Author: E.L. Deards
Publisher: She Writes Press
Released: July 8, 2025
Received: ARC
Find it on Storygraph | More Fantasy
Book Summary:
Colton and Lucian may come from different walks of life, but they’re two peas in a pod. Colton is a master of deception, perfecting his fake treatments after years of small cons. Enter Lucian, hailing from the upper class with a grand plan.
It shouldn’t work, but it does. They start pitching fake exorcisms to the elite, bringing peace of mind to those with the most wealth. For a price, naturally. In the process, these two are about to stumble into something they were not prepared for.
My Review:
The Lavender Blade: An Exorcist’s Chronicle immediately grabbed my attention, thanks to Colton’s backstory and introduction. Right off the bat, I was trying to guess how honest his work was, or how far down the rabbit hole it would go.
Every now and then, you pick up a novel and wish it were a whole series. That’s what happened to me with The Lavender Blade: An Exorcist’s Chronicle. The story and concept are a lot of fun and have so much potential! I wanted more about Colton’s early life, and I desperately wanted more about the exorcism jobs. Long story short, I wanted more spanning in both directions.
If I had one complaint, it’s that The Lavender Blade needed more worldbuilding. Like I said, I wanted to know more about pretty much everything, and that includes the world. There’s a complex system in place, including social classes (Iron and Ivory Districts), family drama, politics; the works. I feel like we only got a glance into this, and it would have been so much more satisfying to get a slightly deeper dive into it all.
The characters are where this story really shines through. They’re vibrant, sharp, witty, and endearing. It wasn’t hard to fall in love with Colton and Lucian, or their friends, for that matter. Bonus points for adding a surprise pet early in the novel, which made me laugh on multiple occasions (the pet is fine, I promise).
Highlights:
- Con Artists & Fake Exorcisms
- Two Like Minds Against the World
- Found Family
- Demons
- M/M Romance
Trigger Warnings:
- Homophobia
- Blood/Torture
- Sexual Abuse/Assault
- Domestic Violence
Thanks to She Writes Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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