You're Mine

by Somer Canon

Insecure misfit Ioni Davis never thinks she’ll find love in her sleepy West Virginia hometown. Then the tall, fascinating stranger Raber Belliveau transfers to her school.

Their attraction is instant and red-hot. And a shared fascination with witchcraft bonds the young lovers even closer.

But while Ioni is responsibly studying her newfound religion of Wicca, Raber has chosen an altogether…different path.

Soon, Raber’s behavior becomes manipulative. Even abusive. And their love story for the ages is turning into a macabre farce. All Ioni wants to do is get out.

But Raber has discovered a dreadful way to control their relationship. A ritual which hasn’t been attempted in over a century. A spell to unleash a bloodthirsty terror which can never be satisfied.

Ioni finds herself trapped in a struggle for her life and even her free will against a once-trusted lover who has assured her…

YOU’RE MINE

Genres: Horror

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2022

About the author

Somer Canon lives in Eastern PA with her husband, two sons, and three cats. She loves to read and write and although she is polyamorous when it comes to genres, horror always seems to be her favorite. Please feel free to contact her!

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ioni, (named after an actress in one of my all time favorite movies), is coming of age, (albeit naively), along with her friends. While many of them are already sexually active, she is not. At least, not until Raber Belliveau transfers in to her school. Rader and Ioni are off on a whirlwhind of romance, sexual discovery and Wicca. That's right, Wicca. They are serious about it and eager to learn. Soon, though, Raber heads in a different direction with the practice, somewhere Ioni refuses to go. Raber does not react well. Will Ioni and Raber stay together? More importantly, will Raber and Ioni survive? You'll have to read this to find out!

This book was rolling along nicely and then it switched gears, careened off the walls and smacked me right in the face. I love that when that happens!

I found some of the dialogue between the teens a little...young for me, but that's the truth for me in real life as well. I also thought that some portions got a little repetitive, especially regarding Ioni's relationship with her kind friends. However, I think this story lived in Ioni, and in Wicca. Both of them were fascinating to me. Of course, that made the impact of the denouement much harder for me to take.

Overall, this was a fun switch up for me, reading about modern day young adults, Wicca, and the scorching hot days of teenage hormonal activity. I think Somer Canon did a great job putting this tale together and I think she is an author to watch!

*Thanks to Somer Canon for providing an e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

[John Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU'RE MINE does for witches what THE DELICATE DEPENDENCY did for vampires, plays against tropes and stereotypes. The book treats WICCAN like a mainline religion, akin to some mainstream denominations. The two main characters, Ioni and Raber, are fleshed out characters, not just characatures. And there is a bit of foreshadowing on Ioni's eventual fate in Part I, before it makes an abrupt major switch in POV in Part II. One of the best things about this book is that Somer Canon takes her time developing the characters before the horror takes over. And the love scenes are carefully written without being too explicit. A great read.

[Kayleigh Marie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to say anything about the story itself really because it would be such a shame to spoil anything - but this is a fast-paced page-turner full of chills, thrills, and action... with a fair amount of horror thrown in! Really enjoyed it and read it in two sittings.

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re Mine by Somer Canon is a story about jealousy, possessiveness, and the quest for control. The story starts out light, but slowly grows darker.

Content warnings: manipulative relationships, drug use, being drugged, and suicide.

Buckle up for this twisted ride before cracking open these pages!

Horror fans that enjoy dark tales with sexy scenes that are more romantic than anything else (except for the few that weren’t), this is a must read!

Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story that's definitely a slow burn. The first half of the book sets the tone of the relationship between Raber and Ioni. The second half is where the horror begins.
The first half of the book was very tense, the second half was where all the action happened.
I wish the ending had been different, but I'm satisfied with the complete story

[Rachel M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Young love, friendship's turn to jealousy and revenge! Packed with witchcraft, vampires and a whole lot more fun in between!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hearing him, she whipped her head in his direction. She pulled herself totally from the hole, never taking her eyes off him. Her hair was matted and filled with dirt, her clothes were dirty and wrinkled, and her head was hanging at the side, rocking as she moved.

You’re Mine
by Somer Canon

Horror is such a powerful genre. This is all the emotions. It’s sweet, it’s 🔥hot & spicy 🌶 , it puts a smile on your face, it’s gut wrenchingly sad, it’s scary, it’s disappointing, it’s maddening, the horrors are there to show you something. What is the true horror? Who is the real monster? What is our actual fear as the reader, what’s worse than the reality?

I connected to the core character, Ioni, right away. She’s different, her group of friends are the different kids in high school. Although not teased and outcasted, you always know when you’re on the outside. When you don’t feel up to speed with the other kids. Always that “third wheel” in everyone else’s teen relationship. Until you finally meet that one boy, that one who seemingly blinds you from everything you should be able to see.

This young love takes a weird turn. You want to reach right through the pages and shake Ioni as you see her sink deeper into psychological abuse that’s getting borderline physical. The boy’s obsession, lies, & jealousy grows to the point of no return. As Ioni finds a positive life path you hope that it helps give her that strength to overcome what is stalking her every move.

This will fit all the wheelhouses for awkward young adult love & romance, witchcraft, vampires, and coming of age. Thank you for this copy, I had a wild time reading!

[Anjas_readingnook · Rating 5 out of 5]

❗️Review❗️
Title: You’re Mine
Author: @somercanon

🔴Summary (partly from Amazon)
Insecure misfit Ioni Davis never thinks she’ll find love in her sleepy West Virginia hometown. Then the tall, fascinating stranger Raber Belliveau transfers to her school.
Their attraction is instant and red-hot. A shared fascination with witchcraft bonds the young lovers.
But while Ioni is responsibly studying her newfound religion of Wicca, Raber has chosen an altogether different path.
Soon, Raber’s behavior becomes manipulative and abusive. They’re love story for the ages is turning into a macabre farce. All Ioni wants to do is get out.
Raber has discovered a dreadful way to control their relationship. A ritual which hasn’t been attempted in over a century. A spell to unleash a bloodthirsty terror which can never be satisfied.
Ioni finds herself trapped in a struggle for her life and even her free will against a once-trusted lover.

🔴A big thank you to @skozeniewski who gave me the opportunity to read this by sending me a free digital Review copy of @somercanon amazing horror storyI’m so greatful🙏🏻

🔴My thoughts:
Omg what a ride!! I love this book SO much! It starts out as a love story of the centuries and it slowly deteriorates to something out of this world.
It a slow burner, very romantic, but all of a sudden mid-through - BANG! The story changes to a fast paced horror story! Midway through the book I got so angry that I just wanted to throw my Kindle to the wall😵‍💫😵‍💫 I got so mad at Raber that I almost didn’t want to keep going, but i did - and thank God!! It’s a book about, love, hate, revenge, black and white magic, wicca, vampires…… Ok it has everything a good horrorstory should have, i LOVE this one! I dont often handle out five stars, but here it is!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[John J Questore · Rating 5 out of 5]

To look at Somer, you'd say to yourself, "What a sweet looking lady. No way she writes horror." Then you go ahead and read her work and think, "What in the world is going through her brain?!?", only to realize she's just that good.

YOU'RE MINE is a great example of just how good she is at not only writing, but character development. This book is an extremely slow burn, but when the fuse finally reaches the powder keg - the explosion is blinding.

Somer takes on just about every trope teenagers go through - the angst, the sexual feelings, wanting to fit in, trying things outside of their comfort zone, and being the outcast. Be aware, however, that she doesn't shy away from topics that could now be considered "triggers", such as manipulative relationships, drug use (a lot), rape (implied), and suicide. But she does so to an end, not gratuitously.

What I really liked was her take on Wicca, and her twist on the... nope, not going to spoil what happens. Suffice to say, it was brilliant.

I would like to put a word of advice - a lot of reviews say, "This almost ended up on my DNF pile", or, "I almost put it down...", and sentiments like that. As I mentioned at the beginning - this is a SLOW burn. That's only because Somer takes the time to flush out her characters, and makes you love some, and despise others. Without that, the ending wouldn't have such a punch. So don't let that dissuade you from picking this one up. It's worth it.

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Folk-Horror. Die ersten zwei Drittel lesen sich eher wie eine Teenie-Romanze mit ein bisschen Drama, erst im letzten Drittel kommt dann der Horror auch mal zum Vorschein. Das Ende macht schon Spaß, insgesamt reicht es aber nur für ein "okay", weil sich der Anfang bis dahin einfach zu sehr in die Länge zieht (obwohl das Buch insgesamt gar nicht mal so lang ist).

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I say this a fair bit. I do not usually pick up coming-of-age horror, and usually, it is all blood and guts all the way. But I have come to learn that looks can be deceiving which really fits this story in all honesty.
Now I saw that this was a splatterpunk award-nominated author, so I kept an open mind. Bloody Hell.
This book really had me engrossed, the characters are so well fleshed out, the pace is great and you get a real feel for this book. Everyone at some point in their life has been Ioni. Nieve and happy to see the good in everyone, as lovely as that is it can make you a target for narcissistic assholes. Young and sweet, she is such a lovable and sweet character which makes it even more frustrating when she doesn't see the millions of red flags surrounding Raber. We all dated that one possessive jackass, who was always condescending and overly possessive but you're young and in love. Since Ioni was already lacking confidence, she ends up being pulled in by this guy's bullshit. Because she is an outcast in her town, a misfit who has never had a guy show her attention before. 
Within weeks he has already proclaimed her as his girlfriend, but for me, there is something off about Raber from the get-go. But I guess when you've dated this kind of guy before the red flags are easy to spot. The one good thing that came out of it, was you got to see Ioni come out of her shell and be empowered enough to go into her research of Wicca.
More than anything I found this a really good way to educate people on Pagan/Wiccan beliefs. Rather than creepy people running around forests naked hugging trees, (yes I have heard that more than once when asked about my beliefs). I found this book a breath of fresh air, showing the loving and family-orientated side of the coven. I loved the variety of characters in this book, but obviously, I was more taken by Sarah and Nathan. Two great characters with amazing development throughout, I loved how inclusive the author was with her character's personalities and lifestyle choices. It is a great way to educate young readers, as it looks at a belief that I see a lot in horror as being used as a fear tool. But also takes a look at other beliefs too, as well the darker element which can exist in any religion. There is always that one person who ruins it for everyone, and that person is Raber.
Context: so if the red flags didn't become obvious at first, the more Ioni finds her path and herself the more petty and destructive Raber becomes. Until it finally gets too much for the poor girl when he completely turns full idiot and starts messing with hardcore drugs and the darker stuff. Ioni tries to end things, but Raber proves to be even more persistent and dangerous. Not taking no for an answer and manipulating her at every chance he gets, I mean this is basically a cautionary tale for girls. As Raber starts to spiral and Ioni starts to flourish, things take a very quick turn to bad. Not even the words of caution and support of her friends can save her from this monster's need for power over her.
Things go bad real quick and of course, it is just when life is getting good for Ioni which is an even bigger gut punch.
Honestly, you want this not to go south so badly but she makes the mistake of trusting Raber. A deadly mistake which costs Ioni her freedom and her willpower to make her own choices. I won't say any more but the description, pace and horror was very much all in this story. The author did an incredible job at setting the scene, and helping you to really connect with the story. I couldn't put this book down,  I knew full well this story was going to end badly. But it still shook me to my core when they took the turn they did. The author really excels in setting up this tale and I am so glad I took the time to read this. If you are not much for coming of age, witchcraft esk horror then your mind will swiftly be changed once you read; You're Mine.

[Jeff Wait · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first experienced Somer’s work at Scares That Care. She gave an incredible reading, so I came in with lofty expectations. This book somehow exceeded all of them! Sex-positive and full of witchy goodness as it explores relationships — especially power dynamics, agency, and belonging. There’s some bold narrative decisions in this one, and I loved every page of it! I’ve never read a book like this, but I sure wish I could.

[Richard Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’re Mine - Somer Canon
I received this arc as an audiobook. A slow burn, tale of misfit girl meets misfit boy with a common interest in Wicca. This story gets progressively darker as the boy’s controlling, manipulative and abusive nature comes to the for culminating in the use of dark magic to control the girl.
I enjoyed the story. However, the experience was ruined by the narrator- when narrating the part of the misfit boy (Raber) her voice became robotic and disjointed so much so that I was going to stop listening. It was only the quality of the writing that made me persevere.

[Nicole Amburgey · Rating 5 out of 5]

High-schooler Ioni Davis is a misfit in her small West Virginia hometown. She has a tight-knit group of friends, but no one to call her own. One day, handsome senior Raber Belliveau transfers into her school and they begin a whirlwind love affair. Raber begins to pull Ioni out of her shell, not only sexually, but encourages her interest in Wicca – an interest that Raber also shares. All is not as it seems and before long Ioni starts to realize that Raber’s words and actions are manipulative and possessive. When college starts and Raber goes to university an hour away, their relationship worsens as Raber’s behavior changes even more and Ioni discovers that he is dabbling in dark magicks.

This book, guys. This book… First of all, don’t let the romance fool you – this is most assuredly a horror novel. Secondly, this book packs a gut-punch. I would caution possible trigger warnings for abuse. Having had my own Raber in real-life, the red flags are there and anxiety inducing as you realize what he is doing to Ioni and the kind of guy he truly is. I had to set the book down a few times and walk away. Ms. Canon writes Raber with a real understanding of how abusers work.

You’re Mine is full of well-developed characters, emotions, and treats Wicca with respect. There’s not much more that I can say about the book without giving anything away so I will end on this – go out and buy this book!

Full Review: https://tatteredandbroken.com/2022/09...

[Daniplx · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars to You’re Mine, a delightfully dark tale of love, magic, obsession and acceptance by Somer Canon.
•
I went into this book not sure what to expect and I ended up loving it! It’s a coming of age story, wrapped up in a magic blanket of Wicca exploration that veers into a tale of obsession and the terrifying lengths some people will go to keep people they love under their thumb.
•
Ioni is a young woman, uncomfortable in her body and wanting to explore romance and sex as many of her peers do. When she meets new student Raber, her life changes and they begin a whirlwind romance, full of intense emotions, as first relationships tend to have. They begin exploring Wicca together, but Raber heads down a darker path and can’t handle it when Ioni doesn’t want to join him.
•
What truly made this a 5 star read for me was Ioni’s character, who is probably one of my new favourite horror protagonists. She was so well written and I truly truly cheered her on throughout the book. Watching her accept and love herself was amazing and had me smiling throughout the book and she is the heart of this story.
•
The second part of this book went in directions I did not see coming, but it kept me gripped until the very end. I won’t reveal anything, because I think it is best to go in blind. It gets very dark, but it works really well in contrast to first half.
•
I definitely recommend this book. It was a good witchy read, while also being a heartwarming coming of age story that goes to dark places!
•
I received a copy in exchange for a fair review.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for the free audiobook code. I enjoyed the story. Great dialogue, memorable characters. Recommended.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Split into two parts, YOU'RE MINE tells the story of Ioni. She's a teenage girl with lots of friends who meets a boy she falls head over heels with while at the same time exploring Wicca. The characterization of everyone and all the build up is excellent. Somer Canon does a wonderful job at fully fleshing out all our characters and giving them distinct voices and interesting personalities. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop because you just know it's not all rainbows and butterflies with this new relationship. And then it TWISTS AND TURNS ALL OVER IN FRONT OF MY EYES! This book is exhilarating and entertaining. It's also quite heartbreaking when looking back after reading the last words on that final page. Spicy scenes, Wiccan realness, and so much Fatal Attraction meets Romeo and Juliet going on here and I loved it!

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be totally honest- this book became very close to ending up on my DNF list quite a few times. It doesn’t start off slow per-say, but there it’s no horror in the first half, it reads like a spicy teen drama. I didn’t dislike this but I was losing a bit of interest waiting for the excitement. Luckily for me, I was listening to the audiobook while driving so sticking with it was easier than if I were physically reading it. The characters were well written and clearly given plenty of time to set up their dynamics which ends up being vital to the story but without many reviews to go on, it was hard to get through without knowing if there would be a pay off at the end of it. As it turns out, there is!! I absolutely loved the last half of the book and at the end, I wanted more. While the first half could stand to be 75 pages less than it is, I still rate this a solid 4 starts when all is said and done.

[Kendra Raptor · Rating 5 out of 5]

5✨ recommend

Wow, is all I have to for a moment. . .

This is about a gothic senior in high school that falls in love, finally. Although, her friends don’t care much for him, Ioni loves Raber. She loves their/her new sex life and their shared instrests in Wicca. Until Raber moves off to college, then things.. change.

I almost put this one down. Im glad I didn’t. After a couple things were explained, and I realized it was just how that character was, it QUICKLY drew me in and kept me.

Me spouse would ask me what was wrong, when I would express shock, disgust, and even moments of lust. Yeah, there were some sexual scenes.

Easily, in my top 3 for this years read - so far.

I highly recommend!

[Happy Goat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like the occult and some truly dark and messed up scenarios, this is the perfect splatterpunk novel for a dark and stormy night.

[Rica · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS MAY BE PRESENT IN REVIEW BELOW:

received an E-copy of this book in a giveaway on Fb and all that was asked was an honest review.
Ioni and her group of misfit friends are in their senior year of high school when new kid Raber shows up and things quickly progress between him Ioni and their interest in Wicca. This is a fast paced coming of age story. In the beginning I was reallllllly enjoying the the premise of the young love witchy elements and good vs evil. The writing is really well done and the author keeps grab of your attention. Somewhere about 60% of the book the plot twist completely changes the premise of the book which I felt was pretty disjointed it was rather confusing at first but again the story completely changed. Raber in college meets a dark magic practitioner that drags him down that path with him which results in necromancy/ vampire making magic? I was very confused. At times it felt like I read 2 different books. With that being said the other characters were forgot and then brought back up at the end which was questionable as to why to bring them back up. Although all characters were enjoyable except Raber and Andrew ( for obvious reasons) one thing I found myself craving was more character development over all. I enjoyed it but at the same time it made me super upset how disjointed and kind of squirrelly it came to be annnnd the ending. THE ENDING what we find out about Tristan and the town etc was aggravating. Please check for trigger warnings as some of these include animal abuse, domestic violence and drug use.


I gave this book over all a solid 4 stars because the writing was very good and it was fast paced and kept my attention. I just wish it would have had more development and was more cohesive

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn't resonate with me for the most part. Part One read too much like a young adult novel (except for the sex scenes) for my tastes. The story seemed very thin. It was more interested in teaching me the basics of Wicca and how men should properly court and interact with women, than telling a story. The young men were constantly asking permission and apologizing. Throughout all of Part One, I kept thinking, "Get on with it already." Then, it ended in an unexpected way that I didn't foresee. So, at least that gave me the impetus to read Part Two.

Part Two was much more in the way of what I was expecting from this book. Fast paced and a little twisted. I was just disappointed that it took so long to get to this point. Overall, it was a good read but it definitely could have been better.

[Daniela Castellanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro me lo recomendaron cuando estaba buscando literatura de HORROR EXTREMO, si estas buscando esto este libro NO es para ti. ¿Toca temas serios? Si, pero no en ese ámbito. Es un libro que al menos hasta la primera parte bien podría ser una novela de un drama juvenil con un subtema muy crudo. La segunda parte (para mi) pierde un poco de fuerza porque las cosas pasan un poco más rápido y al no tener a Ioni tan presente siento que hemos perdido gran parte de la escencia. El final una maravilla, si bien hubiera deseado fueran por el otro camino, fue muy buen ejecutado. Si pudiera le diera 4.5 estrellas.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable novel that mixes elements of romance, horror and thriller to create a pretty powerful tale about control, magic and the essence of evil. The author is quite good at pacing and getting you into the heads of the characters. This was my first read of Canon's work and I'll definitely be looking for more.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didnt know what I was going to get into when I first started reading this book, but what happened was definitely not what I was expecting!
(Spoiler)
I dont have triggers except for death of animals and since I could tell what was about to happen, I was able to skip that section and not miss out on too much.
This book is tragic and I loved reading it

[Dacia Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, You’re Mine blasted me right back to high school in the early 2000s. With the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s dying down, Wicca in that time was still extremely taboo. But that doesn’t stop witchcraft from appealing to high school couple, Ioni and Raber.
Set in a small town, these two start off on the same path of joining a local coven, until Raber takes a darker turn and befriends Andrew at college. Ioni decides Raber has changed into someone she no longer recognizes, nor wants to associate with as she completes her apprenticeship into her new witchy community.
This story took the biggest twist I never saw coming. This isn’t my first Somer Canon read and definitely won’t be my last. Ioni’s character was so relatable as a high schooler and young adult. Her character arc is just… wow. Raber’s as well. Canon weaves this crazy tale that doesn’t just end when you think it might. There was a chapter that, when it ended, I was still holding my breath and unable to turn the page to read on.
I hate spoilers in reviews. But let me just say, when you think Ioni and Raber’s relationship is going south, it keeps going further south. I’ve never read a relationship that goes nearly as far as what Somer Canon has created here. She has done a great job of setting the bar for dysfunction.
Great, fast read. Nostalgic and shocking. Loved it.

[Paul Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

While my initial reaction to You're Mine by Somer Canon was how intelligently written it was (I do love an author with a flair for the English language) and how interesting the characters were (especially the primary character, Ioni), about two-thirds of the way through I thought this may just not be my cup of tea...but then it turned, and holy sh*t it was indeed my cup of tea, and I had to do a literary double take and reread the previous several pages to comprehend what had just happened, and it ended brilliantly, and Somer Canon gained yet another fan! *Chef's Kiss*