en-US Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:44:16 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 215951585
As a chart-topping country singer, I’m living the dream.

While my family is all back in Austin, embracing their happily-ever-afters, I’m on the road on a sold-out tour.

I should feel ecstatic, yet all I am is lonely.

Maybe that’s why I find myself drawn to a fan who pops up at one of my shows.

Something about the way he watches me on stage has me thinking…he knows my secret.

And after the first kiss, I can’t seem to let him go.

But Jensen Miles has some secrets of his own:

He isn’t just a regular fan. He’s a preacher.

And not just any preacher—the new preacher at my dad’s church.

Where I come from, preachers don’t have filthy mouths and dirty hookups, let alone with a male country singer.

But Jensen has scars like mine. They just run deeper.

We can’t stay away from each other, though. One night turns into nearly every city of the tour; the two of us sneak around backstage, onto tour buses, and in hotel rooms.

And while I’ve never been happier…I’m tired of hiding.

With Jensen, I might be able to escape the monsters from my past—even if the scariest one has just been set free.

With Jensen, we can outrun our demons together.

With Jensen, I’m finally ready to come home.]]> 434 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 4.74 2025
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.74
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 57815107 From the desperation of golden crowns��

Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.

And born of mortal flesh��

Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way—because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace.

A great primal power rises��

Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear—to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be—what she fears the most.

As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.]]> 628 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457726 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions
tapping into the eather�� i have a lot to say in this review, for once.

whew. okay, where do i start? don’t read this review, or any reviews, if you haven’t finished the series. don’t let others�� opinions cloud your own judgement. i also did a debatably unnecessary amount of highlighting bc i am a sucker for foreshadowing.

i was nervous to re-read as i loved the direction this book takes things the first time around and was shocked by the reaction from other readers. after re-reading, i can see where ya’ll are coming from�� on some points. others we are just going to have to agree to disagree, which is totally fine. i definitely wear my rose colored glasses while reading. ]]> 4.02 2022
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/16
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
read first nov 2022. re-read july 2023, right before the book 5 release.

tapping into the eather�� i have a lot to say in this review, for once.

whew. okay, where do i start? don’t read this review, or any reviews, if you haven’t finished the series. don’t let others�� opinions cloud your own judgement. i also did a debatably unnecessary amount of highlighting bc i am a sucker for foreshadowing.

i was nervous to re-read as i loved the direction this book takes things the first time around and was shocked by the reaction from other readers. after re-reading, i can see where ya’ll are coming from�� on some points. others we are just going to have to agree to disagree, which is totally fine. i definitely wear my rose colored glasses while reading.
]]> 55240343 She's been the victim and the survivor��

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior��

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms�� dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate��

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen.]]> 645 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457254 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions
okay so i can definitely see why this is where some readers fell off from this series. the first 20% had my emotions going up and down. then there was just a lot of talking, theorizing, and world building for the bulk of the book. still no joining. there certainly was plenty of action in the last 25% though.

i wasn’t going to read a light in the flame/a shadow in the ember on this re-read but all the teasers in this book have me sooo tempted.]]> 4.11 2021
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/12
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
read first time in nov 2022. re-read in july 2023.

okay so i can definitely see why this is where some readers fell off from this series. the first 20% had my emotions going up and down. then there was just a lot of talking, theorizing, and world building for the bulk of the book. still no joining. there certainly was plenty of action in the last 25% though.

i wasn’t going to read a light in the flame/a shadow in the ember on this re-read but all the teasers in this book have me sooo tempted.
]]> 54319549 A Betrayal��

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice...

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret��

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.]]> 637 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457106 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions
read first time nov 2022. re-read july 2023.

the first part of the book does slow down a bit while poppy asks a million questions. but i like that this allows the world building to be conversational. i love kieran and poppy’s banter. and the action scenes. then things pop tf off at the end. WHEW, what an ending.]]> 4.32 2020
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/09
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
this book smells like lush spice, pine, and snow.

read first time nov 2022. re-read july 2023.

the first part of the book does slow down a bit while poppy asks a million questions. but i like that this allows the world building to be conversational. i love kieran and poppy’s banter. and the action scenes. then things pop tf off at the end. WHEW, what an ending.
]]> 52861201 A Maiden...

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty...

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom...

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.]]> 613 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457009 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.17 2020
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/04
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: favorites, physical-special-editions
review:
hi! yes, i’ll take enemies to lovers with a side of honeydew. please and thank you.
]]> 222284854 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
- Concept + Direction by Stephanie Brown
- Front Dust Jacket and Hard Case Artwork by Ariel Waters
- Reverse Dust Jacket and Endpapers by Anna Helme
- Edges Artwork by Anna Helme and Ariel Waters


I try to forget her.
It’s impossible.

Growing up together, Conor and I shared all our firsts.
First love, first kiss, first...
Not all our firsts.

We were sixteen the night she was violently assaulted while I helplessly watched.
I’ll never forget the sounds of her suffering.
Or my inconsolable agony when she left Oklahoma.

Years later, she returns to honor our teenage pact.
Except the boy she loved is gone, replaced by a ruthless cattle rancher knotted with secrets.
She doesn’t know my dark cravings or the trails of sin that lead to her.

I don’t deserve her, but one truth remains.
She’s mine.]]> 285 Pam Godwin 1960854860 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.26 2018
author: Pam Godwin
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 52578297
When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?]]> 288 Matt Haig 0525559477 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 Maybe that’s what all lives were, though. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty.

this one took me awhile to get through. it is thought provoking aka may cause an existential crisis. trigger warning for suicide, depression, pet death, basically any real life situation that could trigger you. i mean, it doesn’t get like dark daarkk but it’s REAL. that’s why it took me so long, i typically read to escape reality, but this book shoved it in my face. it does have a good ending, the tone of book and ultimate messaging is a bit more light hearted and definitely, heavily philosophical. i would love to see this book turned into a movie or even a limited series, it could be a cinematic triumph if done right.

To be a human was to continually dumb the world down into an understandable story that keeps things simple. ]]> 3.96 2020
author: Matt Haig
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves:
review:
Maybe that’s what all lives were, though. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty.

this one took me awhile to get through. it is thought provoking aka may cause an existential crisis. trigger warning for suicide, depression, pet death, basically any real life situation that could trigger you. i mean, it doesn’t get like dark daarkk but it’s REAL. that’s why it took me so long, i typically read to escape reality, but this book shoved it in my face. it does have a good ending, the tone of book and ultimate messaging is a bit more light hearted and definitely, heavily philosophical. i would love to see this book turned into a movie or even a limited series, it could be a cinematic triumph if done right.

To be a human was to continually dumb the world down into an understandable story that keeps things simple.
]]> 61618737 An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.

He loves me; he loves me not...��

Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As a��small business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almost��perfect��

Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father left��him the flower shop, he considered��it a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.��

When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there's a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot's hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.]]> 341 Julie Soto 1538740885 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 currently-reading 3.94 2023
author: Julie Soto
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 210722967
From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a dark and delicious fractured fairytale of The Little Mermaid.

Venesa Andersen has never been good. She wasn’t good enough for her parents, and she isn’t good enough for the gangster uncle who took her in after they died. But she’s cunning. Beautiful. Dutiful to her uncle’s demands. And she doesn’t have time for a moral compass, anyway. When her runaway cousin returns to their coastal southern town, she brings a man with her…and Venesa soon realizes he’s the only one who’s ever seen her for her.
There’s just one problem: she can never have him.

Enzo “Loverboy�� Marino is a wealthy businessman by day and prince of the underworld by night. Underboss to a notorious mafia syndicate, he answers to no one except his father, the strongest don in the Northeast. When he’s tasked with marriage, Enzo doesn’t think twice.

Until he meets his fiancée’s cousin.

Venesa is everything he never knew he wanted, bewitching him with her sultry voice and supple curves. But Enzo learned long ago that for a man like him, life is better without the things you want.

When plans unravel and temptation sings its siren song, they’ll both have to choose what’s more important: duty to their families, or a forbidden love that was never supposed to be.]]> 544 Emily McIntire 1728275865 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 bring me to life - evanescence

“Want me to burn his kingdom to the ground?�� “No,�� she whispers, her eyes flicking up to lock on mine. “I want to burn him to the ground and take his kingdom for myself.��

new favorite in the never after series. i really liked this one. the plot was pretty transparent but i still had a lot of fun with it. i thought the little mermaid character parallels were executed nicely. the female rage was an excellent touch. the slow burn tension was yummy, but frustrating. and the way both our fmc and mmc are both switches kept things interesting.

“Shut up,�� she demands. I close my mouth, throwing my hands in the air and miming that I’m zipping my lips. I’ll never say another word again if it means she’ll keep looking at me the way she is right now. ]]> 4.17 2024
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/04/12
shelves:
review:
bring me to life - evanescence

“Want me to burn his kingdom to the ground?�� “No,�� she whispers, her eyes flicking up to lock on mine. “I want to burn him to the ground and take his kingdom for myself.��

new favorite in the never after series. i really liked this one. the plot was pretty transparent but i still had a lot of fun with it. i thought the little mermaid character parallels were executed nicely. the female rage was an excellent touch. the slow burn tension was yummy, but frustrating. and the way both our fmc and mmc are both switches kept things interesting.

“Shut up,�� she demands. I close my mouth, throwing my hands in the air and miming that I’m zipping my lips. I’ll never say another word again if it means she’ll keep looking at me the way she is right now.
]]> 22084431
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring�� until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something�� unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.]]> 294 Jennifer L. Armentrout ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.07 2011
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 13047090 BEING CONNECTED TO DAEMON BLACK SUCKS��

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

SOMETHING WORSE THAN ARUM HAS COME TO TOWN

The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there’s this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that’s possible. Against all common sense, I’m falling for Daemon. Hard.

BUT THEN, EVERYTHING CHANGES

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

NO ONE IS WHO THEY SEEM. AND NOT EVERYONE WILL SURVIVE THE LIES.]]> 421 Jennifer L. Armentrout ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.23 2012
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 127616032 Discover the serial killer romance series everyone is talking about!From the no.1 New York Times bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird and Leather & Lark comes the final book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy - a friends-with-benefits dark romantic comedy.

Murder.

Mayhem.

And spice.

Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiance and his derailed surgical career. It's a simpler head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston.

But then the real circus finds him.

Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she's not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with an injured leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.

The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.

. . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.

***


Friends with benefits
Small town romance
Fish out of water
Forced proximity
Hurt/care
Touch her and die]]> 416 Brynne Weaver ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 alexa, play: hold on - chord overstreet & mess is mine - vance joy

I finally realize I don't care about the illusion of light anymore. My Rose blooms in the dark. And all I want is to grow there with her.

just like the previous two books we get outlandish trigger warnings and a chapter-by-chapter playlist. along with the literal circus, fight club, suture sisters, murder sisters, pet raccoon, cotton candy butt plug, and more, this one was not boring by any means. rose kept things interesting in that unlike sloane and lark, she kinda sucks at this whole serial killer thing lmao.

i was definitely most excited for this book and fionn did not disappoint. he has golden retriever energy accompanied by a well-masked dark side. our couple had great communication, despite the fact that they lingered in the “friends with benefits�� zone for way. too. long. ugh. the letters though? the tarot cards? so heartful, i loved it. i just felt like i needed a little more, hence the 4 not 5 stars.

anyway, i found this series to be unique and amusing, and am sad to see it go. i did love that we got hear from the previous characters a good amount during this book. it felt like a proper send off with the double epilogue. ]]> 4.10 2025
author: Brynne Weaver
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves:
review:
alexa, play: hold on - chord overstreet & mess is mine - vance joy

I finally realize I don't care about the illusion of light anymore. My Rose blooms in the dark. And all I want is to grow there with her.

just like the previous two books we get outlandish trigger warnings and a chapter-by-chapter playlist. along with the literal circus, fight club, suture sisters, murder sisters, pet raccoon, cotton candy butt plug, and more, this one was not boring by any means. rose kept things interesting in that unlike sloane and lark, she kinda sucks at this whole serial killer thing lmao.

i was definitely most excited for this book and fionn did not disappoint. he has golden retriever energy accompanied by a well-masked dark side. our couple had great communication, despite the fact that they lingered in the “friends with benefits�� zone for way. too. long. ugh. the letters though? the tarot cards? so heartful, i loved it. i just felt like i needed a little more, hence the 4 not 5 stars.

anyway, i found this series to be unique and amusing, and am sad to see it go. i did love that we got hear from the previous characters a good amount during this book. it felt like a proper send off with the double epilogue.
]]> 61090292
Tisaanah bargained away her own freedom to save those she left behind in slavery. Now, bound by her blood pact, she must fight the Orders�� war -- and Max is determined to protect her at all costs.

But when a betrayal tears apart Ara, Max and Tisaanah are pushed into an even bloodier conflict. Tisaanah must gamble with Reshaye’s power to claim an impossible victory. And Max, forced into leadership, must confront everything he hoped to forget: his past, and his own mysterious magic.

All the while, darker forces loom -- far darker, even, than the Orders�� secrets.

As Tisaanah and Max are ensnared in a web of ancient magic and twisted secrets, one question remains: what are they willing to sacrifice for victory? For power? For love?]]> 20 Carissa Broadbent ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 currently-reading 3.88 2021
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 58488054
A former slave fighting for justice. A reclusive warrior who no longer believes it exists. And a dark magic that will entangle their fates.

Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.

Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders.

The Orders's intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future . . . or the downfall of them both.

But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders's deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart.

Even if it means wielding death itself.

Contains mature themes.]]> 16 Carissa Broadbent ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 3 I am a free woman and yet still a slave. I am fragments of many things but a whole of only myself. I am a daughter of no worlds, and all worlds. And I am not done yet.

this is a slow burn both in plot and romance. however, by the end, i was locked in for the series.

before reading, i saw comparisons of this series to TOG/celaena�� i can see where people are coming from (ex. previous slave, trainee/trainer, “mental possession��, etc) but i do not agree. the fmc is very different from celaena and while some plot points are similar, they are not put together in the same way that they are in TOG.

having said that, i found the reshaye plot to be the seller here and i am interested to see how things shake out. ]]> 3.69 2020
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/03
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves:
review:
I am a free woman and yet still a slave. I am fragments of many things but a whole of only myself. I am a daughter of no worlds, and all worlds. And I am not done yet.

this is a slow burn both in plot and romance. however, by the end, i was locked in for the series.

before reading, i saw comparisons of this series to TOG/celaena�� i can see where people are coming from (ex. previous slave, trainee/trainer, “mental possession��, etc) but i do not agree. the fmc is very different from celaena and while some plot points are similar, they are not put together in the same way that they are in TOG.

having said that, i found the reshaye plot to be the seller here and i am interested to see how things shake out.
]]> 209116165 He was mine to protect. Mine to adore. Mine to lose forever.

Icarus may not have flown particularly close to the sun, but he has fallen…right into the rough hands of Olympus's own Poseidon. Being held captive by the gentle giant wouldn't be so bad if Olympus wasn't on the eve of destruction…or if Poseidon stopped looking at him with those irresistibly stormy eyes.

Poseidon doesn't have time to babysit his increasingly bratty prisoner, but he has no Olympus is officially at war, and someone has to keep their best bargaining chip out of harm's way. The thing is, the longer Poseidon is with Icarus, the more he starts to care for his sworn enemy...and the more he realizes that Icarus isn't the villain he's been made out to be. There's a warmth to him, a vulnerability, that Poseidon finds difficult to ignore or deny.

Now with Circe and the Aeaens at the gate and Olympus a hair's breadth away from falling, Poseidon will have to make a difficult about himself, about his allegiances, and about the man who woke his heart from its long slumber only to threaten to break it for good...

A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Poseidon and Icarus.]]> 336 Katee Robert ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 3.73 2025
author: Katee Robert
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 222546535 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
. Concept and Art Direction: Stephanie Brown
. Hard Case and Stenciled Edge Artwork: Ariel Water
. Endpaper Artwork: Luciana Bertot
. Interior Design: Evenstar Books


I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a family. I just never expected to find it with five mysterious strangers who have more secrets than I could ever imagine.

Getting a scholarship to Evergreen University and majoring in premed means I need to keep my head down and focus on my studies. But campus is full of distractions��

The football god with his golden retriever charm. The tortured one with his vicious tongue. The broken boy with his determined protectiveness. The merciless billionaire with a penchant for spoiling me. And the genius professor with his brilliant mind.

They make me feel like I belong for the first time since my parents were murdered. And when they touch me, my whole world sparks to flame.

But they have enemies. Those who would give anything to harm what they hold dear. And while they’ll do whatever it takes to keep me safe, sometimes falling in love will put you right in the line of fire��

** This edition includes all three books in the Dragons of Ember Hollow series: Twilight of Embers, Midnight of Ashes, and Dawn of Flames.]]> 757 Tessa Hale 1960854895 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.04
author: Tessa Hale
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.04
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 210366739 Two bold young women defy the gods and mortals, living and dead, in this darkly mythical, Finnish folklore-inspired fantasy duology for readers of T. Kingfisher's Nettle & Bone, Danielle L. Jensen, Thea Guanzon, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec.

In the Finnish wilderness, more than wolves roam the dark forests. For Siiri and Aina, summer’s fading light is a harbinger of unwelcome change. Land-hungry Swedes venture north, threatening the peace; a zealous Christian priest denounces the old ways; and young women have begun to disappear.

Siiri vows to protect Aina from danger. But even Siiri cannot stop a death goddess from dragging her friend to Tuonela, the mythical underworld. Determined to save Aina, Siiri braves a dangerous journey north to seek the greatest shaman of legend, the only person to venture to the realm of death and return alive.

In Tuonela, the cruel Witch Queen turns Aina’s every waking moment into a living nightmare. But armed with compassion and cleverness, Aina learns the truth of her capture: the king of the underworld himself has plans for her. To return home, Aina must bargain her heart—as Siiri plots a daring rescue of the woman she loves the most.

In this sweeping fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik, and H.M. Long, hope and love can conquer even death itself.]]> 592 Emily Rath 1645661652 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.75 2024
author: Emily Rath
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376577 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six , Girl Dinner is a darkly-fun novel about power, lust, and eating your fill, as wealthy moms and sorority girls practice a sinister new wellness trend . . .

Good girls deserve a treat.

Every member of The House, the most exclusive sorority on campus, and all its alumni, are beautiful, high-achieving, and universally respected.

After a freshman year she would rather forget, sophomore Nina Kaur knows being one of the chosen few accepted into The House is the first step in her path to the brightest possible future. Once she's taken into their fold, the House will surely ease her fears of failure and protect her from those who see a young woman on her own as easy prey.

Meanwhile, adjunct professor Dr. Sloane Hartley is struggling to return to work after accepting a demotion to support her partner's new position at the cutthroat University. After 18 months at home with her newborn daughter, Sloane's clothes don’t fit right, her girl-dad husband isn’t as present as he thinks he is, and even the few hours a day she's apart from her child fill her psyche with paralyzing ennui. When invited to be The House’s academic liaison, Sloane enviously drinks in the way the alumnae seem to have it all, achieving a level of collective perfection that Sloane so desperately craves.

As Nina and Sloane each get drawn deeper into the arcane rituals of the sisterhood, they learn that living well comes with bloody costs. And when they are finally invited to the table, they will have to decide just how much they can stomach in the name of solidarity and power.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 368 Olivie Blake 1250883458 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.89 2025
author: Olivie Blake
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 209116174 Zeus & Hera's book. Katee Robert ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.67 2025
author: Katee Robert
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 215999527 350 Sierra Simone 1728276675 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.30
author: Sierra Simone
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 230111160 Blurb coming soon...

Placeholder date for preorder.]]> H.D. Carlton ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.43
author: H.D. Carlton
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 221014504 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Signed by the Author
Front Dust Jacket, Hard Case, and Stenciled Edges Artwork by @kasia_dot_jasmina
Reverse Dust Jacket and Endpapers Artwork by @aroc_dot_art

[Author/Publisher approved synopsis]

Pain is an abyss.

How naive of me to think I’d already reached the very depths of it when fate shook my world with a crushing blow. It turns out, there are fathomless levels of pain, like a winding labyrinth of doors leading to shadowy figures and long-forgotten secrets. The kind of inescapable descent into madness that twists nightmares into reality.

What lies at the end of this obscure path I have yet to discover, but where it begins, is a place called Infernium. An asylum, feared by those in Nightshade and untrodden by the angels who’ve forsaken its many lost souls.

Some say it’s the gateway to hell.

Others believe it’s where you go when the last flicker of hope dies out.

For me, it’s where I’ve damned myself for eternity–my penance for a crime against the heavens, and home to the demons that claw at my mind.

Yet, not even they stand a chance against my dark angel, Jericho. He fears nothing. Except losing me.

The longer I remain trapped, though, the stronger this darkness inside of me grows. A duality dividing my heart between love and revenge.

And, soon, saving me may no longer be an option.]]> 606 Keri Lake 1960854631 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.00 2022
author: Keri Lake
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220977121 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Signed by the Author
Front Dust Jacket, Hard Case, and Stenciled Edges Artwork by @kasia_dot_jasmina
Reverse Dust Jacket and Endpapers Artwork by @aroc_dot_art

[Author/Publisher approved synopsis]:

A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens ...

My father called them messengers.
He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs.

Well, I’ve spent my whole life investigating the inexplicable, and all I've found are the unsettling vestiges of iniquity - the evidence of another world shrouded by the obscure. Purgatory to some, where depravity hides in shadows, and girls like me are little more than delicious bites of temptation.

Others call it Nightshade.

This peculiar place is where I first met the cold and callous recluse living in a decaying cliffside cathedral. Jericho Van Croix is the epitome of everything I’ve been told to fear. A raven-winged harbinger who wears intrigue like a warm black cloak. An enigma that I’m determined to unravel �� even if it means getting closer than I should.

One touch is forbidden. Even so much as a kiss would be my demise. But the sin on his lips burns me up like a wild flame, and his growing infatuation weakens my resolve.

Giving him what he wants, though, will mean no chance for redemption, or escape. What's worse is, the signs I’ve followed yet failed to see all these years begin to unmask a terrifying reality:

That falling may be my only saving grace.]]> 598 Keri Lake 1960854623 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.89 2021
author: Keri Lake
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 56595508
Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel…even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy�� of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.

Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can’t bring ourselves to see coming.]]> Rebecca Yarros ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.10 2021
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves:
review:
multiple love stories in one. historical and contemporary. heartbreaking and heartwarming.
]]> 220481347 From #1 New York Time bestselling author Emily McIntire comes the first interconnected standalone in an all new contemporary romance series.

Juliette Calloway lives in a world of luxury, legacies, and lies. The daughter of Rosebrook Falls�� most powerful family, her life is a carefully crafted performance, and she’s tired of being polished to perfection.

Roman Montgomery doesn’t exist. Not officially, anyway. He’s a shadow, a hidden weapon, the secret heir to an empire soaked in danger and a generations-old feud.

When their paths cross, sparks fly.
No names.
No pasts.

Just reckless smiles and an undeniable chemistry neither of them can shake.

Roman is charming. Mysterious. Infuriatingly flirty.

And Juliette? She’s simply��his.

When Roman is called back to claim his place as heir to the Montgomery empire, the truth crashes down: Their families are sworn enemies, and Roman’s very existence is a threat. Their love isn’t just forbidden, it’s impossible.

Now, every kiss feels like a betrayal. Every stolen moment a risk. And in a town built on secrets and blood, their passion might just be the most dangerous thing of all.


*Burning Daylight is a Contemporary Romance. It features mature themes and content that may be triggering for some. Reader Discretion is Advised. For a full list of content warnings, check the author's website.* ]]> Emily McIntire 1464221723 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 5.00
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: to-read, continued-series-to-buy
review:

]]> 55423823
True love is on the line in this charming, laugh-out-loud rom-com—created specifically for the audio format!

Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It’s amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days. Except my shiny new website is glitching, and my inner rage-monster is ready to scorch some earth�� when he finally picks up. Not the robot voice I expected but a real live human named Cal. He’s surprisingly helpful and really knows his stuff, even if he’s a little awkward��. in an adorable way.

And suddenly I’m flirting with him? And I think he’s flirting back.
And suddenly it’s been hours, and we’re still on the phone talking and ordering each other takeout while he trouble shoots my website.
And suddenly we’re exchanging numbers and sending texts and DMs every day, leaving voice mails (who even does that anymore?!).
And suddenly I’m wondering if it’s possible for two people fall in love at first talk.

Because I’m falling�� hard.]]> 6 Cara Bastone ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 3 3.96 2020
author: Cara Bastone
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves:
review:
cute! worth it if you need something quick to listen to.
]]> 222284251 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition:
- Concept + Art Direction by Justine Woods
- Front Dust Jacket Artwork by E.K. Belsher
- Reverse Dust Jacket, Hard Case, Edges, and Tipped-In Artwork by Viki Lester
- Endpaper Artwork by Virginia Allyn

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, author of the Stars and Shadows series, comes a scorching new fantasy romance that ignites the pages with relentless danger, forbidden passion, and the intoxicating allure of enemies to lovers.

Fleeing my father's cruelty, the wicked king who robbed me of a future, I face death in the streets, caught between a rebellion and a tyrant's reign.

Captured by those sworn to kill me, the rebels remain blind to my true identity—the missing daughter of the despised king. Faced with an impossible choice, I stand before them: join the rebels or face their blades.

Yet, Dacre, the son of the ruthless rebellion commander, becomes torn between suspicion and a desire that mirrors my own. He allows no one to touch me, tries to protect me, yet threatens me at every turn.

As secrets are weaved beyond our hidden realm, a fierce battle unfolds within me. As I get closer to the rebels, and their cause, my loyalty to my kingdom clashes with my undeniable devotion to Dacre and the burning connection between us.

In a world where love and hate are two edges of the same blade, I find myself caught in a delicate dance between forbidden desire and my looming destiny.]]> 316 Holly Renee 1960854682 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.07 2024
author: Holly Renee
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 62907306 I Couldn’t Kill Mara��

But that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t.

She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control.

The more I push her, the more she pushes back.

She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do��

Shaw won’t stop hunting her.

When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?


The Lark Notes:
I was so pleased how many women identified with Mara’s character - with her sensory issues and history of trauma. It sounds crazy to call this an “inspirational story of murder��, but at the end of part two, I hope you will indeed feel inspired by Mara’s journey. �� Sophie

"There Is No Devil�� is the second half of the Sinners Duet. Reader be warned: this is a dark and steamy serial killer romance that may be triggering to some.]]> 376 Sophie Lark ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 3.78 2021
author: Sophie Lark
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/15
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
it’s not true love if you don’t kill for each other. i totally related to fmc’s sensory issues, she could have been me when she got overwhelmed and had to go sit in a quiet corner with a blanket and headphones lmao.
]]> 62907294 I loathe Alastor Shaw.

The city of San Francisco thinks we’re rival artists.

In truth, we’re predators battling for hunting ground.

We never chased the same prey. Until the night we both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch.

Shaw wants to use her as a pawn in his twisted game.

I’m fixated on her for a different reason��

She makes me feel things I never thought I could feel. Want things I never wanted.

Only she can make me lose control.

I don’t know if I should protect her at all costs�� or destroy her before she ruins me.

Mara knows I’m no saint. But she has no idea she’s dancing with the devil��


The Lark Notes:
I have always been fascinated by true crime, as well as by villains and anti-heroes. A serial killer is, of course, the ultimate anti-hero �� the baddest of the bad boys. Redeeming a character who starts so evil was a challenge that inspired me to entirely new heights and entirely new depths. Come on this darkly sensual and utterly brain-bending ride with me! �� Sophie

"There Are No Saints�� is the first book in the Sinners Duet. Reader be warned: this is a dark and steamy serial killer romance that will take you on a journey through the twisted mind of an artist on the brink of madness.]]> 378 Sophie Lark ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 3.88 2021
author: Sophie Lark
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/14
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
serial killer romance always hits
]]> 222546195 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
. Art Concept and Direction: Stephanie Brown
. Front Dust Jacket, Foiled Hard Case, and Stenciled . Edges Artwork by Amy MacCready
. Reverse Dust Jacket and Endpapers Artwork by June Page

"He thinks I’ll destroy him. It’s hard to love someone you know is actually a knife pressed against your throat.

I should know."

Isolde Laurence is an uncommon bride.

She’s been raised to do as her father told her, put elegance and duty above all else—but unbeknownst to him, her loyalty has shifted. Now she’s in service to the Church, one of the elite spies who work for her uncle, a cardinal. Her latest assignment from the Church? Marry Mark Trevena, the owner of a notorious club in DC where the rich and powerful come to play, and seduce him.

But what was supposed to be a simple lie has become far more complicated: Isolde has fallen for Mark’s handsome and emotionally wounded bodyguard, Tristan. Even worse—she’s falling for her future husband himself, a mistake she made once before and has bitterly regretted ever since.

And there’s something far darker at play than the machinations of Isolde’s uncle or even the twisted longings of her own heart. Because Isolde’s new husband has secrets of his own, and the reason he’ll stop at nothing to possess Isolde and Tristan both might tear all three of them to pieces.

If the heartbreak doesn’t do the job first…]]> 466 Sierra Simone 1960854690 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions “It is lovely to have you together. My bodyguard and my bride. My two pretty things.��

the first part of this one felt a little slow. but lots of lore was dropped and, i suspect, a lot of foreshadowing. despite the very serious and mysterious nature of the plot, the writing had me laughing, sierra put some unserious zingers in there lmao.

i feel for tristan and am extremely nervous for what is going to happen in the last book. he is now caught up in whatever dangerous game that mark and isolde are playing, and i have a feeling it will blow up in his face as well as theirs.

I want to keep him safe from Mark’s games. From my own. I want that goodness inside him to stay good, no matter how much I also want to eat it from its source. ]]> 3.60 2024
author: Sierra Simone
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/13
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
“It is lovely to have you together. My bodyguard and my bride. My two pretty things.��

the first part of this one felt a little slow. but lots of lore was dropped and, i suspect, a lot of foreshadowing. despite the very serious and mysterious nature of the plot, the writing had me laughing, sierra put some unserious zingers in there lmao.

i feel for tristan and am extremely nervous for what is going to happen in the last book. he is now caught up in whatever dangerous game that mark and isolde are playing, and i have a feeling it will blow up in his face as well as theirs.

I want to keep him safe from Mark’s games. From my own. I want that goodness inside him to stay good, no matter how much I also want to eat it from its source.
]]> 214375826 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition of Salt Kiss: Lyonesse Series #1

Exclusive Luxe Edition Details:
Signed by author Sierra Simone
Front Dust Jacket art by @amymaccready
Reverse Dust Jacket art by @june_page
Foiled Hard Case art by @amymaccready
Illustrated Endpapers by @june_page

�� Our edition features an EXCLUSIVE BONUS SCENE and will include the prequel novella, SALT IN THE WOUND! ��


Tristan Thomas is lost. After leaving the Army, the young former soldier is in limbo. Until, that is, he’s hired by Mark Trevena, the owner of Lyonesse—DC’s ultra-secret club—to be Mark’s new bodyguard. He’s drawn into Mark’s dark, seductive world of power and desire, and slowly drawn to Mark himself, even though Mark is everything Tristan knows he shouldn’t want: cruel and wicked and shamelessly amoral.

But protecting Mark isn’t Tristan’s only duty: soon, Mark asks him to guard his soon-to-be bride as she travels home from Ireland on Mark’s yacht. Tristan is jealous—and hurt to learn that the object of his obsession is engaged—but the soldier in him is made to obey orders, and he goes to fetch Mark’s bride for him.

Isolde Laurence is nothing like Tristan expected, however. Young, quiet, and sharp, she’s being pushed into this marriage by her family, and as the two travel back to America, Tristan finds himself fascinated with Isolde and the glimpses he gets of the lonely but determined woman behind her reserve. And the fascination is mutual: one night, while sailing under the cold stars, they share a searing kiss.

From there, it’s a fast fall into the forbidden. But in Mark Trevena’s world, the fall is only the beginning��

The Lyonesse trilogy is a queer, kinky contemporary retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, set in the same world as the New Camelot series. Readers will not have to read New Camelot to enjoy Lyonesse, although readers who enjoyed New Camelot will find all the things they loved about the trilogy here: MMF ménage, plenty of the angsty forbidden, and a sweeping retelling of a familiar story.]]> 426 Sierra Simone 1960854313 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5
Salt is bright and light on my tongue as I brush my lips over hers.

i devoured this book. i loved it. the plot was plotting and the smut was smutting. the majority of this book is mark x tristan, with isolde making her appearance ~70%. tristan is mark’s nephew in law (the son of his sisters new husband) that he hires as a bodyguard and asks to go fetch his betrothed for him. it is a tristan x isolde retelling so we somewhat know where this is going. what we don’t know is mark’s true intentions with both isolde and tristan, and vice versa��

Mark might think he could move Tristan Thomas across the board like a pout-mouthed little knight, but Tristan himself might have other plans. This mysterious future wife of Mark's might have other plans too.

**make sure to read salt in the wound first!]]> 3.44 2023
author: Sierra Simone
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/12
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: physical-special-editions, favorites
review:
a nun, a prom king, and a dom walk into a bar��.

Salt is bright and light on my tongue as I brush my lips over hers.

i devoured this book. i loved it. the plot was plotting and the smut was smutting. the majority of this book is mark x tristan, with isolde making her appearance ~70%. tristan is mark’s nephew in law (the son of his sisters new husband) that he hires as a bodyguard and asks to go fetch his betrothed for him. it is a tristan x isolde retelling so we somewhat know where this is going. what we don’t know is mark’s true intentions with both isolde and tristan, and vice versa��

Mark might think he could move Tristan Thomas across the board like a pout-mouthed little knight, but Tristan himself might have other plans. This mysterious future wife of Mark's might have other plans too.

**make sure to read salt in the wound first!
]]> 223206615
Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water...]]> 14 Ali Hazelwood ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0
i should’ve known from the jump that this one was not going to be for me when our fmc called gymnastics LAND DIVING ?? the absolute disrespect.

the introduction of the 50 shades kink list was entirely unnecessary for the 5 shades of vanilla that were enacted.

i was completely unable to move past the idolization of the mmc’s ex. our fmc literally puts her on a pedestal. it’s not the fact our fmc is friends with mmc’s ex�� no, i can handle that trope�� it’s that she doesn’t begin forming a friendship with the ex until after she becomes involved with the mmc. and the ex and mmc are still communicating too? a mess.

then we learn that the ex dated the mmc for 7 years, supposedly helped him recover from his mother’s death, and yet doesn’t know who is who when it comes to the mmc’s brothers?

lastly, the whole swim/diving team thinking that the ex and mmc were still together when they both fully moved on was weird and incredibly uncharacteristic for a dom to not want to publicly claim his sub.

i did enjoy the love hypothesis but i think ali hazelwood is going to be a one hit wonder for me.]]> 3.88 2025
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/07
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
DNF 65% - honestly, IMPRESSED that i made it that far. im not one to rant review but i really did not like this so if this is your yum don’t let me yuck it!

i should’ve known from the jump that this one was not going to be for me when our fmc called gymnastics LAND DIVING ?? the absolute disrespect.

the introduction of the 50 shades kink list was entirely unnecessary for the 5 shades of vanilla that were enacted.

i was completely unable to move past the idolization of the mmc’s ex. our fmc literally puts her on a pedestal. it’s not the fact our fmc is friends with mmc’s ex�� no, i can handle that trope�� it’s that she doesn’t begin forming a friendship with the ex until after she becomes involved with the mmc. and the ex and mmc are still communicating too? a mess.

then we learn that the ex dated the mmc for 7 years, supposedly helped him recover from his mother’s death, and yet doesn’t know who is who when it comes to the mmc’s brothers?

lastly, the whole swim/diving team thinking that the ex and mmc were still together when they both fully moved on was weird and incredibly uncharacteristic for a dom to not want to publicly claim his sub.

i did enjoy the love hypothesis but i think ali hazelwood is going to be a one hit wonder for me.
]]> 217987129 The married woman of the manor. The stranger outside. An intoxicating novel of dark temptation and dangerous desire by the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Cat and Mouse Duet.

November 12, 1944. This house holds on to souls for a lifetime. I thought I had given it to my husband when I vowed to love him until the end of time. I lied. Nothing could have prepared me for the day my phantom appeared outside my window. He was terrifying, yet hypnotizing, and I couldn’t deny my intrigue. I never intended to fall into a whirlwind romance with my stalker. Especially because he’s so much more than that. A criminal. A mobster. The man who offers me solace from the monster in Parsons Manor. There are many that haunt these halls, yet it’s only my husband I fear.]]> 367 H.D. Carlton ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 3.97 2025
author: H.D. Carlton
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/12
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
the story is in black & white but the smut is in color
]]> 208503278
All Killian Barclay wants is to be left the hell alone. He's had enough heartache to last a lifetime, and he has no more need for love—earning him the reputation of a broody Scot and eventually turning his famous ancestral home into a den of iniquity. It doesn't take long for tales of his raunchy house parties to reach the rest of his family, though, inspiring them to hatch a plan to shake Killian out of his routine.

New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux is tough as nails—as the daughter of famous yet neglectful parents, she's grown a hard shell and keeps everyone at arm's length. So when she sneaks into Barclay Manor during a trip to Scotland to get a glimpse of a famous heirloom, she doesn't anticipate facing off against the brutish, maddening Highlander who lives there. And she certainly didn't expect to ever see the bastard again.

Yet just weeks later, she's approached by Killian's family with a proposal—move to Scotland and marry Killian to improve his playboy reputation, and after one year, she'll walk away with ten million dollars. Sylvie agrees, even knowing that their plan is more deceptive than he realizes. But as she grows closer to Killian and the end of their year together, she has to Is the love of a good man with a dark soul worth keeping, or is she willing to break Killian's heart now that it's well and truly hers?]]> 336 Sara Cate 1728282195 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 In my imagination, the couples always start as enemies, more at war with themselves than each other. But then they eventually realize that the only people willing to fight with them are the ones who care about them.

this is a grumpy x grumpy arranged marriage.. at some points it felt like a rom com. it dips its toes in dark romance. ridiculous at times and relatable at others. i sadly relate to killian’s agoraphobia and my heart hurt for him throughout the book.

the other woman/man drama is not my favorite but everyone stayed loyal and it was an arranged marriage between two strangers so some baggage is realistic.

i didn’t love the way they berated each other but i did love the way they softened when someone was sick or in need of some real comfort.

In truth, I did fall recklessly in love with him. The hate I once felt never went away-it just changed. The passion is a different color now. ]]> 3.85 2024
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
In my imagination, the couples always start as enemies, more at war with themselves than each other. But then they eventually realize that the only people willing to fight with them are the ones who care about them.

this is a grumpy x grumpy arranged marriage.. at some points it felt like a rom com. it dips its toes in dark romance. ridiculous at times and relatable at others. i sadly relate to killian’s agoraphobia and my heart hurt for him throughout the book.

the other woman/man drama is not my favorite but everyone stayed loyal and it was an arranged marriage between two strangers so some baggage is realistic.

i didn’t love the way they berated each other but i did love the way they softened when someone was sick or in need of some real comfort.

In truth, I did fall recklessly in love with him. The hate I once felt never went away-it just changed. The passion is a different color now.
]]> 60481939 Raylee Lexington Adams is my stepsister and the one woman in the world who can make my blood boil.

She’s vindictive, a lot of crazy, and absolutely stunning.

I hate everything about her except for when she’s on her knees begging me to use her as my own personal toy.

We’ve been playing a game of cat and mouse for far too long. We have used each other for our own sick pleasure.

I’ve ruined every relationship my little princess has ever had. A sure way that she’ll come crawling back to me, begging me for what only I can give her when another man fails her.

But I’m tired of watching others get a piece of what is mine. So, I did what any rational man would do—I staked my claim, showed the world that she belonged to me, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make her believe it too.

RAYLEE
Colton Remington Knox is a man I despise but can’t say no to.

He’s what any girl would call a walking red flag. But I’ve never claimed to be a smart woman when it comes to men. Why should he be any different?

I’ve always managed to hold my own against him. But this time, he’s gone too far. Posting a video of me on my knees for him, for what? To brag? Embarrass me? He’s acting like he doesn’t know me very well.

Colt wants to play a game? I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I win. No matter what it costs me.

People already think I have no dignity, so why let them down now?


Things to know about Sabotage
It is MF with an MFMM scene (no MM interaction. They are focused on her)
TW (Please see the WARNING/author's note posted at the beginning of the book. If you have no triggers and want to go in blind, please skip to the prologue.)
OTT (over the top) H
J/P (jealous & possessive) H
A dark college/stepbrother romance
Told in multiple POV's]]> 229 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 3 alexa, play: vicious - tate mcrae

may this love never find me.

and that’s not me kink shaming. the smut, and the chaos that is every shantel book, are the only things that kept me from dnf’ing.]]> 3.72 2022
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/21
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
alexa, play: vicious - tate mcrae

may this love never find me.

and that’s not me kink shaming. the smut, and the chaos that is every shantel book, are the only things that kept me from dnf’ing.
]]> 125274093 The men in the secret society known as the Lords think they rule the world. And in a way, they do. Each has sold their soul to the devil at a young age in exchange for power and wealth. Like anything else, they have different levels of success. The more they’re willing to serve, the more power they have.

Among them are the Spade brothers, who run Carnage. It’s where the Lords who have not held up their oath go to live out the rest of their lives in shackles. Tucked away from the world as if they never existed.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I once belonged to a Lord—Saint Beckham Carter. Although nothing was holy about him, I still kneeled as if he could grant me eternity in a world where only evil existed.

At the time, I willingly vowed to be his and allowed him to share me with his “brothers.�� But things changed. And what I thought couldn’t get any better got exceptionally worse. So I did the only thing I could and ran from him, knowing I could never return.

Now he’s found me and dragged me back to his hell, where he will make me his pet. The world already thinks I’m dead, so no one will miss me. And I’m just another name on a long list of those who will never know freedom.

What he doesn’t know is why I ran from him in the first place. A Lord doesn’t listen to reason, so it’s not like he’d care anyway. Saint was born a Lord, and he will die as one.

If life has taught me anything, it’s that we all pay for our sins. And Saint will never let me forget that my place is at Carnage, serving him on my knees until death is granted.]]> 628 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 3 alexa, play: i hope ur miserable until ur dead - nessa barrett

saint thought he found his ride or die, but he just found ��. die.

there won’t be anymore shitty jokes, i promise, i got it out of my system

we’ve all been dying to know who broke the carnage boys�� hearts�� and this whole time i thought carnage was going to be a RH. color me surprised, and definitely disappointed.

regardless, this was entertaining, hence the 3 stars. shantel always hits with the absurdity, dramatics, and kink (making furniture out of women was crazy lmao). however, the writing in this one fell flat for me. the flashback chapters didn’t work the way they were intended and the way the story was told felt very disjointed.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the bitch, but I also love her in that I'm going to rip your heart out and hang it on my wall so no one else can have it kind of way. ]]> 4.31 2023
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:
alexa, play: i hope ur miserable until ur dead - nessa barrett

saint thought he found his ride or die, but he just found ��. die.

there won’t be anymore shitty jokes, i promise, i got it out of my system

we’ve all been dying to know who broke the carnage boys�� hearts�� and this whole time i thought carnage was going to be a RH. color me surprised, and definitely disappointed.

regardless, this was entertaining, hence the 3 stars. shantel always hits with the absurdity, dramatics, and kink (making furniture out of women was crazy lmao). however, the writing in this one fell flat for me. the flashback chapters didn’t work the way they were intended and the way the story was told felt very disjointed.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the bitch, but I also love her in that I'm going to rip your heart out and hang it on my wall so no one else can have it kind of way.
]]> 204535779 A Lord takes what he wants.
But like anything else, even he can get greedy and betray his oath.
That’s where Carnage comes in. A Spade brother runs their prison for those who have wronged their society.
It just so happens to be where the Lords have sent me.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.
Most women within the Lords don’t get the chance to prove themselves worthy of the brand or the power that comes with it, but there’s always an exception.
I’m one of them.
Finally, my time had come to be assigned to a Lord.
Not just any Lord but a Spade brother—Haidyn Jamison Reeves.
I had everything under control until he found out what I was hiding. Everyone in our world knows the only way to get to the top is to sacrifice something the Lords want.

So when Haidyn gave me a choice—become his toy or turn me over to the Lords—the decision was easy.
I’ve worked too hard to get this far to allow a man to take what I’ve earned. I chose to become his dirty little secret over admitting I failed.

It didn’t take long for him to unravel my web of lies, thread by thread, until nothing was left. He took over my life, blurring the lines until I discovered that what I thought I wanted was no longer what I needed.
But even in our world, nothing lasts forever. Time had run out. The hourglass lay broken on the floor, shattering not only my future but everything I knew.

I never thought that falling in love with a Spade brother
would reveal so many secrets. And when they all came to light,
the Lord who blackmailed me was the only one I could count on.


This touches on very dark themes. The 𝗧𝗪𝘀 will be posted inside the book before the prologue and on Shantel's website.

If you have not read the L.O.R.D.S. series yet, do NOT start with 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔. It contains spoilers from previous books in the series.

The Lords Series
#1 The Ritual
#2 The Sinner
#3 The Sacrifice
#4 Sabotage (the H isn't a Lord but he works for a Lord)
#5 Carnage]]> 818 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 currently-reading 4.58 2024
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 220976853 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Hard Case Artwork with Die Cut by @rosdottir
Endpaper Artwork by @rosdottir
Stenciled Edges Artwork by @rosdottir
Character Art Endpapers by @knightfallart


She's his diamond in the rough. He's her worst nightmare.

Jasmine Karam, daughter to one of the richest men in the world, has never known strife. So, when her beloved father falls ill, she's determined to make his final days his happiest. His last wish? To see her married to a man of his choosing. Except Jasmine's heart already belongs to someone else. A servant. A street rat. A man her father would never consider worthy. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Jasmine strikes a desperate deal with her father's right-hand man, Julian, not realizing he has his own twisted agenda.

Julian Faraci has one goal: become the most powerful man in the world. He's built a future from broken bones and faded bruises, never caring who he hurt along the way. But when his mentor falls ill, he finds himself on the verge of losing everything, and he'll stop at nothing to inherit what is rightfully his. Even if it means forcing a woman he can't stand into marriage.

Jasmine is a brat who speaks out of turn, and he's the villain of her story. But he decides she'll be his—no matter what it takes to convince her.

*Twisted is a dark, contemporary romance (not fantasy or a literal retelling) and the fourth complete standalone in the Never After series: a collection of fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all readers. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.* ]]> 359 Emily McIntire 1960854569 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 3.00 2023
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/02/08
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
aladdin re-imagined. my favorite fractured fairytale in the never after series thus far!
]]> 220639280 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition

Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Hard Case Artwork with Die Cut by @rosdottir
Endpaper Artwork by @rosdottir
Stenciled Edges Artwork by @rosdottir
Character Art Endpapers by @knightfallart

A woman can be great, and terrible too.

Evelina Westerly has always been the bad guy. As the brains, brawn, and botanist behind her family's drug empire, she's her father's ruthless secret weapon. With her days divided between perfecting her greenhouse, seeking revenge for her sister's murder, and putting a gun to the head of anyone in her way, Evelina doesn't have time for anything else. Especially not for love. After a one-night stand with a gorgeous man at a nightclub, she's sated her urges and is back to her criminal ways. That is, until that same man shows up as the new Westerly lackey...under a totally different name.

But Nicholas Woodsworth's real secret is much more dangerous than an alias. He's an undercover DEA agent, and he's hell-bent on destroying the drug trade that devastated his family. When he realizes the youngest daughter of the Westerly empire is the same woman he's been fantasizing about since that night at the club, attraction wars violently with disgust. Evelina embodies everything he's against, and he's been sent here to be her downfall. Yet the more they learn about the darkness in each other's hearts, the more alike they seem, and when hatred turns to something more, Nicholas will have to decide whether he can love a wretched woman, even if it means bringing both of their lives to ruin.

Wretched is a dark, contemporary romance and the third complete standalone in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It is not fantasy and it is not a retelling. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings check the author's website.]]> 297 Emily McIntire 1960854550 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 2.50 2022
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 2.50
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/19
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220652230 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition

Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Hard Case Artwork with Die Cut by @rosdottir
Endpaper Artwork by @rosdottir
Stenciled Edges Artwork by @rosdottir
Character Art Endpapers by @knightfallart

She doesn't belong to him...she belongs to the crown.

Prince Tristan Faasa was never destined for the throne. That was always his brother, Michael. The same brother responsible for both Tristan's tormented childhood and the scar that mars his face. When their father dies, Michael is set to assume the throne, and Tristan is set to steal it. The leader of a secret rebellion, Tristan will stop at nothing to end his brother's reign. But when Michael's new betrothed, Lady Sara Beatreaux arrives, Tristan finds himself in the middle of a new kind of war. The kind that begs the question of what's more important, the crown or the woman about to wear it.

Sara has one plan. Marry the King and eradicate the Faasa line, even at the risk of her own peril. But she never expects the Scarred Prince. He's dangerous. Forbidden. And one of the men she's been sent to kill. But the line between hatred and passion has never seemed so thin, and as secrets come to light, Sara grows unsure of whom she can trust—torn between vengeance and the villain she was never supposed to love.

Scarred is a DARK Royal Romance and a complete standalone within The Never After Series (A series of fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains). It is not a retelling or fantasy. It contains subject matter which may be triggering for some. Reader discretion is advised.]]> 363 Emily McIntire 1960854542 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 2.50 2022
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 2.50
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/18
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220652080 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition

Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Hard Case Artwork with Die Cut by Fen Inkwright
Endpaper Artwork by Fen Inkwright
Stenciled Edges Artwork by Fen Inkwright
Character Art Endpapers by Lucy Walls

He wants revenge, but he wants her more��

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy has been cloistered away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook.

Hooked is a dark contemporary romance and the first complete standalone in the Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. It is not a literal retelling and not fantasy. Hooked features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings, check the author's website.]]> 311 Emily McIntire 1960854534 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 3.30 2021
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.30
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/12/14
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 227803985 A reverse-harem fantasy romance

The female decline was swift.

Birth rates dropped at an alarming rate, and within years, men across all realms grew restless and aggressive. Their desperation led to women being collected at birth and sold at auction, and humans gradually became one of the most sought after.

Parents began hiding their daughters, birthing and stowing their females underground in a desperate attempt to keep them safe.

Charlotte is one of them.

Hidden from the men who would tear her family apart to get to her, she’s accepted that she’ll live her entire life within the thick walls of her childhood home.

When the human government permits a large-scale raid, Charlotte is one of the unlucky women caught. Forced out of hiding and thrown into the home of three powerful demons, Charlotte must learn how to stay alive in a world she’s only experienced through stories from her parents.]]> 397 Invi Wright ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.94 2023
author: Invi Wright
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004924 DELUXE EDITION—featuring beautiful original illustrated stenciled edges with a foil case stamp, and designed endpapers!

An instant New York Times bestseller!

House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash in this epic, scorching dark romantasy.

A conqueror captivated��
A witch prophesied to save them all��
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Julian Dakkia, Roman general and nephew to the emperor, has played his role as conqueror well. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him, a captive on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate.

The rules of their world dictate that he is the conqueror and she is the captured. But he and his dragon know one thing: their bond has nothing to do with the laws of mighty Rome. She belongs to them. And they belong to her.

Fierce and powerful, twenty-one-year old Malina has survived the loss of her family and she is determined to fight until her dying breath. Still, she can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality…and now holds her life in his hands. Nor can she deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. Slowly she learns that Julian is caught in his mad uncle’s machinations for domination, and helps him plot the downfall of the empire itself.

As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.

Firebird is a fantasy with some dark themes, including elements of master/slave relationship, attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), and dubious consent (not between MCs). Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.]]> 400 Juliette Cross 1250339944 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.52 2025
author: Juliette Cross
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220823662 Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
Signed by Author
Front Dust Jacket, Hard Case, and Stenciled Edges by Ariel Waters
Reverse Dust Jacket by @levantwinds
Endpaper Illustrations by @virginiaallyn


Dive into a world of fiery passion with an intense enemies-to-lovers experience as Deyanira navigates a realm where the balance of life and death rests in her hands, as Death's Maiden and she is tricked into marrying the wrong man. This standalone novel will ignite your emotions and keep you guessing until the very end.]]> 654 Miranda Lyn 196085481X ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.33
author: Miranda Lyn
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 90202302 “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.�� —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders�� capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.]]> 623 Rebecca Yarros 1649374178 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 4.33 2023
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220666285 Horror Romance meets Science Fiction in this dark and delicious gothic psychological thriller by NYT bestseller Karina Halle, perfect for fans of Gothikana, Ninth House, and Mexican Gothic.

Grad Student Sydney Denik is getting a second chance. When a dream opportunity presents itself with a prestigious foundation doing promising Alzheimer’s research, Sydney leaves the shambles of her old life to join a dozen other students at an isolated lodge hidden away in a remote, fog-shrouded inlet on Vancouver Island.

But the Madrona Foundation harbors more than brilliant minds. Everyone around her is hiding a terrible secret—including the resident psychologist she’s falling in love with. A student disappears, and no one but Sydney seems to care. Ghosts walk the halls. Snow falls in the middle of summer. Dead animals move like the living. The more Sydney uncovers about the foundation, the more she begins to question her own sanity. And if Sydney isn’t going mad, then the horrors in the surrounding forest are real, and the Madrona Foundation may be the biggest monster of all.

Author's This is a standalone dark-ish romance book with mature and graphic themes, including body horror, morally grey characters, and explicit sexual scenes. Please consult the content warning in the inside of the book by enabling the "Look Inside/Read Sample" feature.]]> 397 Karina Halle ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.06 2024
author: Karina Halle
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220151551
The only thing that can save the realms now is the one thing more powerful than the Fates.

After a startling betrayal ends with both Sera and the dangerously seductive ruler of the Shadowlands she has fallen madly in love with being held captive by the false King of the Gods, there is only one thing that can free Nyktos and prevent the forces of the Shadowlands from invading Dalos and igniting a War of Primals.

Convincing Kolis won’t be easy, though �� not even with a lifetime of training. While his most favored Revenant is insistent that she is nothing more than a lie, Kolis’s erratic nature and twisted sense of honor leave her shaken to the core, and nothing could’ve prepared her for the cruelty of his Court or the shocking truths revealed. The revelations not only upend what she has understood about her duty and the very creation of the realms but also draw into question exactly what the true threat is. However, surviving Kolis is only one part of the battle. The Ascension is upon her, and Sera is out of time.

But Nyktos will do anything to keep Sera alive and give her the life she deserves. He’ll even risk the utter destruction of the realms, and that’s exactly what will happen if he doesn’t Ascend as the Primal of Life. Yet despite his desperate determination, their destinies may be out of their hands.

But there is that foreseen unexpected thread—the unpredictable, unknown, and unwritten. The only thing more powerful than the Fates…]]> 524 Jennifer L. Armentrout ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 4.00 2023
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/13
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220151347 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book two in her Flesh and Fire series��

The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.

The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.

Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.

And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.]]> 572 Jennifer L. Armentrout ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 4.60 2022
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/10
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220151230 The Flesh and Fire series is set in the beloved Blood and Ash world.

Born shrouded in the veil of the Primals, a Maiden as the Fates promised, Seraphena Mierel’s future has never been hers. Chosen before birth to uphold the desperate deal her ancestor struck to save his people, Sera must leave behind her life and offer herself to the Primal of Death as his Consort.

However, Sera’s real destiny is the most closely guarded secret in all of Lasania—she’s not the well protected Maiden but an assassin with one mission—one target. Make the Primal of Death fall in love, become his weakness, and then…end him. If she fails, she dooms her kingdom to a slow demise at the hands of the Rot.

Sera has always known what she is. Chosen. Consort. Assassin. Weapon. A specter never fully formed yet drenched in blood. A monster. Until him. Until the Primal of Death’s unexpected words and deeds chase away the darkness gathering inside her. And his seductive touch ignites a passion she’s never allowed herself to feel and cannot feel for him. But Sera has never had a choice. Either way, her life is forfeit—it always has been, as she has been forever touched by Life and Death.

]]> 551 Jennifer L. Armentrout ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.56 2021
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/06
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: favorites, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 50659468
Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she's now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people.

As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre's hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future-and the future of a world in turmoil.

Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her dazzling, sexy, action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas 1635575583 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 favorites THIS IS MY COMFORT READ!

alexa, play: midnight rain - taylor swift

"He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story."
She snorted.
"But I forgot to tell him," I said quietly, opening the door, "that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key."
"Oh?"
I shrugged. "He was the one who let me out."

the amount of highlights i have is lowkey embarrassing, and there are definitely spoilers in there so beware if you don’t want those. i am obsessed with this book. every other sentence is iconic. so many series-defining scenes. i was giggling and kicking my feet constantly. this book taught me that i actually do like slow burn, especially when it’s fantasy. i love how the enemies-to-lovers banter and angsty tension was used as a distraction from the dangerous adventures.

My friend through many dangers. My lover who had healed my broken and weary soul. My mate who had waited for me against all hope, despite all odds.

The Court of Dreams.
The people who knew that there was a price, and one worth paying, for that dream. The bastard-born warriors, the Illyrian half-breed, the monster trapped in a beautiful body, the dreamer born into a court of nightmares ... And the huntress with an artist's soul.




IF YOU’VE READ TOG: hybern might be valg-adjacent? or, idk maybe rhysand, with his violet starry eyes like maeve]]> 4.65 2016
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.65
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/01
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: favorites
review:
THIS IS MY COMFORT READ!

alexa, play: midnight rain - taylor swift

"He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story."
She snorted.
"But I forgot to tell him," I said quietly, opening the door, "that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key."
"Oh?"
I shrugged. "He was the one who let me out."

the amount of highlights i have is lowkey embarrassing, and there are definitely spoilers in there so beware if you don’t want those. i am obsessed with this book. every other sentence is iconic. so many series-defining scenes. i was giggling and kicking my feet constantly. this book taught me that i actually do like slow burn, especially when it’s fantasy. i love how the enemies-to-lovers banter and angsty tension was used as a distraction from the dangerous adventures.

My friend through many dangers. My lover who had healed my broken and weary soul. My mate who had waited for me against all hope, despite all odds.

The Court of Dreams.
The people who knew that there was a price, and one worth paying, for that dream. The bastard-born warriors, the Illyrian half-breed, the monster trapped in a beautiful body, the dreamer born into a court of nightmares ... And the huntress with an artist's soul.




IF YOU’VE READ TOG: hybern might be valg-adjacent? or, idk maybe rhysand, with his violet starry eyes like maeve
]]> 223731246 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
- Signed by the Author
- Front Dust Jacket Artwork with Foiled Details by @halseyberryman
- Hard Case Artwork with Foiled Details by @halseyberryman
- Edges Artwork by @halseyberryman
- Endpaper Artwork by @halseyberryman
- Reverse Dust Jacket Artwork by @brittanykellerart

From New York Times Bestselling author Penelope Douglas comes a new forbidden love story��

JORDAN

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go.

He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m nothing, take me for granted, or make me feel unsafe.

He remembers me, laughs with me, and looks at me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable.

Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.

I am.

PIKE

I took her in, because I thought I was helping.

She’d cook a few meals and clean up a little. It was an easy arrangement.

As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.

The more I find my path crossing hers, though, the more she’s becoming a part of me.

But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.

And her boyfriend’s father.

Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.]]> 405 Penelope Douglas 1960854127 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions


jordan and cole were best friends turned lovers with shared trauma. and i think it’s the shared trauma and the genuine friendship they shared that make it hard for me to fully take jordan’s side after she falls for cole’s dad. i’m not saying cole is perfect, we know he isn’t, but we never even got a conversation with closure between them.]]> 3.33 2018
author: Penelope Douglas
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/12
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
��.. i love morally grey, i really do. i even recently read power by cassandra robbins, where fmc gets with her mother’s fiancé, and i loved it! but. this one. i just couldn’t wrap my heart fully around it. i did still enjoy the book and the writing, though!



jordan and cole were best friends turned lovers with shared trauma. and i think it’s the shared trauma and the genuine friendship they shared that make it hard for me to fully take jordan’s side after she falls for cole’s dad. i’m not saying cole is perfect, we know he isn’t, but we never even got a conversation with closure between them.
]]> 222474256
An unusual girl. An enigmatic man. An ancient castle. What could go wrong?

An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects though is an old, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

An enigma his entire life, Vad Deverell likes being a closed book but knowing exactly everything that happens in the university. A part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. And he knows the moment his path crosses with Corvina, she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years over the past century, Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mysterious, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
. Printed Author Signature
. Front Dust Jacket Artwork by @fantastical_ink
. Foiled Hard Case Artwork by @fantastical_ink
. Endpaper Artwork by @fantastical_ink
. Stenciled Edges Artwork and Fore-Edge Design by @fantastical_ink
. Reverse Dust Jacket Artwork by @sarii_dot_draws]]> 372 RuNyx 1960854348 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions "It has a devil in an ancient castle falling in love. What can be more interesting than that?"

cryptic, bewitching, gothic, dark academia, hot for teacher, spicy romance. nocticada adjacent, with a sprinkle of dark notes, since our professor plays the piano. i had fun with this one!

"Witch," he murmured to her reflection, the affection evident in his gaze and his tone. "Devil," she breathed, hoping he found the same in her gaze and voice.

CORVINA IS ONE OF US!

”Books had become her refuge, especially books with men-humans, shapeshifters, or aliens-who fell in love hard and claimed their women, body and soul.
Those were her favorite.��

i enjoyed the quotes from classics through out the book that matched the vibes of the chapter they correlated to. i loved the writing in general. for some reason, glitchreads is not letting me view my kindle highlights for this book so i cannot share them right now.

There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness. —Friedrich Nietzsche, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra"

the plot twist got me at the end. and we were left with a mystery unsolved (the lake) so i’m really looking forward to the continuation of verenmore.

the book comes with a long playlist, these were my favorites:
black magic woman - VCTRYS
in the shadows - amy stroup
scars - michael malarkey
going under - evanescence
devil’s playground - the rigs
serious love - anya marina
walkin�� after midnight - ki:theory
control - halsey
every breath you take - chase holfelder
bury a friend - billie eilish
arcade - duncan laurence
bring me to life - evanescence
far from home (the raven) - sam tinnesz
mad world - michael andrews & gary jules
apocalypse - cigarettes after sex

the last few songs on the playlist were the PERFECT backtrack to the chaos that was the black ball and the adventure of the final plot twist:
salem’s secret - peter gundry
the vampire masquerade - peter gundry
tonight ve dance - peter gundry
nevermore - adrian von ziegler]]> 3.47 2021
author: RuNyx
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/25
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
"It has a devil in an ancient castle falling in love. What can be more interesting than that?"

cryptic, bewitching, gothic, dark academia, hot for teacher, spicy romance. nocticada adjacent, with a sprinkle of dark notes, since our professor plays the piano. i had fun with this one!

"Witch," he murmured to her reflection, the affection evident in his gaze and his tone. "Devil," she breathed, hoping he found the same in her gaze and voice.

CORVINA IS ONE OF US!

”Books had become her refuge, especially books with men-humans, shapeshifters, or aliens-who fell in love hard and claimed their women, body and soul.
Those were her favorite.��

i enjoyed the quotes from classics through out the book that matched the vibes of the chapter they correlated to. i loved the writing in general. for some reason, glitchreads is not letting me view my kindle highlights for this book so i cannot share them right now.

There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness. —Friedrich Nietzsche, "Thus Spoke Zarathustra"

the plot twist got me at the end. and we were left with a mystery unsolved (the lake) so i’m really looking forward to the continuation of verenmore.

the book comes with a long playlist, these were my favorites:
black magic woman - VCTRYS
in the shadows - amy stroup
scars - michael malarkey
going under - evanescence
devil’s playground - the rigs
serious love - anya marina
walkin�� after midnight - ki:theory
control - halsey
every breath you take - chase holfelder
bury a friend - billie eilish
arcade - duncan laurence
bring me to life - evanescence
far from home (the raven) - sam tinnesz
mad world - michael andrews & gary jules
apocalypse - cigarettes after sex

the last few songs on the playlist were the PERFECT backtrack to the chaos that was the black ball and the adventure of the final plot twist:
salem’s secret - peter gundry
the vampire masquerade - peter gundry
tonight ve dance - peter gundry
nevermore - adrian von ziegler
]]> 227000646 The Bookish Box Exclusive Luxe Edition details:
- Printed Signature by the Author
- Front Dust Jacket Artwork with Foiled Details by Christin Engelberth @c.e.illo
- Reverse Dust Jacket with Foiled Details by Christin Engelberth @c.e.illo
- Hard Case Artwork by Christin Engelberth @c.e.illo
- Character Art Endpapers by Christin Engelberth @c.e.illo
- Edges Artwork by Christin Engelberth @c.e.illo

SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.]]> 432 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1960854291 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 0.0 2023
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 220234135 Hades & Persephone meets Sleeping Beauty in this spicy, gender-swapped retelling with mobsters and Gods.

Zion Hadestine—thirty-three, real estate mogul, mob lord, most eligible bachelor in New England, god.

The god-part is an exaggeration. After all, if true gods existed, then the world would be full of edible rainbows and flying horses.

I’ve yet to come across either.

Calanthe Bloom. That’s me. Twenty-four, college graduate drowning in debt, true-crime podcast addict, florist by default, single by design. And don’t get me started on the irony of my last name.

Although not living my best life, I’m enthusiastically pursuing it. Especially, in my dreams, which, since a recent flower-delivery snafu, all feature none other than lethally private Zion.

Oh, the things he does to me when I sleep.

Wickedly surreal.

Except . . . are they?

Follow the story on Kindle Vella! ]]> 581 Olivia Wildenstein 1960854674 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.42 2024
author: Olivia Wildenstein
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 59420466 Playboy. Man whore.
Basically, I get around, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

So when my best friend opens up Salacious Players�� Club and asks me to head the construction, how could I say no?
Now we’re on a cross-country road trip touring other kink clubs, and I couldn’t be happier.
Life is good.

Then Hunter suddenly asks me to sleep with his wife…while he watches.
I’ll do anything for my best friend, but this is the one request I should say no to.
Isabel is the woman of my dreams, but she’s his.
And the exact reason I should say no is the one reason I say yes.
Because it’s not only Isabel I want.

These are the two most important people in my life, and if we go down this path, how will I ever be able to walk away?
I’m not sure my best friend understands just how much I’m willing to do for him—and why.]]> 358 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.18 2022
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/01
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: physical-special-editions, favorites
review:
isabel is a lucky lady with her ménage à trois
]]> 60591886
Mafia families from around the world send their children to Kingmakers Academy to learn the skills of criminal enterprise.

Under the rules of Sanctuary, students are forbidden to fight or kill. But rivalries are high, tensions inflamed, and forbidden love arises in the most unlikely places��

Welcome to Kingmakers]]> 517 Sophie Lark ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 favorites 3.71 2021
author: Sophie Lark
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/12
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: favorites
review:
literally a mafia version of goblet of fire and i LOVED it. instead of leviosa it’s mafiosa. excited to continue with this series.
]]> 58746714
But when corpses start showing up in the water, the isolated town becomes the face of a cryptic investigation.
At the heart of which stands Lincoln Porter, a grumpy ex-SEAL whose lobstering business seems to attract more dead bodies than fish.

When homicide expert Detective Sloane is called in to assist with the case, she begins digging up skeletons; ones that Lincoln would rather stay buried.

Forced to work together, Sloane’s suspicious attitude and optimistic demeanor grate on the lobsterman’s nerves, resulting in a rivalry that’s as addicting as it is volatile.

But as everything unravels and they have no one else to trust, Lincoln and Sloane must depend on each other to figure out what secrets should be brought to light��

...and which secrets should stay hidden.

**

*Be Still My Heart is a full-length, complete standalone featuring mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.*]]> 452 Emily McIntire 1737508397 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 favorites THE PERFECT COMBO OF SMUT AND MURDER MYSTERY!

i don’t think i have ever read a book like this. it is spicy and sweet with a halloween timeline and a serial killer terrorizing a small island town that is complete with an old lighthouse and a creepy vibe. i loved the side characters and how involved everyone was in the plot.

and let it be known that i guessed right on who the real killer was. but there were still plenty of twists that got me!

lincoln porter: 29, ex-navy seal, loner except for his golden lab named monet, lives on an island and runs his dad’s lobster business, is also an artist. he finds a dead body in one of his lobster traps and becomes a person of interest.

sloane: 28, homicide detective, was held captive for 38 hrs by a different serial killer and she kinda liked it? lmao. there is a lot more to her character but i won’t be spoiling it for you, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

“There’s something deeper here that neither of us can explain. Something�� ethereal, almost. I felt it the second you walked into that police station, and I tried to mask it with animosity. Tried to ignore what my body was screaming.�� ]]> 3.99
author: Emily McIntire
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/23
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: favorites
review:
THE PERFECT COMBO OF SMUT AND MURDER MYSTERY!

i don’t think i have ever read a book like this. it is spicy and sweet with a halloween timeline and a serial killer terrorizing a small island town that is complete with an old lighthouse and a creepy vibe. i loved the side characters and how involved everyone was in the plot.

and let it be known that i guessed right on who the real killer was. but there were still plenty of twists that got me!

lincoln porter: 29, ex-navy seal, loner except for his golden lab named monet, lives on an island and runs his dad’s lobster business, is also an artist. he finds a dead body in one of his lobster traps and becomes a person of interest.

sloane: 28, homicide detective, was held captive for 38 hrs by a different serial killer and she kinda liked it? lmao. there is a lot more to her character but i won’t be spoiling it for you, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.

“There’s something deeper here that neither of us can explain. Something�� ethereal, almost. I felt it the second you walked into that police station, and I tried to mask it with animosity. Tried to ignore what my body was screaming.��
]]> 204793926 From Olivie Blake, the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes Masters of Death, a story about vampires, ghosts, and death itself!

Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent, and a vampire. But her biggest problem currently is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house has been murdered, and until he can solve the mystery of how he died, he refuses to move on.

Fox D’Mora is a medium, and though is also most-definitely a shameless fraud, he isn’t entirely without his uses—seeing as he’s actually the godson of Death.

When Viola seeks out Fox to help her with her ghost-infested mansion, he becomes inextricably involved in a quest that neither he nor Vi expects (or wants). But with the help of an unruly poltergeist, a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a few high-functioning creatures, Vi and Fox soon discover the difference between a mysterious lost love and an annoying dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as they thought.


Also by Olivie Blake
Alone With You in the Ether

One For My Enemy

The Atlas Six
The Atlas Paradox]]> 384 Olivie Blake ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.69 2018
author: Olivie Blake
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves: physical-special-editions, currently-reading
review:

]]> 211399784 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER �� An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P������ Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story�� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 448 Layne Fargo 0593732049 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.17 2025
author: Layne Fargo
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 209439446
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 527 Rebecca Yarros 1649374186 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 favorites 4.18 2025
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: favorites
review:

]]> 222432376 I know that better than anybody��
Because I’m one of them.

I spend my days locked in a black-market nightmare, held captive by a twisted mastermind who considers me his prized possession. My only form of human contact are the victims in the next room, each of whom disappears faster than the last.

Everyone leaves…except me.

Then I hear him—Isaac. Brash, elusive, and haunted, he isn’t anyone’s idea of a hero. Separated by a wall, our faces hidden, his voice cuts through the darkness, becoming my only hope. He’s driven by vengeance, bearing scars as dark as my own. Despite his rough edges, a fragile bond forms between us—a lifeline.

Isaac might be my best chance of escape, but time is slipping away. Breaking free will mean outrunning both our pasts, and in this twisted game, the cost of freedom may be more than we can afford to pay.

Appearances deceive. Choices have consequences.

And some consequences?
They are irreversible.]]> 582 Jennifer Hartmann ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.16 2025
author: Jennifer Hartmann
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123257687
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.]]> 342 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649375808 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions “I’m. His. Fucking. Assistant,�� she whispered and smiled, before whipping the dagger up and slitting his throat.

as i get older, i am much more picky with my YA books, but this one was good! i really enjoyed the writing. it was third person pov, i am used to first person dual pov’s for fantasy, but it worked. it is a very well-done, classic trope, grumpy x sunshine. this man was literally ready to fight the dust that dared enter her airways.

A sudden, small squeak came out of her, sounding suspiciously like a sneeze. She looked up at him sheepishly. He was a puddle on the floor, and every speck of dust in that room was his enemy.

the character development is amazing. we see our sunshine fmc learn to love the darkness and our grumpy mmc develops a soft spot.

She smiled, sheepish and a little flattered that he cared. "You're not all bad, are you?" He looked offended. "How dare you."

the final plot twist got me real good, i did not see it coming at all. i would argue that this book is actually evie’s villian origin story.

kingsley, the frog that uses signs to communicate and wears a crown, is definitely a prince that needs to be kissed. so i’ll be waiting patiently for that plot line to play out. ]]> 3.88 2023
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/08
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
“I’m. His. Fucking. Assistant,�� she whispered and smiled, before whipping the dagger up and slitting his throat.

as i get older, i am much more picky with my YA books, but this one was good! i really enjoyed the writing. it was third person pov, i am used to first person dual pov’s for fantasy, but it worked. it is a very well-done, classic trope, grumpy x sunshine. this man was literally ready to fight the dust that dared enter her airways.

A sudden, small squeak came out of her, sounding suspiciously like a sneeze. She looked up at him sheepishly. He was a puddle on the floor, and every speck of dust in that room was his enemy.

the character development is amazing. we see our sunshine fmc learn to love the darkness and our grumpy mmc develops a soft spot.

She smiled, sheepish and a little flattered that he cared. "You're not all bad, are you?" He looked offended. "How dare you."

the final plot twist got me real good, i did not see it coming at all. i would argue that this book is actually evie’s villian origin story.

kingsley, the frog that uses signs to communicate and wears a crown, is definitely a prince that needs to be kissed. so i’ll be waiting patiently for that plot line to play out.
]]> 219542918 THIS BOOK IS NOT SAFE TO READ AT WORK. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Twenty year old Temperance Verus has never been kissed. But that's what the basilisk is for.

Along with thirteen other contestants, Tem must train with a basilisk to learn the power of seduction and win the prince's hand in marriage. When Tem is matched with Caspen, the Serpent King, she realizes she might actually stand a chance. But with tensions rising between the basilisks and the humans, Tem is suddenly torn in two directions. As her bond with Caspen deepens, so does her connection with the prince. And when she uncovers a terrible secret about the royal family, Tem finds herself caught between two neither of which she can survive without.

Guaranteed to make you blush (and then some), Split or Swallow is like if fanfic Draco Malfoy went on the Bachelor and had to compete with a snake. Sounds fun, doesn't it? That's because it is!!]]> 528 Lindsay Straube 1464247579 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.43
author: Lindsay Straube
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210825471 He had everything he could’ve wanted…except her.

Dangerous. Powerful. Reclusive.
��
Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle.
��
His only exception? Her . The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession.
��
He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire.
��
She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her.
��
***
Beautiful. Successful. Glamorous.
��
To the world, supermodel Ayana Kidane leads the perfect life. Her career has skyrocketed, and she’s engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors.
��
What people don't know is that the engagement is only a business arrangement. He gets his inheritance when they marry; she gets the money she needs to leave her abusive agency.
��
Pretending to be in love should be easy—until she finds herself increasingly drawn to her fiancé’s enigmatic best man.
��
Vuk thrills and terrifies her in equal measure. She knows she should stay away, but when her wedding is thrown into chaos, he’s the only person she finds comfort in��
��
Until his past catches up with them and threatens everything they love.]]> Ana Huang ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.41 2025
author: Ana Huang
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 223482100
Camille Aubert wasn’t looking for a new job. She just wanted to return a lost love letter she’d found within the pages of a book. But when she’s mistaken for a job candidate and hired as Jack’s live-in nanny, something tells her this is exactly where she needs to be.

Shortly after arriving, Camille discovers a strange room in the apartment that sparks her curiosity—and hints at a dark, mysterious side to Jack that she’s desperate to uncover. The lines between professional and personal blur dangerously as the heat between them becomes impossible to ignore. She’s drawn to the broken man who hides his grief in ropes and bondage, and she challenges him in ways he never thought possible.

Caught between her growing feelings for Jack and the ghosts of his past, Camille must can love heal a heart still grieving, or will their passion destroy them both?]]> Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.00
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 222758467 From the author of The Plight Before Christmas and The Ravenhood trilogy comes a heartwarming, spicy, holiday-themed romantic dramedy with ALL OF THE FEELS.

My kids are a**holes.

Yeah, I said it. I said the thing no father is supposed to say about their children, and I’ll say it again because I miss my wife.

Serena’s checked out and now resides in ‘yes dear�� robot mode, complete with a new eye twitch. Reason being, the impish elves we spawned are currently sucking the life out of her—daily. Thanks to Gracie and Peyton, my patience is hanging by the last orange bulb on a very thin green wire. Thank God we’re headed to Triple Falls. A week of Ruby’s eggnog and a little change of scenery could be just what the woman I love needs to find her way back to herself—and to me. But the closer we get to packing up, the shorter my fuse becomes . . . and the more I’m starting to get ideas of taking drastic measures.

And by drastic, I mean our little goblins won’t be the only ones making Rudolph’s naughty list. I’ve had enough. I’m not giving in this time. No amount of alligator tears or fake apologies are going to cut it.

Ironically, the more I man up and take charge, the more Serena and I are starting to reminisce about the good old days, which is quickly adding up to some heated nights.

Come hell or high water, this Christmas, our kids are going to learn to appreciate the parents they’ve got because I’m getting my girl back . . . even if the two little hellions we created have to pay to bring her back to me—little f*ckers.

The Sleight Before Christmas is book #2 in The Holiday Hijinx series. While it can be read as a stand-alone, it is highly recommended that you read The Plight Before Christmas first.

*Fair Warning- Both books in Holiday Hijinx are packed with adult shenanigans, laugh-out-loud outrageous content, colorful language, adults behaving badly, as well as hefty doses of spice.]]> 240 Kate Stewart ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.30
author: Kate Stewart
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves:
review:
i should’ve paid more attention to the blurb. this is very different than kate’s usual writing. i only made it 16% in and i am not a parent, but i can already tell that i am not going to agree with the way they’re treating their 4 year old. calling it quits.
]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile�� humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 665 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 4.56 2023
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 63883436 As a professional Domme, I see men and women come and go. But no one ever sticks around, and I like it that way.
I have a secret to protect—at all costs.
So when the cocky, handsome, and submissive Clay Bradley weasels his way into my heart, I do the one thing I’ve always excelled at. I push him away—forever. And like a good boy, he listens.
But a few months later, during a chance encounter, he shows up again, but this time he isn’t alone. He has the stunning Jade on his arm. And she has a request of her own.
She wants me to teach her.
I should say no. Training a woman who makes my knees weak is bad enough. But this particular woman is dating the man who still has my heart. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Made worse by one simple fact—they know my secret.
And they won’t let go.
But how can I protect what’s mine if I’m holding onto them too?
Jade and Clay are the only ones who truly see me and the only ones who know�� I’m so much more than Madame.]]> 492 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions reading this series is not enough, i need to experience salacious players�� club in real life.

this was so messy!! i ate it up. i saw a lot of criticism prior to reading so i was expecting to feel different. was it perfect? no. was it what we expected? no. did i still love it? yes. maybe it was the fact that we finally got eden’s story, maybe it was the smut, maybe it was maybelline.

this was a doozy with the tropes: boss�� daughter, second chance romance, boyfriend’s ex-domme/girlfriend, FFM, ex-sub/boyfriend’s girlfriend, single parent, insta-love, age-gap, mommy issues (lol)

a lot of people complained that eden was different from the previous books. but to me, that was the point. we’re peaking underneath the facade of madame kink to eden, the real person with a real life and trauma just like the rest of us. (although i definitely pictured her as closer to ronan’s age)

“Because that’s not who I really am. Seven years ago, I looked in a mirror and I tricked myself into believing I was someone I’m not. And I’m just so tired.��

a complaint i can get behind is the lack of chemistry between the 3 main characters (outside of the bedroom). i think it feels shaky because clay and eden are second chance + jade and eden are insta-love + clay and jade both borderline cheat on each other with eden�� lmao as i said, messy.

”I’m not an addition to the relationship. I’m part of the relationship and after only one time together. Well, one time and a couple of weeks of bouncing back and forth between them.��

i loved all the cameos of the previous characters and seeing eden get the credit she deserves at salacious. the ending tying back to the beginning of the first book was so full circle. and the final epilogue pov??? i am in strong support of a spin off series.]]> 4.17 2023
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/07
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
⭐️4.5
reading this series is not enough, i need to experience salacious players�� club in real life.

this was so messy!! i ate it up. i saw a lot of criticism prior to reading so i was expecting to feel different. was it perfect? no. was it what we expected? no. did i still love it? yes. maybe it was the fact that we finally got eden’s story, maybe it was the smut, maybe it was maybelline.

this was a doozy with the tropes: boss�� daughter, second chance romance, boyfriend’s ex-domme/girlfriend, FFM, ex-sub/boyfriend’s girlfriend, single parent, insta-love, age-gap, mommy issues (lol)

a lot of people complained that eden was different from the previous books. but to me, that was the point. we’re peaking underneath the facade of madame kink to eden, the real person with a real life and trauma just like the rest of us. (although i definitely pictured her as closer to ronan’s age)

“Because that’s not who I really am. Seven years ago, I looked in a mirror and I tricked myself into believing I was someone I’m not. And I’m just so tired.��

a complaint i can get behind is the lack of chemistry between the 3 main characters (outside of the bedroom). i think it feels shaky because clay and eden are second chance + jade and eden are insta-love + clay and jade both borderline cheat on each other with eden�� lmao as i said, messy.

”I’m not an addition to the relationship. I’m part of the relationship and after only one time together. Well, one time and a couple of weeks of bouncing back and forth between them.��

i loved all the cameos of the previous characters and seeing eden get the credit she deserves at salacious. the ending tying back to the beginning of the first book was so full circle. and the final epilogue pov??? i am in strong support of a spin off series.
]]> 62322599 filthy rich.

When I started working at Salacious Players�� Club, I never expected to end up on the auction block ready to grant a date to the highest bidder.

This club is not really my scene. I’m not the kind of girl rich guys take home. I’m more a piano playing, van-living, free spirit kind of girl.

So when Ronan Kade, the richest man at the club, puts down over a hundred grand for my time, how can I tell him no?

But he’s too old. Too rich. Too cocky.

And oh yeah…he once dated my mother.

Except he doesn’t know that. He has no idea who I am.

One date turns into a trip to Paris. And an offer to live with him in his penthouse. Then a promise to take care of me.

Before I know it, I’m calling this silver fox my daddy.

Ronan Kade only bid on one date, but I think he’s winning much more than that.

Can we overcome the years between us to find happiness?

And will he find it in him to forgive me when he learns the secret I’ve been keeping?]]> 336 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions brat and pleasure dom��.. ayyy]]> 4.04 2023
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/26
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
age gap��.. ehhh
brat and pleasure dom��.. ayyy
]]> 59420470 ��
It’s bad enough being the only female owner of the Salacious Players�� Club, but I’m also the only one without a kink, or so I thought. ��
��
Imagine my surprise when the kink quiz suggests that I’m not so vanilla after all. ��
��
In fact, I’m a lot more like Emerson Grant than I thought.��
Just one problem—I have no idea how to be a Domme.��
��
That is, until the app matches me with someone willing to help me learn. ��
��
He’s too young for me.��
Too stubborn. Too good looking. ��
And, oh yeah, my friend’s son.��
��
Beau Grant is a brat. I’d hate that about him if I didn’t love punishing him so much. ��
Underneath all of that attitude is a man who is misunderstood, selfless, and in need of direction.��
��
But if he wants mercy, he has to earn it. ��
��
There are a million reasons why I should stay away, but I’m tired of doing what everyone thinks I should do.��
��
I finally know what I want, and I’m ready to take what’s mine.⁠]]> 384 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 4.08 2022
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/01
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
lady in the streets, dominatrix in the sheets
]]> 60797616
And in my line of work, that’s a gift.

As one of the four owners of the Salacious Players�� Club, I’m comfortable on the sidelines. This is what I was made to do, and I work better alone.

Until the day I stumble on a certain cam girl app and find myself watching the one person I should never have watched—my step-sister.

There are three big problems with this.

One, Mia and I can’t stand each other.

Two, she has no idea I’m the man on the other end of the video.

And three…I’m hooked—on the app and on her.

Now, Mia has me wanting and doing things I said I’d never do again, like opening upand getting attached. I’m falling for her, but she’s falling for the mystery man I’m pretending to be.

If I’m going to make this right, then I have to do more than just watch.

But how far will I go to keep her eyes on me?]]> 342 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions 4.00 2022
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/31
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
step brother corn with actual plot. the first two books in this series are age gap, not my fav, but i’m still enjoying the series!
]]> 60416566 His flawless pet.
His good girl.

Broken down and wounded by my emotionally neglectful ex, I wanted someone to tell me I was good enough.

Then, I stumbled into a new job with a boss who brings me to my knees—literally. He has me do things a real secretary would never do.

Emerson Grant tells me I’m more than just good enough.
I’m worthy of his praise.

There are a million reasons why I should stay away. The owner of the Salacious Players�� Club is not just my new boss, he’s twice my age.

And my ex-boyfriend’s father.

With him, I am treasured. I am adored. I am his.

I’m a good girl, but I’m falling for the wrong man.

Emerson Grant knows what he wants��
And he wants me.

So how far will I go to hear his approval?]]> 341 Sara Cate ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 4.04 2022
author: Sara Cate
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/30
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
the kink is in the title. first time i’ve actually enjoyed the ex-boyfriend’s dad trope.
]]> 59632248
When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.

Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.

Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.

I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.

I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.

I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.

I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.

I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.

Fa la la la la, la FML.]]> 374 Kate Stewart ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 alexa, play: hard candy christmas - dolly parton

I loved her then, soul-deep. I love her now, perpetually.

i love second chance. i love adult, like lived a little life and then found each other again, second chance even more. this was a cute one. very dialogue-heavy as it is set over a few days during a family christmas. it is a romcom which always results in a little cringe for me. suuuper slow burn with an emotional twist and a happy ending.

the story is set in triple falls and there is a ravenhood cameo!! also like kate’s other books, there is a playlist that goes impeccably with the book. songs are even mentioned through out so you can keep timing with the playlist.

"Just remember when times get hard, when your problems are blinding you, that you're on a floating planet in the middle of a vast galaxy filled with the unexplainable, and the only thing holding you to it is an invisible force you can't see."
"Gravity," I whisper softly�� ]]> 4.13
author: Kate Stewart
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
alexa, play: hard candy christmas - dolly parton

I loved her then, soul-deep. I love her now, perpetually.

i love second chance. i love adult, like lived a little life and then found each other again, second chance even more. this was a cute one. very dialogue-heavy as it is set over a few days during a family christmas. it is a romcom which always results in a little cringe for me. suuuper slow burn with an emotional twist and a happy ending.

the story is set in triple falls and there is a ravenhood cameo!! also like kate’s other books, there is a playlist that goes impeccably with the book. songs are even mentioned through out so you can keep timing with the playlist.

"Just remember when times get hard, when your problems are blinding you, that you're on a floating planet in the middle of a vast galaxy filled with the unexplainable, and the only thing holding you to it is an invisible force you can't see."
"Gravity," I whisper softly��
]]> 217236652
In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares�� but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him�� or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate.

His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details...

From USA Today bestselling author Callie Hart comes a brand new, highly addicting enemies-to-lovers romantasy with razor-sharp banter, heart-stopping action, and blistering hot romance that you won't be able to stop listening to! For mature listeners.

Narrated in duet style.]]> 22 Callie Hart ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 3 4.24 2024
author: Callie Hart
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
narration was good. 3 stars may be generous though. the plot totally lost me at the end. i don’t listen to a lot of fantasy, i usually read it, so maybe that was why. idk. will i continue the series? only time will tell.
]]> 211218356 They were never meant for happily-ever-after.
They fell in love anyway.She thought he was dead.
Four years after the disappearance of her beloved prince, Lady Allette Rittey returns to the fae realm to find Prince Senan very much alive—and on the verge of marrying a bloody princess.

Desperate for answers, Allette poses as a servant to gain access to his castle. But the wedding bells are ringing, and she’s running out of time before she loses him forever.

Prince Senan Vale has problems.
A lot of them.
Most pressing, an arranged marriage not to the woman he was meant for, but the princess of a neighboring kingdom.
When the king refuses to call off the engagement, Senan loses all hope.
Then his long-lost love returns from the grave.

Senan and Allette learn the truth of what kept them apart, discovering they have been betrayed by those closest to them.

The only way to be together is to flee the kingdom.
But first they must escape a castle full of traitors.

(Bound by Gravity is the first in a series of fantasy romance duets that features fated mates and forbidden love.)]]> 474 Jenny Hickman ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.00
author: Jenny Hickman
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222139748 Duty. Blood. Honour. Power.

Saeris Fane doesn't want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court's lips, but now that she's been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she's discovering that a queen's life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders.

Her ward - and her brother - need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . .

'Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.'

Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.

A darkness falls across Yvelia. The realm and their friends are in danger. Together, Saeris and Fisher will pass through fire and brimstone to save them.]]> 624 Callie Hart 1538774224 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.33 2025
author: Callie Hart
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: to-read, continued-series-to-buy
review:

]]> 63874606 HIS LADY

A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady’s job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I was to wed a Lord of my parents�� choosing. Wealth can’t buy you everything, or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.

But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man—an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.

Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I’m nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn’t have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I’d break them. Consequences be damned.

Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn’t realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He’ll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.

Yet even he couldn’t have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we’re all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you’re willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice �� and even that may not be enough.]]> 644 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 alexa, play: wicked game - luisant

Men like Tyson Crawford need a sacrifice, and he's made me realize that I'd willingly be that for him.

i knew tyson would be my favorite.

*pause for round of applause*

laikyn did not disappoint either. i mean, the breakfast dining room scene? hello! and, to circle back, all of tyson’s forehead kisses and moments of sweetness? heyo!

the narrative that the lords number one motivation to commit heinous crimes is abstinence with the promise of a chosen to ravage will never stop being ridiculous to me, but i am able to enjoy these books despite it�� as lake said:

Are all women like this? Or am I just a stupid bitch? ]]> 4.32 2023
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/18
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
alexa, play: wicked game - luisant

Men like Tyson Crawford need a sacrifice, and he's made me realize that I'd willingly be that for him.

i knew tyson would be my favorite.

*pause for round of applause*

laikyn did not disappoint either. i mean, the breakfast dining room scene? hello! and, to circle back, all of tyson’s forehead kisses and moments of sweetness? heyo!

the narrative that the lords number one motivation to commit heinous crimes is abstinence with the promise of a chosen to ravage will never stop being ridiculous to me, but i am able to enjoy these books despite it�� as lake said:

Are all women like this? Or am I just a stupid bitch?
]]> 219217869
I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.

Trauma nurse Aly Cappellucci doesn’t need any more kinks. She likes the one she’s landed on just fine. To her, nothing could top the masked men she follows online. Unless one of those men was shirtless, heavily tattooed, and waiting for her in her bedroom. She dreams about being hunted by one in particular, of him chasing her down and doing deliciously dark things to her willing body. She never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become her new reality.

I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.

Josh Hammond has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans to drool over, but one follower has caught his eye: Aly. After reading a comment begging him to break into her house wearing a mask, he decides to take her up on her offer.

Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone else. Someone with far more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. As Josh turns from predator to protector and the stakes heighten, he must ask himself how far he’s willing to go for the woman he’s obsessed with.

Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally gray male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book.

Tropes
Stalker romance
Morally grey MMC
Masked stalker
He falls first
Black cat x golden retriever]]> Navessa Allen 1666672130 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4
josh is a tech nerd who cosplays as a thirst trapper, he’s a soft dom but still give us what we love in an mmc, and what was it that his roommate said? something about how he makes everything into a joke and it will get old faster than you think it will LMAO YUP!

aly is super relatable, until we find out that her family is in the italian mafia, which has me intrigued for future books. ]]> 4.11 2024
author: Navessa Allen
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
4 stars specifically for the audiobook, it probably would’ve been 3 if i read it, but i really enjoyed the dual narration.

josh is a tech nerd who cosplays as a thirst trapper, he’s a soft dom but still give us what we love in an mmc, and what was it that his roommate said? something about how he makes everything into a joke and it will get old faster than you think it will LMAO YUP!

aly is super relatable, until we find out that her family is in the italian mafia, which has me intrigued for future books.
]]> 188563996
Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

REWARD OFFERED: Apprentice to The Villain wanted for treason (light), magical property damage (alleged), and one incident involving a weaponized scone (accurate). Frequently seen with a grumpy frog (crowned, judgmental). Answers to “Evie�� or “Stop that.��

Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,�� and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.

Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire—or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.

Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain.

A magical office comedy with grumpy bosses, snarky frogs, and definitely-not-feelings.]]> 336 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1529917778 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.48 2025
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, unreleased-preordered
review:

]]> 203147386
Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?]]> 368 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649377177 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 4.07 2024
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 59772259 War begins. But secrets have the power to end...everything.

Fallen princess. Traitor. Queen.

Forsaking her people and her birthright, Elise Lysander takes her place at the side of the new fae king of a broken land. Revered by some, hated by many, Elise’s fight for her love and freedom is only beginning.

As secrets of Castle Ravenspire come to light, Elise and Valen discover their enemies hold more power than they ever imagined.

It will take more than blades to defeat them.

Fulfilling a dangerous request from Valen’s imprisoned brother. Destroying a prophecy of fate kept in the hands of Elise's brutal sister. And an unwilling alliance with a shadowed thief from a neighboring kingdom that might end in victory or more death.

Blood is calling. War will answer.

But for Elise and Valen this fight could be their hard-fought salvation…or a vicious end to everything they love.

Filled with luscious world building, banter-filled romance, and epic battles, this final book in the Northern Kingdom is part Viking, part fairy tale. One-click to start reading today.

*This is the final book in Elise and Valen's love story, however, more tales will continue in the Broken Kingdoms. The romance and heat builds as the series progresses*]]> 396 L.J. Andrews ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 4.24 2022
author: L.J. Andrews
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 59122600 She chose him. He chose revenge. But some choices have deadly consequences.

When Elise agreed to break a vicious curse over the man she loved, she never imagined he was a lost fae prince. But Valen left her to carry out vengeance for his slaughtered family. So when she joins the outlaw fae in their uprising against her own sister, all Elise wants is to forget the prince who holds her heart.

But fate has a different plan.

Reunited in the rescue of a mutual friend, Elise and Valen are forced to decide where they stand in the battle of crowns. As their passion reignites, so too do the dangers threatening to pull them apart for good: a strange magical blight infecting the land, betrayal by one of their own, and a devastating secret not even a fae prince saw coming.

The wicked game for the right to rule has begun. But who will save Elise and Valen from a dark magic with the power to destroy their love forever?

For fans of The Cruel Prince and The Shadows Between Us, this tale of a rebellious princess and a seductive prince is wickedly romantic. Part Viking, part fairy tale, one-click to order a dark, swoon-worthy romance with the perfect amount of sweet and steam.]]> 324 L.J. Andrews ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 4.14 2021
author: L.J. Andrews
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 58988311 A rebellious princess. A cursed rogue. A forbidden love that will bring a kingdom to its knees.

As niece of the king, Elise Lysander cares about two things: sneaking into gambling dens, and avoiding an advantageous marriage at all costs.

When her uncle holds the life of her deathly-ill father over her head, reluctantly, Elise puts her fate into the hands of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. He may be arrogant and infuriating, but soon Legion incites a blistering, forbidden passion she can’t ignore.

As their attraction grows, so do the dangers: attacks from black-eyed people, a cursed enemy who is more beast than man, and rumors of fae returning for the crown they believe was stolen from them long ago.

After a bloody coup upends the kingdom, Elise flees with Legion, but nothing is as it seems. The man she allowed into her heart reveals his own secret plans with the return of magic—and he has every intention of using Elise to see them through.

With war between magic and mortal on the horizon, Elise must pick a side to protect her kingdom. Does she stand with her people who stole the throne? Or with a man who lied his way into her heart and whose secret past could bring her destruction?

Filled with luscious world building, banter-filled romance, and epic battles, this first book in the dark, fantasy romance series, The Broken Kingdoms, part Viking, part fairy tale. One-click to start reading today.]]> 348 L.J. Andrews ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 3.87 2021
author: L.J. Andrews
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 201054357 If he’s death, I crave oblivion.

I'm cursed to kill with a brush of my fingertips. My worst fear is attracting the attention of the kingdom’s magic hunters. Maelor is their mysterious, gorgeous leader--and my world falls apart when he learns my secret.

When he arrests me, my only hope is to survive a deadly competition, to win the mercy of our god. Strangely, Maelor is immune to my touch. Turns out, that’s because he’s secretly a vampire—lethally sexy, and dangerous as hell.

He's as drawn to me as I am to him. Can this beautiful monster help me survive, or will our dark attraction lead me to ruin?��

Hallowed Games is the first book in a new series of fantasy romance, morally-grey characters, and deadly trials: perfect A Court of Thorns and Roses and Serpent and the Wings of Night.]]> 410 C.N. Crawford ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 3.89 2023
author: C.N. Crawford
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 210428052 What do you get if you mix Harry Potter with Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, a dash of Arthurian legend, and lots and lots of vampires? Bloodwing Academy.

I didn't sign up for this.

A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That's a recipe for torment.

I'm Medra Pendragon—last of the dragon riders, or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn't stopped the vampires from deciding I'm worth capturing. Now I'm stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything and blightborn like me? We're just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.

But that's not even the worst part. Enter Blake Drakharrow. Cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He's been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we're betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I'm not going down without a fight.

Bloodwing isn't just a school—it's a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you're weak? You're dead.

Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I'm starting to think the real danger isn't the academy—it's what I'm becoming in this twisted game of power.

And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.

They think they can control me. They think they can use me.

But they have no idea what they've awakened.


Bestselling epic fantasy author Briar Boleyn returns with a new series perfect for fans of hate to love romance, heart-pounding action, and dark magic.

On Wings of Blood is a dark academia fantasy romance featuring a bully villain with Draco Malfoy energy who (eventually) gets the girl, all the tension and banter, and a tantalizingly dangerous blend of court and school intrigue all set in an intricately crafted world with unique vampire and dragon lore. Bloodwing Academy may have crossover characters from the world of Blood of a Fae, but can be read completely independently. If you're a fan of original mythology, unique world-building, and character-driven romantasy books such as Crowns of Nyaxia, From Blood and Ash, and A Court of Thorns and Roses, you won't want to miss out on this riveting new saga. ]]> 523 Briar Boleyn ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 4.01 2024
author: Briar Boleyn
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 62317663 This listing is for the original book, not the abridged, dramatized adaptation.

On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.

Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.

When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?�� The answer turns out to be “my life,�� because my competition will literally kill for the crown.

And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are one the line.

The Graphic Audio version is a separate version, a dramatized adaptation with condensed content, and that listing is here.

/book/show/1...

The tropes in this book include trials, fake relationships, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, slow burn, forced proximity, and portal fantasy.]]> 326 C.N. Crawford 1956290095 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read, tbr-on-kindle 3.95 2022
author: C.N. Crawford
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, tbr-on-kindle
review:

]]> 217562358
I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.

Nico 'Junior' Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don't get to have women like her. It's why he pushed her away back in high school and has kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior's innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. But watching Lauren from a distance isn't enough; he needs to make her his.

He's ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she's developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who? And will they survive the fall?

Caught Up is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

]]> Navessa Allen 1529442443 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.22 2025
author: Navessa Allen
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, continued-series-to-buy
review:

]]> 36065344
She's a single mother, assistant manager at a grocery store, existing in monotony with her five-year-old daughter. Every day when she goes to work, lurid tabloids surround her, the face of a notorious bad boy haunting her from their covers.

A man and a woman, living vastly different lives, but that wasn't always the case. Once, they were just a boy and a girl who bonded over comic books and fell in love unexpectedly.

When Kennedy Garfield met Jonathan Cunningham back in high school, she knew he had all the makings of a tragic hero. With stars in his eyes, and her heart on her sleeve, the pair ran away together to follow their dreams.

But dreams, sometimes, turn into nightmares.

Now, years later, the only thing they share is a daughter—one who has no idea her father plays her favorite superhero. But Jonathan is desperate to make amends, and at the top of his list is the woman who gave up everything for him and the little girl he hasn't yet met.]]> 452 J.M. Darhower 1942206232 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.95 2017
author: J.M. Darhower
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60802408
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he's not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking series that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable listen.

Performed by Melody Muze, Anthony Palmini, Henry W. Kramer, Ann Flandermeyer, Gabriel Michael, Debi Tinsley, Natalie Van Sistine, Karenna Foley, Scott McCormick, Bradley Foster Smith, Karen Novack, Christopher Graybill, Terence Aselford, Matthew Bassett, Michael John Casey, Nora Achrati, Yasmin Tuazon, Alejandro Ruiz, Steve Wannall, and Shanta Parasuraman.]]> 1 Sarah J. Maas ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.58 2022
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/20
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 50623864
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.]]> 448 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387565 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 currently-reading 4.16 2020
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: currently-reading
review:
i want to start by saying that i loved the premise of this book and i thought the writing was beautiful. i was just so bored. it felt like time slowed every time i picked up this book. i might try to read it again sometime but i just can’t right now, my tbr is too long to be bored.
]]> 60675812
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he's not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking series that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable listen.

Performed by Melody Muze, Anthony Palmini, Henry W. Kramer, Ann Flandermeyer, Gabriel Michael, Debi Tinsley, Natalie Van Sistine, Karenna Foley, Scott McCormick, Bradley Foster Smith, Karen Novack, Christopher Graybill, Terence Aselford, Matthew Bassett, Michael John Casey, Nora Achrati, Yasmin Tuazon, Alejandro Ruiz, Steve Wannall, and Shanta Parasuraman.]]> 1 Sarah J. Maas ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 4.49 2022
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/16
date added: 2024/12/16
shelves:
review:

]]> 221469012 *'Every poem is a revelation' - Florence Welch*

From the creator of the beloved @PoetryIsNotaLuxury Instagram account, a gorgeous poetry anthology that is a gift and a guide for readers through every season of life.

In��Summer, you’ll find lush landscapes and love poems for weddings and anniversaries, alongside expressions of joy and exhilaration.��Autumn��ushers in nostalgic poems about home and family and friendship, nesting and gratitude. Turn to��Winter��should you require lyrics about loneliness or an ode to comfort. Spring is packed full of verse celebrating new beginnings and all that the future might hold.

Each poem has been chosen from centuries of verse from around the world, with an emphasis on living poets. Friends old and new await, with selections from Rita Dove, Victoria Chang, Ross Gay, Naomi Shihab Nye, C.D. Wright, Eileen Myles, Ada Limón, Ilya Kaminsky, Jos Charles and more.

From the heights of new love to the furrows of sorrow, from special occasions to a morning pick-me-up, there is something here for everyone, in any season of need.]]> Anonymous 1398537586 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 4.88
author: Anonymous
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.88
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: to-read, continued-series-to-buy
review:

]]> 62916249 This time it could prevent one.

I have been a loyal servant to the fae crown my whole life–an arrangement that has kept me safe from the violence between our two races…until I kill a fae noble.

Sentenced to death I beg the king for mercy and am shocked when it comes from the eldest prince who hates me.

But there’s a catch��

Now thrust into the role of my growly protector’s bride-to-be, I have to choose between playing along with this fake engagement or following my own heart to protect my people.

Until the Stars Fall is the first in a new fantasy romance collection of interconnected stand-alones set in a magical war-torn world, where love is weakness and danger lurks around every corner. Loosely inspired by the classic movie, Sabrina, this slow-burn fated mates tale with a fake engagement brings you a growly, yet noble fae prince and the sunshine human who just might be the death of him…if he doesn’t fall for her first.]]> Vanessa Rasanen ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.52
author: Vanessa Rasanen
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.52
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/15
shelves: to-read, physical-special-editions
review:

]]> 213798776
She betrayed him, and now he wants revenge against the foster sister who became his forbidden obsession the second he laid eyes on her. After she sends him to prison for years, he’s free and ready to haunt her.

Everything about Olivia belongs to Malachi Vize.
Her mind
Her body
Her soul
Her fear
Her pain

On Halloween night, he can no longer lurk in the shadows. All he has left to own is her heart, even if he needs to take it.

This story comes with extremely triggering content. Please read the "Content Warning" page.]]> 207 Leigh Rivers ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 3.75 2023
author: Leigh Rivers
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62345210

LITTLE DEMON
I was raised in a world where money and power are at your fingertips. My father is a LORD, a very respected member of a secret society that knows no bounds. When tragedy struck my family, we discovered we weren’t untouchable. Just when I thought life couldn’t get any worse, I was shown what hell is really like. Then he came and saved me. The devil disguised as my personal hero. But of course, nothing is for free. Not when a soul is up for grabs.


I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.
Easton Bradley Sinnett—Sin—uses his power for his own sick pleasure. Like a typical Lord, he never thought about the consequences of his actions. I grew up with him, obsessed over him, craved him. He was who I pictured when I imagined doing things my body shouldn’t want.

One day, I realized he was not who I thought he was. It didn’t change anything, though, because I was already too far gone. If anything, I fell for him harder.

Every now and then, someone enters your life who flips it upside down. Sin wrecked me in the worst way, and I thanked him for it by serving on my knees.

As they say, nothing lasts forever. Men like him never stay with a woman like me. I’m what they use, not keep. So when he threw me away, I shouldn’t have been all that surprised.

My body had always craved the darker side of love. The kind that left bruises and scars. I was what most would call unholy. And when the devil whispered in my ear that he loved me, I was more than determined to show him just how devoted I could be.]]> 640 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 I want toxic. I want madness. I want someone who makes me question my sanity. And I know I won’t be happy until the masked man decides to make me his forever.

i had to give this 5 stars simply for the entertainment value. i was locked in and engaged. this was non-stop drama, twists & turns, and (of course) trigger warning filled smut. we got introduced to a lot of characters and storylines for the remaining books in the series. we get tyson next, let’s gooo! ]]> 3.97 2022
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/07
date added: 2024/12/07
shelves:
review:
I want toxic. I want madness. I want someone who makes me question my sanity. And I know I won’t be happy until the masked man decides to make me his forever.

i had to give this 5 stars simply for the entertainment value. i was locked in and engaged. this was non-stop drama, twists & turns, and (of course) trigger warning filled smut. we got introduced to a lot of characters and storylines for the remaining books in the series. we get tyson next, let’s gooo!
]]> 51416396 Bennett Sharp is on the run.
Wanted for piracy, she fears neither God nor death nor man.
Except Priest Farrell.

The unfaithful, stormy-eyed libertine hunts her with terrifying possessiveness. Nothing will stop him from coming for her. Not his unforgivable betrayal. Not when she's captured by the ice-cold pirate hunter, Lord Ashley Cutler.
She must escape Ashley's prison and Priest's deceit. But can she walk away from their twisted desires?

Two gorgeous captains stand on opposite sides of the law. When they collide in a battle to protect her, the lines blur between enemies and lovers.
Passion heats, secrets unravel, and hearts entangle until they break.
Can love prevail in the sea of ruin?]]> 467 Pam Godwin ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 5 physical-special-editions 3.92 2020
author: Pam Godwin
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/16
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
LOVED. it gave pirates of the caribbean but �� brutal, in every sense of the word. every time i thought i knew where the story was going, it went another direction.
]]> 37832915
From that point on, she is mine.

But the human I have chosen for my mate - Sasha - is fragile and wounded. She does not trust me and fears my presence. I will not give up, though. I will do anything to give her my fires and bond us both in body and spirit. How can I convince her that I want nothing more than her happiness if she will not let me touch her?

How does a dragon woo a human?]]> Ruby Dixon ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 3.58 2017
author: Ruby Dixon
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/03
date added: 2024/12/03
shelves:
review:
DNF at 68%. basically a carbon copy of book 1. which is a fun time, don’t get me wrong. but i needed plot progression, like we got in IPB, that keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next. it did seem like it was starting to get to furthering the plot beyond just a dragon shifter claiming a human mate, but i cannot be arsed to stick around any longer. sorry ruby, still love you tho babes.
]]> 123349658
Rain of Shadows and Endings is book one in The Legacy Series and ends on a cliffhanger. This is new adult dark fantasy romance series and includes elements that may be triggering to some readers.]]> 670 Melissa K. Roehrich ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.01 2023
author: Melissa K. Roehrich
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215697737 When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred's Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic is perfect for lovers of magic, dragons, angst, and banter and will appeal to fans of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, Gild, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.]]> 416 Penn Cole 1668085720 ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 0 to-read 4.20 2023
author: Penn Cole
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219070490
I vow. You vow. We vow.

Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.

People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom.

I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.

After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.

This book can be read as a standalone but the timeline of the Lords books is as follows:
The Ritual
The Sinner
The Sacrifice
Sabotage (the H isn't a Lord but he works for a Lord)]]> 500 Shantel Tessier ‎l����☾⋆˙�� 4 physical-special-editions alexa, play: all the time - jeremih ft lil wayne and natasha mosley

”Blood, death, and secrets are what my life is made of. Hers will be the same.��

this is not morally grey, this is morally black, and much like kink in general, is completely subjective. the trigger warnings could not be more important for these types of books. be prepared for what you’re going to read.

now, would i go through the ritual? f**k no! however, i have been slumping and this book got me to binge again. sure, there are flaws, nevertheless, the twists got me and i am intrigued for the rest of the series. ty especially has my interest, there is much to be revealed in regards to him. i wouldn’t call ryat one of my book bf’s�� but maybe one of his brothers will do the trick.

there is a small playlist and some songs are mentioned at different parts of the book. i definitely suggest listening. i always appreciate a good book playlist to vibe to.]]> 2.79 2021
author: Shantel Tessier
name: ‎l����☾⋆˙��
average rating: 2.79
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves: physical-special-editions
review:
alexa, play: all the time - jeremih ft lil wayne and natasha mosley

”Blood, death, and secrets are what my life is made of. Hers will be the same.��

this is not morally grey, this is morally black, and much like kink in general, is completely subjective. the trigger warnings could not be more important for these types of books. be prepared for what you’re going to read.

now, would i go through the ritual? f**k no! however, i have been slumping and this book got me to binge again. sure, there are flaws, nevertheless, the twists got me and i am intrigued for the rest of the series. ty especially has my interest, there is much to be revealed in regards to him. i wouldn’t call ryat one of my book bf’s�� but maybe one of his brothers will do the trick.

there is a small playlist and some songs are mentioned at different parts of the book. i definitely suggest listening. i always appreciate a good book playlist to vibe to.
]]>