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Never Hollowed By The Stare
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    • MANGA
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    • QUOTE
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    • FIRST LINES FRIDAY 56
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  • featured,  Uncategorized

    BOOK TOUR: Don’t Print This by Monica Chin

    September 23, 2026 / No Comments
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  • featured,  Uncategorized

    RECENT RELEASE: Housesitter by T.A. Moore (Excerpt)

    September 23, 2026 / No Comments
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    RELEASE TOUR: In The Frame by Hayden Stone (Excerpt)

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  • featured,  Uncategorized

    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Gravedancer by Mychael Black (Excerpt)

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  • featured,  Uncategorized

    MUSIC MONDAY: Hummer (Tame Impala vs Smashing Pumpkins)

    September 21, 2026 / No Comments

    Pick a song that you really like and share it on Monday.

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    RELEASE BLITZ: The Steam Room by Olivia Monroe (Giveaway)

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    April 14, 2025
  • featured,  Uncategorized

    PROMO BLITZ: Checking Out The Librarian by Anna Richland

    September 21, 2026 / No Comments
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    COVER REVEAL: Blooded by Nat Kennedy (Excerpt & Giveaway)

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    NEW RELEASE BLITZ: Two For Roughing by S.B. Barnes (Excerpt)

    September 21, 2026 / No Comments
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  • manga,  Uncategorized

    MANGA: REVERSE

    September 19, 2026 / No Comments

    REVERSE – Yuitsu

    Detective Ukishima has a kink: he gets sexually excited by dangerous situations. He has always jerked himself off after dangerous incidents, feeling both a sense of depravity and elation… but everything changes when he meets a suspicious man by the name of Makabe. On the day they meet, while still knowing nothing about each other, Ukishima is violently raped by Makabe, and derives an indescribable pleasure from it. However, when Makabe comes up as a suspect in the case that Ukishima is pursuing, their relationship becomes even more taboo…

    REVERSE is a forbidden romance between a police detective and a gang member.

    Ukishima is highly dedicated to working his cases if not for his inconvenient tendency to get aroused by dangerous situations. One time, he rescues a beaten up man and brings him home, only for the man to wake up, discover the detective horny, and proceeds to non-con him. You can guess what this does to our kinky detective.

    The following days while investigating, Ukishima stumbles upon the very same man. Makabe convinces the detective for a repeat, which turns into regular hook-up sessions, realizing that they’re spectacularly compatible in bed. However, Makabe seemed deeply entrenched in the case while giving away nothing.

    The plot follows Ukishima juggling his secret affair and his cases. I was super amused at the casual way the manga shows Ukishima getting back on his treadmill just so he can keep up with his younger lover.

    The story is from his POV and Makabe is mostly a mystery. We see him doing gang business but also subtly making moves to help Ukishima with his case where they uncover deep-rooted corruption among the ranks.

    This is pretty smutty with Makabe and Ukishima’s vigorous activities rendered in a way they actually seem to move on page. But even with all the heat, the undertone of slowly evolving feels is unmistakable and genuine.

    As the story progresses, we learn more about Makabe and the things he would do for the detective, revealing his devotion. As far as grand gestures go, it doesn’t get grander than helping a detective solve a tough case.

    Also, a missed opportunity for some vers action given the title.

    The ending is an HFN, a cute exchange of first names which means moving forward as first names in Japan are reserved for closer connections. This manga badly needs a sequel but overall, a spicy tale of kinks, cases, and combustible chemistry.


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    BOOK BLITZ: Fall Hard by Jade Church (Excerpt & Giveaway)

    March 7, 2023

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  • book,  Uncategorized

    SERIES REVIEW: His Enforcer & His Reaper (Unexpectedly Twisted Books 3 & 4) by Cora Rose

    September 19, 2026 / No Comments

    Unexpectedly Twisted: His Enforcer by Cora Rose

    Working for a notorious mob boss like Anthony Costello for fifteen years has taught me a thing or two about dangerous men. I myself have been chiseled and beaten into someone to be reckoned with. And I’ve even come to relish in the pain, to crave it. But no one gets under my skin quite like Luca Rossi, Anthony’s right-hand man. I hate him more than words can express, I always have. He torments me and toys with me, just a plaything in his twisted and cruel game of control, until I’m feral with rage and barely able to contain myself.

    But when a series of unidentified bodies begin showing up on our property and it becomes clear someone is trying to take the Costello family down, Luca and I are teamed up to solve the mystery. And working up close and personal with this man has me realizing that there’s no one in the world quite as dangerous to me as him. Because the real reason I hate Luca so much, and maybe even the reason why I hate myself, is because he’ll never really want me.


    Rating:
    2.5 Stars – far from hate but not quite a like

    Soundtrack: Lust To Love
    Artist: Renforshort
    Album: Off Saint Dominique


    Unexpectedly Twisted: His Reaper – Cora Rose

    Some say I’m too soft and cuddly for a guy who wields bone saws and strings friendship necklaces with human eyeballs—but I just call that work-life balance.

    And honestly, I love my job as the Costellos’ reaper.

    Lately, though, my biggest problem isn’t the dismembered corpses, it’s something far more seductive. Georgiy Sokolov. He smells mouth-watering, like disinfectant and fancy aftershave. Plus, he comes with a stern promise to ruin me with surgical precision—and believe me, I will be begging him for it.

    If only I could get him to return my texts…

    But when a shadowy evil threatens my found family, and my nightmares stir up repressed memories that somehow feel connected, Georgiy and I will stop at nothing to protect what is ours.

    Armed with my bloody handsaw and Georgiy’s dainty scalpel, we try to uncover the dark truths about the past that haunts me and the Death that stalks me. It’s all very romantic.

    So if you’ve come to witness my final chapter…good luck, friend.

    My name’s Bane. Say it while you still have your tongue.


    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Beautiful Monster
    Artist: Lolux
    Album: Beautiful Monster


    Here I go with yet another dark mafia romance…

    Unexpectedly Twisted by Cora Rose is a mafia romance series starring members of the Costello Family. The Silencer introduces mob boss Anthony Costello, who finds love with Tatum, his son’s best friend. In His Prince, Anthony’s younger son Angel falls for his husband after an arranged marriage with Mikhail Ivanov.

    His Enforcer stars Luca, the underboss and Anthony’s bestfriend who used to be a third in his late wife’s bed. Bodyguard Viktor has a bad crush on the older man since he was a teenager.

    Viktor is a favorite at the sex club being an exclusive bottom game for anything. One night, Luca witnessed him in a rather intense session, put a stop to it, took him home, and slept with him. Then, pretended it never happened for years.

    Viktor makes no secret of his desire for Luca, which the underboss uses to his advantage, pushing the bodyguard’s buttons and cockteasing, knowing the younger man has no self-control. It happens so frequently that the supposedly straight Luca ends up sleeping with Viktor like a bad habit, having fallen in lust.

    I like reading series in order and this was a necessary hurdle to get to the next installment. It is indeed a chore since I didn’t like Luca and there was barely any romance. It’s mostly lust with Viktor too needy, too desperate, too ready to bend just to get Luca’s dick in him.

    Luca likes control and that’s all I can say about him as he had no other personality traits. There was some sob story tacked on the latter part but it was meh. I say, skip this if you can.

    His Reaper stars Bane and his doctor boyfriend Georgiy Sokolov. Bane, the Costello’s torturer and interrogator who collects body parts and turns them into jewelry, was an instant favorite since the beginning. The series has a fantastic found family dynamic and Bane is fiercely protective of his loved ones who in turn adore the labrador retriever psycho.

    In the previous books, Bane laid eyes on Georgiy, Mikhail’s interrogator, and immediately became obsessed. So much so he stood in front of Georgiy’s window and jerked off. Wasn’t a bit shy, was in fact quite proud when Georgiy caught him. They got into an off again, on again thing, and last we know, Georgiy ghosted and Bane was devastated.

    Present day Bane, desperate to get Georgiy’s attention sleeps with other guys until Georgiy finds him and proceeds to tattoo his name on his butt. Trademarked and insured too as Georgiy wants to protect his property. Bane’s life and his family are in danger from his ex who betrayed them and Georgiy vows to exact his revenge.

    This is absolutely the best book in the series!

    The play of opposites is just pure delight with the touch-starved Bane bringing his lovable chaos into the touch-aversed Georgiy’s life. Bane is a messy, childish ball of energy, sharp and intuitive with no bounderies what so ever, while Georgiy is a highly skilled surgeon, a stoic, clinical, germaphobe giving Bane the calm, firm hand he needs. They build a relationship rooted in respect, obsession, and surprising tenderness.

    I loved how Bane respects Georgiy’s limits, knowing when too much is too much. Bane is perpetually horny and Georgiy gets creative to satisfy his man, avoiding skin to skin contact until he gradually becomes comfortable with touching Bane. They are each other’s rock when past traumas and hurts resurface, particularly important during the full circle moment at the climax.

    It’s not only the nuclear-level chemistry, but the all-consuming obsession and, most of all, the genuine care they had for each other is the deepest and most heartfelt in the entire series. Given that they’re the most fucked up characters too, cardboard Luca could learn a thing or two from them.

    The book is chockful of content warnings: violence, blood, gore and heavy into voyeurism and exhibitionism. Bane has no qualms watching other couples have sex, whipping out his dick in public, and getting horny over every attractive man he meets.

    He likes to cuddle with other couples in bed, joining them without warning. They let him knowing Bane is being Bane. Until Georgiy tattoos his claim and Bane happily finds his anchor in Georgiy

    Georgiy stimulates Bane with machines and toys and one time, Anthony walks in on them. Instead of being embarrassed, the mob boss stands there and watches, hella cringe after he claims Bane is like a son.

    Bane also plays matchmaker to Jax and Kit, encouraging the two men to get handsy in public while he watches and gets horny. The bonding ceremony is also very Georgiy and Bane with skin branding and more sex on display.

    Content warnings aside, I want more Georgiy and Bane! Hearing Georgiy call Bane, “Bane of my existence” or “Bane of my life” everytime is making me swoon. To which Bane replies, “Just so you know, you’re the Georgiy of my life.” Seriously, I died of squees…

    We need the guards, too. Jax and Kit crackle with electricity, no wonder Bane is shipping them hard. Teddy ‘s silent appearances speaks volumes about how much of a teddy bear he is. Shipping him hard with Jake. The creepy and perverted Andromeda twins need their own book too. I’m super curious how they will handle their new boy when he wakes up from his coma.

    Unexpectedly Twisted is a mixed bag of lust and love, with mafia shenanigans on the side. While there is an overarching thread running throughout the series and many recurring characters, the books can be read as standalones. You can skip the weaker installments, The Silencer and His Enforcer. His Prince is worth a read, mostly for the secondary characters.

    Overall, nothing unexpected about the entire series but His Reaper redeems it in the most deliciously twisted way.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of His Enforcer and His Reaper. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    HIS ENFORCER: Amazon UK | Audiobook
    HIS REAPER: Amazon UK | Audiobook

    If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!

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  • song,  Uncategorized

    SOUNDTRACK: Lust To Love by Renforshort & Beautiful Monster by Lolux

    September 19, 2026 / No Comments

    Soundtrack to Unexpectedly Twisted: His Enforcer by Cora Rose

    Lust To Love by Renforshort for a book about a crush turned burning desire to (maybe) love.

    Falling out of lust, and into love
    With every inch of your body
    Started as a crush, and now I’m stuck
    And I want you to want me
    Everytime I get to touch you, I just want so much more of you
    I can’t stop, falling out of lust
    Falling into love-ove-ove-ove

    Soundtrack to Unexpectedly Twisted: His Reaper by Cora Rose

    Beautiful Monster by Lolux for a book about chaotic monsters falling, clinical monsters, and all-consuming obsessions.

    look at the mess you made
    as if in perfect display
    could you go even further
    than you have ever gone
    do something worse than ever thought

    oh yeah but don’t you look stunning
    oh yeah you look like you wanted it all

    you’re my beautiful monster baby
    so will you love to hate me again(?)
    got a feeling i like you crazy
    you’re my beautiful

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    October 21, 2024
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Book images and promotional materials are from Goodreads or media kits provided for blog tours, cover reveals and release blitzes. Manga covers and other images are sourced through Google image search. The two dorks in the header image is from a manga by TogaQ & Kikuchi Neko. The cat logo is my own design. Reviews and other writings found in the blog are mine unless otherwise stated. All Buy Links to Amazon and Bookshop in my posts contain affiliate links.

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