#Compulsive Readers

[clairekreads]

The First Day Of Spring by Nancy Tucker @NancyCNTucker @HutchinsonBooks @tr4cyf3nt0n #bookreview #thefirstdayofspring

Happy Tuesday everyone! Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Nancy Tucker’s 2021 debut novel The First Day Of Spring. Continue reading The First Day Of Spring by Nancy Tucker @NancyCNTucker @HutchinsonBooks @tr4cyf3nt0n #bookreview #thefirstdayofspring

[holdoncallfailed]

SPILLED.

[annarellix]

The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma (The Ravence Trilogy, #1)

In a kingdom where flames hold magic and the desert hides secrets, an ancient prophecy comes for an assassin, a princess, and a king. But none are ready to face destiny-and the choices they make could burn the world.

"If we carry the burdens of our fathers, we'll never know what it means to be free."

For Elena Aadya Ravence, fire is yearning. She longs to feel worthy of her Phoenix god, of her ancestors who transformed the barren dunes of Sayon into a thriving kingdom. But though she knows the ways and wiles of the desert better than she knows her own skin, the secrets of the Eternal Flame elude her. And without them, she'll never be accepted as queen.

For Leo Malhari Ravence, fire is control. He is not ready to give up his crown-there's still too much work to be done to ensure his legacy remains untarnished, his family protected. But power comes with a price, and he'll wage war with the heavens themselves to keep from paying it.

For Yassen Knight, fire is redemption. He dreams of shedding his past as one of Sayon's most deadly assassins, of laying to rest the ghosts of those he has lost. If joining the court of flame and serving the royal Ravence family-the very people he once swore to eliminate-will earn him that, he'll do it no matter what they ask of him.

But the Phoenix watches over all and the fire has a will of its own. It will come for all three, will come for Sayon itself....and they must either find a way to withstand the blaze or burn to ash.

Book page: https://store.orbit-books.co.uk/products/the-phoenix-king

My Review:

A couple of years ago I read "The Boy with Fire", a previous release of this story and I found a lot of potential but the plot was a bit too slow.

Two years later I requested to read this novel as the blurb sounded intriguing and I was a subscriber of the author's newsletter.

Time and maybe some editing changed my opinion and I thoroughly enjoyed this story: a romantic fantasy with sci-fi elements and an Indian/Persian setting.

Yasseen and Elena are the young characters. Both are facing challenges and both are burned by an internal fire that could be the wish to be free or the desire to be able to use her own power.

Leo is the king, the one who wants to do more and he's not ready to give up his crown.

There's a complex world building, a world where the Phoenix is the god that drives these characters and the fire is the element that burn and renew. The Phoenix is the symbol of the endless cycle of life/death

There’re emotions in this story, there's some poignant moments, and there's some romance.

There's also intrigue and the fight for power.

The story is told by the POV of Yaseen and Elena and these characters grew on me and I rooted for them.

An excellent debut for this series, can't wait to read the next novel.

Many thanks to Orion and Compulsive readers for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

The Author:

Aparna Verma was born in India and immigrated to the United States when she was two-years-old. She graduated from Stanford University with Honours in the Arts and a B.A. in English. The Phoenix King is her first novel. When she is not writing, Aparna likes to ride horses, dance to Bollywood music, and find old cafes to read myths about forgotten worlds

Website https://theaparnaverma.com/

Twitter spirited_gal

Goodread: https://www.goodreads.com/aparna_verma

[jenmedsbookreviews]

The Siege by John Sutherland

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on The Siege by John Sutherland which is out now in all formats. @policecommander @orionbooks #books #booktwitter #booktwt

It’s another one of those rare days where I am playing catch up with Mandie. Mandie read The Siege by John Sutherland last year for the blog tour to celebrate the release of the hardback, and it’s been sitting on my TBR, haunting me, ever since. You can read Mandie’s review here, but as it was her favourite read of 2022, it’s fair to say it’s a good one. Having now caught up, I can understand…

[serenityysworld]

Nerd Yan x gn Popular Reader

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tw: cursing, violence, clingy behavior, physical abuse,

Nerd Yan who you first saw in the library getting bullied by a group of delinquents. You hated bullies. So, being the empathic person you were, you confronted them.

You told them you’d snitched and they mumbled curses before leaving. You helped the poor boy up and it was a bit awkward after, he stood there silently. He was practically studying you.

Nerd Yan who thought you were his savior! His crush noticed him? It must be fate, the gods planned this out. He thanked them subconsciously before snapping back into reality.

“Are you okay? also, can I have your name I’ll be reporting those people.” You spoke to him.

He was silent for a few seconds before he seemed to notice what you said, “um! I- m-my name is Ethan.. and y-yeah! I’m totally fine. They didn’t really do anything too bad to me.” He blabbered.“Oh okay, well my names y/n. Nice to meet you!” You shook his hands and you felt how weak and thin he were, wow. He let out a tiny gasp at the skin contact. “Y..yeah I know who you are. Your like super popular.. and it’s very nice to meet you too!” He said nervously.

After a small convo you exchanged numbers and began a small friendship. He was really nice. He gave you lots of gifts and he was so empathetic, you felt like you could share everything with him. He was like THE perfect friend. Since you were more popular you weren’t with Ethan a lot since he was extremely anti social. You hung out with him outside of school and it was really fun, except for the parts where he’d almost faint being In a big crowd and hated people being beside you. After a few months of being friends though he started to change, just a bit..maybe.

Ethan was like a different person. He looked weak but when he was determined to do something he was a whole different person, it seemed. He was way more bold, he walked up to you while you were with your friend group and just yanked you away from them. When you two had a sleep over later that day he said he did it because they weren’t good for you, and they annoyed him with how close they were to you?! That’s odd. He usually came over and slept over at your house after school every day, but you were going to a party today. It’s normal, you’re popular and extroverted. Nothing wrong with that. Well that’s what you thought.

You got slammed into the wall with a harsh yank, then Ethan yanked your head back to make you look at him. “You’re not leaving. I barely even hung out with you today and you already wanna leave. Your not fucking going to that boring party with all of your fake little friends. So, change that outfit please. Also, take off the makeup, I wanna watch a movie.” He said nonchalantly before getting up and walking away.

It was your fault. Your fault for making him jealous of everyone who breathed the same air as you, Your fault for saving him, your fault for becoming friends with him. Your fault for making him violent. It’s not him, it’s you.

These days you kinda regret becoming friends with Ethan. He’s so clingy, abusive, and toxic. Maybe you should tell your friends at school.. it’s getting lonely dealing with the abuse, not talking to your friends. It’s draining.. Maybe you should go to that party this Sunday, Ethan doesn’t have to know, he won’t know…

Pt. 2??

[luvacookie]

the day plug/shadyshit eren, sugar daddy onny and hispanic connie has no fans is the day that i’m dead.

[reidiot]

this guy, he doesn't go on dates

he doesn't go to parties

he doesn't feel comfortable in front of groups

and of course he's a total psychopath

[andsylphy]

your favorite vampire would rather walk into the sun even if it still burned him up than watch you read any more journals you pilfered off skeletons

[watatsumiis]

Bitey reader series - part 2

Yeah. A continuation to this series. Oops.

Content: gender neutral reader (heavily implied to be neurodivergent in some way), biting (gentle affectionate biting, not in a kinky way, just as a nontraditional expression of platonic affection), some flirting in Kaeya's section, implications of some of the mentioned characters also being neurodivergent.

Characters: Gorou, Itto, Kaeya, Lisa, Pantalone, Pierro

Gorou, after a few moments of initial confusion, goes full puppy mode. The pupils dilate and he perks right up and will lean right in to get you back. He LOVES nontraditional displays of affection. His tail starts wagging and he jumps up and down. You've just started something that you may not ever be able to stop.

Itto laughs at first, like full hearty chest laugh as he struggles to wrap his head around what the heck you think you're doing. He finds it really cute and endearing and will probably give you some kind of relevant nickname relating to it - he also probably tries to bait you into biting him every now and then - if anyone understands non-traditional displays of affection, it's Arataki 'kisses his homies goodnight' Itto.

Kaeya immediately takes it as some kind of flirty act. He raises his eyebrows in that suggestive way and purrs out something about how you should've at least bought him dinner first. He'll shrug it off as a one-time thing, but will subtly do things to encourage you to do it again, just so he can tease you about it once more, because he thinks your expressions are cute, and the fact that you do it at all is fascinating to him.

Lisa takes a moment to process what just happened, but very quickly gets over it. Razor and Klee are definitely well-known affectionate biters, and being their tutor she tends to receive a pretty decent amount of said biting. She'll chuckle and say something mildly teasing or offer you a snack, but a little later she may try to politely bring up the idea of a chewy piece of jewelry or something along those lines. Despite her endearment towards it, she does not particularly enjoy being used as a chew toy.

Pantalone will scold you. No hesitation, no processing time, just him sharply drawing away and hissing out an almost scathing "you stop that right now!" he's a huge germophobe and will probably end up swapping out the clothing or glove you bit. It's nothing personal, he's just extremely finicky about personal hygiene.

Pierro is completely and utterly stumped. He has no idea what you just did, or why you did it. He borders on annoyed and will question you about it - if you can't provide an answer, he just storms off in a huff (though in reality, he's going to go consult his 'sources' about what kind of modern trend biting people is).

Please don't repost, steal, copy or otherwise plagarise my writing! This includes posting translations to other sites.

[loveoaths]

i can’t stop describing maul as innately predatory, radiating silky danger and watchful teeth even when he appears at ease. the man has lived his entire life as a tiger in a cage; he does not do soft, because soft gets you killed, and he refuses to die.

i love writing him feline, elegant and animal bound together. there is something about him that innately triggers the primal in all who encounter him: the hair on your body pricks up, every sensory nerve kicking to life as that ancient evolutionary awareness that something is watching you, and it is hungry settles too-tight on your skin. his presence is paranoia, it’s that inner prickle when you whip around because you can feel someone watching you, but no one’s there. uncanny. unnerving. unwanted.

even when he’s caught and locked in a cell and you are separated by bars and force-blocking cuffs and solid walls, watching him watch you back feels like seeing a caged tiger for the first time, comes with the rapid onset feeling of, “oh.” this person, this thing is so much bigger, so much more dangerous, so much more unknowable than you ever anticipated, and for a split second you do not believe those cage bars will contain him. but then you think, no, metal is metal and you’re safe here. you’re safe. you are. and maul looks at you, contained, padding his cell carefully, knowing exactly when to turn without looking, golden eyes aglow and fixed on yours, and you can almost hear, in the menacing rumble unfurling inside his chest, an ancient word, one your animal ancestors knew but you’ve since evolved too far past to recognize, that feels a lot like “for now.”

[clairekreads]

COVER REVEAL!! The Time Of The Fire by Emma Kavanagh @EmmaLK @OrionBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #coverreveal #thetimeofthefire

Happy Wednesday everyone !! I’m thrilled to be taking part in this fabulous cover reveal for Emma Kavanagh’s forthcoming The Time Of The Fire which is out 30 January 2025!!! Continue reading COVER REVEAL!! The Time Of The Fire by Emma Kavanagh @EmmaLK @OrionBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n #coverreveal #thetimeofthefire

[dragjunkie23]

Sam if his partner has OCD

A/N: This is personal to me as OCD is the first thing I was diagnosed with and I often see so many misconceptions on the condition. TW as I will be talking about intrusive thoughts which can get dark

He will notice some of your weird “quirks” like double checking to make sure your door was locked or you knocking on wood when anxious

At first he would think nothing of it

Eventually, though, your behaviors begin to get strange

You started to avoid handling objects like knives, guns, and other objects that can be considered weapons

It eventually got you to avoid holding just something as simple as a butter knife

When he asked about it, you would at first deny anything is wrong, but Sam knows you there is an issue and is worried about you, so you finally open up

“Every time…I hold something…I get the idea of stabbing you, Dean or even myself though I don’t want to do it. I don’t know why I’m getting these thoughts! I don’t wanna hurt anyone!!”

Sam would immediately start researching your symptoms and find that you have OCD

“You’re not gonna hurt me, baby girl, nor are you gonna hurt yourself. You’re dealing with intrusive thoughts. It doesn’t mean you’re gonna act on them.”

Will comfort you when the intrusive thoughts come around, no matter how dark or disturbing they get

Knows how to get your mind on something else to help you calm down.

“What’s the name of the monster that comes from Japanese lore where someone who was murdered from a state of rage comes back to haunt?” “Um…Onryō?” “Good. How do you defeat them?

“Name 5 objects in this room that are the color green.”

If you are comfortable with it, he may try to help with exposure techniques

Side note: Do NOT partake in Exposure Therapy without any kind of professional

For a few days you may hold a knife for five seconds and then gradually move into holding it for 10 minutes with Sam or Dean in the room

Yes, Dean will also be more than willing to help out as you’re like a little sister to him

Overall, it will catch Sam a bit off guard when he realizes how dark intrusive thoughts are, but he’ll do whatever it takes to help you.

[annarellix]

Seeds of Murder by Rosie Sandler  (The Gardener Mysteries #1)

Roses are red, Violets are blue, All the evidence is pointing to you...

Steph Williams has landed her dream gardening job working for the wealthy, gated community of Beaulieu Heights. With her beloved dog Mouse for company, she's quite content to be left alone to tackle the weeds and tend the flowers. There might be one resident who keeps a locked shed to which Steph is forbidden access, and secret feuds she happens to overhear, but it's none of her business. That is, until she's called in front of the neighbourhood committee, accused of blackmailing the residents with notes disclosing their darkest secrets. Now, she's swapping gardening gloves for a detective's notebook, with just ten days to clear her name and save her job.

The seeds of suspicion have been planted. But when Steph's investigation leads her to discover some freshly disturbed earth in the shape of a grave, it becomes a race against time to unearth the true culprit's identity before it's too late...

Buy book: https://geni.us/SeedsofMurderhttps://geni.us/SeedsofMurder

My Review: Rosie Sandler can wait and know what she’s talking about when she writes about gardening. Either she’s an expert garden designer/keen gardener or she did a lot of research as the descriptions and the parts about gardening made me wish I could visit those places and work with Steph in one of those projects. That said she can write and is an excellent storytelling. She delivers a story featuring quirky and intriguing characters. Steph is both strong and sweet, a clever woman in love with her work and ready to fight. Mouse the dog is lovely, and I loved Fiona the painter and Simone. There’s a lot of character development and I had a lot of fun in reading about these group of high society people. There’s some of the spirit of the Golden Age: the best author wrote complex and entertaining whodunit, but they also wrote sharp and merciless description of the high society and its members. The mystery is solid, there’s a lot going on and the twists surprised me. I had fun in trying to guess the culprit and enjoyed the story. I can’t wait to read the next story, another garden and another mystery Highly recommended. Many thanks to Embla Books and Compulsive Readers for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: Rosie Sandler lives in Essex, UK, where she writes novels, poetryand short stories, and is an editor and creative writing tutor. She loves dressmaking and wearing colourful outfits, which often leads to joyful encounters with strangers. Although she enjoys visiting beautifully tended gardens, Rosie’s own garden is a bit on the wild side (her excuse is that this encourages hedgehogs and other wildlife). S he dreams that she and her husband will one day livebeside a lake. Or at least a big puddle. Rosie is co-author of the Agatha Oddly trilogy of children’s detective novels.

Website: https://rosiesandler.co.uk/ Twitter: @RosieSandler

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @emblabooks Newsletter: https://bit.ly/emblanewsletter

[schoolsecretary]

Redemption.

~ "Oh my... This soundtrack is soooo good for poker app!... Yuriko should notice this, I think so... YEAAAAH she would like it."

- (...)

- Okay... What will happen if I try to change the combination and do...

- Ikishima.. Do you want to talk at our party this Friday? Suzui and Mary will wait us in their apartment. Will you join us?

- WHY ARE YOU IN HERE!? YUMEKOOO! THIS IS MINE ROOM, NOT YOURS!

- Midari, I don't want to gamble with you anymore without any reason, but I feel that you can be a good person. I made a decision, you can join our gambling family... I think, that you will help me to gamble with Kirari again...~

- Only Kirari... Again. Seriously. YUUUMEKOOOO...

- No. She was only my gamble partner. Always.

- WHAAAT? I REALLY THOUGHT THAT YOU ARE VERY CLOSE AFTER GAME IN TOWER.

- Ikishima. Shut up. I've come here to you only for a serious talk. President election is still available. Forget about student council. We are friends now. We can be more than gamble partners... Try to think about others, not only about yourself. Don't behave yourself this way. Do you understand?

- Yumeko. . .

- But I will wait for you in our room! This Friday! You and me, Mary and Suzui. Oh.. And one important thing.

~*CHU*💖

- MhAAAAAAAA!!

- Don't forget about Nishinotoin-san... Mary Saotome wants to see her at our party too. See you soon.

📌📂 https://pin.it/6jzGVF4Ri

[serenityysworld]

I’m bored so I wanna write about a yandere, i have three ideas in mind so can like um, at least one person vote..? 😖

[chaotic-toby]

So I possibly have OCD and one of my biggest compulsions is counting down my battery on any electronic device. Like while I am writing this, my phone battery is 25%, so I will go, "25, 24, 23" either out loud or in my head. And I will do that constantly. It's very annoying.

But I also imagine Billy Lenz copying me. Like I'll be counting down my stupid phone battery out loud and Billy Lenz will count down with me.

I don't know why but it's a cute thought.