Grave Things Like Love

Grave Things Like Love

by Sara Bennett Wealer

 

All of her life, Elaine has been the good girl. She has given up many of the things that other juniors in high school get to do because of her parents' business. She is asked to pick up the slack and help out whenever things go wrong, which seems to happen often.

Elaine's parents run the local funeral home and Elaine is being groomed to take over just like her dad did before her and his dad did before him. Their home and their business have been in the family for generations and it's expected that Elaine will continue that tradition.

When new guy, Xander, shows up, it's a breath of fresh air for Elaine and a reminder that she might not want to just always do what's expected of her.

When she and her friends accidentally wake up a ghost in her home, things get even more weird... 

Final thoughts: While billed as a ghost story, this really isn't one. The ghost seems to only be there to help move the motivation of the main character along rather than do anything on her own. Xander's entrance to the group is a little confusing since he's only just arrived but some people act like they've known him for years. The love triangle goes through all of the typical trope points, which isn't necessarily bad but doesn't breathe any new life into it all.

Rating: 3/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Strictly No Heroics

Strictly No Heroics

by B.L. Radley

Riley has never had the best luck. Raised by a drunk and abusive mother who died in a fiery car crash that left Riley traumatized and her half-sister disabled, she is just trying to get survive a world of superheroes and villains who battle for supremacy in her city. 

When Riley offends the wrong supe at her job, she is suddenly unemployed and desperate to find something to pay for the therapy that she needs, as well as help her sister's dad take care of the three of them financially after he took the girls in. 

A flyer promising that they hire everyone comes her way and Riley discovers that she's hired herself out as a henchman for the Villain Council of the city through a group called HENCH. With just a few days of training, she's ready to fetch coffee, build lairs, and construct lasers shipped like IKEA furniture. 

It's difficult for her to admit to her family and friends that she's technically a bad guy now. It's also difficult for her to come out to those she cares about regarding her sexual orientation. How does one find the perfect girl to date when working for someone who may be trying to destroy the city you love?

Final thoughts: Nice complementary story to How to Date a Superhero by Christina Fernandez, though it's probably just completely coincidental. One is a college girl dating a supe and one is a girl just trying to survive the damage they do. While the story is decent, it lags from time to time and many of the characters stay flat throughout. The best part for me was the fact that many things just... were. Her LGBTQ status is acknowledged and then left alone with no one bullying or criticizing her. This had a diverse cast but that wasn't pointed out for each character as a direct statement; the author just hinted at diversity through physical descriptions.

Rating: 3/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.