Broken Web by Lori M. Lee was kind of great, thanks in no small part to the wonderful villain of the story. After all, who doesn’t love villains who parallel their heroes? Who doesn’t love a tragic backstory? And a little light murder? 😌🖤

Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M Lee

(A standalone novel)

Pahua Moua has a bit of a reputation for being a weirdo. A lonely eleven-year-old Hmong girl with the unique ability to see spirits, she spends her summer days babysitting her little brother and playing with her best friend, a cat spirit no one else can see.

One day Pahua accidentally untethers an angry spirit from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood--whoops. When her brother suddenly falls sick and can't be awoken, Pahua fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. She returns to the scene of the crime with her aunt's old shaman tools, hoping to confront the spirit and demand her brother's return. Instead, she summons a demon.

Thankfully, a warrior shaman with a bit of an attitude problem shows up at the last minute and saves her butt. With the help of this guide, Pahua will have to find her way through the spirit worlds and rescue her brother's soul before it's too late. Little does she know she'll have her own discoveries to make along the way. . . .

Those of you who know me probably know that I’m a big fan of Opera, especially Italian Opera, and this is by far the most operatic thing that happens in The Untamed.  Indulge me.  You see, in Italian Opera, there’s always that moment either at the end of Act III or end of the Opera when all the soloists and the entire chorus run out onto the stage to sing the big ensemble scene, often with a resounding crescendo.  It doesn’t matter what they were doing prior to this or where they were, they all just SHOW UP for the grand finale.  And that’s what happens in JGY’s Chamber of Secrets when everyone including Su She and his 50 soldiers suddenly show up to confront the Yiling Laozu with his utter EFFRONTERY to still exist.  

I’d like to first of all linger lovingly on this scene where WangXian become surrounded by the aforementioned 50 goons with their swords drawn.  The first thing Wei Wuxian does is push Lan Wangji away, and the look of utter heartbreak on Hanguang-Jun’s face is so devastating, that I’m going to need a minute before I resume.  Cry with me now.

My poor heart is given a moment of comedic respite when JGY asks Wei Wuxian to unmask himself.  Everyone makes THIS FACE (which is hilarious because we, the Audience, know that all of them except Jin Ling already knew that the man behind the mask was Wei Wuxian) and then it’s off to the races.

(Pour one out for Lan Xichen especially)

It’s heartbreaking that Wei Wuxian is so quick to accept that he will be alone in this, abandoned by everyone, and left to die.  He’s very matter of fact about it.  There is no judgement or blame here, he just accepts that this is his lot in life, no questions asked.  He is the Yiling Laozu and any association with him will besmirch the other party.  Of course, the party in question in Lan Wangji, the Most Devoted Man in the World, Wei Ying - you dumbass!  How many times does a man have to give you chickens to get it through that dumb, beautiful head of yours that his heart and all the other sexy parts belong only to you??? 

Before I even have the time to fully process my heartbreak, Lan Wangji draws his sword, and it’s so sexy, I’m gonna need another moment, bear with me please.

Now as soon as Lan Wangji makes it clear that he’s a) hot for trouble and b) standing by his man, Wei Wuxian grabs a hold of his wrist.  It’s very tender.  It also lasts for the next 1 minute and 13 seconds.  That’s right, these Disgustoids hold hands in front of all of polite society and Su She for a full minute plus, while men with swords continue to point said swords at them.  Iconic!  Epic!  The Gay Agenda has never looked this good!

While they do tender wrist holding, Peak Romance unfolds in the form of Lan Wangji confessing his love to Wei Wuxian by quoting his own words back at him.  In The Untamed, we don’t say “I love you,” or even “I whatever you” (the Romantic Standard), we say “The feeling of sticking to the single-log bridge until it’s dark is indeed not bad.”  This Gross Man has carried these words in his Gross Heart for all these years, through physical and emotional trauma and against the weight of societal scorn, and he finally has the chance to say them to his bae 16 years and a death later.  Can I get an OOF???

Also he makes THIS FACE while talking?  I mean…???  Can Wang Yibo please fuck off and let me live?  I guess not, that’s been made abundantly clear!

(Please ignore Netfilx’s idiotic subtitles when Wei Wuxian responds by saying “Lan Zhan ah Lan Zhan” but they translate it as something daft.) 

What happens next is what I like to call Disgustoid Banter at its finest.  Having told his man he loves him to infinity and back, Lan Wangji also tells Wei Wuxian he talks too much, and I honestly love that for them.

THEY’RE HERE, THEY’RE QUEER, THEY’RE IN LOVE FROM EAR TO EAR!

I will only leave you with this gif of Lan Wangji kicking Su She in the face because I think he enjoyed that very much and I don’t usually see this portrayed in gifs, so special thanks to Mel @significanceofmoths for always humoring me.

“We’re going to survive this,” I tell him, even as his foot slips briefly, nearly pitching me from the saddle. “We’re not going to die here. I won’t allow it.” I cannot let my fears gain control again, even though they’ve been gnawing at me from the moment I realized what I did to that knife thrower. Despite the odds, despite that I never quite believed what Ronin said about my craft, some desperate part of me wanted it to be true. So that I could make a difference. So that I could be someone. And for what? Recognition? Prestige? I tell myself I want these things, but my heart knows the truth. It is not from the world that I need acknowledgement of my worth.

Guess who spent three months illustrating, animating, and editing a book trailer for Lori M. Lee’s awesome new YA fantasy novel, ‘Forest of Souls’? ♥

The trailer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B_7y0QJAx5r/