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The Modern Mythos #1
The Modern Mythos Anomaly
"Memory's haunt conjures the most arrant of ghosts..."
Python is a drifter, a vampire living his eternal life on the road and liking it that way. Beholden to nothing and certainly to no one.
But such a lifestyle doesn’t come without creating enemies. Most notably, a pesky vampire hunter he can't seem to shake.
When he stumbles upon a seemingly abandoned cabin in the woods, Python sees the perfect escape and a place to hide.
But what he didn’t expect was for someone to be home…
When recluse warlock Calysto’s peaceful life is upended by the arrival of a chaotic disaster in the form of a loudmouthed vampire, he and his teleporting house become the target of the hunter, too.
Calysto knows it’s all Python’s fault that he’s in this mess. That is, until Calysto makes a mistake, and in his hurry to flee transports them over one hundred years into the past.
Confronted with lives they both had hoped to forget, not to mention the memories they most definitely did, Calysto and Python must try to put aside their many differences and increasingly complicated feelings to learn to work together. Or else they risk being stuck in the past -- and with each other -- forever.
This is an adult book with themes that are not suitable for minors. Content warnings are included before the title page, available for view within the sample.
Python is a drifter, a vampire living his eternal life on the road and liking it that way. Beholden to nothing and certainly to no one.
But such a lifestyle doesn’t come without creating enemies. Most notably, a pesky vampire hunter he can't seem to shake.
When he stumbles upon a seemingly abandoned cabin in the woods, Python sees the perfect escape and a place to hide.
But what he didn’t expect was for someone to be home…
When recluse warlock Calysto’s peaceful life is upended by the arrival of a chaotic disaster in the form of a loudmouthed vampire, he and his teleporting house become the target of the hunter, too.
Calysto knows it’s all Python’s fault that he’s in this mess. That is, until Calysto makes a mistake, and in his hurry to flee transports them over one hundred years into the past.
Confronted with lives they both had hoped to forget, not to mention the memories they most definitely did, Calysto and Python must try to put aside their many differences and increasingly complicated feelings to learn to work together. Or else they risk being stuck in the past -- and with each other -- forever.
This is an adult book with themes that are not suitable for minors. Content warnings are included before the title page, available for view within the sample.
422 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2023
18 people are currently reading
502 people want to read
About the author
Juniper Lake Fitzgerald
7 books35 followersAuthor of LGBTQ+ Dark Fantasy & Gothic tales. Illustrative artist specializing in the striking, moody, and atmospheric. Haunting the halls in the dead of night.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 29, 2023
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This was a nice romance between two lonely immortals, even if one of them didn’t quite realize he was lonely. Calysto was prickly and withdrawn, keeping to his cabin unless he had to leave for food or supplies. Python was outgoing and sort of ridiculous and overbearing in an entertaining way, making himself right at home in someone else’s house. Both could be snappish, it took them a bit of time and some mistakes here and there to understand each other, but sometimes it was just a bit of playful teasing.
Also, one MC was a vampire and one was a warlock, which, paranormal and magic—always fun! Technically there was no sexy biting, but there was biting… and it was still sorta sexy? No? Just me who thinks that?
The time travel was cool! It happened to be my favorite kind of time travel, where any backward travel the character is going to do in their future has already happened in the past (The Time Traveler’s Wife style). And somehow, even with time traveling and flashbacks and multiple POVs, I was never confused about when or where the story was.
Speaking of the flashbacks, I enjoyed them. Well, if “enjoy” is the right word when reading about hardships in a character’s life. They were interesting and helped me get to know the characters, and they were an important part of the story.
There were some things about the writing that weren’t to my taste. A bit repetitive sometimes. All characters “seemed” to do/think/feel things a lot. And the POV felt like 3rd person limited (in Calysto’s, Python’s, and occasionally Aeris’s heads, in separate sections), but then, for a moment, a narrator would pop up and talk to the reader, like, “What was inside [Calysto’s room] I cannot say.” If they weren’t an omniscient presence telling us this story, who were they? It was confusing for me when it happened, but it didn’t happen much.
And back to the romance, this is mentioned in tweets, so I don’t think it’s a spoiler. The author has described this as “m/m… /f” and that’s pretty accurate. It was m/m with the third tacked on at the very end. So I didn’t feel any connection between Aeris and the men. She was barely in the story, and when she was, she was just wreaking havoc on their lives, and not in a banter-y way. It didn’t affect how I felt about Calysto and Python’s romance, just felt strange in the epilogue.
Overall though, a warlock, a vampire, a teleporting house, and a bit of time travel all came together to make an interesting story!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, warlocks, time travel, and m/m romance with a bit of grumpiness and snark.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
This was a nice romance between two lonely immortals, even if one of them didn’t quite realize he was lonely. Calysto was prickly and withdrawn, keeping to his cabin unless he had to leave for food or supplies. Python was outgoing and sort of ridiculous and overbearing in an entertaining way, making himself right at home in someone else’s house. Both could be snappish, it took them a bit of time and some mistakes here and there to understand each other, but sometimes it was just a bit of playful teasing.
Also, one MC was a vampire and one was a warlock, which, paranormal and magic—always fun! Technically there was no sexy biting, but there was biting… and it was still sorta sexy? No? Just me who thinks that?
The time travel was cool! It happened to be my favorite kind of time travel, where any backward travel the character is going to do in their future has already happened in the past (The Time Traveler’s Wife style). And somehow, even with time traveling and flashbacks and multiple POVs, I was never confused about when or where the story was.
Speaking of the flashbacks, I enjoyed them. Well, if “enjoy” is the right word when reading about hardships in a character’s life. They were interesting and helped me get to know the characters, and they were an important part of the story.
There were some things about the writing that weren’t to my taste. A bit repetitive sometimes. All characters “seemed” to do/think/feel things a lot. And the POV felt like 3rd person limited (in Calysto’s, Python’s, and occasionally Aeris’s heads, in separate sections), but then, for a moment, a narrator would pop up and talk to the reader, like, “What was inside [Calysto’s room] I cannot say.” If they weren’t an omniscient presence telling us this story, who were they? It was confusing for me when it happened, but it didn’t happen much.
And back to the romance, this is mentioned in tweets, so I don’t think it’s a spoiler. The author has described this as “m/m… /f” and that’s pretty accurate. It was m/m with the third tacked on at the very end. So I didn’t feel any connection between Aeris and the men. She was barely in the story, and when she was, she was just wreaking havoc on their lives, and not in a banter-y way. It didn’t affect how I felt about Calysto and Python’s romance, just felt strange in the epilogue.
Overall though, a warlock, a vampire, a teleporting house, and a bit of time travel all came together to make an interesting story!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, warlocks, time travel, and m/m romance with a bit of grumpiness and snark.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
May 8, 2024
Update third read : the audiobook was SO good. I think I love it even more now 🥹💛
Update second read 13/09/23
I adore this story and I love cal to death.
Missing calysto and python hours : open
I still think about theeeem
Pls READ THIS BOOK AND CRY ABOUT THEM WITH ME THNKS
I love this book so much
All the fucking stars in the sky for the best vampire book I’ve read, probably ever.
Listen, I don’t even know how to describe this book, I adored it. I mean it’s literally a book about warlock, vampire, time travel AND energy drinks.
More than that it was a tale about loneliness and companionship. You can’t read it and not feel a million thing about Calysto and Python. (And Aeris too). First of all I need 5 minutes alone with Calysto so called “family” and don’t get me started on the doctor. I HATEd them. I need 5 minutes with Richter too. Fucking asshole.
I wouldn’t be able to choose a favourite scene but, Calysto smiling and laughing would be strong contenders. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world so I can force fed it to everyone.
I loved the characters, obviously. I could relate to some of their thoughts about loneliness, it hits me pretty hard. And it reminded me to get in touch with some friends~
All of them are broken in some part, but together they kind of make it work and that’s probably why I love it so much. I could read 10 more books about them. (Crossing my fingers right now)
I wish I could convince everyone to read it the minute it’s out in the world because I need to share my love for those characters.
Also didn’t think I could cry because of some ink making but, trust me, I ended up crying like a baby.
ANYWAY: thanks to the author for the Arc, all thoughts were mine and all tears were too! Can’t wait to have it in my hands
Ps : I need to know if Calysto ever stocked on a particular beverage 👀
Update second read 13/09/23
I adore this story and I love cal to death.
Missing calysto and python hours : open
I still think about theeeem
Pls READ THIS BOOK AND CRY ABOUT THEM WITH ME THNKS
I love this book so much
All the fucking stars in the sky for the best vampire book I’ve read, probably ever.
Listen, I don’t even know how to describe this book, I adored it. I mean it’s literally a book about warlock, vampire, time travel AND energy drinks.
More than that it was a tale about loneliness and companionship. You can’t read it and not feel a million thing about Calysto and Python. (And Aeris too). First of all I need 5 minutes alone with Calysto so called “family” and don’t get me started on the doctor. I HATEd them. I need 5 minutes with Richter too. Fucking asshole.
I wouldn’t be able to choose a favourite scene but, Calysto smiling and laughing would be strong contenders. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world so I can force fed it to everyone.
I loved the characters, obviously. I could relate to some of their thoughts about loneliness, it hits me pretty hard. And it reminded me to get in touch with some friends~
All of them are broken in some part, but together they kind of make it work and that’s probably why I love it so much. I could read 10 more books about them. (Crossing my fingers right now)
I wish I could convince everyone to read it the minute it’s out in the world because I need to share my love for those characters.
Also didn’t think I could cry because of some ink making but, trust me, I ended up crying like a baby.
ANYWAY: thanks to the author for the Arc, all thoughts were mine and all tears were too! Can’t wait to have it in my hands
Ps : I need to know if Calysto ever stocked on a particular beverage 👀
April 7, 2023
REAL REVIEW TO COME BUT HOLY SHIT BARKING AND FOAMING AT THE MOUTH
Edit: 4/6 My real review (:
TMMA follows 2.5 (I say .5 because we don’t get a ton of backstory on the third right away) traumatized immortals as they travel through time, and ultimately confront their inner (and outer) demons.
Truly, reading this book felt as if it was made for me. I enjoyed it immensely, and I don’t think it’s too early to say this is one of my favorite reads of the year.
I am SUCH a sucker for messy, chaotic, and flawed characters, and that alone probably would have been enough to earn a high rating from me. The writing is fun, it’s quickly paced, and although I felt I was able to guess a lot of the “twists” I still audibly said “oh shit” several times while reading. I think my only doubts about this book were not Aeris herself as a character, but how she fit into the story. I would have loved more time to get to know her or a deeper look into her head to understand her thinking. That being said, I’m still giving this book the 5 stars it deserves.
To all of my ADHD riddled, bad memory having, inconsistent diet of snacks consuming, should be dead but alive on sheer willpower and bang energy drinks friends, I think you will find the most aggressively accurate representation within these pages. (If you can’t tell, I have a favorite and it’s Calysto.) I love a dirty, greasy, hermit of a man barely held together.
Please consider checking out this book if you love Howl’s Moving Castle (book version), Twilight, wet bags, hot garbage, and or fucking with the timeline. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to the author for an eARC! All opinions expressed are my own.
Edit: 4/6 My real review (:
TMMA follows 2.5 (I say .5 because we don’t get a ton of backstory on the third right away) traumatized immortals as they travel through time, and ultimately confront their inner (and outer) demons.
Truly, reading this book felt as if it was made for me. I enjoyed it immensely, and I don’t think it’s too early to say this is one of my favorite reads of the year.
I am SUCH a sucker for messy, chaotic, and flawed characters, and that alone probably would have been enough to earn a high rating from me. The writing is fun, it’s quickly paced, and although I felt I was able to guess a lot of the “twists” I still audibly said “oh shit” several times while reading. I think my only doubts about this book were not Aeris herself as a character, but how she fit into the story. I would have loved more time to get to know her or a deeper look into her head to understand her thinking. That being said, I’m still giving this book the 5 stars it deserves.
To all of my ADHD riddled, bad memory having, inconsistent diet of snacks consuming, should be dead but alive on sheer willpower and bang energy drinks friends, I think you will find the most aggressively accurate representation within these pages. (If you can’t tell, I have a favorite and it’s Calysto.) I love a dirty, greasy, hermit of a man barely held together.
Please consider checking out this book if you love Howl’s Moving Castle (book version), Twilight, wet bags, hot garbage, and or fucking with the timeline. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to the author for an eARC! All opinions expressed are my own.
March 1, 2024
Thank you for your interest in THE MODERN MYTHOS ANOMALY!
(Content Warnings are at the end of this post)
This book was a journey.
I didn’t write it with romance in mind, nor set out to create a story for any market.
I was much more interested in telling a story of broken, flawed individuals, who find strange and unconventional comfort with one another along the way.
It's an exploration of the fumbling, messy, ugly learning we do to get better. The ways we slot our trauma in between the lives and trauma of others and try to make it work.
TMMA, to me, is so much more than a romance novel, and perhaps that’s why I didn’t even realize it was at first.
It was not meant to be a HEA (though it is), or a perfect example of neat polyamory all wrapped with a bow, or relationships at all for that matter.
TMMA is sticky, messy, tragic, and maybe a little toxic.
It’s a story of weird fucked up immortals, who eventually grumble & argue & fight their way into whatever their version of love is with each other.
Gothic Fantasy Romance is the genre it fits best, but TMMA will always be a little bit more and a little bit more complicated than that to me. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Content Warnings below:
Alcohol consumption & smoking.
Blood consumption, gore, violence, body horror Cannibalism.
Fire related trauma.
Nightmares, repressed & relived trauma.
Child labor.
Public execution.
Depiction of child physical & emotional abuse, including corporal punishment.
Depression, dissociation, paranoid delusions & anxiety.
Brief suicidal ideation/apathy.
Brief use of ableist language, biphobic dialogue, & mention of societal homophobia.
Brief mention of a sexually coercive relationship.
(Content Warnings are at the end of this post)
This book was a journey.
I didn’t write it with romance in mind, nor set out to create a story for any market.
I was much more interested in telling a story of broken, flawed individuals, who find strange and unconventional comfort with one another along the way.
It's an exploration of the fumbling, messy, ugly learning we do to get better. The ways we slot our trauma in between the lives and trauma of others and try to make it work.
TMMA, to me, is so much more than a romance novel, and perhaps that’s why I didn’t even realize it was at first.
It was not meant to be a HEA (though it is), or a perfect example of neat polyamory all wrapped with a bow, or relationships at all for that matter.
TMMA is sticky, messy, tragic, and maybe a little toxic.
It’s a story of weird fucked up immortals, who eventually grumble & argue & fight their way into whatever their version of love is with each other.
Gothic Fantasy Romance is the genre it fits best, but TMMA will always be a little bit more and a little bit more complicated than that to me. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Content Warnings below:
Alcohol consumption & smoking.
Blood consumption, gore, violence, body horror Cannibalism.
Fire related trauma.
Nightmares, repressed & relived trauma.
Child labor.
Public execution.
Depiction of child physical & emotional abuse, including corporal punishment.
Depression, dissociation, paranoid delusions & anxiety.
Brief suicidal ideation/apathy.
Brief use of ableist language, biphobic dialogue, & mention of societal homophobia.
Brief mention of a sexually coercive relationship.
Read
March 2, 2024This is unlike any vampire book you've ever read - and I mean that in the best possible way. This story of a time travelling vampire and warlock duo, is compelling, fun and has plenty of heart. And, of course, the character dynamics are excellent. Lovers of a good old gothic fantasy romp aren't going to want to miss this one.
November 17, 2023
sometimes you just have fun with the book. there's not even anything to add, it's just so enjoyable and exciting you can't really explain it. this is almost the case here because i actually have things to praise, aside from my describing the pure, unabashed happiness i got from the story
i'd like to begin with the fact that the premise itself is not something you can just stumble upon anywhere, to be fair, this is the first time i ever envisioned a vampire, a warlock, and time travel in the same context. not to mention that it's all starting in our modern world. that was so unique and refreshing by itself, i was already impressed
the two main characters are so loveable, their dynamic alive and full of color, i couldn't help but grin the entire time i was reading. the writing is both witty and quite poignant at times, held up by an engaging plot that is full of unpredictable twists that tie the story up nicely
i had some questions & things that would usually stop me from giving a book 5 stars, but considering the amount of positive emotions swelling my chest after this read, i don't think i really care about any of them
i'd like to begin with the fact that the premise itself is not something you can just stumble upon anywhere, to be fair, this is the first time i ever envisioned a vampire, a warlock, and time travel in the same context. not to mention that it's all starting in our modern world. that was so unique and refreshing by itself, i was already impressed
the two main characters are so loveable, their dynamic alive and full of color, i couldn't help but grin the entire time i was reading. the writing is both witty and quite poignant at times, held up by an engaging plot that is full of unpredictable twists that tie the story up nicely
i had some questions & things that would usually stop me from giving a book 5 stars, but considering the amount of positive emotions swelling my chest after this read, i don't think i really care about any of them
February 22, 2023
If there's one thing I can always count on from a JLF book, it's idiot gays having feelings and causing way more problems than I thought (in)humanly possible. This book honestly took the cake with the perfect pairing of a modern setting and chaotic narration style that truly made for an immersive, entertaining experience, despite the exploration of trauma endured by all these characters.
So if you're looking for a hot mess of queer vampires and warlocks, congrats! You've found it! I know I'm definitely looking forward to more wild stories like this one!
So if you're looking for a hot mess of queer vampires and warlocks, congrats! You've found it! I know I'm definitely looking forward to more wild stories like this one!
May 16, 2023
Thank you to the author for sending me this book in exchange for a review.
This is a quirky story of a warlock and vampire, both lonely and running from their pasts, wanting more but not knowing what.
I loved the snarky, aloof Python and the adorable, fumbling Calypso.
The author clearly feels deeply about the characters and what they have faced as a result of others’ greed and cruelty. This is reflected on by the characters, shaping their lives, personalities, and fears.
I felt the flashbacks were the weakest aspect of the book. The writing felt more simple compared to the present time, perhaps this was purposeful to represent the characters’ younger ages though.
If you want a travelling house, a dynamic duo of snappy wit, something akin to fate, and found family, this is for you!
Bookstagram
This is a quirky story of a warlock and vampire, both lonely and running from their pasts, wanting more but not knowing what.
I loved the snarky, aloof Python and the adorable, fumbling Calypso.
Where did a vampire go to find people to eat? Where did they go to eat?
".. Let me get a cheeseburger with fries, extra ketchup, and a large side of O-Negative please?"
The author clearly feels deeply about the characters and what they have faced as a result of others’ greed and cruelty. This is reflected on by the characters, shaping their lives, personalities, and fears.
I felt the flashbacks were the weakest aspect of the book. The writing felt more simple compared to the present time, perhaps this was purposeful to represent the characters’ younger ages though.
If you want a travelling house, a dynamic duo of snappy wit, something akin to fate, and found family, this is for you!
Bookstagram
March 9, 2023
Calysto and Python are haunting me. It's been more than a week and I do not go a day without thinking about my favorite disaster immortals (and the author does not go a day without hearing about it from me).
Imagine, if you will, a sexy raccoon with fangs meets the least socialized, cherry energy drink fueled warlock raccoon to ever exist. Oh and there is a vampire hunter too. And somehow, sparks fly? They travel through time? They are more interconnected than they ever thought possible? And they both wont admit to their feelings cause they are stupid? And they are both grumpy?
All this and more. And oh gods, I want more.
Oh, Aeris is there too. She's kind of cool.
They are so ridiculously bad at life, but it all works out in the end? And it's funny? And I cried?
Yeah, I loved this book. Cal is my new comfort bisexual. Please read this book.
Imagine, if you will, a sexy raccoon with fangs meets the least socialized, cherry energy drink fueled warlock raccoon to ever exist. Oh and there is a vampire hunter too. And somehow, sparks fly? They travel through time? They are more interconnected than they ever thought possible? And they both wont admit to their feelings cause they are stupid? And they are both grumpy?
All this and more. And oh gods, I want more.
Oh, Aeris is there too. She's kind of cool.
They are so ridiculously bad at life, but it all works out in the end? And it's funny? And I cried?
Yeah, I loved this book. Cal is my new comfort bisexual. Please read this book.
February 17, 2023
The Modern Mythos Anomaly is an epic romp through time and turmoil that kept me guessing at many turns. Python and Calysto are messy, entertaining, endearing, and authentic protagonists who effortlessly steal the show. Though this book with its quasi-modern setting and gritty backdrop is a slightly different slice of fantasy than Fitzgerald’s The Fifth Yanai series, the core emotions, themes, and beautiful prose make this book an unforgettable addition to her repertoire. Fans of gothic fiction with speculative elements will not be disappointed.
February 23, 2024
3.5 stars
Dang I'm gonna miss reading about those cute dorks.
Dang I'm gonna miss reading about those cute dorks.
dnf
March 26, 2024Soft DNF. Stopping at chapter 12. Might come back to it at some point but
February 24, 2023
The description was right up my alley (Castlevania meets Doctor Who?? come on that sounds really cool!) so I was really happy to get an ARC for this!! So happy I devoured it pretty fast!
Characters were excellent! I loved Python's and Calysto's dynamic and their whole adventure. Python was my favorite. I loved his entirely chaotic energy. Sometimes the chapters exploring their pasts got a little long--I wanted to go back to preset Python and Calysto!--but I still managed to enjoy them as well. All the time-twisty stuff was a lot of fun too, although I wish there was more house teleporting.
There was one thing I wish there was more of! Aeris.
Anyway, totally fun. Loved the setting, the vibes, the characters! If this world ever gets revisited by the author, I am 100% there to read more.
Characters were excellent! I loved Python's and Calysto's dynamic and their whole adventure. Python was my favorite. I loved his entirely chaotic energy. Sometimes the chapters exploring their pasts got a little long--I wanted to go back to preset Python and Calysto!--but I still managed to enjoy them as well. All the time-twisty stuff was a lot of fun too, although I wish there was more house teleporting.
There was one thing I wish there was more of! Aeris.
Anyway, totally fun. Loved the setting, the vibes, the characters! If this world ever gets revisited by the author, I am 100% there to read more.
April 24, 2023
This book had a slow start for me and some pieces of the writing style just weren't to my personal taste and threw me out of the story just a little, but the story itself was so fun and twisty. The second half read so much faster than the first for me. Going into reading this, I completely forgot that time travel was going to be a part of the story, and that was my favorite element of it. JLF just crafted it so well and everything fit together in such a satisfying way by the end. I look forward to reading more of her work!
April 2, 2023
I received an eARC of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.
This is a story about two incredibly lonely immortals with a terrible past, who accidentally end up living together and also travel in time. This book has so much heart and the characters have a ton of personality their relationship is earned through a series of fuck-ups and overcoming their trauma. It's a solid, very rewarding slow burn... Aaaaand then there's Aeris. Anyway.
The Plot
Time Travel is not my favorite trope but I'm it's not one that I hate either, as long as it's well done. I hate when the time travel aspect starts getting into weird science mumbo-jumbo that the author themself stops understanding after a while. This is not the case here, which makes me very happy. It's easy to understand what's going on, there are no weird twists and paradoxes and everything is neatly tied together. There were a little too many flashbacks to my taste and they sometimes took me out of the story, when something exciting was happening. They weren't all terrible, though, and gave the reader a deeper understanding of the characters. Overall, it's one of the time travel stories that can get behind.
The Characters and their relationship
Calysto and Python were amazing. The slow-burn romance between them was a delight to read because they were both deeply lonely and traumatized people, afraid to open up to others. They were also complete idiots in the most endearing way. They both had very distinct voices and personalities that played together really well and the endgame felt so earned. Also, Python's confession was the confession ever.
And then there was also Aeris. God dammit. Throughout the book, I didn't mind her, because she wasn't there much and every time she appeared, she was quickly removed from the picture. She was an antagonist, which makes sense because if we have a vampire we should have a vampire hunter as well. I knew this book was m/m/f coming into it but the f was mentioned a bit offhandedly so I thought maybe it'd just be a setup for a future book or something.
Writing style
It was light, it was funny where it needed to be, and it was easy to read. Just fun.
All in all, I liked it and would read more from the author. My problems with it were minor, I didn't like the ending but I'm sure some people won't mind it as much. All in all, absolutely recommended!
This is a story about two incredibly lonely immortals with a terrible past, who accidentally end up living together and also travel in time. This book has so much heart and the characters have a ton of personality their relationship is earned through a series of fuck-ups and overcoming their trauma. It's a solid, very rewarding slow burn... Aaaaand then there's Aeris. Anyway.
The Plot
Time Travel is not my favorite trope but I'm it's not one that I hate either, as long as it's well done. I hate when the time travel aspect starts getting into weird science mumbo-jumbo that the author themself stops understanding after a while. This is not the case here, which makes me very happy. It's easy to understand what's going on, there are no weird twists and paradoxes and everything is neatly tied together. There were a little too many flashbacks to my taste and they sometimes took me out of the story, when something exciting was happening. They weren't all terrible, though, and gave the reader a deeper understanding of the characters. Overall, it's one of the time travel stories that can get behind.
The Characters and their relationship
Calysto and Python were amazing. The slow-burn romance between them was a delight to read because they were both deeply lonely and traumatized people, afraid to open up to others. They were also complete idiots in the most endearing way. They both had very distinct voices and personalities that played together really well and the endgame felt so earned. Also, Python's confession was the confession ever.
And then there was also Aeris. God dammit. Throughout the book, I didn't mind her, because she wasn't there much and every time she appeared, she was quickly removed from the picture. She was an antagonist, which makes sense because if we have a vampire we should have a vampire hunter as well. I knew this book was m/m/f coming into it but the f was mentioned a bit offhandedly so I thought maybe it'd just be a setup for a future book or something.
Writing style
It was light, it was funny where it needed to be, and it was easy to read. Just fun.
All in all, I liked it and would read more from the author. My problems with it were minor, I didn't like the ending but I'm sure some people won't mind it as much. All in all, absolutely recommended!
March 19, 2023
I absolutely adored this book. When I accidentally found the series still going on chapter-wise on KoFi, I already fell in love and was absolutely delighted to learn it was going to be published in book-form at some point.
Python and Calysto are such heartbreaking characters, yearning for some kind of love and companionship. The recluse warlock and cocky vampire, both having to deal with and no longer running, hiding from their past.
We accompany Python and Calysto on their journey, getting glimpses into their past. Chapters include both present as well as past, helping us learn about what they had to endure first-hand. Juniper's writing is intricate in the best kind of way, pulling the reader deep into the story and the characters' worries and struggles, mixed with humor in the right amount.
Even the antagonist Aeris gets enough screentime to understand her story, her past, how entangled it is with everything else that happened.
I certainly hope for a second book at some point since it feels like there's a lot of opportunities to see these characters again, facing other, new struggles.
Disclaimer: I did receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Python and Calysto are such heartbreaking characters, yearning for some kind of love and companionship. The recluse warlock and cocky vampire, both having to deal with and no longer running, hiding from their past.
We accompany Python and Calysto on their journey, getting glimpses into their past. Chapters include both present as well as past, helping us learn about what they had to endure first-hand. Juniper's writing is intricate in the best kind of way, pulling the reader deep into the story and the characters' worries and struggles, mixed with humor in the right amount.
There was good. There was joy. There was love.
He had loved once, and as he heaved against the weight of countless memories he realized, he might again. The feelings were familiar, though the faces weren’t the same. He hadn’t put it together before but there it was, nagging at him from underneath the peeling corners of his hard exterior. Love. Just a little bit of it. Begging to be felt, to even be acknowledged. [Python POV]
Even the antagonist Aeris gets enough screentime to understand her story, her past, how entangled it is with everything else that happened.
I certainly hope for a second book at some point since it feels like there's a lot of opportunities to see these characters again, facing other, new struggles.
Disclaimer: I did receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2023
Thank you to the author Juniper Lake Fitzgerald for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review!
"The Modern Mythos Anomaly" starts with Calysto, a warlock who has long separated himself from the world, experiencing a first in his long life: a vampire runs into his house and collapses. Python is his name and he's on the run, needing protection until the danger passes. After the house is attacked by hunters, Calysto tries to move it with magic, only for him and Python to end up trapped back in time. Worst of all, it's where Calysto grew up, underneath an abusive mother and an evil doctor, and his memories soon prove overwhelming. Likewise the city of Industry means something to Python too, if he lets himself dive back into the trauma of his past. It soon becomes obvious that they've been linked all along.
I really enjoyed this book from the beginning and I quickly found myself immersed in the growing relationship between Python and Calysto. They're both strong and well written characters with a lot of depth and I loved the gradual realisations they had about each other as the book went on. I also loved one particular twist regarding a chimney sweep named Han, which I thought was excellently written and completely surprising. If anything the only thing to improve this book would be some of the other characters having more development and more time on the page to grow attached to them.
This is the second book I've read by this author and I'll definitely be reading more!
"The Modern Mythos Anomaly" starts with Calysto, a warlock who has long separated himself from the world, experiencing a first in his long life: a vampire runs into his house and collapses. Python is his name and he's on the run, needing protection until the danger passes. After the house is attacked by hunters, Calysto tries to move it with magic, only for him and Python to end up trapped back in time. Worst of all, it's where Calysto grew up, underneath an abusive mother and an evil doctor, and his memories soon prove overwhelming. Likewise the city of Industry means something to Python too, if he lets himself dive back into the trauma of his past. It soon becomes obvious that they've been linked all along.
I really enjoyed this book from the beginning and I quickly found myself immersed in the growing relationship between Python and Calysto. They're both strong and well written characters with a lot of depth and I loved the gradual realisations they had about each other as the book went on. I also loved one particular twist regarding a chimney sweep named Han, which I thought was excellently written and completely surprising. If anything the only thing to improve this book would be some of the other characters having more development and more time on the page to grow attached to them.
This is the second book I've read by this author and I'll definitely be reading more!
February 18, 2023
Okay, okay, okay. I had the honor of beta reading this, and at first, I was lowkey skeptical. Time traveling vampire in a modernish setting doesn't really sound like my cup of tea - me, with the epic/dark fantasy brainrot. But roughly twelve seconds after starting it, I couldn't move. I read the entire last third - possibly last half - of the book in a single day.
I don't know that I can adequately put into words how hard The Modern Mythos Anomaly gripped me. So to try and summarize in a run-on sentence or two: the arcs were compelling, the flashbacks were gripping, the subtle worldbuilding burned me inside-out with curiosity, I found myself horrified, laughing, and crying on the regular without feeling like the book ever got away from its central tone, and every single character is a delightfully loveable asshole who I want to drag out of the page and throttle by the neck until they learn to get a goddamn hold of themselves and not act like such self-absorbed dicks (affectionate) - thinking primarily of Python, the dead-brained (heh) sycophant. It's so utterly different from the things I usually read and have read, but is so well thought out and well executed that I enjoyed every second of reading it, and was sad when it was over.
I love it, okay? Now get. I don't care if you think it won't be your cup of tea, GET. Need. Acquire when able.
I don't know that I can adequately put into words how hard The Modern Mythos Anomaly gripped me. So to try and summarize in a run-on sentence or two: the arcs were compelling, the flashbacks were gripping, the subtle worldbuilding burned me inside-out with curiosity, I found myself horrified, laughing, and crying on the regular without feeling like the book ever got away from its central tone, and every single character is a delightfully loveable asshole who I want to drag out of the page and throttle by the neck until they learn to get a goddamn hold of themselves and not act like such self-absorbed dicks (affectionate) - thinking primarily of Python, the dead-brained (heh) sycophant. It's so utterly different from the things I usually read and have read, but is so well thought out and well executed that I enjoyed every second of reading it, and was sad when it was over.
I love it, okay? Now get. I don't care if you think it won't be your cup of tea, GET. Need. Acquire when able.
February 26, 2024
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐌𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐘 | 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐓𝐙𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐃
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐌𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒 : 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟏
ᴄᴀʟʏꜱᴛᴏ • ᴘʏᴛʜᴏɴ
I finished this days ago and I still can't get my thoughts really straight with what I thought. I mean, I enjoyed it. Disaster gays are fun to read, but also... the inner monlogues? Many times I was like we don't have the time for this flashback and you having a breakdown. 😅
Although, they do play a part since they are all connected, but I will say that after finishing and seeing it all together I see how they helped piece and connect the dots. During reading however I was like.. wtf.
Python & Calystos' dynamic evolved perfectly, I feel, for who they are. They both have so much healing and growth to work through. When they finally kissed?! BE STILL MY BLACK HEART 😭🖤
I will say that I'm not sure why Aeris is still with them. Or what roll she plays in the relationship. I know this is marketed as MM but it's lowkey giving poly. Or at least the potential to be. I'm a poly person irl so, yay cause I usually prefer it, but Aeris here gets on my nerves. Her type of character is annoying to me.. Catch me after the next book to see how I feel with her cause maybe her character growth will slap. Right now I'm like, go away. Lol.
This book ends on a HFN vibes.
⚔ 𝙈𝙈 𝙑𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙍𝙀/𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝘾𝙆
⚔ 𝙏𝙄𝙈𝙀 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙇 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙉𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙂𝘼𝙉𝙎
⚔ 𝘼𝘽𝙎𝙊𝙇𝙐𝙏𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙊𝙉𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙎
⚔ 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙉𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙎𝙏
⚔ 𝘼𝙍𝙂𝙐𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘼𝙎 𝙁𝙇𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂
⚔ 𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝙄𝘾𝙃 (𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙔)
⚔ 𝙎𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝘽𝙐𝙍𝙉
⚔ 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙐𝙈𝘼 𝙂𝘼𝙇𝙊𝙍𝙀
⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱
🔥 𝑨𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒘 🔥
‼️ 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺 𝙲𝚆 + 𝚃𝚆 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 ‼️
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐌𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒 : 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟏
ᴄᴀʟʏꜱᴛᴏ • ᴘʏᴛʜᴏɴ
I finished this days ago and I still can't get my thoughts really straight with what I thought. I mean, I enjoyed it. Disaster gays are fun to read, but also... the inner monlogues? Many times I was like we don't have the time for this flashback and you having a breakdown. 😅
Although, they do play a part since they are all connected, but I will say that after finishing and seeing it all together I see how they helped piece and connect the dots. During reading however I was like.. wtf.
Python & Calystos' dynamic evolved perfectly, I feel, for who they are. They both have so much healing and growth to work through. When they finally kissed?! BE STILL MY BLACK HEART 😭🖤
I will say that I'm not sure why Aeris is still with them. Or what roll she plays in the relationship. I know this is marketed as MM but it's lowkey giving poly. Or at least the potential to be. I'm a poly person irl so, yay cause I usually prefer it, but Aeris here gets on my nerves. Her type of character is annoying to me.. Catch me after the next book to see how I feel with her cause maybe her character growth will slap. Right now I'm like, go away. Lol.
This book ends on a HFN vibes.
⚔ 𝙈𝙈 𝙑𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙍𝙀/𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝘾𝙆
⚔ 𝙏𝙄𝙈𝙀 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙇 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙉𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙂𝘼𝙉𝙎
⚔ 𝘼𝘽𝙎𝙊𝙇𝙐𝙏𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙊𝙉𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙎
⚔ 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙉𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙎𝙏
⚔ 𝘼𝙍𝙂𝙐𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘼𝙎 𝙁𝙇𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂
⚔ 𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝙄𝘾𝙃 (𝙇𝙄𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙔)
⚔ 𝙎𝙇𝙊𝙒 𝘽𝙐𝙍𝙉
⚔ 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙐𝙈𝘼 𝙂𝘼𝙇𝙊𝙍𝙀
⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱⊰⚔⊱
🔥 𝑨𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒘 🔥
‼️ 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺 𝙲𝚆 + 𝚃𝚆 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 ‼️
November 21, 2023
(Originally written for instagram)
Do you like men who aren’t ready to confront their past being forced to do so anyway? Cranky shut in wizards who perhaps ask too many questions? Vampires who run around causing problems and act like they’re fine with being on the run? Do you like guys who refuse to admit their feelings have shifted from annoyance to attraction? Time travel shenanigans? Meetings that seem accidental but have been a long time coming? The inherent loneliness of immortality? The inherent loneliness of not knowing anyone else like you? Please read this book!
This book was so fun I loved it pretty much instantly. I am a huge fan of this not really enemies to lovers vibe, the “I want to kiss him to shut him up” of it all. I liked the writing style, there were some really evocative descriptions, setting the tone and vibes well. And frankly Calysto is a character that is going to be sticking around in my heart for a while because I deeply related to him and also he has never done anything wrong in his life ever (lies). I like these two bisexual disasters a lot. I am not gonna lie, part of the ending that jarred me a mite- not enough to lose a point for it but it was not really what I expected.
Do you like men who aren’t ready to confront their past being forced to do so anyway? Cranky shut in wizards who perhaps ask too many questions? Vampires who run around causing problems and act like they’re fine with being on the run? Do you like guys who refuse to admit their feelings have shifted from annoyance to attraction? Time travel shenanigans? Meetings that seem accidental but have been a long time coming? The inherent loneliness of immortality? The inherent loneliness of not knowing anyone else like you? Please read this book!
This book was so fun I loved it pretty much instantly. I am a huge fan of this not really enemies to lovers vibe, the “I want to kiss him to shut him up” of it all. I liked the writing style, there were some really evocative descriptions, setting the tone and vibes well. And frankly Calysto is a character that is going to be sticking around in my heart for a while because I deeply related to him and also he has never done anything wrong in his life ever (lies). I like these two bisexual disasters a lot. I am not gonna lie, part of the ending that jarred me a mite- not enough to lose a point for it but it was not really what I expected.
February 4, 2024
Well my dear immortal disaster bisexuals it’s seems I’ve grown quite fond you. There are few things I love more than idiots to lovers and Calysto and Python fit that description perfectly. I loved seeing these two loners slowly realize they didn’t just tolerate each other’s company but enjoyed it. I do think the flashback portions could have been shorter though and showed lack of trust in the reader. The characterization of our mcs was already strong so it felt a bit redundant to me to have things I had already assumed myself explained in so much detail. It’s hard to sell me on time travel and I probably wouldn’t have picked this up if I knew it was part of the plot but I loved the way the author handled it. This book also had a surprising amount of heart to it I wasn’t expecting that got me a little teary. It’s nice to be reminded when everything seems so bleak that even the smallest acts of kindness can go a long way and it’s never too late to find your purpose.
September 3, 2024
This had potential but I ended up feeling ambivalent. It was too long - at least a hundred pages could have been cut. I wanted more relationship development between Cal and Python and less time travel back story. I felt their backstories were too long and I lost interest and started skimming. I didn't hate the addition of Aeris in theory but in practice it didn't work for me. It felt like she was tacked on at the end and I never felt any connection between her and the other 2 mains. She just felt distracting, especially since I was already feeling like Cal and Python weren't on page together enough (despite the book being 400+ pages). Not helping was the moving house that was always described as dirty and full of trash and I was so grossed out by it.
Read
October 16, 2023An entertaining read for those who enjoy disaster characters and their shenanigans. This definitely reads like a story personal to JLF, and it's an intriguing take on time travel, as well!
Personally, I wasn't a fan of the snarky/witty narrative style (it's generally not my cuppa), but it also just felt oddly inconsistent. It was largely 3rd person with the occasional witty commentary interposed by a 1st person narrator. I think I understand what JLF was shooting for; it just didn't manifest as a smooth reading experience for me.
One thing I love about JLF books, though: the illustrations! I seriously enjoy that personal touch.
Personally, I wasn't a fan of the snarky/witty narrative style (it's generally not my cuppa), but it also just felt oddly inconsistent. It was largely 3rd person with the occasional witty commentary interposed by a 1st person narrator. I think I understand what JLF was shooting for; it just didn't manifest as a smooth reading experience for me.
One thing I love about JLF books, though: the illustrations! I seriously enjoy that personal touch.
February 23, 2023
This book blew me away, it's so much more than just your typical vampire romance novel. Calysto and Python are quirky messes with a boat-load of trauma buried beneath a ton of humor. TMMA was funny, entertaining, and had me grinning like an idiot the entire time. Juniper goes beyond humor, though, and uses this timey-wimey novel as a way to explore quite a few dark themes and provide scathing commentary on classism and disparaties between social groups. TMMA is an absolutely enthralling novel that I could easily read time and time again.
April 9, 2023
Gods, these characters are such absolute disasters, but you gotta love em. Fitzgerald breathes a fresh new life into vampire fiction, proving for once and for all that what's (un)dead shall never die. Heartbreaking, tragic, side-splittingly funny at times, The Modern Mythos Anomaly weaves a story of truly mythic proportions, all while hinting at the potential of an even wider, weirder world. Follow this Gordian's knot of seemingly disparate characters as they begin to unravel their tightly bound pasts and perhaps even surmount them.
May 8, 2023
Overall wonderful read! With interesting characters, a time traveling cabin and a HEA. While I loved the connection between the characters, Calysto and Python had the strongest, their relationship felt more natural and I could sympathize with them more than Areis. Who unfortunately felt like she was just kinda there at the end. However with the epilogue I can understand how they may have grown closer afterwards. In any case I do recommend this for any who love angsty characters and slow burn romance!
April 26, 2023
I liked this, but thought the plot was kind of all over the place. Also. Definitely not a romance. The two mcs' were pretty indifferent towards each other. Especially Python, who was still debating whether to let the love interest, Calysto, die. Calysto was the only one taking big leaps for the other, and while I was waiting for an act of passion on Python's end, it never happened.
It was pretty unsatisfying read. The plot, the character dynamic, all were wanting.
It was pretty unsatisfying read. The plot, the character dynamic, all were wanting.
March 20, 2024
An interesting premise starring some disaster characters. Fitzgerald did a good job of making me laugh - and then tear up - and then laugh again. It did take me a few chapters to get into the story, but once I figured out where it was going, I was along for the ride. The POV was a bit wonky for me at times, but Python and Calysto are fun characters and I was rooting for them throughout. A truly unique story any daring reader should try!
April 26, 2023
Sadly, this book just wasn't for me. Which is a real shame since the premise and the cover made it look so promising. But in the end, I thought the execution was done poorly and I couldn't bring myself to care for any of the characters. If I didn't hate DNFing so much, I wouldn't have brought myself to finish this.
August 14, 2023
so good
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up this book but I really liked the cover. The writing was absolutely excellent and the character development was wonderful. Such an original story. I have to check out this authors other works.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I picked up this book but I really liked the cover. The writing was absolutely excellent and the character development was wonderful. Such an original story. I have to check out this authors other works.
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