LAST YEAR I WAS READING…(March 30, 2022)
Here are the rules:
Take your current read and compare it to what you reading this exact time last year. Which one do you like better? What is different about the books? Any special facts/things you want to make note of or bring attention to?
This meme was created by Reading Marie. It’s a great meme because it’s nice and easy to do.
This Year I Am Reading…
The first time Dimitri Castallanos experienced obsession, he committed a felony. He was five. Dimitri is a psychopath. And he’s still obsessed with just one person.
Arlo Miller was born a victim, raised as his father’s punching bag and his mother’s scapegoat. Dimitri was his only protection, and they took him away.
As children they clung to each other. As adults, they pretend neither remembers, while both harbor secret crushes. Dimitri hides his feelings behind a mask of indifference. Arlo hides his by falling for very bad men.
When one of those men confronts Dimitri, this time Arlo commits a felony. Murder. But Dimitri won’t allow Arlo to take the fall. With the help of Dimitri’s mother and seven psychopaths, they now have twenty-four hours to fake an alibi, hide a body, and confess their true feelings for each other once and for all. Which is harder? Falling in love or getting away with murder?
NOTE: This can be read as a stand-alone but these characters do make a cameo in Headcase (Necessary Evils, #4).
EXCLUSIVE HERE
The closest thing this awesome series has come to a BL manga. Little Arlo must be protected at all costs!
Last Year I Was Reading…
Alexei
When Marcus Church brings his brother Claude in to help solve an unusual murder, I’m positive he did it just to disrupt my monotonous life. None of my coworkers in the Vampire Related Crimes unit seem to understand that I want to keep a wall between me and everyone else—especially Claude, who does everything he can to break through it with an annoying smile. After more vampires begin to die, Claude pinpoints the actions of the killers to a group of vampire hunters, leaving us in a race to stop them. When I discover that I have a target on my back, I’m surprised that Claude insists on staying by my side, even when things go from bad to worse. I’m determined to keep him out—I’ve lost enough people in my life—but I can’t stop feeling something every time he breaks through.
Claude
When I reunited with my brother, I never imagined it’d throw me right into Alexei Karsynov’s path. He’s short-tempered, stubborn, and dangerously adorable whenever he smiles—he just doesn’t realize it yet. When Marcus asks me to help with a case, it gives me the excuse I need to get closer to Alexei, but what I discover threatens to change everything. Suddenly, I find myself wanting to do anything to protect Alexei and to see him smile, despite his efforts to keep his distance from others. I’m determined to show him that he can’t live in the past when his future is so much brighter.
How to Lure a Hunter is a 106k word book that contains: Clothes so bright they could cause retina damage, a ridiculous amount of gifts showered on a reluctant recipient, a cranky Russian with a soft spot he tries to hide, a library full of books that need to be treated with the proper respect, some possibly unhealthy sibling teasing, and a sunshiny 300-year-old vampire with an unexpected protective streak.
Amazon Buy Links: Kindle| Audiobook
Amazon UK Buy Links: Paperback | Audiobook
My favorite VRC couple and story. Alexei needs a hug!
My 4.5-star review here.
Today we have a dark contemporary romance novella and a contemporary paranormal. Both are hurt comfort stories that heavily feature crime, albeit on the opposite sides of the law. They have characters who are very determined to be in a relationship with the other MC.
The current is a childhood friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance between college students. One is a victim of abuse. The other is a psychopath who wants to have him and protect him since they were kindergartners. They had to hide a body. The psychopath’s mother is a genius hacker who works for a secret vigilante family. She assists them in covering up the crime. The tone here is dark humor with a side of fluff.
Last year’s is an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance between two vampires. One of the vampires is a detective. The other is the twin brother of the detective in charge of their unit. He is a sunshiny individual who has been relentlessly pursuing the grumpy detective. They had to work together to solve a series of murders. The tone is fluffy humorous with a bit of dark and angst.
Damaged is a free novella exclusively available in Prolific Works. It is part of the Necessary Evils series. This stars Dimitri Castallanos, psychopath son of the infamous hacker, Calliope, who we know works for the Mulvaney family. Dimitri has been obsessed with Arlo since they were six. Arlo is a victim of abuse. First from his father, then, later on, his ex-boyfriend. The asshole attacked Dimitri, who was trying to protect Arlo. Arlo inadvertently killed the bastard. Now, they had to hide the body.
The part that reminds me of a BL manga is the childhood connection. If I knew how to draw, I’d draw a fanart of their first meeting. It was super cute! Dimitri has been protecting little Arlo since he was six. He set fire to Arlo’s parents’ bed after seeing bruises on him. The Castallanos had to move away after that. Years after, Dimitri’s urge to protect is still as strong as ever. I’m now at the part where they meet the Mulvaneys. It’s going to be a riot!
How To Lure A Hunter is the 3rd installment of VRC: Vampire Related Crimes. It stars a grumpy Russian detective, Alexei Karsynov tasked to solve an unusual murder. He was ordered to work with Claude Church, the creatively dressed twin of his superior, Marcus. Now Claude has been relentlessly asking Alexei for a date since the 2nd book. The Russian only relented after being conned into it by Finn, another detective, also, Marcus’ boyfriend
I had a soft spot for tsundere characters, and Alexei is so adorably grumpy. Pairing him with Claude was brilliant! I was already rooting for them since Finn and Marcus’ story. Alexei was literally burned by a lover. He had so many hurts he’s convinced he was unlovable. Meanwhile, Claude pursued Alexei with the good-natured persistence of a Labrador.
Seeing Alexei grow as a character and Claude convincing him he was always going to be there for him no matter what was a joy to witness. The scene where Alexei finally accepted that Claude will always be there no matter what went straight to my kokoro. It was hands down, my favorite in the entire series.
Between psychopaths and vampires, steadfast protection and cheery persistence win the hearts of friends and enemies.
I’m ending the post with a book I’m looking forward to reading.
Avi Mulvaney is many things. Son. Twin. Owner of the fashion label, Gemini. Murderous psychopath. Together, he and his brother, Asa, make one brutally efficient monster, ridding the world of predators who victimize the innocent. History proves Avi and Asa don’t do well apart, but their father has decided to test that theory.
Felix Navarro knows exactly who he is. Baby brother. Fashionista. Vigilante. While he’s not happy that his big brother married a Mulvaney, the union has its perks. Like a paid internship with Gemini. But all good things come with a cost and, for Felix, that’s enduring Avi Mulvaney each day, which inevitably leads to thinking about him every night.
Felix doesn’t like Avi. He’s cocky, condescending, overbearing, and inappropriate. He’s also sexy, brilliant, and twice as lethal as Felix. Still, Felix loathes him. Even if he keeps letting him kiss him. And touch him. Even if he slipped just once. It was still hate sex, and it would never happen again. Ever.
Except, Avi’s being sent to help take down a dangerous crime ring and he’s ordered Felix to come along. Felix has vowed to stay strong. To remember he hates Avi. But they’re trapped together and there’s only one bed, and it’s so hard to hate Avi in the dark when he’s whispering how Felix belongs to him. Felix belongs to no man, but Avi is determined. He has one week to prove to Felix that he’s the exception to his rule. After all, who says no to a Mulvaney?
Mad Man is a scorchingly hot, intense, enemies to lovers, psychopath romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a dirty talking, brutally vicious killer and a sharp tongued murderous fashionista who are both too stubborn for their own good. As always, there’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough blood to film the final scene in the movie Carrie, and enough heat to melt your panties. This is book 5 in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.
TAGS: psychopath, enemies-to-loves, dark humor, much violence, jealousy, bad boys doing bad things, long distance snark, only one bed, hate sex, more hate sex, hate sex that becomes apathetic sex then maybe something like love, if two killers are better than one what’s three killers, Avi is jealous, Asa is preoccupied, August is still August, Lucas is frazzed, Archer is still drunk, Thomas is at his wits end, Aiden is still in denial, Noah is still the psychopath whisperer and Adam is still a dick.
One Murder Twin down, another one to go. Felix is an unstoppable force. Avi will not know what hit him.
What were you reading this time last year?
(I hope it’s as riveting as Morticia’s book)
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