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Marrow #1
Nine Moons in a River of Stars: Phase One
Cole McCade returns with a new paranormal serial as Xen - where slow burn meets wonder and mystery, monsters and enchantment, and the love of two best friends finding their feelings in the strangest of ways, the strangest of places...and the strangest of transformations in this haunting retro M/M fairy tale.
In 1982, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Michael Jackson released "Thriller." E.T. phoned home. Voyager passed Saturn, the planets aligned, Freddie Mercury played SNL. In the small coastal town of Marrow, California, the sun went down.
And never came up again.
Welcome to a town where the rules of normal no longer apply. Where the sun will not rise, and the moon refuses to set. Where the people are beginning to change, beneath the haunted moonlight.
And where a boy whose heart does not beat begins to transform into something monstrous. Something terrifying. And only his love for his childhood best friend may keep his soul intact.
All Sho Asawa has ever wanted was to confess his love to Naoki Okubo, and run away from Marrow together. But as a strange barrier descends on the town, as creatures of myth and legend whisper in the dark...
...it may already be too late to escape.
In 1982, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Michael Jackson released "Thriller." E.T. phoned home. Voyager passed Saturn, the planets aligned, Freddie Mercury played SNL. In the small coastal town of Marrow, California, the sun went down.
And never came up again.
Welcome to a town where the rules of normal no longer apply. Where the sun will not rise, and the moon refuses to set. Where the people are beginning to change, beneath the haunted moonlight.
And where a boy whose heart does not beat begins to transform into something monstrous. Something terrifying. And only his love for his childhood best friend may keep his soul intact.
All Sho Asawa has ever wanted was to confess his love to Naoki Okubo, and run away from Marrow together. But as a strange barrier descends on the town, as creatures of myth and legend whisper in the dark...
...it may already be too late to escape.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2022
25 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Xen.
11 books177 followersSlender. Angry. (Part) Asian.
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Xen. Cole. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
There's also my Cole McCade contemporary romerotica GR profile, at:
*https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also get early access to cover reveals, blurbs, contests, and other exclusives by joining the McCade's Marauders street team at:
* www.facebook.com/groups/mccadesmaraud...
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Xen. Cole. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
There's also my Cole McCade contemporary romerotica GR profile, at:
*https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also get early access to cover reveals, blurbs, contests, and other exclusives by joining the McCade's Marauders street team at:
* www.facebook.com/groups/mccadesmaraud...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 13, 2022
Damn Cole with the cliffhangers. 💀
I liked it. I didn't feel connected to the characters (other than the mc) but it's understandable, the book is short. About romance, as Cole knows how to do, is slow. In another words: it does not exist here. 😂 Until the next one (i hope💀).
Looking for the next one👀
I liked it. I didn't feel connected to the characters (other than the mc) but it's understandable, the book is short. About romance, as Cole knows how to do, is slow. In another words: it does not exist here. 😂 Until the next one (i hope💀).
Looking for the next one👀
May 24, 2022
In the seaside town of Marrow, California, the sun went down. And never came up again.
Oh my gods, I can't even begin to deal with how incredible this first serial was. Xen, also known as Cole McCade, is an all-time favorite author of mine, and everything he reads is just immediately launched onto my TBR, but as someone who adores the crossing-over of horror and romance more than just about any other genre mash-up you can imagine, when he announced this series, I was so excited I could barely stand myself — and it already has completely hooked me.
A universe uncaring, and unaware of what small things it crushed on its path between where it was and where it sought to be.
Anyone who has read Xen/Cole's work knows he's incredible at writing romance, but I'm not sure how many of my friends are aware of how solid his horror writing is, and the body horror and creeping, dreadful sense of everything being wrong in this story is stunningly well-written. On top of that, as always, the characters are charming and flawed and beautiful and broken, and I immediately wanted to hold them all and keep them safe, especially Sho and Naoki (and poor, precious Jiro!).
And it seemed so very strange and unsettling, that the day the moon refused to relinquish its place in the sky was the same day Sho came down so grievously ill.
As far as the romance element goes, Marrow utilizes one of my all time favorite pairing tropes: childhood best friends growing up to love one another, but being too afraid to confess their feelings for risk of losing everything they've built. Xen excels at the slow-burn, so don't go into this first installment expecting more than sweet pining and barely-stifled words, but oh, am I ever so excited to watch this unfold between these two sweet babies.
✨ Representation: Naoki is gay; Sho is queer (I believe it's being implied that he is bi or pan); all primary (and I think all side) characters are Japanese
✨ Content warnings for: mentions of past loss of parents, grief, body horror, brief/vague memories of child abuse, care-taking of ill elderly parents
I read a final copy through my Kindle Unlimited subscription, but for the sake of disclosure, I was also sent an early review copy by the author.
———
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June 23, 2022
Have I just read a horror book despite hating horror just because it’s by Cole McCade?
Nine Moons In a River of Stars is the introduction of a slow burn best friends to lovers -oblivious/unrequited love tropes included-, and loads of bizarre things going on that will probably make more sense in the following installments.
His father lived at the sea, always gone, and Sho wondered what was out there for Kenta Asawa to always make his heart and home the waves ()
Maybe that’s why Sho didn’t want to be put on that boat with his father every day.
Sho’s heart already belonged to someone here.
And he didn’t want it stolen by the sea.
As always, I LOVED the writing style. Cole McCade shows all the feelings and makes you believe in their mutual love from chapter one, only by how they talked about the other. It was precious. I’m not sure about all the other horror things going on because, what a surprise, I do not like horror. But it was fun even if I’m not sure the romance will be enough to compensate for everything else.
Nine Moons In a River of Stars is the introduction of a slow burn best friends to lovers -oblivious/unrequited love tropes included-, and loads of bizarre things going on that will probably make more sense in the following installments.
His father lived at the sea, always gone, and Sho wondered what was out there for Kenta Asawa to always make his heart and home the waves ()
Maybe that’s why Sho didn’t want to be put on that boat with his father every day.
Sho’s heart already belonged to someone here.
And he didn’t want it stolen by the sea.
As always, I LOVED the writing style. Cole McCade shows all the feelings and makes you believe in their mutual love from chapter one, only by how they talked about the other. It was precious. I’m not sure about all the other horror things going on because, what a surprise, I do not like horror. But it was fun even if I’m not sure the romance will be enough to compensate for everything else.
February 2, 2022
This is
good
, like I have creepy spined shivers and broken heartedness at the same time. There is so much going on in this town, and I have no idea how Xen. is going to work it all out. I was thinking this is part one of three, but I have a funny feeling it's going to be going a bit longer than that...Marrow's stuck in my head now, and I'm afraid it might never come out.
Only 5 days to wait for Phase Two!
Only 5 days to wait for Phase Two!
February 9, 2022
This was a wonderful introduction to the horror genre for me. The writing is superb and the characters are well thought out. I got transported into the little town of Marrow with its various citizens who speak for themselves and tell their woes be it love, loss or heartache. Told from multiple POVs, we get a nice set up at what's happening with Marrow and its people. Oh, there were some spine chilling moments as well as sweet. Steadily paced and well written, the story drew me in. I can't wait to dig into the next chapter.
January 30, 2022
Cole McCade has such a brilliant mind and the wait for each book is going to suck 😂
February 6, 2022
This is not an easy novella series to explain. Part Eldritch horror set in the 80's, part monster romance, parts scifi-esque mystery, parts Japanese folk tale unfolding in a Japanese-American community.
If this sounds at all appealing to you, I would recommend going in blind (content warnings are listed in the beginning!) and just enjoying the ride the author takes you on. Cause oh boy, did I get sucked in right away into this small town, its residents and the slow unraveling of reality.
As with all of his works, the characters he creates are lush, interesting and three-dimensional. Aside from our two male leads, Sho and Naoki, who are both secretly in love with each other, many of the townspeople get their own POVs to create a lived-in universe with many interesting backstories to dive into.
The inciting morning and the initial reaction is not over-dramatized or overplayed but instead of a more subtle variety, quietly unnerving and harrowingly beautiful. We don't have any answers or explanations yet but I did not mind just sitting in the beautiful writing and letting the descriptions wash over you. I cannot wait to see where the next phase will take us.
If this sounds at all appealing to you, I would recommend going in blind (content warnings are listed in the beginning!) and just enjoying the ride the author takes you on. Cause oh boy, did I get sucked in right away into this small town, its residents and the slow unraveling of reality.
As with all of his works, the characters he creates are lush, interesting and three-dimensional. Aside from our two male leads, Sho and Naoki, who are both secretly in love with each other, many of the townspeople get their own POVs to create a lived-in universe with many interesting backstories to dive into.
The inciting morning and the initial reaction is not over-dramatized or overplayed but instead of a more subtle variety, quietly unnerving and harrowingly beautiful. We don't have any answers or explanations yet but I did not mind just sitting in the beautiful writing and letting the descriptions wash over you. I cannot wait to see where the next phase will take us.
January 30, 2022
I think it's probably clear at this point that I am, at my core, a simple person: if I see that Cole McCade has written something new, I read it. And I am always so happy I have!
Aside from the wonderful prose and the nuanced characters, Cole fits so much representation into his stories in such an organic way that's so refreshing from more mainstream 'yep check that one off the list we made this background character fit these boxes' way. In this case, the beautiful Japanese-American culture -- I just love it already, and I can't wait to see how it plays into and overlaps with everything that's going to be happening in this series.
More specifically about the book itself:
It's magical realism at its finest, taking a simple, tiny town with its simple, everyday people living their everyday lives, and dropping something impossible and terrifying and magical right in the middle of it. The story and the writing are so atmospheric, so rich. I flew through this first installment, and I am already impatiently waiting for the next one. And also, the slow-burn romance that will be happening in this series is with childhood best friends, and I am such a sucker for that level of trust and devotion between two characters before there's even a kiss, okay?
Because this is part one of a nine-part series, there is a lot of introduction but it isn't dry or boring or slow. It's setting the stage and giving us all the pieces so that when everything goes crazy (because this is Cole we're talking about, I'm positive things will be batshit at some point in all the best ways) we're so emotionally invested in all the characters that we're screaming along with them.
As always, Cole has a long list of content warnings at the start, and also a glossary. I highly recommend reading everything there in its entirety, one because there are things that could be triggers, but two it's a great insight into the thought behind this series and a sense of what's to come.
I can't wait for Phase Two to arrive!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Aside from the wonderful prose and the nuanced characters, Cole fits so much representation into his stories in such an organic way that's so refreshing from more mainstream 'yep check that one off the list we made this background character fit these boxes' way. In this case, the beautiful Japanese-American culture -- I just love it already, and I can't wait to see how it plays into and overlaps with everything that's going to be happening in this series.
More specifically about the book itself:
It's magical realism at its finest, taking a simple, tiny town with its simple, everyday people living their everyday lives, and dropping something impossible and terrifying and magical right in the middle of it. The story and the writing are so atmospheric, so rich. I flew through this first installment, and I am already impatiently waiting for the next one. And also, the slow-burn romance that will be happening in this series is with childhood best friends, and I am such a sucker for that level of trust and devotion between two characters before there's even a kiss, okay?
Because this is part one of a nine-part series, there is a lot of introduction but it isn't dry or boring or slow. It's setting the stage and giving us all the pieces so that when everything goes crazy (because this is Cole we're talking about, I'm positive things will be batshit at some point in all the best ways) we're so emotionally invested in all the characters that we're screaming along with them.
As always, Cole has a long list of content warnings at the start, and also a glossary. I highly recommend reading everything there in its entirety, one because there are things that could be triggers, but two it's a great insight into the thought behind this series and a sense of what's to come.
I can't wait for Phase Two to arrive!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 31, 2022
Holy smokes! I’m hooked like a fish on a line. I need to find out more.
What is going on in Marrow and what would you do if the sun failed to rise in the morning?
Something very strange is happening and I feel the need to find out what on earth has happened. I’m already invested in the relationship between Sho and Nao.
Xen aka Cole McCade writes with the most beautiful descriptive quality to his writing. There is magic in his hands and in his head. The picture he paints with his words is like a rare masterpiece or like a perfectly executed symphony. His words leave me breathless and desperate for more.
“Dark mornings had a particular stillness to them. A particular softness, when the moon was already on its way down the horizon and taking its light with it, drawing the luminosity from the sky and leaving behind a fuzzy blackness like a quiet, tired shadow just waiting for the first light to come and sweep it away.”
There will be nine parts to the serial. Phase one is an absolute belter.
What is going on in Marrow and what would you do if the sun failed to rise in the morning?
Something very strange is happening and I feel the need to find out what on earth has happened. I’m already invested in the relationship between Sho and Nao.
Xen aka Cole McCade writes with the most beautiful descriptive quality to his writing. There is magic in his hands and in his head. The picture he paints with his words is like a rare masterpiece or like a perfectly executed symphony. His words leave me breathless and desperate for more.
“Dark mornings had a particular stillness to them. A particular softness, when the moon was already on its way down the horizon and taking its light with it, drawing the luminosity from the sky and leaving behind a fuzzy blackness like a quiet, tired shadow just waiting for the first light to come and sweep it away.”
There will be nine parts to the serial. Phase one is an absolute belter.
September 29, 2022
Cole McCade never lets me down 🥺💕 So good
July 28, 2022
I'm not rating this book yet for multiple reasons but I liked it a lot.
➸ romance, horror, urban fantasy ...
➸ small town in the 80's
➸ lots of povs
➸ stressful vibes
➸ the sun isn't rising today
➸ short novellas serial
this is not my usual genre, the body horror elements had me properly creeped out. The mysteries of why, what, how, are still making me wonder weeks later. Nine moons is something that doesn't fit one genre, it's a lot of things and book 1 gave us only a glimpse. Sho and Naoki are giving us the soft feelings of childhood friends to lovers in the making but oh my will the road be rough.
❝ Sho’s heart already belonged to someone here. And he didn’t want it stolen by the sea. ❞
if you like stranger things, under the dome and the shape of water, you should really give this serial a try.
➸ romance, horror, urban fantasy ...
➸ small town in the 80's
➸ lots of povs
➸ stressful vibes
➸ the sun isn't rising today
➸ short novellas serial
this is not my usual genre, the body horror elements had me properly creeped out. The mysteries of why, what, how, are still making me wonder weeks later. Nine moons is something that doesn't fit one genre, it's a lot of things and book 1 gave us only a glimpse. Sho and Naoki are giving us the soft feelings of childhood friends to lovers in the making but oh my will the road be rough.
❝ Sho’s heart already belonged to someone here. And he didn’t want it stolen by the sea. ❞
if you like stranger things, under the dome and the shape of water, you should really give this serial a try.
August 7, 2023
DNF: 62%
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐
Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, loss of a loved one, grief, brief mentions of death of past pet, mentions war, mentions financial hardship, mentions loss of parents (in the past), drowning recounted, recounted physical child abuse, internalized fear of homophobic rejection, mentions bullying (in the past) & violence (in the past), graphic illness, and more!
Author Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions relevant historical events, mentions poisoning by OTC medication, war, heart surgery, death of a celebrity, internalized fear of homophobic rejection from family & love interest, depictions of bloodied teeth falling out, discussions of Japanese internment camps, depictions of survivors and recollections of Japanese internment camps, racially motivated treatment, anti-Asian microaggressions, mentions of the death of past pets, bullying and violence, mentions of smoking, mentions paternal fighting, mentions character self-harming, mentions dead parents, recounted childhood drowning, recounted heart condition and cardiac arrest recounted, depictions of temporary blindness, depictions of graphic mysterious illness, underage drinking, recollection of physical child abuse, depictions of aged parents requiring medical equipment and assistance, depictions of character almost asphyxiating/suffering from oxygen deprivation, fantasizing murder, animal confinement against will, depictions of holes that may trigger those with trypophobia.
I'm so sad about that I couldn't love this book more especially because this was recommended to me by someone who knows me very well. Let me be clear, this is a high 3.5 stars and that's why I rounded up my rating to a 4 star rating. Please know, you need to check your spoons, you have to be in a good mental space when going into this book/picking this book up because the details are so rich and truly build everything up; characters, setting, just everything to make it a whole experience of it's own. Honestly, this boils down to me not being in the best headspace to handle a lot of the depictions and the fact that I could feel myself disassociating while trying to push through this book, it just wasn't the ideal reading situation to find myself in. The other thing that hindered my reading experience was the constant introduction of new point of views and characters. It was a lot to try to keep track of and if you're not taking notes to track who is who, you may get overwhelmed or lose a lot of details with certain characters. Despite these two things, I really enjoyed Sho Asawa and Naoki Okubo. Their povs really made the book for me and their friendship, how they're so close to one another, the way they love each other, just really made the book for me. I think readers will find themselves drawn to them the most and really be rooting for them!
Overall, this isn't a bad book, I just didn't have the spoons to keep reading this book. I think if you have the spoons or you're in a good headspace, definitely give this book a chance. But definitely check content and trigger warnings for this book. Plus, the author does list their own cw/tw at the beginning of the book, as well. The details really make this book and Sho and Naoki really do make the story hit you in the feels. Give it a chance and see how you feel!
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne
Actual rating: 3.5 ⭐
Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, loss of a loved one, grief, brief mentions of death of past pet, mentions war, mentions financial hardship, mentions loss of parents (in the past), drowning recounted, recounted physical child abuse, internalized fear of homophobic rejection, mentions bullying (in the past) & violence (in the past), graphic illness, and more!
Author Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions relevant historical events, mentions poisoning by OTC medication, war, heart surgery, death of a celebrity, internalized fear of homophobic rejection from family & love interest, depictions of bloodied teeth falling out, discussions of Japanese internment camps, depictions of survivors and recollections of Japanese internment camps, racially motivated treatment, anti-Asian microaggressions, mentions of the death of past pets, bullying and violence, mentions of smoking, mentions paternal fighting, mentions character self-harming, mentions dead parents, recounted childhood drowning, recounted heart condition and cardiac arrest recounted, depictions of temporary blindness, depictions of graphic mysterious illness, underage drinking, recollection of physical child abuse, depictions of aged parents requiring medical equipment and assistance, depictions of character almost asphyxiating/suffering from oxygen deprivation, fantasizing murder, animal confinement against will, depictions of holes that may trigger those with trypophobia.
I'm so sad about that I couldn't love this book more especially because this was recommended to me by someone who knows me very well. Let me be clear, this is a high 3.5 stars and that's why I rounded up my rating to a 4 star rating. Please know, you need to check your spoons, you have to be in a good mental space when going into this book/picking this book up because the details are so rich and truly build everything up; characters, setting, just everything to make it a whole experience of it's own. Honestly, this boils down to me not being in the best headspace to handle a lot of the depictions and the fact that I could feel myself disassociating while trying to push through this book, it just wasn't the ideal reading situation to find myself in. The other thing that hindered my reading experience was the constant introduction of new point of views and characters. It was a lot to try to keep track of and if you're not taking notes to track who is who, you may get overwhelmed or lose a lot of details with certain characters. Despite these two things, I really enjoyed Sho Asawa and Naoki Okubo. Their povs really made the book for me and their friendship, how they're so close to one another, the way they love each other, just really made the book for me. I think readers will find themselves drawn to them the most and really be rooting for them!
Overall, this isn't a bad book, I just didn't have the spoons to keep reading this book. I think if you have the spoons or you're in a good headspace, definitely give this book a chance. But definitely check content and trigger warnings for this book. Plus, the author does list their own cw/tw at the beginning of the book, as well. The details really make this book and Sho and Naoki really do make the story hit you in the feels. Give it a chance and see how you feel!
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne
February 27, 2022
I've read a number of books by this author, but it's been some time since I've had a new one in my hands. Returning to the familiar cadence of Xen's style was like coming home.
In the small town of Marrow, a single night changes everything—especially for two young men, Sho and Naoki. As lifelong friends, they lean on each other through thick and thin, with unspoken romantic feelings for each other coloring every interaction. I fell so deeply for them both within only a few pages. Xen has such a way with writing characters that make you ache before you even understand the depths of pain that they're going to be entering.
Long, flowing sentences trickle like rivers, all leading to a deep ocean of equal parts curiosity and horror. I'd chase the words, hungry to know more, then be touched with that sense of fear as a new realization about these characters came to me. It's addicting, as always. This town is small, but vast, with so many characters presented to me, and I want to know each of them as intimately as I can.
I absolutely loved this novella—but it's certainly a question with no answers. I look forward to the mysteries unraveling with each new book.
And for Sho and Naoki to find happiness together, too. Maybe with a smooch or a thousand. But that's just me being a hopeless romantic baby.
In the small town of Marrow, a single night changes everything—especially for two young men, Sho and Naoki. As lifelong friends, they lean on each other through thick and thin, with unspoken romantic feelings for each other coloring every interaction. I fell so deeply for them both within only a few pages. Xen has such a way with writing characters that make you ache before you even understand the depths of pain that they're going to be entering.
Long, flowing sentences trickle like rivers, all leading to a deep ocean of equal parts curiosity and horror. I'd chase the words, hungry to know more, then be touched with that sense of fear as a new realization about these characters came to me. It's addicting, as always. This town is small, but vast, with so many characters presented to me, and I want to know each of them as intimately as I can.
I absolutely loved this novella—but it's certainly a question with no answers. I look forward to the mysteries unraveling with each new book.
And for Sho and Naoki to find happiness together, too. Maybe with a smooch or a thousand. But that's just me being a hopeless romantic baby.
March 7, 2022
This is book one of a series that is seriously rocking my world. Cole McCade has written some of the most beautiful love stories which have been set in extraordinarily contrasting backdrops, e.g. the Criminal Intentions series. To the delight of his readers, the author has penned some of the longest slow-burn romances in the world of fiction. This is one of those romances.
A town is suddenly frozen in time in the middle of the night. No one can come or go, no one knows what is happening, and people are turning into creatures from a Hieronymus Bosch painting. Sho and Naoki have quietly loved one another since they were children. But something is happening to Sho and he is metamorphosing into something horrific. Naoki will not let this happen.
Mr. McCade is one of my favorite authors. This is the first horror-what-on-earth-is-happening book/series of his that I have read and I can not wait for the next episodes/books.
A town is suddenly frozen in time in the middle of the night. No one can come or go, no one knows what is happening, and people are turning into creatures from a Hieronymus Bosch painting. Sho and Naoki have quietly loved one another since they were children. But something is happening to Sho and he is metamorphosing into something horrific. Naoki will not let this happen.
Mr. McCade is one of my favorite authors. This is the first horror-what-on-earth-is-happening book/series of his that I have read and I can not wait for the next episodes/books.
February 21, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a very good start to a series and I cannot wait to start book two.
It may have been short but it packs a punch with the creepy factor. Xen’s writing is always so intense and it creates such a skin crawling atmosphere.
I do think it got a little repetitive at times. That’s because there are so many different characters experiencing the same thing. I get it, the novella is written like a TV series so almost a pilot episode; there’s more characters than just our MCs.
However, I think some of the POVs bogged the story down a little and even though it was short I dragged through some chapters.
I am fully invested in Naoki and Sho though. Their love story is going to be great I can FEEL it. Already I loved how Naoki helps and doesn’t run from Sho even after his odd transformation. They are both so in love with each other ( and neither know) it’s got me in a chokehold.
I also NEED to know more about Jiro. That poor kid!!
This was a very good start to a series and I cannot wait to start book two.
It may have been short but it packs a punch with the creepy factor. Xen’s writing is always so intense and it creates such a skin crawling atmosphere.
I do think it got a little repetitive at times. That’s because there are so many different characters experiencing the same thing. I get it, the novella is written like a TV series so almost a pilot episode; there’s more characters than just our MCs.
However, I think some of the POVs bogged the story down a little and even though it was short I dragged through some chapters.
I am fully invested in Naoki and Sho though. Their love story is going to be great I can FEEL it. Already I loved how Naoki helps and doesn’t run from Sho even after his odd transformation. They are both so in love with each other ( and neither know) it’s got me in a chokehold.
I also NEED to know more about Jiro. That poor kid!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2022
So much to like here. Complex, interesting characters? Yes. A setting and world building that’s delicate and yet beautifully, powerfully atmospheric? That too. Marrow and its inhabitants caught my attention from the first page and didn’t let go: after this first installment, I’m super invested in what comes next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 15, 2022
I wasn't expecting much of this book that I heard of kind of by chance but I absolutely adored it. The writing style in particular was gorgeous and so intricate and atmospheric. I can't wait to read the other instalments.
February 1, 2022
What a creepily bizarre beginning. I cannot guess what might happen next, and isn't that intriguing.
January 8, 2023
Terrifying! Really good.
January 27, 2022
The first installment of this series did a fantastic job setting up the story and drawing readers in. The haunting fairytale descriptions are so well-written and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2024
I feel like it's pretty inevitable for any sci-fi/horror fusion set in the nostalgic 80s to bear a comparison to Stranger Things, but that's the closest thing I can think of for this strange little early novella in a series of 9.
It introduces us to a fair number of characters from the invented town of Marrow, a place where once, in 1982, the sun did not rise.
Although I felt as though, at the beginning at least, there wasn't much to signpost that this was, in fact, 40 years ago, the depth of the setting did increase as the story went on. And we got to meet both Sho and Naoki.
In every one of Xen's stories, there is a layer of pining at the centre of it. That's true for these mid-twenties characters, in a time when being gay was reprehensible at best and illegal at worst. Don't let's forget this is also a time period when AIDs was raging, though I don't believe that will feature in this alternate universe.
Among the strange things that happen, the lack of the sun rise, the greyed out morning that Naoki particular describes in detail, and Sho's transformation from boy into some kind of sticky cryptid with sealed eyes that can't see are at the foremost throughout, but where we leave this story is on somewhat of a cliffhanger where someone who has disappeared from the town calls his mother from a nice and creepy, disembodied voice on the other side of a phone line.
It introduces us to a fair number of characters from the invented town of Marrow, a place where once, in 1982, the sun did not rise.
Although I felt as though, at the beginning at least, there wasn't much to signpost that this was, in fact, 40 years ago, the depth of the setting did increase as the story went on. And we got to meet both Sho and Naoki.
In every one of Xen's stories, there is a layer of pining at the centre of it. That's true for these mid-twenties characters, in a time when being gay was reprehensible at best and illegal at worst. Don't let's forget this is also a time period when AIDs was raging, though I don't believe that will feature in this alternate universe.
Among the strange things that happen, the lack of the sun rise, the greyed out morning that Naoki particular describes in detail, and Sho's transformation from boy into some kind of sticky cryptid with sealed eyes that can't see are at the foremost throughout, but where we leave this story is on somewhat of a cliffhanger where someone who has disappeared from the town calls his mother from a nice and creepy, disembodied voice on the other side of a phone line.
October 1, 2022
I love this and I'm not a fan of dark romance
First let me say that this isn't just a dark romance or a love story or horror. It's Edgar Allan Poe meets Stephen King. The horror is subtle. The romance grows slowly and painfully but beautifully. The emotional detail is incredible. The whole story is intense and mysterious. It's poetic and frightening but not in a gratuitous, gross way.
The characters are all of Japanese decent and it's so clear in their attitudes, behavior and culture. I can picture it in detail through the author words.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to see the 80's setting baked into the story more instead of just a long listening of events in the beginning. Some of it is but I would have liked to see more. Yes I am old enough to remember the 1980's. This missed the feeling just a little.
Also, fair warning, the ending is a cliffhanger. But the other books are out so I'm moving on to the next one.
I love this author. I own several of their books in paperback and even more in Kindle format. I have never once gone wrong reading their work. And this doesn't disappoint. Be forewarned it's not for the faint of heart. But so worth it. And read the whole thing from the copyright page to the end. The forword is awesome too. Check out their series on Kindle Vella. The info is at the end. I can't wait for each chapter. 💕
First let me say that this isn't just a dark romance or a love story or horror. It's Edgar Allan Poe meets Stephen King. The horror is subtle. The romance grows slowly and painfully but beautifully. The emotional detail is incredible. The whole story is intense and mysterious. It's poetic and frightening but not in a gratuitous, gross way.
The characters are all of Japanese decent and it's so clear in their attitudes, behavior and culture. I can picture it in detail through the author words.
My only complaint is that I would have liked to see the 80's setting baked into the story more instead of just a long listening of events in the beginning. Some of it is but I would have liked to see more. Yes I am old enough to remember the 1980's. This missed the feeling just a little.
Also, fair warning, the ending is a cliffhanger. But the other books are out so I'm moving on to the next one.
I love this author. I own several of their books in paperback and even more in Kindle format. I have never once gone wrong reading their work. And this doesn't disappoint. Be forewarned it's not for the faint of heart. But so worth it. And read the whole thing from the copyright page to the end. The forword is awesome too. Check out their series on Kindle Vella. The info is at the end. I can't wait for each chapter. 💕
February 27, 2022
A short but very intriguing introduction to the Marrow series, despite its limited length providing a pretty detailed picture of this little town and its residents, with a lot of smaller, personal plotlines adding more depth to the main arc. Because it’s not just a story of Sho and Naoki. It’s written as a series of short episodes told from multiple POVs, which makes it read more like a chronicle of Marrow and its people, combining dozens of human lives in all their complexity. I’m pretty amazed at how many details the author managed to stuff into such a few pages and how distinct each of those little stories is.
The book starts rather slow, introducing key characters and their backgrounds, but through it all the tension is building, and this buildup is extremely well done. It’s practically palpable, with a strange, nervous feeling of something in the air, something unknown but inevitable that’s going to happen very soon. And when it finally does, it’s not as much scary as unsettling and, despite the blurb heavily hinting at what it’s going to be, still somehow unexpected.
I’m definitely reading the next one (and all the rest), it’s hard to guess what might happen next, and I’m too curious to stop now.
I received an ARC of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The book starts rather slow, introducing key characters and their backgrounds, but through it all the tension is building, and this buildup is extremely well done. It’s practically palpable, with a strange, nervous feeling of something in the air, something unknown but inevitable that’s going to happen very soon. And when it finally does, it’s not as much scary as unsettling and, despite the blurb heavily hinting at what it’s going to be, still somehow unexpected.
I’m definitely reading the next one (and all the rest), it’s hard to guess what might happen next, and I’m too curious to stop now.
I received an ARC of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.
March 11, 2022
I loved Nine Moons in a River of Stars: Phase One by Xen. It's the first book in the Marrow series. So much happened in the first book of a nine-book serial. We get some back story about Sho and Naoki and how they became best friends. We get to know some of the other characters of Marrow and some of their backgrounds, and then the sun doesn't come up, and strange things are starting to happen. I can't wait to read the next book to find out what happened to Jiro and if he makes it back inside Marrow and what happens to Sho, what he is evolving into, although I do love that Naoki will still love Sho no matter what he becomes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 1, 2022
A different sort of story
No matter the pen name he writes under, I'm always up for delving into the stories this author creates. This series is definitely not my norm despite enjoying paranormals and fantasies, but I quickly found myself drawn into this world and the odd events falling on the small Californian town of Marrow.
This author's gift with words captures every moment and feeling for the reader, drawing them in before ending with just enough questions to keep the reader eager for the next part. I liked the broad collection of characters and backstories while keeping two friends with unspoken feelings at the forefront of the story.
This is definitely worth the try if you want a different sort of story that's carefully and beautifully crafted enough to hook you for more.
No matter the pen name he writes under, I'm always up for delving into the stories this author creates. This series is definitely not my norm despite enjoying paranormals and fantasies, but I quickly found myself drawn into this world and the odd events falling on the small Californian town of Marrow.
This author's gift with words captures every moment and feeling for the reader, drawing them in before ending with just enough questions to keep the reader eager for the next part. I liked the broad collection of characters and backstories while keeping two friends with unspoken feelings at the forefront of the story.
This is definitely worth the try if you want a different sort of story that's carefully and beautifully crafted enough to hook you for more.
February 7, 2022
I received an ARC from Booksprout. I am so lucky my favorite author Cole McCade (Xen) is such a prolific writer. The friendship between Nao and Sho is a precious, strong bond while their feelings for each other are rooted deep but fragile because neither has revealed to each other their hope for romantic love with the other. Amidst this budding romance is the strangeness that the town is going through. It's a story like no other. I can't wait for the next installment of this 9 part serial.
January 29, 2022
Such a promising first novella of the series! I love this author’s world building and vivid descriptions. This first one’s the set up of ‘town cut off from the world while we the strangeness starts”. So there are a lot of character intros that we’ll have to wait for the next one to see how their stories go and intertwine.
March 1, 2022
This is a wonderful story which will take you to usual places as things change in one town. The sun no longer rises and people are turning into monsters. It will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. See where you are taken
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 5, 2022
Well written as usual!
I read sci-fi occasionally but when I saw Xen wrote this book, I was eager to read it. He didnt disappoint. Suspenseful, characters interesting well expounded upon. Now waiting for next in the series to see what happens next!!!
I read sci-fi occasionally but when I saw Xen wrote this book, I was eager to read it. He didnt disappoint. Suspenseful, characters interesting well expounded upon. Now waiting for next in the series to see what happens next!!!
June 21, 2022
Good so far
I wasn’t sure what I thought about this book until I reached the end and now I cannot start the second one quickly enough. I put the book down twice but was pulled back into it. It will grab you and hold on.
I wasn’t sure what I thought about this book until I reached the end and now I cannot start the second one quickly enough. I put the book down twice but was pulled back into it. It will grab you and hold on.
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