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PROMO BLITZ: False Start by Felice Stevens
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NEW RELEASE BLITZ: The Rivers Will Run Red by Keira North (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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MANGA: Mukou no Hito
Mukou no Hito – Ueno Potato
Sano, who can’t seem to connect with anyone at all – not his family, not his coworkers – turns to SNS instead. One day, he decides to finally meet up with one of his mutual followers, “S.” His Internet friend turns out to be Narumi, a handsome young actor whose popularity recently shot through the roof! Although Narumi’s behavior seems to hint at something bubbling beneath the surface, Sano can’t shake off the feeling that he’s probably being toyed around with… An emotional, heart-piercing BL between a handsome actor and a salaryman who doesn’t do communication.
The Man on the Other Side is a story of two awkward loners awkwardly dancing around each other.
When Sano’s online friend turned out to be the famous actor Narumi, he didn’t know what to do with him, but he was also desperate to be his friend. Narumi, sensing a kindred soul in the very average salaryman, befriended him and soon found himself strongly attracted to Sano.
However, Sano is confused with Narumi’s hot/cold approach so how to convince him?
This is a dialogue-heavy manga, with big talky balloons alternating with thoughts of insecurity, confusion, and tentative hopes. The two have more realistic personalities that don’t fall neatly into the usual trope-y categories.
Sano is introverted but also blunt, occasionally hot-tempered and tongue-tied, then blurts out long dialogues. Narumi is cool and direct, sometimes flirty and then aloof but also needy.
He initiates a kiss and then drives a wedge between him and Sano. The two dorks wait for each other to call first until months pass with no communication, just stalking each other’s social media accounts.
The best part is Narumi’s interview on TV that lit a fire under Sano’s ass to finally do something because it’s about damn time!
The blurb called this “An emotional, heart-piercing BL.” I could see the emotions, but they didn’t pierce my heart. I didn’t squee, maybe because the execution is clumsy. Still, I’m rooting for the two dorks because they went about their romance so earnestly it was hella endearing!
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REVIEW: His Death Bringer by Courtney W. Dixon
The District: His Death Bringer – Courtney W. Dixon
PLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU’RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS! And please, please be careful of spoilers and giving away endings of books. Use spoiler tags.
He calls me his dark angel, but I’m merely a killer. A bringer of death.
Luca Davenport
He is my angel, sent to be my death bringer to save me from my tormentors and betrayers—those who sold me into slavery when I was only eight years old. Angel came in with guns blazing and black wings that were made to crush his enemies and envelope me in love. He belongs to me and I belong to him. We are destined. After he saves me from my captors, we hunt down the remaining men who had abused me for eleven years to make them pay in blood.
Dante Varga
He is a broken boy of no more than nineteen. He sees me as an angel, but I’m simply a killer. An assassin for hire. I can’t save him. I can’t take care of him. There’s no room left in my dying soul to care about someone. Not anymore. But I can’t turn him away either. I should kill him. He’s a witness. But I feel compelled to protect him at all costs. Saving him will either shatter the ice around my heart or destroy me. Either way, Luca is dangerous.
Reading in order will add more pleasure to the reading experience since some of the books end in a series cliffhanger. But they can technically be read as standalones.
CW: graphic violence, murder, rape, torture, human trafficking, explicit content
** Note: This book has been re-edited in December of 2024. Several grammatical errors have been fixed and some scenes have been adjusted for sensitivity issues. If you download this book before then, these changes will not be available on your Kindle. But you can get it updated. **
His Death Bringer is the stirring opener of The District, an assassin, found family series by new-to-me author Courtney W. Dixon.
The first thing you need to know is that the book is quite dark, so you must heed the content warnings. It stars Luca Davenport, taken when he was eight years old and subjected to horrific abuse as a sex slave for 11 years. Luca mentions the tortures he experienced, and it’s so stomach-churning I had to put the book down several times.
He was accidentally rescued by Dante Varga when the assassin was sent to kill all the evil men from the crime family who held Luca captive. Dante had no idea the young man was there when he went about his mission. Luca immediately fell in love with his rescuer, called Dante his “dark angel” and hired the assassin to punish all the bad men who hurt him.
Luca is 19 years old and remains childlike since his captors restricted his education. He also has a streak of ingenuity, is surprisingly insightful, and so resilient he survived and wreaked his vengeance. With Dante’s help, he learned to fight, protect himself, and take control of his life.
Dante doesn’t know what to do with Luca, isn’t equipped to deal with trauma, and doesn’t have space in his life for another broken soul as he is just as fractured himself. It was cute how he tried so hard to resist Luca and before he knew it, the younger man not only stole his heart, he was helping put the pieces back together, too.
With all the violence and dark themes, the relationship between Dante and Luca is sweet and tender. The hurt-comfort worked its magic to warm hearts and heal souls through trust, patience, and a whole lot of TLC’s. Realistically, though, it would have been best if Luca had professional help to deal with his trauma.
Cleo, Dante’s Cane Corso and bestest girl, stole the show as Luca’s emotional support dog and fiercest protector. Dante’s District brothers came through with no hesitations, rallying behind him and Luca with guns blazing.
The District is a found family of assassins-for-hire led by Sid Virgil and Malek Amin. The most intriguing member is Sullivan, the resident psychopath who’s lusting after Malek. The older man has his steel walls up, so I’m excited to see how Sully breaks through in the next book.
His Death Bringer is a story of survival and healing. It’s a young man’s journey to reclaim control of his life with the help of a dark angel seeking retribution. Overall, the journey is daunting, the revenge sweet, the feels intense, and the HEA so damn worth it!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Angel
Artist: Alice Phoebe Lou
Album: Shelter
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HIS DEATH BRINGER: Kindle | Audiobook
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SOUNDTRACK: Angel by Alice Phoebe Lou
Soundtrack to The District: His Death Bringer by Courtney W. Dixon
Angel by Alice Phoebe Lou for a book about a captivity, an accidental rescue, and a fierce protection.
Nothing that I see is real
It’s all floating, unpredictable
Reality became strange, and I wanted to share it with you
And there’s something in the air tonight
And I’m walking back into the light
And you’re on my mind
That’s where I always find you
Oh, you’re on my mind
Even when I’m not looking for youIs it safe to go outside?
I’ve been hiding for quite some time
I don’t have to have a purpose, I just wanna play
Turn yourself back on
Show me how you’ve longed for me, for me
I should have seen it coming
But there was an angel looking out for me -
Nothing that I see is real
It’s all floating, unpredictable
Reality became strange, and I wanted to share it with you
And there’s something in the air tonight
And I’m walking back into the light
And you’re on my mind
That’s where I always find you
Oh, you’re on my mind
Even when I’m not looking for youIs it safe to go outside?
I’ve been hiding for quite some time
I don’t have to have a purpose, I just wanna play
Turn yourself back on
Show me how you’ve longed for me, for me
I should have seen it coming
But there was an angel looking out for meTwisting and turning alone at night
Is my baby awake?
I just want to reach out, but will he take the bait?
But in the fading light, it’s another inner fight
It’s another lonely night without you
But in the fading light, it’s another inner fight
It’s another lonely night without youIs it safe to go outside?
I’ve been hiding for quite some time
I don’t have to have a purpose, I just wanna play
Turn yourself back on
Show me how you’ve longed for me only
I should have seen it coming
There was an angel looking out for me -
MOVIE FEATURE: Lurker
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FLICKer: Catalina
Featuring LGBT short films I found around the interwebz a.k.a Youtube. Okay sucky intro, but yeah, that’s it.
Three childhood best friends reunite for a weekend camping trip on Catalina Island just like old times. One of them left. One feels lost. And the lines between them aren’t as clear as they used to be.
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PROMO BLITZ: Pucked Up by E.M. Lindsey
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AUDIO BLITZ: One-Time Shot by Lane Hayes
