July 2024 Reading List

Click the book covers below to shop what I’m reading on Amazon.

WARNING: THESE BOOKS ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE.

If you’re thinking of getting these please read the description first to make sure you can handle them. Some of these books contain dark and mature content. Read at your own discretion.

Most of these shown can be found on Kindle Unlimited or through an author mailing list.

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Dark romantasy with all the twists…

Book two in the Diadem series went full-blown dark fantasy and I’m so here for it. Our dear Queen Elaenor went through so much more than anyone ever should all throughout book one. When this book starts out she is fighting to keep not only her sanity but also her life at the hands of her psychopathic husband. She is put through so much torture and struggles but tries desperately to hold on.

Meanwhile behind the scenes there are so many trying to do what they can to rescue her. They know she is important for their future even if only a few know the true extent of that importance. There are so many twists and turns, secrets and lies, love and family, right alongside loyalty and betrayal.

The magical fantasy aspect goes up by several levels from where we were in book one. Elaenor was so sheltered growing up that she had no idea what other countries, peoples, and unique beings existed in the world around her. So as time goes on during this book, we learn about those things with her. We’re right there as she starts to learn more about exactly who and what she actually it.

I won’t give away any twists or surprises because you really have to experience them for yourselves. This is an intense story that left me craving more while also (once again) asking myself what did I just read… and when can I read the next book. Check the triggers and be prepared for another cliffhanger to keep you on the edge of your seat for the next one.

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Mafia HEA…

The final book in this trilogy picks up with Massimo taking care of Evelyn after what happened in the club at the end of book two. He worries that he’s putting her in more danger because of his own needs to keep her with him. But Evelyn has already made up her mind that her true place is at his side.

They make the trip back to his home to start their life together. But both of them have unresolved threats from their past that present a danger to their happiness. As they work through figuring out how to make their new relationship into something real, they also have to face those threats in order to make it possible.

This was great way to wrap up their story. It’s short but covers all the bases. There’s even a little bit to make you wonder what might be next in this world.

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One event to set everything in motion…

For six years Lakeland has been feeling lost and it’s not just the missing memories to go along with her amnesia, it’s also a piece of herself, her soul. For those same six years Knox has been filled with his own loss. That of his twin sister and his belief in Lakeland that left him with feelings of anger and betrayal.

When Lakeland goes on the run, it’s Knox who finds her and takes her with plans to punish her for reasons she can’t remember. Both of them are forced to face what really happened all those years ago along with all the leftover feelings. And just because Knox hasn’t lost his memories like Lakeland has doesn’t mean he knows the full truth either.

These two are intense. Their story is not for the faint of heart. Their journey is not an easy one. So much anger, betrayal, secrets, and lies stand in their way. But through it all they can’t deny how much they’re drawn to each other no matter what.

Be prepared to check the triggers and stay on the edge of your seat. This book will leave you wanting more, especially with the hints at the end. And I love that this world is connected to the Murdoch Mafia and Memento Mori world because I love those too.

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Oh the twisted goodness…

If you’re looking for a soft and sweet romance, this is most definitely not the story for you. But if you’re in the mood for one woman’s totally twisted journey to find her way out of the prison she’s been stuck in for so many years and find herself while taking out much needed revenge on all those who wronged her, then this is the story for you.

They may have known her as Waverly Bronson but now they will know her as Doxy Da Luca and she will put them in their place. Her family thought she was dead when really she was being put through so much torture and abuse by terrible men who wanted to use her for their own desires and gains. But when she finds an unexpected ally in Treyvante and a blast from the past with Xander she seizes the opportunity to take down the men who did her wrong and the family that left her behind.

This book left me with so many feelings. I absolutely loved the growth, development, and strength in Wave/Doxy. She went through so much and even though she lost parts of herself along the way she also found the strength and the determination to get through anything and everything.

This is a dark and very twisted read so please check the triggers. Some parts will be harder to handle that others. And Samantha even recognizes that with extra warnings in the book. But what a journey! And the chemistry, love, respect, and loyalty that develops between Doxy, Trey, and Xander is just everything. Such a great dark romance.

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Romantic, in that totally twisted stalker way…

Saint and Violet make for the perfect dark romance couple. I want to chat about this book with you so bad but at the same time I’m determined to keep its secrets so you can experience the twisted goodness for yourself. Be prepared to check those trigger warnings because this love story is not for the faint of heart.

Violet finds herself at the mercy of a masked stranger on the side of the road one night who calls himself Saint, as he’s the one to save her from a fate that could be worse. He’s watching her, following her, out to possess her. She’s determined to figure out his true identity, even if that means everyone one around her on campus is a suspect. And at each interaction she find herself drawn to him more and more.

Their darkness within truly speaks to each other’s. This book is a wild ride of obsession, lust, spice, possessiveness, darkness, secrets, lies, and drama. Oh so good! I’m hoping for a full series in this world to see how far things go and to see more of the side characters.

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Spicy second chance romance…

How is this my first Abbi Glines book? What took me so long? I don’t know but after this one I know it won’t be my last. And I don’t normally pick up a series in the middle but that’s how this one worked out. Now I definitely need to read the entire Smoke series for more of this world.

Gage is recovering and healing after a bad fight and Shiloh is helping out her uncle as his nurse. She’s not prepared to face some intense anger rolling off Gage and his friends when she arrives. See the thing is she has no memory of any of them after a bad car accident left her with amnesia. But they sure seem to remember her.

Gage and Shiloh now have the chance to set the record straight and work through the issues that tore them apart in their past. Even if she doesn’t remember him Shiloh is definitely drawn to him. Their connection is intense and the chemistry is off the charts. Gage may be a bit psychotic, especially when it comes to protecting and defending Shiloh, but he also has a softer side. That includes all the sweet way he reintroduces her to her past favorite foods, shows, and more. So yeah, sweet but pyscho.

Shiloh is pulled into Gage’s world as part of The Family, the Southern Mafia. It’s dark and dangerous but it’s also just that, a family. Lies, secrets, loyalty, and love.

AUDIOBOOK SPECIFIC: Wow, just wow! The duet style narration by Corvin King and Allie Shae was so good. They really brought the story and the passion to life. They made it an experience that really just sucks you in right from the start. Amazing job!

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All the feels…

I absolutely loved Ellis and Lucky’s story. They were just perfect for each other even if it took them a while to get it together and realize it could be something special. Even before their romantic connection, they were always connected on a whole other level from the very beginning as kids.

Ellis is a hot, gentle, lumberjack of a man with a completely selfless heart of gold. He’s neurodivergent with selective mutism, so he’s not always the best a communicating with those around him. But from the moment he meets Lucky as a boy when he moves into the house next door, communication is never a problem for them, even if it’s mostly in a nontraditional sort of way. They connect with or without words in a way that is truly special.

Lucky is super fun and outgoing with a deep desire to travel and explore instead of being stuck in a small town surrounded by fields of corn. He’s pretty much the exact opposite of Ellis but it doesn’t matter.

They have feelings for each other from the time they are teens even if they never really knew how to express it or even acknowledge it at times. Ellis loves Lucky enough to know that he can’t be the reason Lucky is held back from the happy, adventurous life he deserves, so he lets him go.

Throughout the years they stay in constant contact sharing their lives. But it all catches up to them eventually and they start to realize the future they could have together. And it’s a beautiful thing.

This book got me all up in my feelings for these two. I loved them together from the very beginning. Their journey was so sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. You can’t help but to root for them to see what you see for them. Such a great book!

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Don’t look too closely for a hero…

Ivy is young but determined and headstrong. She’s independent and wants to take care of herself. But when she has a chance run-in with Atlas after everything than can go wrong does, she finds herself intrigued by this handsome stranger. Their paths keep crossing and the interest keeps growing. When she discovers she has a stalker, she finds herself leaning more towards Atlas. She enjoys the intensity, passion, and protectiveness, even if everything is moving faster than she expected.

On the flipside, Atlas is working behind the scenes to manipulate pretty much anything and everything he can. He’s a man who always gets what he wants, and he wants Ivy. She’s not only falling for him, but she’s also falling for the trap he’s set for her. The past comes back to haunt them in ways no one is expecting. Everyone is pushed to their limits, their love and loyalties tested.

Atlas is no hero. He’s a dark and twisted crime boss who makes things happen with no real sense of right or wrong. Ivy is often torn with all her mixed emotions. One thing that can’t be denied is their chemistry. Their journey may not always be pretty, and it certainly isn’t your typical love story. But it is quite the love story after all and a great dark romance read.

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Oh the trauma…

Trix has been through so much in her life, that even includes waking up in a body bag after being left for dead. She’s broken but unbelievably strong at the same time. She’s not trying to stand out but trying to survive and move on. And she definitely wants to stay far away from any monsters that trigger memories of her past.

Kenzo is more than just the muscle in Atlas’s empire. He’s a force all on his own. And once he sets his sights on Trix after a chance run-in, he can’t get her off his mind. He’s determined to know more about her and the more he’s around her, the more he wants her.

He’s struggling to work with Atlas to figure out who this Bone Keeper is who’s been digging up graves and leaving bones to be discovered. Even though it’s not their personal graveyard that’s been targeted, they’re trying to find out who’s doing it before anything can be tied back to them. Meanwhile, Kenzo is also doing everything he can to keep Trix by his side and in his home.

Their twisted romance definitely is not of the traditional kind and doesn’t take the typical journey to get there. There’s so many twists and turns, secrets and lies, but also loyalty, spice, and affection. Get ready for some dark and sometimes uncomfortable topics.

Honestly I loved Atlas and Ivy from book one, but after this Kenzo and Trix have taken the couple lead. I loved these two together. And I loved some of the directions their journey took that I wasn’t expecting. Great dark romance read.

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The darkest one of the bunch…

Before I even saw the description for this third book in the series, I was hoping it was going to be Pete’s story. I just wasn’t prepared for the sweet driver we loved from the first two books to be a disguise for the darkness that is Hudson, the gun for fire, the assassin. And I’d even go so far as to say he’s the darkest, most twisted of this psycho bunch we’ve grown to love. He’s no hero, no good guy, even if he does have his moments…. eventually.

We learn he has two estranged sons when he gets the call that their mother has been killed in a car accident. He ends up taking in the younger son, Abbot, and their stepsister, Starling, as both are just shy of eighteen and need to finish out their last year of high school.

Hudson/Pete is drawn to Starling from the very beginning, even if there is quite the age gap. And as soon as she turns eighteen all bets are off. It doesn’t matter that she’s currently dating his son. He’s determined to have her even if that involves a little blackmail.

Hudson and Starling are battling their major push and pull dynamic while he’s also working with Atlas and Kenzo to figure out who’s dropping bodies all around. The mystery of numbers carved into them and long forgotten links to the past and seeming random connections has the guys constantly working to figure out who is behind it and who’s their real target.

Honestly I had a bit of a hard time with Hudson’s obsession and power plays with Starling at first. But as their journey evolved and the more they circled around each other the more I started feeling for them. Starling went through so much when she was younger, then while in school, it felt like she needed her own monster in Hudson to have her back. And she deserved the support of this new found family that came along with him.

This story is not for the faint of heart. Hudson is not going to make some big change from his psychotic ways just because he finds this connection with Startling. He stays true to his crazy self and takes on anyone who gets in his way. Even with the hard start this was a great dark romance with some huge twists I never saw coming.

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The crazy badass bitch you can’t help but love…

We first met London in the Memento Mori series when she was just a young little hellion driving her adoptive father crazy and figuring out her place in her new found family. Now she’s eighteen and wreaking havoc on the headmasters, and anyone else that gets in her way, at her exclusive boarding school.

One night and an accident with her car changes her path in ways she never could have expected. She finds herself forced to contend with the twisted traditions of the Greek mafia family and be put through their trials. The Godfathers of the Night has never been a place for women, much less one who isn’t even Greek. And the new headmaster is none other than one of the brothers of that family.

With no choice but to go through these trials and survive or risk war between her family and the Greek mafia, she does everything she can to find a way. Her journey is definitely not easy but she’s no pushover. And she finds herself drawn to Artemis even when everything and everyone says she shouldn’t be. She also discovers a new best friend in his twin brother.

London and Artemis’ story is epic. I loved these two together so much. Samantha has a way of getting you so caught up in the story and the feelings. She can fill your heart, break it, and help you figure out how to put the pieces back together. This was a fantastic dark romance. And it was so good to see all the Murdoch Mafia and Memento Mori family crossovers happening. I don’t want this interconnected world to ever end.

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Dark second chance romance with a hitman twist…

Harper, Rowan, Angel, and Nash spent their teenage years together when her mother married their father. That close bond they built took a turn when the guys were tasked with making her disappear, with their father’s greedy motives and threats as the reason. But they couldn’t quite follow through. Rowan just made it look like he killed Harper and shoved her off the old bridge.

Seven years later their paths cross again. The Blackwood boys are all grown up and working for The Guild, taking care of problems and collecting cash along the way. And Harper has been living under an alias keeping a low profile while working as a mechanic, but now she’s their next contract hit.

None of them are the same as they were seven years ago. They each have grown up and have issues of their own. Angel and Nash are shocked to find out Ro has lied to them about what really happened with Harper all those years ago. Now they’re trying to dig into who is behind the contract to take her out again.

They’re all struggling with those not-so-sibling-like feelings that are resurfacing. The trust is gone while darkness and danger remain. They fight it but they can’t deny the heat between them. So many highs and lows but really they all balance each other out and make things better, if they could only get out of their own way. Keeping Harper safe isn’t easy but she’s also not ready to just sit back and let the boys do all the work.

This was a great way to kick off a new series and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

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I can understand the hype…

I finally did it. I dove into the series with the first book and decided to go with the dramatized audiobook version. Although I did try out both versions and decided I preferred this duet style multi-cast option the best. This version is definitely more like a movie with lots of narrators, music, sound effects, etc. that bring the story to life. My only criticism with this version is that I noticed when following along with the book at times, there were some skipped lines and a bit of slight re-wording here and there. But otherwise it was great and I will stick with this style for the rest of the series.

Feyre is a nineteen year old huntress doing her best to provide for her family after they’ve fallen on hard times. She kills a wolf in the woods that turns out to be a faerie. As a result she is taken from her home and into the land of the Fae.

She has been raised with hostility toward the Fae. The longer she’s there the more she realizes that something is not quite right with their world. She faces danger after danger. She tries to discover more about this new world she finds herself in. And her feelings towards Tamlin starts to change and evolve over time.

When it comes down to it, she has decisions to make that will effect not just her but her family, Tamlin, and all the Fae in his court. She is forced to face challenges that puts all her ideals and skills to the test.

This book was great and I can see what all the hype is about. It had a bit of a slower start for me but ended up sucking me in more than I even expected. I can’t wait to see where the series goes.

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