Arctic Sun (2019) Annabeth Albert (Frozen Hearts) “Food sounds good,” River lied. The alarm on his phone earlier had said it was time to eat, so he would. It’s partly control— I don’t like not having charge of what happens— but it’s also wrapped up in my body image stuff and the eating disorder. I […]
- May 22nd, 2021
- Categories: 8.5/10, Comfort Read, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Annabeth Albert, Boinking, Eating Disorder, MM
Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) The worst thing about Samir’s parents— worse than the cruelty, the manipulation, the toxicity— was the fact that Samir had loved them. She was pregnant, and pregnant people were like the Pope, right? You had to treat them with total respect, even in your own head, just in case […]
- May 15th, 2021
- Categories: 7.5/10, British, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Novella, Own Voices, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, Bad Family, Boinking, Pregnancy, PTSD, Ravenswood, Talia Hibbert
A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert (Ravenswood) Avoiding conflict was his mode of operation. They’d taught him that at basic training, once they’d figured out his hair-trigger temper. Always avoid conflict. That was what they called it. Distant. Words like depressed were for girls with English mothers. She wasn’t graceful. She was, in fact, […]
- May 15th, 2021
- Categories: 8/10, British, eBook, Neurodiversity, Own Voices, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, ASD, Boinking, Neurodiversity, Talia Hibbert
Work for It (2019) Talia Hibbert (Just for Him) “Everyone said he was handsome, but this is just silly.” “He’s staring a hole into you, Griff. No, don’t look, you donkey. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?” I finally take my shot and fluff it. “Year 2, you told me to pick up […]
- April 30th, 2021
- Categories: 9.5/10, British, Comfort Read, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Anxiety, Bad Family, Boinking, Depression, MM, Outing, Suicide, Talia Hibbert
After the Scrum (2014) Dahlia Donovan (Sin Bin) Caddock Stanford lost his brother, lost his place on the national rugby team, and became the parent to his young nephew. So he wants a place to start over, to make a new life for himself and Devlin. “Looe’s a brilliant place for starting fresh. Oh, and […]
- March 31st, 2021
- Categories: 8/10, British, Comfort Read, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Boinking, Dahlia Donovan, Grief, MM, Sin Bin
Wild Sign (2021) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) The FBI has come calling on Charles & Anna. A group of people have disappeared, and the land they were living on in the northern California mountains belongs to Leah–Bran’s wife. I read this in two sittings, so it’s (as expected) fast paced and drew me in […]
Sin Bin Series: Box Set (2020) Dahlia Donovan This is seven stories (and three short stories) around a group of former rugby players and friends and the men they fall in love with. The Wanderer (2017) The Caretaker (2017) The Botanist (2017) The Royal Marine (2017) The Unexpected Santa (2017) The Lion Tamer (2018) Haka […]
- March 16th, 2021
- Categories: 8.5/10, British, eBook, Food, Mental Health Rep, Physical Health, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Bakery, Baking, Boinking, Cancer, Cheese, Dahlia Donovan, MM, Serious Illness, Sin Bin
The Hanged Man (2019) K. D. Edwards (The Tarot Sequence) The world changed decades ago. The Atlantean World War was brief. The cost was high. Magically radioactive wastes in the Pacific Northwest and half of Poland; the near-extinction of dragonkind; a viral plague that decimated the Atlantean homeland. A hundred thousand headstones, trillions in damage. […]
- March 5th, 2021
- Categories: 8.5/10, eBook, Fantasy, Good Cover, Own Voices, Queer, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: K.D. Edwards, MM, PTSD, Tarot Sequence
The Last Sun (2018) K. D. Edwards (The Tarot Sequence) Rune is the last member of his house, excluding his Companion, Brand, the man who has been his bodyguard and confidant and friend since he was a child. He is also a mercenary, using as much power and technology as they can afford, to do […]
- February 9th, 2021
- Categories: 8.5/10, eBook, Fantasy, Own Voices, Queer, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: K.D. Edwards, MM, PTSD, Tarot Sequence
Getting It Right (2015) A.M. Arthur (Restoration) Nathan Wolf and James Taggart have been best friends for half their lives. “Thank God for Gina, or you’d never eat.” “Fuck you, Wolf. I can cook just fine.” “Only you don’t, because you’re lazy.” “True.” And James has been in love with Nate for most of that. […]
- January 12th, 2021
- Categories: 8.5/10, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Mystery, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Depression, Eating Disorder, Grief, MM, PTSD, Sexual Assault
Little Wolf (2015) R. Cooper (Beings in Love) Tim Littlewolf ran to Wolf’s Paw to try and (at least briefly) find sanctuary on his run from his uncle and his uncle’s henchman. “Who meant well, Tim?” Nathaniel was right in front of him, larger than before, as if he’d straightened in response to a threat. […]
- January 9th, 2021
- Categories: 7/10, eBook, Fantasy, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Boinking, MM, R. Cooper, Werewolves
Three Stupid Weddings (2018) Ann Gallagher The world is terrible. I wanted something cute to re-read, without any boinking. This fit the bill. Please note that one character is trying to deal with an eating disorder that developed from emotional abuse from his ex-boyfriend, but it’s not heavy. the “you need to gain weight” crowd […]
- November 2nd, 2020
- Categories: 7.5/10, Ace, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Novella, Queer, Reread, Romance, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Ann Gallagher, Eating Disorder, MM
Glitterland (2018) Alexis Hall (Spires) I kept reading the synopsis of this story and thinking, “I don’t know if this is my kind of story.” But I utterly adored Boyfriend Material as well as Waiting for the Flood, so I decided to try it. It opens with a the aftermath of a one-night-stand and the […]
- October 27th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, British, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Own Voices, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alexis Hall, Boinking, Depression, MM, Suicide
Galaxies and Oceans (2018) N.R. Walker I know it’s only been a month since I read this the first time, but it came to mind for a recommendation request, and I went to look for a specific quote, and, well. I re-read the entire thing. Grief was like the great Southern Ocean; it moved in […]
- October 19th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, Comfort Read, eBook, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, Boinking, Grief, MM, N.R. Walker, PTSD
Invitation to the Blues (2018) Roan Parrish (Small Change) This story is not for everyone. So there I was, working in my younger brother’s sandwich shop to make rent after moving out of my parents’ house, where I’d gone to temporarily lie low when I was released from the hospital I ended up in after […]
- October 3rd, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Anxiety, Boinking, Depression, MM, Roan Parrish
Raze (2019) Roan Parrish (Riven) Huey has spent a decade focusing on being sober, and helping others by being a sponsor. But in building his life, he hasn’t allowed anything unplanned or unexpected. I liked the dishes to be done in a particular way, and the routine was important to me. For as long as […]
- October 1st, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Boinking, MM, Riven, Roan Parrish
Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) And now, I’m all caught up and have no more Alpha & Omega stories until March. I was unsure how I felt the first time I read this story. There is a lot that happens here, that probably has repercussions for future books (and possibly the rest […]
- September 28th, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) The Fae may have retreated to their reservations after the events of the past book, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t letting out monsters to show the humans just how much the Fae were keeping from humans. His glamour fell away, the illusion that truly represented the […]
- September 27th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) Although this book lacks Asil (except for a few scenes at the beginning) it is still very good. Primarily because I still find the ending shocking, even though I’ve read it multiple times. This book is not going to be for everyone. Take the last line of […]
- September 25th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) This is set only a few months after the previous book (which is set immediately following the novella). Charles and Anna are still setting into their marriage and their mating bond. He wasn’t used to all of this emotion. He’d taken the feelings and desires of his […]
- September 22nd, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Fantasy, Female, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega) Going through this series for comfort reading. Charles and Anna’s wolves have decided they are mated, but the two humans still need to get to know one another, and Anna has a lot of damage to overcome–as does Charles after dealing with the pack that tried to […]
- September 21st, 2020
- Categories: 9/10, Fantasy, Female, Mental Health Rep, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Alpha and Omega: A Companion Novella to Cry Wolf (2007) Patricia Briggs Comfort reading it is right now. So I decided I needed Patricia Brigg’s Alpha & Omega series. Charles wasn’t worried about dying— it was just that cars went too fast. He couldn’t get a feel for the land they passed through. One thing […]
- September 20th, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Fantasy, Novella, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Galaxies and Oceans (2018) N.R. Walker TW: This story opens with one of the main characters recovering from having been beaten by his boyfriend–for not the first time. Ethan Hosking walks out of his boyfriend’s second home and into the a chaos of a wildfire and comes out of the forest as Aubrey Hobbs, a […]
- September 11th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, Boinking, Grief, MM, N.R. Walker, PTSD
Best of Both Worlds (2017) N.R. Walker I had no idea what I was in he mood to read, so I thought I’d go with a novella. I read a few pages and thought this wasn’t the book I was in the mood for (it opened with trigger warnings for homophobia and violence) but I […]
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) This is three interrelated stories, of gods and men and angels and monsters. The first book is about Hades, who has been surprised by divorce papers from Persephone. He comes to the world (things aren’t that busy for him after all) and opens a private investigation business. […]
- April 24th, 2020
- Categories: 8/10, Comfort Read, Fantasy, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Angel Martinez, Boinking, Brandywine Investigations, MM
Small Change (2017) Roan Parrish (Small Change) Ginger Holtzman may or may not have a crush on the guy who runs the bakery down the street from her tattoo studio. But his store does have coffee. And excellent bagels. Christopher Lucen definitely has a crush on Ginger, but isn’t at all sure how the prickly […]
Work for It (2019) Talia Hibbert (Just for Him) The world is making me feel out-of-sorts, so I decided to re-read a book I very much enjoyed. The first time around I read this book before the rest of the series (this is essentially the last book) so re-reading it after having read about the […]
- March 12th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, British, Comfort Read, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Anxiety, Bad Family, Boinking, Depression, MM, Outing, Suicide, Talia Hibbert
Rend (2018) Roan Parrish (Riven) Oh. My. God. So much crying. I hate crying. Yet, I kept stifling tears as I read this story. Kids in the system slipped through the cracks in school because they didn’t have a support system. They didn’t have people helping them with their homework, or telling them they could […]
- March 8th, 2020
- Categories: 9/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Anxiety, Boinking, MM, PTSD, Riven, Roan Parrish
Three Stupid Weddings (2018) Ann Gallagher Victor Nelson is still struggling with his breakup–even if everyone (including Vic) knows he is so much better off without Max. So when he find out he has to attend three family weddings over the summer, he’s miserable at the thought of all of his relatives introducing him to […]
Arctic Sun (2019) Annabeth Albert (Frozen Hearts) River Vale, supermodel turned traveler and writer, is not what Griffin Barrett wants on this tour. He’d rather not be running the tour at all, but with his uncle hurt, there’s no one else to do it. …the customers. Oh, his mom called them guests, but really, it […]
- January 10th, 2020
- Categories: 8.5/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Annabeth Albert, Boinking, Eating Disorder, MM
Whiteout (2017) Elyse Springer Noah Landers wakes up with with a crushing headache and nausea, and no memory of who or where he is. The man he’s with says he fell and hit his head, but that the storm means no rescue vehicles can reach them, so he’s been doing his best, calling the doctor […]
- November 6th, 2019
- Categories: 8.5/10, Good Cover, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Boinking, Concussion, Depression, Grief, MM, Suicide
Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs The first time I read this book (right after it came out) I was unable to rate it, because I couldn’t decide quite how I felt about it. Something seemed off to me, but I couldn’t place precisely what it was. This book still feels off to me, and I’m […]
- November 5th, 2019
- Categories: Fantasy, Female, Mystery, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs Despite the lack of Asil, I do love this story. The Arabians might not suit you; they don’t suit everyone. They are like cats: vain, beautiful, and intelligent. But you deal well enough with Asil, who is also vain, beautiful, and intelligent. Charles receives a call from his friend Joseph–who […]
- November 5th, 2019
- Categories: 8.5/10, Fantasy, Female, Mystery, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs This is the third Alpha & Omega book. Bran brought the wolves out into the light of the day, and Charles’ life has become a living hell. Any infraction that makes werewolves look bad is a death sentence–and the alphas keep pushing that duty onto Charles. Bran was still ranting. […]
- October 30th, 2019
- Categories: 8.5/10, Fantasy, Female, Mystery, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs This series is working well as I try to figure out what new-to-me book I want to read next. Bran is going to make the existance of werewolves known to the general public, but he’s trying to make the announcement as easy as possible for those wolves outside of the […]
- October 28th, 2019
- Categories: 8.5/10, Fantasy, Female, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs Anna was rescued from her abusive pack in Chicago, and is now mated to Charles Cornick–the son of the Marrok. But she is still try to deal with the abuse she suffered in Chicago while learning to trust Charles. Unfortunately, troubles won’t wait for Charles to recover from the injuries […]
- October 26th, 2019
- Categories: 8/10, Fantasy, Female, Mystery, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Alpha and Omega (2008) Patricia Briggs Reading slump. Went through a lot of books before I decided this was what I would be good reading. This novella is the start of the Alpha & Omega series, with Charles (the Marrock’s younger son) and Anna, an Omega werewolf who was changed against her will. There is […]
- October 26th, 2019
- Categories: 8/10, Fantasy, Female, Reread, Romance, Short Story, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Sexual Assault, Violence, Werewolves
Riven (2018) Roan Parrish I’ve never been interested in reading a book about a rock star, which is why I had a really hard time starting this one. In fact, since I’d forgotten the premise when I started reading, I wondered why on earth I’d gotten it. Theo Decker is a rock star and hates […]
- October 6th, 2019
- Categories: 7.5/10, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Boinking, MM, Riven, Roan Parrish
Work for It (2019) Talia Hibbert The story begins with Olu, who is pretty clearly damaged, and doesn’t know how to fix himself. After a failed pick-up, he decides to run off for awhile. I can’t remember what it’s like to be happy. It’s not as though I didn’t see this coming. I have been […]
- September 14th, 2019
- Categories: 8.5/10, British, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Anxiety, Bad Family, Boinking, Depression, MM, Outing, Suicide, Talia Hibbert
Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert Laura Burne is married to an abusive bastard. So she’s left him, and planning to have her child on her own, to keep The Bump safe, and has returned to the place she felt safe and happy as a teenager: Beesley-On-Sea. Samir Bianchi has remained where he grew up (even […]
- August 26th, 2019
- Categories: 8/10, British, Own Voices, Romance, Sexual Content, Short Story, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, Bad Family, Boinking, Pregnancy, PTSD, Ravenswood, Talia Hibbert
A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert The nice thing about romance series is that it’s really ok to read them out of order, since you know you’re getting a HEA and there are only small details to possibly spoil, not the outcome. I read the third book, and decided I really wanted to read […]
- August 4th, 2019
- Categories: 8/10, British, Neurodiversity, Own Voices, Romance, Sexual Content, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Abuse, ASD, Boinking, Neurodiversity, Talia Hibbert
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) Mythological beings. M/M romance. Murder and mystery. That noise? Those were a bunch of my buttons being pushed all at the same time. This is three separate stories. Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses, No Enemy But Time, and Dragons, Diamonds & Discord. Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses Hades (that […]
- June 21st, 2019
- Categories: 7.5/10, Fantasy, Good Cover, Mental Health Rep, Mystery, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Addiction, Angel Martinez, Boinking, Brandywine Investigations, MM
Widdershins (2012) Jordan L. Hawk Set in Boston in the late 1800s. This is an historical supernatural M/M romance. One of the characters is neuroatypical, and the other is suffering from PTSD, so they both have issues to deal with, but I very much like the spin that puts on the story. (Damaged or atypical […]
- August 8th, 2018
- Categories: Fantasy, Historical, Mental Health Rep, Queer, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Boinking, MM, PTSD
Burn Bright, Audio Version (2018) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham When I read this after it was published in the spring, I believe I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. After listening, I think I know what felt off originally–this majority of this book takes place over a very short period of time. […]
- July 25th, 2018
- Categories: 7.5/10, Audio Book, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Holter Graham, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Dead Heat, Audio Version (2015) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham I really like this entry into the Alpha & Omega series. Charles and Anna head out to visit a friend of Charles’ who is dying, and to buy a horse for Anna from the family business. The family is complicated, with the grandfather a […]
- July 23rd, 2018
- Categories: Audio Book, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Holter Graham, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Fair Game, Audio Edition (2012) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham I do like this series, and this book, even if this book has a serious lack of Asil. Asil left Bran alone with his thoughts then, because if he stayed, Bran would argue with him. This way, Bran would have no one to argue […]
- July 10th, 2018
- Categories: 8/10, Audio Book, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Ghosts, Holter Graham, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Hunting Ground, Audible Edition (2009) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham I feel so picky. I don’t dislike Holter Graham as a narrator, and I enjoy him slightly more than Loreli King, but 1) he still mispronounces the Marrock and 2) this is the book with the European wolves coming to the US, and I […]
- June 20th, 2018
- Categories: 8/10, Audio Book, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Holter Graham, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Iron Kissed, Audio Version (2008) Patricia Briggs I almost skipped listening to this book, but instead I just skipped through the very distressing parts. This is a very good story, but a very difficult one. Publisher: Penguin Audio
- June 15th, 2018
- Categories: Audio Book, Fantasy, Female, Reread, Romance, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, Sexual Assault, Werewolves
Cry Wolf, Audible Edition (2008) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham It makes me feel bad to admit it, but I much prefer Holter Graham as a narrator to Lorelei King. She just doesn’t have the range for male voices that other female narrators do, and the Mercy Thompson series has too many male characters […]
- June 7th, 2018
- Categories: 8/10, Audio Book, Fantasy, Reread, Romance, Sexual Content, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Holter Graham, Lorelei King, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, Audio Version (2014) Patricia Briggs narrated by Alexander Cendese and Lorelei King Flailing around for something to listen to, I decided that I’d listen to the Patricia Briggs short story collection and then go from there. This collection has very few Mercy stories in, and several […]
- May 23rd, 2018
- Categories: 9/10, Anthology, Audio Book, Fantasy, Female, Queer, Reread, Romance, Short Story, Supernatural, Trigger Warnings
- Tags: Alpha & Omega, Lorelei King, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, PTSD, Violence, Werewolves