An Introduction to The Little Fox Lair

I started The Little Fox Lair as a literary passion project in 2023. I had gone through a difficult series of health events that affected my cognition and in turn my creative process as an artist and writer. I still retained my ability to read and write objectively, and I found that reading was therapeutic and helpful in exercising my brain and my overall recovery.

In the initial stages of this journey, I had downtime to heal and process my new way of being. I found reading to be a hobby that offered me equal parts of escapism and learning. It provided me with joy and the motivation to continue to push myself mentally where my physical recovery was moving quite slowly.

As I continued to read, write, and rewire my brain, I was compelled to start rebuilding a social community again. This is where I stumbled upon the “bookish” side of social media, and I began to connect to other readers, authors, and reviewers. I found my own voice reviewing a set of niche genres in long-form posts, and I met some wonderful people in the process. I decided to create my own small coterie of literary friends, and I called it The Little Fox Lair.

The Little Fox Lair was formed as an inclusive space where learning and growth is celebrated and sought after. I designed The Little Fox Lair as an ode to enlightened introversion. Its whimsical vibe honors the suspension of time when we are reading and examining other worlds, emotions, or experiences through written words. It encourages exploring the intersection between fantasy and reality where one might retreat to escape from the world to rest, recharge, and grow in a quiet place of safety and reflection. It is a place to come to gain new perspective and learn things about yourself through fictional works and community.

The fox is symbolic of what I believe all bookworms and seekers of knowledge to be: intelligent, intuitive, clever, and adaptable. In folklore, the animal symbolizes magic, transformation, and theorizing through keen observation. I imagine this resonates with many readers, particularly readers of some of my favorite genres we read here.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Into the den we go. Below you’ll find general housekeeping topics that should help acquaint you with this space.

Preferred Genres

I read a wide variety of fiction; however, I do tend to gravitate towards specific genres. Genres that you will find covered here are:

• Fantasy

• Romantasy/ Fantasy Romance

• Magical Realism

• Young Adult & New Adult Dystopian

• Young Adult & New Adult Coming-of-Age

• Speculative Fiction

• Gothic Romance

• Dark Academia

• Dark Romance

• Dark Fairytales/ Fairytale Retellings

• Literary Fiction

• Women’s Fiction

Rating System & How I Review Books

Art technique can be assessed objectively; however, art reviews on the whole are highly subjective. Most works typically possess both positive and negative elements. My reviews reflect this thought process; however, I do my best to primarily highlight as much of the positive in a work of art that I can find. My platform is a place to support authors and connect readers to books that will make them feel something. I am much more focused on storytelling, character development, and thematics versus perfect grammar and style.

I find star ratings to be arbitrary, but I understand they are an integral part of marketing and promotion across the platforms available for selling, buying, and reviewing books. I would urge the reading community here to take into consideration the actual content of the review in addition to the stars that I assign the book.

My star rating key is as follows:

• 1 or 2 stars: I personally did not find the book to evoke enough reaction or emotion. I probably would not go out of my way to recommend it, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it.

• 3 stars: The book had moments that evoked emotion or reaction, but may have fallen flat at times. I would consider this a book I probably enjoyed, but wouldn’t need to keep it in my personal library.

• 4 or 5 stars: The book evoked significant emotion or reaction. I would go the extra mile to recommend the book, or it would be added to my permanent collection of books on my shelves.

Reviewing Policies & ARC Reviews

I generally do some research to make sure what I choose to read will be enjoyable for me, aligns with my reading community, and is within my preferred genres. I try to limit the amount of Advanced Reader Copies that I accept so I can give each book I receive the proper time and attention to review.

Prior to sending out PR packages or ARCs, please send me an e-mail so I can confirm I am able to take on your piece and provide you with a shipping address. I do not ever charge money for reviews, and it will be clearly stated in all reviews whether I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest feedback. Some of my posts may contain links for readers to purchase books on various bookseller websites. These links may earn me affiliate commissions at no charge to the reader, and this will always be clearly stated in the post.

DNF (Do Not Finish) Policy

I rarely DNF a book without coming back to it at some point. This is a combination of being a mood reader and doing inquiry on books prior to reading them.

I will not review or assign a star rating to a book I did not finish. It will be added back to or removed from my digital To Be Read lists. I do not DNF ARCs I commit to, unless there is an egregious reason for doing so. If that happens, I will contact the publisher or author, and I will give them the courtesy of knowing that I will not be able to complete the review.

I believe it is absolutely okay to DNF a book, I just personally do not do it very often. The policies above are my own personal approach to reviewing. I believe a book could start off slow, but the last fifty pages could change your life. I’ve read books like this before, so I try to see them through to the end. I need to read a work in its entirety to be able to provide a comprehensive, critical review.

Laws of the Lair

I ask that subscribers be respectful and kind when engaging with others in any spaces associated with The Little Fox Lair. Analyzing literature lends itself to discourse, and it is okay to disagree or voice differing opinions. Please consider one another when commenting.

The Lair is intended to be a safe place for everyone. We read a wide variety of themes and works here, and we advocate for everyone to have access to books that contain diverse representation.

You will not find any book shame here. I am never going to tell a reader what they can or cannot read. We also view physical books, e-books, and audiobooks as equal forms of processing story.

This community strongly supports both indie and traditionally published authors. This is a collective that celebrates creatives that are brave enough to put their work out to the world. I have a great respect for anyone that takes the steps to publish their art in any format. Constructive criticism is welcome; however, berating authors is not tolerated.

I will do my best to tag content and reviews with the appropriate trigger warnings, but please research this prior to reading in case I miss something. There are darker themes in some of the books that are discussed on this page.

You may always send me an e-mail if you have a concern. I try to keep an open mind and good line of communication between myself and my followers. Thank you again for being here. I am so excited to read with you all.