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Folds: A Cringy Monster Romance Anthology

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PROJECTED RELEASE DATE OF JUNE 1, 2026

Folds is a monstrously steamy multi-author anthology celebrating every curve, crease, and ripple. Aliens, death, hive minds, mermaids, nagas, tiny fairies, and wolf women, these creatures prove the best secrets—and pleasures—are tucked just out of sight.

Cringe has never been so irresistible.

Featuring short stories

ASH RAVEN
B.P. GILMORE
EMILIA ABRAHAM
JENIFER WOOD
JILLIAN GRAVES
LYONNE RILEY
PETRA PALERNO

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2026

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Petra Palerno

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
Profile Image for Britt.
638 reviews73 followers
May 31, 2026
What’s better than one monster romance review? TWO MONSTER ROMANCE REVIEWS! Especially if they’re written by two of my favorite monster romance authors!

It’s Not The Size That Counts by Lyonne Riley
I thought this was such a cute and quick story that had the perfect amount of heart and spice! I loved that Selvanar literally crashed into Trisha’s life, causing this fairy king to have to stick close to her for a couple days while he attempted to heal. I loved how Trisha tried to help him as much as she could, some attempts successful and some less so. Given some of the less successful attempts, I enjoyed when Trisha helped Selvanar to get back to his realm, and was able to even shrink herself and pass the barrier as well!

With a touch of somnophilia, a MMC who truly THIRSTED after the FMC, and a bit of environmental conscientiousness, this story was a great afternoon read.

Intergalactic Accident by Jenifer Wood
This was exactly what I was looking for in this sci-fi monster romance! I appreciated that Sadie was the one to save a member of Izu’s crew, especially given a human woman working at the space station was nearly unheard of. I loved how as a way of repaying his gratitude, Izu felt inclined to take Sadie to dinner, which of course morphed into a night of fun and a very beneficial situation for both of them 😉 Further, I loved the unexpected pregnancy in this story, especially since it was thought impossible for a human and an alien to procreate, so they were the first, of hopefully many!

This was a short and sexy sci-fi must read!

Thank you to Lyonne Riley and Jenifer Wood for the eARCs!
224 reviews15 followers
June 1, 2026
I had so much fun reading these three shorts coming out June 1st in the Folds Anthology. A delightful ode to one of the cringey words that we all love, FOLDSSSSS hahahahaha. Anthologies like these are such a great way to try out new-to-you authors. Give it a shot!

Please note, this review is for three of the shorts featured in this anthology.

📖Intergalactic Accident by Jenifer Wood 📖
These two are a really fun mix of chaotic energy and rigid computational predictability. They have a delightful time exploring alien anatomy and connecting over a love of puzzles and competition. Who knew deprioritizing tasks to get to your girl faster could be sexy?! Well it is! I really liked how this story wrapped up.

📖Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno 📖
I really appreciate Petra’s writing style. It feels lyrically descriptive and yet still so easy to connect with and enjoy. It makes you not want to step out of the story. This story also confirms for me that I really need to read about more nagas. This was so fun, I loved every moment.

📖It’s Not the Size that Counts by Lyonne Riley 📖
This is a ridiculously fun size difference fairy romance! Hehehe and boy do I mean SIZE DIFFERENCE! Lyonne is really a master at ramping up steam and this was soooo steamy. I’d call this more of a HFN which is not something I read a lot of, but was really nice!

I was gifted a copy by the author. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
Profile Image for Jen.
311 reviews3 followers
June 1, 2026
I was lucky enough to ARC read three of these stories! I love a good spicy short story and these were so fun.

Its Not the Size that Counts:
Lyonne really flipped the script on the size difference trope. I loved it so much tbh. Check the TWs, they weren't dark, more like a IPB's Vektal misstep.

Intergalactic Accident:
I love when we get fun alien customs and accidental pregnancy.

The Co-Ed Who Cried Wolf:
Sapphic werewolf professor x student??? Need I say more??
Profile Image for Bookfairymel .
192 reviews16 followers
June 2, 2026
Giving Me Their Flowers:
This is my first hive mind romance! I definitely enjoyed it. It was very sci-fi with a bit of monster romance madness we all love. The idea of flower people was very cool and I’m sure very pretty to look at as well. This was fun, weird and all around an interesting, unconventional read!

Intergalactic Accident:
I really love sci-fi reads and stuff that takes place in space stations! It’s always so fun and I really loved the contrast between Sadie’s brass and fun personality to Izu’s straight forward and seriousness. They had a great dynamic and a super cute ending!

It’s Not The Size That Counts:
This was a fun one! I always say I would love to be able to turn into a fairy and ride around on people’s shoulders so I enjoyed this one. Plus Selvanar’s soft dom vibe was definitely a hit for me as well!

Every Sculpted Scale:
I really need to read more naga books because I loved this! The possessiveness from him, the tail play and the domination. Plus I liked the ending, where he inspires all her work now, making her uncles saying that the cabin will inspire all the more true.

The Co-Ed Who Cried Wolf:
This definitely my favorite of the group I’ve read so far! I love the dom/sub dynamic between Kane and Lucy with the werewolf element mixed in. Between the manhandling and spanking, this was a great time!

Fourteen Hours Of Darkness:
I really enjoy shadow men and I need to read more of them! This one was a little confusing in the middle but I still had fun with it. Who doesn’t love a shadow monster who can make multiple hands, multiples tongues and is super strong.

Twin Tails:
This was a cute play on the little mermaid and Captain Hook vibes! I haven’t read many mermaids but I really liked this one. It was a bit unclear what Loch’s curse was and what he turned into at the end tho so I wish I had more info. But I loved Keres and his chemistry.
Profile Image for Trinity.
813 reviews279 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 30, 2026
ARC Review
this is a review of Fourteen Hours of Darkness by B.P. Gilmore

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

TW - coercion (sc to FMC)

CW - breeding, spanking, hand necklace, DP

Tropes - paranormal, small town, size difference

Representation - mid/plus size FMC, Black FMC, interracial BWWM

This was a fun read that, from the start, had me DESPERATE to know just wtf was going on in this town! I had a theory about who the MMC would end up being end was correct 🤪

They were hot and sweet together; I would probably read more about the town and its inhabitants

Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪

🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List / The Naughtier List

TW/CW not to be repurposed by authors / publishers for website / book / content use without permission
Profile Image for Zahra (Bookish_Platypus).
298 reviews18 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 31, 2026
It's Not the Size That Counts

This was so short and sweet!

It's part of the Folds anthology so in less than 60 pages Lyonne Riley managed to write "folds" multiple times. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED (just kidding).

There is some interesting size-play in this book and I wasn't mad about it. Check your content warnings for some other interesting kinks explored in this book. There's also an injured MC dynamic that worked really well.

I really enjoyed the world that Lyonne Riley built for this book with fairies being normal but also seen as other and potentially not meshing well with humans. The reaction the fairies have to human things was an interesting topic to explore. I thought the food discussions and the clothing situation were both very fascinating too. It was truly an entertaining read.

This love story is primarily instalust but I like the acknowledgement that there is something more about each other that is drawing them to one another. They have such a special bond!


Thank you to Lyonne Riley for the advanced copy!!


Intergalactic Relations

This book was SO. DANG. NERDY. I ate it right up!

Nerdy humor, nerdy language, puzzles as romantic gestures. Seriously this was like Star Trek smut with the nerdiest possible characters. Do you want Spock to tell you that "you may test that assumption at your convenience" when you're both clearly lusting after one another? Then this book is for you.

I loved how Sadie and Izu matched each other's weird. They were PERFECT together.

This is a friends with benefits to lovers story with accidental pregnancy involved and I found it suited this world of intergalactic travel and space missions perfectly.

Another great addition to th Folds anthology!


Thank you to Jenifer Wood for the advanced copy :)
Profile Image for Risa Reads & Reviews.
9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 1, 2026
✨ARC Reviews✨

For this anthology, I received TWO ARCs from Lyonne Riley and Petra Palerno.

It's Not the Size That Counts - Lyonne Riley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely delightful read from Lyonne as usual! This story follows Selvanar, a male fairy chased by an owl who seeks refuge in a dollhouse owned by Trisha, a human woman, when his wing is injured in the escape. I have to say, I have never read a book quite like this one before! The size difference was obviously my main question and, without spoiling too much, it's definitely handled in a satisfying way. The story is really sweet and has a very tiny bit of low stakes angst, silly moments, amazing smut, and a happy ending. For some reason, one word that comes to mind for me is "cozy" - a perfect, cozy, fairy x human romantic novella that I really enjoyed!

Every Sculpted Scale - Petra Palerno ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of my favorites from Petra so far! This story follows Sloane, a human woman who inherits her uncle's cabin after he passes away and finds Bahtam, a naga seeking refuge under said cabin after he is injured escaping from poachers. Despite being a monster lover, this is my first venture into nagas and I have to say, this definitely left me wanting to dive in deeper! The story is simple but really good with plenty of funny moments and my GOD, the smut! Absolutely loved this one!
Profile Image for Ashley.
95 reviews18 followers
June 3, 2026
I’ve read two stories so far and had to immediately run here to say YOU’VE GOTTA READ THIS ANTHOLOGY!!

“Every Sculpted Scale” by Petra Palerno - The vibes of this story were immaculate! On a cold stormy night deep in the woods, an injured Naga (Bahtam) has slithered under Sloane’s cabin for warmth. But the moment she allows him into her home, they both realize there’s a much warmer place she could allow him into. This man is a smooth talker and has a package that’s double the fun. This story is perfect for us readers who love an obsessive, protective, and growly MMC.

“It’s Not The Size That Counts” by Lyonne Riley - Oh this one was FUN! If you like size difference, this story takes it to a whole new delicious level. Lyonne painted a perfect picture on how different things feel from new perspectives. The amount of detail put in surrounding the fairy vs human immune systems, livelihoods, and appearances was very much appreciated and very cool!


This is the perfect spicy monster romance anthology for any reader who is looking for both variety and the chance to explore new tropes! I’m immediately binging the rest of this book right now so I’ll leave you with this note from the intro:
“Remember, to be cringe is to be free”
Profile Image for Lynn_G.
1,192 reviews27 followers
May 13, 2026
[Please note: this review is only for “It’s Not the Size That Counts” by Lyonne Riley, one of the short stories in this anthology]

Clocking in at less than sixty pages, this short is hilarious and subversive, heartfelt and silly, steamy and sweet.

Medical office worker Trisha is home alone and hears an owl hoot extremely close by as well as a small crash on her screened porch. Upon investigating, she can’t find anything out of place, so she goes back to bed, only to be awakened in the most bizarre manner possible.

King Selvanar, a fairy, was overtaken by an owl, barely escaping with his life when he crashed through a human dwelling, puncturing one of his gossamer wings. Finding a furnished dollhouse, he hid there until the human occupant retired for the night, startled her awake, then proceeded to haughtily make demands of her before grudgingly becoming attached to her.

How on earth can a six inch tall fairy king and a very human female make things work between realms?

I enjoyed this short from the always entertaining Lyonne Riley, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the anthology upon publication. I was furnished an advance reader copy by the author, and I’m sharing my honest opinion.

Profile Image for Jillian.
Author 9 books7 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 3, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This is a fun and super spicy monster romance multi-author short story anthology centering around… folds as the theme.

It’s Not the Size That Counts* by Lyonne Riley is about a fairy king who gets injured and stays with a human while recovering. I enjoyed this one. It had some unusual spicy scenes because of the size difference, but they figured it out, and it made for a fun read. There was a good amount of world building for such a short story as well. (My enjoyment 4.5/5)

The Co-ed Who Cried Wolf by Jillian Graves is an FF story featuring an older werewolf professor and an art student who has just graduated, spending a late night together on campus with a full moon nearby. I really liked this short story. It was very fast-paced, and I enjoyed both characters and their conflicting yet complementary personalities. (My Enjoyment: 5/5)

Fourteen Hours of Darkness by B.P. Gilmore was kind of a miss for me. It follows a scientist in a strange town trying to gain access to a mysterious house. This one was just okay. Stylistically, it felt a bit like an old horror short story, but I was somewhat confused and had trouble connecting with the characters. (My Enjoyment: 3.5/5)

Twin Tails by Emilia Abraham was one of my favorites. A cursed mermaid and a pirate, both determined to avoid commitment and relationships, have a one-night stand before crossing paths again. There was spice and action, along with some interesting lore and worldbuilding. (My Enjoyment: 5/5)

Intergalactic Accident* by Jenifer Wood is about a woman working maintenance on a space station who helps out an alien crew member. Their customs require repayment, and a meal turns into a lot more. I liked this story but didn’t love it. The style/language was a little weird for me, and I felt like I was missing some backstory. But it was very spicy and sweet. (My Enjoyment: 4/5)

Giving Me Their Flowers by Ash Raven was a little too weird for me. There's a hive-mind, dystopian, flower-like alien takeover... I think. The plot wasn't really to my taste, and the romantic interest didn't work for me either. That said, it was a unique idea and definitely a cringe-monster story. (My Enjoyment: 3.5/5)

Every Sculpted Scale* by Petra Palerno is about an artist who goes to a cabin she inherited and ends up with a naga in her crawlspace (and also under the cabin). I really enjoyed this one. I feel like it was exactly what I want in a short story like this, with the right ratio of plot, spice, and character development. Perfect way to close out the anthology. (My Enjoyment: 5/5)

*I received ARCs for some, but not all of the shorts, and am leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for • Dan reads books •.
415 reviews5 followers
May 30, 2026
[Review for “Every sculpted scale” by Petra Palermo, short story included in the anthology]

This short story is like a little treat, a pick me up… something sweet, short and spicy that leaves you all warmed up and feeling good!

The story between Sloane and the injured Naga that she helped to heel and get all cozy is fast paced but full of an outstanding chemistry! I had an amazing time!

[Review for “It’s not the size that counts” by Lyonne Riley, short story included in the anthology]

I was a little hesitant about it, not because I wouldn’t though it would be amazing but because sometimes size it does counts haha but Lyonne completely shut me up! This is an amazing story between a fairy and an human and besides the obvious differences they actually make sense!

The story is short, fast pace but so funny, interesting and sweet! This fairy king is all command and sass but Trisha knows perfectly well how to bring him to his knees!

This involves a combination of things like size difference, somnophilia and noncon that I wasn’t excepting but the author made it works perfectly, they are balanced and presented in a lighter tone.


Profile Image for Isa Newbury | reading_isa.
654 reviews9 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 14, 2026
**Thank you to the Authors for the ARCs; all opinions are my own.**

Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno
4 ⭐️
3 🌶
ARC

I honestly would not mind a bigger exploration into the world that Palerno created for this story! Sloane was very sweet, and her Naga lover was super attentive 😏 there was a little bit of action, some great spice, and some intriguing monster facts.

☆2 🍆
☆needs to stay warm
☆artist
☆failed one-night stand
☆mates

It's Not the Size that Counts by Lyonne Riley
4 ⭐️
3 🌶
ARC

This was a very quick and spicy read (only about 59 pages), but I had a lot of fun reading it! It focuses on a fairy who hides in a house, narrowly escaping an owl trying to eat him. He meets the human FMC, and is instantly drawn to her. After they spend some together (😏) she decided she wants to help stop the land around his Hive from being poisoned with run-off.

☆size difference
☆magic mushroom
☆explicit content
☆please read the TWs before starting

This short story is apart of the FOLDS collection coming out on June 1st, 2026.

(will be updated; 5/14/26)
Profile Image for Roxann Jo.
23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 22, 2026
I was able to read Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno, and I’ll tell you what! I need this anthology IMMEDIATELY.

Monstrously steamy, weird, and fun. It’s exactly the kind of monster goodness I love. Petra’s story absolutely delivered, and now I’m greedy for more.

I already adore Petra’s filthy little shorts; I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Sloane inherits a secluded cabin from her uncle. While checking the place out, she hears something go bump in the night. Enter Bahtman, an ultra-sexy naga who immediately wants to wrap up in Sloane. She brings him in from the cold, and things escalate VERY quickly.

“I am nothing more than a planet in your sun’s orbit... I have no illusions of my control in this scenario. I am a slave to your warmth.”

Bahtman… sir. Are we talking about Sloane or her folds? *hair tuck*

I had an absolute blast with this one. Fun, weird, & sexy in all my favorite ways. 10/10, give me 15 more of these monster romances. I can’t wait to get my greedy hands on the whole anthology.
353 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 24, 2026
These short stories are part of the Folds Anthology, a multi author monster romance collection. Novellas contained in anthologies like this are an excellent way to see if I enjoy the writing style of an author without starting an epic novel.


It’s Not The Size That Counts by Lyonne Riley

In this case, I am familiar with Lyonne Riley’s style and could wait to experience a tiny fairy romance.

In this girl meets monster, Trisha meets a fairy, Selvanar, who is injured escaping a predator. With some new-to-me tropes (see content warnings for a spoiler) and some old goodies (talk about size difference), this quick book delivers on the monster romance front.


Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno

A quick girl meets monster, girl saves monster, and a steamy scene ensues kind of tale. In this case, Sloane inherits a cabin and Bahtam is the Naga (snake like monster) that she finds under it. This is the third story I have read by Palerno and it was easy to read, had just enough spice (two appendages!), and a start to a girl+monster relationship.

I received an advanced copy for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Molly Stanton.
120 reviews14 followers
June 4, 2026

🧚🏻✨ It's Not the Size That Counts by Lyonne Riley - 4.5 ⭐️ A truly spectacular, silly delight. Human woman an injured fairy, he helps her out too 😏

🌕🐺 The Co-ed Who Cried Wolf by Jillian Graves - 5 ⭐️ This was exactly the story I’d been YEARNING. Hot professor Dom Mommy vibes

🪻🌒Fourteen Hours of Darkness by B.P Gilmore - 3 ⭐️ A tad confusing and muddled at the start but when it got good, it got good 🤌🏻 An actual Shadow Daddy.

🧜🏻‍♀️🪝Twin Tails by Emilia Abraham - 3.5⭐️ What if Davy Jones was hot and fell for a mermaid?

🛸💜Intergalactic Accident by Jenifer Woods - 4.5⭐️ sexy blue Spok with a fancy peen rocks the world of a female human engineer, and gives her more than she bargained for.

🌷🧠 Giving me Their Flowers by Ash Raven - 4⭐️ Hot AF Flower hive mind have taken over the world - and want to give it to the last human on earth

🐍 🌲Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno - 5⭐️ Sculptor inherits uncles log cabin, and finds an injured Naga under the floor. She nurses him back to health and he becomes her inspiration.
Profile Image for Ash .
638 reviews94 followers
May 15, 2026
𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲.

Genre: Adult Paranormal Erotica
Spice: 3/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to similar books in the same genre*

The Catalog: F/M, human FMC x fairy MMC, forced proximity, hurt/care, size difference (he’s tiny)

CWs: nonconsensual somnophilia

Synopsis: When Selvanar is injured by an owl, he crash lands in a human’s house. With nowhere to hide, he camps out in Trish’s dollhouse until he’s discovered. Trisha does her best to help Selvanar recover, but the human world is poisonous to fairies.

Thoughts:
I’m not even a little ashamed to say that I’ve been wanting a size difference book of this magnitude for some time! So of course I was super excited to see a short story about a six inch tall fairy king and a human woman. I found It’s Not The Size That Counts to be really cute and hit all the kinky wonders of a massive size difference. I also really loved the insight into the fairy’s world and culture!
Profile Image for Vedece Barnes.
701 reviews8 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
May 18, 2026
This review is for It's Not The Size That Counts only, from the FOLDS Anthology.
Trisha blew off a night out just to relax and pamper herself. When she hears an Owl and then a crash, she looks but finds nothing and goes to sleep.
Selvanar is used to small birds trying to make a meal out of him but Owls are a different predator altogether. Going into an open window, he hides before the owner of the house comes in to investigate. He's hurt and can't fly but when the coast is clear, he looks around and sees that a human woman is sleeping. And she's very beautiful.
Trisha wakes up to a tiny naked man doing. . .naughty things next to her. A fairy, she's never seen one in real life, just on the internet.
They're both "curious" and know that if they were the same size, they would explore their feelings. But Selvanar can't resist the pull.
I could say more but I've said too much already.
Short and steamy with an HEA.
This review is my opinion and is not AI generated.
Profile Image for Carrie.
1,166 reviews22 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 25, 2026
This is a review for three of the stories in the anthology only. I received eARCs from the authors and am voluntarily leaving an honest review. That being said, I’m totally going to grab this book when it’s released and nom up the other stories!

Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno - 5 stars - Short and smutty and a lot of fun! What’s a girl to do when she finds a wounded naga trying to stay warm underneath her isolated mountain cabin? Invite him in to stay warm of course! Where all exactly are we inviting him in to.. and how are folds involved..gotta read to find out! 😏

Intergalactic Accident by Jenifer Wood - 4 stars - A human maintenance tech helps out an alien crew member which leads to some exploration of culture and.. other things (involving folds of course!). There were some bits that I felt like I was missing backstory but still an enjoyable read.

The Co-Ed Who Cried Wolf by Jillian Graves - 5 stars - Super spicy sapphic delight! Honestly everything I could possibly want in a student/professor age gap story where the professor is a werewolf.
Profile Image for Ellen.
16 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 31, 2026
I was provided eArc copies of It's Not the Size That Counts by Lyonne Riley and Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno in order to provide my review. The opinions in this review are my own.

It's Not the Size That Counts- Lyonne Riley
This short story is part of the Folds Anthology. I really enjoyed this short story as it was an unusual take on size difference. I’m impressed with how much story fit into this small package and would love to explore more of this world that Lyonne created.

Every Sculpted Scale- Petra Palerno
This short story is part of the Folds Anthology. I really loved the FMC in this book as she was a creative and her grief in this story was beautiful. The dynamics between the FMC and the MMC are fun and maybe someday this will become a longer more flushed out book because I would definitely read it.

I look forward to reading the other stories in this anthology because these two were fabulous and it contains so many of my favorite authors.
Profile Image for Alyssa Waltz.
323 reviews30 followers
June 1, 2026
REVIEW FOR: THE CO-ED WHO CRIED WOLF by Jillian Graves

♡ Age Gap
♡ Sapphic Romance
♡ Professor/Student
♡ Werewolf Dommy Mommy

I was on Jillian's ARC team for this anthology release (though, I will be reading the rest of these stories) and was so excited to see her contribution be a FF shifter romance! 👭🐺

And have I mentioned that I have a weakness for a professor and student dynamic? 🫦

These two have been secretly pining for one another over the course of the semester, but now class is out and so are the rules.

We've got the straight lace, put together, mature werewolf professor and the chaotic, free-spirited, art graduate who just wants to please, whatever that may mean.

Obviously, this is an incredibly short read so, there isn't much to the plot. 😅 but it is HOT and I would love a full story of these two.
Profile Image for Miriam.
260 reviews
June 1, 2026
These reviews are only for Petra Palerno and Lyonne Riley’s short stories in this anthology.

Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno

I went into this expecting to be entertained by a cringe but fun short story, and instead I was super intrigued by this version of Naga and lore 😂 I for sure could’ve read a full length story about these two and him seeking out more… warmth 🙂‍↕️ this was a great spicy short story, and I loved every second of it.

It’s Not the Size that Counts by Lyonne Riley

This story was so much fun. I laughed out loud so many times because of the sass, confidence, and personality that Selvanar was full of. This was another world that I’d for sure read more about—what are the other fairies like?? 😂

I cannot wait to read the rest of this anthology and see what else is in store for me!

Thank you so much to Petra and Lyonne for sending me copies for honest reviews.

3,247 reviews32 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 15, 2026
Review for ‘It’s not the Size that Counts’ by Lyonne Riley only:

This short story is dual POV, well written and edited, and a funny, fast-paced, sweet and steamy, size difference, contemporary fantasy romance between Trisha, the female human lead, and Selvanar, the male fairy king lead, who is injured and takes refuge is Trisha’s dollhouse. I enjoyed that Trisha was the larger party. I chuckled at Selvanar’s arrogance. I enjoyed Trisha’s empathy and her willingness to assist. I enjoyed Selvanar’s shock at his interest in Trisha. I enjoyed the steamy intimate scenes. The story ends with a HFN (I prefer a HEA) but it is very short.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.
Profile Image for Chelsea Johnson.
1,242 reviews50 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 15, 2026
Note: This review is only for "It's Not The Size That Counts" by Lyonne Riley.
Thank you to Lyonne Riley for an eARC of this story. Thoughts and opinions are my own
This is a short story, about 59 pages total, but it's super cute!

I liked the relationship between Selvanar and Trisha and even though it came on pretty quick (considering the length of the story, that's not a surprise), it didn't feel rushed at all! The description of the meadow where they located Trisha's mushrooms, as well as Selvanar's hive were so intriguing! I loved the aspect of the colors and everything with that.

This story is part of Folds: A Cringy Monster Romance, an anthology releasing June 1st, 2026
Profile Image for Brenda.
310 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 16, 2026
ARC review

It's Not the Size that Counts by Lyonne Riley

This story is part of the Folds: A Cringy Monster Romance Anthology.

It is a whimsical, steamy romance between a human woman, Trisha, and Selvanar, a tiny, arrogant fairy king. When Selvanar crashes into Trisha’s life, after an owl attack, their unlikely connection grows from curiosity to passion.
The story blends fantasy, humor and sensuality with creative world-building in the fairy hive and a unique size difference dynamic.
The chemistry between Trisha and Selvanar is playful and tender, though the nonconsensual elements may not suit all readers. A fun, imaginative read for fans of fairy romance and unconventional love stories.
Profile Image for Sarah Uram.
65 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 23, 2026
Review for It's Not the Size That Counts by Lyonne Riley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Absolutely fantastic use of our favorite cringey terms for femme genitalia 😂😂 I was not expecting THAT kind of size difference and I was cackling. Also love the fairy lore and the overall story. Really creative and entertaining! Spice rating is 3.5/5

Review for Every Sculpted Scale by Petra Palerno ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That FMC had more patience than I with that shack in the middle of nowhere, but lucky for her it paid off! Different take on the use of our cringe terms here, but I like it! And we pretty much get right down to bizness. Interesting backstory for our FMC and love a male naga (I feel like I read more about female nagas these days!). He was coldblooded but super hot and DtF. Spice rating is 4/5
Profile Image for Sydnee Walsh.
1,351 reviews31 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 28, 2026
Please note: this review is only for “It’s Not the Size That Counts” by Lyonne Riley, one of the short stories in this anthology!

Lizzie is a human that just so happens to be the house that Selvanar hides from an owl. He is the fairy king and was out flying when an owl came out of nowhere.
He has a thing about humans so when he finds that he is interested in Lizzie things become a thing lol. They have a connection that is off for both of them but it isn't weird and it grows into something that is going to be hot and heavy. Thank goodness for the fairy world and the things you can eat to make you small.
They get a look at each others world and it is an eye opener for both of them. In the best way of course.
Profile Image for ABlikesbooks.
60 reviews4 followers
June 1, 2026
Every Sculpted Scale - Petra Palerno

What do you do when you're in the middle of nowhere, in a cabin with a leaking roof, you're cold, oh yeah and there's something in the crawl space? Well it's the middle of the night, so you check to see what it is! At least that's what our FMC does, only to find a naga who was seeking shelter freezing and injured. Naturally, she lets him in.

This being a short story as part of an anthology, this one is a pretty fast burn. It has the spice and it has the instant attraction, in spite of the fact that one is half frozen.

That being said, our MC is a consent king ALL THE WAY. If our girl had ever said no, he would have respected her. And that is pure GOLD. It's spicy, it's sweet and I loved it.
Profile Image for Lu Xinghui.
1 review
June 1, 2026
[This is an ARC review for the short story included here called 'The Co-Ed Who Cried Wolf' by Jillian Graves]

'The Co-Ed Who Cried Wolf' is such a detailed, finely paced, addictive short story that I just felt myself clawing for more! Jillian is a master at writing spice and really creating a tension that even you as a reader feels. If you don't feel like you're in the place of either of the FMC's, you'll at the very least feel like you're in the room with them, created an immersive and fun reading experience. With two enjoyable FMC's, this is so delightfully sapphic and such a great read to kick off Pride month. This isn't a story you'd wanna miss in this anthology, which is out now officially! Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Nita.
839 reviews14 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 13, 2026
Review for It's Not the Size that Counts by Lyonne Riley

This was the fun and unexpected read because most of the time most of the time when you read a book about fairies is the female that is a very but in this book the male is the very. And he is very full of himself but you still love him but he's feeling himself because he's the king the fairies but he still kind of sweet at the same time and he's instantly smitten with the FMC. Selvanar was not only in street by Trisha's beauty but her inner beauty and just personality somewhat changed his opinion of humans as a whole but mostly just her she was his human and he was her fairy. I totally need a full length novel of these two.
180 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
May 24, 2026
This review is only for “It’s Not the Size That Counts” by Lyonne Riley, one of the short stories in this anthology.

Selvanar is a fairy king who gets injured on his way home to his own hive when an owl attacks him. He winds up in a human house in a doll house seeking refuge and being roughly six inches tall. Trisha is a human living in a world where fairies exist, she sees Selvanar and decides to help him. Selvanar is immensely attracted to the human sized woman despite their size difference and things get interesting. I liked the story and found it enjoyable for what it was; told from dual POV.
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