descriptions of food. One of Dália's favorites is fried tarantula legs, which was both fascinating and gross. One of Pueyo's themes seems to be "consumption," both in the way the humans appreciate the many delicacies from the kitchen, and the way Anatema revels in eating her employees.
Despite these mind-bending ideas, though, the story itself didn’t always work. I found the mystery of the missing memory to be weak and the reasons behind the theft a little convoluted. Also, the story is billed as a sapphic romance, but the romance elements, which are almost non existent, turned me off and didn’t work at all. The characters themselves are also weird to the point that it was nearly impossible to understand or connect to them. Dália and her fellow employees are human, but to live in a house with a giant spider who is going to eat you is sort of ridiculous.
Still, I’m glad I read But Not Too Bold, and I’ll definitely remember it as one of my more unique reads of the year.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
2025
October 3, 2025Latine Heritage Month TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom
June 29, 2025
1/5 stars✨
Be bold, but not too bold, lest that your hearts blood should run cold...
Absolutely mind-numbing-ly horrible!
I've never read such a disturbing story in my whole life! Are people tired of normal romance stories that now they need weird-spider-woman-abomination romances now?? I literally feel like I've wasted my 15 mins for nothing....
WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SPIDER WHO ATE YOUR MENTOR AND WILL POTENTIALLY EAT YOU
for the SMALLEST reasons, oh like I don't know, GETTING HER NAME WRONG??
What is wrong with Dalia?? I mean this is not even slow burn or it's all a misunderstanding or miscommunication, this is straight up insta love!
Forget the fact that she looks like a very very humongous spider (a fact that is brought up MANY times in the book..)
are we just gonna ignore that the spider lady was ready to EAT Dalia and
that she didn't even care like at ALL?
in 1 page she's getting ready to eat her and in the next page she LOVES her?? what is this some new form of romance?
ALSO, Dalia has a pet tarantula and guess what Dalia's favorite food item is, oh I'll tell you, FRIED TARANTULAS.
I'm literally sobbing 😭 the FMC likes to eat fried spiders! what is there to even eat??
I mean I think the spider lady and Dalia are well matched since they are both crazy.
Overall, this was a horrible book, I'll never recommend it to anyone...
Be bold, but not too bold, lest that your hearts blood should run cold...
Absolutely mind-numbing-ly horrible!
I've never read such a disturbing story in my whole life! Are people tired of normal romance stories that now they need weird-spider-woman-abomination romances now?? I literally feel like I've wasted my 15 mins for nothing....
WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITH A SPIDER WHO ATE YOUR MENTOR AND WILL POTENTIALLY EAT YOU
for the SMALLEST reasons, oh like I don't know, GETTING HER NAME WRONG??
What is wrong with Dalia?? I mean this is not even slow burn or it's all a misunderstanding or miscommunication, this is straight up insta love!
Forget the fact that she looks like a very very humongous spider (a fact that is brought up MANY times in the book..)
are we just gonna ignore that the spider lady was ready to EAT Dalia and
that she didn't even care like at ALL?
in 1 page she's getting ready to eat her and in the next page she LOVES her?? what is this some new form of romance?
ALSO, Dalia has a pet tarantula and guess what Dalia's favorite food item is, oh I'll tell you, FRIED TARANTULAS.
I'm literally sobbing 😭 the FMC likes to eat fried spiders! what is there to even eat??
I mean I think the spider lady and Dalia are well matched since they are both crazy.
Overall, this was a horrible book, I'll never recommend it to anyone...
February 11, 2025
Prepare to be weirded out, similarly to that disgusting tongue commercial from yesterday’s Super Bowl LIX! This is decidedly horror, and it’s the disturbing kind. I loved the setting and characters. The characters and estate are so unique and compelling.
My one gripe was that one decision made by a character didn’t make sense to me, given a previous decision. I have to be vague or there will be spoilers. I suppose I mean that a couple of motivations contradicted each other, and it had me scratching my head. Still, it’s a quick, engaging read that fans of this genre will enjoy.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
My one gripe was that one decision made by a character didn’t make sense to me, given a previous decision. I have to be vague or there will be spoilers. I suppose I mean that a couple of motivations contradicted each other, and it had me scratching my head. Still, it’s a quick, engaging read that fans of this genre will enjoy.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
August 17, 2025
✨3 stars✨
January 17, 2025
huge W for anyone who had a crush on Miss Spider from James and the Giant Peach as a child
January 15, 2026
⋆.˚✮ 3.5 stars ✮˚.⋆
⤿ Thank you to Tordotcom for the finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
i read this for one of the prompts for the seasonal challenge goodreads does to collect the little bookmarks, i believe it was for the hispanic heritage prompt. while it was very cool to see pieces of this representation throughout the story, i was left at the end wanting more from pretty much everything. the story itself wasn't bad, i actually really enjoyed the monster-frankenstein-esque romance slowly revealing itself, but it didn't feel long enough. i think i would have enjoyed this novella more as a full length story, to fully feel the gothic atmosphere and see the evolution of the romance. overall, it was fine but i think it just could have used more development.
↬ trigger warnings: death and murder, blood and gore
⤿ Thank you to Tordotcom for the finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
i read this for one of the prompts for the seasonal challenge goodreads does to collect the little bookmarks, i believe it was for the hispanic heritage prompt. while it was very cool to see pieces of this representation throughout the story, i was left at the end wanting more from pretty much everything. the story itself wasn't bad, i actually really enjoyed the monster-frankenstein-esque romance slowly revealing itself, but it didn't feel long enough. i think i would have enjoyed this novella more as a full length story, to fully feel the gothic atmosphere and see the evolution of the romance. overall, it was fine but i think it just could have used more development.
↬ trigger warnings: death and murder, blood and gore
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