B. Zelkovich > Recent Status Updates

Oh, dang. It was so difficult to put this book down last night. I am in love. And, I am such a sucker for a stoic man who contains hidden depths.

Also, I love Rosie. Despite being a 6'5" demi-god, I find her extremely relatable.

And, of course, any time spent with Duckers and Zeddie is time well spent.

Waaaaaaaaitttt. The shadows are plants. Adam bled inside the portal five years ago, when the plants started showing up. He's immortal (I'm pretty sure). And the Briar Thief keeps coming up...

Is... Is Adam the Briar Thief?

Ooooooh he's immortal isn't he? And he CAN see those shadows, I know it. What is this guy's deal???

Ohhhhhh Adam is fascinating? And... immortal? He also hasn't confirmed nor denied if he could see the "shadows" in the portal. I think he's a sneaky little guy and I can't wait to get to know him.

Also love Duckers calling Rosie out immediately about liking Adam's smell lolol.

Welp, I'm gonna mark this DNF'd and try it again as a physical book another time. It's well-written (as I've come to expect from Gailey) but I personally struggle with stories that use sex to make the reader uncomfortable (nothing wrong with that, it's just not my jam). Listening to it has proven to only heighten that particular struggle for me.

So, it's a pass for now.

I love how the past characters weave in and out of the story throughout the series. I love seeing Hart and Mercy ten years later. I love seeing Hart and Rosie lamenting the passage of time, specifically in reference to Duckers growing up (gods, I love Duckers). I love seeing Twyla and Frank settled into their retirement, as constant and sturdy in their love as ever.

I love this series and I'm dreading the end.

So, uhhhhh, not to yuck any yums but.... wtf is going on here?

My biggest takeaway from this book is that all these dudes had way too much free time.

Oh, I am enjoying the hell out of this.

"Attention is the beginning of devotion."

Well, all right, then. Coming out swinging.

....

"Before he'd vowed to stop hurting himself on other people's lust."

.... are you KIDDING ME?!?! Why didn't I know this book existed?!?!! This line locked me in SO FAST.

Well, I take it back. The male MC isn't ace-coded. He's explicitly demi and I am 1000% here for this book now. It isn't some secret buried in the last third of the book, it's RIGHT THERE on the second page!

Ugggghhhhhhhhhh I am gonna cry.

Cool cool cool. The two main players have already almost died and the expedition hasn't even actually started. I'm sure they'll do the reasonable thing and call the whole endeavor off...

Okay, a little note before I even begin. I am *struggling* with this cover. It's a perfectly good cover but... My poor ace-spectrum self is withering at the idea of reading this in the work breakroom lol. The description sounds great and this book was recommended by a lot of folks specifically for its ace-coded male protag, so I'm excited to read it. I just... shirtless, buff men on covers is not my jam, y'all.

In college, I took an Art History class about Ancient Egyptian art and it still took me almost three chapters to remember why Richard Burton's name sounded familiar 🙄.

The narrator for this audiobook is astounding, btw. He's done British, Arabic, French, and German accents already, and shifts between them so fluidly it mesmerized me.

Okay, look. I knew that's where this was headed. I know how narratives work. But, still... damn. That's unfortunate, lol. Can't wait to watch the fallout from that!