Stroke Frequency (Alchemy Ink #2)

Here's "Stroke Frequency" by Katherine McIntyre. Its the second books in her Alchemy Ink series, which is in the same universe as the Brannon Boys series and the Hot Under the Collar series

["One wild convention with a hottie cosplayer turns into Caspian’s worst nightmare—marriage.

Caspian
The point of this Vegas Comic Con trip is to unwind, enjoy myself, and steer clear of commitments—especially anything serious. A deadbeat dad and divorce debt sealed my opinion on marriage early on. So when I meet a gorgeous-as-hell cosplayer at the bar who’s on the same light-and-easy wavelength as me, my trip’s about to get even better.

Levi
One blackout drunk night in Vegas should’ve been just that, but when I get home, I find out…I accidentally got married. A quick search nets me the discovery that not only is the guy I met in Vegas on the East Coast like me…but he lives less than an hour away.
When I surprise him at work, we both agree that getting a divorce is first thing on the agenda. Should be easy, right?
However, between flaky lawyer hurdles, accidental Mom meetings, and a fake-real?-husband drop-in at my shitty sister’s baby shower, I end up falling head over heels in love with him.
Yet Caspian’s terrified of remaining married, and I’m terrified of what happens when this ends."]

The instant chemistry, the easy flirting, the honest friendship, the utter fluff? Absolute. Perfection. 

The banter was top fucking tier. These two could just talk and flirt and connect on a level that was so easy for them. It was adorable and honestly made me feel a little jealous (and lonely). 

I needed something sweet and fun and with very little angst. This book was a perfect balm for...life. I looove this series (this universe), and I canNOT wait for more! Hopefully Owen is next!

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, sexism, and more.

#arc #advancedreadercopy #arcteammember
#inkcaps #openliner #strokefrequency #continuousoperation #katherinemcintyre #alchemyink #alchemyinkseries #brannonboys #brannonboysseries #hotundertehcollar #hotunderthecollarseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Zero Chill for the Vampire King (Not Quite Dead #2)

Here's JF Miev's "Zero Chill for the Vampire King." It's the second novel in the Not Quite Dead series. 

["ISIDORO
I took the wrong vampire.
Julian Corvath wasn’t supposed to be part of my war, but now he’s my only leverage. The son of my greatest enemy. The key to finding a vampire who could destroy my claim to the throne.
Keeping him close is dangerous. Letting him go is not an option.
So I make a choice that binds us together in the worst possible way—one that should be nothing more than a strategy.
A marriage.
Julian is sharp-tongued, defiant, and far too tempting. Every moment at his side chips away at my control. Every glance lingers too long. But I have no choice when the truth about his father comes out and threatens to upturn a lot more than my own life.
Julian is a complication I can’t allow. A mistake I should have already corrected.
But I’m starting to want him anyway.

JULIAN
Getting kidnapped sucks.
Getting kidnapped by a dangerously powerful, morally gray vampire king? Worse.
Isidoro Altamirano thinks he’s in control. To him, I’m just a means to an end.
He’s so wrong.
If he wants my cooperation, he plays by my rules. And once he agrees, I hold him to it. But the longer we’re bound together—forced into trust and proximity—the harder it becomes to remember why I should hate him.
Because beneath the ruthless king is something else. Something real. Something dangerously easy to fall for. And when his attention turns possessive and I become the thing he refuses to lose, I should want out.
But I’m not sure I do anymore."]

I've been putting this ARC off for a while. I'm not really sure why. Maybe because the first book set suuuch a high standard? Maybe because I haven't been in the mood for this level of enemies-to-lovers? Who knows. I do know that I regret waiting. This book was sooo good!

The mutual pining took me out. It was addictive and alluring and dangerous and oh so wrong (at least that's what they told themselves). The butterflies, the need to be close to each other, the kissing being oh so explosive, the pining...you'd think there was more to their relationship than simply falling in love. Definite fated vibes. 

Trigger Warnings: murder, violence, death, mild gore, blood (they're vampires), and more.

#unholybaddecisions #zerochillforthevampireking #notquitedead #notquitedeadseries #jfmiev #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Hollow (Mayhem Manuscripts Season Two: Cryptids)

Here's MN Bennet's "Hollow." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Mayhem Manuscripts Season Two: Cryptids.

["Jack lives his life on social media, cosplaying as the cryptid local legend. Sure, he is an actual monster, but that detail doesn’t really matter when he’s focused on trending posts. All is going well in Jack’s life until a group of hunters show up, intent on taking the famed monster’s head as a trophy.

Dimitri has been trapped by hunters for years, forced to use his abilities so their organization can track down other cryptids. When he encounters Jack, he learns that not all monsters are made the same way. Jack easily removes the threat at his doorstep, and Dimitri gains a chance at freedom.

Jack introduces Dimitri to the world and the many wonders he’s missed out on during his captivity. Dimitri follows Jack’s lead as he explores this new era. But the hunter’s organization doesn’t take their loss lightly, and they set out to reclaim Dimitri and behead Jack. These monsters will have to trust their hearts and each other if they want to put an end to this threat."]

Okay, but Astaroth stole my heart from his first telepathic commands, evil little arch-demon of Hell commanding mere morals for belly rubs. :')

This one too me a smidge to get into only really because of the world building. My brain takes a while to grasp world building, but when these two started finally (also not a slow-burn girly) connected? Oh boy, I was gone. 

The fluff, the sweetness, the friendship, the vulnerability. A lot less darkness than I had anticipated (and a lot less angst). I’ll take adorable blushing monsters falling in love any day. 

Trigger Warnings: trauma, torture, a little casual slaughter, depression, anxiety, threats, bullying, death, off-page family loss, light gore, extreme acts of fluffiness, and more. 

#hollow #mnbennett #pareidolia #feral #paligenesis #tenebrous #golden #hush #leech #mortis #noctis #solivagant #solais #marked #mayhemmanuscripts #mayhemmanuscriptsseasontwo #mayhemmanuscriptscryptids #mayhemmanuscriptsseasontwocryptids #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Slick Trip

Here's "Slick Trip" by Lucy Castle.

["19-year-old Cooper has a plan: drive Grandpa's car from Illinois to California and earn some cash. Then Jon—his brother's best friend and Cooper's archenemy—is assigned as his unwilling babysitter. Cooper is livid. Yeah, he used to have a crush on Jon, but that was before Jon did something unforgivable.

Jon knows exactly why keeping his distance from Cooper matters. One reckless decision a year ago proved that some lines should never be crossed. Especially not with Cooper, the one person Jon would walk through fire for. He promised Cooper's family to keep him safe, but if anyone is a danger to Cooper, it's Jon himself.

When biology intervenes and things get heated, will Jon and Cooper finally admit how they really feel?"]

I've been WAITING for this book to come out for months! Social media adds are sooo teasing. And it was worth the wait.

These two were adorable and totally aggravating. They relied heavily on the miscommunication trope, but they eventually did start talking...after some hurt. But after the hurt always come the comfort. And the entire family going "fucking finally" (spoiler alert?). Overall, the only angst was the miscommunication (and haters).

I loved how this universe held a lot of the "traditional" A/O/B lure, but it also created it's own. It was familiar but refreshing.

Quote of the Day (Jon/Cooper): "'I haven't said anything about undying devotion.' // He threw the blanket away, looking indignant. 'Undying devotion is the bare minimum for a relationship with me.'"

Okay QotD Part 2 (Jon/Cooper): "'If I draw a line, are you going to respect it?' // 'No, but I"ll admire it while I step over it'."

I canNOT wait for Jack and Oliver's story!!

Trigger Warnings: religious extremism, prejudice, hate-motivated violence, foster care system, past physical and verbal abuse, on-page violence, and more.

#slicktrip #lucycastle #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Rope Me Down

Here's "Rope Me Down" by N Slater.

["I’ve spent eight months fighting my attraction to my boyfriend’s father, Boone, but when my boyfriend leaves me on the side of the road, all bets are off.

Especially when Boone rescues me, takes me back to the ranch, and shows me exactly what it means to fall apart.

And then he gives me a fantasy—two weeks with him and the three sons who live at the ranch.

A way to completely and utterly fall apart as they give me every filthy, tender thing I’ve been too starved to ask for.

Fourteen days of pure bliss.

We haven’t even truly started, and I don’t want it to end."]

Sometimes you need a happy, cheery contemporary romance to help heal. And sometimes you need something a little dark with a lot of fluff and some serious taboo (not too taboo--Zon still carries it).

I loved the unending communication and checking in. It was open and honest and totally...normal. It was so non-normal for Ash that it seemed abnormal. It was all kinds of sweet and adorable while being filthy and flirty. Four consent kings. 

This book was honestly fabulous. A little different and not conventional, but it was perfect. It did the healing I needed and more. It did the healing Ash needed (and more). 

Trigger Warnings: emotional and psychological abuse from former partner, manipulation, gaslighting, abandonment, physical violence, dubcon, self-worth struggles, recovery from emotional abuse, one scene involving drug driving and a hit and run, physical altercation, and more.

#ropemedown #nslater #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Monstrous Serpent (South Shore Serpents #1)

Here's E.V. Olsen's latest series: South Shore Serpents (a spin-off of the North Short Titans series). The first novel in this series is "Monstrous Serpent."

["I was never anyone's first choice. Until two monsters made me their only one.

One bad decision leads me into the woods and straight into the hands of two masked strangers who chase me through the dark, pin me down, and leave me questioning everything I thought I knew about myself.

Then I learn who they are.

Serpents.

And not just any Serpents, but six-foot-ten Hunter Kincaid and his other half, six-foot-eight Atlas Trembley.

Atlas gets under my skin like a splinter. He fights me, steals from me, and doesn't care that I want to kill him. He's counting on it.

Hunter doesn't speak. He takes. He decides. And he's decided on me.

They even call me Little Titan like I belong to them.

The worst part?

I want to belong to the two hockey players who fight over marshmallows and look at me like I'm the best thing that's ever happened to them.

But Hunter's past isn't done with him. And when it threatens to tear us apart, I learn exactly what kind of monsters my Serpents are."]

These three were hot fucking messes. All of the baggage, all of the pining, none of the communication. Not to mention the (on-purpose and on-accident) hurt/comfort, the rivalry, the baggage (sooo much baggage). At least Blue (*cough* Mr. Smooshy *cough*) was there to bring them all together. 

One complaint: There were so many uses of last names and first names (between these three) that I got a little confused a few times. Then again, that could just be me and my lack of ability to remember names. I do wish I was able to retain past MC names and relationships, because this plot seemed to take place over some of that plot (and future book plot?), and I was lost (I took it with stride).

I canNOT wait for more from this team. More unhinged behavior. More over-the-top HEAs. 

Trigger Warnings: off-page physical and emotional abuse by parents, scars, trauma responses, parental death prior to start of story, murder, graphic child abuse references, mention of serial murder of children, kidnapping, reference to human trafficking, violence, stalking, dubcon, ableism by tertiary character, severe injuries to MC, and more. 

#booksprout #arcs #arcteammember
#monstrousserpent #wickedseroent #southshoreserpents #southshoreserpentsseries #northshoretitans #northshoretitansseries #evolsen #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Royal in Room 3 (Halo House #1)

Here's Gianni Holmes's "The Royal in Room 3." It's a novel in the multi-author series, Halo House ("a shared world that follows vulnerable boys finding shelter, chosen family, and protective Daddies who are ready to love them exactly as they are").

["A fallen Crown Prince.
A convicted criminal.
A scandal neither of us can survive.

I don’t do love. I do caregiving.

Halo House sends me boys who need structure, protection, and someone to teach them how to survive. The arrangement is always simple, always temporary, and never personal.

Until Soren occupies Room 3.

He’s soft, spoiled, and helpless in ways that don’t make sense—until I learn the truth.

The boy who calls me Daddy is the deposed Crown Prince of a European kingdom.

And I’m the ex-convict who should know better than to touch him.

A prince and a felon would be scandal enough. But Soren isn’t just any prince, and I’m not the kind of man a royal family welcomes into the palace.

I should walk away before the world discovers us.

But I’m already in too deep, and letting him go is no longer an option."]

This book was reeeaaallllllllly good. It sucked me in right away. Soren was perfect. He was kind and sweet and oh so lost and hurting, and he made me cry (a lot). He deserved the world, but people kept betraying his trust. 

Luckily he found the Halo House and a sense of self and a group of friends and a support system and love. So much endless love. 

And I usually don’t love the overly happy epilogues, especially the ones that take place ten years later, but this epilogue was perfect. It was the right amount of extra information and HEA cheese and easy laughter without anything behind over the top. 

I cannot wait for the rest of this series. 

Trigger Warnings: mention of death of siblings, parental rejection, homophobia, racism, police profiling, incarceration, wrongful drug-related accusations, forced exile from one's home country, homelessness, SC with scarring as a result of physical abuse, and more. 

#theroyalinroom3 #gianniholmes #theliarinroom5 #thestarinroom7 #thegoalieinroom1 #halohouse #halohouseseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks