contemporary | Ad Librum Aeternam

I was at Harper Presents: 2022 Fall Fiction Preview when I spotted this jaw-dropping bloody cover, so reminiscent of Carrie by Stephen King (Come on, Prom night! THAT night!) Not only was it extremely to my tastes (myeah, sorry, I have weird blood and ominous tastes in horror…), it was inspired by Carrie, and it’s by Tiffany D. Jackson no less! Obviously, I requested it at the first opportunity. Miracle! I got it! I was beyond excited to delve deeper into Springville's Maddy mystery… until I came face to face with the fact of how too close to the original (see inspiration here) it is.

*Thank you kindly to Harper Collins Canada and Katherine Tegen Books for granting me a digital ARC of The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. I offer this review willingly without any compensation.*

The Positive Sides

While her writing has always been gripping and raw, it definitely improved in The Weight of Blood. It is scarier, the tension is paced in a better way as well as heightened. Honestly, her writing skills rock! And I'm a tad bit jealous… Just a tad. #ThisIsALie #IAmExtraJealous

Also, Miss Jackson (*cue Panic! at the Disco's song!*) interspersed names of known literature and movie serial killers and slashers, such as Coach Bates (yep, Motel Bates, THAT guy…), Miss Kruger (ahum! sweet dreams!), and many more. I believe (and I'm 99% sure I'm right!) the author is playing an inside-joke game with her fans on "how many slasher references she can sprinkle in until the fans notice it". And trust me, this was very entertaining and had me laughing a few times.

Lastly, her creepy but spot-on take on racism, what with wishing away something they are for something they are not, concealing their true selves, bullying, and a cringe creepiness with the closet and all those posters of "perfect, submissive white women"… I nearly screamed with rage. I remember reading about said posters and I just stood there, frozen, blinked and put down the book like "no…. no, so sordid. Disgusting. Who could do that to someone?! AND THAT MEANING! OMG!" I sighed and growled, then picked it back up and resumed my reading, fuming within for what POCs have had to endure (and sadly, a lot still do…) But it hit me like a slap in the face but it was right. I had all the feels.

Representation Matters Hair Love GIF - Representation Matters Hair Love Best Animated Short Film - Discover & Share GIFs

The Negative Sides

I don't really wanna say it but… the book? I mean, the book itself? It's way too close to plagiarism. I get it, the author loves Carrie deeply (I do too), but this reads like a fanfiction with a lot of OCs (original characters). The story, its events and situations, the characters’ relationships, and even the structure. Even the closet!!! Instead of mad mother, it's mad dad!

I just… No.

In other words:

N.B.: If you want to pay for a fanfiction, which is at its core free, go ahead and purchase "The Weight of Blood". That's all I'll say.

(Please note I LOOOOOVE fanfiction and I even write it myself, but such a "fanfiction" as a paid product? That's not fair.)

No Just No GIFs | Tenor

In Conclusion

Overall, the writing is excellent–the author clearly improved on her suspense and horror skills– and her take on racism is witty, insightful and creepy (like it should be because… wait for it… IT IS!); however, the story and its events and situations are just way too similar to Carrie's book (even if you can visualize what I'm saying with only the movies…) by Stephen King, and trust me, I read it more than once… So, I give this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars for its unfairness to other fanfiction writers and Stephen King's already published work. Unfortunately, the author just lost a fan, but her writing skills are excellent though. I wish her the best, nonetheless.

If you want to learn more about Tiffany D. Jackson and her books, please visit her author website, her Goodreads author page, her Twitter and her Instagram. You can also add The Weight of Blood to your bookshelves on Goodreads, LibraryThing, and StoryGraph.

Opposed Desires (F/F, Sapphic Romance): A Book Review

Blog Tours, Book Reviews December 3, 2021 Leave a comment

Universal Link (Books2Read)

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

By Katherine McIntyre

Author: Katherine McIntyre

Publishing Company: Hot Tree Publishing

Release Date: Friday, November 12 2021

Format: eBook

Is This Book Romance?: Yes

ISBN: 978-1-922359-94-0

Price: 3.99

Story Type: Novel, more than 50k words

Word Count: 50k

Cover Artist: Booksmith Design

Genres: F/F Contemporary Romance

Pairings: F/F

LGBTQ+ Identities: lesbian

Tropes: enemies to lovers

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given, and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Katherine McIntyre and Other Worlds Ink!*

Introduction

What can I say besides that I saw a cute sapphic romance with my favorite trope (enemies to lovers) offered to me for a blog tour and I was so thrilled I just jumped on the bandwagon and shouted HOOT-HOOT happily?

Yeah, basically that's me with Opposed Desires!

Curious about my blog tour post and an excerpt from this book?

I feel like sapphic romance are rare; more so than gay books, y'know. While I love both, I identify with the first… Representation matters and so does romance, not only erotica. So, I think this book, with its great and lovely characters, incredible voices, and the rollercoaster romance is true to us.

And I love it.

How about I show you around Opposed Desires by Katherine McIntyre?

Have fun discovering your next fave romance!

Blurb

Closet Romantic falling for the Hookup Queen? Never gonna happen… until one memorable vacation changes it all.

When it comes to women, Aubrey Moore believes in no-strings-attached hookups and keeping things simple. On her beach trip, her plan is clear—hit the bars and find single hotties. What she doesn't bargain on is the phone call from her sister. Distraught, Aubrey would like to have a breakdown in private, but the one woman who’s never fallen for her slick lines takes her by surprise and blurs her simple rules.

The last thing owner of the Renegades bar, Selina Beckett, expects to see on vacation is Aubrey Moore in the middle of a personal crisis. Every time they meet, they clash—whether Aubrey was picking up women at Selina’s bar or flirting to try and get her attention. Selina’s not interested in flings, cheaters, or womanizers, so she’s made a point to avoid Aubrey at all costs. But this raw, real side of Aubrey convinces her to bend those rules, just a little.

The more Selina gets to know Aubrey beyond the bravado, the more she begins to fall. But each day closer to the end of their vacation marks a return to reality—one where this entanglement between them won’t survive.

The Positive Sides

First of all, the character of Aubrey struck me instantly as a badass hilarious woman I wished I was as cool as. I connected right away with her sense of humour. Next came her charming gang of friends, and Selina… Oh, dear Selina. She's a bookworm–romantic, at that!–, naturally cool, confident, and witty. I related strongly and decided right then and there she was my favorite. Sorry, look the other way, Sel's mine!

Then, the enemies-to-lovers trope is in its own way quite amusing AND sweet. I mean, it's not the big "hatred" story, no; it's more like Aubrey wants to have a fling with Selina, but said awesome woman doesn't say yes, so Aubrey teases her instead–it's become almost an art. It's more like teasing bickering, you know? And I'm a sucker for that! But then, Aubrey shows some vulnerability, and Sel gives her a helping hand by talking with her on the beach. Isn't that just sweet?! And it just keeps going like this, a rollercoaster ride of sweetness, feels, and awwwwwwww's.

Moreover, the representation is amazing! I just love how the author showed not only "smut" (which seems like the trademark of LGBTQ+ stories, unfortunately…), but also various types of personalities, likes and dislikes, and love stories in the community. I felt like part of the gang.

I felt somehow like I was with friends.

Or better yet: home.

It doesn't get much better than that!

The Negative Sides

No matter how entertaining and sweet this book is, there is a certain point that bugged me. Her repetition technique sounds much like drilling vocabulary or notions to me. For example, when Selina discovers a new, vulnerable side to Aubrey, she finds it extremely alluring (which is cute in itself). However, every two sentences or so, she will reiterate this fact using other words for the whole chapter. It made me feel like: "yeah, okay, I know, I get it."

Otherwise, the whole book was pretty fun, light, romantic and a good enemies-to-lovers trope!

In Conclusion

Overall, even with its repetition flaw, Opposed Desires is one of the best sapphic romances out there! I give it a shoutout and I throw my recommandations your way. I had a blast reading it and falling in love with both Aubrey (who made me laugh at first read) and Selina (with whom I related right away) and their ship! Hence, I give this sweet and fun book a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. If you want to have a good time relaxing with a couple you'll just love and make friends with a whole new gang, this is your book! It definitely scored on my favorite sapphic reads, and that's coming from one who feels well represented! 😉

Don't forget to check out my blog tour post for an excerpt of Opposed Desires and an exclusive author guest post!

If you want to learn more about the author, Katherine McIntyre:

(Come on, she's adorable! And she looks so funny!)

Katherine McIntyre is a feisty chick with a big attitude despite her short stature. She writes stories featuring snarky women, ragtag crews, and men with bad attitudes—and there's an equally high chance for a passionate speech thrown into the mix. As an eternal geek and tomboy who’s always stepped to her own beat, she’s made it her mission to write stories that represent the broad spectrum of people out there, from different cultures and races to all varieties of men and women.

You can follow her on:

A huge thanks to Other Worlds Ink for this amazing blog tour opportunity!

See you next post, lovelies!

plan it

Blog Tour – Opposed Desires by Katherine McIntyre with Other Worlds Ink (F/F, Sapphic Romance)

Blog Tours, chit-chatting with Cat December 2, 2021 Leave a comment

Hello, folks!

Today is a special blog tour day for the sapphic romance (F/F) novel, Opposed Desires, by author Katherine McIntyre!

There's a fun bonus, too: if you read till the end, I share an author guest post with you. 🙂 Also, you can read my book review to get an insider's look.

Let's start with more info about the book!

Author: Katherine McIntyre

Publishing Company: Hot Tree Publishing

Release Date: Friday, November 12 2021

Format: eBook

Is This Book Romance?: Yes

ISBN: 978-1-922359-94-0

Price: 3.99

Story Type: Novel, more than 50k words

Word Count: 50k

Cover Artist: Booksmith Design

Genres: F/F Contemporary Romance

Pairings: F/F

LGBTQ+ Identities: lesbian

Tropes: enemies to lovers

Where you can purchase Opposed Desires:

Universal Link (Books2Read)

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

Book Blurb

Closet Romantic falling for the Hookup Queen? Never gonna happen… until one memorable vacation changes it all.

When it comes to women, Aubrey Moore believes in no-strings-attached hookups and keeping things simple. On her beach trip, her plan is clear—hit the bars and find single hotties. What she doesn't bargain on is the phone call from her sister. Distraught, Aubrey would like to have a breakdown in private, but the one woman who’s never fallen for her slick lines takes her by surprise and blurs her simple rules.

The last thing owner of the Renegades bar, Selina Beckett, expects to see on vacation is Aubrey Moore in the middle of a personal crisis. Every time they meet, they clash—whether Aubrey was picking up women at Selina’s bar or flirting to try and get her attention. Selina’s not interested in flings, cheaters, or womanizers, so she’s made a point to avoid Aubrey at all costs. But this raw, real side of Aubrey convinces her to bend those rules, just a little.

The more Selina gets to know Aubrey beyond the bravado, the more she begins to fall. But each day closer to the end of their vacation marks a return to reality—one where this entanglement between them won’t survive.

(Selina, my baby. She sounds just like me!)

Want to know more already?

I knew it! I was just the same when I was offered this blog tour opportunity!

Here's an excerpt for you to be thrilled over (I think it depicts Selina–my fave–and Aubrey–a funny, cool woman–and their rollercoaster-relationship well!):

They reached the edge of the boardwalk, the sand and the sea stretching before them in a pale strip that clashed with the inky darkness of the waters. Something loosened in Selina’s chest at the sight. The ocean always calmed her, especially at night when most of the daytime rabble had retreated. She was used to being surrounded by people, but sometimes she preferred the solitude.

“I’m sorry for dragging you away from your friends,” Aubrey said, loosening her ponytail to run her fingers through her hair. The moonlight highlighted her deep brown strands, and the way they fell down to her shoulders made her seem a little softer than the sharp, pointed woman Selina’d come to know. She found this side of Aubrey far more alluring.

“I could’ve done this by myself,” Aubrey admitted. “I just lost my mind a little bit back there.”

“I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t want to.” Selina shrugged. “Bars aren’t really my scene.”

“Said the bar owner.” Aubrey gave her the side-eye. “Why even own one then?”

Selina swung her arms by her side, staring at the half moon overhead. It glowed with pearlescent promise, a steadiness she’d always longed for. “Spend your whole life traveling from one town to the next and you get desperate to set down roots. I wanted to create a safe space for folks like me, and I needed to stay in one place. Renegades ensured that.”

Aubrey shook her head, a throaty laugh escaping her throat. “I’ve known you for four years now, and I’m pretty sure that’s the most you’ve ever shared about yourself.”

“Well, we’re having a truce tonight,” Selina said. “Tomorrow I can go back to loathing you, and we can return to the usual witty repartee.”

Aubrey pointed at herself. “Me? Witty? Glad you think so, doll. I don’t keep track of half of the things that leave my mouth.”

“Good to know,” Selina murmured, a smile nudging her lips. The earnest note in Aubrey’s voice had her warming up to the woman far faster than she had in years. The lack of an agenda helped too. Selina slipped off her sandals to hold them in her hand, walking barefoot on the sandy shore. “Won’t the girls be wondering where you went?”

Aubrey shrugged. “They’ll assume I took someone home. It’s my MO when I pull the vanishing act.”

“That sounds pretty lonesome.” The words slipped out before she could help herself. Selina licked her lips, not knowing what to say. The salt air wove past her, caressing her senses.

“Different bed every night? How could that be lonely?” Aubrey joked, yet her voice scraped over the words like a tire crunching uneven rocks. She cast Selina a sideways glance. “Maybe a little,” she admitted, her dark eyes somber in the surrounding dark. The slight gleam from the moonlight only enhanced that sharp, vibrant beauty. This version of the woman, framed by moonlight and unguarded with her hair down, struck Selina as far more gorgeous than the sweet-talker she regularly saw at the bar.

Aubrey bent down to slide off her sneakers, and Selina couldn’t help but follow the motion. Those long legs were on full display, all corded muscle and defined calves, and the red shorts she wore showcased a gorgeous sculpted ass. Selina never argued that the woman was hot—Aubrey Moore undeniably, unequivocally raised her temperature, but she was also the exact sort of person Selina needed to avoid.

She wanted someone to settle down with. Someone who wouldn’t get bored, or cheat, or ditch her when the routine got too monotonous. Been there, done that. She’d learned her lessons well and committed them to heart.

These two characters are hot-and-cold and I love it. Anyhow, what about that SURPRISE I mentioned earlier?

Here comes the amusing and insightful author guest post by Katherine McIntyre (thanks for sharing this gem with us, Miss!):

How Opposed Desires Came About…

            One of the things I’ve noticed through the years is that even if you plan for a standalone, occasionally characters come along that demand a sequel. Or, usually in my case, enough of them cluster to turn the whole thing into a series.

            When I first started writing Confined Desires, I planned for a standalone—a fun jaunt for me while I was furloughed during the pandemic. I certainly hadn’t planned for a sequel, let alone a trilogy. However, then Aubrey made herself known, a side character in Confined Desires who was snarky, flirty, and so blunt that I fell in love immediately. With a character like Aubrey though, I knew she wouldn’t fall quietly into a relationship though. No, she’d be loud, abrasive, and fight it every inch of the way.

            Hence my enemies to lovers vacation romance was born. Selina had been mentioned briefly in Confined Desires, and the aloof bar owner formed the counterpoint to Aubrey. If Aubrey was fire, Selina was ice, and the two opposites clashed on just about everything. Except in this book, once they start getting to know each other behind their defenses, that’s when they begin to uncover similarities too, things that end up drawing them together.

            And, of course, while I was writing Opposed Desires, the third member of the Rehoboth Pact crew, Kyle, came along and stole my heart. She was the adorkable cinnamon roll sort who charmed me immediately, and writing the third and final book came as fast as the second in this series, all inspiration as this noisy band of best friends chattered in my ear. So, if you’re looking to return to summer for a little bit, dive into Opposed Desires today!

Katherine McIntyre, author (look at the sweet-looking woman, awww! <3)

About the Author

Katherine McIntyre is a feisty chick with a big attitude despite her short stature. She writes stories featuring snarky women, ragtag crews, and men with bad attitudes—and there's an equally high chance for a passionate speech thrown into the mix. As an eternal geek and tomboy who’s always stepped to her own beat, she’s made it her mission to write stories that represent the broad spectrum of people out there, from different cultures and races to all varieties of men and women.

You can follow the author on:

Thank you so much to all readers of sapphic romance (yay for representation, WOOHOOO! Call me maybe? Ok ok, just jokin'… maybe I'm not? All women are wonderful! YOU ROCK, SWEETHEARTS!), to Katherine McIntyre for creating Aubrey and Selina I just adore and instantly clicked with (it's rare), to Other Worlds Ink for this blog tour offer. I had a blast writing this post and sharing Opposed Desires with you!

Don't forget to check out my book review of Opposed Desires!

And if you've stayed to the end (well, first of all, CONGRATS!), there's a giveaway for you with this awesome tour 🙂 :

Katherine is giving away an Amazon gift card with this tour:

Giveaway for fantastic readers

May the sapphic love be with you on this December 4^th–What, we're on December 2^nd? Bah, still, the mantra still stands, loves. 😉

Make sure not to miss the rest of the blog tour by Other Worlds Ink!

Next stop: Emotion in Motion's blog tomorrow, Friday, December 3^rd!

plan it

Let’s Celebrate 100 Followers!

chit-chatting with Cat, Freebies, Short Stories March 9, 2019 Leave a comment

YAY! I reached 100 followers! THANK YOU.

Do you remember my post back in October? I mentioned a gift to celebrate all you folks who choose to support and motivate me. I’m so thrilled you’re here!

Here’s your gift: a free short story written just for YOU.

Enjoy!

Crashing into the Veil

Copyrighted Catherine Girard-Veilleux, 2019

‘’This is ridiculous.’’

Martin sighed and shook his head at the traffic in a well-trodden suburban road. Patience wasn’t one of his virtues and he had a wife and a little girl of 4 to get to. It was late enough with evening plain to see outside the car windows. Work had drained him and he wasn’t quite in a… good mood. He grabbed the wheel and turned it in a brisk movement, his foot hard on the gas pedal.

He could’ve sworn there was no one else in the left lane, but some jerk cut in from the third lane and crashed into him. The first car barreled into two others on the right and caused a pile-up.

As for Martin, he gasped and cussed as fear froze him to the bone, making him let go of his wheel. When the cars hit, all he saw was his hood being crushed and pushed back, and his head hit the wheel with such force he thought he heard an awful cracking sound.

But then, all movement and sound ceased around him for what seemed like a second.

He blinked hard when a policeman directed a flashlight in his face. Someone must have called the 9-1-1… He couldn’t have been out that long, could he? The young officer talked to him through the window. Martin opened his mouth and tried to tell him he couldn’t hear. He was struck by the absence of pain, but his rational mind told him it was due to adrenaline. Of course. Instead of opening the door and saving him, the officer straightened up and walked to his colleague, discussing what he saw, no doubt.

Irritated by this obvious lack of compassion for someone in need, Martin pushes with much strength on the car door. He ends up tripping out of his car instead.

Okay, that was… strange. He filed this occurrence in his mind for later, though. It was a consequence of the accident.

He needed to focus on what’s important and help others since he was still able-bodied. No?

Without deigning to take a glance at the officer, Martin rushed to the nearest victims of the crash. A poor middle-aged woman lay on in the middle of the road, croaking with pain and blood oozing out of her mouth. Martin reached her and tried to hold her hand, but it slipped through. Shocked, Martin focused on his own fingers and flexed them; they still responded. So what the hell was that? Was he dead?

The dying woman turned her head an inch in order to face him. Her eyes were glazing over, but still she said in one last breath: ‘’You’re my angel, aren’t you?’’

Martin couldn’t reply as a paramedic walked through him to take the woman’s pulse. A cold, rippling sensation flooded him. He grimaced and touched himself. Why, he felt solid… to himself. Obviously, he was not.

Terrified, and piecing the puzzle together, Martin ran back to his car. Paramedics were doing CPR, trying to keep him alive. But the more they tried, the better he felt.

‘’Stop. He’s not coming back,’’ the older paramedic says to the youngest, putting a hand over his arm in a compassionate gesture.

‘’No! NO!’’ Martin shouted, though he knew no one here would hear him.

Panic was eating away at him. His body (or whatever it was now!) shook with force, his teeth gritting. He hugged himself, eyes roaming the horrendous scene, taking in all the tragedy.

His daughter? It would be hell not to see her grow up and become a woman. His wife? It would be torture to live without her… wherever he was going next.

Death had come and stolen his life away like the worst thief. Because he knew he was dead, all right. But what happens now? Is he left alone to wander the world without playing any part in it? Is it truly the end of the road? Surely there has to be more answers to these incessant questions, if not in life then in death!

A shrill scream tore through his dark thoughts. He spun around and saw a woman standing near a shape under a white sheet… The dying woman! Though now she looked beautiful; no blood, no wounds, and her vintage clothes weren’t torn.

Martin went to her. ‘’I know,’’ was all he said, nodding. Nothing could comfort her. That he was certain of.

Then, the whole area shudders and ripples. They both jerk their head up. ‘’What the-’’

It’s all gone in an instant.

Martin looks down and sees he’s not on a road anymore. In fact, it’s quite as though he’s floating as there’s nothing under his feet! All there is is a gray mist all around, above, and under them both.

‘’Wh-where are we?’’ the woman asked, her eyes bulging out of her face.

“Welcome to the land of the dead.”

There was nothing else to say; they needed to keep going. Perhaps they’d find the answer to all this at the end of the invisible path. And so they went, hand-in-hand, for God knows how long.

But he sure pondered. And most unsettling sensation was the growing freedom in him as they walked. Freedom…

Is this what it means…

Death?

If you enjoyed this short story (and I genuinely hope you did!), you’re more than welcome to leave me a comment or share your thoughts with me on Twitter.

See you next post, lovelies!

Let ‘ s Celebrate 100 Followers!

chit-chatting with Cat, Freebies, Short Stories March 9, 2019 Leave a comment

YAY! I reached 100 followers! THANK YOU.

Do you remember my post back in October? I mentioned a gift to celebrate all you folks who choose to support and motivate me. I'm so thrilled you're here!

Here's your gift: a free short story written just for YOU.