The Dark and Other Scary Stories

I saw this ARC at work earlier and neeeeded it. Here's "The Dark and Other Scary Stories." It was written by Max Brallier and illustrated by Letizia Rubegni.

["Read if you dare! 

This collection of ten terrifying tales by New York Times bestselling author Max Brallier is THE book to share at sleepovers or around a campfire! Each story is illustrated in haunting, full-color artwork by Letizia Rubegni, and told with spare yet scare-inducing text. 

If you love sleepless nights and monsters that lurk in the dark, then this spine-chilling book is for you! Hand this book to anyone searching for a good scare! It's perfect for new and newly independent readers alike."]

This book was VERY reminiscent of "Scary Stories To Tell in The Dark." Very quirky and very weird, but all kinds of spooky and creepy. A modern and updated version of a classic. 

#thedarkandotherscarystories #maxbrallier #letizizrubegni #books #childrensbooks #childrenspicturebooks #graphicnovel #earlyreader #earlyreadergraphicnovel #picturebooks #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

It All Started With A Text (Queer Ways to Fall in Love #2)

Here's "It All Started With A Text" by Jax Calder. It's the second novel in the Queer Ways to Fall in Love series.

["Nick:

Okay, so making a viral video mocking my celebrity crush's pretentious apartment tour isn’t exactly a strategy for finding love.

And when some random guy slides into my DMs claiming to be Anthony Devine—Grammy-winning pop star, LGBTQ+ icon, and owner of cheekbones that should be illegal—I do what any rational person would do. I assume he's a forty-five-year-old catfish living in his mom's basement.

Except we start chatting and somehow it’s the most real conversation I’ve had for ages. One month and approximately five thousand messages later, AntD has become my favorite person to talk to. He sends me Baby Yoda memes, asks about my assignments and actually listens when I rant about my cheating ex. And it's become our standing joke, him insisting he really is Anthony Devine.

Hilarious, right?

My friends say I need to stop catching feelings for a guy whose real name I don't even know. But meeting him would mean risking everything we've built. Stepping out of our perfect digital bubble. Finally finding out who he actually is.

What if he's not who he says he is?

What if he is?"]

Oh was this story sweet!

It was about building a friendship before a relationship. It was about trust and openness and vulnerability. It was about laughter and friendship and a bond that transcended time zones and probability. 

It also had a very certain fanfic vibe to it that I am SO here for it. I wrote so many of these kinds of things, so many of us did. Seeing some so well written, with so much heart, and so much down-to-earth-ness, one that will hopefully get some serious traction, I'm so happy.

#arcs #arcteammember #grr #gayromancereviews #booksprout
#moderatinglove #itallstartedwithatext #jaxcalder #queerwaystofallinlove #queerwaystofallinloveseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Moderating Love (Queer Ways to Fall in Love #1)

Here's "Moderating Love" by Jax Calder. It's the second novel in the Queer Ways to Fall in Love series.

["What happens when your biggest critic turns out to be your perfect match?

Devin:

I've spent two years defending true love against the internet's biggest cynic.

I'm a moderator for a forum for queer love stories, and my fellow moderator TruthGuardian has been the thorn in my optimistic side. He debunks every romantic meet-cute with spreadsheets, statistics, and enough cynicism to drain the romance from a Nicholas Sparks marathon.

He calculates the exact cost of hoarded grocery items. He fact-checks power outages at Trader Joe's. He thinks love at first sight is just "compatible pheromone profiles." We've turned arguing into an art form, and I know more about this stranger than some of my real-life friends.

But when a cute guy approaches me in a coffee shop, I'm about to learn that sometimes the most improbable love stories are the ones we're already living..."]

My goodness was this adorable! From the little meet-cute stories to the 'real life' meet cute between Devin and Travis. The way they were falling in love via text, bantering (and totally not flirty) about the probabilities and statistics of love at first sight (backed up with spreadsheets filled with data points and percentages--Travis) only to fall in love at first sight. Devin's eternal optimism won that round (and several after).

And you'll never guess which one proposed over breakfast the morning after their first date. 

The story they were "arguing" over in the epilogue is the plot of the next novella in the series...so I'll be there if you need me. ;)

#moderatinglove #itallstartedwithatext #jaxcalder #queerwaystofallinlove #queerwaystofallinloveseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Taboo Caresses (Knot Unexpected)

Here's "Taboo Caresses" by N Slater. It's the newest novel in the Knot Unexpected series.

["Mattaniah
My life exploded when my mother found a new Alpha to occupy her time.
Now, I’m stuck in my own twisted Cinderella story that I’m not sure has a happy ending.
Omega etiquette lessons. A new, overbearing job as my stepfather’s assistant. God-awful stepbrothers who find their fun in tormenting me every free moment they have. And rules. So. Many. Goddamn. Rules.
That’s not even the worst part because I’m fully convinced this Alpha never wanted my mother in the first place. He wants me.
If there’s an end to this hell, I’m not sure if it’s going to be any better. 

Dominic
The new Omega in our lives is too much fun to play with. The way he blushes so prettily and falls apart beneath my brother, Amos, and I’s attention is a new obsession I'll never get tired of.
However, he’s a threat to the life Amos and I have been building – a relationship our father would kill us for. We’re not related, but that wouldn’t change the world’s perception of us, so we’ve kept it secret. Until now.
Until we realized our father’s new woman isn’t his real target.
It’s Mattaniah.
Who just happens to be our mate.
If our father lays a hand on our goddamn Omega, it will be the death of him."]

This book was a fast-paced rollercoaster of emotional and strategy and falling in love and defensive measures and fluffy sweetness and drama on top of drama. Sometimes, it all seemed like a bit..much. But overall, this novel was beautiful.

There was so much angst and pining and spice and adorable alphas falling desperately for a security plan gone wrong (or right?). And horrible parents; so many horrible parents (well, two, but they were just that bad). 

Trigger Warnings: dub-con, childhood emotional abuse and neglect, parental narcissism and manipulation, physical abuse and coercion by parental figure, sexual harassment and unwanted touching by a parental figure, predatory behavior from an authority figure, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, domestic violence, workplace harassment, conspiring with an abuser, panic attacks and trauma responses, self-worth spiraling and internalized shame, financial and emotional entrapment, and more.

#taboocaresses #nslater #knotunexpected #knotunexpectedseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Vigilant (The Firm #3)

Here's the latest from Taylor Lark and Cora Rose: "Vigilant." It's the third novel in their new series, The Firm.

["As the eldest brother and leader of The Firm, I take my responsibilities very seriously. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep my family safe. Staying vigilant, always thinking ten steps ahead, and holding the pieces of my life together with steady hands. Control is everything, because if I loosen my grip for even a moment, the darkness I’ve buried inside will claw its way free.

Everything is stable. Predictable. Safe.

Until Neo.

He’s a distraction I can’t afford but a temptation I can’t seem to ignore. My darkness is drawn to him; it wants to be set free.

And as our enemies close in, Neo becomes the one variable I can’t control… and the one risk I find myself wanting to take. Because for the first time, surrendering to the dark doesn’t feel like weakness.

It feels a lot like love."]

Love at first sass.

Wylder was fucking gone before he knew what was happening. Same with Neo, but Neo at least has the emotional intelligence and self-awareness to know what he was feeling for Wylder. Wylder kept pushing his self-awareness (and monster) back into the "I'm straight" box until the box was obliterated. 

And it was obliterated in all of the best ways.

I'm obsessed with these two. They were pining and punishing themselves for pining. There was so much angst. But at least they didn't make me cry.

On one hand, I'm upset that we're not getting the Harley/Jules story next. On the other, I am not intrigued as fuuuck that we're getting Samson's next. Oh, he's going to fall soo hard, soo fast. Cupid karma with some mixed morals. CanNOT wait for the next one!!

Trigger Warnings: toxic and abusive parents, foster care, murder, violence, blackmail, torture, and more.

#covenant #deviant #vigilant #allegiant #thefirm #thefirmseries #corarose #taylorlark #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Deviant (The Firm #2)

Here's the latest from Taylor Lark and Cora Rose: "Deviant." It's the second novel in their new series, The Firm.

["In my defense, this is all Brad’s fault.

I had one very important job: kidnap Brad.

I’ve never kidnapped someone before but how hard could it be? Find Brad. Snatch Brad. Deliver Brad to the very scary people who hold my fate in their hands.

So when a handsome, flirty stranger at the bar drops his name, I think my luck has finally turned. No chase. No fight. The man practically throws himself in my trunk, smiling like it’s a treat to be taken, like he wants me to have him.

The only problem? “Brad,” the charming and slightly unhinged man I’ve been keeping hostage for days, may be the most dangerous man of all.

Now I’m knee-deep in a life of crime I never signed up for. Tangled up with a man I never meant to take—and definitely never meant to fall for. And I’m staring down the barrel of a gun for mistakes I never should’ve made.

Because everyone knows The Firm never forgives a debt… and they always collect in blood."]

Love at first kidnap. 

I was hooked my the first line(s) of the second chapter. As was Cade. These two were adorable and sweet and flirty and fucked right from the start. It was sooo entertaining to witness. 

Even more entertaining was the family (blood and found) interacting and blending so well (or…well enough). I’m obsessed with these brothers and their craziness. 

Though Cade and Ansel made me cry. A lot. They did get their HEA, with their cute pet names and inside jokes and dirty secrets.

Here’s to the next brother falling hard and fast, idiot head over heals.

Trigger Warnings: toxic and abusive parents, kidnapping, foster care, death of parents, murder, violence, blackmail, torture, and more.

#covenant #deviant #vigilant #allegiant #thefirm #thefirmseries #corarose #taylorlark #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Specter (Crestvale Killers #1))

Here's "Specter" by Mia Monroe. It's the first novel in the Crestvale Killers series.

["He’s my obsession and I own him. Whether he knows it or not.

Colson
Specter is danger personified and pure sex. He tempts me to break my own rules every time he comes into the club, but I’ve learned my lessons the hard way, and somehow I manage to keep my distance.
Until I can’t. When a stalker gets too close, the only place to run is straight to Specter. Instinctively I know he can help me, but am I trading one dangerous man for another?
I’m about to find out.

Specter
Colson’s face is permanently embedded in my mind. His sultry moves, sensual smile, and relentless teasing drives me to the brink of madness and I can’t get enough. He’s hands off, for reasons I don’t understand, and I plan to wear him down until he accepts what I already know.
He’s mine.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him."]

For a dark romance and the MC being a serial killer, the MC-serial-killer is a fucking consent king. "Don't touch me." Specter listened. "I need space." Specter listened. “I want you to live for me.” Specter listened. 

Honestly, this don’t feel like a dark romance. If you put Specters occupation, mild stalking, and sudden, all consuming obsession aside. It was delightfully sweet and kind and filled with consent and vulnerabilities and trust.

Though, there were parts that I felt as if I was missing something, a prequel or something. 

Trigger Warnings: homophobic slur, discussion of past SA, descriptions of SA and minors at risk of trafficking, discussions about suicide attempt and drug abuse, graphic violence, stalking and brief physical assault, and more.

#specter #wraith #crestvalekillers #crestvalekillersseries #miamonroe #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks