By Courtney
I had been eyeballing Coyote by Ranmaru Zariya for a long time when I decided to add it to the BL Book Club calendar. I was already excited, but when I saw one of my favorite creators, the Buff Fujoshi, contemplating reading it, my excitement piqued. I knew I had to jump on the opportunity to collaborate. The only thing better than reading a series you were highly anticipating is sharing that experience by doing a buddy read and having a friend to talk to about it!
This series did not disappoint – it was a supernatural werewolf/werewolf hunter story about two men on opposite sides of a generations-long war. The character design is gorgeous, featuring a sharply dressed, long-blonde-haired love interest and a shy, slender brunette main character. On top of that, the setting and scenery are second to none other than the author’s other work, the Birds of Shangri-la. Ranmaru Zariya excels at placing us in a unique setting and making that background as immersive as possible. In this story, we are set in what appears to be a European city such as Paris. The rooftops, clock towers, moon-filled skies, mansions of the upper class, and slums of the werewolf hideouts tell the story as much as the dialog does.
When we are first introduced to our characters, one of them goes into heat as a werewolf, and his love interest insists on not only being aware of this phenomenon but also on helping him out. This leads to intimate scene after intimate scene where these characters explore each other’s bodies as well as the intricacies of their differing backgrounds, biology, and the battle brewing between their respective clans. The spice, drama, and plot are absolutely exquisite.
I loved this series, but even more so, I loved recording the podcast episode with a fellow BL creator! I hope you all enjoyed listening to us and our in-depth exploration of this series, as well as the comparisons we made between the authors’ other works and our commentary on all things BL! Watch the YouTube Video if you want to see our shining faces blush as we discuss the spicy bits, and let me know what you think of the collab! Until next time, remember that sometimes the delusion is the solution!
Yours in Deep Delusion,
Courtney