Lead Me Astray

by Sondi Warner

Welcome to Overlay City in New Orleans—a shadowy in-between where the paranormal and the real world meet. Its newest Aurie Edison.A victim of a hit-and-run, Aurie now exists as a ghost in this mysterious realm. Convinced there is more to her death than what she remembers, Aurie sets out to uncover the truth. She soon finds herself in the company of Mys, a psychic empath, whose need to help others trumps all else, and Zyr, a werewolf detective able to work both the human and occult worlds.As they begin to piece together the events leading up to her death, Aurie can’t deny the deeper connection developing between them. Yet, with each new secret suggesting a more sinister danger at play, they realize they may not make it out (dead or) alive.Undeniably queer and devilishly sexy, Lead Me Astray will take you to the shadowy depths of New Orleans and never let you go.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Mystery, Paranormal, Adult

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2022

Reviews

[Lex Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.50 Stars. DNF at 57%. My rating is only for the part of the book that I did read. I really hate not finishing books but unfortunately I have been fighting myself to keep reading and I got to the point where I just needed to stop. I think I blame myself, and the book, about 50/50 for why this was just not working for me. For my part, the book was not what I thought it was going to be and I should have done more research (more on that later). But even if a book is different than expected, I still think and author can win me over which didn’t happen here either.

I have been talking with some other readers lately that while we are slowly seeing more books come out with poly romances, it is still very rare to find an F/F/F romance or an F/F/NB romance. I can count those books on my hand since there are so few of them. When I saw this book on NetGalley, I got really excited thinking that not only was it paranormal, but that it also had an F/F/NB romance. I don’t know how I came to that thinking, I checked the blurb again and while it never says ‘he’, I still don’t know why I was so sure that there was another woman character. Anyway, this book actually has an M/F/NB poly romance. Not a deal breaker for me, but I was disappointed and I hoped that the story would win me over anyway.

As much as I love female detective characters, I dislike male detective characters. Then you throw in the fact that he is an alpha werewolf on top of it, and you have this mansplaining jerk who everyone in the story wants to f*ck, even though he has the personality of a log. It also got really old, really fast how he made the female character out to be so delicate that he had to keep hiding the truth from her, even though she was dead the whole book which I think means that she could’ve handled some tougher issues.

Even though I struggled with the characters a bit, I hoped I would like the romance. There was definitely some chemistry and potential between the woman (ghost) and the nonbinary (mythical being). I think if the romance arc had just been about them, it would have worked better for me. However, I think this book struggled a bit with two identities. In one breath, the book seemed like it wanted to be an erotic romance, and in the other a regular paranormal romance. It felt stuck in two worlds and I wish Warner would have picked one and really went for it. It wasn’t erotic enough to be erotica, and on the other side, any of the paranormal parts seemed to be thrown in with almost no world building behind them.

The book also had some pretty big flow and pacing issues. It was all over the map at times and really rushed in parts too. My copy was an ARC copy so I hope these issues will be cleaned up because I even had basic problems like having trouble recognizing who was speaking. The shifts between characters were not always easy to identify and the book really needed more dialogue tags. While I expected some issues while reading an ARC, I honestly felt like I was reading a Beta readers draft copy instead of a close to finale draft ARC copy.

TLDR: I hate not finishing books, but the older I am the more precious time feels. Even though I had a lot of issues with this, I do think it will have an audience. The book has a lot of great reviews already so it might have gotten better in the second half and I’m missing out by not finishing it. I would recommend this for readers who would be interested in a NB/M/F poly romance and that like their paranormal world and action more surface level. While I appreciate the rep in this book, and I wish this author well, this was not a fit for me.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has a little of everything: supernaturals, mystery, politics, and a polyamorous romance. It was set in New Orleans where all kinds of supernatural creatures live among humans unbeknownst to the humans. The supernaturals have their own version of the city called Overlay City where they have their own laws, law enforcement, government, and government officials. I got more sucked in then I thought I would, but now I really want to see what happens next.

Release date: March 15 2022

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review

[Lindsay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aurie Edison is a murder victim and a ghost who falls in with a werewolf detective and a non-binary supernatural creature working as an escort. They're trying to protect her from the powerful people who apparently murdered her. But they catch feelings for each other and have to deal with a new relationship while hiding Aurie from the people who want her ghost for themselves.

This reads like an unedited draft of a novel. Or more specifically, a direct port of a serialized story to the novel format without any attempt to clean it up for publication. It's a mess. It's inconsistent. Just about every major sin of writing can be ticked off, including viewpoint characters keeping secrets from both the other characters and the reader, world-building that makes no sense, nonsensical motivations for the villain, the appearance of super-powerful side characters at the last minute to save the day and protagonists that are dumber than posts. And to top it all off, and surprising considering it's source, the sex scenes are dull.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and quick read.

I enjoyed the twists and I always love a NOLA setting with supernatural beings, and with a mystery of solving a crime with a dash of devilishly sexy romance.

A different genre for me most definitely, but I did enjoy the read and the writing.

Thank you Wattpad!

[R.J. Sorrento · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a ghost, a werewolf detective, and an Empath join forces to fight against an evil vampire?

They fall in love. Like I did, with Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner.

Aurie (the ghost) played it safe her entire life… until she died. Then she finally started taking chances and living life like she never had before. It was really freeing to follow her arc. Her character grows so much, and she goes from being overly cautious to brave and powerful. She was such a joy to read...

(To read more of my review, visit https://www.rjsorrento.com/blog//book...)

If you’re seeking a paranormal romance with positive queer rep, steamy love scenes, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, check out Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner.

Note: I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[shhhmommysreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, starting out this book, I can tell Sondi has a great voice. However, this story just didn't work for me. I feel like the author could have made two separate books from the content, going in different directions (a supernatural polyamory love story and a supernatural murder mystery), and maybe that would have worked better for me? It was kind of like two big ideas smashed together to create Lead Me Astray, and I personally felt they distracted from each other.

The main issue I had was the pacing and the plot being believable. Obviously, this is a book about supernaturals so this isn't based on real-life, but I'm talking about the fact that Aurie gets hit by a car, DIES, discovers she's turned into a ghost, and then later that night is thirsting over Mys?! Your entire life is over and you're thinking about heading to bang town?!
Again, the pacing could have been better. Some things really rushed forward (the relationships and timelines), and it just made it hard to connect. I agree with another reviewer that this read like a first draft.

What I did really enjoy was the characters. I loved Aurie, I loved Mys, Zyr was kind of meh, but the characters and mystery were my favourite parts of this book. Don't let my review stop you from reading this though, I know there are lots out there who loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley & Wattpad for my gifted e-book!

[Boris Slocum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant stuff. Sondi is a gifted writer and a beautiful storyteller. In "Lead Me Astray," she breathes fresh life into the paranormal genre in a way that is both realistic and intimate. You're shortchanging yourself if you don't visit Overlay City as soon as you're able.

[Elle Nior · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a delightful, daring and delicious read then LEAD ME ASTRAY does all that and more! Within minutes of reading, the reader dives in 'head first' into a bold new world waiting to be explored! And by the end of the book, you're left craving for more... more plot twists, more action, and more steamy scenes! It's really an experience meant for those who can only dream... different. I loved it!

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I’m grateful for being granted access to this ARC. But I have to be honest in my review of this book. I wanted to adore this story. The description and the cover drew me in, unfortunately, the story itself suffered from pacing issues and an unevenly crafted world for these characters to inhabit. Multiple times throughout reading this book I had to convince myself to not DNF it. The author does some things very well, like building the romance between the lead trio. The first half of the book was actually kind of interesting because of it. But once the author got into the supernatural side of things it sometimes felt like things were just being tossed out because she had written herself into a corner and had to concoct some random thing to get the characters out of the convoluted situation they had been put in. The whole book suffered regularly from flow issues. The ending is rushed, convoluted, and left open for this clearly to be a multi-book series. On a very positive note, this book is wonderfully inclusive in a way that we just don’t get to see in most books. That alone granted it an extra star I may not have otherwise given it. The cast of characters is diverse and for the most part, respectably fleshed out. This book is far from perfect, but it does have good points. You may have to force yourself through a lot of not-so-great parts to get to the moments that do truly shine and when this author shines she shines bright. I just wish she’d been able to carry those great moments throughout the entire book because then this could have been truly magical. Will I pick up a future book in this series if one is put out? Maybe. I think this author has a lot to offer that I’d be willing to at least sample a future book to see if some of the errors of this book are rectified. But I will not force myself through another book by this author. If a follow-up to this book starts to fall into the same pitfalls like this one I will DNF it and have no regrets about it. This is just my take on this book. I can see the appeal that will make others absolutely adore it, so give it a chance, maybe you’ll have a different experience with it than I did.

[Agatha Inwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely amazing read. I downed everything at all free time till I was face to face with the door bidding me goodbye.

[Jeanne]

Read story here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/1622321...

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my thing at all

[Kassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lead Me Astray's plot twists are masterfully woven together by it's wholesomely eccentric LGBTQ+ characters, otherwordly descriptives, and androgynous polygamist deliciousness.
Truly one of the most underrated books I've ever had the immense pleasure of finding!

[Cardyn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://blerdybingereader.blogspot.com...

[Jemila]

Dnf’d at 60%…..I just couldn’t get myself to read any more of this lmao. Bad world building, kinda cringey, and got really boring after a while. You can def tell this was a serialized story.

[The Turn On]

This book was reviewed on Episode 2 of Season 2 of The Turn On Podcast.

visit us at www.theturnonpodcast.com to listen in!

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

From a pure story standpoint, LEAD ME ASTRAY is a fun story with a lot going on, yet it’s pretty easy to follow. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the poly romance. The dynamic between the three of them was filled with tension and lust that really just pulsed off the page. I couldn’t have asked for more there.

I liked how different the paranormal story was, how the vampire of the group wasn’t the one that everyone was lusting after. The vampire was kept as a murderous villain, and I totally appreciate that. I also liked how the alpha werewolf was put in his place more than once. It really deconstructed that whole trope and made the three characters in the relationship be on the same footing.

The variety of the characters was also refreshing. Mys’s nonbinary body created a rather interesting love scene that I was totally on board with. I honestly think Mys and Ravani had more chemistry than anyone else, but I don’t think Aurie was a wrench in anyone’s spokes or anything. She fit in nicely, but the real chemistry was between Ravani and Mys.

When Wattpad publishes a book, they publish the book and then put that published version in Paid Stories for people on the platform to read for those who don’t want to buy the actual book. I get the business side of this. However, what I read was definitely a serial novel that really wasn’t adapted for a traditional novel format. The pacing was kind of hinky and sagged a bit in the middle, plus it veered off course a couple of times in these side stories that work in serial fiction, but less so in a traditional novel format.

On top of that, it could have used a heavier hand in copyediting. My default for reading on Wattpad is way more forgiving, so it didn’t bother me as much. But knowing this was also the print version made me cringe. This is not the first time I’ve seen a more lateral move for Wattpad in turning a serial novel into a print novel and at least for me personally, it’s not the greatest. Based on some of the other reviews I’ve read, others are also picking up on this too. What’s excusable on a platform like Wattpad is less so in a published work.

To be clear, I don’t blame the author for this. Responsibility lies firmly on Wattpad. They keep doing it so I imagine is largely works for them. Neat! I personally seem to keep having the same issue with Wattpad books, where it might have been manageable as a serial on the platform, but my brain is not accepting that same book in print because it’s expecting a book that’s written for print. Not a book that was written as a serial that’s being shoved into the more traditional space. This is probably the third or fourth Wattpad book that I’ve felt this way about, so it’s definitely a pattern I’m picking up.

I would definitely recommend reading it on the Wattpad platform over the print. At least personally, my brain switches to something that’s way more forgiving and, had I read it in print, I’m not sure I would have gotten through it. On Wattpad, I found it to be an enjoyable story that worked for the platform.

3

[Cas ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, but rounded up mostly due to amazing narrators.

There were a lot of likeable things about this story — the characters being the most likable and unique, but also the representation (which was phenomenal!), the intricately woven lore of Overlay City & the workings therein, and the narration was incredible. But it was honestly so hard to follow the plot at times, with more and more being added that seemed to water down the plot for the sake of drama (like the OW drama — I wish authors wouldn’t use other woman drama in poly romances), and I am not a huge fan of the hot & cold act that went on for SO long with two out of three of the love interests in the PolyA triad. It also ends rather abruptly with an implied HEA that I wasn’t sure they were even going to get. It would’ve been nice to have a little “after the plot climax” time where the triad actually got to be a triad beyond frantic “we’ll never get to do this again” intimacy before the showdown.

These narrators made the story very difficult to put down and I will be looking for more of their work in the future.



*a note that I didn’t feel Audible would approve (as this is a copypasta from my review there): Mys’s character is an unknown empathetic intersex creature and the author uses a term that is considered very derogatory in some circles — I don’t recommend looking it up, because you’ll either get pr0n or disturbing multi-“phobic” content. It was nice to see an intersex character but I definitely question if it was “good” representation or not because of the nature of the term they were frequently described as. It felt distasteful, but not being intersex myself I will leave that to their determination.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a wild exploration into a different world I never thought I'd venture into! This was my book selection for Pride month, and I love and appreciate the overall diversity and inclusiveness, and I wasn't prepared for the thrill ride. Where else can you get a triad polyamorous romance between a werewolf, a ghost, and a non-binary empath who's also an escort? You get villain vampires, witches, supernaturals, and the paranormal, interlaced around the wonderful backdrop of NOLA, which is still on my bucket list of places to visit. Of course, steamy romance is part of it, and the blend of characters here makes it such a different experience, and at least they all had some chemistry. Mystery is also mixed in, and the unique plot events make for an interesting story, although it all didn't quite capture me as overwhelmingly as I thought it would. I invested a bit, but although the thought of having such a unique take on the plot line would work for most, there was just quite a bit going on and with that, you need consistency as well as thorough and neat execution.

I very much enjoyed the audible version, which I recommend. I love Nick Endres' narration as Mys, and I liked their character as well as their best friend Kitty. I'd say I'm more open-minded now as I had been before, and I'm glad to embrace literary diversity as well.

To each their own, but if you don't mind venturing into another world of queer and supernatural adventure, have at it.

[Dahrose · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the author's writing to begin with - but quickly grew tired of the POV split 3 ways between the main characters - mainly because I felt like I was running in place and getting no where. I made it to the 28% mark in this book and am throwing in the towel.
All these constant teasing supernatural, sexual identity, what am I now? questions that are just not getting answered, and worse, seem to be getting bogged down in all this extraneous stuff that I'm not sure I need to know or care about it.
There is a lot of focus on the characters - and a heap is suggested, hinted at - but constantly dropped or shifted to a new POV - frustrating. And what I am really interested in knowing more about - Overlay city - I am getting absolutely n0thing on. Who are the supernaturals? How does the power structure work? Where do the vamps fit? I've gotten nothing - and I'm frustrated, thwarted and kind of bored.

Plus I hate it when a character powers up for no reason - why is Auire a special snowflake ghost? I need more info really early on in order to invest more of my time - But I'm getting nothing.

[Alise · Rating 3 out of 5]

So overall this book was interesting and kept me entertained. The main plot is based around a suspenseful mystery of the ghost character's death. It is told in 3 POVs of the ghost, empath and werewolf. There were some points that it seemed overcomplicated for no reason, but I think they were suppose to be plot twists? It didn't really come off as that because there was little build so we already were not sure what to expect. After I purchased this book, I realized it was a Wattpad book ... and it does read like a wattpad story where chapters are written one at a time rather than a cohesive preplanned plot.

A point for me is that there was representation of an intersex, nonbinary Asian character. Now as I don't identify with those groups, I am not a clear judge on problematic representation but I will say it came off as exoticizing. This queer character is also a sex worker based in japanese folklore who gives everyone a Japanese nickname. It just felt like ... a lot.

[goldenbookhunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story! The entire time I was reading, I was engaged and eager to find out what was going to happen next. How could I not with a supernatural world/creatures, mystery, love, polygamy, LGBTQIA rep. Omg again I loved this book!!!

I loved all the characters. They were all so unique, yet they meshed so well. The character development was amazing. These characters and this world just felt so real. The struggles, the secrets, the acceptance, the understanding, the lack of trust, the growth, the temptation, the betrayal. Not to mention I found myself stumped along with Zyr and Aurie about who killed Aurie, why, and who she should trust. The plot kept me on my toes. Sondi Warner did her thang! I need book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for this eARC!

[Abi Huff Hobgood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

I feel like if Nick Miller from New Girl’s book “The Pepperwood Chronicles” was real and published this would be it. This has wonderful reviews so I feel really bad to give it 1 star. A really interesting concept with a deeply flawed delivery and a sprinkling of disjointed sex scenes between a ghost, a werewolf, and a intersex/ gender fluid cryptid. It got more and more bizarre and convoluted with every page. I think this would have been better if there had been any semblance of world building outside of, “There are supernatural creatures somehow mixed in with the people of New Orleans also here’s a hot werewolf detective and you were killed in a hit and run by an evil vampire sexual deviant.”

I feel like I dreamed this book.

[Maria]

I really wanted to love this. It didn’t work for me personally, but I think a lot of people would love it.
The plot was all over the place, and for all the reviews saying it’s spicy or explicit, I disagree. It was screen door for the most part, and I really wanted more focus on developing the relationship between Audie, Mys, And Zyr. The best parts of the book were with them, but we didn’t have enough time to make it as believable as I wanted. I saw the lust, but it turned to instalove quickly and without much reason. We never got to really understand why they loved each other, and that’s the heart of a romance for me. Lacking that, I needed a compelling, tight plot, and I didn’t get that either. A disappointment, but I see the potential.

[Beauty_bydebrosse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I loved the characters and didn’t want this story to end. I didn’t like the constant miscommunication m, i feel like it became repetitive. I loved their polyamorous relationship and wished there was even more exploration of it. However the ending was a little long and unclear. The fighting sequence was all over the place and was hard to visualize but I still loved the book overall. It would have been a perfect five if not for the convenient and boring choice of an ending. I recommend if you’ve never read a book about a polyamorous relationship or about a person with both female and male genitalia. It kind of felt a little unfinished as well, like there should be a book 2 or at least a novella to wrap things completely up.

[caro_cactus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An endearing set of characters, an action-packed plot with cool twists and some nice worldbuilding in this urban fantasy/paranormal romance - bit of a mess in terms of style and pace, but enjoyable all around!

The instalust left me a bit dubious, but I do like the OT3, I think they work and there were interesting dynamics being shown in different scenes. Aurie sometimes went on my nerves, but hey, she is in a messy situation and she *is* quite young.

One thing I generally accept from historical romance but bothered me here, however, is the use of the euphemism "manhood". Even in a more....vague depiction of sex scenes, it is possible to use the word "penis", anatomy is not dirty. And it feels especially egregious when an intersex NB character is involved in the sex scene.

[Katelynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it well written? No. Is the plot all over the place, as most Wattpad stories are? Yes. Does the world building make sense? Barely. But this is just so fun and unique. Aurie is a ghost after a hit-and-run. She encounters Mys, a nonbinary, intersex empath and Zyr, a werewolf detective. The three work together to help Aurie move on and solve her murder. It's lust at first sight for all three of them, and it quickly turns to something more. This book is convoluted and crazy and FUN. I appreciated that there was such a diverse cast without it feeling like the author was trying to check boxes. Everyone has a distinct identity and personality. cw: t slur, alcoholism

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a ride. The story is told by three characters that take over the narration in alternating chapters. I personally love that kind of story if it is told well and this one worked. This was my first novel with a polyamorous relationship and I was interested to see how it would develop. I loved the supernatural characters and world built seamlessly into New Orleans. The characters are beautiful and almost developed... I think that is where I needed a little more to add another star. That being said- I wanted to be friends with all three of our protagonists and most of the side characters... lots of good people trying to do the right thing.

[Kaylie Helfrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 star. This book was fine but I wanted more. I wanted more world building. I wanted more chemistry. I wanted more paranormal aspects. I really liked parts of this book (Mys I’m looking at you), and I really disliked parts of this book (Alpha werewolf detective just wasn’t my cup of tea). I also feel like character of Aurie fell a little flat. I understand she is a ghost, but that doesn’t mean her character needs to be so bland. She was just the definition of meh.

I really wanted to love this book. Paranormal poly romance is something I would normally love, but this just fell a little flat for me.

[Tayelor Stuut]

Bro this book is so bad. Like-- okay, listen. I read fanfic. I read SMUTTY fanfic. My standards are *not* high. But the only reason I finished this book is by doing a dramatic reading of it for the LOLZ in a Discord chat. It's so bad!

And here's the thing: IT'S NOT EVEN GOOD FIC. Like, if I opened up AO3, and read "the caramel vixen" on the second line, I would close the tab!

It's so bad it's funny. I'm a firm believer that self publishing is a good thing! Small publishing is a good thing! But can I believe that anyone, anywhere, is gonna pay $17.99 for this veritable toilet paper? Absolutely not.

Zero stars. It's so bad. Come on, now. Come on.