*E-audiobook provided by netgalley for an honest review*

2.5*

I wanted so much more from this book. The premise sounded awesome and I know the author has a degree in folklore so I was super excited for this book. However, it was kind of a let down. The book definitely has pacing issues as the first entire half of the book is the main character convincing herself that she is has schizophrenia. She finally realizes she is not seeing things and finally embraces her ability, however I felt this came way too late much or how long the book is. I also felt the religious trauma was waaaaaayyyy too heavy handed and it was brought up too often. The book ended on a cliff hanger which felt kind of cliche but whatever. However, if you can get through all of that, then the side characters are freaking awesome! Fauna and her bf (sorry can't remember how to spell his name) are the best and I loved their scenes.

Audiobook voice actor was okay, nothing special but also nothing terrible.

The premise of this book sounded so exciting, but my poor rating ultimately boils down to the author trying to do too many things, and not doing any of them well.

Marlow is an extremely unlikable character, maybe on purpose, but above all, she is a terrible friend. It seems like her one-sided friendships were just included to further the plot along.

I will not be picking up book two.

I follow Piper on IG and think she's funny as heck and have been waiting for this book for a while. However, something just felt off about it-it was missing something. I hate not giving this book a 5 star rating because Piper is weird/hilarious/entertaining person to follow. I would read another book from her but again this book was just missing something.
(I still bought it at B&N because of the edges)

I listened to this via audiobook, and it had everything going for it. The narration was fantastic. The premise was unique and interesting. By all rights, I should have loved this. Alas, not so.

It started just by feeling like the story was taking too long to start. The crux of the plot doesn’t feel like it kicks off until you’re already a third of the way though. This definitely could have been redeemable if it had picked up after that. But instead the narration continues to languish in gratuitous backstory without making any new points or character developments. It really had me rolling my eyes and thinking “okay. I get it. CAN WE MOVE ON NOW??” It’s disappointing in so many ways given that the fantasy setup had potential. if we weren’t busy using that time to go over the same backstory piece over and over it could have been explored in really cool ways. Again, alas, oh well.

This was unfortunately an exercise in frustration for me. All vibes and not enough plot.

Unfortunately this book was not something I enjoyed as mmuch as I thought I would have. I was interested in seeing what the hype was about and it didn't live up to the expectations in my head. I knw it will finnd the audience that it is designed for but I dont think that is me.

Absolutely loved this read. Was already sold when it was marketed as Hazbin Hotel meets Crescent City. The narrator was perfect, the plot was compelling, the smut was HOT. Loved.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️.5

🦌Urban Paranormal Fantasy
🐉Trauma Healing
🦌Mythology and Folklore
🐉Angels and Demons
🦌Heaven and Hell
🐉 Found Family
🦌 some spice
🐉Religious Trauma

Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC.
The narrator was amazing! Absolutely would listen to anything by this narrator!

The first 30 percent was a little bit confusing and took me a while to get into. The religious, paranormal, and fantasy creatures/beings mixing was a lot to take in. Fae, dark entities, demons, angels, and ect. When we get to the point after she gets the tattoo the story picks up to a more understanding pace.

Chapter 20 was intense. Real eye opener about the FMC’s childhood. The mom is a real piece of work.
I did like the premise of the story.
The FMC is “cursed” with a gift that allows her to see demons, angles and dark entities. She is thrown in to a centuries old war while looking for the Prince of Hell whom is missing. He has always been with her but she banished him. The journey she goes through to find him is wild.

The final 10 percent was a boost in rating. Learning about their past lives was sad and informative. The scene at the clinic was very well written! I would read the second one because I feel all the back story has been done in the first. I do want to know what happens next.

3.5 stars. I think I enjoyed it more because of the audio book. I think if I would have read the physical it would have been harder to follow. This is the first book I have read by Piper CJ. I do own The Night and it’s Moon.

The writing is good. The descriptions are detailed. The friendships were my favorite.

Prior to picking up The Deer and the Dragon I had not read any works by Piper CJ, but had heard of her online as being an author who wrote spicy fantasy novels that built into more epic style series. As such I was very interested when I saw that she had a new novel to kick off a new series releasing, and even more so when I heard it would be being based off mythology.

As such it was a small shock to go into this novel and it be significantly less spicy than I was expecting and more based of Demons and Angels then anything else. Despite those two small shocks the novel was enjoyable and I can definitely see how the authors books could become a touch addictive with all the plot twists and turns she lead us down.

I would add a word of caution that this novel deals heavily with religious trauma, and sexual awakening. As someone who has quite a mixed relationship due to my own experiences growing up I found those sections of the novel relatable and at times a touch overwhelming. The book has a large section of its plot dedicated to sexual awaking and the experiences of Marlow when she had been an acting sex worker and her own mixed emotions around sex work and the men met through it.

Marlow herself is a bit of a mixed bag, framed as a highly independent woman who cares deeply for her chosen family, yet the novel sees her acting in opposite of this time and time again. In many ways she was one of the more frustrating elements of the novel as she would believe one thing about herself deeply and then not care at all about how she was behaving in the opposite direction of the belief or if she hurt her own life and career she built while perusing a man.

I would recommend this novel to those looking for:
- A Spicy romance novel with more plot than spice
- A world with Demons and Angels
- Religious Trauma processing 101
- A new shadow daddy to fall in love with
- Side characters that hold their own in the plot

I received an advance review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

In a world where fantasy novels have taken over the literary scence, it can be hard to find one that unique and captivating. The Deer and the Dragon is both unique and captivating, an epic journey of conquoring your childhood demons, beliving in the voices you hear and learning you are highborn acording to the gods you write about in your fantasy novels. A well devleoped and exciting plot full of action, unexpected turns, and starcrossed lovers that have found each other in every lifetime.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audiobook review! Again solely listened to the audiobook.

My initial reaction when I heard the narrator was a nope for me, but she eventually grew on me. The internal monologue was excruciating - the guilt, the shame… I get it. I was just waiting for Fauna the whole time to come and steal the scene away cause I couldn’t stand it.

The time jumps were confusing, but I understood the process. I wouldn’t recommend for people that have a hard time with time jumps, maybe it was the timing that made it difficult?

Needed more scenes with Caliban!!! Then towards the end where she completely went off the rails and did everything they told her not to do was a no for me with the goddess. I felt it could have gone a different direction. 2.5 rounding up for the steamy men.

This is my fifth Piper CJ book and although I found TNAIM as a series easy to get into, The Deer and the Dragon took more time. The build up in this book very much reminded me of the build up in ACOTAR. It took about 20 chapters for ACOTAR to get interesting to me and this felt similar. I love the way Piper explored religious trauma in this book and LOVED the No Other Gods theme in general.

After finishing this book I found myself craving more but it took awhile to get there. I think, just like many other fantasy books, this series required a lot of world building before we get to the real plot points. Marlow as a character is refreshing because she doesn't come with immediate badd-assery like so many other FMC do. She's fully aware that what she's going through is seriously messed up and that a "normal person" would be freaking out. I think this made her more relatable than most characters. Fauna is an absolute delight and Azrames is wonderful.

I cannot wait to learn more about Caliban and his history with Marlow. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot but if you aren't familiar with the author and her personal connections to this story then it may not immediately be for you. I cannot wait to see more religious representation and learn how all the realms intermingle.

Thank you NetGalley and Author for providing me with an audio advanced reader's copy of this book.

Let me start off by saying that this book has a lot of potential. When reading the blurb, I got super excited as it seemed to be just like something I'd read. Tropes like reincarnation with true love, angels and demons, Hell and heaven, and so on.

The book started off a little slow in the beginning. There was a lot of talking about the main character and what she had been going through. There wasn't really happening much and I had trouble going through the first 30% or so. It didn't grab me from the beginning on.

It picked up around 30% when Fauna came in and began to explain what is happening to our main character. This is where Fauna introduces her to a new world and a new beginning. Telling her that no, Marlow was not crazy while she was having dreams as a younger girl and was friends with a fox. This is where the book began to pick up for me and where I started to enjoy the book. It's where we get to know more about the other world and the many creatures that Marlow will get to know.

I loved the infusion of the angels and demons and the mythology of it all. I think that was well done in combination with the trauma of Marlow.

I didn't like the main character at all. Often times I found her a bit whiny, mean and also just negative over all. It felt as though she was the best in the world. Pretty and rich, a successful author and someone who was the chosen one. It felt as though the Main Character was supposed to be this picture perfect woman with trauma. Personally, I don't really love that in a book. I would've loved for Marlow to be a bit more sensitive to her friends. What I did love, was that she was a sex worker and that it gets talked about in this book to slay some of the taboo's around the topic of sex. I did think it was a bit unnecessary and could have been explained better. The male character in this book was a bit vague for me. We don't see him much, besides the memories of Marlow.

Overall I did enjoy this book, but I hoped for a more. It was described as a Hazbin Hotel and crescent city inspired book, but I didn't really see the connection with the show or the books by SJM. I also hoped for a bit more romance to touch the heart.

The ending leaves us open for wondering more and I will try out the next book to see where it will be heading.

This was a chore to get through. I liked some parts but hated the majority of it.

one of the worst lines: “I had the worst case of blue tubes in the history of womankind.” this gave me the ick.

the editing in the book was poorly done. a lot of errors. the main character was insufferable and i did not like her at all. she was a terrible friend.

Thank you to Tanto Audio, Piper CJ, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Deer and the Dragon in exchange for an honest review!

A few things I loved:
1 ) The incorporation of so many religions and folklore into one book. There are so many religions from the past and present incorporated into this novel. It provides a bit of background and learning so if you like learning about world religions mixed with fantasy, you'll like this book!
2) The representation. We have a bi-sexual, ex-sex worker as our protagonist. She is not shamed by her friends and found family for her sexual orientation or her past. There is also a non-binary side character. I love that we are embracing this little bit of diversity.

A few things I didn't
1) This is the first book in a series which may explain my first complaint, but I felt like the book took SO LONG to really get going. Maybe there was a bit of world building in there, but it even took us a while to get to the part where we realize a world is supposed to be built! We were questioning the FMC's sanity for the first half of the book!
2) Once we did get to the action, the book ended. Again - I know this is going to be a series, but we could have used more action once the world was set up. I felt like I did a lot of waiting while the world was built up, but the reward wasn't enough.

I am feeling pretty neutral about this book - I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. I'll give book 2 a try and hope we get the action I was waiting for in book 1 there!

3⭐️ This was nothing like I’ve ever read before. Starts out like a modern fantasy then gets into gods, demons, angels, & fae all mixed together with some spice. So if that sounds like something you’d like then this book is definitely for you!

"The Deer and the Dragon" introduces readers to a likable protagonist, and I appreciated the author's bold choice in portraying her as a sex worker, aiming to normalize this often-taboo topic. The plot is undeniably intriguing, delving into themes of religious trauma and the dynamics of gods in a captivating manner. However, I found myself wishing for a more prominent exploration of the angels and demons aspect, as this felt somewhat overshadowed by other elements.

Unfortunately, the character of Fauna detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Her presence felt grating, her dialogue reminiscent of poorly executed YA banter, which pulled me out of the narrative. I couldn't shake the feeling that her inclusion was unnecessary and even detrimental to the overall experience.

Additionally, the book suffers from an excessive amount of information and unnecessary tangents, making it feel bloated and cumbersome at times. Trimming down at least 100 pages could have greatly improved the pacing and readability of the story, allowing for a more focused and engaging narrative.

Despite these flaws, "The Deer and the Dragon" still offers an interesting read for fans of urban fantasy, particularly those intrigued by unconventional protagonists and intricate world-building. However, prospective readers should be prepared for some uneven storytelling and be willing to overlook certain shortcomings in favour of the novel's strengths.

Gods, goddesses, angels and demons? Yes, please! This includes all folklore in one and I was absolutely THERE for it. There was also a 🌶️ mystery going on - so it kept me wanting more to figure out that the heck was going on.

The author has a masters in folklore and it showed - this the best part of the book by far. It was so well done and she laid out the complexities of the lore in an easily digestible manner.

There have been critiques online about the author self-inserting in the book - and that didn’t bother me since I imagine it happens more than we think. My main issue was that I couldn’t relate to the main character, Marlow. She felt flat somehow and her character didn’t grow as much as I had hoped throughout the book. Though understand that this might be a result of her trauma, so I hope that her growth might expand in the next book in the series. I did in fact love that the author normalized sex work with Marlow’s history.

My only other complaint was the lack of ROMANCE in this book! It really was just at the beginning and the end, and the whole time I was just waiting for Calaban to show. As a lover of relationship development, I couldn’t fall in love with Marlow and Calaban as a couple because I didn’t get the chance to witness their relationship development.

Overall, this was an addictive read, despite some of my critiques. The plot development kept me intrigued, and I am hoping to see characters and relationships develop in the next book. Some of my most favourite series are the ones that get better and better, so I still have high hopes for the next book. Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely OBSESSED! This audio and book were INCREDIBLE! I was so drawn in by the story and the narrator was fantastic and captivated me with their story telling. I found myself stopping and just sitting to listen instead of completing house chores because I was so into the story. I hate I have to wait so long for the next book because I just want it now already!

Wow. I was blown away by this book. Piper CJ has an amazing away of describing emotions and thought processes that the characters experience when thrown into uncomfortable or earth shattering situations. There are so many amazing quotes in this book. The characters were loveable and REAL. Marlow is very relatable and Caliban is a heart throb!! Also I want Fauna to be my best friend! Honestly loved this book!

When I started this audiobook I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. The first chapter I felt was rushed and out of place until I got past it. Then it fit perfectly to show us where Marlow our main character was at in her personal journey and how it felt to live in her body. I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator did a great job with the different character voices and emotions of the characters. The narration was seamless between characters and ups abd downs of the story. I would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone that enjoys modern day settings woven with amazing myth and lore creatures.