A Puck Between Friends (Gods Versus Monsters Hockey #3)

Here's JR Gray "A Puck Between Friends." It's the third book in the Gods Versus Monsters Hockey series.

["When my best friend offers to come as my date to my sister’s wedding to get back at my sister for breaking his heart, I agree thinking it will be hilarious. What I didn’t consider was that I’ve been in love with him half my life, and all the consequences of us fake dating.

My family demands I bring my new boyfriend to her shower first, and things only go downhill from there. My sister is marrying the goalie from our rival team who immediately is up in arms about us dating.

Fair, but I don’t have time to dwell on it as things quickly get weird with my best friend. Wolfe is straight, it shouldn’t be weird right? It’s fake after all. But I’m so wrong. He kisses me like I’ve never been kissed before, and then we both realize we have to keep this up for months until the wedding.

Between the unexpected sexual tension, hockey, and the secrets we are keeping. I don’t know how we’re going to get through the season."]

The I'm-in-love-with-my-best-friend hurt/comfort trope hits hard. Just as hard as the himbo-who-loves-his-best-friend-but-doesn't-know-it. 

But these two?! They were worth all of the hurt/comfort and awkwardness and lack of communication. They were worth the toxic family and nosey teammates. They were worth it, because all of the fluff and sweetness and feeling of home and deep chemistry. 

Trigger Warnings: alcohol used to cope, panic attack, anxiety surrounding medial providers, hate crime mentioned, homophobic family, sports-based homophboia, hi-erasure, parental abuse hinted, parental physical abuse mentioned, no contact with a neglectful parent, contact with an abusive parent under duress, mention of MC kicked out as teen, neglect is ignored by non-custodial parent, discussion of physical abuse from parent's intimate partner, mentions of CPS used as a threat, mention of bulling by sibling, death of abuser, parent stalking and keeping tabs on adult child, past cheating ex-gf, on-ice injury, abuse of power, police abusing their power, and more.

#nopucks #twoguysonepuck #apuckbetweenfriends #puckaroundandfindout #jrgray #godsversusmonstershockey #godsversusmonstershockeyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Reckless Little Game (Crimson College #3)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Reckless Little Game" by Raleigh Reubins. It's the third novel in the Crimson College series. 

["My frat enemy pulled me deep into reckless obsession.

Weston’s the perfect college golden boy.

The rule follower ‘Frat Dad’ of Onyx Society.

I call him the campus sheriff, because his rigid, lawful attitude gets deep under my skin.

But on the night we collide, Wes surprises me… and I like it far too much.

I see him on his knees for me and I crave more.

He says I’m chaotic.

Dark and violent, just because it’s fun.

But I watch as he breaks all of his rules for me, one by one.

He’s never slept with a man, and I’m a lone wolf...

But this twisted thing between us is quickly becoming a need.

But now I’m playing for two sides.

My frat has me gathering info on Wes, as our societies reignite a war that should have died years ago.

Violence erupts, and my loyalties should belong elsewhere.

But Wes is opening up to me. Giving me all of him, still needy for more.

And I will recklessly protect what’s mine."]

These men just keep getting softer and more gone for each other as the series continues. These two? Highest of enemies in the previous book. Just one chapter in, they're already taunting each other and getting up to spicy, secret things with each other (using pet names...but mockingly?). 

Another instant 'what's this' and 'why am I feeling this with you.' It was utter possession and obsession with a thiccckkk layer of denial.

Gotten be honest, I canNOT wait for the next one (stepbrother trope for the win).

Trigger Warnings: violence, drug use in secondary character, past abuse and self-harm, references to trauma involving parental neglect and abuse, past death of a family member, and more.

#darklittlegame #possessivelittlegame #recklesslittlegame #forbiddenlittlegame #raleighruebins #crimsoncollege #crimsoncollegeseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Possessive Little Game (Crimson College #2)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Possessive Little Game" by Raleigh Reubins. It's the second novel in the Crimson College series. 

["My secret? My online camboy obsession just joined my college society.

Niko is tattooed, troubled, and hot as fire in videos, but in person his ego is everything I despise.

We clash into violent sparks when I confront him about his private account.

That’s how I strike a dangerous deal with

You’ll be my fake boyfriend for the holidays, and I’ll keep your wicked little secret.

The problem? Niko is unhinged, demanding, white-hot chaos… and I’ve never done anything with another man.

Now I’m letting him touch me.

Film me.

He’s pure liquid fire, and I’m drawn deeper into his flame.

The worst part? Someone from his past keeps trying to hurt me for it.

Attacking me. Trying to destroy us both.

The more Niko is forced to protect me, the more I feel like I actually do belong to him.

Fake becomes far too real, and both of us are bound to pay the price for this twisted game."]

These two were more painful than the first book. The pining was strong and more clear, the might-as-well-enjoy-this-while-I-can was stronger, the I'm-going-to-get-my-heart-broken vibes were stronger. The hurt/comfort was a little softer. The odds me crying were much, much stronger. 

But they were also sweeter and more gentle and more dedicated and more possessive and more obsessive. Which made the not communicating thing feel worse. 

Trigger Warnings: violence, main character being drugged with ecstasy, past abuse, past self-harm, stalking, references to trauma involving parental neglect and abuse, past death of a family member, and more.

#darklittlegame #possessivelittlegame #recklesslittlegame #forbiddenlittlegame #raleighruebins #crimsoncollege #crimsoncollegeseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Dark Little Game (Crimson College #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Dark Little Game" by Raleigh Reubins. It's the first novel in the Crimson College series. 

["I’m pulled too deep into a monster’s web.

Hunter Knox shouldn’t be at my college.

My best friend’s brother is unhinged. Dark. Violent.

And now he’s in our secret society frat, forced to share my room.

I only kiss him on the first night to get revenge, because Hunter doesn’t usually kiss men, and I don’t usually kiss psychopaths.

But the spark that flares between us becomes a forbidden game we play.

Hunter starts to follow me around like a stalker.

Becoming a little too obsessed with me.

We share an all-consuming secret that his brother can’t find out. And when I’m attacked, Hunter snaps into chaos, hell-bent on protecting me like I’m his possession.

Onyx Society is a fraternity that shouldn’t have to play by college rules, but someone from the outside is targeting us.

Targeting me.

Now nothing is safe. My best friendship, my sanity, and my heart.

Lines blur between desire and control… and I start to think I might want him to win this brutal game."]

To be honest, after I started this book, I wasn't so sure. It seemed perfectly cliched based on the blurb; it was much less cliched in the actual book. It threw me, only because I went in with a certain mindset. But the fact that it wasn't cliched was refreshing. 

They were both hit-first-ask-questions-later, they were both slightly (or not so slightly) broken, they were both jealous of the other, they both hated each other, they were both pining, they were both in utter denial. It was frustrating that they didn't communicate, but their subtle (or not so subtle) dedication to each other was, quite frankly, adorable. 

Trigger Warnings: protection in the form of stalking, violence, sadism, sedation of a main character, past abuse, references to past trauma involving parental abuse, references to past death of a family member, and more.

#darklittlegame #possessivelittlegame #recklesslittlegame #forbiddenlittlegame #raleighruebins #crimsoncollege #crimsoncollegeseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks 

Goodbye, March!

And I thought February was stressful. Goodness, March was...one endless stress after another. Really needed this week to decompress and revive. 

2026 Resolutions:

     (1) Don't stop reading
            (b) Complete Monthly Reading Challenge(s)
     (2) Make memories
     (3) Share love of books/reading
     (4) Be kinder to myself

(1) Book's Read This Month: 38 (though, I might squeeze one more in before midnight).

    (b) Monthly Reading Challenge(s): Shape = Pisces. Got some A-Z stuff recorded. Some ARCs. Got a lot of Beat The Backlog done.

(2) March Memories: Unfortunately, a lot of work; I was clocking in 40+ hours for weeks (another reason I feel no guilt taking some time off this week). But I did get to sleep in often, which was really nice. My bestie had her birthday, and we had a fabulous birthday dinner + speakeasy together. 

(3) Posts this month (including this one): 36.

(4) This month started with lingering work stress from last month. Which really meshed well into my predictable up-tic (down-tic?) of my depression that happens every March. Fun. But it also showed me who I had behind me, who my real support systems were. I managed to keep myself (mostly) calm and mantra-ed my way through. I took this week mostly off, to get back into a good mindset and reconnect to myself, my family, my books. 

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

Any exciting April reads? Any existing 2026 reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyemarch #helloapril #hello2026 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Killer Crush (Kiss. Kill. Repeat. #1)

Here's Onley James's latest: a novella titled "Killer Crush." It's the first installment of her newest series Kiss. Kill. Repeat.

["Cade Carpenter doesn’t believe in fate—he believes in timing, precision, and clean exits. Killing people is easy. Keeping feelings out of it is even easier. When a dating app ping interrupts his latest job, he doesn’t think twice before answering. One bad date is the perfect cover for a hit.

Tris is a walking diagnosis wrapped in a pretty face and borrowed confidence. He talks too much, laughs too loud, and blurts out every intrusive thought that crosses his mind. He’s used to being “too much” for people—too awkward, too intense, too everything. So, when a gorgeous stranger actually says yes to his ridiculous question about the world’s worst date, Tris can’t help but hope, for once, that he won’t be the punchline.

But what’s supposed to be an ironic night out turns into something out of a true crime documentary when Tris stumbles upon Cade mid-kill. Now, there’s a body, a locked ship in open water, and two men with dangerously bad timing.

It was supposed to be easy. Get in, get out. But now, they’re trapped on a Titanic replica with a dead body and no place to run. Can Cade convince Tris that just because he’s a killer doesn’t mean he’s not the one?"]

My gooood, these two were utterly adorable. And perfect for each other. Their online meet-cute and instant chemistry had me giggling and feet-kicking. Their first in-person meet-cute was equally sweet as it was spicy. Their first date...complicated. Then again, Tris did has for the best worst date..

I love the instant and Knowing feeling of m.o.r.e that Onley's books contain. It's powerful and fateful, much like a magical realism/fantasy/paranormal read, but more fictionally based (and more murder based).

I could have (and would have) read an entire, full-length novel version of these two. Also could (would (want to)) read a mini cross-over with literally any of the Mulvaneys. Though...how sure we we that MajorTom isn't Thomas??? 

Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, brief mention of suicide/suicidal ideation, and more.

#killercrush #onleyjames #kisskillrepeat #kisskillrepeatseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Stick Around (Punk as Puck #4) (Legends and Fury #1)

Here's EM Lindsey's "Stick Around." It's the fourth novel in her Punk as Puck series (and also the first novel in the Legends and Fury series?).

[""Would you slap a teammate for twenty-five grand?"
"Uh, yeah. There are a few I'd slap for free. Just point me in the right direction."

Problem number one: My personal life is falling apart.
Problem number two: My public life is also on thin freaking ice.
Problem number three: The ridiculously hot NHL D-man with the inability to remove his head from his ass has decided I’m his number one target.

And that last one is a bit of an issue since his idea of targeting me is to have absurdly hot hate-hookups with me in the locker room. Which I don’t necessarily mind…

Except there’s one tiny snag in his plan: I don’t like guys.

Or, well, I didn’t think I liked guys.

But when Alexio Zeki drops to his knees and, uh, gets to business, I realize my very narrow view of my own sexuality needs some adjustment.

And that’s ironic coming from a blind man.

Admitting I’m bisexual is the easy part.

Admitting I’m kind of, sort of, ridiculously into the man I claimed to hate is something else entirely. But the more he insists that I’m worth keeping, the more I start wanting to believe him."]

Fuuuuk me. These two almost ruined me. It was a level of hurt/comfort that only comes from enemies who aren't really enemies just two hotheads who don't really know each other. Who collide again and again until the chemistry and the think-y-thoughts become doing-thoughts. Again and again. Until the doing-thoughts became Feelings. Until it's just far too late to go back.

And then I cried. So like, thanks for that. Could have been worse I guess. Then again, no one's more stubborn than a hothead. 

I did NOT think that we would get even more characters that I could obsess over. And yet, here we are. I canNOT (nooooot) wait for the next book. Fucking obsessed with Vanya

Trigger Warnings: past and current narcissistic parenting, ableism, on-page descriptions of having a parent with Alzheimer's, on-page hockey injury, C-PTSD, trauma recovery, and more.

#zeropucks #puckedup #absolutelypucked #stickaround #hattrick #emlindsey #punkaspuck #punkaspuckseries #legendsandfury #legendsandfuryseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks