Posted in Monthly Reading Wrap Ups

January 2026 Reading Wrap-Up

I didn’t have the best reading month in January. I read 5 books, which isn’t bad by any means, but I only read 8 days out of 31, which was not my goal. I was aiming to read at least 5 pages each day in January, but with moving house, everything became too much, and I couldn’t focus on reading. The books I did read in January, however, were all amazing, so in that respect it was a great reading month.

Without any further ado, here are the books I started 2026 with.

My first book of the year was an ARC of Midnight Chase by Harleigh Beck. A book I was so excited for after reading Fatal Collision in December 2025. I loved this book, and I can’t wait for book 3. I gave this book 5 stars. This is out now, and you should read it, read Fatal Collision first!

My second book was another ARC, this was Meet Cute At The Boneyard by C.J Riggs, which is a paranormal romance, and I loved this! It was such a cute book, there was still murder and gore…it’s Riggs, so you bet there was female rage too, which I freaking love! I gave this book 5 stars. This is releasing on 10th February, and you know imma say you need to read it 😀

I then read Pump Two by J Cherry, which was recommended to me by my friend Emma, whom I met on TikTok. This was recommended as part of my 12 Friends, 12 Months, 12 Books challenge. This was also the first book I have read by this author; it is a novella featuring a biker and the mask kink, and I enjoyed reading it. It was a perfect read for a month where I was struggling to concentrate most days. I gave this 4 stars.

I then read Hot Vampire Next Door Season One by Nikki St. Crowe, which was recommended to me by Harleigh Beck as a part of my 12 Authors, 12 Months, 12 Books challenge. I really liked this and will 100% be adding the next 4 books to my TBR. This is set in a supernatural town, and I want to move there. I gave this book 4 stars.

I then read another ARC, which was Slaughter Park by Lauren Biel. This is book 4 in the Slaycation series, and I freaking love this series so much! This book was just as good as the other 3, if not better, because the MMC is Scottish 😛 I can’t wait for the audiobook. I gave this book 5 stars. It releases on 15th February. I think you should read it.

I have got reviews for all these books up on my blog, so if you want a more in depth feel for the book, please go read them 🙂

Stats
•5 Books Read
•All Kindle books
•2 Kindle Unlimited Books
•3 ARCs
•1,008 pages read
•Longest Book: Slaughter Park
•Shortest Book: Meet Cute at the Boneyard
•Prettiest Cover: Midnight Chase
•Favourite of the month: Slaughter Park (this was so hard to choose!)

Posted in Book Review, Dark Romance/Erotic Horror, Lauren Biel, Uncategorised

Slaughter Park: A Rollercoaster of Romance and Danger in the Latest Slaycation Instalment

Slaughter Park by Lauren Biel

18+ Contains Adult Content

Slaughter Park is book 4 in the Slaycation series by Lauren Biel. They are technically standalones but are best to be read in order so you get the full picture. Book 1 is Sinners Retreat, Book 2 is Slay Ride, Book 3 is Ship Happens, and Book 4 is Slaughter Park. The sad news is that there is only one more book after this.

Slaughter Park follows Quinn and Aven, the latter of whom is Quinn’s bodyguard, a job he took from Jim (if you’ve read the others, you know Jim). Quinn is a cam girl who has gotten herself a killer stalker, not the good kind. Aven is tasked with keeping Quinn safe & when her stalker gets too close, the only option Jim sees available is to bring Quinn to the annual serial killer retreat, which this year is being held at an old abandoned theme park that Jim bought and improved on. Slaughter park…a theme park of deathly rollercoasters, roaming serial killers who become family, a sexy as sin bodyguard and a stalker out for blood. This book is full of banter, dark humour and romance.

Continue reading “Slaughter Park: A Rollercoaster of Romance and Danger in the Latest Slaycation Instalment”
Posted in Book Review, Dark Romance/Erotic Horror, Nikki St. Crowe

Hot Vampire Next Door Review: Love and Secrets Unveiled

Hot Vampire Next Door Season One by Nikki St. Crowe

18+ Contains Adult Content

Hot Vampire Next Door is a novella (although it is said to be a Kindle Vella Serial, which is a boxset of episodes 1-18, which I have never heard of before) that follows Jessie and Bran. Jessie is a human, Bran is a vampire. In Midnight Harbor, humans share the space with many supernatural beings, and once they become of age at 21, they are to pledge themselves to a supernatural being. Jessie’s family has always been pledged to the Locke family, and it is expected that Jessie will pledge there too, but she is enamoured with Bran Duval, the black sheep of the Duval family. Bran is not as unaffected by Jessie as he makes out to believe, but when Jessie and Bran find out that secrets are being kept that involve Jessie, they go hunting for the truth. Who is Jessie really?

“Good Girl,” he says. “Behave yourself tonight.”

“I don’t plan on it,” I say back.

Continue reading “Hot Vampire Next Door Review: Love and Secrets Unveiled”
Posted in Dark Romance/Erotic Horror, J. Cherry

Kinky and Cute: My Thoughts on J Cherry’s “Pump Two” and Its Enigmatic Masked MMC

Pump Two by J Cherry

18+ Contains Adult Content

Pump Two is a novella that follows Violet, who has just started a new job working in a gas station for the night shift. Here she meets Devon, whom she only knows as biker guy to begin with. Devon first comes in and gets $20 on pump two, but he instantly becomes enamoured with Violet and finds himself riding around so he can use up his gas and go back to the gas station to see her. Eventually, they get talking, but Devon never removes his helmet or his ski mask. When Violet eventually sees the man under the mask, will she still want him?

Continue reading “Kinky and Cute: My Thoughts on J Cherry’s “Pump Two” and Its Enigmatic Masked MMC”
Posted in C.J Riggs, Dark Romance/Erotic Horror

Cute Meets Dark: A Review of C.J Riggs New Novella Meet Cute at the Boneyard

Meet Cute at the Boneyard by C.J Riggs

18+ Contains Adult Content

Meet Cute at the Boneyard is a paranormal romance that follows Heather & Ricky, who have a meet-cute in, believe it or not… a boneyard, haha. They meet in the graveyard when both are disposing of dead bodies. Heather is rather girly, and Ricky leans more towards the emo aesthetic, which leads to Heather giving him nicknames that made me giggle. Ricky knows Heather belongs to him; now he needs to show her that she belongs to him & he isn’t letting her go.

Continue reading “Cute Meets Dark: A Review of C.J Riggs New Novella Meet Cute at the Boneyard”
Posted in Book Review, Dark Romance/Erotic Horror, Harleigh Beck

Explore Forbidden Love in Midnight Chase by Harleigh Beck

Midnight Chase by Harleigh Beck

18+ Contains Adult Content

Midnight Chase is book 2 in the Dark Lanes series by Harleigh Beck. It follows on from where we left off in Fatal Collision. Jessica knows she should stay away from Kane, but she finds herself craving him too much. She feels like a different person with Kane, a person she likes; she’s able to ignore the darkness of her life when she is around him. Kane likewise can’t stay away from Jessica; in his eyes, she is his, no matter what! Kane will destroy every enemy to keep her safe, even his own father?

Continue reading “Explore Forbidden Love in Midnight Chase by Harleigh Beck”
Posted in Updates

Bookish Life Updates: My 2025 Reading Journey

Let me start off by apologising for being MIA. Life became crazy when we signed for a new flat on the 12th December. I spent all of December packing, painting the new flat and dealing with chronic illness flare-ups that left me unable to do pretty much anything. Then, of course, with it being the Christmas period, it was hard work getting movers and carpet fitters. It was very stressful, and my body definitely paid a hefty price. We are in the new flat. Mostly unpacked, and are settling in nicely.

So… let’s talk books.

Continue reading “Bookish Life Updates: My 2025 Reading Journey”
Posted in Book Review, Dark Romance/Erotic Horror, Lauren Biel

A Spicy Snowman Tale: My Thoughts on “Frisky the Snowman” by Lauren Biel

Frisky the Snowman by Lauren Biel

18+ Contains Adult Content

Frisky the Snowman is as weird a read as it sounds. It follows Holly, who loves the snow and builds herself a snowman she names Frisky, with whom she gets frisky. Imagine her surprise when Frisky comes to life.

Continue reading “A Spicy Snowman Tale: My Thoughts on “Frisky the Snowman” by Lauren Biel”
Posted in Book Review, Laurie Gilmore, Romance

The Gingerbread Bakery: A Sweet Small Town Romance

The Gingerbread Bakery by Laurie Gilmore

The Gingerbread Bakery is book 5 in the Dream Harbor series; however, each book can be read as a standalone. This one follows Annie, the owner of the Gingerbread Bakery, and Mac, the owner of the pub. Annie is just as sweet as the cookies she bakes. She likes everyone well, everyone except Mac. Mac wants the only thing he can’t have…Annie. There is bad blood between the two of them, and whenever they are around each other, all they do is bicker, but when two of their friends are getting married, they have to put aside the bickering and get along.

Continue reading “The Gingerbread Bakery: A Sweet Small Town Romance”
Posted in Monthly Reading Wrap Ups

Discover My Top Reads: 13 Books I Devoured This November and Their Ratings

This month has been a really good month for me reading wise. I’ve managed to read 13 books this month 🙂 Here is what I read and what I rated it 🙂

I started the month with an ARC from Nova Kane, so you already know it was a good start to the month! I read Blood & Throttle, which I devoured! This was Death Race but on bikes, and it was amazing. I gave it 5 stars.

I then read Queens of Ruin by Selena Collins. I read this because I needed to read a book beginning with Q for my alphabet challenge, and I had this on my Kindle. I didn’t enjoy it. The idea was good, the execution not so much. I gave it 2.5 stars.

I then read the book I was most excited for this month! Veradel by Mariah Montoya and Grace Pearce. This was book two in the Guardians and Monsters duology. I read Xantera last month and was obsessed, so I had been eagerly waiting for this ARC to pop in my inbox, and I was just as obsessed with this one as I was with Xantera! 5 stars. This is a new favourite duology for me!

I then listened to and ALC of Dark Desires by Effie Campbell. I enjoyed the narrators, but felt the spice-to-plot ratio was too heavy in the spice direction. I still enjoyed it, just didn’t love it. I gave it 3.5 stars.

I then read Of Darkness and Ruination by Rachel Fallon. This was on my 12 months, 12 Friends, 12 books challenge. I enjoyed this; the only issue was that it was very, very similar to ACOTAR. Had I not read ACOTAR already, then I would have probably given this book 5 stars, but because it was so similar, I kept unintentionally comparing the two books, and Calix just didn’t hit the same as Rhysand for me, and so I gave it 4 stars.

I then read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I never read this in school, as I think my set did Jane Eyre, anyway, I had to read a classic as part of my StoryGraph challenge, and I picked this because it was 121 pages and figured I could manage that. I’m not a classics girlie, but this was okay. I felt rather uncomfortable reading it, though, which was maybe the point of the book, I dunno. I gave it 3 stars.

I then had another ALC, this one was Becoming Justice by Liv Macy. I hadn’t heard of this author prior to this, but I really enjoyed listening to this. I gave it 4 stars.

I then read A Wife for the Blacksmith by Viola Grey, because I needed a Historical Fiction for my 52 book challenge, I swear these challenges got me reading all sorts of books outta my comfort zone…I guess that’s the point of them though haha. I picked this because it was short, and it was okay. I gave it 3.5 stars.

I then read Mariposa by Lexi Axelson. I’ve wanted to read See You Soon by her, but for some reason, I’m scared to start that book, so I read this one instead. I did not expect to cry reading this book, but I sobbed! 4 stars.

I then read You May Now Kill The Bride by Kate Weston. This had been on my TBR for over a year, and I needed a book beginning with Y to finish my book alphabet, lol. I enjoyed it. I don’t read much mystery/thriller these days, but it was once my comfort genre, so it’s always fun to go back to that genre. I gave it 4 stars.

I then received an ARC of Fatal Collision by Harleigh Beck. You all know by now that Harleigh is one of my favourite authors. I loved this book! Kane had me swooning, giggling, kicking my feet the lot! I can’t wait for book 2. 5 stars!

I then read Fost by Lo Gold, which was another ARC. This was a monster romance, which isn’t a genre I’ve read much of. I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. 3.5 stars.

I finished the month with Sweet Doe by Melissa McSherry and Dana LeeAnn. I had read the first book in this duet last year and loved that. I didn’t love this one quite the same, and I ended up giving it 3.5 stars.

There should be full reviews for all these books on my blog (except of mice and men).

My favourite book of the month is Veradel.

My top 3 favourite books this month are:
Veradel
Blood & Throttle
Fatal Collision

I hope you all had a good reading month.
Now it’s on to Christmas books xD