Book: Sheltering Her: Lore of the Fields #2 by Becca Ray Blackwell
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4.5/5
4.75/5 Stars
Yep. Yeah. Yep. I’m grinning like an idiot at 2am, writing this review, and acting like I don’t have work in 5 hours. Sheltering Her took me on a fantastic emotional journey. It’s the second book in this series, and although this focuses on a different couple, you have to read the first book before this one. While this is the second book in the series and focuses on a different couple, you definitely need to read book one first. Blackwell brilliantly builds on the world she established, leaving just enough breadcrumbs to keep you curious about what's next. I absolutely loved the setting and the incredibly creepy forest monsters. They sound so cool and would totally fit in with my macabre aesthetic. I seriously want art of them.
Viv, our FMC, is deeply relatable to me. She suffers through so much for being just in her 20s. That constant anxiety of housing insecurity and the panic of not having money for basic necessities felt so incredibly real. Finding out she’s a goddess (we don’t say demigoddess here. It’s derogatory!) didn’t just make her trauma and insecurities magically vanish. The author nailed the nuance of wanting to stay unnoticed, or feeling humiliated because you're plus-sized and struggling to keep up physically. However, Viv is still a force to be reckoned with. Her passion made her chapters a total comfort to read.
Theo, our monster MMC, is our mysterious bar owner from book one. His journey to redemption was so compelling as he went to help goddesses for an atonement for all the lives he took as a hitman. The way he treats our goddess is exactly how she should be treated. He worships her and would give her the world if he could. He’s seriously the devoted monster anyone could want as their partner.
The book wouldn’t have been complete without Viv’s cat, Nurghle, who accidentally traveled to this new world with her. I loved him so much and was happy to have my own cat companion with me while reading this book. 🐈⬛
The plot and pacing were fantastic. We run into some familiar faces we absolutely want to punch, which is exactly when the true conflict kicks off. The corporate shills of E.A.R.T.H. are as morally reprehensible as ever. I'd be riding a wave of pure contentment with the romance and delicious spice, only to get a spike of anxiety because those E.A.R.T.H. jerks showed up to ruin the vibe!
Sheltering Her is a brilliant addition to the series. If you’re looking for a good blend of cozy vibes, good spice, and some bits of dark humor and horror, I recommend the Lore of the Field series.
Thank you to Becca Ray Blackwell for the eARC. All opinions are my own.