Tag: books
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đź–¤ When Self-Care Looks Like Crying in a Parking Lot and Then Reading Smut
You know what they don’t tell you about healing? Sometimes it’s ugly. Sometimes it’s not bubble baths and journaling under a weighted blanket with soft lo-fi in the background. Sometimes it’s sitting in your car in the Walmart parking lot with tears running down your face, mascara halfway to your chin, contemplating ghosting your entire…
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The Book That Taught Me to Speak Up
When I was in middle school, I read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson—and it changed me forever. This book is not just a story; it’s a lifeline. It taught me the importance of finding my voice, of speaking up, of standing my ground even when it feels impossible. Today, I walked into Barnes & Noble…
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đź–¤ Why I Gravitate Toward Dark Romance and Horror Fiction
People always ask me the same thing when they find out how much I read:“Why that kind of stuff? Why not something lighter?” As if books filled with blood, trauma, obsessive love, deranged killers, haunted houses, and morally gray men aren’t just as valid as a sunny romcom about a cinnamon roll barista falling in…
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ARC Review: What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller — rage, reversals, and the risk of tipping the scales
I’ll be honest, I struggled a little with this one. Not because Tricia can’t write (her books always grab my attention), but because of the sheer amount of rage packed into this story. This world is steeped in hate and feminine fury, which at times felt heavy, but also…real. If women were ever forced back…
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Review: Stolen by J.M. Johnson
Some monsters aren’t meant to be caged. Especially when they find each other. I just finished Stolen by J.M. Johnson and honestly? What a ride. This was my very first book by this author, and I picked it up on audio—something I don’t usually do for dark romance. The narrators absolutely nailed it, which made…
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I Came for a Palate Cleanser and Got My Soul Ripped Out. – Full Tilt by Emma Scott
Trigger Warnings: Terminal illness, grief, alcoholism, self-worth struggles, emotional devastation. Star Rating: Can I rate this in shattered heart pieces? 5/5 and then some. You ever pick up a book because the cover is pretty and it’s on sale at Barnes & Noble, thinking, “Cute! A little rock star romance to break up my emotional…
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Book Cravings & Car Smut: Let’s Talk About Ignite by Luna Mason
Okay, listen. I don’t know what it is about green and black book covers lately, but apparently, I’m feral for them. Or maybe it’s the dangerously hot man brooding on this particular one? Either way, I saw the cover for Ignite and immediately knew I was in trouble. Spoiler: I was right. Ignite by Luna…
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Massacre Monday by Kitty King — Blood, Betrayal, and A Game You Don’t Want to Lose
I was lucky enough to get both the ARC and ALC for Massacre Monday by Kitty King, and let me just say… I did not know what I was walking into. Dark college romance readers, primal play fans, and cultish secret society lovers — this one’s for you. The PremiseOn Massacre Monday, the sorority girls…
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How ARC Reading Turned My Bookish Hobby Into Something So Much Bigger
ARC — Advance Reader Copy. If you’re new to the book world, that might sound like some mysterious, exclusive club. But really, it’s pretty simple: publishers send you a free copy of a book before its official release, and in return, you give an honest review. No strings attached. I started this whole ARC journey…
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