I absolutely loved the transgender and bigender and just plain genderqueer representation in this book and will be recommending it to many people for that purpose alone.
In terms of the plot and characters, I struggled to get fully invested with motive and plot the entire way through, it was a little underwhelming, because I was kind of expecting a super epic adventure and it just fell a little flat. I did like the story and I will still absolutely recommend it, but I have also heard that other titles from these authors are great, so I think I will be giving those a shot as well.

I absolutely loved this. The representation is so beautifully done it makes you realize how books should portray every aspect. These authors wove together a fascinating tale that, above all else, speaks on love. While I thought the storyline started slow, as the two main characters became more familiar with each other, I began to fall in love with this book. This is a story about secrets and subterfuge. About not knowing who we can trust and when betrayal comes where we least expect it. The world building is so good. With every side of the war having their own mystical animals to support them, a mystical changing castle; every point of this book is exciting. This is a really fun fantasy book!

Since ‘Venom and Vow’ was first announced, I have been absolutely dying to read it. Consistently, Anna-Marie McLemore’s world building has been some of my favorite (I love and frequently rec ‘Wild Beauty’ and you can go back to my ‘Self-Made Boys’ post to see my glowing praise of that) and I was so hype to see this co-written, queer, dual perspective fantasy; from the jump, it has every I’m looking for in YA fantasy. I love a clear, concise set up for a plot and I love a world that’s familiar as a fantasy setting, but new, so I was enthralled by this immediately. But then…. The Gender Stuff™️ is what brought me from loving this book to being truly unable to put it down. (I got a big 4.5 hours of sleep last night as a result 🫠)
What gets me is how this book tackles what feels on the outside like sort of complex identities and ideas, and it holds space for that complexity, but it really makes it feel like at the heart of it, none of this should be so hard. The characters forthrightly communicate with eachother— what they want to be referred to, how they want to be thought of, how they want to be seen— and then they do their best to respect those wishes. I think some readers might see a description like “a transgender prince and a bi-gender assassin” and have a Certain Impression, but when you’re in these characters’ heads, it all feels so easy. It’s just communication and understanding! Whyyyyy do we make things more difficult than that?
Anyway. I just love this book, y’all. Would love to rec to some teens (it’s going on my classroom wishlist 🤗) but would also love to rec to a lot of adults👀! 5/5 stars 💃

2.5 stars rounded up.

The trans and bigender representation was excellent in Venom & Vow, but everything else fell really flat for me.

I'll start with the positives. I loved how the authors presented both MCs' LGBT journeys and growth. Over the course of the novel, we get to learn how Cade, who's trans, and Val, who's bigender, came to terms with themselves, how they presented themselves, and how they wanted others to view them. There's a lot of inner conflict that really lends weight to their experiences, which readers might really connect with.

I also liked the contrast between the two characters. Cade knows that he's trans since he was young, but Val, who doesn't have role models (as opposed to Cade who grew up in a monastery with other trans men), is conflicted about their identities and the ramifications of presenting themself as either a man or woman or both.

I liked how after the midpoint, they both start helping each other in their journeys and it turned out to be such a positive thing. There was like literally no hate or judgement. It was so cool.

Also, the fact that both MCs deal with chronic pain but that they're both still seen as bad ass was super cool. The authors kept mentioning how they hurt and how they dealt with the pain, and it all felt very realistic. It made the MCs feel very real.

But other than that, both the story and writing just weren't good. I'm not sure how else to say it. There were many times where I felt as if the novel needed another pass or two with an editor. Val's chapters kept repeating certain phrases right after it was written and it was jarring and made me think I misread something.

Anything related to diplomacy was just glazed over. In the beginning, Cade (as his brother, Patrick the Adare prince) captures Val (as Gael) and brings them to the Elianan palace. The way that it's written makes it seem like the Adare prince could willy nilly cross the border of a country they're at war with and grant an audience with the ruler. And everyone's just cool with it.

Second, the passage of time made no sense at all. There's a scene where it sounds like Adare is preparing for the Elianan delegation to arrive (so they're decorating the palace and stuff), and then suddenly the delegation just arrives? I had to reread the passage to figure out that Cade only saw the decorations right before the Elianans arrived, and that his close circle were just arguing over some minor decorating detail. It wasn't some random time jump, but it sure as hell felt like it.

Another thing, so I assumed that the monastery where Cade grew up in is in some remote place in Adare. Maybe I misread a description, but color me surprised when Cade and Val show up to the monastery like right after leaving the Adare castle. Literally no time went by.

And then Val just disappears into the orchard to change after arriving on only one horse with Cade. This is after the monks see them and help Cade off the horse.

But after that, no one followed Val? I was so confused to the point that I couldn't suspend my disbelief anymore.

I saw some Goodreads reviews where people DNF early because the world building was so confusing. I didn't have a lot of issues, but I do agree with them to an extent. I feel like the would building could've been tighter. It honestly kind of felt all over the place, and I think I was fine with it only because I'm a seasoned fantasy reader.

So, the characterization of the secondary characters was also subpar. I won't lie, everyone else but the MCs, Bryna, and Patrick just blended together. They had no distinctive personalities and were just there most of the time. Shit, even the mini Big Bad was so obvious to the point where it was kind of cringe in a way.

Also, there's one thing that really bothered me for some reason. There's a scene where Cade (as Patrick) tells a town that everything's gonna be a-okay, but suddenly a sea monster shows up. Cade sees it as an omen and then the chapter just ends.

So did the townspeople not react or anything? They were totally cool with some random sea monster just showing up? I was waiting for some Cade vs. sea monster action where he saves the people, but then that plot point was only mentioned again once or twice in passing??

I'm so confused.

Also one last thing, I promise. So Cade and Bryna have to marry because they're both the eldest heirs. But Cade and Val are in love, and Bryna and Patrick are in love. So... Just marry for political reasons and be with the person you love on the side? Isn't this a thing with monarchs? And all four are cool with each other. Literally no one hates anyone, so what's the issue??

Okay, I lied about that being the last thing. The fight scenes were so confusing. I liked that the authors included the MCs' fighting styles with their canes, but the way that the fights were written made it sound so technical to the point where I wasn't sure who was actually doing what.

Lastly, wtf is that last minute tacked on lesbian romance between Ondina and Nessa? It just appeared out of nowhere. Lesbians deserve better.

I'll end on a good note. The Adare castle was really cool. It felt like its own secondary character with the way that it could magically change its construction, grow plants, create rivers, etc. It was so cool!

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for this arc.

Venom & Vow had a lot of action and adventure, but sometimes not enough explanation. There were a few parts that seemed a little hand-wavey on what was happening, and the action seemed disjointed in the first third of the book. However, once it got going it moved quickly. The representation (from the gender, cultural, to the chronic pain) were all realistic and well done. There were a few characters that were a little harder to connect with, but with a constant rotating cast of characters (often the two main characters themselves) this is to be expected. A solid story that might have started off slow but picked up steam quickly, and ended happily.

So incredibly genderqueer! I love it so much! The world building was great, and the characters were even more amazing! And the hints of enemies to lovers?? Chef’s kiss!

3 stars

In terms of representation, readers will absolutely get what they are hoping for and what they consistently receive from Anna-Marie McLemore's books: ten out of five stars on that front. For that reason, I'll be recommending this book to students.

What tears a tiny hole in my heart is that aside from this very important piece, I struggled to get invested in the characters and events from cover to cover. This is not an experience I've ever had with the aforementioned author, and while it's disappointing, it won't stop me from requesting every future read from them and giving their coauthor at least another fair shot, too.

I'm finishing this one thrilled with the representation and very surprisingly underwhelmed by the rest.

“Of all the things my father taught me, this is one most likely to keep me alive tonight: Your hair, mija, can always hold more knives than you think.”

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

VENOM AND VOW is a beautifully descriptive fantasy novel by author couple Anna-Marie and Elliot McLemore. Eliana and Adare are two warring kingdoms, and the novel focuses on two of the people caught up in this war: Valencia Palafox, dama, assassin, and best friend to the Elianan princess, and Cade McKenna, the brother of Adare’s prince with a secret of his own.

Cade and Valencia are such interesting characters, each wanting the war to end and for their parents to wake up from the curse that has put both kingdoms’ older generation to sleep. The book shows the differences between the two kingdoms and what they each hold dear, but also the similarities and how they’ve each been affected by this war. The world building and lore behind this book is fascinating, and I love that it’s all explained at a time that makes sense but also when it’s relevant for the story. Most of the book takes place in Adare, but I loved what we did see of Eliana. I really hope that this becomes a series (it ended just open-ended enough that all of our questions were answered and wrapped up but there could definitely be more) so that we can explore Eliana more!

Most of all, I loved the fact that this is a fantasy novel where the two main characters both use a mobility aid. As someone who uses a cane, this means everything to me. It means even more that Adare has worked on making things more accessible, even teaching cane users modified dances so they can still dance during parties! While ableism still exists in this world, I cried seeing two powerful and strong cane users who use them as an extension of themselves, even when they’re fighting. When I say I want accessibility in fantasy, I mean in "small" moments like these too. Using a cane was so normalized in Adare that Cade didn't even think about Valencia not knowing how to dance with hers.

I think there's a lot in the book that will make people turn away from it at first. The first half relies pretty heavily on some misinformation (not necessarily miscommunication because there WAS no communication) and that's really what drives that home. A character also does something towards the end but is easily forgiven for it, and while it didn't ruin anything for me, I would not have forgiven them that easily. There are also some things that I questioned when first mentioned but were explained later on (lots of people were talking about Karlynn's heir and I didn't know who Karlynn was yet). The way that the royal family of Adare is explained makes sense in context though, and I loved that there was an in-story reason for Valencia to know that information and give it to the reader. It makes me want another book in Eliana even more!

I can’t wait to be able to talk to more people about how much I love this book!

When I heard that Venom & Vow by Anna-Marie and Elliott McLemore had not only Latinx representation, not only chronic pain representation, but also transgender and bigender representation, I knew I wanted to read it. In some ways, I absolutely adored this book, but in others, it was a bit disappointing.

One thing I didn’t particularly care for was the vagueness at the beginning of the novel. It’s not quite clear how the characters are related to one another. Ironically, I thought the bigender character’s identity was very clear, but Val’s relationship to Bryna and Cade’s relationship to Patrick were not. The novel would have been much improved if the characters’ roles and relationships to one another were made clear from the start.

Similarly, there were a few small details that didn’t add up. For instance, something almost happens at the end of the book, and one of the main characters basically says it’s a lose-lose situation. Essentially, there are two options and this character believes that one will result in someone being hurt emotionally, and the other will result in them being hurt physically. However, in relation to the former option, it is not clear how this character arrives at that conclusion. (Sorry for the obscurity; I don’t want to spoil anything.")

In another situation, it’s said that this character tells another “everything,” but later they tell a third character that they didn’t tell anyone about a secret. With this issue, it seems like the authors maybe didn’t coordinate as much as they could have. There were a few instances where the different POVs felt a bit disjointed.

That being said, there were quite a few aspects of the story that I really enjoyed. My favorite feature was the chronic pain representation, which was clearly well-thought-out. Both of the main characters use a cane, and the culture of one of the Queendoms seems to be very accepting of disabilities. In fact, they even have modified dances that are designed to include people who use canes.

Likewise, there were a few quotes about chronic pain that rang true to what I’ve experienced. The authors talk about how thinking about pain makes it worse and how distracting oneself does not make the pain disappear. These details were consistent throughout the book, and felt very authentic.

Additionally, the transgender and bigender representation were phenomenal. I truly enjoyed the depth with which the protagonists’ identities were explored. Cade, who is a transgender prince, struggles with society’s expectations of wanting a queen who does not exist. Val, a bigender assassin, explores his identity throughout the novel, and she finds comfort in being able to express herself genuinely. I appreciated the conversations Cade and Val had about the latter’s identity, as they were both informative and emotional.

Finally, the plot was interesting, but felt a little underdeveloped. It seems like there were some missed opportunities when it came to political intrigue, and I would have liked to know more about the backstory of the world.

As a whole, I would recommend this book, as long as you are prepared to be a little confused toward the beginning. I think it is worth reading simply due to the complex and dynamic representation that is included.

I appreciate the diversity and representation in this novel. The inclusion of a transgender man, a bigender character, and transgender monks who help people to transition is truly wonderful. However, the book is not without its flaws. There are certain elements that are repeated too often, which can be grating. The world-building is interesting, but it is not always explained well, leaving readers with many unanswered questions and floundering a little. For instance, Cade's cane being an owl (is the cane sentient? is it both a cane and an owl? no idea) and the different scents of people depending on where they are from remain unclear. Furthermore, some plot points feel forced through and not completely earned. The Spanish words thrown in are a nice touch, but their usage is quite liberal and might bother some readers. I didn't mind at all, but I certainly didn't know all the words. Despite its imperfections, the book is enjoyable, and the diverse characters make it worth the read.

Venom & Vow is a beautiful and luscious world where two kingdoms are opposed in a long war. What can I say about this book? Well I loved it. The world building was interesting and so colorful. The attention to pain both cane users feel was amazing. I appreciated how even though both of the main characters used a cane they were not treated less than by everyone else. The trans experience Cade experiences had me tearing up because he put so many expectations on himself. I loved the character growth of everyone in the novel. I was screaming and laughing at the obliviousness of Cade and Val. I honestly wish this book was longer because I think there could have been much more detail because the world is so capturing. I highly recommend this book for the trans and disability rep.

Thank you to Fierce Reads and Netgalley for an e-arc of this one.

I took way too long to write my review of this book because it knocked my socks off so bad I didn't even know how to formulate my thoughts.

Cade and Valencia/Gael meet during inauspicious circumstances, but that doesn't stop them from forming a bond built on mutual respect after settling some of their differences. I loved to see how they bounced off each other throughout the book and went from enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers. Honestly I loved it so so much.

Something about this book reminds me of The Brilliant Life which I loved. I was engaged the entire time by not just the plot but the writing style, characters, and world building!

Have a bigender character was absolutely amazing. I hardly ever see characters on the genderfluid spectrum and it was just so meaningful.

I love this book with everything in me!

CW: transphobia, war, death, loss of a parent

Thanks to NetGalley & Feiwel & Friends for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I had to stop reading at 25% of the way through.

This book was incredibly confusing with its multiple POV chapters explaining nothing. I tried to keep reading for the awesome rep, but the writing was really dragging it all down.

I have tried so many nights to get into this book but I just can't. I even restarted it every night trying to figure it all out. It's to confusing to keep figuring out who is who and what is happening. So sadly I will not be finishing this book.

despite the synopsis being clear on who is who, the first 100 pages I kept going back to the synopsis every single chapter because I just couldn't get a grasp on the characters. And nothing happens unlike like 33% into the book, and then another 10% in they're protecting each other instead of enemies already. This was just such a miss for me plot wise

Rich in fantasy, this book is stunning. There are wonderfully crafted characters and intense world building. Sadly, I just couldn’t get into it. There was too much going on and I kept getting lost. I can possibly attribute that to headspace… but I read the first 10% THREE times to try and get into it and the third time I only made it halfway before I had to call it.

I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this to others as I can see the appeal. It just wasn’t working for me and I found that I was trying too hard to enjoy it.

Just finished reading this glorious book and I have so many thoughts!!
I've loved all Anna-Marie McLemore books I've read so far so I knew I would love this one too and I couldn't be happier that I did. I love their writing so much, it always draws me in and makes me feel very much immersed in the book. Elliott's writing was, of course, new to me but still blended amazingly with Anna.
The world-building was lush and fantastic, both Adare and Eliana sound wonderful and the way the authors painted the scenes, made me yearn to be inside the book.
My most favourite part of the book and also one that's very close to my heart is the gender diversity present in this book and the trans monastery. Chef's kiss 🤌🏼❤️
The themes that the book revolves around are family dynamics, figuring out your identities, coming out, pondering about coming out, and grief in a way. The conflicts between the kingdoms of Eliana and Adare were also very well written and had my interest captured.
The dynamic between the MCs Cade and Val, was so amazingly written and I absolutely loved it! Val was a bit of a fave because well, she's amazing and he deserves all the love, as is and does Cade too. Okay, I just can't choose, I loved them both xD
And oh, did I mention animals of so. many. kinds. throughout the book?????? 🦊
Highly, highly recommend this amazing book!! Go read it!! Out May 16th!!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Self-Made Boys so I was very excited to read this book. Enemies to lovers with fantasy woven in alongside a lot of different rep seemed right up my alley.

I’m giving it 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this one as much as I had hoped. The world building happened so fast. You are thrown in and expected to understand everything that is going on. There are so many characters with different titles I was confused who was who. There were two characters I kept getting confused because I didn’t remember one being introduced. I like how both Cade & Val had disabilities that were taken to in none insulting ways. I also liked how their identities were handled. Val being gender fluid or bi-gender and Cade being a trans man was dealt with in a very accepting way.

I thought the romance between Val & Cade seemed very rushed. One minute they are at their throats and the next they are saying they want and need each other and they are in love. The love part felt so random. Where did these feelings come from? The whole curse aspect felt random too. It seemed to be brought up and fixed rather quickly in the end. I also had a hard time picturing how things/people looked if that makes sense.

I want to read more of Anna-Marie’s books and maybe I can get a better feel for their writing. The cover for this book is stunning and does a really good at showing Val’s personality.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Two enemy kingdoms must work together to end a curse and stop a curse.
Cade McKenna is a transgender prince who plays body double for his brother. When Gael Palma a young boy from an enemy kingdom, is captured, Cade vows to protect him because boys like them must protect each other.
Valencia Palafox is the princess’s lady-in-waiting, but when no one is paying attention, she transitions into Gael Palma, an infamous boy assassin.

This story has fun world-building (though there is room for improvement). I loved Cade’s character and growth throughout the story. Both main characters in this book deal with disabilities, including chronic pain. As someone who deals with chronic pain, the representation was lovely. One of my favorite quotes from the book was, “Living with pain written into your body changed how you react to it”.

This book does read like a YA (due to it being a YA), so please note that. If YA fantasy is not for you, then this book is not for you.

Pros
- The writing is lovely
- Fantastic disability representation (also did not fall into the trope of a fantasy world fixing all disabilities)
- The characters were well-written and three dimensional
- Well-written trans characters

Cons
- World-building could have been a bit better.

This book was beautifully queer and has wonderful representation which is what drew me to it originally, the enemies to lovers aspects was done well also. Two kingdoms who are at odds and a curse that effects both sides which they realize needs them to mend bridges to fix. What was a drawback of the book and general disappointment was how things seemed rushed or not written clearly, there were also moments where characters changed appearance from how they were originally mentioned but nothing was said as for the reason. I understand that this was a collaborative effort so that could be the reason for that as a breakdown in communication. Overall I did enjoy the book and the magic as a fantasy reader but would wish those things be fixed moving forward with other books.