Lauren

I will never get over this book. I swear I spent 80% of the time I was reading it in tears, and the rest of the time giggling. Klune's writing is so beautiful and Ox's internal monologue is so heart-wrenching that I was sobbing by Chapter 3, when Gordo gave him the work shirts.
The found family in this book is one of the best l've ever read, and Ox and Joe's friendship was so pure and sweet. It makes me sad that some people get scared away from reading due to the age gap and the fact that they meet when Joe is a child, because it's not like that at all. Ox's character is so incorruptible and he's so socially clumsy that he kind of helplessly falls into the role of Joe's keeper, and until Joe's 18 he's unwilling and unable to see him as anything other than family.
I could honestly write pages and pages on everything I adored about this book, but I'm far too eager to start the next one. It definitely has the potential to be one of my favorite series of the year, and is already one of my favorite reads of the year.
What an absolutely staggeringly gorgeous book.

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK. I was mesmerized from the first paragraph. Morally black MMCs: Ezra is a cold and calculated psychopath, Kas is a passionate and volatile sociopath. Their dynamic set me on fire and the spice had me SWEATING. This book had me kicking my feet and establishing a legacy contact to delete my kindle history most mortem. If you have the option, snatch up the audio with your best grabby hands... the performances were phenomenal. This has become one of my all time favorite MM reads, and one of my favorite reads of the year. I only wish it was longer!

“Love is a cage two people build around themselves.”

Well, I finally found a book that made me hurl my kindle across the room out of sheer shock and agony. This. Book. Wrecked me. I know I use hyperbole a lot in my reviews, but when I say I was HYSTERICAL I may actually be downplaying my emotions. This story will have to be removed from my body via exorcism. It feels like someone Blood Eagled my soul. I was made to watch as this book snatched my heart out through my throat and pounded it into a thin paste with a meat tenderizer. And I loved every moment of it.

This writing held me hostage from word one. I can't believe I almost didn't give this story a chance because the author published anonymously. Her characters are so beautifully constructed and painfully REAL. I'm struggling to even think about them without breaking down into tears again.

Michael is a sweet little ball of anxious energy gamer boy trapped in the body of a 25 year old. He's bumbling his way through his first real journalism break and his bi awakening with all the grace of a newborn giraffe.

Caleb Bright is a son of a bitch. He's a man tortured by faith and resolute in his belief that religious doctrine equates to morality. Those principles are in a constant state of war with his sexuality, causing him to be bitter, self-hating, miserable, and haunted by his past.

I don't want to say much else for fear of doing them a disservice... have you ever read characters so well-written that they become more lifelike than the actual people in your life? I am very much still recovering after finishing this book at 2am, and I'm shaken. I'm not alright. This book does not have a HEA, so if that's a deal breaker for you maybe skip this one. Also check your triggers, and I very rarely say that. This one hurt me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, ruined my life.

Holy hell. Not only is this the most depraved, gruesome, and fucked up novel I've ever read (and I've read a lot of dark shit), it's also remarkably well-written. I was captivated and horrified from the very first sentence. I don't think I've ever been so uncomfortable with a book in my entire life, and the number of times I physically winced or full body shuddered while reading a scene was probably enough to permanently alter my brain chemistry. There are scenes in this book (one scene in particular, but I can think of at least another 5) that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Again, Ezra Blake is a hell of a writer. The way the visceral descriptions and language in this book affected me will not easily be shaken. The characters themselves are also deeply intense. Chris's journey throughout this book is a mind fuck in itself, and Ivan's cold clinical detachment and calculated manipulation may even eclipse that of Hannibal Lecter. If you purposefully seek out the dark and disturbing, and you're eager to find out if you do in fact have any triggers at all, this is definitely a worthwhile read. I will definitely seek out anything else Ezra Blake has written, I am officially hooked.

I loved it!! Think kinky MM Umbrella Academy for benevolent psychopath assassins, but instead of superpowers they have extensive childhood trauma.

Adam and Noah are such precious cuties- Adam is like a little sociopathic puppy dog. I actually didn't find the insta-love as off putting as I was expecting to... it was more insta-possession than insta-love. I loved the dynamic of the MMCs, and thought it was so sweet and adorable how hard Adam was trying to people for Noah. All the spice was

I loved it so much... Jessie Walker is a beautiful writer, and she does a really amazing job of writing complex and deeply hurt characters. It's also clear she did her research, because the trauma in this story and its effects are very authentic. Hell, I even learned something about trauma psychology that I never knew before (see: repetition compulsion). And it explains SO MUCH.

The emotions this book brought out in me... it most definitely pulled out some ugly tears. Will and I have a past trauma in common, so that was both horrifically devastating and at the same time healing to read about. And Waylon... I need to just wrap that poor sweet baby up in a gigantic hug and never let go.

If you're looking for a dark contemporary MM romance series (duet?) that you can't put down and makes you cry so hard you pop a blood vessel, this is the one. Can't wait to read #2!

That's some good blasphemy.

ARC Review:

This is the first book I've ever read that I was not emotionally capable of reviewing as soon as I finished; I needed a full 24 hours to recover. This morning, on my way to work, I saw one of those Florida license plates with a surfer on it and immediately burst into tears. A huge part of the reason I was so affected is because this is such a beautiful and complex love story- it is the best standalone MM romance I have read to date.

Our MMC Finn is the sweetest and most precious baby there ever was. He's a fearless golden retriever surfer boy, and he gives this story some amazing ADHD rep. His narrative attitude in coming to terms with his sexuality is honestly one of the most wholesome and healing things I've ever read. Our other MMC Riddick is the grump to his sunshine, and they compliment each other so perfectly.

I don't want to reveal too much about the story because I need the ending to hit you like a Mack truck the way it did me. Let's just say the twist is going to wring every last drop of blood out of your heart and make the floor crumble beneath your feet. Make sure you listen to the playlist while reading, because as usual with Alexandra St. Pierre it makes the book that much more impactful. I think Finn and Riddick have taken up permanent residence in my soul. Thank you to Alexandra St. Pierre and her team for giving me the honest privilege to count this as my very first ARC.

Another ♾️⭐️ book by Elle Mitchell- I swear she is permanently changing my brain chemistry. This is a MMF dark horror romance, so if you're not well versed with this genre already I would recommend easing into it with some lighter fare (Lights Out maybe) before tackling these two sweet and deeply misunderstood bisexual psychopaths. Check your triggers and all that, prioritize your mental health and blah blah blah.

I strongly feel that Elle is unparalleled when it comes to writing raw, real, and deeply flawed characters. This book was no exception, and it had me in tears more than once with how expertly she narrates mental illness, insecurity, and the silent shame of inner darkness. The constant self-doubt saturating our FMC Noah's inner monologue was unsettlingly familiar, and the unhinged and chaotic MMCs felt just as much like home to me as they did to her by the end. The viewpoints of all 3 main characters were so unique and beautiful, and the heavy dosage of violence and kink positive spice was chef's kiss perfection.

This is definitely gonna be a reread for me- I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Blubbering like a friggin baby.

You ever read a book so good it makes you wonder if you need to recalibrate your Adderall dosage? This book was 800 pages and I read it in TWO FUCKING DAYS. It is my new favorite MM dark romance. I keep hearing about “Make Me” (which is next on my list), but the fact that this book doesn't have more praise is SHAMEFUL. I was head over heels in love with the characters starting at page 1. Cal and Ryan are SO PRECIOUS, and Cal may be my favorite MMC of all time. He's such a lovable golden retriever goof, and his sadistic streak ticks allll the right boxes. And Ryan the spooky lil ginger boy owns my entire heart.

Honestly, this entire book is the truth. The plot was great, and was unique enough to keep me addicted and keep me guessing. The playlist was immaculate- almost all of it was new to me and I saved the whole damn thing. The songs set the vibe so perfectly for the story that they strummed every one of my emotions like strings on a guitar. And there's character art!!!

If you're twisted and you like MM romance, just fucking read this book. I PROMISE YOU it's amazing.

Most of the reviews l've read of this series describe it as “a better written why-choose version of LORDS”- I would agree with the accuracy on that. I enjoyed this read a lot- the boys were excellent and interesting, and were very effective bullies. I wasn't crazy about the FMC, because I'm sick of reading about overly innocent and weak doormat women.
She was a virgin for pretty much the entire book, so the spice was tamer than I expected, but it's evident that things are about to get a lot more depraved and unhinged. The plot was alright as well, and not overly complex and convoluted like some of these underground society books tend to be. I'm definitely moving right along to the next one!

My standards are in hell, apparently.

I LOVE THESE BOYS!! I was not expecting to have an emotional reaction to this series, but dude I was so wrong. I was sobbing at several points. I felt so connected to these characters, which probably isn't the best reflection on me because they're absolutely TERRIBLE, but there's nothing better than a fucked up book about broken people. This was a very well done dark academia why choose romance. I definitely recommend this series if you have no triggers at all and love to be disturbed by what appeals to you. The flag is no longer red, it's gone beyond red. These boys are sociopaths, we're changing the term for their behavior to black flags.

REBECCA YARROS WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME??? I was obsessed with this book by the 2nd page. By chapter 15 was planning out my dragon tattoo. Imagine Harry Potter, but with dragon riders and WAY more badassery (and less transphobia).Xaden is the absolute truth, and Violet is awesome as fuck- who doesn't stan a disabled hero? It was really cool to read about hEDS in a fantasy context.THE PLOT!! HOLY FREAKING HELL I haven't been so immersed in a fantasy world in a whilllleee. And the rollercoaster of adrenaline and emotions... it's like someone cut my heart out, put it in a tube sock, and started whipping it around and pummeling shit with it. From kickin my feet to jumping up and down to sobbing to not breathing at all, and then at the end my mouth was just hanging open because I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING AT ALL!!!I love this series I love this series I love this series-I'm so psyched to be alive and literate right now.

Once again, it feels like Elle Mitchell wrote a book specifically for me. The extent to which I identified with Ally was eerie. She and I were damaged in the same ways, and acted out with the exact same high risk behavior down to unsettling specifics. I would have been head over heels for Devon in high school, just as I was while reading. All her characters are so beautifully flawed and authentic, and her banter and wit are so relatable.

This story was addictive from start to finish- I only took one break during reading to sleep for 5 hours.

This book even had me crying in the acknowledgements:

“To all the outcasts and the black sheep of the family—me too. It wasn't your fault, and it's their loss. It's time to heal. Do it for yourself, and find your people.”

New favorite author status.

In my heart, I will never ever stop playing monsters.

AGAAHJFKTNFJDYIjdirndkekdk THIS FUCKING BOOK!!! This is the best book I've ever read, I'm not even slightly exaggerating. It spoke to every ounce of my crazy on such a deep and profound level. I had such a blast reading it- it was beautiful, profound, sweet, moving, scary, heart-shredding, dark, twisted, fucked in the head, and HOT as all get out. The complexity of these characters, man... I have not been able to stop thinking about it for one second since I turned the first page. I had to force myself to go to bed at 3AM last night, but I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about this book. If I could frame it and put it on my wall I absolutely would, but that would mean I'd never be able to read it again. 6 million stars. More stars than there are in the galaxy.

Does anyone know of any cool cults to join? Bonus points if they're poly family-based cults led by cold, unfeeling, dead-eyed psychopaths. If there's any kind of musical intersectionality I'll sign away my whole soul, it's not all that functional anyway.

This cliffhanger, dude. I'm about to throw up my still beating heart, and my copy of Road to Ruined doesn't arrive until this evening. FAHK.

Roman. Empire.

Phew, I didn't know if I was gonna survive this one...
I'm convinced Kate Stewart has a personal vendetta against me. Every frustration I had with Drive was erased with Reverse. This story was ABSOLUTELY beautiful and heart-wrenching. Easton & Natalie's connection was so pure and raw, and it was written so vividly I felt like I was going through everything myself. Have you ever read a book so good you can't control your physical reactions while reading?
Reverse had me groaning and yelling out loud, my heart pounding out of my chest, hysterical tears coming more than once, my mouth dropping open with awe, grinning from ear to ear, cracking up... I felt like I couldn't breathe for half of it.

As a music addict, the chapter songs and playlist gave the book so much more depth for me. I saved most of the songs, and won't be able to listen to a lot of them without crying. How Kate Stewart wove it all throughout was really remarkable.

If you're a slave to music, if you're an emotional masochist, or if you're dead inside and want to remind yourself what it's like to feel, this is the book.
Just make sure to buckle your seatbelt, and be prepared for emotional whiplash. Bet.

When I die and they bury me like an Egyptian pharaoh beneath a pyramid in accordance with my will, I expect this series of books to be included amongst my most treasured possessions.

Every time I start a new book in this series I think “I won't like this one as much as the others”, and every time I'm proven wrong and have a new favorite. I was a little concerned how DJ would approach Indy's disability, it being more serious and degenerative than those of the other girls, but she did it perfectly.

She hits on every single fear those with chronic illness struggle with, and her stories are a balm that soothes that pain.

Indy's story hit especially close to home for me, as my best friend since childhood has MS and I've tried to offer support through some of the same fears and insecurities. I also identified closely with Derek's social anxiety (and his autistic traits, that man has got to be one of us. How they grew together was fucking beautiful. Like honestly, I'm awe struck by Hel's Ink in its entirety, if DJ ever stops writing these books I will be devastated.

I AM VERY EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW TO I'M SORRY FOR YELLING, I JUST LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH.
This might have been my favorite book of the series so far. I did not expect to like Ash, but I found out that Ash is me and I am Ash. I loved and identified with that anxious little slut so much.

Sunday's struggles spoke to me as well, especially as a mom.
DJ's characters are so raw, vulnerable, and real. But goddamn, these tattoo men are the worst group of communicators I've ever met.

Super excited to read about Derek, l love me a grumpy introvert.

DJ I LOVE YOU!!!!!

When the

Dear DJ Krimmer,
Thank you for blessing us with this immaculate novella of depravity, our time with it was far too short. Thank you also to Mr. Joe Arden for anointing this sacred text with your narrative skills, and for bringing your entire freak to the party. Please watch over your faithful sinners and minister to our cold black hearts by publishing so many more books just like this one. In the name of the Daddy and the Brat and the Holy Serial Killer- in Ronan's name we pray, Amen

Let me just take a minute to get my shit together so I can write something coherent.

This series is so brutal and beautiful. It broke my heart and pieced it back together over and over again. I felt so connected to Kade as a character. I was so proud as he rebuilt himself from the void back into a man with the heart of the kid he was before everything was stolen from him. I will ship Kade/Stacey for the rest of my life.

The plot got a little wild at one point in this one, but Leigh Rivers managed to resolve it in a way that wasn't so far-fetched, so I withdraw my only complaint with the whole series. Can't wait to read about Papa Tobias!

Atlas deserves so much more than 5 stars. DJ writes about such important issues, and touches on all our insecurities while also empowering us. This book is for anyone who's sat with a pillow in their lap to hide themselves, anyone who's terrified about being seen naked with the lights on. It's for anyone who feels like a burden for something totally out of their control, anyone who's ever felt stupid because their brain works differently. It's beautiful, healing, funny, and sweet. Oh, and the spice is top tier. I will definitely treasure this one forever.

DJ Krimmer is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I don't usually go for contemporary romance, but after Beatitude I needed to read everything she's written. This story was so sweet and complex, l absolutely will not hesitate to read the rest of the series immediately. Du has such a witty and touching writing style, and her banter is fucking hilarious. There were a handful of times while reading that I couldn't stop myself from cracking up out loud. Her stories are so REAL, and how she writes about chronic disability is so raw and empowering. Her characters are so multifaceted and imperfectly human, I could read about them forever.
Look at me, l'm gushing. Can't wait to read the rest of them!! Literally, I already started Atlas.

This series has me in such a chokehold... it feels like Leigh Rivers shoved her whole hand down my throat and has a vice grip on my heart, squeezing tighter the further I get into this story. Stacey's growth as a character is amazing, and poor baby Kade- I can't even talk about it. I love characters with ASPD, and I especially love when the author is clearly well-educated on the complexities of the disorder and how it actually presents (which is clearly the case with Rivers).
I have one minor issue with how things played out-as a survivor I can kind of understand why Stacey kept her abuse a secret, but how did Kade not see it?? He would have had to be the dumbest man alive to not piece it all together, but I'm just chalking it up to him being an inexperienced & totally naive kid. I definitely said “COME ON!!” out loud more than once while reading.
Other than that small point, pure perfection.
This series has the potential of becoming my Roman Empire. On to the next one. I have a bad feeling it's gonna break me.