Book Review: Exodus 20:3 by Freydis Moon

Exodus 20:3 by Freydis Moon is an unexpected, short read. Religious eroticism and queer emancipation meet in a claustrophobic monster-romance about divinity, sexuality, and freedom. When Diego López is guilted by his mother into taking a low-key construction job in New Mexico, he doesn’t expect to be the only helping hand at Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. But the church is abandoned, decrepit, and off the beaten path, and the only other person for miles is its handsome caretaker, Ariel Azevedo. Together, Diego and Ariel refurbish the old church, sharing stories of their heritage, experiences, and desires. But as the long days turn into longer nights, Diego begins to see past Ariel’s human mirage and finds himself falling into lust—and maybe something else—with one of God’s first creations. WARNINGS: mention of transphobia, mention of drug use, light dubious consent, sexualization of religion.

Exodus 20:3 is a book that started off fairly normal, then quickly had me wondering what exactly was going on and who Ariel and Diego were. I liked the build up, and think it was very well written. I could understand a good deal of Diego's insecurities and concern, and could empathize with them. It was not until close to the end that I felt like I had any kind of understanding of Ariel's thoughts. There was just so much more that needs to be explored and unpacked with these two characters, and I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if it had been a bit longer, with more information on both characters and what might happen next. There is plenty of room for more, and I am more than a little intrigued in the world building here and how the relationship could go. I do see how some readers could be offended or upset by the take on religion and sexuality here, but I think those readers are also unlikely to pick up a book with a transsexual main character, so I doubt that will be a big issue for the readers that choose this book. 

Exodus 20:3 is a well crafted read, and I think I will be exploring other writing from the author. 

Book Review: The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith

The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith is the first book in a new series. Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto. But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell….and Earth.

The Library of the Unwritten is a book that requires the readers full attention. It has a brilliant concept, complex characters, and a plot with action and foreshadowing to spare. I will admit the first few chapters started off rough for me, because there was so much that needed to be introduced, and characters to meet. Once the story got going however, I was intrigued and hooked.  I loved Claire's character- she is complex with secrets and hidden sides at every turn. Brevity has hidden depths, Leto is so much more than he seems, and then there are Hero and Ramiel who are not really what you expect. I liked getting to see the story from multiple perspectives, how the characters see each other, and their vulnerabilities, was just as important to the story for me as the mystery of the codex and its importance to them all. I liked the puzzles and bits of religious lore woven through the story, from a variety of cultures. I really enjoyed the thoughts and questions about the possibilities and importance inherent in books, ideas, and stories. The action scenes were well written, and readers will be completely engaged in the wellbeing of the characters, physically and emotionally. The only trouble I had was more about my reading habits and life than the actual book. There are so many nuances and  important hints through the bok that readers should really give the book their full attention while reading, but that is rarely possible for me. This meant that it took me a little longer to read the book than expected, because of the distracts of life. However, I am really glad that I had the time to finally give the read the attention it deserved.

The Library of the Unwritten is a well written and entertaining read. To really enjoy it and catch all the foreshadowing and character nuances, I highly recommend reading it when you can give it your undivided attention.