Scan barcode
A review by lionelle_swithens
Found in Obscurity by A.M. Rose
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
2,5 light in the dark Stars
ARC Read: 16/09/2024
I received this ebook for free from the author and I'm leaving this review of my own accord. Thank you, A.M. Rose.
What to expect from this book? 🤔
❤️🔥 Adult MM Paranormal Fantasy Romance
🔮 Witch x Fox Shifter Familiar 🦊❄️
👉 Fated Mates/Soul Bounded
👉 Insta-Together
👉 A Cursed Shifter/Familiar Looking For His Mate
&
👉 A Lonely Witch Afraid Of A Past Tragedy Repeating
📜 Witch Magic Powers 📖🔮
❄️🦊❄️👉 Virgin MC
👉 Witch Community
🤔👉 98% Slow Burn: Mystery, Flirting, Solving Problems, Doing Magic, Shifting
🤔👉 2% Of Smut
Series: Tales From The Tarot #10
Cover: 5/5
Story: 2,5/5
Genre/Trope:Adult/MM Romance/Fated Mates/Queer First Times/V Card/Sun Kissed Spirit/Off The Grid/Paranormal/Fantasy/Not To Much Darkness/Insta-Love/Opposites Attract/Forced Proximity/Mystery/LGTBQIA Plus/New Authors/Possessive Shapeshifter/Slow Burn/ARC
Content/Trigger Warnings:descriptions of enslavement of shifters, forest fire
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲Q❄️u🦊o🌲t❄️e❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲
"Kit buried himself against the witch’s chest, burrowing deeper like he could crawl straight inside him and curl up and rest. Finally safe. Finally whole. Finally with his mate."
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊
Plot: 2,5/5
POV: 2
Main Characters:
4/5 – Kit, Age Unknown, Fox Shifter, Familiar
2/5 – Lorin, 25-30yo, witch
The first thing I LOVED about this book was the cozy vibe I got from being in Lorin’s house with the delightful Kit.
The second was Kit's POV in his fox form or Lorin’s descriptions of Kit 🦊 being absolutely adorable and cute! Oh, and also the bathtub spell!
If, after reading my whole review, you're wondering why my rating is 2.5/3 stars instead of 0/2, it’s because I don’t rate books that low if they don’t include discrimination or hate speech, even if the book isn’t the best thing you’ve read.
ARC or no ARC, this is my honest opinion, and according to my rating system, this is my rating.
The smut was... ah, nonexistent and very poorly written. The authors skipped the most important trivial parts.
Maybe the authors thought they didn’t have to bother with the "not-so-trivial" stuff because they had cheesy, fluffy, sugar-coated content with sprinkles on top....and a cherry too (pun intended). Instead of writing at least half a page (no more than that) of NORMAL HUMAN RELATIONSHIP COMMUNICATION.
😮💨 What the authors gave us just didn’t feel real! It's just disappointing bc it had pontecial!
Let’s look at the important trivial conversations that adults in real life have before doing anything sexual related, which the authors decided weren’t worth including:
1. No discussion about roles, whether either of them were tops, bottoms, or versatile. Lorin was like, oh, we’re going to do it now? No need to talk because I know I’m going to top you. Sooo we just going to pretend that the MCs talked...okay I'm closing my eyes 🙈....is it done already? 🙉 are you finish....ufff I'm glad that's over! 🙄
2. Super confusing relationship, Lorin was initially jealous (based on assumptions he didn’t clarify with Kit) about whether Kit had been with anyone intimately. Then, in the first and only intimate scene we get in the entire book, Lorin says it’s Kit’s first time? Okay... confusing, but this is what happens when there’s zero communication between the main characters about such important topics.
🤔So, to recap: Lorin, the more experienced one, doesn’t communicate at all with Kit about their sexual preferences, even though it’s Kit’s first time.....🤨 okay.okay.okay.sure.sure.sure.sure.no doubt.no doubt.no doubt
On to the next common trivial facts or the "no need to have a guideline" guideline....usually, u just need common sense!
3. Brief description of prep, but no lube, there’s no mention of Kit having natural lubrication either, so... okay. For Kit’s first time? 🤔🙂👍👍...hmmm.... the prepping was done by Lorin...hmmm....who is what?....A witch....And this kind of witches have what?.....Glad u ask! Sharp, claw-like nails.... that definitely damages skin, and they are also longer than average human nails...🤔🤔🤔 so how exactly was Lorin able to prep Kit without any lube (bc there’s no mention) and with sharp nails? 🙃 that makes PERFECT sense!! Another mystery to add to the over growing pile...
And this could’ve been EASLY solved with magic!!!!
4. Unprotected sex, as we often see in Fated Mates stories, there’s a lack of conversation about protection. Lorin and Kit don’t discuss whether they’re comfortable with going without a condom or if it even matters to them, just like in many Fated Mates books.
This might be overlooked 😒, but there’s nothing sexier than a bit of communication about what they’re going to do!!! Another missed opportunity to add a little more smut!!! Easly
5. The Post-Sex and Morning creampie disappearance Mystery🔍🤔. So, the deed is done. What’s next... aftercare, Lorin? You’re not going to take care of your mate, even after his first time? No?👌 Morning comes, and Kit "magically" doesn’t even need to shower....nothing, zero. He just gets up and goes for his morning run in his fox form. Okay, let’s just forget that he had residue inside him... Really, what are showers for?
Okay, I’m done. Sorry, not sorry....just keeping the facts real. 🤗
I’m not judging the book for having no smut. I saw the trope list, and it does say Slow Burn (however, that should’ve been made clearer in the blurb) and it has almost no smut.
🤔 Well, I think there isn’t really smut....just the act...or...action...or a brief description of intercourse.
Even though I’m not a fan of slow burns, I can still enjoy one... but with the expectation that we’d get to the smut by at least 60%, not at 78-86%! And then we get just one and a half scenes? WTF?
So, I’m going to think this book as the intended audience this is for, not as someone like me who expects at least five smut scenes...whenever the authors feel like giving them, really!
Side Characters: 2/5
Well, let’s keep this quick, shall we?
The cliché of a small hometown with a small-minded community ✔️
A another trope that I prefer not to read... 😮💨🤧
The thing that bothered me the most was the 'sex thing' (I’m not sure what to call it).
Besides that, I can overlook the rest.
But here is THE REST:
I didn’t understand why the witch community was mean, rude, and made stupid assumptions about Lorin.
There’s no solid explanation for their behavior. It’s unnecessary and full of futile assumptions about Lorin... like with Grandma.
Lorin’s Grandma is indecipherable. I don’t think this grandmother-grandson relationship is healthy, and the fact that Grandma never truly admitted she was a COMPLETELY mean, old know-it-all was frustrating. Lorin always mentioned how mean she was to him but somehow just got over it!
That didn’t seem right. Why make the grandmother so horrible... rude, mean, disrespectful, and manipulative.... if she’s not going to fully redeem herself? That felt like a plot hole or just plain bad writing!
Glenn seemed like a missed opportunity for representing a gender neutral or trans character.
Oh, and I just remembered, I didn’t like the descriptions of the MCs about each other before they met, because they assumed each other’s gender. In today’s context, that just feels wrong.
Also, the heteronormative role descriptions of the MCs’ respective parents were just cliché and unremarkable. He is described as strong and musky, while she is beautifully in flowing dress and smells like flowers... You know the drill 😐
Tarot Card: The Hermit
The description and ambiance of The Magic Shop were good, as was The Owner interactions.
The only thing I didn’t understand was why The Owner, even though he sent the package to Lorin's home like he said he would, also said he was coming back but never appeared or was brought up again.
At least we had The Hermit tarot card drawn in this book.
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲Q❄️u🦊o🌲t❄️e❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲
"Kit had crawled his way into Lorin’s lap before he could even process it, winding himself into a tight ball on his knees before plopping his head down and falling asleep.
His fluffy tail was wrapped around Lorin’s wrist as if he was afraid Lorin would find a way to leave without him, even with Kit literally sitting on top of him."
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊
Humor: Low Focus
Angst: High Focus
Steam Level: 1,5/5
Romance: Medium High Focus
Cheating?No
Cons:The only thing I didn't need was the specifics on the food. My favorite kinds of books are the ones that don't describe the food the characters are eating in every scene, or at least only once or twice. It's not just because I'm vegan—I respect everyone's choices—but I also don't think it's necessary to define a character's lifestyle or personality by their food preferences. That's why I don't read chef or food-related books. That being said, the book mentions food about 5-7 times. What I found COMPLETELY unnecessary was the need to specify exactly what Lorin was feeding Kit in his Fox form.
The Ending: 2/5 (predictable and too long)
HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger?HEA
Favorite character?Kit (specially in his Fox form)
Would I read more of this authors? Maybe, if the next book has a good amount of smut
Will I read this again in the future? No
This is my 1st book by A.M. Rose
Enjoyment: 3/5
ARC Read: 16/09/2024
I received this ebook for free from the author and I'm leaving this review of my own accord. Thank you, A.M. Rose.
What to expect from this book? 🤔
❤️🔥 Adult MM Paranormal Fantasy Romance
🔮 Witch x Fox Shifter Familiar 🦊❄️
👉 Fated Mates/Soul Bounded
👉 Insta-Together
👉 A Cursed Shifter/Familiar Looking For His Mate
&
👉 A Lonely Witch Afraid Of A Past Tragedy Repeating
📜 Witch Magic Powers 📖🔮
❄️🦊❄️👉 Virgin MC
👉 Witch Community
🤔👉 98% Slow Burn: Mystery, Flirting, Solving Problems, Doing Magic, Shifting
🤔👉 2% Of Smut
Series: Tales From The Tarot #10
Cover: 5/5
Story: 2,5/5
Genre/Trope:Adult/MM Romance/Fated Mates/Queer First Times/V Card/Sun Kissed Spirit/Off The Grid/Paranormal/Fantasy/Not To Much Darkness/Insta-Love/Opposites Attract/Forced Proximity/Mystery/LGTBQIA Plus/New Authors/Possessive Shapeshifter/Slow Burn/ARC
Content/Trigger Warnings:
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲Q❄️u🦊o🌲t❄️e❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲
"Kit buried himself against the witch’s chest, burrowing deeper like he could crawl straight inside him and curl up and rest. Finally safe. Finally whole. Finally with his mate."
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊
Plot: 2,5/5
POV: 2
Main Characters:
4/5 – Kit, Age Unknown, Fox Shifter, Familiar
2/5 – Lorin, 25-30yo, witch
The first thing I LOVED about this book was the cozy vibe I got from being in Lorin’s house with the delightful Kit.
The second was Kit's POV in his fox form or Lorin’s descriptions of Kit 🦊 being absolutely adorable and cute! Oh, and also the bathtub spell!
If, after reading my whole review, you're wondering why my rating is 2.5/3 stars instead of 0/2, it’s because I don’t rate books that low if they don’t include discrimination or hate speech, even if the book isn’t the best thing you’ve read.
ARC or no ARC, this is my honest opinion, and according to my rating system, this is my rating.
The smut was... ah, nonexistent and very poorly written. The authors skipped the most important trivial parts.
Maybe the authors thought they didn’t have to bother with the "not-so-trivial" stuff because they had cheesy, fluffy, sugar-coated content with sprinkles on top....and a cherry too (pun intended). Instead of writing at least half a page (no more than that) of NORMAL HUMAN RELATIONSHIP COMMUNICATION.
😮💨 What the authors gave us just didn’t feel real! It's just disappointing bc it had pontecial!
Let’s look at the important trivial conversations that adults in real life have before doing anything sexual related, which the authors decided weren’t worth including:
1. No discussion about roles, whether either of them were tops, bottoms, or versatile. Lorin was like, oh, we’re going to do it now? No need to talk because I know I’m going to top you. Sooo we just going to pretend that the MCs talked...okay I'm closing my eyes 🙈....is it done already? 🙉 are you finish....ufff I'm glad that's over! 🙄
2. Super confusing relationship, Lorin was initially jealous (based on assumptions he didn’t clarify with Kit) about whether Kit had been with anyone intimately. Then, in the first and only intimate scene we get in the entire book, Lorin says it’s Kit’s first time? Okay... confusing, but this is what happens when there’s zero communication between the main characters about such important topics.
🤔So, to recap: Lorin, the more experienced one, doesn’t communicate at all with Kit about their sexual preferences, even though it’s Kit’s first time.....🤨 okay.okay.okay.sure.sure.sure.sure.no doubt.no doubt.no doubt
On to the next common trivial facts or the "no need to have a guideline" guideline....usually, u just need common sense!
3. Brief description of prep, but no lube, there’s no mention of Kit having natural lubrication either, so... okay. For Kit’s first time? 🤔🙂👍👍...hmmm.... the prepping was done by Lorin...hmmm....who is what?....A witch....And this kind of witches have what?.....Glad u ask! Sharp, claw-like nails.... that definitely damages skin, and they are also longer than average human nails...🤔🤔🤔 so how exactly was Lorin able to prep Kit without any lube (bc there’s no mention) and with sharp nails? 🙃 that makes PERFECT sense!! Another mystery to add to the over growing pile...
And this could’ve been EASLY solved with magic!!!!
4. Unprotected sex, as we often see in Fated Mates stories, there’s a lack of conversation about protection. Lorin and Kit don’t discuss whether they’re comfortable with going without a condom or if it even matters to them, just like in many Fated Mates books.
This might be overlooked 😒, but there’s nothing sexier than a bit of communication about what they’re going to do!!! Another missed opportunity to add a little more smut!!! Easly
5. The Post-Sex and Morning creampie disappearance Mystery🔍🤔. So, the deed is done. What’s next... aftercare, Lorin? You’re not going to take care of your mate, even after his first time? No?👌 Morning comes, and Kit "magically" doesn’t even need to shower....nothing, zero. He just gets up and goes for his morning run in his fox form. Okay, let’s just forget that he had residue inside him... Really, what are showers for?
Okay, I’m done. Sorry, not sorry....just keeping the facts real. 🤗
I’m not judging the book for having no smut. I saw the trope list, and it does say Slow Burn (however, that should’ve been made clearer in the blurb) and it has almost no smut.
🤔 Well, I think there isn’t really smut....just the act...or...action...or a brief description of intercourse.
Even though I’m not a fan of slow burns, I can still enjoy one... but with the expectation that we’d get to the smut by at least 60%, not at 78-86%! And then we get just one and a half scenes? WTF?
So, I’m going to think this book as the intended audience this is for, not as someone like me who expects at least five smut scenes...whenever the authors feel like giving them, really!
Side Characters: 2/5
Well, let’s keep this quick, shall we?
The cliché of a small hometown with a small-minded community ✔️
A another trope that I prefer not to read... 😮💨🤧
The thing that bothered me the most was the 'sex thing' (I’m not sure what to call it).
Besides that, I can overlook the rest.
But here is THE REST:
I didn’t understand why the witch community was mean, rude, and made stupid assumptions about Lorin.
There’s no solid explanation for their behavior. It’s unnecessary and full of futile assumptions about Lorin... like with Grandma.
Lorin’s Grandma is indecipherable. I don’t think this grandmother-grandson relationship is healthy, and the fact that Grandma never truly admitted she was a COMPLETELY mean, old know-it-all was frustrating. Lorin always mentioned how mean she was to him but somehow just got over it!
That didn’t seem right. Why make the grandmother so horrible... rude, mean, disrespectful, and manipulative.... if she’s not going to fully redeem herself? That felt like a plot hole or just plain bad writing!
Glenn seemed like a missed opportunity for representing a gender neutral or trans character.
Oh, and I just remembered, I didn’t like the descriptions of the MCs about each other before they met, because they assumed each other’s gender. In today’s context, that just feels wrong.
Also, the heteronormative role descriptions of the MCs’ respective parents were just cliché and unremarkable. He is described as strong and musky, while she is beautifully in flowing dress and smells like flowers... You know the drill 😐
Tarot Card: The Hermit
The description and ambiance of The Magic Shop were good, as was The Owner interactions.
The only thing I didn’t understand was why The Owner, even though he sent the package to Lorin's home like he said he would, also said he was coming back but never appeared or was brought up again.
At least we had The Hermit tarot card drawn in this book.
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲Q❄️u🦊o🌲t❄️e❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲
"Kit had crawled his way into Lorin’s lap before he could even process it, winding himself into a tight ball on his knees before plopping his head down and falling asleep.
His fluffy tail was wrapped around Lorin’s wrist as if he was afraid Lorin would find a way to leave without him, even with Kit literally sitting on top of him."
❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊🌲❄️🦊
Humor: Low Focus
Angst: High Focus
Steam Level: 1,5/5
Romance: Medium High Focus
Cheating?
Cons:The only thing I didn't need was the specifics on the food. My favorite kinds of books are the ones that don't describe the food the characters are eating in every scene, or at least only once or twice. It's not just because I'm vegan—I respect everyone's choices—but I also don't think it's necessary to define a character's lifestyle or personality by their food preferences. That's why I don't read chef or food-related books. That being said, the book mentions food about 5-7 times. What I found COMPLETELY unnecessary was the need to specify exactly what Lorin was feeding Kit in his Fox form.
The Ending: 2/5 (predictable and too long)
HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger?
Favorite character?
Would I read more of this authors? Maybe, if the next book has a good amount of smut
Will I read this again in the future? No
This is my 1st book by A.M. Rose
Enjoyment: 3/5
Tales From The Tarot Series:
💙 4.
💜 5.
🖤 6.
❤ 7.
💚 8.
🧡 9. By Rude Strength by K.L. Hiers - Currently Reading 🧡
💛 10.
!! I don't equate fiction stories to real life. It's a matter of personal taste and what you are willing or want to tolerate in the books you read. We all have different opinions and preferences when it comes to the kind of books we enjoy, so it's important to respect and remember that it's just a book!!
Hope this review was helpful.
Click Here:
To See My Goodreads Review
To See All My Reviews On StoryGraph
To See All My Socials
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent