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Book Review: Blindly Indicted by Katie May

I lived my life as a prisoner.

I’ve always been told stories about the real world, but I haven’t seen it for myself. All I have ever known is pain.

And darkness.

They tell me I have been blind since birth.

When I make my escape, I think freedom is finally within my grasp...

Until I’m captured by the paranormal police for a murder I didn’t commit. Apparently, I have powers—powers I have always suspected myself of having. Normal people can’t see through other people’s eyes, right?

Thrust into Nightmare Penitentiary, I meet a group of hard, alpha, psychotic inmates who believe I’m the answer to all their prayers. Me? I’m just trying to survive and figure out what it means to live. My new home isn’t just a prison, but a labyrinth with horrors around every corner.

But what if the cost of my life is my freedom? Am I willing to trade one cage for another?

Welcome to Nightmare Penitentiary, where you come in handcuffs and leave in a body bag.

Read my full review below.

This book has a great introduction. The first scene really hooked me. It was nerve-wracking and had one of the best introductions. I wish it lived up to the hype.

Nina the heroine of the story is a blind, abused, non-human being. All she ever knew was pain and torture until she escaped. She was falsely accused of murdering an important person (though it was fairly obvious that it was impossible to happen) and got sentenced to imprisonment in Nightmare Penitentiary, a labyrinth-like prison for the most dangerous paranormal criminals.

She was sweet and innocent. I normally did not like heroines like this because most authors make them doormats, but Nina was not like that. Her kindness was her strength and her softness was refreshing to see. Her naivety and innocence were not annoying to me. I loved her.

Now, as for the heroes:

Kai, the dragon shifter, leader of the group, and king of the prison.

Damien, a psychopathic assassin mage, Kai’s right-hand man.

Cain, the sex demon with a whole lot of sexual trauma and PTSD, half of the demon twins, and the one who did not automatically want to jump the heroine.

Abel, the trickster demon and the other half of the twin and the charming one.

Bronson, the big bad shadow wolf who wants to take care of and protect the heroine at all costs.

Rion, the crazy tiger shifter who could also shift into a cat, is even more unhinged than Damien and he talks a lot.

These guys are all Nina’s mates. Yes, it was one of those things. I did not mind the instalust and instalove going on in here because I was focused more on how these guys (ehem they’re criminals) take care of Nina. I had lived vicariously through her.

They don’t have that much to offer, and I cannot judge each of them since there was no character development involved in this one.

While I did love the characters of this book, everything else was meh. I finished this one just to see what will happen to them. And reading the second book did not help in the way that I wished it had.

I have nothing to say about the plot and the ending was even more unsatisfying.

I won’t be reviewing the second book (yes, I read it).

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Review: Wicked Duet by Persephone Steele

I went in blind with this (no pun intended, I swear!). There were times when I was caught off-guard, that I had to put the book down for a few moments, but that did not stop me from finishing it.

The mystery and the gore made my skin buzz and I was not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. But I still enjoyed the experience.

Before you proceed, please take note that there will be spoilers in this review. If you haven’t read this duet yet and you want to enjoy the story and get into the ✨mystery✨ vibe, I suggest skipping this one.

Characters

I will start this section by saying these characters were the best among my favorite main characters.

Izabelle Wicked was one of my favorite heroines. She annoyed me with her rudeness, abrasiveness, and arrogance but those were a few of the reasons why I like her. Most of the time I do not like characters who monologue too much, but hers were entertaining. I love being inside her head, so to speak. She was a blind psychic so letting her emotions dictate her actions was shown perfectly in the story.

Lastly, despite having so many doubts and insisting that she did not need the heroes, I loved her thought process when she went about how her mother turned out and then she realized that she did not want to be like her and finally opened her heart.

Now, as for the heroes. I thought I would not like them nor would I care much for them. But they proved to be amazing as well.

Starting with Nicolas De Leon, the leader of the group and the one with anger issues. He was a control freak and a fucking asshole. He would always clash with Wicked (because they were both jerks) but I knew that there was more to him. I was right.

When he started to work on his issues and maturely analyzed what he needed to do to be with Wicked, god, I swooned. I was so annoyed for having a crush on a literal douchebag who was rude and toxic but was also protective and sweet for one woman. Yeah, I like that alot. Sigh, feminism jumped out of the window I supposed.

Next, Kai Zhao is the resident charming pretty boy. I was so sure that he was also going to be a typical manwhore because that was what Wicked thought of him BUT NO! Oh my god, he fell in love at first sight with her and it was so fucking cute. I screamed when I read about that. We were as blind as Wicked in this story since we discovered the truth with her.

Now, I knew that this was dark. But I thought it was because of the crime scenes and how vividly described they are, but man. Kai’s story was fucked up. Like really fucked up and I cried reading about what he had to go through. I also skimmed a lot because I could not handle how clear the picture was inside my head. And knowing how awful his backstory was and seeing how caring and happy-go-lucky he was as a character made me love him even more. I knew people like him who did not let the darkness take over their hearts and remained soft despite all the hardships. He was one of the more perfectly fleshed-out characters that I read about.

Lastly, Ezra Grayson as the deadly quiet guy. He was Wicked’s rock. Unmovable and unbreakable, except for when she was involved. I also thought that he would be a typical quiet protective guy but I was wrong again. He was a polar bear. I likened characters to polar bears who were extremely deadly and could annihilate a person but also were the sweetest marshmallows to their loved ones.

I loved the complexity of his character. He was closed off but also the only one (among the three heroes) who quickly opened up to Wicked. He seemed to be like someone who wanted to remain unseen but he also knew what he wanted and would get it. He always put Wicked first. Frankly, his devotion to her was intoxicating. I wish I could have more words to do his character justice because his characterization was one of my favorites. We love a good paradoxical character.

Plot

Gosh. Where do I even start?

I am not a huge mystery connoisseur but I will say that this was one of the few where I was not entirely sure of my deductions.

I even became suspicious of one of the main characters because I had no idea who the stalker was. The red herring in the story worked out well. Most of the time I would still be able to catch the culprit but I did not this time.

Ending

Despite my dissatisfaction with the stalker not being killed, I understood that it was the perfect form of justice. Not being able to get what they wanted was the best punishment for them.

Again, I would commend the author because I did not see that coming. I was suspicious of that woman (Abby?) and I knew that there was a reason why she was somewhat a constant in this story but I did not expect her to be the stalker. It felt like I was just as blind for not seeing things.

I wanted to say that it did not make sense but at the same time, I knew that was not true. Even when it was revealed that there was a mistress involved, and then later on confirmed that she was a witness to the accident that took away Wicked’s dad and ability to see, I did not think about her being the stalker. My focus was on the chief as the primary suspect. Even when he revealed his reasons, I was still suspicious of him. I ignored all the possible clues.

Ah, I really enjoyed this duet. This was how the mystery stalker books should be.

Rating

I gave this duet a 4 out of 5 stars.

Reading books without looking at reviews beforehand was the best way to go. It did not warp my perspective and I have a clean slate to form my own opinions.

My only problem was getting smacked by vivid descriptions of assault and torture. It was not the author’s fault, of course. I just wasn’t ready. I am familiar with dark fiction and read a lot of it. I also have experience reading extremely depraved pitch-black stuff that will leave you shaking and numb, but I was expecting all of those. Contrary to Wicked, I was not ready. Perhaps because the main character’s quirks took all the spotlight. The ambiance was light enough that I did not expect all that darkness. Then again, it was what I loved about it.

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Book Review: Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight

Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel—The Vipers. They run this town and everyone in it. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant. These men, they look at me with longing. Their scarred, blood-stained hands holding me tight. They want everything I am, everything I have to give, and won’t stop until they get just that. They can own my body, but they will never have my heart. The Vipers? I’m going to make them regret the day they took me. This girl? She bites too.

Read my full review below the cut.

Trigger Warning: violence, graphic torture, death, gore, graphic mutilation, domestic abuse, kidnapping, self-harm, sexual abuse, blood play, gunplay, knife play, sexual violence.

I will start by saying that this book was one of those hate-to-love kinds. I really cannot believe that I enjoyed it despite the numerous groans and frustrated screams I did.

Was it the smut? Was it the mind-numbing scenes I couldn’t believe I was reading? Because it sure as hell was not the plot nor the characters.

Each time I read dark romance, I always prepare myself for a ton of suspension of disbelief. I would also remind myself what I was getting into. But, oh boy, Den of Vipers still made my eyebrow twitch despite all that.

When I first read it, I loved it. It was the time when I was binge-reading dark and mafia romance so that might be the reason. Since I was already in that headspace, I only got to compare it to the similar tropes I was already reading. But, for the second and third time, I was confused about why I loved it.

Characters

Roxy. The take-no-shit heroine, always angry and swore to fight her kidnappers, but would also jump their bones without hesitation, so there is that.

I did not like her character. She was a typical one in these kinds of books which made me sad. I wanted more strong and angry heroines but, not the one who loses their backbone when a hot guy comes. I do not mind body-betrayal tropes, but that was not executed well in this book.

She was flip-flopping a lot. If she was consistent with what she was saying and (sometimes) thinking then I might like her. But there was none of that.

Ryder. The boss man. The one who needs to always be cold and in control. His character isn’t complex, just a typical alphahole trope.

Maybe I would have liked him if he kept to his role and not said cringey things that would pull me out of my immersion.

Kenzo. The pretty boy. The least crazy among the men. I was actually quite intrigued by him, he was what I hoped was one of the complex characters.

He was the resident charmer with a few hints of insanity which he showed by… switching his facial expressions quickly. I really had too high of expectations from him.

Garrett. The big guy. He was the enforcer and the one who could crush your skull with his bare hands. He was also the hero who hated the heroine (at first, of course).

Man, I also have a lot of expectations from Garrett. If only he did not constantly call Roxy “baby” even during his breakdowns. It did not make me swoon, nope. It was out of place.

Diesel. The crazy guy. No, really, he’s absolutely sick in the head. When I read about his character I actually exclaimed “Yes! Thank f*ck!” I loved him. He was the perfect character to open the story for me.

Alright, disclaimer, just because I love me some crazy man it does not mean I want one in real life. This is fiction. Let’s be mature with critical thinking skills here. Okay? Okay.

Anyway, he was the most complex character among the four and the bar is low. He enjoyed torturing and killing people. But, he would also be holding and caring for Roxy when it was just the two of them. On the other end of that, each time they come together (heh, you got what I mean? No? Okay…) he would also sexually torture her with literal physical torture. Going at it while there was still a fresh dead body beside you was nothing new for me. I was already desensitized by it. I was shocked to see myself reading through all that.

He was all over the place and I loved it. That made me feel icky for liking a character like him. He made me question my morals, goddamn.

When Roxy said something about riding the crazy train I completely agreed.

Nevertheless, these men did not feel like authoritative figures at all. Sure, they would always say that “they run this city” but how they talk does not show that. They felt immature like those bully high school romances with gangs in them. They do not feel like mob bosses. Perhaps it’s because their power was more told to us than shown.

It was my fault for having too high of expectations since I always incorporate powerful people with silence. Which, are not these guys. They talk a lot.

One thing I like most about first-person POVs is that I can see the character’s thought process. However, the characters (especially the men) here might be distinct from each other and each had their own voice but, the supposed maturity they should have did not shine through. Again, I felt like I was reading a bully romance with edgy teenagers more than anything.

Plot

There really is not much to talk about the plot. I don’t think the people who enjoyed this book will talk about the plot at all.

I was intrigued yes. And the smut was one of those “is it legal to like this one?” kind of smut.

It was not amazingly written but the shock value upped the ante, both the smut and the plot points. It pushed my limits and it made me take a peek at my dark side.

Ending

Again, nothing to really talk about. It was the best ending the book could offer. I’m sorry. I really do not have anything to say about the whole plot of this book. It was nothing special.

Rating

When I first read Den of Vipers, I gave it 5 stars. But for the second and third time, I finally saw what I was blinded to see initially and gave it a 3-star.

The only category in my CAWPILE system that had a high score was Intrigue and Enjoyment. Which I gave enjoyment a 10. Everything else was either a meh or a fail.

Despite that, I need to give credit where credit is due. This book stayed in my head for so long. Each time I read a mafia romance after, I would compare it to this. Each time I would encounter obsessive, insane, completely unhinged alphaholes, I would compare it to this. Its craziness stuck in my head, and I consider that impressive since I read a lot. If a book does that to me, then, they did a good job.

Final Thoughts

Do I want a sequel for this series? Hard pass.

Do I recommend this to others? Two words for you. Gore and Porn. If you’re into that, then go for it.

Was this a heavy read? It is heavy on the dark side. Please read with caution and heed the trigger warnings.

Will I read this again? Nope. Not again.

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Book Review: Nanny for the Neighbors by Lily Gold

‘To the boys in apartment 5A. Congratulations. You have a kid.’ That’s what the note attached to the abandoned baby carrier says. And now my three gorgeous neighbors are in deep trouble. None of them have a clue how to look after the baby that’s been left on their doorstep. Luckily, there’s a nanny in the building. I can barely believe my eyes when the sizzling boys next door come knocking for my help. The truth is, I’ve been secretly crushing on the guys in 5A for years—and now I finally have an excuse to meet them all. There’s Jack, the sweet, nerdy game designer with the infectious smile. Cyrus, the flirty dancer whose smooth moves melt my brain into goo. And Sebastian, the ripped businessman with the smoldering stare. Every day, I go to their apartment to take care of the baby. And every night, they take care of me. It doesn’t take long for our arrangement to get steamy. Soon, I’m falling for all three of them. It’s a dangerous game. These men are my bosses, not my boyfriends, and I’ve already told them that romance isn’t in the cards. But every molten look and stomach-fluttering kiss is making it harder for me to stay strong. And when work threatens to tear our fragile family apart, one thing becomes very clear: I’m sick of being the girl next door. It’s time this nanny got a promotion.

After reading my third Lily Gold book, I can finally conclude that she writes amazing introductions. She always hooks me up to the story and keeps me intrigued.

I don’t usually enjoy books with babies and pregnancies as the main plot point. It’s just a personal preference. But, since I enjoyed Lily’s other books I gave this one a try and I wasn’t disappointed.

What I love about Nanny for the Neighbors is the characters themselves. Specifically their very human flaws. They are not superficial and successfully connects their complexities to their motives and how they handle certain situations.

If you are familiar with my other reviews, I am very particular with character building and I can say that this book has one of the best characterization.

Also, this made me sob hard. I love it!

Final thoughts: I would recommend this to anyone who loves found families and anything to do with babies.

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Book Review: Faking with Benefits by Lily Gold

WANTED: Three fake boyfriends. Must be tall, ripped — and willing to teach me how to kiss.

My name is Layla Thompson, and I am undateable. Seriously. I’m twenty-eight and I’ve never had a boyfriend. And with my thirties rapidly approaching, I’m starting to lose patience.

Lucky for me, I have three overprotective best friends who are all-too-eager to help hone my dating skills. There’s Zack, the huge rugby player with the cheeky grin and rippling biceps. Josh, the boy-next-door with the sculpted jaw and calculating stare. And Luke, the silver-haired divorcee… who also happens to be my old professor.

After a bad date leaves me crying on their shoulders, the three men are determined to help me find a guy. Together, they agree to be my ‘practice boyfriends’, and come up with a lesson plan packed with fake dates, make out sessions, and classes on flirty texting. In return, I just have to make an appearance on their relationship advice podcast once a week. Easy.

But as my lessons become more and more intense, we soon find ourselves getting in too deep. Every stomach-fluttering touch lingers a little too long, and every molten kiss ends in fireworks. It’s not long before I realise that their friendship isn’t enough for me anymore. I want more.

The guys have been teaching me how to get a boyfriend, and now it’s time I put their lessons to the test.

Three times over.

Read my full review below the cut.

I am obsessed with this book! Perhaps it is because I relate to Layla about needing to be in control of every aspect of my life, needing to stick with my plans, even the list making it’s just on point! Also, Zack, Luke, and Josh being emotionally constipated men felt like a reflection of what kind of guys I mostly attract… I feel seen and I don’t know if I like it.

The smut on this is also the best among the Lily Gold books I read. And I do not mind a sequel. I just want to see more from these characters.

Aside from swooning and giggling, I also cried my eyes out. The guys should have groveled like hell, but, I was not in the mood to read a heavily angsty novel so I still find it okay.

Final thoughts: If you love a good romcom, this one’s for you. If you love perfectionist women with chaotic men, this one’s for you.

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Book Review: Three Swedish Mountain Men by Lily Gold

Three ripped, gorgeous men. One secluded Swedish mountain cabin. It looks like my vacation is about to heat up…

After my ex-boyfriend makes me the target of a cruel online hate campaign, I know I have to get away. The last thing I expect on my trip to Sweden is a moose standing in the middle of the road — or the mysterious, bearded ranger who pulls me from my wrecked car.

Now a storm’s brewing, and I’m being carried into a secluded mountain cabin by a Nordic God rippling with muscle. Inside, I’m greeted by three sizzling-hot Swedish mountain men:

Riven, the cool, collected doctor with the muscled arms and the impeccable bedside manner. Eli, the flirty ski instructor with the charming smile and dimples I’m dying to kiss. And Cole, the rugged blonde ranger with the ice-blue eyes and a hammer to rival Thor.

Trapped inside the cabin, we only have the roaring fire—and each other—to keep warm. And things heat up fast. All three men are fiercely protective over me. They look like Vikings, kiss like angels, and best of all, they love sharing me. It feels too good to be true.

But I’m not who I say I am. When my mountain men find out my true identity, will they be able to forgive my lies and love the real me? Or will my dark, painful secret shatter our relationship to pieces?

Read my full review below the cut.

Not gonna lie, I loved how we were just thrown right in the middle of an accident as an introduction to our heroine, Daisy. I was like, “what the f*ck is going on?!”

Anyway, this is another great short read from Lily Gold. I enjoyed the different relationship development of Daisy with Eli, Riven, and Cole. They were given their own timelines which fit their personalities and their compatibility with their girl.

I give this one a four star rating for making me incredibly mad and sad. The focus of the book is more on the characters so I could understand that we just glossed over their back stories. Also, while I do love a good grovel from the heroes when they inevitably fucked up, this is one of those when I don’t think a long grovel is needed.

Final thoughts: Definitely will recommend! I think I liked this one better than Triple-Duty Bodyguards from the same author.

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Book Review: Grave Mistakes by Ivy Asher & Raven Kennedy

It’s never a good combo to be broke and desperate. You do stupid things. Like accidentally sign your soul over to Hell.

When I interviewed for a new security job, I didn’t bat an eye that it was for a literal graveyard shift...headstones and all. I mean, at the hourly rate they were offering, who cares? I got this.

Turns out, I’m not guarding a graveyard like I thought. It seems I’ve just walked my broke ass into protecting a Gate to Hell. Yeah…I don’t got this.

Now I’m stuck in a terrifying new reality: a group of hot demons who act like I can solve all their problems, and a battle between good, evil, and balance.

This will seriously teach me to read the fine print on Help Wanted ads. Good thing this job comes with a scythe. Maybe I can use it to stop them from dragging my ass into Hell.

Read my full review below.

Delta was the main reason why I love this book. She was funny and there were so many times when I would drop my phone to roll and laugh. I did not find her monologues annoying, I find her thought process interesting. Despite her quirkiness, she was not obnoxious when having to deal with certain situations, and I loved that.

Now, the heroes, Rafferty, Jerif, Echo, and Crux were interesting at first. I hoped that they were more complex but they were not. It was obvious that Delta was the main focus of this book.

I do not mind the Chosen One trope if it is executed well. There was enough mystery and hints to assume that Delta was an ultra-powerful being and I have no complaints with that as well.

There is not much plot in this, and it was more character-driven which I always enjoy anyway, so there was that.

This book ended with a cliffhanger and an intense scene. I was devouring it like I was starved and my heart was pounding. I could say that this book ended where it should be. It was perfect.

I gave this book a 4.75 out of 5 stars.

Though I gave high scores on some areas such as Characters, Ambience, Writing Style, Intrigue, and Enjoyment, the remaining parts such as Plot and Logic were given lower scores.

This was one of the closest to a 5-star I could give if only the plot were more intriguing and the heroes had a little more personality.

I also read the next book but, I did not like it just as much as this one. So I decided to separate the two since I really really loved this book.

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Book Review: Knot Your Damn Omega by Devyn Sinclair

She’s famous, beautiful, and the one Omega whose name everyone knows. She’s my twin sister. Everyone wants her, and no one wants me.

Being the twin of a movie star isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Eva is glamorous and sweet, and everything I’m not. Believe me, every person in my life has made that crystal clear. The press calls me the Ice Queen, leaving pack after pack broken in my wake.

I wish it were true.

All I’ve ever wanted was a pack—to be loved and cherished the way an Omega was meant to be—but now I’ve given up hope. Every group I meet wants a copy of my sister. Let’s not even mention the ones who called me by her name.

That was before I ran into an Alpha whose scent made me climb him like a tree. And his pack, who smells like heaven, makes me perfume, and claims they want to make me theirs. I want to believe love like this exists, yet the past has taught me it’s too good to be true.

I want to be able to tell the world I’m taken. To scream I’m knot your damn Omega… I’m theirs. But first, I have to believe it myself.

Read my full review below the cut.

First time reading an omegaverse in such a long time and this was a good one to start.

I loved Esme right after meeting her. I loved that she has a strong character but is also soft and sensitive, she was very human. I can go and say that she was one of my favorite heroines of all time.

However, as for the heroes, I felt like I was mixing some of them and they were not all fully given attention despite having dedicated scenes with Esme. I always mixed Luke and Avery, Rylan was always mentioned but I could not feel him, only Ben and Kade had distinct voices among them. Since this book was character-oriented, I wished the heroes were explored more. Esme’s character background and motivation were explored thoroughly.

Despite that, I still enjoyed it. I loved the story progression and how the pack took care of Esme. It has tooth-rotting fluff and blazing-hot smut!

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Book Review: Triple-Duty Bodyguards by Lily Gold

One celebrity diva in trouble. Three overprotective bodyguards determined to keep her safe. As one of the world’s most hated celebrities, I’m used to unwanted attention. But when I wake up one morning to find a mysterious man has broken into my house, I know I need security, fast. Enter “The Angels”, my three ex-SAS bodyguards: Glen, the Scottish sweetheart with the scarred face and gentle hands. Kenta, the long-haired soldier with the tattooed skin and secretive smile. And Matt, the blue-eyed, bad-tempered leader haunted by his military past. Having three gorgeous men guarding me 24-7 sounds like a dream come true, but it turns out to be a nightmare. They’re always here, watching me. Caring for me. Protecting me. They tell me to ignore them and go about my business, but I can’t even think with them so close. The spark is too intense. On top of that, we don’t get on. They think I’m a demanding diva. I think they’re overdramatic. When a trip to America sends the guys’ protective instincts into overdrive, the sizzling tension between us finally breaks, and I learn my bodyguards’ biggest secret: they want me. All three of them. Meanwhile, my stalker’s behaviour is becoming more and more alarming. He’s photographing me through windows and following me in the shadows. With the premiere for my next movie coming up, will my three bodyguards be able to keep me safe from his clutches? Or will my terrifying pursuer finally get his deadly way?

Read my full review of Triple-Duty Bodyguards below the cut.

I love the banter on this! Everything was alright, but the characters and the dialogue were what I loved the most.

I adore Briar Saint as the heroine, and I like that she is consistent throughout the whole book. Matthew Carter, Kenta Li, and Glen Smith were also amazing. Ex-SAS military turned bodyguards who went through a very traumatic experience on their last tour. Matthew is the mandatory H with the trauma baggage, Kenta is the one who holds them all together, and Glen is the quiet supportive one. I would also give points to how the guys’ relationships are portrayed. We love to see supportive and openly affectionate manly men. But I was also left wanting more from them! Briar is the main focus of the story, but I would love to see more from the guys.

This is why I barely read standalone! I believe that lovable characters should be given more spotlight. Those cannot be fully portrayed in standalone books. But alas, we need to try or we’ll miss out on all the fun.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

The plot was just fine. Predictable, nothing major, but the characters made up for all its faults.

What I didn’t like was the stalker’s POV. He’s not that interesting to have dedicated chapters of his own. Perhaps that was the point? And the reason for it is to build further resentment for him. But eh, not for me.

Last thought: I would read Triple Duty Bodyguards again if I wanted something short and sweet. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a snarky heroine and embodies real bad bitch energy.

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Review: A Knight's Revenge Series by Elizabeth Dear

I may not be impressed by this series, but I still finished it for the plot. You can read my full review below.

It is hard to draft a concise and detailed review when everything is… subpar, except for these book covers.

This may have fitted more with a fantasy theme but we will still appreciate great cover artists here.

Time and time again, I keep having high expectations for books or series with so much praise and hype only to be disappointed in the end. But I guess that is my fault.

Anyway, these are the bulleted reasons why I finished A Knight’s Revenge instead since I cannot dissect it my usual way.

The plot is intriguing enough. I wanted to know what happens next despite already having an idea.

I wanted all the villains to die. The villains were only there to trigger you and annoy you. No personalities at all. Just caricatures with no compelling motivations whatsoever only made to further the revenge trope. They were only there to be killed/maimed by the main characters.

I was expecting some kind of redemption further down the story since, just as I said, there was a lot of praise for this series. But it did not happen. I should have DNF-ed but, then again, please refer to the first reason.

I thought the smut would get better. But nope. If smut is not needed in the story just don’t include it, please. I’m all for unnecessary porn on my books. I love it in fact. But, if the intention is to stimulate but fails to do its purpose just do a fade to black. It just all added to the disappointment I already had.

And that’s all of it. I still do not think that this series deserves anything lower than 3 stars, I finished it after all. Also, in my CAWPILE system, enjoyment still got a 7.

The rating I gave is for the entire series. I cannot rate each book since this trilogy could have been one book in my opinion.

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The Havoc Boys Series by C.M. Stunich: This is Ridiculous! I love it.

This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed myself reading the whole series. Read my full review under the cut.

And if you want to know my thoughts on each book just click: (1) Havoc at Prescott High (2) Chaos at Prescott High (3) Mayhem at Prescott High (4) Anarchy at Prescott High (5) Victory at Prescott High

I will start this review by saying: I hate bully “romance”. And since these tropes were huge in young adult-high school settings, I don't read those anymore.

But The Havoc Boys was an exception. C.M. Stunich’s storytelling was able to chain my ass on a chair allowing me to finish the whole thing. Not only that, the story didn’t focus much on the bullying and only gave you flashbacks of it.

I didn’t think it will make much of a difference if the bullying element wasn’t included in the plot development since she already had an awful life throughout her teenage years. It felt like it was just thrown out there. The H’s bullying her into "leaving town" didn't hold any merit since we didn't see the consequences of that (i.e. h was still obsessed with these boys who did an overkill on her while she was going through all the abuse). But, it wasn't my story, so.

I think you should proceed with an open mind and low expectations. There were a lot of things in the series that weren’t something to give a comprehensive explanation of. This was for a specific kind of audience and I also consider this a self-indulgent read if you’re looking for something specific, as well as my guilty pleasure.

The Book Cover

The book covers played a huge part in convincing me to read this series. I wasn’t entirely sure about the premise at first seeing that the characters were barely legal and all. And yet, the cover art did an amazing job of pulling me in.

It was your typical shirtless guys, but the focus wasn’t entirely on them. It was elegantly made despite the story environment. It also gave an accurate depiction of the H’s characteristics and their relationship with the heroine.

Havoc at Prescott High was my favorite. While Anarchy at Prescott High was a close second.

Characters

Let me talk about the main characters first, starting with the heroine.

Bernadette Blackbird. I have a love-hate relationship with her. I understand that she was an aspiring writer, however, her monologues... weren’t impressive. She was edgy to the point of being cringe. I don't love her. But I don't hate her either, at least most of the time. How was she able to lust after the guys who made her life a living hell for years? I have no idea. But then again, this is why I hate bully romance.

One of the reasons why I was able to get through the story was because the bullying didn’t happen on the current timeline. I didn’t know if what she went through would be considered “bullying" or just downright assault and abuse. At least you were able to see some form of maturity in her character later on. But, she still embodies that teenager who thinks she already knows everything there is to know.

Next up, the harem. The HAVOC Boys. I won’t be commenting about their physical aspects like how the author did them. I don’t care much about those things. I’m more on how they were written: if they were fleshed out well or if they were only words on the paper with no personality at all. Considering that, we have 5 Hs in this series that fulfilled the usual tropes.

I will say this, these guys don’t act their age at all. Thinking about it now, I could give this series a higher rating if the characters were older. Anyway, more of those later below. Let’s get back to the characters at hand:

You have the over-the-top intense leader/boss, Victor Channing. He was an asshole. But hey, he has to be. He was a gang leader after all. If you are into bad boys (read: assholes) that are obsessed with you and only care about you—and maybe his bros—you'll probably like this dude. Is he a great character? No. But do I at least like him? Maybe. Again, if you like the domineering types, you’ll probably bark at Victor Channing.

Then you have the trying-to-be-the-hero-ex-boyfriend, Aaron Fadler. I hated him at first because his past actions didn't show his supposed loyalty to Bernie at all (don't worry it's not an OW drama). But goddamn me because I like guys who are amazing with kids (and with the elderly). Yes, he was Bernie's ex. And yes, he was there during the bullying (abuse) which happened after they broke up. Among the guys, I believe he was the closest you can get to being "normal." He tried to be a good person but considering everything he had already done, I didn’t think that would be possible. The only way for him to grow was to accept his darkness. Good thing it did happen.

Of course, there’s always going to be the manwhore. Hael Harbin. But he was that type of manwhore who at least respects women. Yes, I know it's the bare minimum but you get the point. He also plays the role of balancing the dynamic of the group. Oh also, he loves vintage cars. He's a mechanic with soft hands, according to Bernie. Among the boys (Yes, boys. They’re minors despite what the author tries to say), Hael was the most chill. He can give pull off a bad romance kind of relationship. The one that's so bad but oh so great. He also falls into that category of being the manwhore who will drop his whore-ish ways when they find the right one.

Next on the list. The gang needs to have a brain and that was Oscar Montauk. While Victor makes all the decisions, Oscar was the one who weighs those decisions. He was also the hater but was actually obsessed with the heroine. He was not great with feelings and he also has a lot of trauma. I think the most awful one as well. Among the characters though, Oscar got the most character development though we could only witness the process, I think it was a good thing. He was also that character who you’ll probably get scared of but also be interested in. He could either go full serial killer or just be a weird dude with dark thoughts. Though to be fair, this was a gang story so all of the Hs are murderers by default.

Last but not least, the most mysterious one and possibly also the most dangerous, Callum Park. He gives off quiet-killer vibe and lurks about most of the time. He was the silent one. The one who prefers to be by the sidelines, just observing. But everybody knows he was dangerous and he could go off like a bomb if anything happened to the object of his fascination. He was the resident pretty boy as well, since he was supposed to be a primo ballerino but because of things that happened in the past he couldn't anymore.

The characters are heavily influenced by the overused western media tropes and archetypes. You know the usual stuff about high school TV shows. They’re cringe, and dramatic, everyone has trauma, the adults were practically useless, and everyone wasn’t acting like their age. Perhaps a little ridiculousness from time to time could be good for your mind.

But, since I do like my stories with vivid storytelling, it surprisingly worked well for me. I also don’t find that much character development with the characters, except with Oscar. Also maybe with Aaron and Victor as well. Hael and Callum’s character growth aren’t that significant but I don’t think they have to since they weren’t presented with something to work on.

Plot

The plot was able to immerse me into the H.A.V.O.C. world and Stunich deserves her roses for a skill like that. One reason why I pushed through was: the action didn’t occur that much around the school setting. This might be your typical high school bully who runs a gang, but the storytelling was what sets it apart from the rest. This trope was highly overused in the reverse harem contemporary romance genre, so the only way for a series to be different is all up to the author’s prowess.

It was a simple revenge plot but the action made it all interesting. There's nothing much special to it but again, this is for self-indulgent purposes. If you can get past the Riverdale cringe, you will enjoy this one.

The pacing was a little fast, and a lot of things are happening all at once. But it was executed well and everything worked perfectly. Despite all that is happening, I loved the feeling of suspense that went through with it. Putting aside all of the things that didn’t work well for me, the plot was well-developed to keep you interested.

If you don’t want to be spoiled, I suggest you do not read the ending section of this review.

Ending

The ending of a well-developed series is always going to be a deal breaker, just look at Game of Thrones and Supernatural. I will say this though, the ending of Havoc Boys may not be the best ending there could be, but considering all that led up to that particular moment, it was perfect.

Stunich used the False Death plot device and was executed well enough that I actually thought the character died. This was the part I cried about and the reason why I still considered this one good for my taste. I think an author who can make you cry just by reading the journey of their characters is a phenomenal author.

In the actual end, we got our HEA. Yay!

Rating

The average rating of this 5-book series was 3.5. I rounded it down to 3 out of 5 stars.

This whole thing was a damn roller coaster ride.

Despite the initial apprehension and almost not finishing the first book, I finished all five with no breaks in between. There might have been elements that didn’t work for me, but the storytelling alone made up for all of it.

A huge suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy this series. Sure, you won’t be able to gain much but, to be honest, this is not for that. The Havoc Boys series is highly self-indulgent and smut is top-tier. Not too graphic to the point of boring me to death, but just enough. Frequent, yet still enough.

Final Thoughts

Do I want a sequel for this series? I don't think so. Let's leave the ending at that. The characters are lovable enough throughout the five books, but not enough for me to get curious and look at what they could be doing in the future.

Do I recommend this to others? If you want to indulge in a guilty pleasure without needing to think too much and give reasons for everything, this could be a good read. I don't think you should be picking up this book just to find all that is wrong with it. Or if you are not ready to try and experience something out of your comfort zone.

Was this a heavy read? There are mentions of past extreme bullying, sexual assault (on minor characters), attempted sexual assaults, pedophilia, sexual relations between teenage characters, and the usuals when it comes to crime fiction (drugs, violence, murder, etc.). So if you are new to this kind of genre, this might be uncomfortable for you. But if you're not, this is mild. Again, all you have to do is enjoy the ride. Some things might not work for you, and some might, it all depends on personal preferences.

Will I read this again? I re-read the whole series: twice on my own accord just to feel some emotions it brought me the first time I stumbled upon it; another one to relive and remember the plot to pull out this review. It being a part of my “I could read it again” shelf says something.

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Book Review: Victory at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There's one heart you can’t break at Prescott High, not unless you’re one of them. The Havoc Boys. They’re my family, my redemption, and my future.

Victory at Prescott High has always meant escape. Once upon a time, that meant graduation and a one-way ticket out of town. But everything is different now.

This year, my life changed in irrevocable ways. The Havoc Boys have a Havoc Girl; they have a queen who wears her crown with pride. I’ll need every ounce of strength I possess to dig us out of an early grave.

One last chance; one more fight. If there really are happy endings for people from my side of the tracks, then we’ll find one. Or else we’ll go down together in a hail of gunfire.

Blood in, blood out. Always.

This is the last book of The Havoc Boys Series. You can check my quick review below.

Fuck.

Alright, that was a ride.

A round of applause for Victory at Prescott High. It was done and beautifully so.

Out of all the books, this has my favorite sex scenes. I also love seeing character development! Better late than never.

The aftermath of the shooting at Prescott High was insane. Lots of deaths. A favorite side character included. If the previous book had tons of action, this maintained the momentum. There was just one incident that I felt was just thrown there to tug at our emotions but still, god fucking damn it, it worked!

The ending?

Fuck. Okay, it was easy to make me cry while reading, and this one got me. I can’t believe Stunich really did me like that. But again! It worked! And I think that was all that mattered.

Victory at Prescott High is getting a 4.5 from me.

When a book leaves me screaming, furious, and crying, it deserves a near-perfect score at least. The conclusion of this series didn’t disappoint and gave me a sense of completeness from all the emotions I had to go through.

Check The H.A.V.O.C. Boys Series review for my final thoughts.

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Book Review: Anarchy at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There’s one mistake you don’t make at Prescott High, not unless you want me to ruin you. Do not touch my beautifully broken Havoc Boys. Harbin, Fadler, Channing-Blackbird, Montauk, and Park.

Death stalks the halls of Prescott High. Once upon a time, my best friend betrayed me. For over a year, I let that two-faced bitch go. But not anymore.

This time, she’s stirred up the devil in me. We’re finishing up my list; we’re setting our sights higher; we’re taking control of this city. The VGTF, the detective, the pretty young cop.

It doesn’t matter. Because we are Havoc, and I no longer have limits. My boys have corrupted me, and we’re more than happy to bathe in the blood of our enemies.

You can read my quick review below the cut.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

Yes. That’s the initial reaction.

Anarchy at Prescott High.

I feel like the buffet has finally brought out the best dishes. The previous ones, I could say were either appetizers or something that was just alright. But this one? Oh boy.

Bernie went toe-to-toe with one of her biggest disappointments, Kali Rose. If it weren’t for daddy Aaron getting the fuck out of the clutches of the enemy, Bernadette Blackbird would be a dead bird.

Now, she has finally seen the consequences of her actions and the ending of Anarchy at Prescott High showed some character development from her.

Although, new plot devices came in too late into the series. Trinity Jade. James Barasso. The Grand Murder Party. I guess an antagonist bigger than Pamela Pence and Ophelia Mars was needed.

But hey, it worked! So, I don’t need to have any complaints. Let’s see what’s in store for us at the conclusion of this series.

4 stars. Hands down.

I’m giving Anarchy at Prescott High 4 stars for keeping me on the edge of my seat. I felt like I was gripping my pearls throughout the book, goddamn. This is by far my favorite in the series.

Next!

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Book Review: Mayhem at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There’s one girl you don’t mess with at Prescott High, not unless you want them to come for you. Those dirty, rotten Havoc Boys might be a gang to everyone else, but they’re family to me. My f*ckbuddy. My first love. My husband. My challenger. My confidante.

There’s trouble brewing in the halls of our high school, and it’s spilling into the streets. Once upon a time, Havoc held Prescott in an iron grip. But for senior year, we want the whole goddamn city.

This year, we’ll have to drop bodies if we want to own the underground. Good thing that’s something we excel at. The Havoc Boys are artists, their brushes made of bone, their paint a brilliant ruby red.

One Havoc Girl for five Havoc Boys. I wear the crown; I warm their beds; I hold their leashes. We’re going to take back our school, our city, our lives—I’m just praying to whatever vengeful god will listen that the price for all of that doesn’t cost me a letter in our dark acronym. H.A.V.O.C.

Read my quick review below the cut.

Okay! We’re 3 down, 2 more to go!

Mayhem at Prescott High focused more on the gang war with Havoc's rival. It also has more sex in here. Yes, more than the previous ones. The first part of the book is literally Bernie and Victor's honeymoon, so.

Victor also finally got his shit together and talked himself into needing to “share Bernadette” with the rest of his boys.

Also, Oscar, despite being a genius, he lacks communication skills. He needs to get his head out of his ass, seriously.

At this point, everyone could agree that Bernadette’s list isn’t just a list anymore. It has a direct relation to Havoc’s problems. It was all just a huge web of deceit, greed, and violence. I actually do commend Stunich for weaving it perfectly.

If you’re here, that only meant that you got past the initial cringe. That’s fine because now, we can fully immerse ourselves into the plot as it thickens.

I’m also giving Mayhem at Prescott High another 3 stars.

I need something more. We’re on the third book already, I need to see more progress. Despite the series having already so much going on plot-wise, I still feel like something is lacking.

Enough chit-chat, and onto the next one!

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Book Review: Chaos at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There's one gang you don't piss off at Prescott High, not unless you want them to destroy you. The Havoc Boys. My enemies turned friends turned lovers.

These boys have never been saints, but this war that's brewing is resurrecting their inner demons. Once upon a time, I was their target. This time, I'm calling the shots. Senior year is my year.

This year, I'm going to bring down my enemies. This year, I'm going to run my tongue along the blade of vengeance and taste blood. The Havoc Boys are mine, and we were here first.

You don't mess with a Havoc Girl without paying the price. You don't start a rebellion without a little bloodshed. My boys and I don't mind using two wrongs to make a right—I just hope our brewing obsession with one another doesn't kill us all first.

Short review below the cut.

Oh boy.

Chaos at Prescott High is packed with more blood, more dead bodies, and more sex! Here, we were also able to briefly look into the Havoc boys' point of view during Bernie's torture.

To be honest, if all of those happened in the current timeline, I won’t be here right now. I have a loathing for bully romances if it wasn’t clear enough. But since the bullying happened before the timeline, and we’re already dealing with other things, I can set aside the anger. Do I think it’s pathetic and doesn’t make sense? Yes. Do I think Bernie is making a mistake by justifying what they did to her? Absolutely. But since this is fiction, eh, just take it as it is.

We also witnessed the progress of Bernie’s relationship with the other boys aside from Victor. Havoc at Prescott High focused more on scenes with Victor and Hael. While on book two, we have Bernie reconciling with Aaron, her and Callum’s slow and sweet progress, and Oscar breaking. And have I mentioned, there’s more sex?

The overarching plot is escalating slowly but surely. The pacing is alright for a 5-book-series despite having so many side plots going on.

Also, Bernadette and Victor’s goth wedding happened and the ending was a transition into their honeymoon. Let’s see if Victor will finally give the rest of the boys what they deserve. After all, they all agreed on a Havoc girl, right?

Since I enjoyed reading this book, I’m giving Chaos at Prescott High another 3 out of 5 stars. Suspension of disbelief is a must for the readers to appreciate this series. Don't think too much, just enjoy the ride.

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Book Review: Havoc at Prescott High by C.M. Stunich

There's one word you don't utter at Prescott High, not unless you want them to own you. H.A.V.O.C. Hael, Aaron, Victor, Oscar, and Callum.

The Havoc Boys rule the h*llhole we call Prescott High. Once upon a time, they ruled me. For an entire year, I endured their sh*t. But senior year is going to be different.

This year, I own them. I’ve made a pact with the Havoc Boys to get the vengeance I deserve. Their price? Me. At their beck and call, in their beds, a part of their gang.

Their girl. A Havoc Girl. Those dirty, rotten boys are going to get revenge against everyone that’s wronged me—everyone but themselves.

Read my review below the cut.

I had difficulties reading this book, I'm not gonna lie. It had so many cringe moments that almost made me drop it. Havoc at Prescott High is like that one TV show that will force you to go through all those stages of cringe and second-hand embarrassment. Yet you are still craving to know what will happen next.

There was so much happening in this book alone. Side plots were introduced but in a way that wasn’t overwhelming. The overarching plot was Bernie’s revenge against 7 individuals that made her life hell. Ironic since the people she asked for help were a big part of that.

It was a simple revenge plot but the action made it all interesting. If you can get past the Riverdale cringe, you will enjoy this one. The plot wasn’t anything spectacular but the storytelling was amazing. It felt like watching a movie.

After being desensitized from the cringe that few of the dialogues brought, it got action-packed towards the end. This is the first book of the series and it ended up on a cliffhanger. Even if you enjoyed only the last few pages, I could assure you that you would pick up the next book immediately.

I gave Havoc at Prescott High 3 out of 5 stars.

I had to consider how many times I almost DNF it. This is a highly self-indulgent series. You could even call it a guilty pleasure. So if you're only looking for something steamy, something to bring out multiple emotions—good and bad ones—without having to spend too much time pondering in general, this will do the trick.

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Review: Dying to Love by Reese Rivers

662 — Days since the dead rose up 413 — Days since I've spoken to another living human 4 — Men who have climbed my fence looking for safety 1 — Last chance for Love

Kelsey survived the start of the apocalypse and thrived in the new world with help from her friends but now they’re gone. Alone for over a year and mentally broken with high anxiety, she pushes through every day trying to find the will to keep going. Until three sweet, sexy men and one hot a**hole climbs her fence looking for sanctuary.

With her best friend, Tara haunting her with outrageous antics, she needs to decide if she wants to keep dying a little bit day by day or if she can grab on to what these sexy men offer her and maybe find love.

Also, zombies make a few cameos.

This isn’t a blood and gore zombie novel. It’s full of comedy, over protective men that just want to take care of her and a ton of sexy steam that happens behind a set of double fences.

You can read my full-length review under the cut.

Not gonna lie, this book is more like an Apocalypse wet dream than anything else. Sustainable land? Crops and Trees? Livestock? Technology-protected fences? Medical supplies? Fucking electricity? Running clean water? CELLPHONES? Well, shit.

The heroine, Kelsey, is an absolute Mary Sue. She knows medicine because she was a medical intern before the dead rose, so that one checks out. But, she also raises chickens, plants crops, trees, any food that grows from the ground, she knows a whole bunch about food production and preservation, has survival instincts like she used to be a military officer who fought in the war with the skills to back it. She’s a sharp shooter, hand-to-hand combat and knife skills like she’s some sort of secret agent. Girl? Really? The only flaw she has is she’s a little bit crazy because she has been living alone for over a year. She also talks to her dead best friend (and to her chickens).

I would be irritated at her if she’s a bitch but she’s actually really lovable and quirky. Her reaction to the men checks out considering she had no human contact for so long. I just rolled with the incredulousness and continued reading.

Let’s talk about the heroes—Lincoln, Oliver, Grayson, and Devin. I thought they would all be one-dimensional characters but I guess not. A little complexity and a little baggage go a long way. I would love to hear and learn more from these big boys. But since we already got the preggers scene in the end, possibly no sequel and the story of this fivesome is finished.

I will admit that I cried while reading this. And if a book made me cry no matter the reason, that means the author did I great job. Or I could just be a sensitive bean, but I digress. This is a short read so I appreciate the characters communicating like adults instead of drama, drama, drama. I’m already sick of conflicts revolving around miscommunication so this one’s amazing.

Among the standalone post-apocalyptic reverse harem books I’ve read this one was my favorite. It was easy for me to brush away the ridiculousness and just go on with the ride because the characters made it worth it. This has hints of insta-love sure, but again, it didn’t matter to me too much. 

There is no need to be overly critical of this piece, just enjoy the ride and get lost in the story.

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