I had a better reading month this month than I did last month. I did, however, have 1 DNF this month, but life is too short to read books you don’t vibe with. I did aim to read more this month than I did, but oh well lol.
Here is what I read, what I rated them and if I recommend them. All books except my DNF have full reviews up on here if you want to read them.
The Frost that Burns by Carliann Jean
18+ Contains Adult Content
The Frost that Burns is a dark fantasy romance that follows Keres, a lethal ruby vampire who is chained in a contract to the ruthless Queen of the Underworld. Keres doesn’t know freedom, but her best friend gets the week off all duties to attend the Starlit Festival, where they can enjoy feasting on sweets and dancing under the stars. The whole point of the festival is to find your soulmate, but Keres doesn’t believe she will and is content to have fun with her best friend. But then she finds her demons… that’s right, not one soulmate but two, and both of whom the Queen wants dead.
A love worth sacrificing for is only an extension of our highest self.
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”
Mara by SK Pryntz
18+ Contains Adult Content
Mara is the last book in the Wellard Asylum series, although they can be read in any order. It will be released on the 31st of October.
Mara follows Mara, who is a nurse at Wellard Asylum. Mara has always been very career-driven and has never given her love life much thought. When she bumps into a tattooed biker in a frozen yoghurt shop, she can’t help but feel pulled to him. So she does what anyone would do, she drags him to the bathroom, where he shows her that his mouth has a much better use than talking. She doesn’t want his name, just a quick fumble. Except it turns out that the stranger whose face she just rode, is her sister’s boyfriend, Jinx. Jinx, who is obsessed with Mara, uses her sister to get close to Mara. Gianna Mara’s sister turns up dead, with all the evidence pointing to Jinx.
I kept Gianna sheltered as much as I could…I thrived in chaos. It freaked me out when things were too calm.
Can’t Stop by Lauren Biel
18+ Contains Adult Content
Can’t Stop is a sequel to Don’t Stop. It follows Rayna and Dalton, who find their way to a small town which is full of death and dead things. Which really Rayna should love, but even she thinks that something is not right and is creeped out. When they meet the crazy family who wishes to sacrifice Dalton and use Rayna to “wake” their son, things go from creepy to murderous fun for the Halloween Harvesters.
Almost as fabulous as the taxidermy-rat thong I hold against my pants.
Pretty Broken Wings by Alina May
18+ Contains Adult Content
Pretty Broken Wings follows Raven, who has moved to live in Hollows Grove after leaving her ex in the middle of the night. She is trying to lay low and not be found by her ex, but she carries around this immense anger at the world. She bumps into Axel, who also carries around a tremendous amount of anger. Axel is used to girls throwing themself at him, but not Raven and that infuriates him. So he does what any sane man would do and starts to stalk her. She retaliates by breaking his glasses, except they are not his; they belong to his twin brother, Gage. Axel and Gage are identical twins and are both classed as legally blind, especially without their glasses. Gage is a lawyer who now needs someone to be his eyes while he preps for a case. Raven broke the glasses, so it’s only fair that she does it. If Gage so happens to fall for her during this time, then well, he and Axel will have to fight it out…or will they? They could share her. I mean, why should she choose?
Raven wants to play hard to get with the fucking slut. Okay, little bird. Let’s play.
Xantera by Mariah Montoya and Grace Pearce
Releases 13th October 2025
Xantera follows 23-year-old Saskia, who lives in a utopian society ruled by 12 guardians. Saskia has always been taught to never question the rules and to fear the monster who prowls outside the wall, which is there to protect them. She eats what she is told, she works where she is told, and she is even in a relationship with whom she is told. They control every aspect of the citizens’ lives. Saskia is a healer, and when one of her patients is acting shifty and then disappears, Saskia does what no one in Xantera should do: she starts thinking and asking questions. When she sees her patient again, he is being escorted by the sentries, but she notices as he throws a necklace to the side of the road. Saskia is curious and picks this up; she doesn’t know what it is and is utterly shocked when a voice speaks to her in her head. The voice is that of the monster outside the wall, the one she should fear, and he wants her to let him in.
What do I want from you, little nightmare?
I want you to let me in
Each month, I try and interview a new author. This month, I reached out to Nikki J Summer. Nikki is a lovely person, she is also a dark romance author, and her book, The Taskmaster, is being released this month! I will give you a little bit about The Taskmaster at the end.
Fun fact, Nikki’s book The Psycho was my first ever dark romance book, it was pretty much my first romance book too, I think. Well, I read Twilight in my teens, but other than that and fanfiction, it was my foot in the door of the romance genre, especially dark romance. Now here we are, a few years later, with 3 bookshelves full of romance books and a Kindle with plenty of unhinged spicy books on it. I have zero regrets, but just so you know, Nikki, I blame you for my obsession, since it started with you 😆
Without further ado, let’s jump into it ☺️
Continue reading “An Interview with Nikki J Summers: The Author Who Sparked My Love for Dark Romance”
Unwell by Effie Campbell
Releasing 26th October 2025
Unwell is another book in the Wellard Asylum series, which is a shared world consisting of 13 books by 13 different authors.
I have read 3 of them so far; this is my fourth one.
This book follows Nurse Nancy, who becomes obsessed with a new patient Ginny who is brought to the asylum by her mother. Ginny is 19 and heavily pregnant. Nurse Nancy looks after Ginny, doing everything she can to protect her and her unborn baby.
Check your trigger warnings before diving into this book!
Continue reading “The Dark Unforgettable Story of Nurse Nancy and Pregnant Patient Ginny in Unwell by Effie Campbell”
