Goodbye, January!

January was a blur of cold and wind and snow and more cold. Also, Christmas seems aggges ago.

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: 48.

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

(2) January Memories: I saw Clue at the theater (sooo good!) and dinner with my mama, my grandma, and my aunt. Cleaned my grandma's. So many record breaking cold days. SO much snow (like sooo much). A looot of read though, a lot a lot.

(3) Posts this month (including this one): 46.

(4) Quite a few days of telling myself I'll get up at a decent time and then sleeping in; my bed it just so warm and the world is cold and mean. A few depressive moments, but nothing crazy. The reading helped. My anxiety was high, trying to juggle so very many, many work projects and life and weather. Lots of self-care moments (I made some lego flowers today).

Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?

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

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyejanuary #hellofebruary #hello2026 #dontstopreading #makememories #shareloveofbooks #shareloveofreading #bekindertomyself #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Crossed Lines (Close Quarters #3)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Crossed Lines" by Sierra Bennett. It's the third novella in her Close Quarters series. Now sure when I read the first one, but GoodReads says I did so...

["Spencer Hall is everything I shouldn’t want—star soccer captain, my roommate, and my best friend.

Luke

I’ve worked hard to get to the Collegiate semi-finals and make my dad proud by achieving what he never could. But everything changes when I have to share a dorm with my gorgeous best friend.

We’ve always been competitive, making harmless bets with dumb forfeits. He knows exactly how to get under my skin, and his constant flirting makes my heart race in ways I can’t explain.

As far as I know, I'm 100% straight. But when a bet turns into a kiss, my walls start to crumble. One kiss, and now I’m hooked. His touch ignites a fire in me I’ve never felt before, and I’m terrified of getting burned.

Winning the semi-finals has been my dream since I was a kid. I can’t afford any distractions—but Spencer is impossible to ignore.

The more we cross the line between friends, the less I want to stop."]

Idiots. Idiots who kiss and fuck and dare each other into more and more and more instead of thinking through (let alone talking through) their feelings. They’ve been half in love with each other for years, only falling more and more, but the individual insecurities keep them from understanding what they truly feel. And when these bets and these kisses start, it’s feel oh so natural (and looks oh so fucking adorable)c you wonder what took them so long (idiots). 

Trigger Warnings: internalized homophobia, past death of a parent, mention of past abuse, and more.

#snowangel #motelfever #crossedlines #closequarters #closequartersseries #sierrabennett #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Motel Fever (Close Quarters #2)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Motel Fever" by Sierra Bennett. It's the second novella in her Close Quarters series. Now sure when I read the first one, but GoodReads says I did so...

["I’ve always been obsessed with my best friend. Now we’re stuck together for three days in a small-town motel… And we have to share a bed.

Callum

Driving home for spring break with my best friend should have been just a straightforward trip back to our families. But when my pickup truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere, we’re left stranded at a small-town motel with only one bed.

We’ve been inseparable since junior year of high school, sharing everything—late-night talks, our deepest secrets, dreams—except the one thing I've been hiding for the past five

I’m hopelessly obsessed with him.

I can’t get him out of my mind, even when we’re around each other. But if he ever discovers the truth, it could destroy our friendship. The longer we're stuck together, the harder it becomes to keep my feelings hidden, and the closer I come to risking everything we've built."]

A little cliche, but a lot sweet. This story was about trusting yourself and being brave and second shots at communication. It was about memories and togetherness and doing something that scares you.

#snowangel #motelfever #crossedlines #closequarters #closequartersseries #sierrabennett #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Ultimate Goal (Brooklyn Blades #1)

Here's Felice Steven's latest "The Ultimate Goal." It's the first book in her Brooklyn Blades series. 

["Rip
In the fifteen years I’ve played for the Brooklyn Blades, I’ve won all the awards except the most important one. The Stanley Cup.
But my annoying ex-boyfriend is the team’s goalie, and the paparazzi is loving it. What’s worse is, my absentee father decides to make an appearance and won’t leave me alone.
I’m ignoring it all. My ultimate goal is to win the Cup.
Then my best friend’s younger brother, Adrian, shows up to interview me for the sports segment of the evening news. He’s nervous and unsure, so I have to help him. We grew up together,but I barely noticed him then.
I’m definitely noticing him now.

Adrian
Our sports reporter is injured, so I have to cover the hockey game when my ultimate goal is to be a hard news reporter. Not only am I camera shy, but I know nothing about sports. Sure, I know Rip Tremaine—I’ve had a crush on him for years. Not that he’s ever noticed me.
Maybe I can fake it.
Nope, I can’t.
But Rip saves my interview, and now the station wants me to follow the team. With my job on the line, Rip comes up with a Get my own sports show to prove I can be on camera. I’ll pretend to be his boyfriend, and no one will know, not even my brother.
I’ll have unlimited access to the team.
And Rip.
We can do this. We’re professionals. He’s teaching me all about hockey…and kissing. And I’m helping him navigate his father’s betrayal.
Except neither one of us is pretending anymore. And our ultimate goal now is to win it the Cup, my job, and love."]

TO BE UPDATED SOON

#gayromancereviews #grr #arcs #arcteammember
#theultimategoal #brooklynblades #brooklynbladesseries #unpredictable #unpredictableseries #felicestevens #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Win You Over

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Win You Over" by CS Autumn.

["𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧
My life changed when my father died, and in the time since, I’ve learned to accept that my voice will never be the same. There are years and a literal ocean between the boy I was and the man I am now.
Scholarship student.
Loyal best friend.
Talented fighter.
The only thorn in my side is Remington Langford. Cocky, popular, far too handsome for his own good, and insistent on calling me his friend.
When a lost bet turns into a trip to Italy as his fake boyfriend, we grow closer than we ever intended, and it’s not long before the lines between what’s for show and what’s not blur.
Something not everyone is happy about.

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧
Holden Booker is a mystery—quiet, strong, guarded, and seemingly immune to my charm.
Not only do I want to know 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 about him, but I need to show him he can trust me.
I don’t intend to fall in love with him. I don’t even do relationships, but he’s everything I never knew I was looking for.
Faking our relationship is impossible when everything we feel is so 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.
Enough to have someone I trust out to destroy us, breaking my heart along the way."]

I needed something sweet and addictive and wholesome and relatively angst-less (well…the romance was low angst).

They were so fucking adorable, even if Holden wanted to push Remi off a cliff. They fit. That feeling of contentment and safety and silliness was there from the beginning. It was understanding and soft and kind (even if the dirty talk was hot as hell). 

Though that prologue was rough as hell. 

Trigger Warnings: bullying, mentions of death of a parent by suicide, violence, anxiety, PTSD, and more.

#winyouover #csautumn #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

That One Moment (Altered Paths #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "That One Moment" by CS Autumn. It's the first novel in the Altered Paths series.

["𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗲
In one moment, I found the man of my dreams. In another moment, I lost him.
Without Cooper, my world was fractured, and I made sure his twin brother knew it. I unleashed all my pain onto Caiden, ignoring the fact that he wasn't to blame. Afterwards, I spent three years pretending I’d moved on, pretending that I’d left the past behind me. I became so good at it. No one saw the heartbroken man behind the mask.
Until one phone call brings Caiden back into my life. Seeing him again opens old wounds, forcing us both to be painfully honest and making me question everything I believe about love.

𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻
Cooper isn't just my twin, he's my best friend and a better person than I could ever be.
I regret all the choices I made that hurt him, but none so much as the ones that led to the worst night of our lives. For three years, I punished myself until it all became too much, and I made a decision that I hoped would bring me closer to him. Instead, it only brought Jamie Durand back into my life.
I’ve tried to hate him - ever since he and Cooper fell hopelessly in love - but I never could. Because secretly, even though it made me a terrible brother, I wanted Jamie to look at me the way he did Cooper. Now he’s back in my life, and there’s something between us that neither of us can deny.
Only, it’s very possible we’ll both end up hurt again, and I’m not sure either of our hearts can take that."]

Well if you feel like sobbing uncontrollably for a few hours, with no hope of stopping any time soon, this is your book. It will destroy you (more than you can even imagine). Just when you think you might not cry, just when you think you're okay, just when you think you can't possibly cry anymore..gut punch.

I've held off reading this one for so long because I knew it would destroy me. I knew it would be hard and harsh. I knew I wouldn't love the timeline of things and the "reality" of things and the horrible things people would say (that they would say to each other). It sucked. It sucked a lot.

But...But healing is also just as powerful. The sunshine after the rainstorm is just as bright as it was before the clouds moved in. Family and friends and support can be stronger after a tragedy. You can be stronger, braver, bolder after you break.

Trigger Warnings: parental neglect, self-harm (on-page), sexual assault (on-page), death by motor accident (on-page), mentions of illegal substance use, cheating (not between MCs), grief, suicide attempt (on-page), anxiety, depression, negative self-talk, and more.

#thatonemoment #justustwo #csautumn #alteredpaths #alteredpathsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

January's Book Shape Challenge 2026

2026 Book Shape Challenges... Last year, I went with an animal-theme. This year, I'm thinking zodiac constellations (which is less--and yet more--of a challenge (we'll see how it goes)).

Here's January's Book Shape Challenge! Capricorn!!

#reading #readingchallenge #readingdare #bookdare #bookchallenge #alphabetchallenge #beatthebacklog #monthlythemes #monthlychallenge #bookshape #bookshapechallenges #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story

I saw this ARC at work earlier and neeeeded it. Here's "Mac & Cheese: The Origin Story." It is the first novel in the Delicious Duos story. It was written by Michael Benner and illustrated by Alison Hawkins.

["Mac was a friendly Noodle and rubbed elbows with everyone. But he didn't have the one thing he wanted a friend. 

Meanwhile, not too far away in Quesoland, Cheese was king. And while he could be a real crowd-pleaser, he didn't have the one thing he wanted a friend.

Join Mac and Cheese in their search for true friendship, told through Michael Benner's hilarious, heartwarming text, and Alison Hawkins' endearing, delightful visuals! Perfect for the youngest readers, this funny and sweet read-aloud will ensure a goud-a time!"]

This book was FABULOUS! It was fun and colorful and bright. Not to mention all of the puns and play on words and the jokes! I can't. I kept giggling the entire time I read it. 

Not to mention it was a story about friendship and finding the right friend for you, finding a place you can call yours.

You NEED to read this book!

#macandcheesetheoriginstory #macandcheese #theoriginstory #thedeliciousduos #thedeliciousduosseries #michaelbenner #alisonhawkins #books #childrensbooks #childrenspicturebooks #picturebooks #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Wicked Little Darling

Here's "Wicked Little Darling" by Lyla Dane. Not a TBR, but from a bookstagram list of...I don't remember now, but they were all dark and filthy.

["“I never knew love could be so destructive.”

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m overly impulsive and a bit too reckless, but it’s hard to care about consequences after I lose my whole family.

When I get transferred in my final year of college after getting into a fight, Ashbrook seems like the fresh start I desperately need—though it feels more like a dead end when I meet my new roommate, Dakota Voss.

The dean’s son and a social pariah, he’s a miserable mystery that drives me up the wall with his rude and unpredictable ways. He’s atrociously ill-mannered, annoyingly blunt—and apparently allergic to wearing shirts. Everything about him is utterly infuriating; he’s like a human tornado, and I can’t help but get swept up in his chaos.

With a face I’ve been teased about since I was young, my entire life has revolved around hiding—until Dakota starts dragging me out of the shadows into the light. When he helps me through something, I’m forced to let down my walls so he can shine that light on all my secrets—and no matter how much it hurts to give them to him, he surprisingly keeps them safe.

But the closer we get, the worse I feel. He deserves someone who won’t lie to him—because there’s one secret of mine he can never have; an awful truth that would topple these shaky foundations we’ve managed to build.

It’s a poison I’ll gladly let destroy me before it can hurt him—because if he ever finds out, I’ll lose him…

…and the only truth that matters now is that without Dakota, I’m nothing."]

These two...talk about trauma matching trauma. You have to be a certain level of...not okay to truly understand someone who is also truly not okay. You see that person and their action (and reactions) and their needs/wants more than anyone else could. It's horrible how broken these two are, but it's beautiful how they came together.

And you'd think it was poetic that Reese didn't have a family anymore, but Dakota has a horrrrrible one. Neither situation is enviable. Neither would want to switch places. At least they have each other (and Val)..even if there were people out there that wished only to tear them apart (and fuuuuck me, did I cry).

Trigger Warnings: violence, dubcon, allergic reaction with EpiPen usage, self-harm, panic attack, severe facial scarring, mc spent time in a behavioral health facility, sc with painkiller addiction/abuse, blackmail, bullying, death of parents/sibling, car accidents, neglectful parents, grief, unsafe alcohol usage, and more.

#wickedlittledarling #lyladane #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Demon's Attendant (Charmed Away Temp Agency #6)

Here's Amy Padilla's "The Demon's Attendant" is the sixth novel in her latest series, Charmed Away Temp Agency. 

["Wash was getting seriously tired of upper management trying to butt into his personal life. He didn't have a problem with his work-life balance… that they could prove anyway. So when they send in a new temp to assist the research floor, he’s determined to ignore them. Except, they just happened to send the sweetest temp known to all species, who plies him with sweets and pretty smiles, and for some reason, that temp won’t take the hint that he doesn’t need help. He seems sincere enough. There shouldn’t be a reason not to explore things a little, as long as upper management didn’t find out. Right?

Peri never thought he’d meet his match while on a temp assignment. The grumpy demon from research was handsome, smart, protective, and in serious need of a vacation. When Taron asks for help getting Wash to relax, Peri leaps at the chance to spend more time with the demon. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to have a little back up when claiming his man. Right?"]

And the official tags (because they're the best): ["Wash doesn’t need help, Taron thinks he doth protest too much, Peri’s smile can win over even the grumpiest demons, dreams become reality in the spiciest of ways, Peri has needs, Wash is going to help, Peri is the perfect Taron buffer, who’s ready for a corporate retreat?, there will be shenanigans, Peri is happy to play along, Wash will complain, Peri knows how to get Wash to participate, wink wink, honesty is key in every relationship, guaranteed HEA"]

I looooved these two. They were opposites attract, but it was instant chemistry, instant attraction. It was beautiful. 

They took care of each other, listened to each other, protected each other. They made each other stronger. They made each other better.

Plus all of the cameos and old couples coming back!? The retreat idea was a brilliant way to capture our love of the entire series in an easy and fun way.

#theincubssassistant #thedragonsaide #theshapeshifterssecretary #thevampiresreceptionist #thetelephathstemp #thdemonsattendant#charmedaway #charmedawayseries #charmedawaytempagency #charmedawaytempagencyseries #amypadilla #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

A Little Bit

Here's "A Little Bit" by L Waltree. Not a TBR, but binging an author counts (...it does).

["Warren
I’m Warren James Baker II. Son of Senator Darlene Jean Baker. Grandson of Senator Warren James Baker Sr.
My future’s already decided. Marry a nice girl from a good, southern family, then run for Senate. All while keeping the undesirable parts of me hidden, even from myself.
I’ve always fulfilled my role.
Until I meet Eli.
I want to ignore him, but it’s impossible. He tempts me, wrecks me, and heals me when all I deserve is to hurt.
It was only supposed to be for a little bit.
But now, I’m not sure if I can let him go.

Eli
I told myself I wouldn’t come to this town.
But when an opportunity presents itself, all it takes is Mom’s insistence to make me go. After all, it’s the least I can do for her after what happened.
I expect the pretentiousness disguised as gentility. I expect the haunting memories that aren’t quite mine. What I don’t expect is to be captivated by an uptight rich boy who loves to profess how straight he is.
Lines get blurred. Promises get broken. And even though it was only supposed to be for a little bit, I can’t seem to make myself stop."]

I...wow. Okay, that was a lot. There were a lot of twists and a lot of secrets and a lot of crying and a lot of talk bout mental health. It started off as your stereotypical hurt/comfort, but it quickly turned into something deeper and harder (and stronger and sweeter) than I had imagined. 

Neither Warner nor Eli had it easy. But they had each other, mostly, a little bit. They knew it was more even when they said it was just a fling, they knew it was more when they said it was just temporary, they knew they were in trouble even before they thought 'I love him.'

And then everything exploded and secrets came out and lives were almost ruined. I could not have predicted aaalllllllll of that. It was...rough. 

Luckily, their sisters came in and saved the day (or were rocks in which to support their brothers to do it themselves).

Trigger Warnings: dubcon, political themes, unsafe sex practices, stalking, homophobia, homophobic slur, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, depression, addiction, death of a loved one, assault, and more.

#alittlebit #lwaltree #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Make Me (The Silent Hollow #2)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Make Me" by Alina May, which is the second novel in The Silent Hollow series.

["Ronan
I used to be a cop, and now I kill people for fun. Yeah, yeah I know. Never admit to your crimes. But you don’t know who I am. To you, I’m just words in a blurb. Besides, I don’t plan on living that long anyway.
The system has failed us. There is no justice. So, before I go, I’ll be the justice.
You know. AKAB. All Killers Are Bastards, or however the fuck the saying goes.

Logan
I kill people because they deserve it. But, suddenly, there’s a copycat mimicking my style and stealing my marks. To top it all off, this copycat reminds me of someone. Someone very painful to remember.
I won’t let this slide. Fuck Ronan Carter for making me remember, and fuck him for stealing my kills. He’s going down. You can be sure of that.

Dakota
I’ve been a cop for over a decade. But there’s one kind of case I won’t work—crimes against children. Suddenly, pedophiles start turning up dead all over town. There are multiple serial killers on the loose, and despite not wanting to dig into my past, it’s my job to find them.
To find them and to stop them.
No matter what it takes."]

These three were painful. Battling their own demons, battling each other, yearning for each other, for justice, for safety. 

The push and pull, the hurt/comfort, it was hard to read. They wanted to be close, they wanted to spill their secrets. But they also knew that if they got close, they would have realized how alike they were (and it would be just one more thing to loose).

And when I saw all of the quotes and fanart of Buff...I did not picture Ronan being...Ronan. That threw me (but in the best of ways).

I found it amuse how much they hated Cal and Vox. Mostly because Cal and Vox hated them. It was a fun read, knowing all of their stories and them not knowing each others. 

Trigger Warnings: religious trauma, homophobia, consent not given, con noncon, dubcon, childhood sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, gore, murder, scarification, stalking, suicide / suicidal ideations, and more.

#themercenaryandthemortician #makeme #thesilenthollow #thesilenthollowseries #alexandrastpierre #alinamay #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Mercenary and The Mortician (The Silent Hollow #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "The Mercenary and The Mortician" by Alexandra St Pierre, which is the first novel in The Silent Hollow series.

["What do a mercenary and a mortician have in common?

Dead. Freaking. Bodies.

___

Callum Walker kills people for a living. Although he doesn’t get a say in who his boss puts on his list, he likes to hunt people who hurt children in his spare time. After a misunderstanding that leads Callum to believe Ryan Fairview - a local funeral director - is responsible for hurting one of the neighbourhood children, he finds his next target.

However, Ryan isn’t like other morticians. He can see dead people. So, when Callum breaks into Fairview Funerals ready to kill him, Ryan is shocked to find that his would-be murderer is haunted by all the people he’s killed.

Ryan might be just the man to help Cal get rid of his little ghost problem. The only problem is, these two are polar opposites and Ryan can’t seem to get over the small issue of home invasion and attempted homicide.

Will Cal win over the stubborn and neurotic mortician? Or will Ryan refuse to be swayed by the impulsive yet charming mercenary?"]

Vibes almost similar to "Lunatic" (Onley James). With the paranormal and the vigilante and the you're-the-one versus get-away-from-me. Lots of family and new found family. Lot defining the odds. Trigger warnings and baggage up to here. Obsessive and protective as fuck. Secrets and betrayals and me crying. Fun times all around.

Honestly, there's a lot I love about dark romances. And I've figured out why, psychologically, that I feel that way (there are several reasons) and that other people feel that way. But why, I ask you, are they so fucking comforting?!

Trigger Warnings: violence, torture, psychological torture, domestic and parental abuse, child neglect, con noncon, dubcon, PTSD, trauma, themes of sexual assault, implied SA involving a child, human trafficking, severe car accident, homophobia, homophobic slurs/language, and more.

#themercenaryandthemortician #makeme #thesilenthollow #thesilenthollowseries #alexandrastpierre #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Safe (King's Heart #1)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Safe" by L Waltree, which is a part of the King's Heart series.

["Landon
King’s Heart Preparatory Academy for Young Men.
A place I don’t want to be. But it’s a good opportunity. So I take it, hoping it’ll help me land a scholarship and eventually get my family out of our tiny trailer.
Though I didn’t know he’d be here.
That sickly kid from my past who always tried to mess with me.
Now he’s all grown up and captain of the football team I’m joining.
He wants me to be miserable.
He wants me to leave.
But when I get too close and see everything he holds under the surface, all I want to do is stay.

Grant
What is he doing here?
He’s from a time that no one is supposed to know about. A secret that continues to haunt me under my angry facade.
I try to make him miserable.
I try to make him leave.
He won’t budge, threatening everything I’ve kept hidden away.
But when I accidentally let him in, I find that he makes me feel the one thing I’ve been chasing all these years.
Safe."]

What a perfect example of a bully romance! Horrible and nasty and well-that-was-too-far mixed with fluff and sweetness and soooo much vulnerability.

I wanted to punch Grant and then wrap him up in a blanket and feed him cocoa. His life wasn’t easy, it his money, popularity, and attitude made him seem untouchable. I wanted to wrap Landon up in blankets and feed him (anything) and then shake him a little. His life wasn’t easy, but it was all on display for everyone to see; what wasn’t was the love and support.

Those last chapters?!?! I was shook. It was a glorious twist (and it definitely helped me stop crying).

Trigger Warnings: bullying, con noncon, sexual abuse of a child (mentioned, off-page, in the past), murder (gun violence), arson, assault, arrest of a parent, death of a parent (mentioned, off-page, in the past), purging, mentions of sex work, and more.

#safe #pretty #kingsheart #kingsheartseries #lwaltree #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Saving the Rain (Crimson Ridge #4)

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Saving the Rain" by Elliott Rose, which is a part of her Crimson Ridge series.

["All it takes is eight seconds for your world to come crashing to a halt. What happens when you’re injured, stuck with the one man who makes your blood heat in a way you’ve never experienced before?

I’ve been on a path to redemption. Kayce Wilder, former screw-up. The bareback bronc rider with big dreams. I had it all figured out.

Only, I didn’t count on a ride gone wrong to leave me with no other option than to ask for his help. Zeke Rainer. Raine. The gruff cowboy covered in tattoos, surrounded by mysteries.

We’ve been at odds forever. Rivals in the arena. Two rodeo riders in pursuit of the same buckle . . . before he left me behind, without warning.

My stepbrother.

When urgent help is needed to run the ranch, he’s the last person I want to be relying on for a favor. As the fall nights lengthen, tension and angst thicken the more time we spend alone together.

I shouldn’t be noticing so many small details—especially not how strong his hands look while working with the horses—and I certainly shouldn’t be wondering if he thinks about me as much as I think about him.

I’ve never been attracted to a man before. It would be unthinkable to be drawn to him. Wouldn’t it?"]

"Cowboys don't blush." Surrre Kayce, sure. And Russians don't either, right Ilya?

The hurt-comfort was rough. It was mean and cruel, and all of the flashbacks didn't help. It didn't seem to have underlying sweetness. It didn't seem like they were going to go anywhere, anywhere healthy and healing. 

Memories can be deceiving. From all parties. And sweetness can be hiding behind the grumpiest of cowboy frowns. 

I loved these two. Sure, they made me cry, but they also made me giddy. It was a journey of self-healing and finding your rock, a rock that's always been there (also, Kayce has a lucky rock). It was adorable as hell, even if the spice was extremely high.

And that epilogue?! End. Me. 

Trigger Warnings: sobriety, past-alcoholism, self-loathing, past financial insecurity (past), parent with past drug addiction, mention of past physical abuse, past/briefly implied animal abuse, parental neglect, mention of past fraud, mention of a past parental death via car accident, hospital setting, mention of past verbal abuse, SC harassment, SC stalking, fear of abandonment, mention of parental overdose and rehab, gun violence, threats of the lives of animals, violence, and more.

#savingtherain #crimsonridge #crimsonridgeseries #elliottrose #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Feuds and Reckless Fury

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Feuds and Reckless Fury" by K Webster.

["The hatred began when my father proposed to another man in a shocking moment that rocked my family to its core...

Now I’m on a quest for revenge against my father.
That means hitting him where it hurts—the new fiancé and the son he thinks so much of.
Alister Sommers.

Alis is a bleached blond perfectionist thorn in my side who’s used to everything going his way. Grades, money, track—he dominates it all despite his short, insignificant frame.

Was one dad not good enough that Alis had to take mine too?

Soon, we’ll be stepbrothers.
Until then, I vow to make his life a living hell.
Maybe Dad will regret his terrible mistakes.
Maybe he won’t.
I know I won’t regret wrecking their lives like they did mine.

I’ll give up everything, even my girlfriend and football, if it means I get a chance for retribution.

It’s reckless and risky, but I don’t have much to lose.
The havoc I wreak might ease some of the pain Dad caused my mother.
I’m willing to give it a shot.

What starts as a family feud will become a war… one I plan on winning no matter the cost.

There’s only one small problem.
I may have underestimated my opponent."]

Ohhhhhh. I wasn't sure about these two. I really, really wasn't sure. But wooow. They were…not good at the enemies thing. At all. 

The fury? Understandable. They both had some baggage and trauma to deal with on top of typical teenage angst.

The feud? Same thing as the enemies, great in theory but horrible in the execution (the characters not being able to stay mad at each other, not the writing of the characters).

The reckless? Ha, yeah that had that in spades. So much recklessness. 

But they found their HEA in the end, even if everyone had to cry a few times to get there.

Trigger Warnings: foster care system, parental cheating, pstd, past child abuse, mentions of past child abuse, homophobia, homophobic slurs, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, drug overdose, violence, threats, and more.

#feudsandrecklessfury #kwebster #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pretty Broken Doll

Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Pretty Broken Doll" by Bree Wiley.

["Beauty isn't always whole.

Shilo
I’ve always been the outcast—awkward, invisible, a loser. My pet rat and my computer are my only friends. I've accepted the fact that I'll probably die a lonely virgin—until I pick up the hottest man I’ve ever met for a ride home.
An impulsive invitation, a strange encounter. He's way out of my league. Then he tosses me out, sending me back into the hole I'd crawled out from.
I didn’t think I’d ever see him again—until I walk into my new job two months later.
Turns out, he's my new boss.

Ryann
My life is an endless cycle of work, sleep, and meaningless hookups. It's been this way since I gave up my college dreams fifteen years ago.
One reckless decision—a disappointing fling with a stranger—shouldn’t matter. But when that stranger walks into my office two months later, everything I’ve built begins to crumble.
Because now he’s not just a stranger.
He's my new employee.
And my twin is dating his sister."]

The hurt-comfort in this was agonizing. My chest ached for half---nope, most---of this novel. It was sweet and fluffy and almost perfect one moment, and then Ryann is being an asshole and Shilo is crying and I'm crying. And then we're back to the feelings-not-feelings and the obsession and the possession and the nicknames (the nicknames!!!! D: ). It was a cycle of caring to spice to tears (not the best of cycles). 

Luckily, the kindness and the Feelings won in the end. The love (the oh-shit-I-love-him moment?!?! D: ) and the knowing looks and the HEA were hard won, but they made it. 

Trigger Warnings: depictions of eating disorder and body dysmorphia, puking, mentions of childhood bullying, bigoted parents, homophobia and homophobic slurs, mentions of parental death due to house fire, MC with mild burn scars, violence, and more.

#prettybrokendoll #breewiley #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Heart

Here's "Heart" by Jesse H Reign.

["The first time I laid eyes on him my heart skipped a beat.

My obsession began the way all obsessions do…with a spark. A small, seemingly insignificant flicker that quickly took root.

He was pure, liquid light. A sunshine boy with a heart of gold.

He turned my world up-side-down. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t let him out of my sight.

Ever wondered what happens when red flags and green flags collide? If so, you’re about to find out."]

I was really, really not prepared for how fucking wholesome this book is. It’s soft and safe and beautiful. It’s a journey back to yourself and an adventure in healing. It was emotional but squishy and warm. I didn’t expect to cry (I needed a break from getting my heart stomped on my dark romances and their third-act break ups), but it was gentler and more therapeutic. 

Trigger Warnings: mental health struggles, depression, the end of an important friendship, grief and loss, seriously ill MC prepared for end of life and life saving surgery, flashbacks from being in the hospital and being sick, and more.

#heart #jessehreign #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Kiss the Villain (Villain #1)

Here's "Kiss the Villain" by Rina Kent. It's the first book in her Villain series, which is a Legacy of Gods spin-off.

["My darkness meets a darker soul.

I’m a golden boy.

A genius law student, the heir to the Carson empire, and the dutiful son.

Or, at least, that's what it looks like from the outside.

Deep inside, I have the urge to set the world on fire.

I keep these impulses in check, rarely indulging in mayhem.

Until one night of debauchery backfires, and I'm caught by a villain.

I bury the entire ordeal with the rest of my skeletons.

That is, until that night walks into my classroom in the form of my new professor.

Kayden Lockwood.

A criminal who’s teaching criminal law.

I can't expose what he's done without unmasking my secret life.

What I can do, however, is force him to taste the poison he gave me.

In the clash of titans, Kayden and I break and crumble.

And I'm starting to realize this dangerous game may have no winners."]

This one started off with a bang: a gun and hate sex. What are we going to do with these Heathens?

The last book I read by Rina was broken-boy meets hot-mess. This one is hot-mess meets hot-mess, both psychotic, both knowing this will end disastrously, nothing unable to stay away. 

Which means there was lots of tears and self sacrificing and self hatred and self harming and make tears (mostly mine).

They were toxic as fuck, but it was also so beautiful. The dedication and declarations and devotions meant more and you don’t feel thinks like a neurotypical (or your typical neuro-spicy). It makes the crazy crazier but it makes the love stronger. 

Trigger Warnings: noncon, dubcon, self-harm, violence, homophobia, on-page mentions of suicide, rape, child sexual assault, domestic abuse, and more.

#kissthevillain #huntthevillain #cravethevillain #villain #villainseries #legacyofgods #legacyofgodsseries #rinakent #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

God of Fury (Legacy of Gods #5)

Here's "God of Fury" by Rina Kent. It's the fifth book in her Legacy of Gods series (and the only mm in the series).

["Brandon King never thought he was attracted to men.

Truthfully, he’d never been that drawn to anyone—until he collided, with Nikolai Sokolov, the notoriously violent mafia heir.

Nikolai is fixated on Brandon, the quiet artist, golden boy, and his enemy’s twin brother.

They couldn’t be more different, but once Nikolai crashes into Brandon’s world, he refuses to let him go.

Now, Brandon’s carefully controlled life is on the verge of unraveling.

Will Nikolai’s obsession destroy him—or ignite something far more intense?"]

An enemies-to-lovers that doesn't start off spicy in the first couple of chapters?! :O This was definitely not like the other enemies-to-lovers that I've read so far this year...then again, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The angst was real, the hurt-comfort was real, the hate was real.

I love how being together made them crazier but being together made them less crazy. They fueled each other's insanity, but their connection also quieted their own insanity. It was, quite honestly, beautiful. The longer they were together, the closer they got, the more they fell in love, the quieter the outside world got, the quieter their inner demons got. 

“He says I calm his demons down, and that’s the best compliment he can give me, especially since he’s the main reason I’m able to battle my own demons.”

Trigger Warnings: mental health, depression, borderline personality disorder, suicidal thoughts and on-page self-harm, on-page flashback of sexual assault as a minor, violence, on-page suicide attempt, and more.

#godoffury #legacyofgods #legacyofgodsseries #rinakent #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Poisoned Heart (Twisted Mafia Vows #1)

Here's "Poisoned Heart" by KA Merikan. It's the first novel in the Twisted Mafia Vows series (same universe/family as the "Christmas Mafia Prince").

["It was supposed to be blackmail. Now we’re choosing the wedding cake.I’m Corvus Van der Horn, and as my family’s poisoner and torturer, I’m a master of control, cruelty, and patience. My prisoners are faceless pawns who ought to fear me.

Until Dalton.

He should be forgettable—a washed-up fighter and gambler with more debt than sense. Then I saw his phone. Turns out half the city’s men would sell their souls to let him wreck them. Now I can’t stop asking why.

So we strike a his freedom, in exchange for the kind of night I could never risk with anyone else. A chance to give up control. Just once.

Now he’s under my skin like a disease. And saving him requires a cover story so outrageous it might actually work—an engagement. Me. Engaged. To a man who can’t bluff to save his life and thinks planning ahead means ordering two beers instead of one.

Our deal was supposed to be a secret. A mistake I’d bury.
Instead, I’m drowning in wedding chaos and my own desire.

But when I realize someone is hunting my husband-to-be, they wake up the worst part of me. Because no one—no one—messes with what’s mine."]

Corvus might be brilliant in sooo many ways, but he's an idiot. He fell for Dalton from the very beginning, but he kept pushing him away and denying his own feelings and hurting Dalton. Dalton didn't put up with that shit though; he pushed back, showed his feelings, and loved on Corvus. He fell just as fast, just as hard, but he accepted them (maybe even a little naively).

And then I cried and Dalton cried. It sucked. But it got better!! And then weird, well the weird was the bachelor party so..

Trigger Warnings: blackmail, abduction, coercion, imprisonment, use of an aphrodisiac/drug, on-page violence

#arcs #arcteammember #grr #gayromancereviews
#christmasmafiaprince #poisonedheart #kamerikan #twistedmafiavows #twistedmafiavowsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Chase (Dangerous Games #3)

Here's "The Chase" by Rina Saint. It's the third book in the Dangerous Games series.

["Elias
I don’t know what’s wrong with me to want something like this. To pay money for something like this. But I love it, even in my terror, even with tears streaming down my face as I race through the dark. What’s happening is my fantasy, isn’t it? Not some random person chasing me? The uncertainty adds to my panic.
But when he catches me and throws me down, when his powerful body dominates mine, I know it’s him. The one who’s been instructing me via text. The one I need.
The problem is, once won’t be enough. But this one brutal, blissful moment is all I can afford.

Andre
I’ve never gotten obsessed with someone whose fantasy I fulfilled. That’s the point. It’s a moment spent, a role played. When it’s over, it’s over. But Elias …
I can’t stop thinking about him, and not just that night. Other times. Little things. Yes, I’m stalking him.
I need to stop, but instead I find myself approaching him, again and again. He doesn’t know who I am, that I’m the one who chased him. So when I offer him a job with the kind of income that could fund another of his dark fantasies? He doesn’t realize that I’ll be fulfilling a fantasy of my own. I’ll be toying with him. Playing two roles.
It’s a bad idea, of course. Everything depends on my control, on keeping things in their own, separate boxes. I tell myself I can do it. But something about Elias—the way he needs me, the way he responds to me—turns this fantasy into a very dangerous game … for both of us."]

These two were…complicated. Elias was all in from the beginning, ready to jump into so many unknowns just to be not lonely anymore. Then again, he felt that comfort and safety and feeling of rightness from the beginning, and it didn’t scare it. It scared the fuck out of Andre though, took him forever to process what he was feeling let alone accept it all (let alone allow himself to want it).

Of course, the past came back for both of them. And not in a good way (is it ever in a good way?). 

I always forget about the Island, each new book I forget about it and have to relive that. At least these men are still getting their HEAs.

Trigger Warnings: con noncon, dubcon. lack of aftercare, stalking (in-person, online, and via cameras), drugging, abduction, masochism (including mild self-harm), mention of suicide, past childhood sexual abuse, past childhood neglect, and more.

#arcs #arcteammember #grr #gayromancereviews
#thecontract #theclub #thechase #dangerousgames #dangerousgamesseries #rinasaint #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

EWB

Not necessarily a dark romance, but the enemies-to-lovers aspect has a similar...angst and high-chemistry. Here's NR Walker's "EWB."

["Marshall
I hate Valentine Tye.
I’ve hated him since we were ten years old. I hate everything he is, everything he stands for. Even the mention of his name gets my back up.
And when I see him?
My blood boils. My jaw clenches and my hands curl into fists. That’s how much I hate him.
I want to cause him pain. I want to hold him down and actually hurt him.
And if that’s not bad enough, that’s exactly what he wants me to do to him.

Valentine
I know what people think of me. I know what they assume. They all think I’m some spoiled rich guy who’s had everything handed to him.
They don’t know me at all.
Behind my carefully constructed walls is an emptiness so dark it scares men away. I like pain. I like being used. For some messed up reason, it validates me. I don’t need love or affection or, hell forbid, emotional attachment.
What I need is a man who hates me, a man who despises me.
A man like Marshall Wise.
Because never in a million years would he ever feel anything for me.
Right?"]

These two were explosive. From the first fights to the first fucks. They had chemistry that made everyone stop (then again, everyone thought that chemistry was still the first F). It quickly turned to something a little more, feelings. It was awkward and adorable. 

Even as the feelings continued to grow, and it was harder to talk about. One tried to push the other away, I almost cried. Almost. Good thing the other was ready to fight again. 

And that second epilogue?! Fuuuuuck me! D: that was all kinds of glorious (all very Valentine to be honest).

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, homophobic slurs/hate-speech, undiagnosed disordered eating, toxic af parents, and more.

#ewb #nrwalker #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Just a Fling

Here's Maya Jean's "Just a Fling." This short story was originally published  Love in Tuscany anthology; no words have been added, and the story remains the same.

["What happens when a recently divorced, jaded surgeon meets a starry-eyed, romantic young football player? Sparks fly at a destination wedding when these two men meet, both vowing only to have a fling. But their kisses don’t taste fleeting, and their emotions don’t understand the word fling. Can Sully and Tate find love against the backdrop of romantic Tuscan scenery and shared secrets under the stars?"]

These two were adorable as hell. Sweet and soft and soooo utterly, instantly in love from the very beginning. There was that moment of just knowing you've met someone important, someone who will change your life, someone who will be your home. 

Trigger Warnings: foster care system, past abuse in foster care system, previously being cheated on by a spouse, and more.

#arcs #arcteammember #grr #gayromancereviews
#justafling #mayajean #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Butterfly (Behind Bars #4)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's Louise Collins's "Butterfly." It's the fourth novel in her Behind Bars series.

["Life has not been easy for Oliver ‘Ollie’ Linton. Convicted of killing his abusive father he finds himself serving a nine-year sentence in Hollybrook sharing a cell with mute prisoner, Teddy Saul.
Teddy has a violent reputation on the wing with inmates and officers wary of his grunts, growls and fists. But Ollie sees a different Teddy. Protective and gentle, Ollie can’t help but get close to his cellmate.

There are reasons he shouldn’t.
Like Teddy being inside for killing four people and his previous cellmate Ryan’s death remaining unexplained, but the biggest reason Ollie shouldn’t get too close is for the simple fact Ollie will one day walk free of Hollybrook but Teddy never will.

That day comes far quicker than either of them anticipate when Ollie has the chance to appeal his conviction. At first, Ollie refuses and Teddy is relieved but days pass and Teddy has a change of heart.
They make a deal, Ollie will appeal if Teddy agrees to let him visit and write but Ollie ends up heartbroken when Teddy cuts him out of his life.

He didn’t want Teddy to let him go, he wanted the opposite, for Teddy to hold on even if they were on different sides of the bars.
Will Teddy explain his reasons?
Will Ollie get his HEA?
Or does what happen in prison stay in prison?"]

I wasn’t sure these two needed their own book, until I read the blurb. Now I see where else their relationship might go..or not (ready the tissues).

These two were adorable as hell. All of the communicating without words, all of the trust, all of the moments of safety and comfort and home. All wrapped up in a prison-shaped bubble that isn't safe or comfortable or home.

They don't have much blood family left, but the found family they created were strong and loud in their love and support. It was exactly what they needed. Especially when shit starts to hit the fan. 

Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, threats, past domestic abuse, past child abuse, blackmail, assault, and more. 

#freshman #psychopath #rat #butterfly #louisecollins #behindbars #behindbarsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Rat (Behind Bars #3)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's Louise Collins's "Rat." It's the third novel in her Behind Bars series.

["Rory’s not like the other inmates.
In fact, he’s not an inmate at all.
He’s undercover, tasked with gathering information on Sebastian Claw.
Sebastian is planning something for his upcoming release, and Rory needs to find out what.

Rory doesn’t like the Sebastian of the past—the murderer, or the Sebastian of the future—the plotter.
He does like the Sebastian of the present.
The one he shares his cell, his body, and possibly his heart with.

The line between what’s right and wrong, what’s good and bad, start to blur.
But if Sebastian finds out who Rory is, he’s a dead man..."]

I love how this series also shows the shitty side of police work (haaated Rory’s coworkers), how there is now black and white.

These two made me ache. There was so much potential there, but so much hesitation, so much guilt. And the guilt only got worse and worse, upping the angst, and coincidentally, the pining.

I also spent a lot of this book crying, so that’s for that. It was therapeutic as fuck, but wow, I wasn’t ready for it. It was just one gut-punch after another. 

And now I was fries. 

Trigger Warnings: drugs, alcoholism, violence, threats of assault, blackmail, death, and more.

#freshman #psychopath #rat #butterfly #louisecollins #behindbars #behindbarsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Psychopath (Behind Bars #2)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's Louise Collins's "Psychopath." It's the second novel in her Behind Bars series.

["No two criminals are alike, and Quinn knows this more than most. After months of stress and pleading, his study has been approved. His participants all reside under one Greenwood Prison.

The men sitting opposite him have done awful things, but Quinn’s not there to judge; he’s there to work through a psychopath checklist.

He needs psychopaths for his study, and one participant fills him with more unease than the others.

Zane Black wears many faces, and Quinn has a hard time finding the real man behind the masks. He flirts, he manipulates, and boasts. He’s clever and takes control of their sessions. With all Quinn knows about psychopaths, he can’t stop his heart being seduced by this one.

When the study finishes, will Zane let Quinn go and move on, or will he leave Quinn with more questions?"]

Literally how was this as sweet as it was?! So fucking sweet but so fucking forbidden and dangerous and unethical and so utterly adorable in all of the ways.

I predicted one or two plot lines, but for the best. For the best best. 

This series doesn’t have as much smut as I predicted (though, that’s understandable), but the tension that is there? Holy hell. It’s potent, it’s so obvious that you wonder how no one else sees it or feels it. The yearning, the chemistry.

Trigger Warnings: legit psychopaths, details about murder, violence, and more.

#freshman #psychopath #rat #butterfly #louisecollins #behindbars #behindbarsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Freshman (Behind Bars #1)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's Louise Collins's "Freshman." It's the first novel in her Behind Bars series.

["Nate Mathews is a murderer. Alfie doesn’t know the details of his crime, and he doesn’t want to. All he knows is Nate Mathews is evil, and his colleagues at Larkwood prison shudder at his name.

But Alfie has caught Nate’s eyes, and they start flirting in the early hours. It’s forbidden, terrifying, but arousing too. One whisper of ‘Freshman’ from Nate, and Alfie’s stomach flutters, and his pulse increases. Alfie knows if he reads Nate’s file his attraction to the criminal will turn to disgust, but he can’t bring himself to do it. He likes Nate. Nate makes him feel wanted, and that’s a first for Alfie.

Is Nate genuine? Or is Alfie destined for heartbreak?"]

Didn’t think I’d root for a character like Nate so damn early in the book when we really didn’t get any of his redeeming qualities yet…but here we are. Then it got worse (here’s me telling Alfie he’s an idiot for not trusting the triple-murderer, while I’m sobbing). 

God fuck, this book was all kinds of anxious, but not for the reasons you’re thinking. 

But don’t worry, even with all of the crying and angst, there’s a very well earned HEA.

Trigger Warnings: violence, talk of murder, very bad men on both sides of the law, mention of rape, and more. 

#freshman #psychopath #rat #butterfly #louisecollins #behindbars #behindbarsseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Oxford Blood

SO many ARCs and just not enough time. Here's Rachael Davis-Featherstone's "Oxford Blood."

["Love, Lies, Legacy...High-achieving state-school pupil Eva has one dream – reading English at Oxford. If she gets in, not only will she receive a world-class education at an elite university, but she will be fulfilling the dreams of her mother and gain some independence from her father, the overprotective Inspector Dawkins.

At the same school, Eva's best-friend George is also hoping to go to Oxford. The attraction between him and Eva is undeniable, but they’ve agreed to put any romance on hold until their places at Oxford are secured. Eva cannot be distracted from her goal – although when they are both invited for interview week, their future together feels oh-so close.

Until George shows up dead.

The police rule his death an accident, but the behaviour of some of the other interview candidates has Eva suspecting foul play. When a shocking secret about George is revealed, Eva finds suspicion falling on her. What was meant to be one of the most important weeks of her life is fast turning into a nightmare.

All eyes are now on Eva, including the anonymous posters behind OxSlay, a gossipy social media forum exclusively for Oxford students. But amongst the conspiracy theories, lurk hidden clues. Could they help Eva clear her name - and catch the killer?"]

To be honest, I wasn't sure about this for a while. Really wasn't sure. Eva was a little too whiny and a little too embarrassed by her dad and a little too innocent about the police interviews. She annoyed me so it took some time for me to care about her and her plight. It also took me a while to get into the book/mystery, not sure if it was Eva-related or not. Also, working in admissions, some of the stuff that happened, would never have happened, especially at Oxford. 

The book did pick up though. There were a lot of good characters, lovable and hate-able. Lots of suspects. Many different events that led to George's death to untangle, lots of suspects to eliminate.

The OxSlay app didn't help. Neither did all of the social, economic, race lines to cross and untangle. 

#netgalley #arc #arcteammember
#oxfordblood #rachaeldavisfeatherstone #thriller #yathriller #murdermystery #yamurdermystery #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Dario

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's Victoria Sue's "Dario."

["Dangerous secrets will get you killed. Sometimes it might even be me that's pulling the trigger.

Dario

I'm hours away from finally inheriting my father's legacy. All I need to do is dodge the Russians and the Irish, and put a wedding band on my fiancée. Until the moment I find out my father's best-friend and fiancée's papa ordered the hit that had taken out my parents eighteen years ago.

And my fiancée will step over my dead body as she walks back down the aisle and marry into the Irish Mob. The ones that have promised my future father-in-law he will have everything that is rightfully mine.

Not happening.

Even if I have to light the night sky with the fires of revenge and retribution.

I just need to get married first.

Then miracle of miracles, I find out my traitorous fiancée has a half-brother. An illegitimate one, but one that still fulfills the terms of my father's will, so the territory rightfull becomes mine.

I just have to convince the brother of that.

A twenty-year-old innocent that has been a near slave all his life? Piece of cake.

Or is it?"]

One of the things I love about dark romances are the utterly powerful feelings they have for each other from the very beginning. Even if they want to deny it, it's there and it's strong as fuck. Though...it did ebb and flow. Okay, so the chemistry and the Want didn't change, the trust and the trusting of your own feelings and the trust of the relationship/their feelings kept changing. 

All of that plus the secrets and testing and impending doom were...a lot. Like a lot a lot. It wasn't fun on my end, it sure as fuck wasn't fun on their ends. I wanted to slap Dario upside the head (a few times) and hug the fuck out of Alessandro; then put them both in a room with Nonna so she could intimidate them into talking their feelings out. 

Which is almost what happened, actually.

I wouldn’t mind more from this universe.

Trigger Warnings: violence, murder, drugging, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, human trafficking, blackmail of all kinds, and more

#dario #dariowickedlegacies #wickedlegacies #victoriasue #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Midnight (Dangerous Daddies #3)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's April Jade's "Midnight." It's the third novel in her Dangerous Daddies series.

["He was a predator… and I loved to watch him stalk his prey.

The first time I saw Elijah Kingston was through a computer screen.

Night after night, I watched him shed his counterfeit smiles and falsely perfect persona. Gone was the family man everyone thought him to be and in his place was one of the deadliest assassins the mafia has ever seen.

It was my job to conceal his violence—to frame others for his crimes and ensure he never got caught.

Elijah never required my assistance but I watched him, anyway.

Obsessively.

Endlessly.

I spent hours tracking each of his movements, learning everything there was to know about him. My fixation was manic, and though we were always miles away, I knew the first time his face filled my screen that he belonged to me.

Elijah was my Daddy…

…he just didn’t know it yet."]

Quote of the day (Silas): “Do. Not. Swoon.” Too bad, kitten, already swooning. 

Hard to choose, but these two might be my favorite. They were a hooot mess, but they were a hot mess together. They fought to be together, but it wasn't that much of a fight. The feelings of love and chemistry and rightness and perfection were instant and stronnng. 

They were fierce and feral and fluffy all at the same time. It was destiny almost. 

And they both swooned. Hard. 

Trigger Warnings: gun violence, virtual stalking, mentions of past childhood trauma, anxiety, self-harm, and more.

#madlove #wildheart #midnight #badreputation #apriljade #dangerousdaddies #dangerousdaddiesseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Wild Heart (Dangerous Daddies #2)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's April Jade's "Wild Heart." It's the second novel in her Dangerous Daddies series.

["He was the man who protected my best friend… but right now it felt like the only person he cared about protecting was me.

I fell for him the second our eyes touched, my palms filling with his blood. Panic held my lungs in its fist, and though I wasn’t the one dying, I couldn’t seem to take in any air.

Then he whispered my name.

Hand on my face, he kept me from drowning. He made me stronger, and when they tried to take him away, I fought to stay by his side.

I was supposed to save him…
I should’ve known he’d be the one to save me."]

Gotta say, characters like Marcos both ruin me and wrap me around their fingers. Sweet and kind and so utterly broken by...life. He wanted to be happy and wear glitter and belong. Ivan took one look, and he agreed to all of that and more (i.e. Hay Hay). Marcos looked back at Ivan and agreed.

Their love was fierce and feral. It was a little insane but soo loving, soo accepting, soo beautiful. It was promises and protection. All of it was just...glorious in the darkness of it all. 

Trigger Warnings: gun violence, graphic descriptions of murder, mentions of childhood trauma, death and accompanying grief, anxiety, and more.

#madlove #wildheart #midnight #badreputation #apriljade #dangerousdaddies #dangerousdaddiesseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Mad Love (Dangerous Daddies #1)

Continuing on a dark romance kick...and oddly enough a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's April Jade's "Mad Love." It's the first novel in her Dangerous Daddies series.

["He looked exactly the way I liked him to… dangerous and mine.”

Benjamin Thomas, a billionaire philanthropist and a rumored mob-boss, was everything you expected him to be—dangerous, ruthless, and handsome. When he found me in the dead of the night, sick and asleep inside his locker room, I expected him to shoot me…. or at the very least, arrest me.

He did neither.

Tucked within the pocket of his arms, he carried me home. In a blink, I had a warm bed, a new doctor, and a man who refused to leave my side. The look in his eyes reminded me of a storm. I didn’t know it yet... but it was brewing just for me.

Benjamin Thomas wasn’t a man capable of loving anything but himself… until he met me."]

This book was...beautiful. It was dark and fast and romantic in all of the ways that nonconventional romances are.    

Toby learned about living again, about being happy. Ben learned about using his fucking words. I mean, come on, no one thinks that kidnapping someone and demanding they get better is a romantic gesture (no body but). Some of the things he said weren't..untrue, but he didn't follow them up with "and that effects me and my feelings because...", which really would have helped. Good thing Toby yelled at him until he used said words. Good thing Ben moved mountains (almost literally) to make Toby happy.

Trigger Warnings: violence, on-page kidnapping, mentions of chronic disease, and more.

#madlove #wildheart #midnight #badreputation #apriljade #dangerousdaddies #dangerousdaddiesseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Regretting You (Lionheart Academy #3)

Here's T Ashleigh's "Regretting You." It's the third novel in the Lionheart Academy series.

["Tyler-
Some days I wish I’d never met Gregory Baldwin. Then there are days when I feel like I’ll die if he’s away for too long.
It’s like I’m addicted to him. Addicted to the attention he gives me and what he does to me in secret. He has lips made for sin and a body I can’t keep my hands off of, but mostly, I know he has a heart. That’s what keeps me coming back.
Now he’s cruel, malicious, possessive… nothing like the boy I once knew. And yet, deep down, I know that guy is still there under this bad boy exterior. He has to be, or everything we’ve been through is pointless.
Being with him feels like dying and surviving all at once. It’s wild, manic, and soul-crushing, but it’s us. He’s all I’ve ever had and the only thing I’ll ever want.
Because even when I hate him…
I love him ten times harder.

Greg-
I’m broken beyond repair, too fucked up to be saved. My mind fights demons daily, while the shattered organ in my chest only causes me pain.
I wish I could just end it all. Say goodbye to this miserable existence.
Only, to leave this life would mean leaving him, and that’s not something I can do.
Once I made a promise to a boy that I plan on keeping. The years may have dragged us apart, and I know he hates me now, but that’s okay. I don’t blame him; I hate myself, too.
Regardless of the animosity, one thing remains the Tyler.
He’s the constant in a haze of self-destruction. The one who somehow, after everything, is still there for me, no matter how badly I mess up.
I don’t deserve him. I never did, but I’ll never let him go either.
He is mine, and I am his."]

UGH!! D: These two were the worst. In the way that they were the most in love and the most in grief. It was complicated as hell, but they kept coming back together. 

And I kept crying. Sooo much crying! But it was heartbreak from shitty parents, losing a parent, not to mention the friendship and relationship that blew up, all of the betrayal from book one, depressive episodes, drunk confessions, these characters crying. Fuck me, my eyes are sore.

But honestly, this was my favorite book in the series. Seeing how precious and cute and fucking puuure their friendship was, how much they meant to each other, the mutual crushes. The crushing weight of Mary’s death..and how it followed them for years to come.

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, depression, depressive thoughts, loss of a parent, bullying, mental illness, complicated grief, suicidal thoughts, child abuse, alcoholism or using alcohol as a coping mechanism, and more.

#bettingyou #omittingyou #regrettingyou #tashleigh #lionheartacademy #lionheartacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Omitting You (Lionheart Academy #2)

Here's T Ashleigh's "Omitting You." It's the second novel in the Lionheart Academy series.

["Rhys:
I’ve loved him since before I understood what love meant.
My best friend, my secret keeper, my defender.
The boy with the glasses and quiet temperament.
The guy with the sweetest smile, who has the dirtiest mouth.
The man who owns me. Mind, body, and soul.
I’m ready for the world to know that he’s mine. To love him out loud.
The problem? Winston isn’t ready. And I’m not sure he ever will be.
Loving Winston was never optional for me.
I want to be his everything, instead, I feel as though I’m disposable to him.
After all, how could I not be when I’m his dirty little secret?

Winston:
Being a Connley comes with certain expectations.
Go to school, take over the family business, marry a woman, and have two point five kids.
So, imagine how life would be if the prodigal son turned out gay?
I don’t want to cause a rift in my family. So instead, I grit my teeth and plaster on a fake smile to avoid dealing with the bullshit.
The problem? I’m completely, unbelievably, devastatingly in love with Rhys Evander.
I know I need to stop hiding. I need to own who I am.
It’s not fair to Rhys for me to keep him on the sidelines, yet fear keeps me paralyzed.
I just hope I have the guts to follow my heart before it’s too late.
Because losing Rhys is never going to be an option for me."]

Honestly, I was looking forward to this one...until I saw who the next one was about. Apparently, I'm also in a hurt-comfort, angsty-as-fuck era. THOUGH, this one was pretty damn good. Even if I somehow cried more in this one than the previous one.

I wasn't sure how the plot or the characters would pull this story along if they were best friends and already in love with each other. The angst. That fucking angst will get you every single time. 

Their love spanned ages with all of the cute pictures and inside jokes and found family. All of the chocolate chip cookies and Lion King references. They fit each other in sooo many ways, if only certain fears (unfounded...but I digress) hadn't gotten in the way.

Honestly, though, the person (people) who knew the entire fucking time and was just cool with it and kept it a secret even while struggling with his own shit? Legend (for now...until I hear what he did/does to Tyler (because we aaallllll know he's going to fuck it up somehow)).

Trigger Warnings: child neglect, child abuse, and more.

#bettingyou #omittingyou #regrettingyou #tashleigh #lionheartacademy #lionheartacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks