Lamb, Stag & Wolf by Airic Fenn

Sanctimonious, hypocritical, manipulative—Shelby Blackwood is a priest of the worst sort. To keep his secluded little village peaceful, he’s learned to carefully balance preaching of faith and fear. Ives Thatcher, the reclusive woodsman at the edge of the forest, has neither; the villagers are not pleased. But converting Thatcher proves to be easier said than done when Shelby discovers there is something far more unnatural about him than his pagan ways, and Shelby can’t help himself from being tempted by the large man’s power and allure. Worse still, there’s a newcomer in town, and her curiosity and defiant personality may not just jeopardize Shelby’s secret, but the sanctity of the very system he’s worked to maintain.

Adult • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+/Own Voices • Horror/Supernatural and Occult • Fantasy/Dark

Content Warning: - Homophobia (both external and internalized) - Misogyny - Generally harmful and regressive views - Obsession - Starvation - Visions/hallucinations - Torture and injury by fire - Vague implications to-ward off-page sexual assault and spousal abuse - Death; including child death and miscarriage - A lot of unsound doctrine. I mean, they are a cult, after all.

Reviewed by Shrike on 2025-11-02T16:41:26Z:

Ask my taste in books and I'll point at this novella until you read it. I just adore a story about corrupted faith and old gods.

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