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
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
I love - love, when the first book in a series wows me enough that I am genuinely concerned I won't like the second book as much and then I end up lovI love - love, when the first book in a series wows me enough that I am genuinely concerned I won't like the second book as much and then I end up loving the second just as much as the first (if not more).
I am so glad we got to see Xan's happily ever after! The dynamic between Xan, Urho, & Caleb is absolute perfection - I adore all three of them and how they all bring something different to the table. Also, I am overjoyed that we still got a heavy dose of Jason & Vale because I absolutely was not ready to let go of them yet and I hate when the first couple is forgotten in sequels within the same storyline.
Something about this book was rubbing me the wrong way right from the jump. I found it extraordinarily difficult to get invested in either the chaMeh.
Something about this book was rubbing me the wrong way right from the jump. I found it extraordinarily difficult to get invested in either the characters or the story, and I'm sorry to say I hit the last page without ever getting there.
What I signed up for: Gargoyle-monster-peen Daddy-dom spicy goodness that pulls me in and leaves me wanting more.
What I got: Superficial characters, zero chemistry outside the bedroom, repetitious pet names, and a predictable plot.
For the record, the overall writing and the sex scenes weren't half bad. If you cut out literally everything else and just left the sex scenes, I would be giving this a much higher rating. Because it reads like a PWP, but like then just do that instead of wasting my time with all this tedious worldbuilding and extra...fluff.
And listen Linda...I know, I know that this is not meant to be some masterful work of literature that changes my life, but I'd at least hope it stimulates just a little bit more upstairs feelings in addition to downstairs feelings. If you don't know what that means, just know that I think smut should be a full-body experience - I want my brain and my heart just as invested as...other parts. Not even just as invested - I'd take kinda invested if the smut is good enough. But no investment? Yawn.
Which basically means that, to me, this book is the sexual equivalent of a one-night stand where the sex is phenomenal, but he thinks being tall is a personality trait, and his mom still does his laundry. *shrug*...more
Things that worked: + Taylor is fucking adorable and as sunshine-y as it gets. + My inner Crime Junkie had a fucking blast. Maybe I've listened to one Things that worked: + Taylor is fucking adorable and as sunshine-y as it gets. + My inner Crime Junkie had a fucking blast. Maybe I've listened to one podcast too many but (as unrealistic, and frankly, as stupid as it was) I had a great time watching Taylor self-insert and stomp all over an official police investigation. That would not go well in real life, but a crime enthusiast can dream. + Jude is the best character in the book - fight me on it. + I have never been edged quite so thoroughly. Literally yelled, "Oh, come on!" at least once or twice. + Overall, a little ridiculous, but it was fun so it worked. Some books are here for a good time and this is one of them. + Myles is so my type.
Things that didn't work: + Myles is so my type. (yes, you read that right.) + Murderer was kind of predictable? Not a huge issue, cause like, that's not what we're all here for, but still. + Juuuuust on the fence of being tooooo cringey. + Insta-love was super insta. Who's got time to solve a murder when you gotta solve the rising issue between your legs, I guess? + Myles' inner dialogue was so fucking crass like, jesus, we all know a man's inner voice doesn't constantly wax poetic but like dude. yes. she has boobs. fucking relax. + No resolution with Jude & Dante!?! If Jude doesn't get his own book, I will riot.