Hecate Reads – Page 2 – Because I just can't seem to keep my opinions to myself

Oh boy, this book. Where do I even start. OK, so two things. The first thing, rape fantasy is NOT uncommon. At all. It serves a function, especially for people who are raised in a culture where sexuality is not always treated in a healthy manner. (In other words, all of us.) Fantasizing about rape […]

Romantasy

The Emperor of Evening Stars by Laura Thalassa

August 8, 2025

Hecate

It turns out that The Bargainers entire career on earth was about finding his prophesied human mate. He was obsessed with it. He spent over 150 years building up a business and a reputation just because he wanted to hang around on earth long enough to run into her. How did he ever find time […]

Romantasy

Dark Harmony by Laura Thalassa

August 7, 2025

Hecate

We now enter the next part of the Thief of Souls’ plan as all the sleeping warriors start waking up and attacking their kingdoms. In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to inter them with their weapons. The quest to figure out WHY IS FATHER ALIVE takes them to a place that is leeched […]

Romantasy

A Strange Hymn by Laura Thalassa

August 6, 2025

Hecate

So book 2 picks up right away from book 1. Callie is traumatized by her wings. I won’t lie, I find it really weird that she doesn’t want wings. I want wings. She can give me her wings. I guess it’s because he’s 500 years old, but Des’ taste in band t-shirts always makes me […]

Romantasy

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

July 31, 2025

Hecate

I really enjoyed this series. Enemies-to-lovers is one of my favourite tropes and I so rarely see it done well. I think Black did an excellent job of portraying two people who resent, fear, and mistrust each other who are still irrevocably pulled into each others’ orbit. Their relationship is so fraught they are both […]

Romantasy

The Wicked King by Holly Black

July 28, 2025

Hecate

I DID NOT SEE THAT ENDING COMING HOLY SHIT!!! That’s it. That’s the post. OK, starting right with that curve-ball, I have trouble believing that Cardan isn’t banishing Jude in part because it will keep her safe. He saw what shape she was in when she returned from Queen Orlagh’s court. Jude is going to […]

Romantasy

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

July 26, 2025

Hecate

I had seen this title recommended by BookTok as a series to check out if one likes their romantic fantasy a lot darker. I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I figured I’d give this title a go. My eventual conclusion was that the only real difference is that the rape scenes […]

Romantasy

A Reign of Rose by Kate Golden

July 21, 2025

Hecate

The book opens with a memory of Arwen as a child following Halden and Ryder into her step-father’s shed. When Halden gets hurt Arwen heals him, the first time she ever uses her power. Ryder sneaks off and abandons them. It does kind of lay the groundwork for who Ryder turned out to be as […]

Romantasy

The Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden

July 17, 2025

Hecate

They finally arrive in Citrine, an enchanted city under the sea. Honestly the place sounds pretty amazing – diverse restaurants, 24-hour night life, everybody dressed to the nines. I love seafood so I might be biased here, but still. They also manage to pick up the human embodiment of a Labrador Retriever, Prince Fedrik. For […]

Paranormal Romance

The Alpha’s Concubine by Claudia King

July 13, 2025

Hecate

In the days before metal weapons, when spears and arrows were being tipped with pieces of sharpened stone, the world was divided into Sun People and Moon People. The Sun people domesticate animals, the Moon people hunt them. And the Sun people fear and hate the Moon people, because they can turn into wolves. Main […]