Jessica E. Subject's Blog

3 Secrets to Love, the second book in my Romance Tales from the Quadrants series releases on September 15th, and I thought I would share the official excerpt with you. Enjoy! ​I glanced both ways down the hall to see if I still had time to calm myself but saw a figure rounding the corner and heading toward me. Based on his size and saunter, I knew it was Phalon. Most others I’d met at his height or taller, lumbered forward as they walked. But Phalon was more casual, almost cocky looking with his gait. Most would assume he developed that as a racer, but his walk was always more distinctive than any others. Even while wearing the unflattering red flight suit.
 
On his way toward me, he paused for a moment before a big smile spread across his face. “Xacalla? Is that really you?”
 
I nodded and waved, unable to stop the warmth filling my cheeks. Stars, why was I like this with him?
 
He moved even faster, almost running toward me. After setting down the box he held, he pulled me into his arms and held me tight against his chest. “It’s so good to see you again. It’s been way too long.”
 
Though I didn’t know if he simply said those words to be nice since he knew how to contact me, I took his words as sincere. My body relaxed into his. Almost too much. When he pulled back, I nearly lost my balance and hoped he didn’t notice.
 
“What are you doing here?” He held my shoulders as he gazed down at me. “You didn’t have to arrange a special meeting just to see me again. You’re pretty much family. Message me and I will make time for you.”
 
For some reason, my stomach rolled at the word “family” and I didn’t get comfort from his open invitation. Though I should have. I’d always liked Phalon.
 
“Although I’m super happy to see you again, I’m not here for a personal visit.” I held up my identification badge. “I’m here on behalf of the Four Corners Wish Foundation.”
 
“Oh.” He let go of me and took a step back, his facial features tightening. “I’m sorry. I was hoping...” His words trailed off as he rubbed a hand over his face. “I didn’t realize you worked for them. So much has changed since I last saw you.”
3 Secrets to Love at Amazon Universal Buy Link Xacalla loves fulfilling the dreams of underprivileged and critically ill children through the Four Corners Wish Foundation. Her position takes her across the Quadrants to help many sweet kids realize their heartfelt aspirations. But Xacalla’s next assignment is quite different from the others and takes her back to Eurebly to reunite with an aerobatics pilot she knows well.

Former space racer, Phalon loves to fly. Now an aerobatics pilot, he dreads the day his new flying partner considers starting a family. When he gets a notification of a private ‘meet and greet,’ Phalon figures some rich fan wants the up-close experience pilots are known for. He doesn’t expect to find his former teammate’s younger sister waiting for him, or the heavily guarded triplets with her.

But the reunion is interrupted. Armed beings abduct the children for the secrets they know about the pilot.

Phalon and Xacalla race to rescue the young ones. Flying across the universe in tight quarters, they grow much closer. But will they find the triplets in time and make it back to explore their burgeoning new romance, or will they meet their end in the coldest, farthest reaches of the Quadrants? 
3 Secrets to Love is the second book in Jessica E. Subject’s sweet and spicy Kaddim Brothers spinoff series, Romance Tales from the Quadrants. 3 Secrets to Love features Xacalla, who travels all over the quadrants to grant wishes for critically ill and underprivileged children, Phalon, who is a former space racer turned aerobatics pilot, a mission that is unlike any of the others, three children who are hunted because of the secrets they carry, perilous journeys across the quadrants, and a burgeoning romance. If you like space adventure, slow-burn romance, brother’s best friend romance, secrets that can shake up an entire planet, and close families, read 3 Secrets to Love today.

Below are the books that I read in July and my thoughts on each. I'm a little late posting again, but here we are...

I'm not doing any formal reading challenges this year, but I seem to be doing my own in an informal way. In July, I read more books by Canadian authors, including two that I had been waiting for since last year. All the books this month were 5 star reads for me.

This month, I am reading random titles that I already own. In September I will read books by Indigenous Authors since September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a symbolic day in Canada that recognizes the stripping away of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. TITAN OF THE STARS by E.K. Johnston

Space Horror is one of my favourite genres to read right now, so when I found out E.K. Johnston had written one, I was excited to read it and pre-ordered from my local bookstore. Titan of the Stars combines E.K. Johnston's memorable young adult characters, the Canadian settings I can't get enough of, and her purposeful commentary on human rights and the status quo, with space travel, aliens, and the philosophy that everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I loved every word of this thrilling ride! As I got to the last chapter, I was unsure as to whether I would be happy with the ending based on some of the books I've read earlier this year, but Titan of the Stars truly has a perfectly satisfying ending that also leaves it open for a sequel. I can't wait!  YOU STARTED IT by Jackie Khalilieh

Jackie Khalilieh definitely leveled up with You Started It! A story about a senior girl in high school, You Started It brings so much angst, dramatic family moments, and teen awkwardness together with heartbreak, fake dating, real love, and finding oneself. Everything meshed so perfectly to take me on quite the roller coaster ride of emotions, I didn't want to put the book down! I love Jamie as the main character! She's very real with all her flaws, including anxiety induced IBS, and her growth throughout the story is a treat. Her family is wonderful, even though they are far from perfect. And I love that it is set in Toronto! I also love the Arab hero of the story! Axel is perfectly opposite Jamie, but able to open her eyes to so many new experiences. If you like YA books, fake dating, opposites attract, and very real characters with very real issues, read You Started It! I'm so happy I did and I look forward to reading Jackie Khalilieh's next book!  ONLY MOSTLY DEAD by Alli Temple

This is a fun story about a woman named Ember with terminal cancer who dies from MAID. But the afterlife is nothing like what she expected. It's an unorganized corporation of overworked reapers who are trying to keep up with all the dead people, but end up leaving too many souls behind. Then there's the wraith problem. Ember tries to take control of her own post-death destiny, but ends up needing help from a medium and a retired reaper. But there are still many unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed this story, and it was an extra bonus that it was set in Toronto and area as well as other Canadian cities. I look forward to reading more  by Alli Temple, especially the next book in the Afterlife Incorporated series!

Below are the books that I finished in June and my thoughts on each. I'm a little late posting, plus I didn't read as many books last month as I'd hoped, but here we are...

I'm not doing any formal reading challenges this year, but I seem to be doing my own in an informal way. In June, I read books for Pride Month. They were both lesbian young adult titles, one about beings with super powers and assassins, and the other more dystopian. Both were great, but the second one left me disappointed with the ending.

This month, I am reading Canadian authors again. In August, I will simply read from the books I own, and in September I will read books by Indigenous Authors since September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a symbolic day in Canada that recognizes the stripping away of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. THE ASSASSIN'S GUIDE TO BABYSITTING by Natalie C. Parker

Growing up, one of my favourite movies was Adventures in Babysitting, so when I saw the title and cover of this book, I was immediately intrigued. Though, as the author describes it, the story is more John Wick x Babysitter's Club. I really enjoyed the story with its constant action while also learning more about Tru and how Logan trained her to be an assassin like him. The romance is sweet and cautious while everything else is going on around them, including the friendships between Tru and her fellow Talented. I really enjoyed this story right to the very last word, which I was hoping for.
FABLE FOR THE END OF THE WORLD by Ava Reid

In Fable for the End of the World, the people run under a credit system where they use credits for things they need and earn credits through work. Even helping out a neighbor can lead to an exchange in credits or put them in your debt. The problem is, once you have reached a debt limit, you must pay with your life or the life of a relative in a live-streamed game where cybernetic "Angels" will be sent to hunt the "lamb." In the often flooded hillside town of Esopus, Inesa is a self-taught taxidermist, stuffing the last of the non-mutated creatures for the rich in the city. Her brother hunts them and brings them back for her to prepare and sell. Unbeknownst to the children, their mother has a shopping addiction and has wracked up her debt to its limit. When the corporation, Caerus, comes calling, she puts up Inesa as her "lamb." With the help of her brother, Luka, Inesa is on the run with no sleep and little to eat, simply to survive. The "Angel" after her is Melinoë, a young woman whose memories were wiped before she was given a cybernetic eye and other "upgrades" without her consent. She is the newest model, and Caerus is watching her closely. She may seem like an emotionless cyborg, but her main purpose in playing the game is not to win, but to never fail. She knows if she does, her memories will be wiped and her cybernetic eye removed before becoming a concubine to one of the many powerful business leaders of Caerus.

Without spoiling the story, I will say the world building was amazing and the characters were wonderful, even if some of them didn't start out as likeable. The enemies to lovers relationship between Inesa and Melinoë was well developed, which made the ending somewhat disappointing, even if seemingly realistic for the story. I can only hope in my mind what happened after the end of the book.

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ONCE UPON A REC CENTER WISH (City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams #2)

I don’t have time for wishes… but that didn’t stop me from making one.

I need a new place to live. Due to neighborhood redevelopment, my apartment building will be demolished in a week. And I still don’t have a new home. I plan to continue my search after I get some sleep.

Then my neighbor asks for one last favor. She needs someone to take her kids to the rec center for their lessons. I can’t say no, so I’m back on the bus again with three kids in tow.

After dropping them off, I run into a strange man who hands me a card and tells me to make a wish. All I want is a place to lay my head.

That’s when everything changes.

Instead of rushing for the bus, I run smack into a brawny alpha at the edge of a meadow. Wearing only a toolbelt and a trapper’s hat, he promises me a place to stay and a mate if I agree to have shifter babies. It all seems like a dream, but what if I finally found everything I’ve ever dreamed of?

Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is the second story in the new City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series by USA Today bestselling author Jessica E. Subject. Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is a MM MPreg shifter fantasy romance that features a man in desperate need of a place to live, a shy alpha beaver shifter who takes pride in his work, the wizard who brings them together, and many other new and old fantastical creatures from the Enchanted Forest. If you like fated mates, true love, males having babies, baby beaver shifters, and a guaranteed happy ever after, read Once Upon a Rec Center Wish. While each book in the City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series is set in the same world, they can be read as standalones.
Once Upon a Rec Center Wish at Amazon US Once Upon a Rec Center Wish in paperback Universal Buy Link Enjoy an excerpt from ONCE UPON A REC CENTER WISH...

I had the strangest dream. About a beaver who looked like a man. There was a wizard. And a forest. I opened my eyes, expecting to be on the bus, as I knew I hadn’t made it home because I couldn’t feel the broken springs of my mattress. Instead, I wasn’t anywhere near the city. There really was a forest. A naked man, save for his tool belt and the red-and-black plaid trapper hat that he wore. Was he really a beaver, or had I just imagined that? 

Sitting against the trunk of a tree, he whittled away on a small log, carving out larger chunks and using a file to shape the wood. Regular tools I remembered from shop class. I watched him for a long time, not wanting to let him know that I was awake. I needed to figure out where I was. And how much of what I thought was a dream was real. The unclothed man was one hundred percent real, and a damn fine specimen, too. He had wavy, strawberry-blond hair that seemed to be kept trimmed, and a beard the same color, also neatly kept. Not a body-builder type, but his wide, firm chest and thick arms explained why I fell when I smacked into him. 

Wait! If he lived in another world, how did he have tools from my world? The wizard?

Geez, it all sounded like some fantasy tale rather than reality, but I was definitely not on a bus, at the rec center, or at home. And if I was at a park in the city, someone would have called the cops already to report the beaver guy for indecent exposure. Maybe I fell and hit my head, and I was actually unconscious in a hospital. That sounded like the most plausible explanation. I decided to enjoy my fantasy while I could. There was no point in missing out on such an attractive man who didn’t run the other direction when he saw me.

Carefully sitting up, I decided to chat with him. “My name is Falco.”

Once Upon a Rec Center Wish, the second book in my City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series releases on June 17th, and I thought I would share the official excerpt with you. Enjoy! I had the strangest dream. About a beaver who looked like a man. There was a wizard. And a forest. I opened my eyes, expecting to be on the bus, as I knew I hadn’t made it home because I couldn’t feel the broken springs of my mattress. Instead, I wasn’t anywhere near the city. There really was a forest. A naked man, save for his tool belt and the red-and-black plaid trapper hat that he wore. Was he really a beaver, or had I just imagined that? 

Sitting against the trunk of a tree, he whittled away on a small log, carving out larger chunks and using a file to shape the wood. Regular tools I remembered from shop class. I watched him for a long time, not wanting to let him know that I was awake. I needed to figure out where I was. And how much of what I thought was a dream was real. The unclothed man was one hundred percent real, and a damn fine specimen, too. He had wavy, strawberry-blond hair that seemed to be kept trimmed, and a beard the same color, also neatly kept. Not a body-builder type, but his wide, firm chest and thick arms explained why I fell when I smacked into him. 

Wait! If he lived in another world, how did he have tools from my world? The wizard?

Geez, it all sounded like some fantasy tale rather than reality, but I was definitely not on a bus, at the rec center, or at home. And if I was at a park in the city, someone would have called the cops already to report the beaver guy for indecent exposure. Maybe I fell and hit my head, and I was actually unconscious in a hospital. That sounded like the most plausible explanation. I decided to enjoy my fantasy while I could. There was no point in missing out on such an attractive man who didn’t run the other direction when he saw me.

Carefully sitting up, I decided to chat with him. “My name is Falco.”
Read ONCE UPON A REC CENTER WISH today! Universal Buy Link I don’t have time for wishes… but that didn’t stop me from making one.

I need a new place to live. Due to neighborhood redevelopment, my apartment building will be demolished in a week. And I still don’t have a new home. I plan to continue my search after I get some sleep.

Then my neighbor asks for one last favor. She needs someone to take her kids to the rec center for their lessons. I can’t say no, so I’m back on the bus again with three kids in tow.

After dropping them off, I run into a strange man who hands me a card and tells me to make a wish. All I want is a place to lay my head.

That’s when everything changes.

Instead of rushing for the bus, I run smack into a brawny alpha at the edge of a meadow. Wearing only a toolbelt and a trapper’s hat, he promises me a place to stay and a mate if I agree to have shifter babies. It all seems like a dream, but what if I finally found everything I’ve ever dreamed of?

Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is the second story in the new City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series by USA Today bestselling author Jessica E. Subject. Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is a MM MPreg shifter fantasy romance that features a man in desperate need of a place to live, a shy alpha beaver shifter who takes pride in his work, the wizard who brings them together, and many other new and old fantastical creatures from the Enchanted Forest. If you like fated mates, true love, males having babies, baby beaver shifters, and a guaranteed happy ever after, read Once Upon a Rec Center Wish. While each book in the City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series is set in the same world, they can be read as standalones.

There's just under two weeks until Once Upon a Rec Center Wish releases! It’s an MM MPreg Shifter Fantasy Isekai Romance. ​ And I've already gotten some early reviews!

One that I found interesting said, "Being transported to another alternate world has got to be disquieting. Both of these series, are isekai style stories (a subgenre of fantasy in which a character is suddenly transported from their world into a new or unfamiliar one). I need more like this!!! Can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next."

Honestly, I had been trying to find a term to describe the stories in this series where one of the main characters travels from their own world to another, but couldn't think of one. After reading this review, I looked up the term isekai to confirm the definition and realized it suited my City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series perfectly. I only wish I'd heard of the term with the release of the first book. I don’t have time for wishes… but that didn’t stop me from making one.

I need a new place to live. Due to neighborhood redevelopment, my apartment building will be demolished in a week. And I still don’t have a new home. I plan to continue my search after I get some sleep.

Then my neighbor asks for one last favor. She needs someone to take her kids to the rec center for their lessons. I can’t say no, so I’m back on the bus again with three kids in tow.
After dropping them off, I run into a strange man who hands me a card and tells me to make a wish. All I want is a place to lay my head.

That’s when everything changes.

Instead of rushing for the bus, I run smack into a brawny alpha at the edge of a meadow. Wearing only a toolbelt and a trapper’s hat, he promises me a place to stay and a mate if I agree to have shifter babies. It all seems like a dream, but what if I finally found everything I’ve ever dreamed of?

Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is the second story in the new City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series by USA Today bestselling author Jessica E. Subject. Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is a MM MPreg shifter fantasy romance that features a man in desperate need of a place to live, a shy alpha beaver shifter who takes pride in his work, the wizard who brings them together, and many other new and old fantastical creatures from the Enchanted Forest. If you like fated mates, true love, males having babies, baby beaver shifters, and a guaranteed happy ever after, read Once Upon a Rec Center Wish. While each book in the City Wishes & Enchanted Dreams series is set in the same world, they can be read as standalones.
Pre-Order ONCE UPON A REC CENTER WISH today Universal Buy Link If you are a book reviewer, Once Upon a Rec Center Wish is available in eARC from Booksprout. Booksprout

Below are the books that I finished in May and my thoughts on each. 

I'm not doing any formal reading challenges this year, but I seem to be doing my own in an informal way. In May, I read books that were sci-fi. Once was a sci-fi romance, the second, a sci-fi horror, and the third, a sci-fi (techno) thriller. Between the second and third books, there were several I started, but couldn't get into.

Anyway, the books I did finish were great! This month, I am reading for Pride month, in July I will read Canadian authors again, and in September I will read books by Indigenous Authors since September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a symbolic day in Canada that recognizes the stripping away of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. ARRIVAL by Veronica Scott

When I first learned Veronica Scott was writing about zombies, I knew I had to read this book. And I found it interesting how it's a new series while also being set in her Sectors Universe. Arrival is a suspenseful story about a newly licensed doctor returning to her home planet to practice medicine there. She arrives at the same time as a "retired" military team, but nothing on the planet is anything like they expected. The planet has been decimated by a virus, killing some and turning others into mindless versions of their former selves, craving human flesh. Being the first book in the series, it introduces Melly, Jeff, Cody, Zach, Samms, and Trent. Plus some others they find on their journey. While there is a bigger mission for the series, Arrival takes us from the moment everyone reaches Randal Four through the journey to Melly's childhood home. Of course, the journey isn't easy with hoards of zombies and raiders along the way, but it does also give us some more intimate moments between Melly and Jeff as they fall in love. GHOST STATION by S.A. Barnes

I never expected to love space horror as much as I do, and it's thanks to S.A. Barnes. After reading and loving Dead Silence, I bought Ghost Station and pre-ordered Cold Eternity (now out). Ghost Station is about Psychologist, Dr. Ophelia Bray, who is trying to escape her family name while also helping people deal with ERS, a psychological disorder that has a very personal connection to her. It is more prevalent in those who spend a lot of time in space, away from their families, so she joins a crew that are set to explore an abandoned planet. But the crew are not very accepting of her help and guidance. When they reach the planet, there's something off about the station they are staying in and they discover things about the planet never mentioned in the reports from years beforehand. As the secrets of what really happened to the last crew on the planet are discovered, the new crew must deal with the brutal murder of one of their own along with figuring out who did it. Because of the MC's past and genetics, she's not sure she's entirely innocent in all of it. Yet, she's also key to figuring out what is going on. Ghost Station is a space horror, but also explores the definition of life along with how our family shapes us into who we are and whether we have a choice in that. There are some commonalities between Dead Silence and Ghost Station, but much of that relates to having a woman main character who is doubted by the crew as well as by herself, something many women can relate to. I really enjoyed Ghost Station, and I look forward to reading Cold Eternity and more by S.A. Barnes.  EXTINCTION by Douglas Preston

I have been reading books by Douglas Preston for many years now, both on his own and with Lincoln Child, and this book did not disappoint. Extinction starts with the murder of a young couple and their unborn child at a type of elite resort where wooly mammoths and other once extinct creatures from the same time period have been brought back to life. Cash, from the CBI, and Colcord, the county sheriff, investigate the case, believing it to be the work of an environmental group who objects to the idea of de-extincting creatures for the elite to enjoy and profit from. But there is so much more going on in the labs in the Erebus mountains. And the truth ends up costing many their lives. This was an exciting read with many character point of views, some being great and others loathsome. Karma seemed to get many in the end. It is recognizably reminiscent of Jurassic Park with the ethical dilemma as to whether we should bring back extinct creatures as all, but takes it a step further, which isn't revealed until near the end. My only issue with this story was Cash's internal thoughts. It would be nice if the author had a woman help him edit them to be more realistic to a woman in law enforcement and all the misogyny she would deal with on a daily basis. There's some there, but it's very glossed over. I do look forward to reading the next book in the series when it releases.

Below are the books that I finished in April and my thoughts on each. 

I'm not doing any formal reading challenges this year, but because April is Autism Awareness/Acceptance/Appreciation Month, and it's a significant topic for me, I decided to read books with Autism representation this month.

Why is it significant for me? My son is Autistic (diagnosed), as well as my cousin's son. In fact, with the research I've done since his diagnosis, I'm sure it runs in my family. If not for the political controversies and misinformation surrounding Autism, especially during the pandemic and happening now in the country south of us, I would try to get a diagnosis for myself. But it will not help me, and I need to be able to advocate for my son. 

But, I was labeled as "gifted" in school. And for anyone who has been around a bunch of "gifted" kids and done the research into neurodiversity and autism, you'll know that "gifted" is a title given to neurodivergent children who can mask well. Hence why the majority of my class was female. While I'm not sure if everyone of us in my class were neurodivergent, I am certain at least 90% were Autistic and/or an ADHDer. The "gifted" title focused on our neurodivergent strengths, but ignored the ways we struggled, instead telling us often that we "failed to perform to our full potential." I will say that the best thing to come from my "gifted" label was my parents being told that I think differently than others. Some parents are told their "gifted" children are smarter than others, but that is misleading and can lead to many mental health issues. Being told I think differently than others has helped me cope in many situations, but I still have a hard time understanding why some can't see the logic and obvious (to me) future results of certain actions. After my son's diagnosis, it's been an eye-opening experience, not only for me, but also for many in my family. We're learning, and trying our best to find ways to understand and support each other. It's not easy, and we're not perfect, but the knowledge we gain day after day, helps us through it all.

Anyway, it was another great month of reading. I'm not focusing on a theme for May, but in June, I will read for Pride month, and in September I will read books by Indigenous Authors since September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a symbolic day in Canada that recognizes the stripping away of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children in residential schools. NO ROOM AT DRAGON'S LANDING by Lorelei M. Hart 

Boen and Cyrus's story is full of sweet dragon fun! Both the main characters and the secondary characters add to the charm of the book. Dragon's Landing sounds like a welcoming place to live. And the fact that Boen was a published author with his books about dragons before learning the creatures existed in real life made this story extra special.

*Boen is Autistic-coded. RULES FOR SECOND CHANCES by Maggie North

This fabulous story by Maggie North felt like reading two books at the same time, in that it was a second chance small town romance, but also felt like women's fiction as the main character went through a journey of self-discovery. Liz knows her marriage is on the rocks. She can blame it on many things, yet simply says she needs to find herself as she heads down the street to her parent's house for some space. Avoiding Tobin is impossible in the small mountain town, especially since they work for the same company and are both preparing for the annual pitch competition. It also doesn't help when Liz learns her improv coach who is supposed to help her have confidence in front of an audience, is her husband's best friend. Or maybe it does. Together, Liz and Tobin work through McHuge's marriage self-help book and learn maybe their marriage is salvageable. But when the pitch competition takes a turn, everything is derailed, and Liz must face some honest truths about herself and those around her if she wants to be happy. I really enjoyed this book, especially how Liz came to the realization that she was autistic and learned whose opinions really mattered in her life. I look forward to reading Stellar and McHuge's story as well! ​ CAMP DAMASCUS by Chuck Tingle

At first, I wasn't sure about this book. It starts off with a main character who is extremely religious, belonging to a cult-like church. Not something I set out to read. A couple times in the early chapters, I considered not finishing the book. It's very well written, but I had a hard time seeing where the author was going with the story. If not for Camp Damascus being included in some Autism Month posts I saw, I would likely have stopped reading it. But I pushed on, and I'm glad I did. Because the story took a turn I didn't expect with the introductionof a new character, and that's when it pulled me right in. I had to know the truth.

Camp Damascus is a YA horror story about extreme conversion therapy, parents who would rather change their children to meet their own ideals than accept and love them the way they are, and found family whose acceptance is unconditional and who are willing to fight with and for each other. The main character is autistic and lesbian with repressed memories she must recall in order to save herself and others from the demons cast upon them. I don't want to give too much away, but this was a great book to read! Books with Autistic Main Characters and by Autistic Authors that I’ve read and recommend:
Something More by Jackie Khalilieh - Autistic Main Character / Autistic Author
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White - Autistic Character / Autistic Author
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White - Autistic Main Character / Autistic Author
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang - Autistic Main Character / Autistic Author
Sensory: Life on the Spectrum Edited by Bex Ollerton - comics by Autistic and Neurodivergent Authors and Artists

Books with Autistic Main Characters, many by Autistic Authors that I own but haven’t read yet:
Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Somebody to Love by Mariah Ankenman
Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese
Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Speak Up by Rebecca Burgess 
You Started It by Jackie Khalilieh - pre-ordered

There are many more on my Wish List. Please feel free to share any others I haven’t included so I can make sure they are on my Wish List, too.

Below are the books that I finished in March and my thoughts on each. 

I'm not doing any formal reading challenges this year, but due to the trade war and threat to our sovereignty from the leader of our neighbours to the south, I decided to read books from fellow Canadian authors this month.

Anyway, it was another great month of reading, and in April, my reading theme is neurodiversity. EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR by E.K. Johnston

Though Exit, Pursued by a Bear deals with the serious subject matters of sexual assault and abortion, I enjoyed this story and believe it to be an essential book for any teenager and older to read. Hermione is not just a cheerleader, but the co-captain of the team, and she's getting ready for her last year of high school before her life changes. But everything changes before she reaches her last year of high school when she is drugged, raped, and left to die at a summer cheer camp. How she deals with the traumatic event and the fallout from it all is what this book is about. Because of Hermione's memory loss from that night and her amazing support system, the story shows her struggles, but also her push to not let herself be seen as a victim. Without those things, this story could have gone much differently, and the author does make note of that in their author's note at the end. I must also say that I have felt a strong connection to both of E.K. Johnston's contemporary YAs, because I grew up and live in the same area, so I can relate to it, and the characters could easily be people I know. I will definitely be reading more from this author! BUILT OF SECRETS by Jemi Fraser

This book was a wild ride! From the burgeoning heat between Tansy and Sam to the arms dealer after Tansy's top secret project, there was never a dull moment in Built of Secrets. Like the average person, the MCs did have their share of secrets and communication issues, but nothing they couldn't work out. And Sam was determined to keep their communication open in order to keep Tansy safe. I loved the characters, the setting, the story, and how Jemi Fraser set up the entire series in the first book. I'm definitely excited to read more! ​ KNOWN TO THE VICTIM by K.L. Armstrong

Wow, this book had me going around and around trying to figure out who the main character, Amy, could trust. After the murder of her mother, Amy struggles with her grief, and it's her half-brother who helps her through it. But then he gets framed for attempted murder of his girlfriend, and Amy isn't sure if he's guilty or not. Her podcast about intimate partner violence tells people how to spot red flags in relationships before things become violent, so surely she would see the signs in her brother, right? Or maybe someone set him up. But who? Known to the Victim has so many twists and turns throughout, especially in the second half, right up to the last chapter. I really didn't know what was going to happen, and I'm still a bit shocked, even if the "monster" was hinted at all along. I will definitely read more by this author under this pseudonym and the other one I've enjoyed books written by.