Dude...LITERALLY, I don't KNOW how I feel. This is gonna be a hard one to rate...
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Cause here's the thing: Book 1? FabHmm...I don't know, y'all.
Dude...LITERALLY, I don't KNOW how I feel. This is gonna be a hard one to rate...
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Cause here's the thing: Book 1? Fabulous. Amazing. Wouldn't change a word of it. And you would THINK the vibes and energy of Book 1 would flow into Book 2...but they don't, really. SOMETHING is off and I think I'm having trouble pinning it down because it's more than just one thing.
The book starts strong af; right where Silk & Sand left off. And I was even excited because Seth and Raider IMMEDIATELY communicated any and all misunderstandings which was a FUCKIN' RELIEF cause if that carried through the whole book, I would've literally died. But then that conversation seems to just happen over and over and over again throughout the book? As in, they have small disagreements/arguments but talk and come back together. Which, like, DUH, that's the definition of a relationship, but it felt like EVERYTHING ELSE in the book took a back seat to those conversations? And also their make-up sex?
Like even Seth and Raider as characters seemed to take a backseat to all the fucking and crying and FEELINGS.
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DO NOT GET ME WRONG, I still love those two with my whole fucking heart and I love a good Soft Dom/Brat Sub sex scene (more than you know) but there were SO MANY OF THEM that it overshadowed everything else. There is a reason why this book is on my "cliterature" shelf and Silk & Sand was not.
Guys. Girls. Gays. If I, Sarah the Smut Slut™, am saying there are too many sex scenes!? That means something.
And where that gets difficult is that all of these scenes are STILL SO SO SOOO GOOD. But the quantity and timing of them all makes for a book that lacks...finesse.
Though, what I'm truly most upset about is Raider (my fav character, obvs). I know that he goes through a lot more because he's confronting his past for most of the book but it made me sad that a lot of his vibrancy and sassiness was lost in this one. Again, after all the trauma he's been through, I can understand some of a difference in behavior and personality but he almost seemed like a different person. Because of that, we hardly get any of the banter and humor between him and Seth that we got in the first book.
Everything outside of their relationship (i.e. the plot lol) was still REALLY good - I liked the things that happened but because of the PACING of those things and how it all became background noise(?), it didn't quite reach the potential that was outlined in Book 1. Things happened fast and the ending, especially, felt SUPERRR rushed.
UGHGH, I'm on the verge of rambling but BASICALLY, if I had to summarize it, Silk & Sand contained and promised a lot of depth that Silver & Gold just didn't quite deliver.
BUT AGAIN, I still very much love these books and these characters which is why I'm so torn between ratings. I might end up changing my rating after letting it settle more but for now...
Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4!
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧...more
Just two hot ass men in a hot ass desert makin' me hot 'n bothered.
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I FUCKIN' LOVED THIS, lemme tell ya. I loved the world-building, I loved theJust two hot ass men in a hot ass desert makin' me hot 'n bothered.
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I FUCKIN' LOVED THIS, lemme tell ya. I loved the world-building, I loved the magic, I loved the characters, I loved the writing, and I would straight-up die for Jasmine the boy dog with the flowery name.
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The verbiage was a lot more informal and casual than you usually get with books written in this type of setting but yoooo, I was vibin' with it. Especially cause, if the entire book is written like that, it makes it a-ok to say things like
"Who the fuck cares what's normal? I like your aggression. I like your dick. Give me both of them."
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And don't even get me started on the BDSM-lite stuff. Just...*chef's kiss*. The attraction between Seth and Raider starts from the moment they lock eyes and it's all just fire and heat and BURNY BURNY GOODNESS from there.
"This is mine now. Hold the railing."
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LIKE, GUYS. HEAR ME OUT: KINKY. ARCANE. HANDCUFFS.
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I love that Seth and Raider are complete opposites and yet seem to complement each other so perfectly. Seth sees the world in black & white, Raider sees a world bursting with color. Seth is quick to scowl, Raider is quick to grin. Seth has a stick up his ass, Raider likes Seth's stick up his ass. It's all about balance, really.
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I could say more but I think you get it & really, I just wanna go read Silver & Gold, byeeeeeee.
P.S. not that it needs it by any means, but this book gets my horny brown girl stamp of approval.
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P.P.S. I literally loved this arc so much, I went and bought physical copies of both Book 1 & 2 before I even finished this one - so that should tell you how much I loved it.
✧While I received a free e-arc from GRR, all thoughts are my own.✧...more
You ever get a Christmas present and you pull out the first item but there's something underneath it andThis is everything I wanted it to be and more.
You ever get a Christmas present and you pull out the first item but there's something underneath it and then something underneath that and so on - and you're like "how much can you possibly fit in this gift bag; it just keeps coming!"? That's what this book was like for me - literally a gift that keeps on giving. It was jam-packed with all the kinks and goodies on my Christmas List with some added bonuses.
I adored Erik & Matthew and I loved their dynamic even more. I LOVE how detailed and intense this was. While I'm sure readers who prefer quicker pacing may not enjoy the very slow pacing of this, I reveled in it. If done right, I so. fucking. appreciate. when I'm treated with every thought, every touch, every glance - it puts me into a reader subspace where I can effectively block out the world and just focus on the story. It just heightens everything for me. It's also some of the most effective edging I've experienced in a novel. And my goodness are we edged. The sheer anticipation and build of these two getting together was phenomenal.
And the kinks? The communication? The consent? The vulnerability? It was all done so beautifully and I'm so glad Leta took the time to really let these characters develop and unfold - it gave such gorgeous depth to the story! Honestly, I could go on and on about all the things I loved about this one, so I'll just sum it up in a word: stunning.
BUT ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW HOT THE SEX SCENES WERE OH MY GOD ya girl has to do laundry after that one.
Three words, babe: Blood as lube. Yeah, I fuck with that heavy.
This was such a great time but I sooo wish it was a full-fledged novel; it has so muchThree words, babe: Blood as lube. Yeah, I fuck with that heavy.
This was such a great time but I sooo wish it was a full-fledged novel; it has so much potential! Even so, there's just enough backstory to get invested in the characters and I loved Seb & Tate - especially Tate's lifelong obsession with Sebastian that eclipses any moral compass he could have. Sebastian is his moral compass. Toxic? Absolutely. We love to see it.
Sidenote: I really like when authors create vampires in modern novels have attributes found in older folklore; having to claw out of a grave, bursting into a colony of bats, being completely nocturnal, etc. - sooo much better than glittering in the sunlight, if you ask me.
Also, sex scenes were hot & I am pro dick-biting. Don't @ me....more
No one writes yearning, unconditional love quite like Sebastian Nothwell - this was an absolute masterpiece (arguably, his best yet).
Right off the cufNo one writes yearning, unconditional love quite like Sebastian Nothwell - this was an absolute masterpiece (arguably, his best yet).
Right off the cuff, Sebastian's resplendently lyrical prose throws us into a colorful world with even more colorful characters. The setting is beautiful and with every word I read I felt like I was being transported to a different realm all-together. Every new place we visit in the story had my jaw on the floor - what I wouldn't give to visit even one of these paintings-come-to-life. There were romantic little details and nods to history that I so appreciated. Nothing pleases me more than a writer who does their research - the medical accuracy alone left me delighted. Obviously, certain liberties are taken in a work of fiction, but the way that Nothwell interweaves those liberties with historical points of reference is seamless and is something that I've come to associate with his works specifically. Sometimes you can feel the author's enthusiasm through their writing and it just makes everything that much more enjoyable.
There is such sweetness in all of Nothwell's past characters and Fiore & Enzo are no different. I am in love with these two selfless, soft, sweet idiots. In every book he writes, there is a large emphasis on, rather than loving someone in spite of their faults, loving them faults and all. His characters are always so endearingly flawed (as is any person) and the unconditional love they have for each other makes my heart full to bursting.
Another similarity to previous works: Fiorenzo has some delicious bits of spice to balance out the sweetness that I ate up like a woman starved. There are BDSM elements in this one that are slightly more stark than his previous books and I am here for it. If Nothwell's books have taught me anything, it's that I need to invest in a proper sea chest (false bottom and all, iykyk).
NOT TO MENTION THE HURT/COMFORT. UGHHHH. Bury me with a copy of this book when I die because it's everything I could want and I must retain the ability to read it again and again until the end of time. I never wanted it to end. There are a few questions left unanswered but, if I know Nothwell's writing style like I think I do, we should hopefully be coming back to Fiore & Enzo's story and some of those questions will have answers.
The only thing that could eclipse my adoration for this book is Fiore & Enzo's adoration for each other, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
✧While I received a free ARC of this book from the author, all thoughts are my own.✧...more
Don't mind me; just determinedly making my way through Sebastian's backlist like a woman possessed.
Whaling is sexy. You heard it here first, folks. WDon't mind me; just determinedly making my way through Sebastian's backlist like a woman possessed.
Whaling is sexy. You heard it here first, folks. Whaling. is. fucking. sexy. (mind you, in a entirely fictional sense - we love the whales)
This was everything I hoped it would be and more. Following the death of a baronet, for whom Morgan is an agent, Morgan searches for the man's runaway son like a pirate in search of treasure. He finds him; a brawny, sunshine-y Adonis covered in tattoos - some that point to a considerable piece of treasure on his very person (X marks the spot, indeed). But nothing is more valuable than the connection these two share.
I love everything about this story and I wouldn't change a single word. The gorgeous prose (as always), Morgan's obsession with ferns, Evelyn's obsession with Morgan, the subtle (but artfully written) BDSM elements, the side characters (even the more nefarious characters who I love to hate).
Add Sebastian Nothwell to the list of authors who could write damn near anything and I'm sure I'd love it. I'd read his grocery list if he let me....more
Green Flag: Characters with a clinical psych diagnosis.
Ah, it feels so good to be back in ChaniLand and she did not disappoint.
We got glimpses of RinGreen Flag: Characters with a clinical psych diagnosis.
Ah, it feels so good to be back in ChaniLand and she did not disappoint.
We got glimpses of Rin, Sila, & Kel back in Echo but lemme tell ya - that wasn't even the tippy tip of the iceberg. I'm so glad that we're following the same story and timeline but with different characters! It was so much fun to find the little easter eggs of what was concurrently happening in Echo with Rabbit and Baikal as this story progressed.
And boy, did it progress. I'm fucking obsessed with Rin & Kel's dynamic and really, everything about them. Even their physical attributes! Kel's fucking corset vests!? Jesus christ on a cracker - that was hot. Rin & Sila's heterochromia, Kel's eye, even the tiny detail of Sila's earring - I said this in my last review but I liiiive for the little things. Some might say it's overkill but, for me, it paints a vivid picture of these characters in my mind's eye and I wouldn't change a thing.
Speaking of overkill - there was a lot less murder in this one and a lot more drama but with a character like Kelevra (who is drama incarnate), it's perfectly acceptable. Fuck it, we love the drama. Besides, I'm predicting that Sila's book will satisfy any homicidal cravings we may be left with.
But you know what there was plenty of? FUCKING HOTTER THAN HELL SEX. Where the FUCK do I order a G-Tester 450? Don't ask, just read it. ...more
Everything Chani has been putting out in the past year has become my new favorite flavor of book. It's liI never met a trigger warning I didn't like.
Everything Chani has been putting out in the past year has become my new favorite flavor of book. It's like when you walk into an ice cream shop and there's all these crazy new flavors but your eyes keep glancing back to your tried-and-true. You know you're gonna get it. You may ask for samples to flirt with some of the other flavors but come on, be real, you know what your heart really wants. For me, that's apparently literally anything that this woman writes. (Coincidentally, my actual tried-and-true ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip - I implore you to read the book and find out why I would even bring that up; you won't regret it.)
Rabbit, a musician who plays a beautifully unique instrument called a beiska, catches the eye of Baikal, the planet's mafia prince and a wolf if I've ever seen one. The hunt begins before our little bunny even knows he's being pursued and by the time he catches on, it's far too late as the wolf chases him around the tree and straight down into his sweet little rabbit hole.
There is so. much. to the story - tons of tiny little details that I'm stupidly obsessed with: the gorgeous elements of the beiska, the planetary relationship between Imperials and the mafia, Baikal and his dad, the history of Shouts, the glowing trees, even the fucking school uniforms. I could quite literally go on and on about the attention to detail that Chani puts into all of her books and EVERYTHING is just fucking *chef's kiss*.
Idk who the real devil is, Baikal or Chani Lynn fuckin' Feener, cause listen, I would unquestionably sell my soul to her for nothing in exchange other than for her to continue writing these deliciously dark books. While not as dark as previous books, it still left me happily sated (yet inexplicably starving for more)....more
You know how sometimes you read a book and just wish you got that liiittle bit more? Adara Wolf clearly knowThe cherry on top of this glorious series.
You know how sometimes you read a book and just wish you got that liiittle bit more? Adara Wolf clearly knows how to give the people what they want, because this is that little bit more.
This is basically back-to-back short snippets that amount to a veritable kink encyclopedia...a kinkclopedia, if you will. Figging, caning, double penetration, pony play, human furniture, somnophilia - you name it, it's probably in here.
We also get to see scenes that were referenced to in the previous books + different POVs - not just Alex & Tracht, which was such a fun little treat (I was especially delighted by Jeremy & Kai's section).
I am truly so sad that the series is over but one, I'm just being greedy because I think we got way more than most authors ever give, and two, I am absolutely coming back to reread the entire series in the very near future. ...more
What others find disconcerting apparently has me giggling like a schoolgirl in the middle of the night.
The way that I LAUGHED in this one!! Tracht on What others find disconcerting apparently has me giggling like a schoolgirl in the middle of the night.
The way that I LAUGHED in this one!! Tracht on drugs + Alex unleashing his inner "HULK SMASH" is my new favorite thing. Second only to Tracht trying to fight his obvious sentimentality and Alex's obliviousness to the fact. I love them, your honor....more
In which we have hurt/comfort but the comfort is more hurt.
After the first book, I would have sold my soul to get Tracht's POV and I guess I don't havIn which we have hurt/comfort but the comfort is more hurt.
After the first book, I would have sold my soul to get Tracht's POV and I guess I don't have to cause ADARA HAS DELIVERED UNTO US THE GLORIOUSLY FUCKED UP THOUGHTS OF JOHANNES TRACHT.
Tracht doesn't give a fuck about anything but Alex and I don't give a fuck about anything but them....more
This book is fucked up and apparently, so am I, cause I would lick the words off the floor if that was the only way to consume it.
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My taste in bThis book is fucked up and apparently, so am I, cause I would lick the words off the floor if that was the only way to consume it.
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My taste in books is just getting more and more depraved. Tracht is a manipulative asshole with the cunning of a fox and Alex is an emotionally stunted rabid bunny rabbit.
Are they good people? Absolutely the fuck not.
Am I infatuated with them regardless? You better believe it.
These characters are not "likable" in any traditional sense. And forget morally grey - this is the moral equivalent of a black hole. Any moral objections I could possibly raise are sucked in and obliterated; crushed into a spacetime singularity with no hope of escape.
I love that we have Parsons as a character to represent a more typical "good guy" mindset or "vanilla" as Tracht would call it. Having his perspective in the storyline makes all the icky stuff even more deliciously icky. His yuck is my yum.
And how very yummy it is. *smirks in sadist*...more
This book has a violent chokehold on me and all I can do is beg for it to squeeze tighter.
I am absolutely floored. Shadow Yor, a.k.a. Shade, is an intThis book has a violent chokehold on me and all I can do is beg for it to squeeze tighter.
I am absolutely floored. Shadow Yor, a.k.a. Shade, is an interplanetary detective with a loose hold on his empathic powers and an even weaker hold on his self-deprecating tendencies. Following the meager breadcrumbs left behind in a string of murders has him falling right into the alluring clutches of Apollo - a charming art reporter that just happens to moonlight as a psychopathic serial killer. I am dangerously enamored with flawed characters, so when these two living embodiments of a psychiatrist's wet dream come together? Holy-fucking-shit.
This book feels like a love letter to every sick, depraved, and filthy hidden desire I've ever had and I'm not afraid to admit it. What can I say, I like my romances how I like my coffee - dark, bitter, and strong enough to get my blood pumping. And this is just to my taste; there's a perfect balance of darkness and sweetness in this story. But listen, this is not traditional sweetness. It's not gentle touches and honeyed words; it's a white-knuckled grip - possessive and manipulative and fucked up. If that's not your jam, move right along. If it is: hi, let's be friends.
This is the second book I've read by Chani Lynn Feener (the first was also amazing) and after this delectable masterpiece, it most certainly will not be the last. I have been unquestionably conditioned - if Chani is ringing the bell, you better believe that I am salivating on command.
Thank you to BookSirens for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts are my own....more
There were some really great things about it and things that I felt like either weren't necessary or could have beeThe Good Liar was just that - good.
There were some really great things about it and things that I felt like either weren't necessary or could have been better. Overall, though, I really enjoyed Jasper & Cole's story; their history, their obsession, their jealousy - yummy. As far as plots go, it was a fairly simple one but well-written & definitely enjoyable.
With that said, let's get into what didn't quite work for me as much. Physical touch is my #1 love language so I loooved that they couldn't keep their hands off each other. BUT, as hot as the sex scenes were, I felt like I wasn't really feeling it the way I wanted to. I don't know if it's because there were, at times, a lack of physical descriptors that could really paint the scene or something else entirely, but something was missing for me; I just can't quite pin down what it was. Don't get me wrong, still very hot (esp that first time omg); just would've liked to have been more invested.
Daniel's POVs...totally unnecessary. I will say, having tiny POV chapters for the "bad guy" is a great idea if it maintains a level of mystery/suspense. But the ending was pretty darn predictable even without those chapters.
P.S. I spy with my little eye another taboo romance on the horizon between two characters we've already met - their story will be deliciously angst-ridden, especially if our MCs from this book have anything to say about it. Can't wait....more
A book where you have to verify your age before purchasing!? Sign. me. the. fuck. up.
Is Secondhand Stockholm Syndrome a thing? Cause if a trained profA book where you have to verify your age before purchasing!? Sign. me. the. fuck. up.
Is Secondhand Stockholm Syndrome a thing? Cause if a trained professional psychoanalyzed me after finishing this book, I'm pretty sure I'd be diagnosed & committed.
The blurb mentions that this book is "mostly kink" and if you're interested in reading, I would keep that in mind. Personally, I gobbled it up like a rich & decadent piece of chocolate cake because, at times, it felt like someone took all my kinks (& kind of even my love languages? lmao), threw them all into a book, and tied it up with leather straps & a pretty pink bow.
Because the book is so kink-heavy, you kinda have to be into the different kinks to enjoy it because the actual sex scenes aren't this drawn-out and detailed affair like some smut scenes are. Don't get me wrong, they're still hot as all hell, but the writing style doesn't make them stand out from the rest of the story because they're not really meant to stand out. The sex scenes aren't the "goal" of the story; the whole ass book is just one long kink-scene and, to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way.
I read somewhere that this book is not listed on Amazon because it's too dark - idk if that's true and I don't know what this says about me, but it actually could have been a lot darker and I would have loved it just as much (Fair warning: I am the type of reader who has never been dissuaded/triggered by damn near anything, so please make sure to check CWs prior to reading if you are not that type of reader, because this still has very heavy themes).
As dark as it was, we still get our HEA, which is a requirement for me as a reader (I'm telling you, this book feels like it was written for me). Also, I'm also a huge slut for all things fluff and interestingly, this had plenty of it - as long as your definition of fluff/love extends to "murderous psychopath's favorite toy". Which, lucky me, mine very much does.
As far as the storyline goes, I loved it! I don't want to give anything away but like I said, this book is kink-driven; so even though there's a clear plot, there are quite a few questions that go unanswered. For me, I feel like I didn't really need the answers to those questions to enjoy the story cause I still had a fan-fucking-tastic time. Everleigh is frickin' adorable and Ocean is, well, Daddy. *drools in sub*
If you're a lil freaky-deak like me, give this one a try....more
Since the book is based in Montana, you'd think there'd be lots of romantic horseback riding...well, I am pleased to inform you that there was plentySince the book is based in Montana, you'd think there'd be lots of romantic horseback riding...well, I am pleased to inform you that there was plenty of riding but not once was it on a horse. *wink*
This beautiful book warmed my heart, BROKE IT INTO TINY LITTLE PIECES, and then put it back together again; it was a veritable rollercoaster of emotion and I loved every fucking second of it. Bratty & fiery figure skater meets soft-hearted sadist cowboy and honestly, that's all you need to know. That's all that matters. Brokeback Mountain could NEVER. If Rob has anything to say about it, the only "broken back" around here is gonna be Matty's (Ay-ooooh!!)
I laughed, I cried, I wore down the tracks on the bottom drawer of my nightstand - CAUSE JESUS CHRIST ON A STICK THAT SHIT WAS ABSOLUTELY FILTHYYY. It's not everyone's cup of tea but it sure is mine, lemma tell ya.
THE SEX. THE SASS. THE WHUFFLING. I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.
This might be my favorite Leta Blake book to date! Idk what that says about me...but it might be that I really put the "M" in BDSM...thank FUCK there's a second book because I neeeeeeeed it like an addict needs their next fix....more
UGH, THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD!! *insert millions of fire emojis*
Fucking hell, I love Avi and Felix. If you look up the phrase *screams into the void*
UGH, THIS WAS SO FUCKING GOOD!! *insert millions of fire emojis*
Fucking hell, I love Avi and Felix. If you look up the phrase "wined, dined, and 69'ed" it should just be photos of these two beautiful ass murder men.
Reading an Onley James book is like getting punched in the fucking face (but you like it, obvi). Which is why I need to read other books in between Onley's - it's more fun to let the bruises heal before getting punched again so we can start all over. ...more
Show me a Necessary Evils book that doesn't automatically get 5 stars from me.
PLOT TWIST: You can't.
Honestly, I feel like these books speak for themseShow me a Necessary Evils book that doesn't automatically get 5 stars from me.
PLOT TWIST: You can't.
Honestly, I feel like these books speak for themselves, so I don't feel the need to get into a lengthy review. To summarize: Asa is a fucking animal, Zane gets eaten alive (but he likes it), and the Mulvaneys are...well, the Mulvaneys....more