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Don't Let The Forest In by Cg Drews

As alluring as it is unsettling, award-winning author CG Drews' debut YA psychological horror will leave readers breathless and hesitant to venture deeper into the woods. Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him. Kill for him. High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality—Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more. But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions...
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A Case of Possession by KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies, #2)

Magic in the blood. Danger in the streets.

Lord Crane has never had a lover quite as elusive as Stephen Day. He knows Stephen’s job as justiciar requires secrecy, but the magician is doing his disappearing act more than seems reasonable—especially since Crane will soon return to his home in China. When a blackmailer threatens to expose their illicit relationship, there's only one thing stopping Crane from leaving the country he loathes: Stephen.

Stephen has problems of his own. As he investigates a plague of giant rats sweeping London, his sudden increase in power, boosted by his blood-and-sex bond with Crane, is rousing suspicion that he’s turned warlock. With all eyes on him, the threat of exposure grows. Stephen could lose his friends, his job and his liberty over his relationship with Crane. He’s not sure if he can take that risk much longer. Crane isn’t sure if he can ask him to.

The rats are closing in, and something has to give…

TITLE: A Case of Possession
AUTHOR: KJ Charles
PUBLISHER: KJC Books
YEAR: 2014
LENGTH: 182 pages
AGE: Adult
GENRE: Paranormal Romance, Historical Fiction
RECOMMENDED: Yes

Includes the short story A CASE OF SPIRITS.

Queer Rep Summary: Gay/Achillean Main Character(s), Closeted/Questioning Main Character(s), Ace/Aro Minor Character(s).

A CASE OF POSSESSION is a great sequel, continuing the romance from THE MAGPIE LORD while maintaining a similar body count. Covert lovers solving a murder is a very scintillating combination and it works well. 

The story balance between their relationship and solving the actual murders is artful, so perfectly balanced. I love the rapport between the main characters and it's so great to see both of them in the context of other people they know and/or work with.

This doesn't really wrap up anything left hanging from the first book, the main thing it continues is the ongoing relationship between the main characters but that definitely doesn't end here. The entire storyline starts in this volume and wasn't present previously, and the main plot is introduced and resolved within this book. It doesn't leave anything specific to be picked up later in terms of the specific plot, but since this is a paranormal romance series, the relationship itself is the throughline and definitely has more to be explored. The main characters haven't changed and the POV character is the same. The previous book alternated between Stephen and Crane, but this one is just Crane because it's focused on his perspective on their relationship, and a lot of the tension from that is the uncertainty caused by the way Stephen comes and goes with no notice. Crane's narrative voice is consistent with the previous book. This would mostly make sense if someone read it without the first book, though of course the relationships already in place would lack some of the backstory from before.

This continues the mix of magic, trauma, catharsis, and very steamy sex which made the first book so good, I'll definitely finish reading the trilogy.

CW for cursing, xenophobia, racism, ableism, sexism, homophobia (graphic), sexual content (explicit), kidnapping, confinement, drug abuse (not depicted), vomit, blood, gore, suicide (not depicted), rape, animal death, child death (not depicted), murder (graphic), death (graphic).

CWs for A CASE OF SPIRITS: alcoholism, gore, death.

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Two men with hats, silhouetted in front of a short iron gate with a clocktower in the distance. Magpies fly around the the words "A CASE OF POSSESSION" in large letters.


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