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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s a shame that this author turned out to not be of Choctaw-Cherokee descent, because I honestly enjoyed this sapphic romance that felt reminiscent of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, National Treasure, and other archaeological action/romance/adventure films of the 90s/00s. I really appreciated the commentary on missing and murdered indigenous women, which haunts me & I hope more & more actual stories can be elevated, so their families can get answers & so that this stops happening everywhere to indigenous folks.
(I found an ARC at a little free library, as I don’t think this made it to publication due to the reveal of Wilkens’ non-ancestry)
(I found an ARC at a little free library, as I don’t think this made it to publication due to the reveal of Wilkens’ non-ancestry)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief
Note: I received this e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to enjoy this book, it had a great premise, but fell flat. The writing style was very juvenile and it felt like the author and editor tried to make up for it with a lot of sexual innuendo, but that just made it feel even younger.
I was unaware of the author’s controversy before reading this book, and now am disappointed that I read it to begin with. If it’s still being published, I wouldn’t continue to recommend it at all.
I wanted to enjoy this book, it had a great premise, but fell flat. The writing style was very juvenile and it felt like the author and editor tried to make up for it with a lot of sexual innuendo, but that just made it feel even younger.
I was unaware of the author’s controversy before reading this book, and now am disappointed that I read it to begin with. If it’s still being published, I wouldn’t continue to recommend it at all.
This book wasn't really for me. I liked the National Treasure premise, but it just didn't feel right to me. I understand suspending disbelief in order for things to make more sense in fictional worlds, but I couldn't get past how much I needed to just let things happen in order for the plot and book to make sense.
Additionally, upon reading other reviews, this book has been pulled from publication and there is controversy around the author. I am leaving this review because I received this ARC in exchange for a review from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin.
Additionally, upon reading other reviews, this book has been pulled from publication and there is controversy around the author. I am leaving this review because I received this ARC in exchange for a review from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin.
This is a two-part review. The story is great. “If I Dig You” is a spicy sapphic romance with some treasure hunting. This part of the book was fantastic. I enjoyed the story. That is a 4 star review
The second part of the review is how The Tribal Alliance Against Frauds found that Colby Wilkens is not of Cherokee and Choctaw descent as she claimed. This is negative stars.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.
I found out that the author has claimed to be native and she is not.
This one isn’t for me. I was excited about the idea of an adventurous romance but I disliked the characters too much to continue reading.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Netgalley and St Martin Griffin for an earc. All opinions are of my own.
I was decently excited for a f/f treasure hunting adventure. However this felt like the most low stakes treasure hunt ever. I honestly found myself more annoyed throughout most of this story than anything. While the last 20% was definitely the best part of the story, I don’t feel as though it made up for the first 80%.
We have Louise and Isa who have been friends for majority of their lives and secretly in love with each other for most of that time as well. Isa lost her mom a while back, so Louise is all she has left. Louise after a breakup decided to take a job in Turkey and has recently returned. I bring this up simply because Isa brings up how Louise abandoned her continuously for the first 60% of the book. I found myself so irritated every time it was brought up because, while her feelings are valid, I just felt that they were so self centered and I just could not empathize with them. She can’t look at Louise the same way afterwords, and can’t see their friendship the same way, because she felt abandoned.
Maybe I am heartless, however, these women are in their thirties, Louise still made trips back to see her important moments, i’m assuming they still communicated, I just felt like Isa was dismissing anything Louise needed to process, and I just could not get behind that being one of the main conflicts between them for most of the book. I feel bad but I think I rolled my eyes every time that was mentioned. There are friends I would die for, but I would never feel abandoned if they left to take care of themselves, or for a job, because their life doesn’t revolve around me sadly. Would I be sad? Of course, but everything about this felt so me me me.
Maybe I am just not a fan of Isi? I did enjoy Louise. I liked her optimism. I found her to be realistic and I liked her passion about her job and how she continued to talk about and connect things she learned in Turkey to the treasure hunt. I also thought she was pretty resourceful. Every time there was an Isi point of view, I swear I was either going to be reading about how big Louise’s boobs are or how Louise abandoned her, both were brought up consistently.
As for the plot, as I mentioned above, this was the most low stakes treasure hunt ever. They were kidnapped very early on, but then the rest of the time while supposedly running for their lives, they masturbate (3) times in the hot springs in front of eachother unknowingly (these scenes made me a little uncomfy because they didn’t know the other was doing it), walk the path to find the treasure with little to no action aside from internal drama, more boob glances, etc. The last 20% felt like the best part of the book but at that point I was so ready to be done that I couldn’t enjoy it to its fullest extent.
I really wished I liked this more. I am always looking for a good F/F romance and I always like adventures, however I do not think I will be picking up the other book in this series and after seeing the allegations about the author claiming to be Cherokee when they are not (which Cherokee heritage is a major part of this book), I will not be supporting any future stories either.
I was decently excited for a f/f treasure hunting adventure. However this felt like the most low stakes treasure hunt ever. I honestly found myself more annoyed throughout most of this story than anything. While the last 20% was definitely the best part of the story, I don’t feel as though it made up for the first 80%.
We have Louise and Isa who have been friends for majority of their lives and secretly in love with each other for most of that time as well. Isa lost her mom a while back, so Louise is all she has left. Louise after a breakup decided to take a job in Turkey and has recently returned. I bring this up simply because Isa brings up how Louise abandoned her continuously for the first 60% of the book. I found myself so irritated every time it was brought up because, while her feelings are valid, I just felt that they were so self centered and I just could not empathize with them. She can’t look at Louise the same way afterwords, and can’t see their friendship the same way, because she felt abandoned.
Maybe I am heartless, however, these women are in their thirties, Louise still made trips back to see her important moments, i’m assuming they still communicated, I just felt like Isa was dismissing anything Louise needed to process, and I just could not get behind that being one of the main conflicts between them for most of the book. I feel bad but I think I rolled my eyes every time that was mentioned. There are friends I would die for, but I would never feel abandoned if they left to take care of themselves, or for a job, because their life doesn’t revolve around me sadly. Would I be sad? Of course, but everything about this felt so me me me.
Maybe I am just not a fan of Isi? I did enjoy Louise. I liked her optimism. I found her to be realistic and I liked her passion about her job and how she continued to talk about and connect things she learned in Turkey to the treasure hunt. I also thought she was pretty resourceful. Every time there was an Isi point of view, I swear I was either going to be reading about how big Louise’s boobs are or how Louise abandoned her, both were brought up consistently.
As for the plot, as I mentioned above, this was the most low stakes treasure hunt ever. They were kidnapped very early on, but then the rest of the time while supposedly running for their lives, they masturbate (3) times in the hot springs in front of eachother unknowingly (these scenes made me a little uncomfy because they didn’t know the other was doing it), walk the path to find the treasure with little to no action aside from internal drama, more boob glances, etc. The last 20% felt like the best part of the book but at that point I was so ready to be done that I couldn’t enjoy it to its fullest extent.
I really wished I liked this more. I am always looking for a good F/F romance and I always like adventures, however I do not think I will be picking up the other book in this series and after seeing the allegations about the author claiming to be Cherokee when they are not (which Cherokee heritage is a major part of this book), I will not be supporting any future stories either.
I loved this book as an ARC, but now I see that this week (October 2024) the Tribal Association Against Fraud announced the results of an investigation finding that the author is not actually Native. Native identity is a core part of this book, and if this report is true, this story is not Wilkens' to tell. I don't know very much about the situation, but this blogger has an explainer: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2024/10/tribal-alliance-against-frauds-says-colby-wilkens-is-not-indigenous/
Original:
Oh my gosh???????? I knew that I loved If I Stopped Haunting You (as I write this review, that book comes out tomorrow) but I didn't realize I'd love If I Dig You even more????
I was sitting at the laundromat laughing out loud and then asking myself "wait should I be reading a sex scene at the laundromat?" before realizing that if I stop reading the sex scene at the laundromat that means putting down the book, and I didn't want to do that.
I know I'm loving a book when I pause reading it to text a friend about how much I love it. This book was so funny, and I laughed multiple times when Isi and Louise were trying to escape the kidnappers.
Dr. Isadora Ross and Dr. Louise Morgenstern are archaeologists who used to be best friends until their falling out 14 years ago when Louise went through a breakup and ran off to Italy to do archaeology, leaving her best friend (who continues to mourn her missing mother) behind. Now it's awkward because they're both in love with each other, can't move past the past, and anyway, they each think that their feelings are unrequited. Then a treasure hunter kidnaps Isi and Louise, and they have to escape and continue Isi's mom's search for a hidden Cherokee treasure.
This is definitely a book for if you watched The Mummy or Indiana Jones but wished it were more gay. I also loved the theme of a Native American archaeologist trying to restore the historical artifacts/treasure to the tribal nation that lost it. That part reminds me of Kung Fu Yoga, a 2017 Jackie Chan movie about an archaeologist trying to return a stolen treasure to its rightful owners.
This book was funny and sexy and my only regret is that I now have to wait five months for it to come out.
Tropes/notes: Bi4Bi, There's Only One Bed (in this case, There's Only One Sleeping Bag), Friends to Lovers
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.
Original:
Oh my gosh???????? I knew that I loved If I Stopped Haunting You (as I write this review, that book comes out tomorrow) but I didn't realize I'd love If I Dig You even more????
I was sitting at the laundromat laughing out loud and then asking myself "wait should I be reading a sex scene at the laundromat?" before realizing that if I stop reading the sex scene at the laundromat that means putting down the book, and I didn't want to do that.
I know I'm loving a book when I pause reading it to text a friend about how much I love it. This book was so funny, and I laughed multiple times when Isi and Louise were trying to escape the kidnappers.
Dr. Isadora Ross and Dr. Louise Morgenstern are archaeologists who used to be best friends until their falling out 14 years ago when Louise went through a breakup and ran off to Italy to do archaeology, leaving her best friend (who continues to mourn her missing mother) behind. Now it's awkward because they're both in love with each other, can't move past the past, and anyway, they each think that their feelings are unrequited. Then a treasure hunter kidnaps Isi and Louise, and they have to escape and continue Isi's mom's search for a hidden Cherokee treasure.
This is definitely a book for if you watched The Mummy or Indiana Jones but wished it were more gay. I also loved the theme of a Native American archaeologist trying to restore the historical artifacts/treasure to the tribal nation that lost it. That part reminds me of Kung Fu Yoga, a 2017 Jackie Chan movie about an archaeologist trying to return a stolen treasure to its rightful owners.
This book was funny and sexy and my only regret is that I now have to wait five months for it to come out.
Tropes/notes: Bi4Bi, There's Only One Bed (in this case, There's Only One Sleeping Bag), Friends to Lovers
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.