Hello, Limerence: An Explicit, Beautiful Trainwreck

 

Author: Momo Yamaguchi

Genre: Humor and satire, queer fiction, POC Literature, romance (?), Japanese literature, adult fiction

Publisher: Mariner Books

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: August 18th, 2026 

TW: violent fantasies (including murder, and shoving things up orifices) sexual assault, rape, death of a family member, isolation (pandemic related), homophobia (slight)

When the blurb compared this to Fleabag, they weren't kidding.  A ridiculous and relatable romp, Hello Limerence isn't for everyone, but for the ones who click with it, they'll love it. 

But first, the plot:  Mika is a 25 year old salarywoman in Tokyo Japan.Stuck in a dead end job, she seeks escape in romance and sex, desperate to lose her virginity. When she meets Tyler, a Japanese American expat, and another man, she does proceed to lose her virginity, but that isn't enough. Obsessed, or experiencing limerence if you prefer, she spirals when Tyler doesn't reciprocate her feelings. Together with her best friend Mika, she tries to navigate her 20's in modern Tokyo, even through a pandemic and a really shitty boss, which she murders in elaborate fantasies. Can Mika find true love, or will she be in limerence for the rest of her life?

The best part of the book was main character, Mika. She is an incredibly relatable 20 something, self-obsessed and chronically online, trying to find herself in our world. This novel is written in first person POV, so readers are in her head the entire time, and are privy to her wild and vivid revenge fantasies, and every sordid detail of her lust driven insanity. As a former 25 something, she's painfully realistic, including the chronically online obsession with social media and her need to find her true self. I also appreciate her perspective as a Japanese woman and her critiques of Western imperialism and her own culture. She's a mess, but a mess with potential past the solipsism.  (I also resonated hard with her jobless status later in the novel.) I love the messy queer representation as well; but to go into that would be spoilers, so I will not. 

I also like the tone. Mika's perspective is a roller coaster ride, one minute she'll be calling herself a 'loyal ho,' and the next minute she'll be mourning the death of a family member. Her sardonic tone can be a bit much sometimes, but I enjoyed it. I especially loved the fantasies, which were patenly hilariious and insane. 

The setting is a bit less vivid; I never forgot that we were in Tokyo but a large chunk of the later  parts of the book takes place in her apartment because of a (satirical) COVID-like pandemic. I wish that the setting was fleshed out more, but I understand why it wasn't. 

Hello, Limerence is a graphic and raunchy read, which isn't for everyone. Be prepared to read about close examinations of the body, and also to read gory fantasies against misogynists. However, if you can move past these roadblocks you will get a raw character portrait of a complex and morally grey character. 

Final rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4)  

Drink paring: Darjeeling, for the darkness and floral bite 

 

A Fate Worse Than Drowning: A Tight, Terrific Novel

 

Author: A Fate Worse Than Drowning

Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction, Queer Fiction, Gothic Horror

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: July 21st, 2026

TW: torture (on page), sexual assault (on page), murder (on page), misogyny (both period typical and modern), death, spousal abuse, gore, mention of slavery (allusion to)

Give me a book with either: sacred cannibalism, deals/living with an extra-planar entity, tea and queerness. This book has two of the three, and I predictably wanted to drown in this book. What a gripping reading experience.

But first, the plot. in 1809, Elle (Mary Eleanor) and her sister Liney (Caroline) live alone on a desolate bit of land called the Devil's Island, in the Halifax harbor. New arrivals, they've run from two dead parents and a man who is after their fortune. On the island, after killing the previous lighthouse keeper, Elle tends to the lighthouse, which guides sailors away from their watery graves. Or, at least that's what she tells her sister she's doing. In reality, instead of saving sailors, Elle is tasked with using the demonic powers given to her from a deal with the devil to sacrifice souls. Which, is rather easy, when there are choppy seas and deep caverns. Elle must do this, to keep her sister and herself safe, or the devil may come after her sister next. Liney dreams of a wider world. Sickly her whole life from childhood asthma, she sits caged; first with her family (forced to marry a man when she loves women), and then with her beloved sister. Elle will do anything to protect her, except let her go. The fragile peace of this island is interrupted when the devil demands an increase in souls, and a beautiful woman washes up on shore. Now, will Elle sacrifice this girl, and take away the only person that Liney truly loves? 

The characters are one thing that made this story for me. Elle and Liney are such realistic siblings, and their bond is a major motivator and draw. I believed that they were siblings. You also get to see both of their POVs, as this book is first person with dual perspectives, and their personalities really shine through. Elle is intense and driven, but also suffocating, whereas Liney is at first, relatively passive, but extremely curious and capable when she allows herself to be. I also love the side characters; Douglas and Bridget especially, but due to spoiler reasons, I'll not mention them further.

The characters are amazing, but what really made this book for me was it's tight prose and plotting. Every twist and caveat was foreshadowed, and make me go 'oh, that's clever' multiple times. Expository dialog and prose was natural and easy to read. The prose is also vivid enough, especially with sensory descriptions, that I could taste things like the hibiscus tea and smell the dying fish. I also appreciate American slavery being mentioned as a terrible force of supernatural evil, but I wish there was POC rep; but I understand why there wasn't.

There is a romance in this book, but the scenes stop at kissing and fade to black; the romantic relationships add to the story and the characters, but romance isn't the end all be all. This book is about queerness and sisterly love and the urge to destroy those who've wronged you; about the seductive temptation of power and the suffering it brings. Mind the trigger warnings; and you'll have a wonderful read with a bittersweet ending. 

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Final Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Drink Paring: Dark heavy roasted da hong pao for the dark seas, or hibiscus tea for deals with the devil

The Secret Courtesan: A Basic But Fun Feminist Tale

 

 

 

 

Author: Kerry Chaput

Genre: Fiction, historical fiction, feminist literature, magical realism (slight) romance elements

Publisher: She Writes Press

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: February 10th, 2026

TW: torture (on page), sexual assault (attempted and on page), murder (on page), misogyny (both period typical and modern), death, stalking/surveliance

The Secret Courtesan was above all else, a timely but still fun read. 

But first the plot: Mia Harding, an Art historian, is having an ethical crisis. She's been told to authenticate a statue dredged from the depths of a Venetian canal, or face career destruction. The sculpture is of a woman in climax, and as the foremost expert in  Italian women's history in art , this should be a simple affair. Say that this male artist, was the author of the sculpture, and be set for life. However, Mia is sure that there's something about this statue that would rock the art world, and refuses. However, this is only half of the story. 

The second POV of this book concerns Sofia, a Venetian courtesan in the Renaissance with an artist's talent and soul. When Sofia's  patron sells her contract, she has to rekindle a man's darkness, and make him paint. Will she be able to stay true to her own soul?

I am of two minds about this book. Mia's story wasn't really impactful. I suppose that is because she did a really dumb thing that seems to be the only reason why she's truly scared of her boss. Her character felt real in that she experienced all too real sexism, but that's all that she left me with. Her romance with her male colleague, a history professor who desperately wanted to hear her out, left me similarly cold. Also, the ending to her story felt too convenient near the end, even if the ending was neat enough. 

I was here for Sofia's story. Venice as it was in the 1600's was fascinating and was described with suck vivid colour by our courtesan artist. Her story felt so much more real, and visceral. I felt her sadness and rage at not being able to practice her art. I felt the weight of those beautiful gowns trapping her. I read this for her story, and was glad to do so. She stuck with me whereas Mia's character fell flat. 

All in all, this novel was worth the read, especially if you like  historical fiction. Just be mindful that a portion of the book might not be to everyone's tastes.

 Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC! 

Final Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded to 4) 

Drink Paring: Qimen black tea for the dark Venice canals 

Hemlock: Wild Women and Family Trauma

 

Author:  Melissa Faliveno

Genre: LGBTQ+, Fantasy, Adult, Horror, Fiction, Gothic Horror

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Format: Ebook (NetGalley Copy)

Release Date: January 20, 2026

TW: Animal death (on page), suicidal ideation (on page) cheating, homophobia, alcoholism, gore (on page), addiction (alcoholism), discussions of religion that may be triggering

I was very affected by this book, and it will stick with me for a long time. (And there's more devouring, yay!)

But first, the plot: Sam, recently unemployed and living in NYC, is trying to start the next chapter of her life. Recently sober, she returns to Hemlock, her family's cabin in the wilds of northern Illinois. She is determined to fix it up, sell it and give the money to her father, and move on. She hasn't been back since her mother disappeared, and that unresolved trauma isn't the only thing that's followed her to these woods. Will she be swallowed by her addictions? Or perhaps turn into something else, something more monstrous?

The prose was the standout of the book. However, the characters were almost as strong, and I am so glad I got to follow them throughout this journey. Sam is a broken, complex, morally grey woman. She is also an unreliable narrator; which heightens the tightrope tension of her growth. I love how distinctive her voice is, even through third person limited. Sam is a character you can see in front of you, a real person with flaws and darker parts of her personality.There were a few times during the novel that I was screaming at her to try something different, or for her not to do what she was doing. Her family were unspoken characters, notable in their absence, and that reflected on Sam too. 

I enjoyed and appreciated the realistic queer and indigenous rep (although as I am a white cis woman, I encourage you to read critiques from reviewers of those groups). The queerness also extends into the sex scene that happens later in the book, which was unsettling to read but also good to read, for me. This is not a romance; this scene is pivotal but not in a romance way. The scene and Sam's nonbinary-ness do play a huge part in the book's themes, and it well woven into everything else. 

The supporting characters were great too, with particular mention towards Lou Ann and Stephen, but for spoiler reasons, I wont go into them.

The imagery of the novel is the true standout. The language really sold the isolation and darkness (both metaphorical and physical) of the Northwoods. When the imagery turned into darkness and horror, it was a natural thing, like the sun setting. There are certain scenes that will stick with me forever because of that. (The truck scene in particular)

Mind the trigger warnings, please. But if you're looking for a harrowing meditation on addiction, religion, family and queerness set in the middle of nowhere, with scenes that stick, this book is for you. It definitely was for me. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC!  

Final Score: 4 of 5 stars

Drink Paring: Green hojicha, for the leaves of the forest, and a slight dark smokiness