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tristatereader's Reviews (114)
This is the 26th book I've read this year and it's easily in my top 3 favorite, where I suspect it will stay for the remainder of 2025. This was the best debut I've read since Red, White and Royal Blue.
WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON is a queer historical fantasy with its roots firmly planted in a 1911 Brooklyn, NYC setting. It's during this time that we meet Benigno (Benny) Caldera, a Puerto Rican immigrant who survived the 1899 San Ciriaco Hurricane as a child. After being orphaned in the hurricane and clinging to life in the wreckage, he was saved and taken in by a woman, whom he affectionally called Tití Luz. As Tití Luz's succumbs to tuberculosis, her one wish is for Benny to leave Puerto Rico and start a new life in New York.
A skilled blacksmith, Benny starts work in the Red Hook District of Brooklyn. After an injury leaves him unemployed and unhoused, he finds himself drawn toward Coney Island, and specifically Luna Park. He is commissioned by the proprietor of the show, Sam Morgan, to create an ironwork tank for one of the exhibits. But little does he know that the new exhibit is for a merman, stolen from the banks of the East River. And Sam Morgan is a cruel man who delights in the way the tank now imprisons his most-prized exhibit.
The other exhibits who make up 'Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities' are the people who keep Luna Park running and with Benny's contribution, he finds himself welcomed into this peculiar little found family. When Sam tasks him with the job of tending to the tank he built along with its captor, he is surprised to find an instant connection to the merman named Río. The two develop a deep friendship that blossoms into love. But with Río in captivity and away from the ocean that sustains his life, Benny must decide between freeing a dying Río or keeping Luna Park and his found family safe.
There were so many things I loved about this book, starting with the historical background. As someone who grew up in and around NYC, Venessa's incredible imagery put me smack dab in the middle of 1911 Coney Island. I could see, smell, and taste the boardwalk. Venessa also added a historical timeline in their author's note that was so interesting and informative.
I loved the romance that developed between Benny and Río. These were two beings that could not have been more different, and yet their souls connected. Their love was heartbreaking, inspiring, and all-encompassing. I think Benny said it best when he said, "If Rio's soul was an ocean, then I'd found the sea floor".
And of course I need to talk about the found family. If you know me, you know this is my favorite trope. And Venessa blew me away with Morgan's Menagerie. To Mary, Matthias, Lulu, Vera, Igor, Madam Navya, Eli, Emmett, Timmy, and of course, Benny and Río: I adored every single one. Your unconditional love for one another made my heart so full and so happy.
Last but certainly not least, the artwork. If you don't know, Venessa Kelley is an incredibly talented artist. When I found out WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON would feature Venessa's art throughout, I was so excited to see how that would enhance my reading experience. Never one to disappoint, Venessa's artwork in this novel was not only immersive, but transportive. Having visual aids of the characters you're reading about, while you're reading about them, is absolutely magical. I need more of these illustrated novels for adult audiences, please!
Thank you so much to Erewhon for the gifted copy of this incredible book.
WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON is a queer historical fantasy with its roots firmly planted in a 1911 Brooklyn, NYC setting. It's during this time that we meet Benigno (Benny) Caldera, a Puerto Rican immigrant who survived the 1899 San Ciriaco Hurricane as a child. After being orphaned in the hurricane and clinging to life in the wreckage, he was saved and taken in by a woman, whom he affectionally called Tití Luz. As Tití Luz's succumbs to tuberculosis, her one wish is for Benny to leave Puerto Rico and start a new life in New York.
A skilled blacksmith, Benny starts work in the Red Hook District of Brooklyn. After an injury leaves him unemployed and unhoused, he finds himself drawn toward Coney Island, and specifically Luna Park. He is commissioned by the proprietor of the show, Sam Morgan, to create an ironwork tank for one of the exhibits. But little does he know that the new exhibit is for a merman, stolen from the banks of the East River. And Sam Morgan is a cruel man who delights in the way the tank now imprisons his most-prized exhibit.
The other exhibits who make up 'Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities' are the people who keep Luna Park running and with Benny's contribution, he finds himself welcomed into this peculiar little found family. When Sam tasks him with the job of tending to the tank he built along with its captor, he is surprised to find an instant connection to the merman named Río. The two develop a deep friendship that blossoms into love. But with Río in captivity and away from the ocean that sustains his life, Benny must decide between freeing a dying Río or keeping Luna Park and his found family safe.
There were so many things I loved about this book, starting with the historical background. As someone who grew up in and around NYC, Venessa's incredible imagery put me smack dab in the middle of 1911 Coney Island. I could see, smell, and taste the boardwalk. Venessa also added a historical timeline in their author's note that was so interesting and informative.
I loved the romance that developed between Benny and Río. These were two beings that could not have been more different, and yet their souls connected. Their love was heartbreaking, inspiring, and all-encompassing. I think Benny said it best when he said, "If Rio's soul was an ocean, then I'd found the sea floor".
And of course I need to talk about the found family. If you know me, you know this is my favorite trope. And Venessa blew me away with Morgan's Menagerie. To Mary, Matthias, Lulu, Vera, Igor, Madam Navya, Eli, Emmett, Timmy, and of course, Benny and Río: I adored every single one. Your unconditional love for one another made my heart so full and so happy.
Last but certainly not least, the artwork. If you don't know, Venessa Kelley is an incredibly talented artist. When I found out WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON would feature Venessa's art throughout, I was so excited to see how that would enhance my reading experience. Never one to disappoint, Venessa's artwork in this novel was not only immersive, but transportive. Having visual aids of the characters you're reading about, while you're reading about them, is absolutely magical. I need more of these illustrated novels for adult audiences, please!
Thank you so much to Erewhon for the gifted copy of this incredible book.
Daisy Fabrega-Caraveo could hit me with a bus and I’d say thank you
Ok babes, away we go!
Let's start with a positive: I really enjoyed the plot! This book definitely gave Sleepless in Seattle vibes. 12-year-old Maya calls a radio station to try and get her 29-year-old mother, Lucie, some romantic advice. The call goes viral and Lucie ends up co-hosting the show with grumpy af Aiden Valentine. The storyline was clever, nostalgic, and instantly hooked me.
Now the not so positive ::DUN DUN DUN::
For the first 80% of the book, I found myself annoyed with Aiden. I was like, sir, we know you love this woman, we know you're scared, but you're also a 30-year-old man and it's time to get it together. HOWEVER! Around that 80%, I found my annoyance shifting toward Lucie and here's why: Aiden was nothing but transparent and honest with her the entire time they were getting to know one another. He explicitly stated, on more than one occasion, that he was not looking for a serious relationship. He made his boundaries very clear, and I felt like Lucie kept pushing them. I understand it was her nudging him for the plot I really do, but it irked me. This was his journey to go on and if he wanted to live in his little scared bubble the rest of his life, that's his prerogative you know? I think if he hadn't been so clear about what he wanted and couldn't give her, I wouldn't have been so miffed about it.
Also, my guy Aiden needed THERAPYYY. Lots and lots of therapy. And instead of therapy, he got a 5 minute phone call from his dad at 95% and suddenly he was cured. Everything was fixed, all of his fears ::POOF::! Vanished into thin air. He went to get his girl and they lived happily ever after.
I think had the conversation with dad taken place closer to 50%, maybe after the bar scene when he realized he had strong feelings for Lucie, it would have been a better story. We could have seen him work through his fears, get back into therapy, and communicate / grow with Lucie. And that would have been HOT.
I did love the big romantic gesture at the end, but the epilogue was too unbelievable for me (because of how quickly everything was resolved).
I enjoyed the side characters for the most part. Lucie being a mechanic was really fucking cool and I loved her little work found family. Her daughter Maya was great. I was not a fan of Grayson, who is the self-declared "platonic love of Lucie's life" and Maya's father. They got pregnant the first time they had sex in high school but were never together and now he's married to a man. Felt a little like the author just wanted to add a token queer character? Idk. He was also kind of self-absorbed and had a bit of toxic masculinity going on. Lucie's bestie, Patty(?), was fine. Aiden's bestie, Jackson, was also fine, but I felt like Aiden didn't even like him lol.
Ok that's what I've got for ya. Most likely will not be reading book 2 although I've been told it's Jackson with a work enemy to lovers storyline, which sounds intriguing. We shall see!
Let's start with a positive: I really enjoyed the plot! This book definitely gave Sleepless in Seattle vibes. 12-year-old Maya calls a radio station to try and get her 29-year-old mother, Lucie, some romantic advice. The call goes viral and Lucie ends up co-hosting the show with grumpy af Aiden Valentine. The storyline was clever, nostalgic, and instantly hooked me.
Now the not so positive ::DUN DUN DUN::
For the first 80% of the book, I found myself annoyed with Aiden. I was like, sir, we know you love this woman, we know you're scared, but you're also a 30-year-old man and it's time to get it together. HOWEVER! Around that 80%, I found my annoyance shifting toward Lucie and here's why: Aiden was nothing but transparent and honest with her the entire time they were getting to know one another. He explicitly stated, on more than one occasion, that he was not looking for a serious relationship. He made his boundaries very clear, and I felt like Lucie kept pushing them. I understand it was her nudging him for the plot I really do, but it irked me. This was his journey to go on and if he wanted to live in his little scared bubble the rest of his life, that's his prerogative you know? I think if he hadn't been so clear about what he wanted and couldn't give her, I wouldn't have been so miffed about it.
Also, my guy Aiden needed THERAPYYY. Lots and lots of therapy. And instead of therapy, he got a 5 minute phone call from his dad at 95% and suddenly he was cured. Everything was fixed, all of his fears ::POOF::! Vanished into thin air. He went to get his girl and they lived happily ever after.
I think had the conversation with dad taken place closer to 50%, maybe after the bar scene when he realized he had strong feelings for Lucie, it would have been a better story. We could have seen him work through his fears, get back into therapy, and communicate / grow with Lucie. And that would have been HOT.
I did love the big romantic gesture at the end, but the epilogue was too unbelievable for me (because of how quickly everything was resolved).
I enjoyed the side characters for the most part. Lucie being a mechanic was really fucking cool and I loved her little work found family. Her daughter Maya was great. I was not a fan of Grayson, who is the self-declared "platonic love of Lucie's life" and Maya's father. They got pregnant the first time they had sex in high school but were never together and now he's married to a man. Felt a little like the author just wanted to add a token queer character? Idk. He was also kind of self-absorbed and had a bit of toxic masculinity going on. Lucie's bestie, Patty(?), was fine. Aiden's bestie, Jackson, was also fine, but I felt like Aiden didn't even like him lol.
Ok that's what I've got for ya. Most likely will not be reading book 2 although I've been told it's Jackson with a work enemy to lovers storyline, which sounds intriguing. We shall see!
I know I’m late to the party but my god. The pain. The anguish. The hurt. The LOVE. 😭😭😭😭😭 5 stars, no notes
4.25 ⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The plot was fun, suspenseful, and romantic and easily kept my attention the whole time. There were a lot of little twists and turns throughout this book, but they were easily figured out and I loved them all. The romance between the MCs is extremely slow burning, so keep that in mind when picking this one up. There’s also a horse named Orion who is definitely a leo and I am absolutely obsessed with.
Really hoping Verbena Montrose and Étienne Charbonneau get books in the future 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
Really hoping Verbena Montrose and Étienne Charbonneau get books in the future 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
Ok so full disclosure, I was a bit hesitant with this book at first. I initially was like “what love triangle mess did I just walk into” and there was a very brief moment I considered DNFing. But I’m glad I stuck it out because I ended up really liking this one!
Dr. Josephine Boateng is a physician who has stepped away from direct care in order to focus on her influencer career. She has nearly 500k loyal Instagram followers who turn to her for all things mental, physical, and sexual health. Jo also happens to be a 29-year-old virgin who has been hardcore pining after her millionaire, actor, heartthrob of a best friend, Ezra, for a decade.
When Jo finally discloses her feelings to Ezra at his bday party, he seems caught off guard and hightails it out of the room. Defeated, Jo decides to call it a night and heads back to her guest room at Ezra’s house. But she runs right into Malcolm Waters, who had just ducked into the same room after being overwhelmed by the crowded party.
Mal is a romance author whose debut novel just went viral and landed him on the NYT bestseller list. He also knows exactly who Jo is; he’s been following her instagram for years. The two have a clear connection and decide to explore it. And while her romantic feelings for Mal bloom, Jo struggles to set boundaries with Ezra while wondering if she can ever stop loving him.
While this book was a romance, it was also one about self-discovery and self-acceptance. The audience learned so much about Jo and the trauma she endured throughout her childhood. And we saw how that trauma directly affected her self-worth as she struggled to feel worthy of love.
I have to praise the author for the mental health representation, including the depiction of debilitating depressive episodes and a past suicide attempt. I really loved Mal and his patience in working through Jo’s fears. She deserved someone who was going to love her unconditionally, and Mal was that guy. I also adored that he was a romance writer! I feel like I never see MMCs with a career in romance writing, so that was a really fun piece of this story.
Dr. Josephine Boateng is a physician who has stepped away from direct care in order to focus on her influencer career. She has nearly 500k loyal Instagram followers who turn to her for all things mental, physical, and sexual health. Jo also happens to be a 29-year-old virgin who has been hardcore pining after her millionaire, actor, heartthrob of a best friend, Ezra, for a decade.
When Jo finally discloses her feelings to Ezra at his bday party, he seems caught off guard and hightails it out of the room. Defeated, Jo decides to call it a night and heads back to her guest room at Ezra’s house. But she runs right into Malcolm Waters, who had just ducked into the same room after being overwhelmed by the crowded party.
Mal is a romance author whose debut novel just went viral and landed him on the NYT bestseller list. He also knows exactly who Jo is; he’s been following her instagram for years. The two have a clear connection and decide to explore it. And while her romantic feelings for Mal bloom, Jo struggles to set boundaries with Ezra while wondering if she can ever stop loving him.
While this book was a romance, it was also one about self-discovery and self-acceptance. The audience learned so much about Jo and the trauma she endured throughout her childhood. And we saw how that trauma directly affected her self-worth as she struggled to feel worthy of love.
I have to praise the author for the mental health representation, including the depiction of debilitating depressive episodes and a past suicide attempt. I really loved Mal and his patience in working through Jo’s fears. She deserved someone who was going to love her unconditionally, and Mal was that guy. I also adored that he was a romance writer! I feel like I never see MMCs with a career in romance writing, so that was a really fun piece of this story.
You guys… this was so good! I’ve had The Raven Cycle series on my tbr forever, so I was ecstatic when Penguin Teen reached out to offer me an ARC prize pack for the upcoming graphic novel adaptation of THE RAVEN BOYS. I loveee graphic novels and the box they sent me?!?! Absolutely STUNNING! She deserved a full out photoshoot + unboxing (head to Instagram to check it out @tri.state.reader) 😍📸
I read this book over the weekend and loved it! Although I haven’t read the series yet, I had no issues following along and was excited to get to know Blue and the boys. And it was so fun getting to see their story come to life in graphic novel format. The artwork was breathtaking and it definitely enhanced my feelings and emotions toward these characters (Noah baby angel, you’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life).
THE RAVEN BOYS graphic novel releases August 5th, so make sure you add it to your tbr! Thank you so much to the publisher for the gifted galley and goodies 🖤
I read this book over the weekend and loved it! Although I haven’t read the series yet, I had no issues following along and was excited to get to know Blue and the boys. And it was so fun getting to see their story come to life in graphic novel format. The artwork was breathtaking and it definitely enhanced my feelings and emotions toward these characters (Noah baby angel, you’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life).
THE RAVEN BOYS graphic novel releases August 5th, so make sure you add it to your tbr! Thank you so much to the publisher for the gifted galley and goodies 🖤
God this was cute! Vini and Jessica were two characters I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. And while their sexual chemistry was sizzling, their emotional chemistry was even better. I love how these two came from totally different worlds, upbringings, and backgrounds, yet suited each other so well. They just fit together like a puzzle. I would have loved if this book had been a bit longer so we could really flesh out Vini and Jess’ characters as individuals. This book was low angst with a swoony HEA.
I actually had to whip out my laptop to write this review. And there will be spoilers so look away if you don't want to see them.
So first and foremost, the synopsis on the back of this book does NOT match the story inside.
The main plot of this book is that Stanford's golden couple, Penelope Ross and Lukas Blomqvist, are having relationship issues because Lukas is into BDSM and kink and Penelope is not. Penelope tells her teammate and friend, Scarlett, which I hated because why are you outing your bf's personal info like that? Scarlett then confides in Pen that she also happens to be into BDSM and kink. Idk what the point of the disclosure was tbh. Was Scarlett going to be a support for Pen in her exploration?
Fast forward to a party where Pen is drunk and Lukas and Scarlett are trying to get her home. Mind you, Lukas and Scarlett don't really know one another. They know of each other due to both being student athletes (Lukas a swimmer and Scarlett a diver). But that's really the extent of it. Then drunk Pen decides to aggressively push the idea that Lukas and Scarlett should start having sex because they're both into BDSM and kink. AGAIN with the outing of people's personal info. She apologizes to Scarlett the next morning and all is forgiven 🙄
Then Pen and Lukas break up. But being that they've been together for 7 years and are the "it" couple at Stanford, they don't want to tell anyone. So they pretend to still be dating while Pen is now having sex with her TA and Lukas is aggressively pursuing Scarlett due to their shared sexual interests. It was such a strange, love triangle-esque dynamic throughout the whole book and it drove me nuts.
Meanwhile, poor Scarlett is an absolute mess. This woman deserves the whole entire world. Her mom passed away when she was 2 and her father was incrediblyyyy abusive in every possible way to the point where her stepmom basically abducted her from school one day and fought for custody just to get her away from him. In addition to the PTSD stemming from all of that, she also suffered a horrific diving injury the previous year which resulted in numerous surgeries and has now caused a "block" in her athletic performance. She doesn't really have any friends, is living with a shitty roommate, and is just trying to keep her head above water (no pun intended). I felt like the last thing she needed was to be involved in this weird-ass love triangle type situation, which caused her so much added stress.
I almost DNFed this book 6 times, but I persevered so that I could write this review with the utmost confidence. Of course this story was wrapped up into a neat little bow in the last 30 or so pages, but I didn't buy it. I didn't really see how Scarlett worked through any of her trauma history; she was just suddenly all better.
**PSA** BDSM and kink play a huge role in this book and are written in a very graphic way so if that's not something you enjoy, you might want to skip this one. Take care of yourselves 🩷
So first and foremost, the synopsis on the back of this book does NOT match the story inside.
The main plot of this book is that Stanford's golden couple, Penelope Ross and Lukas Blomqvist, are having relationship issues because Lukas is into BDSM and kink and Penelope is not. Penelope tells her teammate and friend, Scarlett, which I hated because why are you outing your bf's personal info like that? Scarlett then confides in Pen that she also happens to be into BDSM and kink. Idk what the point of the disclosure was tbh. Was Scarlett going to be a support for Pen in her exploration?
Fast forward to a party where Pen is drunk and Lukas and Scarlett are trying to get her home. Mind you, Lukas and Scarlett don't really know one another. They know of each other due to both being student athletes (Lukas a swimmer and Scarlett a diver). But that's really the extent of it. Then drunk Pen decides to aggressively push the idea that Lukas and Scarlett should start having sex because they're both into BDSM and kink. AGAIN with the outing of people's personal info. She apologizes to Scarlett the next morning and all is forgiven 🙄
Then Pen and Lukas break up. But being that they've been together for 7 years and are the "it" couple at Stanford, they don't want to tell anyone. So they pretend to still be dating while Pen is now having sex with her TA and Lukas is aggressively pursuing Scarlett due to their shared sexual interests. It was such a strange, love triangle-esque dynamic throughout the whole book and it drove me nuts.
Meanwhile, poor Scarlett is an absolute mess. This woman deserves the whole entire world. Her mom passed away when she was 2 and her father was incrediblyyyy abusive in every possible way to the point where her stepmom basically abducted her from school one day and fought for custody just to get her away from him. In addition to the PTSD stemming from all of that, she also suffered a horrific diving injury the previous year which resulted in numerous surgeries and has now caused a "block" in her athletic performance. She doesn't really have any friends, is living with a shitty roommate, and is just trying to keep her head above water (no pun intended). I felt like the last thing she needed was to be involved in this weird-ass love triangle type situation, which caused her so much added stress.
I almost DNFed this book 6 times, but I persevered so that I could write this review with the utmost confidence. Of course this story was wrapped up into a neat little bow in the last 30 or so pages, but I didn't buy it. I didn't really see how Scarlett worked through any of her trauma history; she was just suddenly all better.
**PSA** BDSM and kink play a huge role in this book and are written in a very graphic way so if that's not something you enjoy, you might want to skip this one. Take care of yourselves 🩷