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To the Flame
Seattle boy Emerson Oakley is about to find that the strangest thing about his first year at West Virginia’s Vance University isn’t the neighbor in the next dorm over, who ghosts him after one kiss. It’s the fact that he keeps having his life saved by a stranger who seems to know about each accident before it happens.
Morrie Crisp, whose moth-person powers finally emerged at the most inconvenient time, is just trying to figure out how to deal with their crush on the boy next door, and all the different ways they’ve seen him die.
As Emerson tries to get to the bottom of who his pre-cog savior could be, his relationship with Morrie becomes extra complicated as their undeniable attraction to one another becomes a liability to both. Even as Morrie struggles to keep Emerson safe, Emerson is intent on igniting the fire between them, into which Morrie is naturally drawn.
What is a reasonable response to falling in love when the world itself is without reason? Unfortunately, neither one of them has any idea.
Morrie Crisp, whose moth-person powers finally emerged at the most inconvenient time, is just trying to figure out how to deal with their crush on the boy next door, and all the different ways they’ve seen him die.
As Emerson tries to get to the bottom of who his pre-cog savior could be, his relationship with Morrie becomes extra complicated as their undeniable attraction to one another becomes a liability to both. Even as Morrie struggles to keep Emerson safe, Emerson is intent on igniting the fire between them, into which Morrie is naturally drawn.
What is a reasonable response to falling in love when the world itself is without reason? Unfortunately, neither one of them has any idea.
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First published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 10, 2021
3.5 Stars
As per the blurb, Emerson seems to be a walking ticking time bomb but something or someone out in the ether seems to take his mortality very seriously, making sure he narrowly avoids imminent death several times. While Emerson’s trying to reconnect with his first hookup, the elusive enigmatic magnetic Morrie, he also tries to find out who his guardian angel is.
An interesting concept for sure. This bridges fate and destiny with clairvoyance and love with a paranormal twist, all against a college NA backdrop. Short but impactful, Emerson and Morrie are two complex endearing characters to root for. A satisfying 90 min read!
As per the blurb, Emerson seems to be a walking ticking time bomb but something or someone out in the ether seems to take his mortality very seriously, making sure he narrowly avoids imminent death several times. While Emerson’s trying to reconnect with his first hookup, the elusive enigmatic magnetic Morrie, he also tries to find out who his guardian angel is.
An interesting concept for sure. This bridges fate and destiny with clairvoyance and love with a paranormal twist, all against a college NA backdrop. Short but impactful, Emerson and Morrie are two complex endearing characters to root for. A satisfying 90 min read!
February 2, 2020
I’m thoroughly impressed with A.E. Ross’ beautifully written novel To the Flame. Unique and creative, and just plain lovely To the Flame is the best thing I’ve read this year.
The précis does an excellent job of explaining the plot, and if that doesn’t intrigue you please take my word for it, Ross crafts a wonderful story. The characters are so unusual, and the whole thing just unfolds so perfectly… I know I’m gushing, but I’m honestly just blown away.
a copy of To the Flame was provided to me by NetGalley for the purpose of my honest review
The précis does an excellent job of explaining the plot, and if that doesn’t intrigue you please take my word for it, Ross crafts a wonderful story. The characters are so unusual, and the whole thing just unfolds so perfectly… I know I’m gushing, but I’m honestly just blown away.
a copy of To the Flame was provided to me by NetGalley for the purpose of my honest review
February 4, 2020
ARC provided by NineStar Press and NetGalley. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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02-03: 'To The Flame' is a relatively short novel written by A.E. Ross about a boy named Emerson who's heartbrokenly crushing on the neighbor next door. Having spent hours together talking alone at a party, a night which found them kissing and connecting, they begin avoiding him immediately afterward. No chatting, not even a bit of eye contact, if at all possible.
Still struggling with his feelings of resentment and rejection, Emerson keeps finding himself escaping near death situations, all thanks to a stranger's anonymous warnings coming across of all things.. his radio. Much of Emerson's story is spent trying to figure out who keeps saving his life, while distracted by emotions stirred up by his neighbor.
Morrie, having come into a hereditary moth-person ability at a very unfortunate time, is struggling with their own demons. Memories of the moment they came to understand what wielding such an ability would bring them, paired with their own crush on the boy they found themselves drawn to and all the ways they've seen him die, make it almost impossible for them to interact with him. Yet they continue to try to keep the boy alive, those moments making it even more difficult to ignore the spark between them.
This story is so good. Emerson is tied up inside about the sudden distance that comes between him and the person who lives right on the other side of his wall. Every sound, every glimpse of them.. only fueling that fire and the need to push closer.. to try again and again to connect. Each failure seeming to steer him more steadily onto a reckless path.
"Your electric daisy just hit the floor."
As for Morrie.. Morrie is sort of a quiet force of nature. Visually, they're edgy in all the right ways, with their long silver hair.. shaved at the sides, stormy silver-gray eyes, black eyeliner, leather, combat boots.. you get the picture. They have this bold.. fierceness at times and then withdraw completely, as if they were never there and nothing ever happened. It's no wonder Emerson can't get them out of his mind.
Their connection is so warm and sweet, that you will spend the entire read wishing for them to get together. The idea of them ending up apart will fill you with angst and you'll constantly be searching for some clue as to which way it's going to go.
"..half his body wanted badly to escape out the door behind him and the other half refused to be moved. He wasn't quite sure which one was more traitorous."
Ross is a fantastic storyteller. It's no easy task to manage multiple points of view coherently, especially without losing the distinction between characters or alternately, overdoing the differences so that it's jarring. The narrative however, in 'To The Flame,' flows easily between Emerson and Morrie.
Also, I loved that the relationships in the book all seem really healthy. With the exception of the obvious issue between the two main characters, everyone else is really open and supportive with one another. People are looking out for their friends and loved ones, not just themselves.. and though support sometimes comes in ineffective ways, it's well intentioned and serves to move the story along.
I keep hearing others say that what pleases them most is the inclusivity in the book.. and that really is fantastic to see. I long for the day when we don't even have to call it out because it's become the rule, not the exception.
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02-02: So, since my last read really dragged me into a pit of boredom, it really slowed me down. Which means, I'll be starting this one next instead and it should be much better!
January 29, 2020
I really liked the plot and the characters But it was too short and didn't give enough information, which made it kind of confusing.
January 17, 2020
Review: To the Flame
When I first heard about To the Flame and realized one of the main characters was nonbinary, I had to read it. I preordered it right away, but then when the author was looking for people to review ARC’s, I requested one and read it within a few hours of receiving it. I was so excited to not only read something with #ownvoices nonbinary rep, but one that also had a contemporary setting and a paranormal element.
To the Flame lived up to my hopes and expectations. There are so many things I liked about it .
The prose were beautiful but not to purple. There were some fantastically vivid descriptions that really brought me into the moment without overwhelming me.
The college setting was perfect for the romance between a human and a moth person, and put the characters at just the right age to be navigating the kind of feelings they have for each other.
As far as the plot goes, I didn’t get bored thinking I knew how they were going to get from A to Z, and felt satisfied both when something surprised me and when I felt I had figured it out right. I also really enjoyed Morrie’s emotional arc, and how the narrative wove back and forth between their past and present.
There was a range of queer rep in the story in the “everyone is gay” kind of way. But of course, my favorite was the nonbinary character, and reading something written in third person from the point of view of someone using they/them pronouns.
The characters were easy to like and root for. When the story was over, I wasn’t ready to be done with them. I’d happily read more, longer stories about Emmerson and Morrie.
When I first heard about To the Flame and realized one of the main characters was nonbinary, I had to read it. I preordered it right away, but then when the author was looking for people to review ARC’s, I requested one and read it within a few hours of receiving it. I was so excited to not only read something with #ownvoices nonbinary rep, but one that also had a contemporary setting and a paranormal element.
To the Flame lived up to my hopes and expectations. There are so many things I liked about it .
The prose were beautiful but not to purple. There were some fantastically vivid descriptions that really brought me into the moment without overwhelming me.
The college setting was perfect for the romance between a human and a moth person, and put the characters at just the right age to be navigating the kind of feelings they have for each other.
As far as the plot goes, I didn’t get bored thinking I knew how they were going to get from A to Z, and felt satisfied both when something surprised me and when I felt I had figured it out right. I also really enjoyed Morrie’s emotional arc, and how the narrative wove back and forth between their past and present.
There was a range of queer rep in the story in the “everyone is gay” kind of way. But of course, my favorite was the nonbinary character, and reading something written in third person from the point of view of someone using they/them pronouns.
The characters were easy to like and root for. When the story was over, I wasn’t ready to be done with them. I’d happily read more, longer stories about Emmerson and Morrie.
May 1, 2020
4.5 stars!
This was pretty dang amazing. The writing is incredibly atmospheric, and the dual POVs worked perfectly, as each MC had such a distinct voice. I actually have very little knowledge of cryptids, but this was so wonderfully told that I want to change that. It’s odd, a little mystical, and just an all around good story.
This was pretty dang amazing. The writing is incredibly atmospheric, and the dual POVs worked perfectly, as each MC had such a distinct voice. I actually have very little knowledge of cryptids, but this was so wonderfully told that I want to change that. It’s odd, a little mystical, and just an all around good story.
February 27, 2020
SO MUCH LGBTQ+ REP!!! Awesome gay babes, pan, trans, aaannnd non-binary people!! This book was also written by a non-binary author (which explains why there was nothing problematic about the LGBTQ+ characters, as opposed to when this kind of book is written by cis, straight authors). So you can guess how much I wanted to love this book, and why I requested it on Netgalley!
The general idea of this book was interesting, with a mix of contemporary and paranormal genres (based on West Virginian folklore, which is super cool). BUT. When I was reading this I just felt like I was missing out on some very important information, and I just didn't really get what was going on. Some elements were odd and confusing, leaving many questions unanswered. And really, when I reread the synopsis after finishing this book... the synopsis pretty much sums up the entire book. Leaving nothing for the reader to discover...
There are quite a few positive reviews, so I still suggest you give it a go! This one just wasn't for me. 2⭐
The general idea of this book was interesting, with a mix of contemporary and paranormal genres (based on West Virginian folklore, which is super cool). BUT. When I was reading this I just felt like I was missing out on some very important information, and I just didn't really get what was going on. Some elements were odd and confusing, leaving many questions unanswered. And really, when I reread the synopsis after finishing this book... the synopsis pretty much sums up the entire book. Leaving nothing for the reader to discover...
There are quite a few positive reviews, so I still suggest you give it a go! This one just wasn't for me. 2⭐
January 17, 2020
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. Thanks to NineStar Press, LLC.
Emerson Oakley's first year at the West Virginia's Vance University started in a very peculiar way. Not only he was kissed and then ghosted by Morrie, the neighbour, but he is warned and saved by a mysterious creature. Morrie is struggling to use their new powers and to understand why they fell in love with the boy they watched die in their vision. Both of them fighting against their feelings and mysteries, will Emerson and Morrie surrender themselves to their feelings or not?
To the flame is a very peculiar book and I liked a lot the story, told by two POVs, swinging from past to present, from Emerson to Morrie. I liked reading about a nonbinary main character and their powers and crush. It was interesting reading about the Moth person, even though I wish it could have been better explained. But I liked a lot To the flame and they having feeling for each other. Both Morrie and Emerson are really cute and the story is simple, but very sweet.
The only downside, I wish it could have been longer, because I really liked it!
Emerson Oakley's first year at the West Virginia's Vance University started in a very peculiar way. Not only he was kissed and then ghosted by Morrie, the neighbour, but he is warned and saved by a mysterious creature. Morrie is struggling to use their new powers and to understand why they fell in love with the boy they watched die in their vision. Both of them fighting against their feelings and mysteries, will Emerson and Morrie surrender themselves to their feelings or not?
To the flame is a very peculiar book and I liked a lot the story, told by two POVs, swinging from past to present, from Emerson to Morrie. I liked reading about a nonbinary main character and their powers and crush. It was interesting reading about the Moth person, even though I wish it could have been better explained. But I liked a lot To the flame and they having feeling for each other. Both Morrie and Emerson are really cute and the story is simple, but very sweet.
The only downside, I wish it could have been longer, because I really liked it!
March 15, 2020
This little novella does a fantastic job of answering the question from the blurb: "What is a reasonable response to falling in love when the world itself is without reason?"
I would call this more of a fable/morality story -- although there's probably a more precise term I should be using! -- and that makes this a very different type of romance. I almost wouldn't even call it a "romance" even though it very much has one. The story doesn't even exist without the romance, but that really just serves as the kicking off point for the real story, which is about that moment in time when you get slapped in the face by the scariest reality of our fragile human existence: our inevitable mortality.
The MCs are freshmen in college, and the author does a wonderful job walking that fine line between making them intelligent, mature and likable while still feeling like flawed, completely realistic teenagers.
The lesson learned is well-crafted, subtle AND enjoyable, which is impressive for something that's tackling a pretty damn serious subject matter underneath all the entertaining layers. And most importantly, it achieves all of that while dripping in casual queerness. Lovely.
I am not a huge fan of novellas in general, and probably wouldn't have picked this one up if I had realized how short it is, but I'm glad I did. It's the perfect amount of thought-provoking -- it just happens to be about a topic I have already come to terms with in my middle age :)
In that regard, I think this would work best for the NA audience. And that is not at all a criticism. It's just what had me reading this more as an objective observer instead of getting completely sucked into it. Which is why ultimately it's a three-star read for me personally, even though I think it's a 4-star entry in queer literature.
I could easily identify the few areas that would need to be developed further to turn this into a full-length novel, and I think that would be brilliant. But it's still fantastic for what it is.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
I would call this more of a fable/morality story -- although there's probably a more precise term I should be using! -- and that makes this a very different type of romance. I almost wouldn't even call it a "romance" even though it very much has one. The story doesn't even exist without the romance, but that really just serves as the kicking off point for the real story, which is about that moment in time when you get slapped in the face by the scariest reality of our fragile human existence: our inevitable mortality.
The MCs are freshmen in college, and the author does a wonderful job walking that fine line between making them intelligent, mature and likable while still feeling like flawed, completely realistic teenagers.
The lesson learned is well-crafted, subtle AND enjoyable, which is impressive for something that's tackling a pretty damn serious subject matter underneath all the entertaining layers. And most importantly, it achieves all of that while dripping in casual queerness. Lovely.
I am not a huge fan of novellas in general, and probably wouldn't have picked this one up if I had realized how short it is, but I'm glad I did. It's the perfect amount of thought-provoking -- it just happens to be about a topic I have already come to terms with in my middle age :)
In that regard, I think this would work best for the NA audience. And that is not at all a criticism. It's just what had me reading this more as an objective observer instead of getting completely sucked into it. Which is why ultimately it's a three-star read for me personally, even though I think it's a 4-star entry in queer literature.
I could easily identify the few areas that would need to be developed further to turn this into a full-length novel, and I think that would be brilliant. But it's still fantastic for what it is.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
November 9, 2020
(English Below) 3 sobre 5 estrellas
(Gracias a Netgalley por la copia a cambio de una opinión sincera)
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con el libro. Por una parte me ha gustado la historia, pero por otra parte creo que al ser una historia corta (de apenas 80 páginas) todo sucede de manera atropellada.
En principio me llamó la atención por sus personajes principales. Llevaba tiempo buscando un libro con representación no binaria y esta historia la tiene, además con capítulos desde sus puntos de vista.
El toque paranormal hace interesante la historia, pero como he dicho antes, si hubiese sido más extensa le hubiera dado más juego a la trama y a los personajes.
Una buena lectura corta para cualquier momento del día.
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3 stars
(Thanks to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review)
I have mixed feelings with this book. I liked the story, but I think that the problem with being a short story (barely 80 pages) everything happens really fast.
the first thing that caught my attention were the main characters. I've been looking for a book with non-binary representation for some time and this story has it, as well as chapters from their point of view.
The paranormal touch makes the story interesting, but as I said before, if it had been a more extensive book it would have given more play to the plot and the characters.
A good short read for any time of the day.
(Gracias a Netgalley por la copia a cambio de una opinión sincera)
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con el libro. Por una parte me ha gustado la historia, pero por otra parte creo que al ser una historia corta (de apenas 80 páginas) todo sucede de manera atropellada.
En principio me llamó la atención por sus personajes principales. Llevaba tiempo buscando un libro con representación no binaria y esta historia la tiene, además con capítulos desde sus puntos de vista.
El toque paranormal hace interesante la historia, pero como he dicho antes, si hubiese sido más extensa le hubiera dado más juego a la trama y a los personajes.
Una buena lectura corta para cualquier momento del día.
-------------------------------------------------------------
3 stars
(Thanks to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review)
I have mixed feelings with this book. I liked the story, but I think that the problem with being a short story (barely 80 pages) everything happens really fast.
the first thing that caught my attention were the main characters. I've been looking for a book with non-binary representation for some time and this story has it, as well as chapters from their point of view.
The paranormal touch makes the story interesting, but as I said before, if it had been a more extensive book it would have given more play to the plot and the characters.
A good short read for any time of the day.
January 23, 2020
*ARC from NetGalley*
What a cute little book that was more than I was expecting! I knew it was about crypto's, but I got also so many many feelings. My heart!! Emerson was such a sweet guy, and Morrie all mysterious, afraid, and also so so sweet! I loved all the diversity packed in only a few pages; it didn't feel forced at all, it felt like it should feel in real life, pretty freaking normal.
I'm glad I requested this book and got to read it. Brought a smile on my face. So so cute!
What a cute little book that was more than I was expecting! I knew it was about crypto's, but I got also so many many feelings. My heart!! Emerson was such a sweet guy, and Morrie all mysterious, afraid, and also so so sweet! I loved all the diversity packed in only a few pages; it didn't feel forced at all, it felt like it should feel in real life, pretty freaking normal.
I'm glad I requested this book and got to read it. Brought a smile on my face. So so cute!
January 26, 2020
*ARC received through netgalley* 4.5 stars! This was so dark and sexy and I loved the enby rep. It reminded me a LOT of the anime/manga series No. 6
July 12, 2020
A short one with a little bit of supernatural mystery, awkwardness and a whole load of confusion. From Morrie’s side it felt sweet, seeing the reason behind their behaviour and damn that was a lot to take on. From Emerson’s side it felt awkward, a little scary and sad. I liked the radio messages, clever way to get the warnings across.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2020
I was really impressed with this one. I did not know "sexy nonbinary moth-person romance" was a thing I needed in my life until I got it. This book really takes advantage of its short length to make each scene rich with detail, and the characters had realistic and interesting arcs despite the objective weirdness of the plot. Looking forward to this author's work in the future.
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2020
This book basically my soul mate.
-Features my birthday
-has lots of flame/fire prose
-made me actually lol
-nonbinary character
-mothperson
-Features my birthday
-has lots of flame/fire prose
-made me actually lol
-nonbinary character
-mothperson
January 24, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was quite odd but I actually kind of liked it. And there was nonbinary rep! Yay!
The story is told in two POVs: Emerson Oakley (a pre-med student from Seattle) and Morrie (a mothperson). Morrie is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns throughout the book, however, I did catch some slip-ups such as the one here:
"Morrie tried to pretend he didn't feel his guts tremble under that gaze."
I found the premise interesting, but I think it fell short when it came to fleshing out the characters. I would really have liked to learn more about Morrie and where he came from. While there are brief flashbacks to Morrie's past, they didn't answer most of my questions. In some cases, it ended up resulting in more questions that were pretty much left hanging at the conclusion of the book.
Also, Emerson's POV is filled with priding himself on being cool and logical, but when it comes to a whole alien moth creature physically landing on him or Morrie being a moth-creature and flying him around on campus, he doesn't seem to question it very much. Something doesn't seem right there. Either he's severely overestimating his observational skills and is about as scientific as a brick, or he has the memory of a goldfish.
"I know it isn't reasonable, but what fucking is? You're the Mothman, Morrie. That doesn't make any sense, so why does this need to?"
Emerson did end up making it sweet, though.
I think that's mostly what the story came down to. A sweet relationship between a human and a moth-creature. It made me feel good and fuzzy inside. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something new!
Also, this:
"Are you still cold? Do you want to shower?" he asked.
"Actually, I was hoping we could kind of just cocoon," Morrie said.
Bahahaha!
This was quite odd but I actually kind of liked it. And there was nonbinary rep! Yay!
The story is told in two POVs: Emerson Oakley (a pre-med student from Seattle) and Morrie (a mothperson). Morrie is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns throughout the book, however, I did catch some slip-ups such as the one here:
"Morrie tried to pretend he didn't feel his guts tremble under that gaze."
I found the premise interesting, but I think it fell short when it came to fleshing out the characters. I would really have liked to learn more about Morrie and where he came from. While there are brief flashbacks to Morrie's past, they didn't answer most of my questions. In some cases, it ended up resulting in more questions that were pretty much left hanging at the conclusion of the book.
Also, Emerson's POV is filled with priding himself on being cool and logical, but when it comes to a whole alien moth creature physically landing on him or Morrie being a moth-creature and flying him around on campus, he doesn't seem to question it very much. Something doesn't seem right there. Either he's severely overestimating his observational skills and is about as scientific as a brick, or he has the memory of a goldfish.
"I know it isn't reasonable, but what fucking is? You're the Mothman, Morrie. That doesn't make any sense, so why does this need to?"
Emerson did end up making it sweet, though.
I think that's mostly what the story came down to. A sweet relationship between a human and a moth-creature. It made me feel good and fuzzy inside. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something new!
Also, this:
"Are you still cold? Do you want to shower?" he asked.
"Actually, I was hoping we could kind of just cocoon," Morrie said.
Bahahaha!
January 29, 2020
**I gave this book 3.9 stars.
To the Flame was so surprising. I wasn't expecting to like it so much or to be so upset when it ended like that because I wanted more.
I'm disappointed with a few things though.
This is essentially a long short story and I was expecting a longer story with a bigger/clearer conflict. I'm still not sure what exactly constituted this part of the story....
Secondly, the synopsis essentially reveals the ENTIRE story. And knowing everything made it harder to enjoy it. Although the premise made it seem like such an intriguing story.
Furthermore, the romance part moves a bit too fast and...? It didn't really work well for me, like something was missing. There was the attraction, physical and mystical, and apparently Emerson and Morrie talked all night once. And then suddenly Emerson is obsessed with Morrie and doing a really stupid and dangerous thing to get their attention despite not having been treated very well.
There was still a lot I liked, though.
The characters were refreshingly diverse. There was a nonbinary character, a trans character and almost everyone was not heterosexual to the contrary of most books where you occasionally get one gay couple or two.
The writing was very detailed and I could really picture the eerie yet lovely Fall atmosphere the book has going on. It was the perfect setting! The mothperson thing is kind of really weird, but also pretty unique. I would've liked to find out more, though. The only thing we know about it/they is that it's part of the local legends and that they have precognitive abilities, and possibly soulmates?
Overall, this was a intriguing and interesting story, with the potential to be even better and I think it would benefit from being turned into a full-lenght novel. The predictability affected my reading experience, though and it's mostly the reason why I didn't like this book even more.
To the Flame was so surprising. I wasn't expecting to like it so much or to be so upset when it ended like that because I wanted more.
I'm disappointed with a few things though.
This is essentially a long short story and I was expecting a longer story with a bigger/clearer conflict. I'm still not sure what exactly constituted this part of the story....
Secondly, the synopsis essentially reveals the ENTIRE story. And knowing everything made it harder to enjoy it. Although the premise made it seem like such an intriguing story.
Furthermore, the romance part moves a bit too fast and...? It didn't really work well for me, like something was missing. There was the attraction, physical and mystical, and apparently Emerson and Morrie talked all night once. And then suddenly Emerson is obsessed with Morrie and doing a really stupid and dangerous thing to get their attention despite not having been treated very well.
There was still a lot I liked, though.
The characters were refreshingly diverse. There was a nonbinary character, a trans character and almost everyone was not heterosexual to the contrary of most books where you occasionally get one gay couple or two.
The writing was very detailed and I could really picture the eerie yet lovely Fall atmosphere the book has going on. It was the perfect setting! The mothperson thing is kind of really weird, but also pretty unique. I would've liked to find out more, though. The only thing we know about it/they is that it's part of the local legends and that they have precognitive abilities, and possibly soulmates?
Overall, this was a intriguing and interesting story, with the potential to be even better and I think it would benefit from being turned into a full-lenght novel. The predictability affected my reading experience, though and it's mostly the reason why I didn't like this book even more.
January 31, 2020
Being as that I've lived my whole life in West Virginia and have heard many stories about Mothman, I HAD to read this story! First off, I expected this to be a full length novel and it wasn't. It was more of a novella or just a longer story. I read the whole thing in about an hour. It was odd and unique. I can say it's the only moth-creature romance I've ever read!
Things I liked: The book was a good representation of non-binary individuals, and mentioned queer and trans characters as well. I also feel that it's worth noting that the author themself is non-binary. I liked that the book featured things natives of WV can relate to: Flatwoods Monster, Mothman statue, Tudor's Biscuit World, etc.
Things I didn't care for: The length was awkward. It would have felt more real to me if the characters were drawn out more and we had more time to get to know them. The romance in the book felt rushed (again because of the length?) and because of that was almost an insta-love thing. Also, the synopsis didn't leave much of the story untold. Being that it was so short to begin with, the synopsis gave nearly everything away. Also, I had to suspend belief for a bit as there isn't a college campus in Point Pleasant...it's a very small town. In fact, just about the only college a pre-med student would go to in WV would be Morgantown.
Things I liked: The book was a good representation of non-binary individuals, and mentioned queer and trans characters as well. I also feel that it's worth noting that the author themself is non-binary. I liked that the book featured things natives of WV can relate to: Flatwoods Monster, Mothman statue, Tudor's Biscuit World, etc.
Things I didn't care for: The length was awkward. It would have felt more real to me if the characters were drawn out more and we had more time to get to know them. The romance in the book felt rushed (again because of the length?) and because of that was almost an insta-love thing. Also, the synopsis didn't leave much of the story untold. Being that it was so short to begin with, the synopsis gave nearly everything away. Also, I had to suspend belief for a bit as there isn't a college campus in Point Pleasant...it's a very small town. In fact, just about the only college a pre-med student would go to in WV would be Morgantown.
February 21, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
In many ways, To the Flame by A.E. Ross is a really beautiful novel. The writing is lyrical, some passages are poetic, and the descriptions of places and things take you there instantly, they are so vividly done. The romance is also sweeping and unique, with both characters committing themselves to being openly vulnerable and trusting in one another. The attraction between Morrie and Emerson is not only palpable, but restrained in a way that kept me totally invested in the story—as short as it is. I really loved this story. There were a few times I got a bit lost as it hopped back and for the between present and past, but overall, it really was a gripping story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
In many ways, To the Flame by A.E. Ross is a really beautiful novel. The writing is lyrical, some passages are poetic, and the descriptions of places and things take you there instantly, they are so vividly done. The romance is also sweeping and unique, with both characters committing themselves to being openly vulnerable and trusting in one another. The attraction between Morrie and Emerson is not only palpable, but restrained in a way that kept me totally invested in the story—as short as it is. I really loved this story. There were a few times I got a bit lost as it hopped back and for the between present and past, but overall, it really was a gripping story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
January 25, 2020
Readers, please immediately hop over to whatever shop you prefer and get your hands on this book! It has the most adorable humor in it, a pinch of sexy, darkness and romance and it all felt so lifely I swear I can hear Morries annoying songs booming through the walls or see their fluid moves on the dance floor. The story really was beautiful and funny and… too short! Not in the way that something was missing (it had all it needed) but in the way that good stories are always too short.
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
January 22, 2020
I love this. It is just the type of cool unique shit that we needed queer rep for. I loved the non-binary rep and all the gay characters. I don't know how many pages it is since it was an ARC from netgalley, but it felt very short. I want more! Despite it's shortness, the story is well developed. The characters are somehow simple and complex and I really would like an expanded version of this story.
Thanks to @netgalley for the free copy. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to @netgalley for the free copy. All opinions are my own.
June 10, 2023
It was sort of interesting, but it lacked something... and it could`ve been gotten more meat to the bone. I did not feel the chemistry between Morris and Emmerson much. It lacked dept, it lacked interaction. I was honestly a little bit bored.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
I got this eARC from Netgalley
January 24, 2020
This was both frustrating and disappointing
January 30, 2020
This was a pretty easy and satisfying read. I managed to finish it in a couple of hours.
The characters are great... and I love the non-binary rep!
I do wish it was a bit longer though, because it felt a bit rushed sometimes.
Other than that, it was just a solid read and I can highly recommend giving this a go!
The characters are great... and I love the non-binary rep!
I do wish it was a bit longer though, because it felt a bit rushed sometimes.
Other than that, it was just a solid read and I can highly recommend giving this a go!
October 21, 2021
Rep: non-binary mc, trans m sc, trans f? sc, pan m? mc, sapphic sc
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
March 26, 2023
Very quick read, but to the point that it felt rushed and not very memorable.
February 16, 2020
I’m kind of in love with this weird, sweet little story. Just read it!
July 18, 2020
This book almost makes me miss having crushes. It left me craving a chocolate chip mocha frap, some biscuits, and a tall boy from Seattle. I loved it and want to see all the fan art.
January 21, 2020
I read the description of this book and thought to myself, 'Am I really going to request to read a story about a guy falling in love with a moth-person?' Clearly the answer was yes, as I'm writing this review.
This story was short and quite odd. I feel like we didn't really scratch the surfaces of these characters and what I saw, I can't say I liked? But I also didn't hate it. I suppose I just found it a bit meh with a few 'what the heck' moments. I struggled a lot with how Emerson seemed to freak out over nearly dying, but a moth-person? That was fine, even worthy of arousal (which, seriously????). I didn't understand that. I also didn't really understand Morrie's powers. We got glimpses of it in flashback chapters, but not enough to make Morrie a truly fleshed out person imo. I didn't understand what attracted them to each other beyond something perhaps supernatural. This story could have done with a lot more development and explanation, and perhaps a bit more realism in how the characters act.
Also, I presume Morrie was non-binary but there were a couple of accidental slips I saw with pronouns, which was a shame and means the story could have done with another read through to catch mistakes like that.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story was short and quite odd. I feel like we didn't really scratch the surfaces of these characters and what I saw, I can't say I liked? But I also didn't hate it. I suppose I just found it a bit meh with a few 'what the heck' moments. I struggled a lot with how Emerson seemed to freak out over nearly dying, but a moth-person? That was fine, even worthy of arousal (which, seriously????). I didn't understand that. I also didn't really understand Morrie's powers. We got glimpses of it in flashback chapters, but not enough to make Morrie a truly fleshed out person imo. I didn't understand what attracted them to each other beyond something perhaps supernatural. This story could have done with a lot more development and explanation, and perhaps a bit more realism in how the characters act.
Also, I presume Morrie was non-binary but there were a couple of accidental slips I saw with pronouns, which was a shame and means the story could have done with another read through to catch mistakes like that.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2020
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A good queer representation in a sci-fi fantasy novel? Yes please! I enjoyed this book. I thought the queer community was very well represented and the story line was great. The pacing of the story was wonderful as well. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down.
The book was a bit long, but other than that enjoyable!
A good queer representation in a sci-fi fantasy novel? Yes please! I enjoyed this book. I thought the queer community was very well represented and the story line was great. The pacing of the story was wonderful as well. I was hooked from page one and couldn't put it down.
The book was a bit long, but other than that enjoyable!
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