A Glimpse into my mind

The Maleficent Faerie by Rebecca F. Kenney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 stars

The world has been driven asunder and is in danger of disappearing into the Void. When the King and Queen refuse to help the Maleficent One in an attempt to stop the encroachment, instead putting their faith in the Goddess, the Maleficent One curses their daughter that before her 25th birthday she will fall into a hundred year sleep.

It's been almost 25 years since the Princess was cursed, and it's Aura's job as her bodyguard to keep her from falling into the clutches of the Void King. But when his Knights surround them, Aura uses the little bit of Fae magic she has at her disposal to glamor herself to appear as the Princess and allows herself to be kidnapped instead.

Malec, the Void King and Maleficent One, senses that something is not right with the Princess, but time is running out and he needs her to complete the magic to hold back the Void for good, even if it means she must fall to the curse he placed 25 years ago.

++++

I really enjoyed this reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. The story was compelling, the characters fleshed out well, and man was the spice spicy.

If you are in the mood for erotic romantasy I would actually recommend this one.



View all my reviews

X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of World War II by Leah Garrett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a very gripping look into a commando troop in the British Army during WWII that was made up of Jewish German ex-pats.

These men endured so much - losing their homes due to the raise of the Third Reich, getting to a different country (England) only to be interred in camps or shipped off to Australia to be interred in camps (if they survived the trip), then having to give up their identities to help the British War movement by being specially trained in warfare, subterfuge, scouting, and interrogation before being shipped to some of the worst battles in the history of the War.

I was pulled in from the start and had difficulty putting this book down.



View all my reviews

Regifted: Ganged by the Ghosts of Christmas by J.L. Logosz

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


2.5 stars but I rounded up.

A spicy re-imagining of A Christmas Carol, with a Scrooge-like FMC who is visited by 4 ghosts on Christmas Eve to punish her and get her to change her ways.


++++

Was this earth shattering? No. Did I feel i wasted the 40 minutes it took me to read it? (I was doing a couple things while reading it) Not really.

It wasn't the worst and it wasn't the best smutty short story I've read. And there wasn't the ew factor that other shorts have had.



View all my reviews

Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color by Andrea Ritchie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When most people hear the words “Police Violence” the image that usually comes to mind is Rodney King, or George Floyd. But seldom thought about and even less discussed, especially in the media, is the idea of police violence on women. And even further ignored is police violence against BIPOC and LGBTQ+ women of color. This book looks at this phenomenon and brings to light what is oft times ignored and swept under the proverbial rug.

++++

It has been a very long time, if ever, that I have been moved to such extreme rage by a book’s subject. This was an emotionally draining book that I was very glad I read.

I fully admit that throughout the entirety of this book, I found myself muttering to myself “What the F*** is wrong with white men?”




View all my reviews

Owned by the Alphas by Jayce Carter

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Well, let's just slap the reader right away with the hardcore sex. Cuz, dang...

That being said, I have mixed emotions about this story. The plot was good, but I found myself annoyed with the stubborn idiocy of the main female character. She just kept getting on my nerves.

But the three male main characters... yes please.



View all my reviews

Lola & the Millionaires: Part One by Kathryn Moon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






Lola & the Millionaires: Part Two by Kathryn Moon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Lola has convinced herself that as a Beta she is not good enough but continues to "hunt Alphas" hoping to find a connection. This behavior causes her to fall prey to an evil Alpha and his pack that abuses her severely and leaving her, understandably, with a deep psychological fear of Alphas.

But she starts working to take control of her life, landing the job of her dreams - working at a fashion magazine. But it becomes hard when she realizes she's surrounded by some of the most powerful Alphas in the industry.

But when the man of her nightmares returns and starts emotionally tormenting her, she finds that the thing she may need most is the thing she fears the most - a pack of Alphas.

+++

I really enjoyed this duology. I honestly thought it was a good representation of an abused woman and the inner fear that is felt when escape happens. I also liked how the Alpha pack that helps her shows her kindness, understanding and gives her the room to cope and allow her to start the healing process.

And the spicy scenes where certainly along the lines of a jalapeno.

As I said in a recent post that wasn't just a book/story review, I'm going through a bit of a rabbit hole with my reading.

I bit the bullet and signed up for a 30 day free trial of Kindle Unlimited so that I could get smutty stories and not feel guilty for spending money on them.

Anyway, a couple of the early stories referenced a concept called Omegaverse. This sent me further down a rabbit hole of a romance sub-genre I hadn't done before - reverse harem with a twist. I will let you, dear reader, do your own research into it. Others write about this sub-genre better than I could.

Anyway, I got to doing some introspection on why I have inhaled 5 novels in as many days (#6 might be finished today). I mean the smut is spicy in most of them but it wasn't really what was drawing me to the concepts.

Then I realized... I spent the last three years in a heightened state of trauma fear due to the abusive and toxic environment that I worked in. I didn't want anyone near me really. If even close friends came near, I had to fight the strong "get the FUCK away from me" response.

Now, I am no longer in that mindset. I don't have the constant state of tense awareness around me. And I'm craving a bit of contact - just warm gentle touch... cuddles, being held, made to feel safe and that maybe someone else could be there for me, be in charge, and not so much protect but I lack a word other than protect.

Oh don't get me wrong, it's been pre-pandemic since I have been intimate with anyone and well... sex can be fun and feels good. But right now I and battling body dysmorphia weasels and my own labeling that I'd probably spiral if found in a situation where someone would want to be that way with me.

But having someone I care about and trust look me in the eyes and tell me that they have me... hold me... maybe just lay on me and put their weight on me to help me feel safe and grounded. Made to feel special/important. Hell, I can't recall the last time someone even gave me a flower that wasn't part of being a consort in Crown Tourney.

Yeah, that'd be nice.


(please note, this is not a cry for people/friends to start jumping up and volunteering and inundating me with flowers or the like. I recognize this might send me in a panic spiral also. This is just a me taking stock of what I am feeling and experiencing)

Bunny by Layla Fae

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


cute story. I laughed throughout it. The purple prose was a bit much in this one.

And I will never look at chocolate eggs the same again.




Crow by Layla Fae

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


He's been cursed into a different form, but that doesn't stop his heart from loving her, wanting her.

She's plagued by nightmares and just wants to be safe and loved for who she is.

++++

This one actually has a sweet story that tugs at my enjoyment of fairy tales.




Thick Beef by Layla Fae

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The set up was not bad. Actual story OK. The smut entertaining.

but... Gravy?




Jack by Layla Fae

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


A Halloween Plot-What-Plot.

I'm finding that this author is very hit or miss with her stories, many are almost trainwreck stories - I am horrified but can't look away.



View all my reviews

Stuffed by Sylvia Morrow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


3.5 stars

She hates the touch of people, fearing germs. She's come to accept that she will never be intimate with another because of that.

He's love her for as long as he has memories. He wants to be with her. But he needs the strength to make himself into what she wants and needs.

+++++

This gives a new meaning to "fluff reading".

I never expected to enjoy a short smut story about an energy vampiric, sentient pillow.

The story had a plot... mostly. And it was well written.

but.... tentacles?





Double Stuffed by Sylvia Morrow

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


They've settled into a life that works for them. But he wants to find a way to keep her happy and entertained. He does this by reading fanfiction and discovers the concept of omegaverse.

Now he wants to help make what he's read happen without hurting or scaring her.

She thought she was happy and content with the way things were. But then it all changed and maybe three isn't a crowd after all.

++

How is a short smutty story about a human, a sentient pillow-turned man, and a goldfish-turned man so entertaining?

Ya got me, but it is. Nice sequel to Stuffed.



View all my reviews

For any of my followers who actually well follow me and read my book reviews, I'm giving you fair warning right now. I am pretty sure you are shortly going to start wondering what is wrong with me because I'm spiraling down a rabbit hole of short stories that are mostly smut and that smut is mostly WTF?!?!?

See I'm currently also reading a very heavy and emotionally draining book for work on police violence on BIPOC women. As such, I find myself needing a mental pallet cleanse to shut my brain and my emotions off when I walk away from the work book.

I'm not making any apologies, but yes, I will be sharing the write up/review as I finish these short stories.