Puck Them (Lakeview Cougars Hockey #1)

Here's Jenn Bullard's "Puck Them." It's the first novel in the Lakeview Cougars Hockey series.

["This is my team. I’ve worked my tail off to be the captain of it, and I’m a quietly gay omega. No one needs to know my sexuality, which is why I work harder than anyone to play hockey.

If I’m honest, this is my true identity and love. Omegas tend to be smaller, less muscle dense, and I was devastated when I came into my designation. My father was the one who encouraged me, went to every game, until he died last year.

Now there are two alphas that have joined The Lakeview Cougars and they refuse to leave me alone. They’re stalking me, forcing me to my knees in the locker room, and what’s worse is I love it.

I feel like I’m losing my mind. They’re willing to take everything from me unless I admit that I’m theirs.

But you know what? Puck them."]

Well Sky and Rhodes were not like I expected based on that blurb. Then again, when it came to those two alphas Koen wasn't exactly an unbiased source. Their first set of POV chapters were spicy as hell but might lighter and more playful than I expected. They were loving and caring and kind and sweet; granted, they're not afraid to go all shades of morally gray for each other (and Koen), but it's all in the name of safety and happiness for their pack.

I honestly really loved these three. It took me a while to sort through who was who, but that was probably a me thing (I don't always pay attention to names). They were all just so perfect for each other. They each brought something to the table to enhance the relationship, as pairs as as a whole. They were...n't patient, but they tried their best to be for Koen, just as Koen (eventually) trusted them.

I canNOT wait for more of this series!

Trigger Warnings: stalking, homophobia, drink spiking, murder, destruction of home, manipulation and gaslighting, hidden cameras, dub-con, forced proximity, breaking and entering, violence drugging, sedation and kidnapping, restraint, and more. 

#puckthem #puckedandfucked #lakeviewcougarshockey #lakeviewcougarshockeyseries #jennbullard #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Bratva's Mercy (Bratva's Undoing #3)

Here's Gianni Holmes's "Bratva's Mercy." It's the third novel in her her Bratva's Undoing series.

["Leo Cavanagh lost his husband less than a month ago.
A brutal murder I helped cover up for the Morozov Bratva.
That should’ve been the end of it.

Instead, I watch him.
Wait for the moment he looks at me and doesn’t see a monster.

When he finally gives me a chance, I take it.
And for the first time, I give someone everything—my heart, my body… my soul.
But nothing about Leo is simple.

Everyone thinks he's using me.
I say his feelings are real.
But even if they aren't, it's already too late, because he is mine."]

These two were complicated. One all in and utterly devoted, willing to walk away from almost everything for this feeling in his chest that he didn't fully understand until it was far too late. And one falling despite himself, walking the fine line of new love and old love (moving on and holding grudges). 

None of their love story so far was easy. It was rough and rocky, it was hurt/comfort, it was a ticking time bomb of dislike turning to something much deeper while the domesticity gets higher. 

Well, at least this book didn't end on a sad and rather massive cliff hanger like Wren's first book...just a massive sense of doom. Fun. Thooouuugh, I did really love seeing that single chapter in Wren's POV. 

Trigger Warnings: self-harm, murder, torture, fatal overdose from clubbing, stalking, attempted suicide by a minor character, attempted murder, the medical resuscitation of an individual, the staging of a murder to look like suicide, grieving the murder of a spouse, on-page graphic description of a body falling from a high-rise building, and more.

#bratvasintern #bratvasvow #bratvasmercy #bratvaswrath #bratvasbrat #bratvasundoing #bratvasundoingseries #gianniholmes #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Heart Ripper (Sex & Mayhem #9)

Here's KA Merikan's "Heart Ripper." It's the ninth novel in her Sex & Mayhem series, which are all interconnected standalones, mostly. I was craving a novel with a betting plot (sooo goooooo), and this one popped up on a Reddit thread. Both of those are reasons why I'm reading the ninth book first.

["--- You always want what you can’t have. ---

David. Catholic. Gay. Set on keeping his purity ring.
Raja. Biker. Manwhore. Never refuses a bet.

David has always tried to be the best son his parents could dream of.
Always at church on Sunday.
Always eager to help with the garden.
Always trying his best at school.
Prim, proper, innocent, and kind.
But deep inside of him, there is a yearning planted by the devil himself, and when a cocky, foul-mouthed biker pulls him a step too far, David doesn’t fall into the abyss. He leaps.
Raja is all he’s ever dreamed of, yet didn’t dare voice. Older, dangerous, a wall of muscle with a grip so strong David can’t resist him no matter how hard he tries.

As a freshly appointed president of a motorcycle club on the verge of ruin, Raja has a lot to live up to. Being gay doesn’t do him any favors in terms of commanding the respect of his men. He has his way of compensating though.
Always first in a fight.
Always bragging about his sexual conquests.
Always up for a bet.
Daring, tattooed, sexy, and unapologetic.
After he boasts he can have any man he wants, he gets challenged to hook up with the preppy guy wallflowering at a party. Raja can’t wait to pop the innocent cutie’s cherry. But when he finds out the guy is his friend’s younger brother, life gets a whole lot messier.

Why is the one guy who should be off-limits always the most tempting?"]

Talk about hurt/comfort. Fuck.

The angst was strong (on one side). The fluff was strong (on both sides). The spice? Oh boy.

These two were a hot mess. One "I really shouldn't" haven't the other until they fell in love and couldn't really back out after that. Some parts were a little juvenile, but then you remember that David just turned 18 and it makes more sense.

I WILL be back to finish the rest of the MM parts of this series (looking at you Lucky).

Trigger Warnings: violence, homophobia, religious trauma, toxic parents, talks of conversion therapy, organized crime, and more.

#roadofnoreturn #thedevilsride #nomatterwhat #hotbutpsycho #lokisnewjob #onesteptooclose #hisfavoritecolorisblood #heartripper #straightasawheel #guttermind #guardianangelinleather #sexandmayhem #sexandmayhemseries #kamerikan #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Love Bites: Volume 1

Here's "Love Bites: Volume 1." It's based on the novel "Bite Me" by Alicia Wallace and adapted by Ele. 

["As a teenage vampire, Kieran has always been warned to stay away from werewolves, but everything changes when he falls for Mason—the Alpha’s son.

What started off as disdain, lines drawn in the sand between two opposing sides, quickly turns to fascination after the two share one fateful kiss.

Kieran and Mason know they can’t be together, their communities would never approve. And with every hidden kiss and rendezvous, keeping their secret takes on a whole new set of problems.

Avoiding the eyes of both society and Kieran’s extremist family grows more and more challenging, and as silver blades sharpen, the two must choose to stand up for a love worth fighting for."]

The angst!!! It was both delicious and aggravating. It was all so mysterious and titillating. Just when you think someone will cave, the angst gets upped. I wished there was more kissing (between our two MMCs, duh) and a little more fate talk. I'll have to see where the Webtoon is at, episode wise (and maybe that OG novel). 

But really, this was glorious. Trauma plus family legacy plus a over-protective and slightly-unhinged big brother. High school drama, friendships and dating and homework. Fighting your unnatural natural instincts and hormones. All of the yes.  

#lovebites #biteme #aliciawallace #ele #graphicnovel #queergraphicnovel #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye, July!

July was looong. And busy. Sooo long.

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: 40 (though, I might squeeze one more in before midnight).

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

(2) July Memories: A few doctor's appointments. A few family dinners. Sooooo much work at work. Nothing too, too thrilling this month (here's to August though). 

(3) Posts this month (including this one): 31.

(4) A few evenings were the blues came through. Though I was working very, very hard so...not wantig to do anything made sense. My eating habits were all over the place. But it wasn't too hot, it didn't rain too much. 

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

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

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyejuly #helloaugust #hello2026 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Out of the Dark (Tenebrea Cove #3)

Here's NR Walker's "Out of the Dark." It's the third novel in the Tenebrea Cove series.

["Aurin Leeming has always known Salem’s secret. He knows what he is, his fears, and every secret he’s tried to hide. He knows every form Salem can morph into, and he loves every single one.

When Salem is gravely injured and close to death, he’s taken to a special place to heal. With the magic of the old gods and with Aurin by his side, he regains his strength, and he knows he must go back to Tenebrae Cove to face the truth.

A truth he’s spent eons hiding, and for good reason.

But Aurin and Salem take more than the truth home with them, and Salem’s secret is soon about to quadruple in size. As secrets come to light, it’s no longer just Salem the consortium needs to protect.

Secrets never stay hidden forever.

There comes a time when they all must come out of the dark."]

This started a little slow. Then again, the previous book ended on a few cliffhangers. And not to nitpick, but I feel like a lot of the bigger secrets were just...freely given in the first two or so chapters with zero lead-up. But when it picked up? It fucking picked up. Talk about a whirl-wind (nothing like the second novel, but still wooow).

These two were cute. I wish we could have seen their falling, but seeing them already in love was just as sweet. They were dedicated to each other to the extreme. And the "take more than the truth home with them"? Oh yeah. So much more. ;) But that was prefect, too! I could have read pages and pages, chapters and chapters of just that (even if--especially if--it added nothing to the plot). 

Again, not sure if there's going to be another book or not...I could be here for it. Or even a spin off..or both.

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

Peter Pan: A Graphic Novel

I found a graphic novel version of Peter Pan! It was illustrated and adapted by Fern Cano and Blake Hoena.

["Peter Pan is a special boy. He can fly. He doesn't grow old. And he comes from a magical island called Neverland. So when Peter shows up at the Darling residence, Wendy and her brothers are all too eager to follow Peter on an adventure of a lifetime. But the Darlings find themselves caught in the middle of a battle between Peter's gang of orphans, the Lost Boys, and a band of pirates led by the treacherous Captain Hook. Will Peter be able to protect the Darlings while leading the Lost Boys to victory? Or will Captain Hook make Peter Pan walk the plank? These full-color graphic novels feature enhanced Common Core State Standards support, including discussion and writing prompts developed by a Common Core expert, an expanded introduction, and bolded glossary words."]

This was a delightful and colorful retelling of Peter Pan. It was fun and light, but it still kept the original story in mind. Most of the prose and quotes were the original from Barrie himself. A fun read!

#peterpan #agraphicnovel #peterpanagraphicnovel #jmbarrie #blakehoena #ferncano #peterpanadaptation #peterpanandwendy #wendymoiraangeladarling #peterpan #captainhook #neverland #lostboys #lostgirls #tigerlily #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks