The Barbarian Guide (Savagely Sweet #5)

Here's Amy Padilla's latest: "The Barbarian Guide." It's the fifth novel in her Savagely Sweet series, which is a Not-So-Savage Barbarian's spin-off.

["I never thought I’d meet my best friend while rescuing townsfolk from Eldara. Bram was quiet, shy, and it took time for him to warm up to me. But now, a year later, I look forward to our visits. He lives in Talqara, not far from the settlement and our visits are too far and few between for me.

On my most recent visit, Bram surprised me with a gift for the clan. A gift that could give us an independence we’d lost after moving to our new home. The clan leaders of the settlement asked him to share his gift with all the clans. As the clan leaders were deciding who would escort him, I volunteered.

I didn’t expect the attention he received from other clan brothers would incense me the way it did. For the first time in my life, I wanted something more. I wanted to claim the sweet man who’d ensnared my heart."]

I loved how sweet these two were! They were great friends, so innately conformable with each other, easy to talk to, instant trust. Going on a physical journey helped them go on an emotional one. Their romantic relationship was just as easy and just as innate as their frienship. It just flowed.

There was very, very little angst. Some minor not-necessarily-miscommunication but we-haven't-talked-about-after-and-I'm-afraid-to-bring-it-up (mixed with the-future-is-scary). Not to mention the whole Nadia thing (kkknnneeewww I remembered her from somewhere). 

So many barbarians, so many weird and difficult and fun situations, so many HEAs. I can't wait to see where we go next in this series/universe.

#barbariansheart #escapingtothebarbarians #thebarbariansmusician #betweentwobarbarians #thebarbarianguide #becomingabarbarian #savagelysweet #savagelysweetseries #notsosavagebarbarians #notsosavagedbarbariansseries #amypadilla #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Silent Damage (The Bad Boys of Belmont #2)

Here's "Silent Damage" by Blane Bellamy. This is the second novel The Bad Boys of Belmont series.

["Jason
My whole life people hurt me, but no one as much as Gabe.
He was supposed to be my best friend.
My everything.
His mom wrecked my home, and Gabe broke my heart.
I had every intention of never seeing Gabe again, but when my mom kicked me out, I had nowhere to go except back to Belmont.
Alone in a trailer with Gabe…my now stepbrother.
Now he’s back in my life, and he won’t talk to anyone.
Except me.
And that shouldn’t make my chest tighten the way it does.
Everything about him lights a fire low in my stomach that’s impossible to ignore.
But I can’t let him back in.
I'll join the HellCats, make the money I need, and get out.
I’m done drying people’s tears.
Nobody ever dried mine.

Gabe
I haven’t spoken since the night it happened. The night that changed my life forever.
In less than a month, I lost my best friend, my dad, and then my mom.
I won’t speak.
Because I don’t deserve to speak.
I don’t deserve to take up space in this world.
Nothing matters except for waiting for my mom to come home so I can hold her again.
Then he came back.
Jason
He was everything to me, but he despises me now.
He acts like he can’t stand me, but I catch those longing glances—the way he licks his lips when I’m close.
I want Jason to wreck me.
I don’t care how much he hates me, just as long as his hands are on me.
But the deeper Jason falls into the HellCats, the more dangerous loving him becomes.
I hate that he’s doing it.
But I’ll accept it.
For him."]

Well there wasn't anything sweet about this one (at least for a while--at least out loud). The hurt-hurt was strrrooong (that would be hurt/comfort without the comfort--unless you count fleeting, meaningful looks). Them came the comfort, sprinkled with some small hurts. All the while Jason is trying to join a gang Gabe knows for a fact could be a death sentence. 

And then I took a break because I figured, based on the first novel (and a gut feeling), one of these two (or both) were going to make me cry. I was right. I sobbed. Sad tears (so many sad tears) and then happy tears. 

I honestly canNOT wait for Tobias's story. God, I can see the angst now. Ohh, or Mac; he might have a fun HEA in there somewhere. 

Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, physical violence, traumatic injury, self-imposed mutism, murder, use of a fire arm, traumatic childhood experiences, and more.

#revvedup #silentdamage #thebadboysofbelmont #thebadboysofbelmontseries #blanebellamy #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Revved Up (The Bad Boys of Belmont #1)

Here's "Revved Up" by Blane Bellamy. This is the first novel The Bad Boys of Belmont series.

["Felix (21 years old)
My father is the Mayor of Belmont, and if he finds out I’m working at a diner in the rough part of town, he’ll have me committed. He’d rather I hide in my bedroom than stoop so low as to be a server.
Well, I’d rather be a server than a lying, two-faced politician.
This is so much more than just a job; it’s the first step on the road to independence—discovering who I am, rather than what others want me to be. Plus, I have another mission to accomplish.
I want Torren.
Talking to Torren felt wonderful. Effortless. We bantered—I made him laugh. He has a nice laugh.
Then, he turned into such a jerk...
And I loved it.
I dreamt of him—his strong, calloused hands wrapped around my throat. Do I have a fear fetish, or is it the combination of attraction mixed with the carnal intensity of his anger?
The human mind is wild.
Something clicked on inside me when we started fighting. The fog of despair I’ve lived in since Mother died lifted, and I felt alive again. My body thrummed with adrenaline. Blood rushed through my veins, and I was more aroused than I’ve been in ages.
I don’t want to lose that feeling

Torren (25 years old)
I stare at the blood dripping down my finger, remembering the jubilation I felt when I ended those sick perverts. That moment marked the beginning of my descent into darkness. I let the wicked rage that consumed me morph into something violent and wrong, and I’ve been trying to keep it locked up ever since.
I never wanted to be violent. I never wanted to be a criminal.
I left the Hellcats to end all of that!
All I ever wanted was a family—to be loved.
Instead, the Kays broke my heart and turned me into this. That’s what happens when you put your heart on the line. I thought I’d succeeded in leaving it all behind me.
Until I saw him.
He made me feel those same urges again.
Felix Hargrove doesn’t know it, but he’s in danger. Something inside me isn’t right, and I don’t want him anywhere near it.
I wish I could have him, but I can’t.
It’s not safe for him."]

The push and pull between these two was intoxicating. The hurt/comfort was almost kind. The opposites attract was blurry. It was a hot mess of "oh my god, yes" and "no, you idiot." 

Torren and Felix were made for each other. They felt that zing the moment they met, the moment they locked eyes with each other. They had such instant chemistry, everyone at the diner saw it. Their tragedies even matched. Their biggest enemies (well Torren's) were themselves. Somehow, through the tears and blood and nightmares, they made it work. 

I canNOT wait for Gabe's! Even if it's going to hurt like hell. 

Trigger Warnings: memories of child sex trafficking, murder, extreme physical violence, pharmacological poisoning, domestic violence, parental suicide, descriptions of mental health disturbances, suicidal ideation, extreme breath play, and more.

#revvedup #silentdamage #thebadboysofbelmont #thebadboysofbelmontseries #blanebellamy #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

His Reaper (Unexpectedly Twisted #4)

Here's Cora Rose's "His Reaper." It's the fourth novel in her Unexpectedly Twisted series.

["Some say I’m too soft and cuddly for a guy who wields bone saws and strings friendship necklaces with human eyeballs—but I just call that work-life balance.

And honestly, I love my job as the Costellos’ reaper.

Lately, though, my biggest problem isn’t the dismembered corpses, it’s something far more seductive. Georgiy Sokolov. He smells mouth-watering, like disinfectant and fancy aftershave. Plus, he comes with a stern promise to ruin me with surgical precision—and believe me, I will be begging him for it.

If only I could get him to return my texts…

But when a shadowy evil threatens my found family, and my nightmares stir up repressed memories that somehow feel connected, Georgiy and I will stop at nothing to protect what is ours.

Armed with my bloody handsaw and Georgiy’s dainty scalpel, we try to uncover the dark truths about the past that haunts me and the Death that stalks me. It’s all very romantic.

So if you've come to witness my final chapter…good luck, friend.

My name’s Bane. Say it while you still have your tongue."]

Bane! You’ve broken my heart in every single book you’ve been in. And you broke my heart sooo many times in this novel (which I knew before going in, hence the hesitation to actually read your book). The sheer number of times I teared up or full on cried because your brain was trying to fuck you over. Not to mention your past, your hurt/comfort grumpy Russian, and you’re enormous love for your found family. 

I predicted a few of the twists and connections but that didn't make them less horrible or sad or horrific.

The last chapter/epilogue? God, why was all of that so damn sweet!? D: Bane deserved all of it (and more--which he got).

Trigger Warnings: violence, physical assault, drugs, kidnapping, detailed torture, blood, branding, needles, forced sedation, semi-dubcon tattoo, murder, past child abused and neglect, PTSD, and more. 

#thesilencer #hisprince #hisenforcer #reaper #unexpected #unexpectedseries #unexpectedlytwistedseries #corarose #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Beautiful Obsession (House of Obsession #1)

My mood-reading has taken me on a journey lately (the amount of books I've started and paused). But this book has been on my TBR for a while (mostly due to the length (over 700 pages!)). Here's Vee Edddy's "Beautiful Obsession." It's the first book in the House of Obsession series.

["The first time I saw Alexander Petrov, I knew my life would never be the same. He’s rich, dangerous, and cold, filled with quiet power and wrapped in silent rage. The difference between our worlds is something extraordinary. But no matter how hard I try to build walls between us, I keep getting pulled back into his orbit like a moth to a flame I shouldn’t touch. I’m scared to fall for him, but I can’t help it.

My past still claws at me every scar, every silence, every night that reminds me of what was taken. I’ve spent years trying to feel whole again, terrified that if I let him in, he’ll either shatter what’s left of me… or somehow piece me back together.

And even if he doesn’t break me, will the shadows of my past still come back to destroy everything?"]

This book was looong. Like, really long. But the pace didn't feel slow or sluggish. I can't think of anything in particular that I would have necessarily cut to make it shorter, but oh boy, I hope the other books are shorter. I know Tyler's isn't next, but I canNOT wait for his!

These two were adorable. A hot mess. But adorable. They both were so kind and careful with each other's feelings, sometimes to the point of too careful (they held back for (mostly) good reasons, but communicating some of those reasons would have been even healthier, just saying). 

Since this book was so long, so much happened. And so many characters. But it, I suppose, also makes it hard to summarize my thoughts/feelings for this review. Either way, if you have a few days (or longer) to spare, this book was soooo worth it. 

Trigger Warnings: depictions of sexual assault, emotional distress, violence, detailed torture, drug use, alcoholism, physical and emotional, abuse, flashbacks, homophobia slurs, self-hatred, intense trauma, hearing loss, trauma-induced mutism, and more.

#beautifulobsession #recklessobsession #veeddy #houseofobsession #houseofobsessionseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Heat Lightning (Masked Mates #1)

Here's "Heat Lightning" by A Knightley. This is the first novel in the Masked Mates series.

["Max
Having a stalker should be thrilling in a ‘run for the hills screaming’ kind of way, not a ‘lights me up from the inside’ kind of way. Alas, here we are. To my great dismay, I want to climb that big, scary, masked man like a tree. But seriously, can I be blamed? Have you seen him
My life has always been black and white, good and bad, right and wrong—but my Masked Man revels in the gray. He kills bad guys. Which should terrify me, except it only adds to the magnetic pull that reels me in time and again. He’s my stalker, my rescuer, my alpha, and my soul's deepest, darkest desire. Even still, he insists on keeping secrets. And when I finally find out the truth?
They become life or death.
How much can I overlook for the man who makes my omega scream, mate, mate, mate?

The Masked Man
I’m a hunter—a killer. I live by a simple set of rules, and I don’t break them. Playing the hero? Not interested.
Until him.
From the very first moment, the omega calls to me. His cautious curiosity makes my alpha’s mouth water, aching to bite and claim. He’s mine. Mine to hunt, mine to protect, mine to watch.
But never mine to have.
So, I’ll do everything—and I mean everything—in my power to keep him safe, even if that means longing from the shadows forever."]

I've been waiting MONTHS for this! Soo many teasers and art and quotes on socials. I kept checking A's IG for an official release date and then for arc sign-ups. So. Worth. The. Wait. 

The time jump between Part 1 and Part 2...it was one of those moments where, logically and realistically, you understand. Like those horribly noble and sadly needed third act break-ups. It makes sense. But that doesn't make it less sad. And me being sad about that, when these two didn't even know each other well, or at all, in Part 1, says something about my dark romance habit. But it also says a lot about The Masked Man. 

Part 1 was all mystery and danger and hesitant inevitability. It teetered on the edge of want and mates and fate being a bit of a bitch. Part 2 was angst and want and danger. It was mutual desire and mutual destruction, destruction of sanity and fate continuing to push two people together but they push each other apart. Part 3 still had the angst but the inevitability was there and fate was there and love was there; so was the utter devastation. Part 4 started with nearly breaking me, just like Part 3 ended. Then came the danger and the threats and the guilt and the negotiating and the denial. All followed with some groveling, some much-needed cuddles, and a HEA. It was protective and possessive in equal parts by equal partners. 

It was a hot mess all around. But honestly? It was SO fucking good. Easily top ten (top five) of the year. 

I canNOT wait for the next one. 

Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, noncon drugging leading to attemped SA, forced/drug-induced heat, descriptions of domestic violence, witnessing domestic violence as a child, past child abuse, stalking, home invasion, past parental loss, and more.

#heatlightning #aknightley #maskedmates #maskedmatesseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

In Your Light (Tenebrea Cove #4)

Here's NR Walker's "In Your Light." It's the fourth novel in the Tenebrea Cove series.

["Hadeom had always revelled in the darkness. The belief that he was doing the righteous thing fed him, sustained him. But as time stretched on, the world around him changed.

Humans changed.

And somewhere in the thick of it all, Hadeom lost his way.

Fyn is the embodiment of sunshine and all things good in this world. His life in the faun camp he grew up in is simple and peaceful, but he yearns for more. He wants excitement. He wants love.

He wants the tall, dark, and handsome stranger who’s lodging at the hut.

As Hadeom heals and finds his true form again, he can no longer hide who he really is. His identity is revealed, and he knows Fyn deserves so much better than his darkness and shadows.

But as humans threaten life in Tenebrae Cove, Hadeom must first fight his past, and Fyn must fight for Hadeom. Because after everything Hadeom has done, it will be Fyn who brings him out of the darkness and into the light."]

Cern continues to be mysterious and cryptic. The little godlings continue to be adorable, beautiful menaces. Sawyer continues to be...well... "'Jesus Christ,' Ciaran mumbled from across the clearing. 'Sawyer, love of my life, my shining beacon of eternal love, you gotta stop pissing the gods off.'"

But, honestly, now knowing who and what Hadeom is, Fyn makes even more sense as his mate. Sunshine-y and connected to the earth, rainbows and butterflies and flowers. It matches the shadows and darkness and rain and...well... a lot of trauma. A match made long ago and retold here. 

Tenebrea Cove continues to be a hot mess of found family and legends becoming reality and Ciaran throwing himself off the pier. I kinda want more...

Trigger Warnings: past trauma, PTSD, past death of a loved on, humans being the real monsters, and more.

#underthesurface #intoodeep #outofthedark #inyourlight #tenebreacove #tenebreacoveseries #nrwalker #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks